snow day

was the day when we all ran away from the lab to celebrate the joys of winter in the southern alps (and the fact that we only had one day left until our supervisor got back from Alaska). So it was almost 2.5 weeks ago that it snowed but there's still a good half a metre of snow on the other side of porter's pass - nice icy crust on the top that adds an extra element of ouch to snowball fights and taking a step means running the risk of falling thru up to your knees. Lake Linden was completely frozen over with at least of foot of ice for approx 20m from the edge - perfect for attempting to ice skate. Found a nice steep slope for sliding down, with just over a 10m runout before you hit the road. But remember kids ...

playing in the snow ...

can end badly

ummm...

I'm just gonna post something here because it's been awhile and i feel like i should but don't really have anything to say.

High/Lowpoints of the last "however-long it's been since i posted"

• I bought knee-high boots and they were free apart from the "selling my soul to marketing companies" bit
• and a super-cute wee black skirt (so turning into a girl)
• it snowed again and has been arse-cold all week
• but i got a pair of fleece pants from the ware-whare
• having flatmates again is driving me up the wall
• and i'm gonna become the "flatmate from hell" again if i'm not careful
• sin city, broken flowers, eyes wide shut and a clockwork orange are a weird combination of movies to watch in a weekend and result in strange looks in the tea room
• snow day on wednesday this week when we are all going to run away from uni and go play in the snow (I'll post pics and make you all insanely jealous - mwahahaha)
• i need to learn to spell in evil

my award winning photo!!

wahoo

Not only did I buy this yesterday for half price but I also got second prize in the open section of the school's photo competition. yay for me :D

Nothing planned for the weekend - looks like it's gonna be nasty outside!!

mount cook from the end of lake pukaki

sunset from the styx hut

whio habitat on the styx

fieldwork is like a holiday

at least it is when you work in conservation. headed over to the coast last wednesday to check out some whio habitat. managed to cruise up the sytx without getting the truck stuck or injuring myself in the river which, believe me, is quite an achievement!! Saw a few birds but it was a bit of a rushed mission.

cruised back down to franz josef to play glaciologist again but kinda got rained out, so skipped over to wanaka for the mountain film festival. crazy climbing/paragliding/basejumping bastards! kinda puts you off going outside for fear of falling off some steep-arse rockface (or being hit by someone else falling off a steep-arse rock face).

got dragged to the fairydown sale again and came away with a half-price pair of boots and very nearly a tent. will probably end up going again tomorrow to get that tent. yay for student allowance back-payments.

now i'm back in the lab and struggling to find the motivation to do work. tried sugar by enhaling a packet of winegums but that ain't helping. so procrastinating on the web instead. hence the long and rather rambling diatribe to which you have been submitted. sincere apologies :o)