December!

It's finally December, my favorite time of year. This time of year always brings a smile to my face no matter what my mood. The past two Decembers/Christmases since my dad died have always brightened my mood. As a Christian, I look at this time as one to reflect on what Jesus means to me. In 18 days we celebrate his 2043rd birthday. I see this time of year as a peaceful one. As one where I try extra hard to be good unto others and help whomever I can whenever I can.

Here in McMurdo the town is a buzz over holiday festivities. I haven't been paying much attention to the REC board so I really have no idea what's happening party or even wise but emails are already circulating calling on volunteers for events to come. Summer is officially here. The speckled-brown snowy landscape has melted away to a brown backdrop painted so by the volcanic rock Ross Island is primarily made of. With the exception of the McMurdo Ice Shelf (on which I currently sit here out at Williams Ski Field), all of the ice in town on the roads and walkways have melted away. While we don't have to deal with dirty snow all over the floors in the building, we now have to deal with an absurd amount of dust which is created by the brittle volcanic rock on which the base sits. The temperatures are amazing! Who would have thought -10 C would be short-sleeve t-shirt weather!

I sit here on this lovely Saturday evening/Sunday morning enjoying my 27 hour shift out at Station 2. I've spent the shift taking care of loose ends back home as far as bills and things, continuing education for EMS, hazmat, and confined space, doing a little internet surfing on climbing, fire/rescue training, jobs, etc, and writing emails. The ebb and flow of my emotions have seemed to stabilize and I'm sincerely happy right now.

I do, however, miss my family...mostly my mother. One of the downfalls of traveling and living so far away from home is you can never anticipate how much you will miss the ones you love until you're so disconnected from them. Just reading emails from family and friends seems to help. I can't wait to travel more but at the same time I can't wait to get home either....