I just finished reading Khaled Hosseini's "The Kite Runner."

I picked it up shortly after Steve left because I wanted to have a better sense about where he was going. Not having much knowledge about Afghan literature or literature about Afghanistan, it seemed like the obvious choice.

I don't need to offer another review of the book. I'll go right along with all the other critics who said it was a marvelous and unforgettable story.

What it did for me was give Afghanistan a more a sympathetic and real place on my map of the world. Maybe personal isn't the right word.

With my little brother living there now, I feel a small kinship with this place half a world away. But that's limited to his descriptions of life on base and his perceptions as an outsider. He tells me the city is dirty and just different from what he's used to.

According to Facebook, Steve went shopping today:

went to the shops today, they have beads, bracelets, silk and wool rugs, men and women's scarves and of course my new rabbit skin blanket that is laid across my bed. just tell me what you guys want and i will take care of it

I haven't given Steve my list yet (it seems odd to make requests under the circumstances) plus I got side-tracked.

Did I read that right? He bought a rabbit-skin blanket?

It wouldn't be so shocking, I guess, for him to own a rabbit-skin blanket ... except that the boy has an actual pet bunny (Peanut Butter/Bunnery Sarge) waiting eagerly (or as eagerly as bunnies can) for his safe return.

Many moons ago I wrote about one possible explanation for the origins of the yellow ribbon as a symbol for our troops. Then of course I got sidetracked with Veteran's Day events that needed to be posted and life in general, until today, when I found a couple minutes to share the other possible origin tale.

(The picture is of the old oak tree in my back yard -- home of squirrels that infuriate my beagle puppy -- wearing a yellow ribbon)

If you want to share a message of support to our troops overseas this holiday season, but don't have a specific soldier in mind, then try the Holiday Mail for Heroes program.

For the third year, the Red Cross, partnering with Pitney Bowes Inc. is collecting and sending cards to service members, veterans and their families in the U.S. and overseas.

Send your cards here:

Holiday Mail for Heroes
P.O. Box 5456
Capitol Heights, MD 20791-5456

Cards must be postmarked by Dec. 7 in order to ensure on-time delivery to the troops.

Even though I do have a favorite service member, I think I'll send a couple of cards to this program, too. There might be a soldier or two who doesn't have someone letting them know how much we appreciate their service and that we haven't forgotten them.

My editor sent me this story from the Modesto Bee about a Navy Corpsman who wrote a book about his experience returning from the Iraq war with a traumatic brain injury and missing his left leg in.

In "Exit Wounds: A Survival Guide to Pain Management for Returning Veterans and Their Families" Derek McGinnis shares about how he learned to use a prosthesis and offers advice to other veterans on coping with pain.

Here's the story:

I just checked my voicemail and there was a message from Steve.

I kicked myself because it was on a rare occasion when I had my phone in arms reach and I didn't pick it up because I didn't recognize the number.

Anyway, right as I was ranting about what a bad sister I am my phone started ringing (well vibrating...it's always on vibrate which is part of the reason I never pick up my phone) and lo and behold it was Lance Cpl. Steve!

I know this is a little late, but somehow I missed this video last week. Thought it was worth sharing:

The other day I was checking my voicemail and because I'm terrible about deleting old messages, I had to listen to the old ones before I could listen to the new one.

So I pressed "7" and Steve's voice comes on. He called the day he left for Germany to say goodbye. I was on vacation in Key West and had left my phone in the hotel room while I was sunning myself on the beach, so I missed his call. By the time I tried calling him back, he'd already left.

I can't bring myself to delete his message so I keep saving it in the archive. Today I decided to use my technical prowess (and I use the word prowess loosely) to make a digital recording of it. I don't know. Just in case.

Mobile post sent by snoozin using Utterli.  Replies.  mp3

If you have a loved one who will be serving overseas this holiday season, 98.5 The Peak is offering you a chance to connect with them.

Schedule an appointment to record a free video message to your solider or Marine through "Operation Home for Christmas" at the radio station.

They will post your message on a special page of the station's Web site (www.thepeak985.com), where troops overseas can view them throughout the holidays.

The radio station will be holding tapings Nov. 16 in York and Nov. 18 in Hanover.

To schedule an appointment, call 792-0098 or 637-3831 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

This letter showed up in my inbox yesterday, so I thought I'd share:

I teach 3rd grade in South Western School District, and our school had an assignment to write a letter to a Veteran. This morning I taught my lesson on Veteran's Day and as the day went on, I felt the urge to write my own letter. My father-in-law is a Vietnam Veteran and our family is very patriotic. I wrote him a letter today and while rereading it, I hope it would help him know that the future (children) were thinking about him and learning about his sacrifices. Then I thought, if it helps him, maybe it'd help other Veterans.