Welcome to Afghanistan

OK, first off today, folks, it's "bated breath," not "baited breath" ... As in phrases such as "I await your response with bated breath."  It's a shortened form of "abate," which means to lessen or lower.  Like so many other words, it's first use can be traced to Shakespeare.  Normally I'm not that much of a stickler for these things.  It's just that every time I read "baited breath" the picture I get is "I've just eaten a bunch of nightcrawlers, so my breath may not be the freshest."

It's the coldest winter here in 15 year.  Most nights get down somewhere between -10 and -20 deg C, and it only warms up to snow.  We've got easily a foot in the last 36 hours and it's still coming down hard.The bad news is that at least 24 children have frozen to death in the refuge camps around Kabul.  Deforestation is a big environmental challenge here, and wood for fires is a rare commodity, made all the rarer by a spike in demand due to the cold.   I read one heart-breaking story about a baby who died, and the mother related that they have lost eight of their nine children to disease and cold.  One ten-year old girl left.  Welcome to Afghanistan.

Not quite dressed for the weather

However, this record snowfall means no drought this year. The snowpack in the mountains should ensure a good spring and early summer run-off.

Kabul used t be a green city, famous for its orchards, just a few decades ago.  I gather the main culprit was the Soviets who cut down the trees to deny insurgents cover (shades of Agent Orange).  There was a tree-planting aid coming in by I'm told that one of the higher-ups was selling the trees and they never got planted.

In a similar story, I lugged two duffle bags full of soccer stuff and girls' toiletries for the local orphanage here, but I'm told we can't give stuff to them any more because the lady running the place would take all the stuff back from the girls and sell it.  Even the blankets they needed to stay warm at night.  Welcome to Afghanistan.

Well, I'm given to understand that the situation will shortly be rectified and they're getting a new director in, so n the meantime I wait with bated breath.