Day 13

Day 13

We're coming up on the end of our rotation and I keep alternating between being extremely happy to get back to civilization and extremely sad that I'm leaving. It's been an incredible experience to live here with five awesome people who are just as nerdy about Mars as I am (we've proven it, Jeff and I are Teh Top Nerds).

I haven't been thinking much about how this experience has changed me, because there hasn't really been time to think about anything other than the task at hand. Today I helped screw the Igloo together which was kind of fun. I've never used power tools before (gasp) and Jeff let me use the drill (pick that jaw up, his head wasn't stuck in the toilet. That's later tonight).

I helped Derek solder (sodder?) some wires together in the telescope dome to try and get it to work correctly. The telescope is almost completely automated, only the dome is the missing piece. Granted, the telescope won't be completely and utterly remotely controlled, but once the star alignment is performed future astronomers will be able to operate the telescope solely through the computer in the HAB. This neglects the fact that the telescope is a bit off its support, and the software and telescope aren't perfectly calibrated. Still, with better technology, these problems will become obsolete. Theory is that a telescope on Mars will be able to be operated from the habitat without the necessity of the astronomer actively going to the dome like on Earth.

Zena had at the frozen grey water with her favourite tool today while I was playing around with the power tools. She was very pleased to use the pick-axed, possibly not so pleased that grey water was flying everywhere with each strike. The rest of us were none too pleased either. Still, the Heinlein memorial walkway is ice-free now.

We had hot garlic butter pasta for lunch today. It shall be the last time we have pasta. From here on out it's rice and beans and tuna. Yum. Not together, obviously. Beans don't go so hot with tuna I'd imagine.

Jeff, David, and Auvi are all under the HAB right now. I can hear Auvi through two floors of wood. It's pretty amusing. Tomorrow we shall have our day off while we wait for Crew 64 to arrive. I have pancakes and stuff planned if they are around for dinner. If not, it'll probably be pasta again.

I had such a hard time getting up this morning, again. I got a solid 7.5 hours, I have no idea why I'm always so tired. I know I've said it over and over again. Also, I think I might have actually gained weight while being here, which defies all reason. Don't ask how it happened. David and I are probably just obeying the conservation of mass theorem. He lost so I gained.

We have to exchange pictures and print out our door tags before we leave. I'll probably work on that tomorrow. We also need showers. Half the crew was rolling around in the dirt today, so they'll probably shower tonight. I think I'm going to take my shower tomorrow and save whoever sits next to me on the plane their nose.

Jeff's going to be the first one out of here Sunday. His flight leaves at 17.00, which means we have to leave the HAB by 9.00 latest. We're performing another caravan, this time in three cars. I sort of wish were only driving one up so that I could spend more time with the crew before we all part ways.

night monkey out

End Day 13