Let It Snow!!!!!!

I'm a self professed snow lover, and Saturday's weather was perfect! We were blessed with another 4" of new snow today!.............Kids, get your sleds!

Random Picture!

Prior Lake Ladder 1 Action Shot!

Happy Turkey Day!

Happy (belated) Thanksgiving...."grill-master" style!

Who Doesn't Love Chocolate?

Holly, the kids, and I recently made the trek to Brownsville, Wisconsin, for a wedding on her side of the family.

"Confections For Any Occasion" sign.

While there, we went to the town of Theresa to visit Confections For Any Occasion. This quaint little candy shop, cafe, and ice cream shop is run by Holly's cousin, Joel.

Confections for any occasion has a wide selection of Door County wines and micro-brew beers.

Joel carries just about anything you can think of, including fine Door County wines and micro-brew beers.

One of several cases stocked with hand made confections, guaranteed to satisfy any sweet tooth!

The best best part of the shop, however, are the cases full of hand made confections. Joel and his staff make a wide selection of mouth watering chocolates, candies, and truffles. Try the beer truffles, they are to die for!!

"The Zimm" and the one and only Joel!

If your in Eastern Wisconsin, stop on in and get some good food and chocolates, you may even get a chance to meet Joel himself! Too far to drive? No problem, Joel's sweet tooth favorites are available on-line at www.confectionsbyjoel.com 24 hours a day!

Now That's a Fire!!

The Prior Lake Fire Department recently had the opportunity to do a training burn on a house in Prior Lake. House burns such as this provide a training environment that is second to none. We start several small fires and extinguish them, giving us the chance to learn fire behavior and extinguishing techniques, prior to letting it burn to the ground. Oh yea, it's a heck of a lot of fun too!

Fully Involved!

Dale, "The Zimm", and Vic

The PLFD crew

What's Up?

Hey All!

Well, It's been a month or so since my last update! As most of you know I am back home now, and acclimating well to civilian life. Over the past three weeks I have been filling my days with "honey-do" projects, volunteering at the schools and church, and getting back into the swing of things at the fire department. It was great to have a chance to catch up with a lot of you, and if I haven't seen you yet, I look forward to doing so!

'Till next time!
Zimm

Back in the USA!!!!!!

Hey everybody!

Wow, Where did the time go? After 9 months of deployment, and 36 hours of flight delays, my time in the "crappy sandbox" is over! The flight home was long. We stopped in Turkey and Ireland before landing in Norfolk, Virginia.

We made a brief stop in Turkey, we had to stay on the plane

2 hour stop in Shannon, Ireland

The flight home was full of smiles, cheers, and anticipation. I could not wait to get off the plane in Norfolk to see the best sight in the word, Holly and the kids!! They drove to Virginia to meet me, and have been here while I processed out. We had the chance to see some sights and get reacquainted. I will post some pictures of our travels later.

Holly, Zack, Eryn, and Lizzy met me in Norfolk!

Now I am looking forward to driving home with them. I will still be on active duty until mid November, or so, while I take leave and do final processing but we should all be back in Minnesota by mid week!

Looking forward to seeing everyone!

Zimm

Greetings From Ireland

Greetings From Ireland!! More to follow later.

Zimm

Hi Everybody!

Hello Everybody! Well, it been a little while since I've sent out an update, and for that I apologize. Life in Kuwait has been very busy! We don't mind, though, it makes the time go by faster! We are getting ready to wrap things up here, and I am hoping that I will be posting from home soon. If you have a good catch phrase for the blog, let me know!

Now, how about some news.......

U.S. Navy Customs Battalion Sierra, Alpha Company "Minnesota Mafia"

I recently received a U.S. flag from Jean, of Prior Lake. The flag came with a scrap book of all of the places she had taken the flag. I have not seen the book yet, but am very much looking forward to seeing it! The Minneapolis area is well represented out here, and we recently took a photo (above) with the U.S. Navy Customs Battalion Sierra, Alpha Company "Minnesota Mafia" and the flag from Jean. Thank you so much for your support!

The Chapel Crew: Bruce, yours truly, Mike, Chris, Jo, Chris, Jinger, Eric, and Ramirez.

