Friday 22 June 2007

Midwinters Day

The Rothera Wintering Team

Midwinters Day started with Mike the base commander bringing everyone breakfast in bed. He insisted on doing it wearing his favourite pink dress and blonde wig which he seems to find an excuse to wear at every fancy dress party.
A disturbing image of our BC

A few of us took a walk around Rothera point and were greeted by a lone Adelie penguin which decided to follow us for a while, and a host of furs seals who were as grumpy as ever.
















The afternoon gave way to more traditions - a screening of 'The Thing' (a horror movie set in Antarctica) followed by the swapping of midwinter presents. In days gone by before internet and phones were so freely available FIDs spent many hours / weeks (usually in the in the chippy shop -carpenter's work shop) crafting a winter present to be given to another winterer. These days it is good to see that people still put a lot of time and effort into creating special and unusual gifts. Presents are allocated by drawing names from a hat. This year gifts ranged from wine bottle holders, lamps and framed photos to a balance board, pin hole camera and wooden bowls. I made a penguin-shaped wine bottle holder from steel and received a wooden puzzle in a box which I've still not solved, Matt (it's creator) said he'd give me the solution before I leave in 2009 if I haven't solved it by then!




































Cyril our wonderful french chef did not disappoint us, having spent all day in the kitchen, assisted throughout the day by pretty much everyone else on base, created an amazing feast including a whole suckling pig which he'd acquired from one of the ships in the summer. After dinner we were visited by 'santa' and everyone received a shoebox full of gifts from family and friends back home, these had been sent down in the summer and were a complete surprise to most people. After dinner we retired to the bar and much fun was had with the modelling balloons both Tris and I had been given in our parcels.


























Cyril showing Tris how to stuff a pig & The finished article complete with the last apple on base



















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