We Can Dance if We Want to.

Well today was a fun day.  Nine hours of work outdoors.  Maybe it was only eight, since we had another safety meeting.  Wasn't all that bad, though.  I dress in enough layers most of the time to be very warm indoors, but comfortable when outside.  And it was COLD out there today.  We were assembling a little portable structure out on the sea ice for seal research.  Apparently there is a hole in the floor of the shack down into the ice.  When the seals come up for air, the scientists 'enlist their aid' in scientific research.  I've met the seal researchers already, they were in my hotel in Christchurch.  Nice bunch, though I think all the Grantees down here stick to themselves.  Or maybe I just don't know where they hang out.  

Anyways, we spent the day out in the open on the ice in the winds.  At one point we even had it start snowing on all of us.  Someone left their tool bag open, and now it is full of powder.  First we put down the floor of the shack, then the skeletal frame which was a row of arches, then over that went the blankets.  There are doors in either end and dormers in spots, and there is a heater in it so it should be warm tomorrow when we go back.

I had enough layers to keep warm.  The only time I had any issues were when I would kneel in the snow, and the cold would get into my the toes of my boots (I assume the steel toes didn't help any) and my toes would just be a little chilled.  Also, with my parka closed up around my face to block the wind I have the material right up against my mouth and nose.  There is a furry strip along the inside.  When you exhale into something like that down here, the moisture in your breath collects as frost.  It didn't freeze my face, but the sensation of having that frost occasionally rub my face was interesting.  Also, when the wind would really pick up, it would bite through my gloves, leaving my pinkies very cold.  I had a little hand warmer packet in each of my gloves, over the backs of my hands.  That helps some.

Living down here isn't bad.  I'm in the central building, so I can easily wander down to the computer room in my pajamas, or go to breakfast without having to put on an annoying amount of warm clothing only to take it off again a few minute later.  My room is small.  Once mainbody starts, there will be four people in there.  Right now I am in an inside room, so there are no windows.  It can be dark.  There are several tv channels to watch down here.  We get recent movies too.  I saw Ironman again the other day (that makes three times now), Speed Racer was on yesterday, and tonight I watched Stardust which is an awesome movie.  I'll need to get that on DVD.  

There are gyms.  I think three.  The cardio gym is also called the 'Gerbil Gym' since it has all the treadmills.  I've started running again after two weeks of nothing.  Taking some retaining.  Friday I could barely get in a mile, but yesterday I managed two without having to rest as much as I did when I was running at 7,500 feet in Cascade, CO.  Hopefully my muscles will wake back up and I can go even longer.  

There are other places to go, too.  I picked up a book of a collection of Hugo winners at the library.  That is a small little room apparently crammed into some spare space they found in the main building.  You have to go all the way around the outside to get to a room just on the other side of the kitchens.  I have not been to them yet, but there are also bars and a bowling alley.  Thursday I'll have to try and catch a ride to Scott Base for American Night.  Scott Base is the New Zealand base on the other side of the hill from us.  Americans are not allowed over there except to use the store or unless we have an invitation.  There are also several New Zealanders working in McMurdo through Raytheon.  We are allowed to use the store in Scott Base, so I might have to check out what they have.  I like anything with Kiwi birds on it.  I'll have to get my niece and nephews some plush kiwi toys next time I go through Christchurch.  

There is a store in McMurdo.  While they have a lot of things, I hear the clothing isn't the best, since its effectively just a gift shop.  Still, I like the orange hooded sweaters they have, so I might grab one.  They also have plush penguins and such which would make good gifts.  There is a post office so I can mail that sort of thing out too.

Enough for now, though, I forget everything I want to put down on here, and it is getting to be around 9:50pm and I am a bit tired from playing in the snow all day.

Supposedly the Aurora might be out tonight or tomorrow.  I'll try to catch it, since it might be one of the last times to see it for six months.  Maybe I can photograph it too!