Live Another Sol

Surviving Waikiki

Sol 7

Today was like most yesterdays.

In the morning, coffee (fortunately not the freeze-dried type sucked with a straw) while reading 'generic metakernels.' (Aside: The latter expression is Houston lingo for data updates; in lay person language, email.)  Then, a routine walk on sandy space outside.

After that came the incredibly dull part of my day.

Free time in what seemed like microgravity environment.

I sat around for hours - reading and writing. It occurred to me: now that I might live, people would probably read this log, so I had to be more diligent and careful about what I recorded.

Then took a break to do zero-G backflips on a stand-up paddleboard. (Get off the floor. I was just kidding.) Edit that to say, 'watched a movie or two' until I'd watched everything on the deployment hard drive (free Roku, that is). But so do you, so don't judge.

Regarding food: I was going to rip my face off if I ate dehydrated chicken again. Aargh! Saved from self-destruction by canned Starkist. Tuna melt never tasted so good.

Tonight I was tired. Or perhaps, just lonely.

A gust of wind rushed past. Dark clouds hanging fat and heavy had started to release just enough drizzle, enticing me to cuddle in bed close to my pile of evac junk. I went to sleep.

Speaking of sleep... Good night.

Sol 8

Okay, I was a bit downhearted yesterday, but in truth, things were working for me on the whole. In fact, they were going great.

Despite the cooler days and intermittent rain, there were no discernible winds. All had been well. I'd even walked liquid-water side (by the ocean) and was on the lookout for any meteoroid seashells that had been tossed around recklessly.

Indeed, it was starting to look like I'd live another sol. (Aside: Don't you think Live Another Sol would be an awesome name for a James Bond movie?)

At lunch, I feasted on a full ration of just-bought BK whopper and a McDonald's McFlurry with oreos. Aw, yeah. Right. I could indulge once in a while.

After that, it was time to relax. I drifted off to dreamland in the best mood I'd been in since Sol 1.

By the way, Happy Valentine's Day.

Sol 9

My last entry. Last day of going solo.

I got up at 0700 hours, earlier than I needed to.

Station, this is Houston. Everything's on track to planned trajectory in T minus 40 minutes. Are you ready?

Affirmative.

I disassembled Command Center and set things in order.

We will proceed on schedule... mark.

Wow. Things really came along. It was like Christmas morning.

Eldest and Younger Daughters were undoubtedly celebrating the news of my survival. First Grandson got notification of his first piano recital. First Granddaughter turned seven. Second Granddaughter would be celebrating a 'half' toward her seventh birthday soon. And best of all, Hubby had come back.

Houston, shutdown complete. 

Roger that.

Command Center signing off. OVER AND OUT!