Sad day

We got up early this morning and went to see the ship back off to Stanley with six 'old' base members, one diving visitor, and the five builders. I know I've only been here for less than a month but they have all helped me, the Museum team socialised a lot with them and they were all great people so I was sad too. It must have been really hard for the team who have taken over from them, but now they can get on with their jobs on their own.

By my reckoning there were 31 people here, and now we have gone down to 19, and in less than a month three of the Museum staff will be leaving - although we may be getting a couple more shipped down! Also Thies and Kicki, the yachtees on Wanderer III, will be heading off soon around the coast for a holiday. So it is all change here.

THEN on the way round the track to the Museum this morning, we couldn't see one of the little black fur seal pups that was born about two weeks ago, and Lynsey and I are worried that something has eaten him. His mum has been going off to feed, then returning to suckle him, and there was no sign of either, although the big male was there. There IS a chance that they have gone across the track to hide up in amongst the tussock grass and we hope that is what has happened.

Today - hopefully, is moving in day. We are going to do as much as we can, but need strong men to help us carry in the larger furniture. My mattress is out in the sun airing and I've put my curtains up in the little bedroom upstairs, so at least I've got somewhere to lie down and sleep, but I've got to get all my stuff from Larsen House at some time. We will have to carry all the kitchen stuff out of the shed and put it through the dishwasher before we can cook and eat anything, and we still need a plug on the freezer! I did find part bottles of rum and brandy in the shed and a couple of bottles of beer, so we're all set to toast our new home (Lynsey and I!), and there are a huge number of wine glasses in boxes in the shed! It is very bare in the cottage (it is known as Drukken Villa but that is far too grand a name for the little place) but we can soon find things to cheer it up.

I'd better go and get on!