As the end of our deployment to Kuwait draws to an end, I would like to take a moment to send out some kudos to the Camp Arifjan Chaplin Corps, (Chaplin) MAJ Moore, and all of my friends who kept me company at church each week. You guys are awesome! You folks made the time away from home a lot easier, thank you! I will miss our Sunday lunches at the "Oasis Outback", especially the Chaplin mandated trip to the "health" (ice cream) bar.

Well, I guess that's it for now!

Zimm

Navy's Newest "Weapon System"

A big "thank you" goes out to my co-workers at Park Supply for the package full of squirt guns! We all truly appreciate the support you guys and gals have sent our way!

Thanks Again!

Zimm

WHAT??????

I'm not a doctor, but I don't really think she should worry about the jackhammers!!??

Zimm, Don't You Work?

A lot of people are e-mailing me to ask if I do any work out here. I have to say, that is a fair question! In fact, I DO work. The deal is, I have an agreement with the Navy that says I can keep my blog up as long as I don't talk about our day to day operations. Hence, all I write about is the fun stuff! For some pictures of us at work, click the "Navy Customs Battalion Sierra" link to the left. Kip is one of the guys who has permission to post work stuff!

Now, how about some news?

The thermometer by the admin tent shows 118 degrees

The weather has FINALLY cooled off! We have been averaging 120 degrees during the day, which is still hot, but the evenings are getting into the mid 90's, which almost feels chilly!

Noel, Elton, Dup, and I pose for a picture with O.A.R.

We recently had the band O.A.R come to Camp Arifjan. They are an alternative rock band, and put on a great show! 4 of us from Customs Battalion worked the security detail for the show (oops, talked about work!). The up side of security detail is the chance to spend a little extra time talking to the band, and getting a group picture!

The "Ziggy Stardust's"

Despite the fact my team, The "Ziggy Stardust's" (I did not pick the dorky name!), was eliminated after only two games and I nearly broke my foot in the process, the unit dodge ball tournament was a blast once again! We had six teams play, and the "Shake-n-bakes" took out the "Officers and Chiefs" for the title. We are looking forward to playing again in a week or so. We have formed 2 Minnesota Mafia teams for that one........I can't wait! Dave's once in a million shot!

We have also been playing a unit dart league. Now, I suck at darts, but since Park Supply sent us this dart board, I have decided to play. My record, 1 win and 6 losses....hey, I told you I sucked! The once in a million shot, above, was thrown by Dave. If you look closely, he threw one dart into the other. Nice shot, Dave!

Well, I guess that's it for now!

Till next time,

Zimm

Random Picture

While I was on R&R we had a Grill-n-chill out on the dhow.

Kuwait Critter - Part 2

Well, I am a forgetful person, and I forgot the most creepy Kuwait critter of them all. We had a Camel Spider come by our quarters. Camel Spiders are fairly uncommon this far south, but they are here. This "little fella" was about 3-4 inches across (note the 2x4 board and boot toe in the pictures). How's that for creepy, Mel?

Nice Teeth!

Nancy, Dup, and I goof off in the admin tent.

Kuwait Critters!

With Kuwait being so hot and dry, I never thought that much wildlife would be found here. The truth is, the desert is a critter hot spot!

Here are just a few of the critters I've seen running around Camp Arifjan.

Desert foxes are seen on camp every now and again. They are generally seen roaming around alone, but a fellow customs sailor captured this truly rare image of a mother and her pups eating a lizard near our admin tent, what a great shot!

There are lizards aplenty around these parts. Here is a lizard that was basking on a rock at the Retrograde Yard right outside of the customs shack.

Scorpions are also pretty common in Kuwait. One day, this normally nocturnal scorpion payed us a surprise day time visit!

I'm all for wildlife stopping in for visits, but this Sand Viper was an unwelcome guest to our admin tent! Sand Vipers are very aggressive, are known to strike a single victim several times, and have very potent venom! One of our sailors CAREFULLY herded this stray bandit into an office trash can until the camp animal control dude could get him out of the area. The good news, no anti-venom was needed!

Prior Lake Fire News.

