Halley Diary — October 2003

31 October, 2003

Halley House of Horror Halloween Special
Written by Craig Nicholson Chief pot and bottle washer

The following diary took place between the 1st October 2003 and 31st October 2003. All events, characters and situations are totally ficticious and bear no similarity to anyone on the station ….. apart from the bits that do.

Wed Oct 1st (National day of China)
(274-91)

Dear diary after many months of solitude down on our Antarctic research station we find ourselves with only October to go before our world is shattered with the arrival of the first Twin Otter planes of the season. So this month I’d thought I’d take a look at the different people that live down at Halley and the special projects they have been doing during the long winter months and see what (if any) change as taken place.

Finally finished the fresh eggs and many a happy Sunday fry up as been had by all. Also found if you leave the onions to sprout you can snip the tops and have fresh spring onions (lucky it wasn’t garlic)

Mon Oct 6th (Yom Kippur, Day of Atonement)
(279-86)

Hi diary today I walked over to the Piggott Platform of Psychic Phenomenon to see Halley Potter and his friends who are busy getting ready for Halloween. No doubt all will be revealed closer to the date but to be honest I still don’t have a clue what they do over there. Halley seems to be very busy getting things sorted for Professor Cobbett’s visit in Nov, at least his magical metal bending skills seem to have abated for the time being. Managed to get there and back without too much sunburn (you know how susceptible I am).

Woke up this morning thinking of fresh cherry tomatoes and liquorice twists.

Fri Oct 10th (Full moon)
(283-82)

Dearest diary apart from starting my post winter holiday today I also realised it was that time of the month over on the Simpson Platform. So with ear plugs at the ready I tried to get some sleep and found a distinct lack of howling drifting on the night air, time to investigate. Well armed with a box of dog biscuits and a squeaky bone (they do seem to like this) I went in search of the truth (hoping that I can handle the truth). What do you think, there’s so much daylight that the appearance of the moon is negligible so unlike the dark winter months when the Simpson staff seemed to be ruled by the waxing and waning of the lunar orb there lives are back to normal, I can stop putting bowls of water out and don’t have to worry about taking them for a walk before I turn in for the night.

Must get to bed early tonight as there is a big day tomorrow, England v Turkey and England in the rugby on Sunday (Barnsley don’t play must have too many internationals playing).

Mon Oct 13th
(286-79)

Dear Diary, day off today so waved goodbye to the next set of intrepid explorers lead by that little green leprechaun Paul. His search for the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow has lead most of the winterers on fantastic journeys across the ice, up and down crevice and around the penguins. However it looks like he won’t find it this year so he may well have to go over to Rothera to continue his search.

Sun Oct 19th (Last Day of Pentecost)
(292-73) PAYE Week 29

Awoke to the knowledge that England’s win against S Africa may not be going down well with our neighbours at Sanae.

While playing about with the Digital camera I managed to get a picture of the entire Technical services guy’s in the same place. We widely assume that they are Poltergeists as we know they are there, we know the work gets done but we just never seem to see them do it.

Sun Oct 26th (National day of Austria, 9th week before Christmas, British summer time ends)
(299-66) PAYE Week 30

Dear Diary after many months of wondering we have finally found out what the Doctor does around here. During a big ceremony Dr Francis-stein unveiled his winter long work. Not much to look at you may well agree but at least we have someone who can look after the electricity now.

Mon Oct 27th (Bank Hol Rep of Ire, First day of Ramadan, Annette and Allan’s Birthday)
(300-65)

Diary it’s Twins, Dr Francis-stein made twins!!!!!!

Uncanny resemblances from birthday ‘Twins’ Annette and Allan

Fri Oct 31st (Halloween)
(301-61)

Dearest Diary the last day of Oct has brought with it Halloween and of course the Halloween meal, you know it’s hard cooking all this meat when you’re a Vegetarian Vampire but you take one day at a time and hope the tomato juice lasts.

Must remember to wish my Granddad Dick and Nephew Tom happy birthdays for next month.

Happy Halloween to everyone out there from the entire Halley 2003 Wintering Team.

All characters and events in this diary are purely fictitional and do not resemble anyone in particular, apart from the bits that are real.