The Gun Line MkIII

As far back as I can remember, Mom used to buy me Barnum’s Animal Crackers every time she went to the commissary.  I would wait until we got back to the house, and then I would be allowed to hunt through the forest of brown paper bags until I found that little box with the circus motif and the little white string to carry it by.  At the same time, my “sister” (one each German Shepherd dog named “Nikki”, would be searching for her treat, a box of large Milk Bone Biscuits…

That was many, many years ago, but every now and again, she’ll buy me a box of Barnum’s Animal Crackers, just to let me know that she’s thinking of me…

So I get a box in the mail a few days ago, and among the zip-locked baggies of homemade cookies, I find two familiar boxes…

Yep, you guessed it…

Barnum's Animal Crackers

But there’s more…

I also received a Christmas Card, from my Aunt and Uncle.  It’s dated 15 December 2008.  Just arrived today.  Seems that my Aunt left off the last line of the address, which has the APO and zip code.  So the last line of the address is “Balad, Iraq.”

Check this out:

Iraqi Postmarks

This card, sent from an American city, went through the Iraqi postal service, and found its way here, to me!

Tells me that the “normal” infrastructure of this country is working just fine…

I think that it’s pretty cool…

(Aunt Fay, this is as cool a Christmas present as you could ever send, and then fact that it is here at all is good enough for me!)