The Prior Lake Fire Department has been a busy place. I just wish I could be there to see all of the changes in person. Last week, city council members and firefighters came together for a ground breaking ceremony officially starting the construction of our second fire station. Fire station number 2 will be located on County Road 21 at Fountain Hills Drive. Station number 2 is scheduled to open in the spring of 2008. For more info, visit:

http://www.cityofpriorlake.com/FireStationNo.2Project.shtml

PLFD recently took delivery on 2 new fire trucks as well.

PLFD 9222

They took delivery of truck number 9222, a new pumper built by Custom Fire Apparatus in Osceola, WI. 9222 features a 2006 Peterbilt 335 chassis, seating for 6 firefighters, a 750 gallon water tank, 1750 gallon per minute pump, and enclosed pump panel. The truck was delivered in July of 2007. 9222 is an addition to the PLFD fleet in preparation for fire station number 2.

PLFD 9280

PLFD also took delivery of truck number 9280, a new areal platform built by E-One in Ocala, FL. 9280 features a 2007 E-One Cyclone II chassis and a 100' Bronto-Lift articulated areal platform. 9280 replaces our old ladder truck, a 1985 American LaFrance with a 75' areal ladder.

Weird Grey Things!

Hello All,

Well, we awoke to a weird site this morning. At 5AM, the sky was covered with this weird grey substance! After checking air quality and ensuring it was not a biological attack, we concluded that the sky was simply overcast. This was the first occurrence of clouds since late April, and we had simply forgotten what they were. No worries, though, the intense Kuwait summer sun won the battle and the clouds were gone by 8 0clock!

In other news.....
The heat is definitely on! The airport (70 kilometers north of here) has been reporting 120-125 degrees for the past week. The troop medical clinic, here on base, reported 129 degrees a week ago....yes, it was inner gates of hell type of hot! In fact, I'm pretty sure I saw Satin himself sunbathing by the base pool! I guess it could have been a really ugly and sunburned Army dude.........who knows?
Our company is starting up another dodge ball league (as if the first go around was not punishing enough). We had so much fun with the base league, that we are starting one of our own! We are also looking forward to Navy Customs Battalion's second Texas Hold-em tournament, the last one was a blast!
Well, that's all I have to report, what can I say, my life is lacking on great human interest stories.

Till next time,
Zimm

PLEASE PRAY!!!!

Please join me in praying for the victims of the bridge collapse! Please also pray for the safety of the fire and rescue personel working the scene.

Thank you!
Zimm

Random Picture

I can still find the time to clown around!
(No, I did not take up smoking, and it is not lit.....I just could not pass up the photo opportunity!)

What I Am Reading.

A group of guys and I are currently working through this really cool bible study.

Thank You Shipmates!

A special thank you to my shipmates from the Navy Operational Support Center (NOSC) Minneapolis. They took time from their busy schedules to help Holly out by painting the shed and doing a little yard work.

LCDR Greg Gallman and "Holly's picture perfect husband"

The crew got some help from (L to R) Eryn, Lizzy, and Zach

The crew did a great job, and even let Zach, Eryn, and Lizzy do a little painting too.

The Crew from NOSC Minneapolis with Ziggy and "Holly's picture perfect husband"

Thank you for your help and living up to the Navy Core Values of honor, courage, and commitment. You folks are the best, and I look forward to working with you all to return the favor to another shipmate!

GO NAVY!

Zimm

Josh Gracin Visits Camp Arifjan, Kuwait!

On July 1st (OK, I'm a little slow at posting this!) Josh Gracin payed a visit to Camp Arifjan. Josh Gracin, for those who are not familiar with him, is a former U.S. Marine, finished fourth place on American Idol 2, and is a nationally known country music artist.

USO poster announcing Josh Gracin's Visit

Josh Gracin (black shirt)takes the stage during sound checks

Mr Gracin took to the stage at 7pm and rocked the house! Despite the hot evening (it was still 112 degrees at show time) he put on a great show lasting nearly 2 hours. After the show, he spent nearly 3 hours keeping his promise to "meet and give an autograph to everyone that wanted one". Mr Gracin was a class act and put on a great show! Thank you for coming, Josh Gracin!

For more pictures from the concert, visit: http://kipandmichele.com/CustomsJuly1Concert.html

More Familiar American Companies in Kuwait

McDonald's

Starbucks Coffee

FedEx (Just for you, Ytt.)

