Friday, August 22, 2008

Good To Be Back In Baghdad

And I'm back from another record breaking stay at the plantation, I stayed there two weeks! I was not planning to stay that long, but I didn't want to leave without finalizing the distribution of fertilizers. That's having a sense of responsibility isn't it.

I was told that some crops in one area have died from lack of water. That's not the best of news. I've yet to check it out myself. I've yet to make up my mind about it. From what I understand there are plenty of reasons why they didn't succeed to grow. There's a nation-wide water shortage from what I hear, the government isn't supplying us with subsidized diesel fuel to run the water pumps. And that specific area has its own issues such as troublesome farmers.

It seems the mosquitoes get a kick of leaving me alone during my whole stay there until the night before I leave. I got one on the hand, one on my elbow, one on my leg and three on my neck one of which is massively bulging out from the side.

First thing I did when I got here was have myself a chicken shawerma. And then when I got home, I called my friends to tell them that I'm back. Ennie later called and I met up with him where he was with his uncle who was attending a lecture about assisting typhoid treatement with fruits and veg. I thought it might be interesting considering that typhoid isn't rare where the plantation is.

On my way back home, I thought of getting some lahma bi ajeen on my way back home, but since I saw one of the guy's from my internet provider chilling at the newly opened narguila cafe. Sat with him and had myself some two apples flavoured narguila and a lemon and banana flavoured juice. There were plenty of people crowded around the lahma bi ajeen place and the wait half an hour long. No worries though, tomorrow some of my classmates might come over so I may help them out for the re-tests and we'll go have lunch there.

It's getting harder to blog. I'm not slobbing about as much as I used to and that's affecting my blogging juices. I also feel my English is beginning to suffer. I ought to get some novels and start reading again.

3 comments:

Don Cox said...

You haven't told us what crops you are growing. ______ Wouldn't it make more sense to use wind or solar power to run the pumps? From what I hear, there is a general shortage of water in Iraq, due to dams upstream and less than usual rain.

Brian H said...

To knock down the bites, and handle any other skin issues, get yourself some cheap (pure) glycerin. Apply directly or slightly diluted. It will penetrate within ¼ hr., and greatly reduce itching and inflammation or swelling. It has a hundred uses.

Believe it or not, it's used as a primary sweetening agent in ice cream, and raisins are soaked in it to keep them moist (it loves and holds water).

For breath problems, sip and swish around on the very back of your tongue, and swallow. Instant death to the sulfur-bacteria back there (it sucks the water out of them).

Lots more uses. Never leave or stay home without it.

Shaggy said...

Don,

I'm growing rice now. In the winter we'll grow wheat.

There isn't much wind over here. Sun there is plenty of, but it takes a lot of electricity to operate those water pumps. I guess it's something to look into.

How in the world do you know about a general shortage of water in Iraq? I'm living here and don't hear about it.

Brian,

You sure know your glycerine. You've convinced me, next time I'm at the pharmacy I'm getting myself some.