December 30, 2007
WAIS Divide camp Antarctica

Time: 6 am
Latitude: 79° 28.10’ S
Longitude: 112° 3.56’ W
Elevation: 1820 m (5919’)
Temperature: -10 °C ( 13°F)
Wind speed: 8 km/h (5 mp/h)
Wind Chill: -4°C ( 25°F)
Visibility: overcast
Clouds: stratus
Wind direction: E
Relative Humidity: 82%
Barometric Pressure: falling
Precipitation: 0
Breakfast: eggs, bacon, sausage, toast
Lunch: fish and chips, chicken soup, vege soup
Supper: shrimp, roast beef, mashed potatoes, vegetables

Last night we actually celebrated New Year’s Eve. Each week we work Monday – Saturday and take off Sundays so we celebrated New Year’s on Saturday which gave us Sunday off and Monday – Saturday to work again without interruption. It is all very strange as we are a day ahead anyway but then we celebrate Holidays on a work week schedule. The really strange thing is that this is a group of people used to staying up all night (or at least late into the night) because it never gets dark. Last night then you would expect that we would celebrate New year’s Eve at midnight – nope. We celebrated at 10:30 pm because most everyone was tired and because we are almost ready to dig ice cores after weeks of preparation and we know that we will need the energy in the next week of ice coring.

If you check the supper menu you will see that we are eating very well. Our chefs John, Sue, and Karen feed us very well. Since food is something we think about here all the time as most of us are hungry most of the time regardless of the unlimited quantities and excellent quality, I thought that I would pass on one of our favorite foods so far. Naturally it is desert, specifically cookies. Of all the foods so far these cookies went the fastest. Karen baked and served them for Christmas but it has taken me a couple days to get her to give me the recipe. She got the recipe from her Aunt Dinny. Actually, my family has been making these (very very similar) cookies for generations and we call them Kiffles. Karen calls them Aunt Dinny’s cookies. So, as thanks to Aunt Dinny (and Karen) for helping make our holidays bright and tasty.

Aunt Dinny’s cookies from Karen the night chef
(aka Kiffles)

2 Sticks butter
1 large cream cheese
2 cups flour
Mix well and chill

Filling: 1 ½ cups chopped walnuts
1 – 16 oz jar apricot jam
(and jam filling will work)

Roll 1/4 of dough at a time in confectioner’s sugar – cut into 9 squares – add filling
fold over diagonally

Bake an non-greased cookie sheet 350 -375 until golden brown 18-22 mins

Remove from pan quickly onto rack to cool

Enjoy

Todays image is of the spool of cable for the ice core drill being installed in the drill arch.