Mary's daughter Tommi has started posting her experiences as a National Guard officer stationed in Iraq. The content is very compelling and feminist:

Sentinel 47: Keeping the Gate - Two months shy of giving myself the promised end to my service in the National Guard, I was mobilized for deployment to Iraq. Total service for such a call-up is a maximum of 24 months, minimum 12 months in country. Herein lie the stories of this Desert Daughter, Woman-soldier, commissioned officer...

• A beautiful section from one of her posts:

"....I miss high heels. Swimming suits. BBQs.
Dancing. In real clothes. Sexy clothes.
I miss the couch. And the huge livingroom TV.
I miss Seamus Heaney’s poetry. And reading it to people who care.

I miss having a fucking passport and using it.
I miss not using the fuck word in order to emphasize what I’m saying.

I miss mimosa drinks on holiday mornings. In pajamas. In the family kitchen.
I miss the Uptown Caffe.
I miss playing my guitar. And playing the piano...."