26 July 2008 Morale Dinner Saturday!

Journal

Saturday's on board the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter HEALY are morale dinner nights. This is when different divisions within the crew prepare, cook and then clean up the evening meal. Well today was the scientists turn, and under the direction of Scott Hiller game on!Right after lunch was served and cleaned, it was our turn to invade the galley. Let's see, hamburgers, dogs, salmon patties...to start. Potato salad, pasta salad, green salad, and baked beans, were just a few of the accessories. For dessert apple crisp (my contribution) with vanilla ice cream.

Kristen peeling apples. — It was a lot of fun working with happy people in making other people happy!

When I say we invaded the galley, we really did. Kristen Blattner and I took charge of the crisp, we recruited Chris Moser and the pealing began. There are two types of crisp, the home version when the cook is too lazy to peel apples, and then the social version, naked apples. Once we had our large supply of pealed, cut apples I started the crisp, and having never made such a large quantity before was blown away by the volume of ingredients used.

Once all the fixings were completed it was up to the flight deck. Now was the time for Pat and John to work on grilling the burgers. I managed to get a quick "calvet" in and then helped with the set up.

The clock struck five, crew and scientists arrived, dinner was served. It was a beautiful sunny day, calm seas, perfect picnic weather. No fog in sight.

Let's eat! — With all sorts of tasty morsels, no one should have left hungry.

Hanging out on the flight deck. — With plates laden, the crew and scientists alike sit down for a glorious evening on board the HEALY.

As far as morale evenings went, I think this one was pretty good. After dinner bingo was on, and then at eight o'clock a movie in the hanger. We might be on a four hundred twenty foot ice breaker, but that does not limit anyone in the pursuit of "good morale!"