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The sauna session on Monday night went well, and I was introduced to the use of a traditional birch twig bundle. I'm not sure its physical application made too much of a difference in the quality of my time in the sauna, but at least waving the moist bundle in the air did add a mildly pleasant aroma inside the too-hot sauna (it had been set for 100°C at a humidity of 35%, which exceeded my comfort zone).
I also essayed a dip in the plunge pool for the first time, and experienced that absolutely indescribable moment between the instant at which the shift in your body's center of gravity commits you to entering the water and actually entering the water, during which the thought "Are you out of your cotton-pickin' gourd? That water's cold!" cannot help but pass through your consciousness.
I couldn't fall asleep until after midnight, afterward, which our campaign doctor says is not surprising, as saunas have a tendency to revive and rejuvenate you, and our session had taken place after the "ladies hour" scheduled for earlier in the evening.
Yesterday, Maya and I split the day at the mobile service tower, which had been moved into position above the launch pad to allow the French to perform electrical tests. Maya spent the morning at the MST, while I nabbed the afternoon "shift," managing to spend most of that time inside the tent that had been erected for the technician on level 7, which is 46.9 m above ground level and exposed to a pretty wicked wind. I cannot recall an occasion in recent memory where I was happier to absquatulate a work site.
I was pleasantly surprised, while in the van back to the hotel, to find out that the Pinkertons had organized a "taco night" for everyone over at the Polyot hotel. I really didn't know what to expect, but I need not have worried. The guys had put together all the fixings for some awesome burritos, and I noticed that even the French - who normally eat very moderate portions - had seconds. Between the food and the company, it was a very pleasant evening.
I was the morning interpreter today, and the daily status meeting went well (if we don't consider the two guys sitting between me and the speaker conducting a distracting side conversation). The only wrinkle in the schedule is tomorrow's closure of Hall 111 at the integration facility to foreigners, to allow Khrunichev (the Russian organization we work with) to receive a GLONASS satellite, one of a constellation of such satellites that is basically a Russian version of the US Global Positioning System (GPS).
So right now, I've got a file that needs attention and clothes in the dryer.
Onward!
Cheers...
I also essayed a dip in the plunge pool for the first time, and experienced that absolutely indescribable moment between the instant at which the shift in your body's center of gravity commits you to entering the water and actually entering the water, during which the thought "Are you out of your cotton-pickin' gourd? That water's cold!" cannot help but pass through your consciousness.
I couldn't fall asleep until after midnight, afterward, which our campaign doctor says is not surprising, as saunas have a tendency to revive and rejuvenate you, and our session had taken place after the "ladies hour" scheduled for earlier in the evening.
Yesterday, Maya and I split the day at the mobile service tower, which had been moved into position above the launch pad to allow the French to perform electrical tests. Maya spent the morning at the MST, while I nabbed the afternoon "shift," managing to spend most of that time inside the tent that had been erected for the technician on level 7, which is 46.9 m above ground level and exposed to a pretty wicked wind. I cannot recall an occasion in recent memory where I was happier to absquatulate a work site.
I was pleasantly surprised, while in the van back to the hotel, to find out that the Pinkertons had organized a "taco night" for everyone over at the Polyot hotel. I really didn't know what to expect, but I need not have worried. The guys had put together all the fixings for some awesome burritos, and I noticed that even the French - who normally eat very moderate portions - had seconds. Between the food and the company, it was a very pleasant evening.
I was the morning interpreter today, and the daily status meeting went well (if we don't consider the two guys sitting between me and the speaker conducting a distracting side conversation). The only wrinkle in the schedule is tomorrow's closure of Hall 111 at the integration facility to foreigners, to allow Khrunichev (the Russian organization we work with) to receive a GLONASS satellite, one of a constellation of such satellites that is basically a Russian version of the US Global Positioning System (GPS).
So right now, I've got a file that needs attention and clothes in the dryer.
Onward!
Cheers...
