More hodge-podge

We're all getting pretty antsy to go and see the outside world and smell flowers and feel humidity in the air and start the travel plans we've been making! Small planes have started coming through, including bringing the first of the summer people to the station. This is a picture someone took of me as a group of us were standing outside watching the Basler that stopped here on its way to McMurdo last week--the first plane that's been here since the medevac in June.

Last weekend, we had a "leftovers" party were everyone brought all their extra beverages and treats from home to share, which was a cozy, fun time.

And I went to yet ANOTHER balloon launch (can't stop--it's just so fun!). If you're paying freakishly close attention, you'll notice that it's now warm enough that NOAA has switched back to the latex balloons from the more hearty (but much more expensive) plastic balloons that they used in the winter. The peak of early spring ozone depletion (I guess that's an oxymoronic way to say that...) has passed, as well, and it's kind of just back to business as usual with the balloons.

(That's me in the green and black jacket getting ready to clip a piece of equipment onto the balloon just before it's released. Seems like I know what I'm doing. Really, I just know how to work a clip.)

And my boss/friend K, watching the balloon head up into the sky. Or marshaling in a very strange looking airplane. You can decide.