Fellow sailors hang out at Caribou coffee

Operation Cookie Drop

Jolynn Wilhite poses with donated Girl Scout cookies from Operation Cookie Drop.

A huge thank you goes out to some very special New York residents. This monster stack of Girl Scout cookies came to us via the "Operation Cookie Drop" program of New York. This year they collected a record 27,000+ boxes of Girl Scout cookies for the Troops, and we received a nice treat from home! Thank you to all who donated cookies!

Greetings from Qatar!

Greetings!

Well, I just finished a 4 day pass to Qatar (pronounced cutter). Qatar is a small country situated on a peninsula half-way along the west coast of the Arabian Gulf, between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

One of the perks of Qatar.....REAL beer is authorized on base (below)!

I spent my pass relaxing, sleeping in, and going on tours into the main city in Qatar, Doha.

One of the cooler tours we took was the cultural tour.

The tour took us to several locations around Doha, including a racing camel ranch (above), and the old souk (below). Souks are marketplaces found throughout the middle east. The advantage to souks is that the shopkeepers are always willing to negotiate their prices, making it a hot spot for bargain shoppers. We also visited a large gold souk. No, I did not buy any gold...sorry honey!

Besides visiting souks and a large mall to satisfy our shopping needs, the tour also took us to several tourist attractions.

One of the main attractions was the large clam statue (above). Pearls are a big industry for Qatar, as the statue would suggest! We also visited a nice restaurant for lunch, and toured several other sites during the day long tour.

I spent my birthday on a dhow cruise. We anchored the dhow about a mile from the Qatar coast, 500 yards from a sand bar (above......don't ask how I took this picture, Holly would kill me if she knew I swam out from the dhow holding the camera over my head............DARN!! I've said too much!) . Once there, we swam, ate dinner, socialized, and took in the sunset. As a sailor, it was nice to get out on the water again! I must admit, despite not having my sweetie there to enjoy the view with, I had a good time.

So, there is the last four days in a nut shell! I hope you enjoy the pictures, I'll try to post more later!

'Till next time,

Zimm

In loving memory of Margaret Zimmerman.

I miss you, mom!

It's been a while, here's an update!

Hello all! Sorry it has been so long since the last posting. Life has been flying by here in the "crappy sand box", and Holly let me know that it was time to update the blog, so here we go.

I recently took a morale, welfare, and recreation (MWR) trip out into Kuwait City. We made a few stops, the first being the Grand Mosque of Kuwait.

The total size of the mosque is 20,000 square meters, and the main prayer room (above) can accommodate 10,000 (ten thousand...not a typo!) men during prayer time. The mosque was started in 1979, completed in 1986, and the gross cost was roughly 48 million U.S. dollars.

Our next stop was the Kuwait Towers.

The Kuwait Towers (above) were also built in 1979. The tallest of the 3 towers (with two spheres) is 180 meters tall. The lower sphere has a restaurant (great buffet...mmmm food!) and the upper sphere has an observation deck with a breath taking view! The second tower (with one sphere) is 140 meters tall. The single sphere is a 1,000,000 gallon water tank. The last tower (no sphere) and is also 140 meters tall.

As you may know, grass is all but nonexistent in Kuwait, so the lawn at the Kuwait Towers had to have been the highlight of the trip.......I think the picture says it all!

Our last stop for the day was the Center City Mall. This was a large American style mall, and most of our group spent the whole time at the Caribou Coffee. It was a very nice, relaxing day.

In other news........

Our dodge ball team (above) had a great time playing in the base dodge ball tournament. We won a few games, and lost a few games. When it was all said and done, we ended up with a couple bloodied noses, one black eye, and we all had huge smiles on our faces! It was a lot of fun.

On July 4th, 23 co-workers and I joined over 1000 other people in running the Kuwait division of the Atlanta Peach Tree 10K (6.24 mile) run. This was my first 10K run, and I had set a time goal of 1 hour in which to finish the run. I finished in 1 hour, 6 minutes, and 5 seconds. I was very happy with the time! I really did have a good time, and it felt good to finish the run without walking (no lie...I ran the whole thing!).

Well, there is the past month in a nut shell. Not much else to report, so I'll sign off

Until next time,

Zimm