Edmund, any proper rifle is loaded through the Mouth (muzzle). When you jam a shell (suppository) up the other end you have a suppository gun.

Let me see if I have this straight. We should plan to be in Sydney on the fourth Saturday of November and the first Thursday. That will help in planning this trip. You with me on this, Charley? Looks like we'll have to plan on either the end of October and the first of November or the end of November and the first of December. Please note, neither one is a problem for me. Sydney is an easy reach from where I am. You are the one who will have to do the difficult planning.

This morning the pain in my gut woke me. I decided to avoid the rush and get to the hospital early so I arrived at 5:00 AM. After the usual round of paperwork and other standard measurements I finally saw a doctor. Looking at him I wondered if his mother knew he was awake so early in the morning. He felt around and probed and prodded. He couldn't figure out what it was but he was pretty sure what it wasn't. He gave me some painkillers and valium and sent me home. When I got back to my room I took some pills, ate breakfast and lay down for a bit. I woke up around 10:30! Good pills. I have a follow up appointment on Tuesday. In the meantime the painkillers help but I am high as a kite.

As I write this there is a lovely storm raging outside my office window. The wind is tossing the palm frond and tre branches and the rain is pouring down obscuring most of the moutain views I have. I can hear the wind howling past my windows. I feel bad for the security guards out there on the base entrance.

Next Monday is Liberation Day. We have been offered liberal leave in order to participate. The holiday celebrates the liberation of the island from the Japanese towards the end of WWII. Apparently this is an all out holiday. It is one of the biggest events of the year. Some people have been camped out next to Route 1 for a week now, preserving their place for the parade. I may have to take the afternoon off to go downtown and see what all the bruhaha is all about.