South Pole Bound

I just received confirmation that I will be spending a week in January at the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station. This is an exciting and welcome opportunity. The physician at the South Pole will be staying there over the winter. Consequently, she will come to McMurdo Station for some rest and relaxation in early January. While she is out, I will fill in for her at the pole.

Tonight is Christmas Eve. I am on call tonight and tomorrow. Our Hanukkah party two days ago was fun and well attended. The food included such favorites as latkes with applesauce, smoked nova lox, challah, Hanukkah Gelt (not exactly a food) and other less traditional items such as cookies in the shape of a Magen David and spinach-artichoke dip.

Tonight is an all-station Holiday Party festively decorated in the Christmas theme. This will be the first time the Holiday Party is not held in the cavernous heavy vehicle maintenance facility (VMF) but is instead hosted in the gymnasium. I also understand from those who have been her before that in years past this Holiday Party had been quite the blowout with food, potent potables and live music. This year's event promises to be more sedate with none of the prior amenities. I'll let you know how it turned out, if I get to go.

Christmas Dinner will be served tomorrow. On the menu are roasted breast of duck, chilled crab legs, and prime rib. It's about the prime rib.....or the lack of it. It seems that the galley staff put the prime rib into the thawing refrigerator a few days ago. Shortly thereafter, 160 lbs. of it disappeared. Gone. Vanished. It has yet to return. It is unlikely that it could be cooked anywhere on station and everyone not smell it or discover it. Therefore, it is my speculation that it was purloined beef destined for another location. I know I've told you this story before, so this is just an update to let you know the prime rib is still on the lam (groan).

So here's wishing you and yours a very happy holiday season.