Trigger Finger Mittens

I wanted to make Nathan a pair of mittens with a trigger finger for Afghanistan. I thought I had found a pattern online but when I sat down to make them the pattern called for bulky yarn and I had worsted weight. I took bits and pieces from several different patterns and found a tutorial on making gloves. I will compile all the bits into a pattern once I try knitting another pair (that won't be until December because going to college full-time severely limits my knitting time).

These knit up very quickly. I'm thinking I'll make a pair for my mom for Christmas so I can work out sizes. Nathan's are a little big for Rush (he wouldn't come outside and model them for me). I used Cascade 220 Superwash and it took just under 1 skein for the pair.

Care Packages for Nathan

The US Postal Service has free shipping boxes, postage is extra. The Priority Mail Large Flat Rate Box costs $14.50 to mail regardless of the weight- I found this out after I paid $8 to mail a $3 tub of Gatorade powder to Iraq (but the Marine I sent it to was totally worth it!)


PACK SOAP ITEMS SEPARATE FROM FOOD AND NON-FOOD ITEMS (NO KIDDING)

FILL OUT CUSTOMS FORMS AT HOME FOR QUICKER SERVICE AT POST OFFICE

ITEMS TO SEND:

Chap Stick
Super Glue
Baby Wipes
Pens
Toilet Paper
Paper
Envelopes
Stamps
Shampoo/Body Soap
News
Razor/Blades
Towel
Shave Cream
Ziploc bags- heavy duty freezer bags are best
Toothpaste
Febreeze
hot sauce- duct tape the bottle and double wrap in ziploc bags
Toothbrush
Deodorant
Bug Spray: Cutters/Deep Woods OFF/ etc.
CLP cleaning oil (Otis Brand)
Gun cleaning patches
Any favorite snack: Clif Bars, Beef Jerky, Chips, etc.

DON’T SEND:
Chocolate
Candy
Pork products of any kind

At this point he doesn't need calling cards- he just has to wait his turn to use the satellite phone

Send letters and pictures even if you have contact with email. I read online that it takes about 2 weeks for packages to get to Kandahar. You can also send magazine subscriptions or coffee clubs, etc. Just make sure they mail to an APO address.

Good-Bye Nathan

Sunday Nathan was leaving for Afghanistan, we took him and Cheyney to breakfast at IHOP so we could say good-bye, so he could eat his last bacon & sausage, so Ryan could go home and get some sleep, and so he and Cheyney could go up to the base and say their good-byes without a bunch of younger siblings in the way. The place was packed- why weren't all those people in church?

Ryan and I are the only ones who ate breakfast- everyone else had lunch, go figure we were at a pancake place!?! Nathan and Rush had the bacon burger so Nathan did get his bacon.

Wednesday night he called from Afghanistan. He is doing okay, having a rough time with the malaria pills but that was to be expected as he had a hard time with them when he went to Brazil in '02. We got his address and are getting a package ready to mail next week. I'm going to try and create a gadget on the sidebar that lists what can and can't be sent to him and what he's asking for. Email us if you want his address.

Nathan's in Afghanistan

Nathan left Sunday for Afghanistan. Through quick cell calls and texts we were able to follow his progress: McChord- Germany- "stan" something- Kyrgyzstan- he was suppposed to be in Kandahar early this morning. We should have an address for him sometime in the next 2 weeks.