clean socks.

chorizo & eggs, flour tortillas, salsa

leftover chili, beef stew, fresh whole grain rolls, green salad

chicken piccata, garlic mashed potatoes, roasted broccoli, glazed beets

—————-

It’s been over two weeks since I’ve done laundry.  This is important due to the following factors:

1. My bags coming down here weighed just under 70lbs.  That included shoes, camera, toiletries, my knife kit and The Joy of Cooking 1997 edition.

2. We get one quick shower a week.

I am left with baby-wipes and a rotating cast of three pairs of pants and four t-shirts.  Yesterday I ran out of clean socks.  But hold your pity… it’s not as bad as it sounds.  If you find yourself feeling really scummy in Antarctica all you need to do is go outside in your shirt sleeves for a few seconds and instantly the 5o-knot winds and sub-zero temperatures make you feel refreshed and glad to be wearing the clothes you have on regardless of their state of cleanliness.  The happy ending to this story?  Tomorrow I get to go into town for the Halloween party, laundry and a long hot shower.  That my sole form of transportation is a helicopter still feels surreal.  At 0845 myself and each of the visiting techs (who aren’t even granted the single shower and must return to the Big Base for the weekend) will pile on approximately 10lbs of protective weather gear and wait by the back door.  In my own private episode of M*A*S*H my eyes will scan the northeastern sky for incoming choppers! to rescue me from another day in these socks.

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