I'm dreaming of an Ice Christmas

12-23-11
B/c of the holiday I got a 3 day weekend b/c my normal days off are Friday and Sunday!

My first day off, but I woke up early so that I could go hang out with Cassa in the craft room (my early morning, her late night). Crafting is always fun and I was working on making gifts for a few of my friends here. After Cassa got too tired and had to go to bed, I went for my follow up doctor's visit for my back and then out for a ski to LDB (NASA's long duration baloon launching site) and back. The weather was beautiful and the road perfectly groomed for skate skiing.

I got back in time to come up with a quickly thrown together, but awesome costume for the town Christmas party that was thrown at the huge vehicle maintenance facility. I found an elf hat (with elf ears) at the costume rental place and Cassa had a cool red candy cane striped vest. I was then able to find a green shirt to go under it. Cassa also had some battery powered Christmas lights I wrapped around the vest. I was going to use my black ski tights to complete the elf costume, but then Cassa realized she had red tights, so I put those on under some Christmas boxers and everything fell into place. Cassa and a bunch of our friends went as a living nativity scene, which was totally funny and awesome, especially since my friend Gus (goose)was the virgin Mary. The VMF was decorated full hilt for the party. They had a big red snow cat set up in the middle to be used as Santa's sleigh where we could take pictures on Santa's (Holly, Sharona, my boss's fiance)lap. They had a choir that sang some christmas carols. They had tasty finger food and cocktails and once the older citizens of the town eventually dissapated a big and fun dancy party ensued. After the party, I hung out with Cargo Shefflo (Monica aka Monicargo) until 5am in the coffeeshop. I love Shefflo. She's the sweetest and we're very similar so we have good talks. And since she's been through a bit more of life than me, she has lots of good advice. When I got back to my room, I realized my keys had fallen out of my vest at some time during the wild dancing of the party. So I had to call the firehouse to let me in my room, which had to be a funny sight for them b/c I was still in full Buddy the Elf costume complete with blinking lights. Luckily someone found my keys when they were cleaning up the party the next day.

Christmas Eve 2011

There was a running race today called the Ob Hill Challenge in which you basically just trail run straight up Ob hill. I had wanted to do it, but b/c I am trying to rest my back, I decided not to. I probably would have done quite well in it, b/c for some reason I am pretty good at going straigh up hills, must be the calves. Instead I went for a hike with Shuttle Elisha and Shuttle Mel on the hut point loop and up to arrival heights and then went and took some cool photos at a few of the Antarctic signs.

When we got back, we still had some time before we had to get ready for Christmas dinner. We headed over to the coffee house, which was closed, but you can still go in and hang out if you want. Mel wanted to do some internetting and I'd been wanting to hear Elisha play guitar and sing, so she did a little private concert for me, which was awesome. She played a couple Christmas songs, including mom's favorite O come O come Emmanuel and then one of my favorite Brett Dennen Songs, Ain't no reason. It was lovely...she has a beautiful voice.

We all dressed up nice and headed to the Christmas Dinner. Shuttles (27 of us plus at least 7 significant otehrs) had reserved once giant table. The shuttle family is the best (partly b/c our boss is so great and loving...mama Sharona) and everyone is jealous of our department. We truly are like a family. The dinner was UNREAL. I had THREE lobster tails, beef wellington, prime rib, some fancy pork thing, duck, salmon, liver pate, chocolate covered strawberries, gnocci, and home-made fudge among other things.

After the dinner, the crew gathered around for a shuttle family picture and then I read a poem I had written (Twas the Night Before Chrismtas, McMurdo Style...to be posted later on here) for Shuttles. I had printed out the poem for each shuttler and then written them a little personal note and folded the poem up in a scroll and tied them off in a bow to give everyone, but before I gave them their Christmas card, I wanted to read it. Everyone seeme to laugh a lot, but what made me feel the best is that Shuttle Shelly and even tough old Shuttle Bill got tears in their eyes and cried. That really meant a lot to me. Shuttles is the best!

After dinner we all headed up to the carpenter shop which was hosting MAAG (McMurdo Alternative Art Gallery). Again, this impressed me greatly with all the amazing artists around the base. Lots of unique things built and designed. And outside they had fun huge toys (like a hamster wheel and double articulated mountain bike) that the carp people had made. Shuttle Shafer (the lady from Manhattan who worked in the theatre) was just eating it up b/c it was totally her scene. Cocktails and unique art. It was also here that we had our beards photographed for the upcoming moustache roulette fundraiser. A bit later into the evening they did a fashion show with unique fashion outfits (think lady gaga style) that featured a couple shuttlers (shuttle spring and shuttle kat as well as fuelie Ildi, the gal who helped me get down to the ice).
At 11pm we headed down to the chapel for the protestant service that featured the choir singing christmas carols. I then stayed for the midnight Catholic mass, though it was led by a lay-minister b/c the Priest was stuck at the south pole due to weather.
After mass, Fuelie Dan and Weather Mark and I headed back up to MAAG to go to the dance party that had started. It got pretty crazy, so I didn't stay too long, and headed back to the galley to hang out some more with cargo Shefflo for another early morning date.

In the middle of the night I remember thinking I had this dream where someone climbed into bed and gave me a hug while another figure stood in the shadows. It was a weird dream that felt so real. When I woke up in the morning I felt something by my shoulder. Turns out Cassa claus and her GPS sleigh (Dane) had stopped by and delivered me a stocking with some goodies including a wolverine that Cassa had knit for me.

Christmas Day 2011

Jerod and I hiked to the base of castle rock and then climbed up it. It's mainly just a scramble, but they have some ropes there to hold onto in case you get nervous. The weather was perfect, not a cloud in the sky, about 32 degrees, and not a breath of wind. The view towards Erebus volcano and its glaciers was amazing as was the view towards the royal society range and along the coast. From way up high, we could even see where the open water was as much of the sea ice has started to melt out. When we got to the top we were welcomed with a Merry Christmas from Shuttle Linnah, Shuttle Ginny, Beth, and Ann. B/c the weather was absolutely gorgeous, we hung around on the top a while before heading down. When we got close to mcmurdo, we heard on the radio that NASA was going to be launching their giant long duration balloons shortly, so we picked up the pace, grabbed shuttle Elisha from her room and sped up obhill to watch them launch the giant balloon from over at LDB on the ice shelf.

After dinner we headed over MMI to finish the night off with a movie.