Thursday, August 31, 2006

December 9, 1975: Tuesday

Took us six hours to do a two hour job.

We tried to put the core boxes in the big boxes, but they wouldn’t fit. So we had to lay the big boxes sideways and find two more small boxes, make new skids for the bottoms, brace the empty places in boxes, and band them with metal packing bands.

So we were all out there hammering away and sawing and cutting bands. It was one of those days where nothing really goes as expected. But the job eventually gets done.

The Navy came up with a fork lift and a flatbed truck. this one joker directed the forklift operator. He must have been a traffic cop as a civilian. Dr. Nakai took a movie of him directing.

Stored the core in the Navy refrigerator. Our job is done.

Henry got back at supper time.

Kathy sat across from me. I was telling Henry that he had a surprise up in the lounge (a box of cookies sent to Dan Gross). And Kathy kicked me in the shins, hard, to shut me up. Of course she thought I was going to tell Henry abut the Doovry. I knew that’s what she thought, so I let her kick me. I just looked at her, shook my head, and half-smiled, half-snarled. It was a perfect ending to one of those days. Everything gets misinterpreted.

Cal told Henry about the package. When he went to get ice cream Kathy apologized for the kick.

I told her it was an efficient kick, so there was nothing to be sorry about.

Phil Kyle and a German guy were in the lab. Phil is the one that goes to Erebus every year. We went down to the Officers Club. I think I drank more wine than I ever have before, but it was over a long period of time. Gene Valentine and Miles Croom joined us. We did a lot of talking.

Miles and Wheat and Andy and Ken Kraper are flying us to Carapace tomorrow. It snowed all day while we were working outside, but the weather began clearing at midnight. It had better be good tomorrow.

Last night Dr. Treves told Henry, on single side band, that New Zealand had imposed a tax on Blue Doovries. “Would Green ones be O.K.?” “Standby.” He consulted with Mike Chapman-Smith. “I suppose they’ll work, but we can’t use any Yellow Doovries.”

The guy in single side band can’t figure out if this is all for real.

Dr. Treves has invited the whole base to our DVDP Noisy Noodle Party on Thursday.

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