Yesterday was nice; mild and sunny. Coming back from the store saw a convoy of Army vehicles. During the breaks in the weather, the National Guard has been training at Camp Shelby, located through the woods in the DeSoto National Forest. I could hear the distant "thumps" and "whumps" of artillery fire and big guns. Not the big stuff that rattles the windows, though. Helicopters flew over. The sand colored Army trucks rolled past. Our boys playing soldier, dressed in their desert camo.

I pulled off the side of the road so I could study these trucks. They have machine gun mounts on top, and look well fortified in case an IED had been planted in the road, for instance. I would love to be allowed to get into one and see how the soldiers live and work in them. It makes me wish I were young and agile and maybe I might join up--there's something--I'll say it right out--that's exciting about it and makes my old lady heart beat faster.

susil