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As well as can be expected

I spent a great deal of the Labour Day weekend trying not to obsess over the news. I am sad to say that I failed pretty miserably. I was glued to CTV NewsNet and CBC Newsworld most of Sunday and Monday, hoping that I wouldn't recognise any names.

It was pretty obvious that something bad was happening when I went to the Deployment Support Centre Sunday morning to drop off a package for Capt Mike. His first issue of Legion magazine had arrived, and my Dad had picked up some hotrods and beef jerky from a local packing plant in Simcoe to send over for him. When I asked to use the parcel-wrapping room, the usually open door to the orderly room was closed. I could hear someone on the other side of the door talking about contacting the A-channel, a local TV station based in Ottawa.

When I drove my parents past the 1RCR building to see if they could recognise the base from when they'd lived here, the parking spaces closest to the door were all full. It's rare you see that many people in on a Sunday.

By the time we got home, two names had been released.

I managed to hear from Mike late yesterday afternoon. He was doing as well as can be expected. He was looking forward to eating a chili ration for dinner, and having watermelon for dessert. Where the watermelon had come from, I don't know. He sounded like Mike though, so that's good. The conversation was pretty short. He didn't have a whole lot he could say, and I didn't know exactly what I should say. But I got to hear his voice, which is the important thing.

And hopefully, when this is over and he gets back to the airfield, there will be a shoe box full of dried salty meat treats and a copy of Legion magazine waiting for him.