A pebble
is a perfect creature

equal to itself
mindful of its limits

filled exactly
with a pebbly meaning

In fact, this is a Scott, 23rd, just after midnight.

TL;DR this was a long day today. A good day.

There were two EVAs today. First, me and Asia went to collect some geological samples around the habitat. During the walk, we were asked by the habitat team to perform checks to the Modernity. We had to repair its power supply connector again, but in the end, we managed to turn on the rover. The habitat team left us additional tools, and it was much easier to operate. You can imagine how hard is to unscrew in suit gloves…

In the meanwhile, the habitat crew worked on rover connection, and finally the Modernity started to drive… We packed the samples to the airlock, and prepared the rover for the second EVA team – Piotr and Matt. They did serious repairs to the power supply, including re-soldering the connector, and finally, we were all able to fully operate the Modernity for the first time. Yep, I almost did a crash with the rover, but guys reacted quickly, so no disaster this time. Piotr and Matt also checked communication range nearby the base, and infrared cameras – which are both fine.

We are all tired, but really happy after those two, two-hour-long EVAs.

For the first time also, we ate own-grown sprouts today – seeing fresh vegetables in the morning was a really nice feeling, letting us to start a day in a good mood. We cannot wait for next seeds to be grown up in the BioLab… Well, the BioLab is living again – Asia changed the food for the cockroaches and they finally started to eat. Hey, even I was happy about that, although you may know how much do I like those insects…

Now, when I just finished the spectrometry of the geological samples, and we’re just after APJWST (Advanced Peaceful Jedi Warrior Stretching Training), I’m looking at the samples we took with Asia in the morning. Rocks are all around us, for millions of years, looking at us in the same way, all the time, watching what we do, and doing spectrometry of them is like looking at what they see. Kind of poetic anyway, that’s why holding a lunar pebble reminds me of the Herbert’s poem, “Pebble”, and I dedicate it to all of you.

The Pebble

The pebble
is a perfect creature

equal to itself
mindful of its limits

filled exactly
with a pebbly meaning

with a scent which does not remind one of anything
does not frighten anything away does not arouse desire

its ardor and coldness
are just and full of dignity

I feel a heavy remorse
when I hold it in my hand
and its noble body
is permeated by false warmth

– Pebbles cannot be tamed
to the end they will look at us
with a calm and very clear eye

Z. Herbert, “The Pebble” (in the translation of Cz. Miłosz)