16 November, 1997

Hi Everyone,

Sunday at last.   This means that we can finally take a shower and maybe
wash clothes. I am really glad that I am a bear and do not have to worry
about staying clean and all that stuff.   We also must drink about 4 quarts
of water aday to stay healthy here.   There is lots of water to drink but
not to shower or wash clothes.   I really like water.   How about you?

Can you guess where the water thaat we use comes from here on a sheet of ice?
Iíll bet you said the ice and you are right.   The water that we use is
melted from the ice outside.   Sometimes it takes a long time to melt
enough ice for all the people here to shower on the same day so we only get
to shower once every 4 days.   We can wash our clothes every week.    The
air here is so dry and there is no dirt anywhere to be found so no one
really gets dirty or smelly.   We do have a sink to wash up daily in.  They
also make us wash our hands before dinner.   I suppose your momís make you
wash too.     Everyone puts their own food on their plates so they do not
want germs to be spread from one to another.   We each must do our own
dishes too!!!   They have really good cooks that cook for the whole camp.
They make the best breads on the whole continent.   Desserts are always
yummy but I really like the chocolate bars that you find all the time
layiing about to eat..

Food is real important to eat.  They feed us real fatting food which we eat
just like a bear.   The cold weather and any exercise makes you real hungry
and if you do not eat than you could get real sick.   They worry about
people getting frostbite, hypothermia, and dehydration.   Boy, are those
big words.   Frostbite happens when you are exposed to real cold weather
without protection.    The skin on your hands can freeze and turn really
ugly.   Some people even have to have their fingers or toes cut off
because they were frozen.  I always wear my hat and gloves so that does not
happen to me.
Hypothermia happens when you are out in the cold and your body tries to
warm the whole outside.   You know that your body temperature is 98.6
degrees Fahrenheit and if you stay outside without covering up you lose
body heat so that your temperature drops.   This is not a good thing to
happen either.   So I do not stay out in the cold for long periods of time
or until I start getting cold.

Dehydration means that my body does not have enough liquid (water) in it to
work well.   Here in Antarctica, it is so dry that the air takes away the
liquid in your body that you need.   We must keep replenishing our liquids
or get sick too.     The food helps keep our bodies working properly here
and helps keep out temperatures up to 98.6.

No one seems to want to work on Sunday since it is the only day off during
the week.   We worked a n y w a y.   The sun was shining and no wind was
blowing.   Since it is spring, humans were playing frisbee, volleyball,
skiing, skidoing and just having fun.   Hope your Sunday was a Funday too