Spring has sprung

2010-03-22 13:55:27.000 – Steve Welsh,  IT Observer

Spring has arrived!

In the valley spring heralds the return of flowers and singing birds. Their melodious twittering and chirping makes for a pleasant change to the peace and quiet of winter (it’s certainly a lot nicer that the screeching racket (singing?) currently being made by a certain observer in the other room – anyhoo I digress). In the observatory spring marks the return of milder weather and subsequent thaw – the only sounds are of water dripping down the tower as the ice in the cold room melts. Don’t worry though as the bad weather shift will be back in a couple of days and I’m sure the temperature will plunge below 0 Fahrenheit, the rain will turn back to snow and the gentle breeze outside will be a roaring 100+mph storm. The thaw will be delayed for another shift.

The large amount of snow and ice that had built up over the past couple of months had developed into a perfect ramp that would have launched anyone, unlucky enough to be sliding across the deck in hurricane force winds, onto the rocks 20 to 30 feet below. So in anticipation for the high winds at the end of the week Lance and Gates, this weeks volunteers, and myself (combined age well over 200 – that’s 10 interns – and boy oh boy could we have used an intern or three) spent several hours chipping and shoveling ice off the deck by the railings. No penguin sliding for us just back breaking shoveling.

I’m really hungry and tired now – not sure if I want to rest or eat first.

Steve Welsh,  IT Observer