Carbon Monoxide!?

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Weird The smoke alarm went off, not incredibly odd when I am using the fireplace, but it wasn't the smoke detector. It was the CO alarm. I was totally surprised. It had never gone off as long as I have had one, over many many years. Yep, after resetting it a few times. It was getting a reading over 200 ppm CO. When I took it downstairs I got a reading near 300 ppm. I started getting light headed at this point. After thinking maybe the furnace heat exchanger failed and puzzling around a bit I figured oout what happened. As part of the huge winter storm that recently covered almost half of the US, we lost our electricity. So, being well prepared I rolled out the generator and started doing what I normally do. The generator (although it was completely outside) was creating CO to get in the house. Using the fireplace (and possibly other leaks) the whole house created a vacuum around the seal of the basement garage door. After the CO got into the house the forced air heating eff...

I am getting ready for my trip to pole. I will probably have to bag-drag sunday night. Bag-drag is a process where you get weighed and submit most of your luggage. You keep just enough stuff so when your flight is delayed you have it with you. I will be there for 7 days. I will start taking some diamox today to (hopefully) prevent altitude sickness. One part of me says don't take it since I haven't had a problem. The other side of me says I should take it.

I still can't really believe I am here. I have adjusted, thats for sure. But I can see differences in my senses and what I choose to sense. My sense of smell is heightened. Very little smells in Antarctica. When you smell something it is very noticable. I am in denial about the sun being up 24 hours. I sleep in a darkened room and pretend we have days and nights. If I am out late and go outside it is still a shocker.

You can't help but make friends here. Everyone has to work so closely.

Wintering over starts in early march this year. There will be no supply shipments or means to get on or off the continent for 8 months. It is dark for six of those months. I have noticed some peculiarities with folks who have wintered a few times.

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