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Published: January 2nd 2007
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First of all id just like to send my best wishes to one and all for the upcoming year and I hope everything you all expect it to be will be.
So, Xmas and New Year over now on base and as it stands no real reason to actually have a day off from now until I leave at the beginning of April. Bugger. However great fun was had by all over the holiday period and as much as there was actually hardly any holiday involved we still managed to celebrate in style just like you would back home. Eat drink laugh joke then eat some more and drink loads more until you are physically sick. Then drink some more.
Our Christmas dinner was absolutely amazing with the 2 crazy chefs, French Cyril and Sheffield Al doing an amazing job of feeding just over 100 people, complete with Xmas crackers, lashings of wine and Xmas decorations that give you an electric shock every time you passed them due to the high static in the dry air. No Christmas day is complete without the traditional Queens speech, so Cyril got on his best frock and tiara to address his subjects with a
lovely rendition of his “annus horribilus” all in his truly comical French accent.
Our 2 days off on Xmas day and boxing day were very well received, for us only to wake up the following day and look out the window to find over 8 inches of snow had fell overnight completely covering the worksite. So, the first few hours had us fully loaded with wheelbarrow and shovels clearing all the snow from the top of the building. The sooner we get the roof on the better I can tell you.
The wildlife on base has been more and more exciting, what with the usual bunch of Adele penguins clowning around, we had a few chinstraps arrive to look around. Not only that but we had our first visit on base of a lonely young bull Elephant seal. Of all the base or even the whole of Antarctica to choose from he arrived up the ramp alongside the worksite and just sat in the middle of the main roadway and refused to bunch no matter how fast you drive a forklift towards it! He stuck around for a few days, trying to cuddle up to such things as fuel drums
and giant rocks for company.
So to New Year and the event of the decade, as it was put to everyone. The base band, which was not so much as hand picked but slip slap slopped together a few days beforehand with a couple of random opportunities to string a play list together with the task of entertaining all the drunken revellers. Well, they certainly never disappointed and were in fact an absolute revelation. With the alcohol freely flowing from the bar set up in the sledge store where the gig was going on, it never took much encouragement for the dancing and singing to commence. I have to take my hat of to the ever-eccentric Tristan who pulled out his electric fiddle and harmonica and made for an amazing evening along with the 2 saxophones, guitars drums and keyboard players and all who made it what it was.
I have now also managed to go for my first walk around the point since busting my knee 2 weeks ago, which definitely means there is improvement, however, not quite at the rate of knots as I would like. It was a stunning evening though with no wind and I took
Cheers!!
Tucking in on Christmas day a good hour struggling around, listening to ice carving of the bergs and glaciers and smashing into the sea around me. Along with watching penguin’s porpoicing in the water around me and Weddell Seal pups playing in the water it truly was a stunning evening. The fact that you could hear the Elephant Seal colony on the opposite side of the bay roaring and farting away you could tell it was a clear day.
Now back to New Bran field House. The wall panels are nearly complete as far as we can go and scaffold is beginning to take shape around the building in preparation of the roof panels going into position. This will be great to start having a roof on to shelter all the gear inside including us from the winds which constantly batter us, however wont be so good because it will be hidden from the sun now and so is absolutely freezing inside! Things are starting to take shape and with the assistance of all the new lads a building is slowly starting to appear. Unfortunately, there is an awful lot of catching up to do still so no matter how hard you work it is
Queens speech
The queen is really letting herself go in her old age. never enough for our relentless bosses chasing you around. Its what they are paid for I suppose.
That is it for this instalment, im sure you have all had enough of my rambling on now. I would once again just like to wish everyone a very Happy New Year and I hope it will be a good one for you all. Until we meet again……….
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Bob Lucas
non-member comment
What a bunch!
Hi Ian, Enjoyed the dit, and had a good laugh at the photos! I sent off Kim's parcel to you last week. Should be in the FI by now - God knows when you'll get it. Kim has just got back from working up in London. I think she's back there on Thursday after college. Sorry I missed talking to you at New Year. All the best mate. Enjoy the rest of your time there and hope the building goes up and stays well!