So...as I am certain most of you have figured out...today is Monday. Monday, Monday, Monday...you always come too quickly and last far too long. Just sayin'.
Anywho, I have a ton of things I've been needing to blog about: the close of my second semester of grad school, summer, some things I've learned in the last year or so...the list goes on. But, tonight, as it will most definitely be after 9 by the time I finish this post and I would like to get to bed a reasonable hour tonight, I think I'm just going to make this a short and sweet update.
Last week was hectic, but good.
Wrapping up the loose ends from BioBlitz, curating all of the specimens we collected in those 24hrs (with some help from the Chanimal - thanks, yo!), and undertaking the task of rearing moths after finding myself with a large amount of moth eggs on my hands kept me buuuusy!
Aside from all of that I wrestled with Biota2 as I attempted the supposedly simple task of transferring my PC files to our lab MAC. This used to be a simple, painless task...back in 2002...but, of course, the converter hasn't been updated since then and is no longer supported on Leopard or Snow Leopard. Neat. Thanks 4D for not staying on top of that...sigh. So, after an ordeal of uninstalling and re-installing the software on my laptop (just in case something got messed up during the initial installation...it didn't), RW came to the realization that he had lost his license number for the program...awesome. So, I called up the distributor to see if maybe, just maybe they could look it up for us - they could! And they did!! Whoop!
They sent us the codes late Friday so I was able to get everything rolling again this morning. But, I still have the issue of needing to take my database files between a PC and MAC. So, first thing (OK, maybe 2nd or 3rd thing) tomorrow I'm calling them up again to see if there is a new way around this issue, if not...SW said she'd buy "me" a new MAC for the lab!!! Holla! Can I just stumble upon a ridiculously large amount of discarded cash so I can buy my own MAC??? Maybe? Not likely? Dang...worth a shot. So, I'll let you know what happens there, because if the company says there's no solution SW said she'll purchase the new comp before the week is up. {I kind of really want this latter option to happen...I know...I'm a terrible person.}
The caterpillars are...well...not fairing so well :( I walked in this morning to find large amounts of them...shriveled up and dead, dead, dead...depressing first thing on a Monday morning. I talked to SW about it and she exclaimed in apology for not mentioning that they should have been transferred to a tupperware container to ensure that they didn't suffer from dessication. Even though there were moist maple leaves and a damp paper towel in the net-cage...the air inside the building was still to dry. Blast! Ah well, learning experience. There are a few survivors who are now nestled safely in a tupperware container...so we'll see how they look in the morning. Fingers crossed!
Backing up a few days now.
Friday was the day I the majority of the fighting with Biota, but I was (pleasantly and humorously) interrupted from that battle by a text from SW that read something along the lines of:
I may need some salad
and photo board help. Do
you have time today?
Headed home with the fixings
and will call when I get there.
Thanks life preserver!
Haha...OK, so here's some background on that text. Her oldest graduated from high school a week or two ago (it was actually a pretty fun graduation ceremony!!). The graduation party was scheduled for Saturday the 18th. SW was out of town through Wednesday of that week...talk about a brave mom! Anywho, the 3 "men" of the house neglected to get any of the to-do list she had left from them to do for the week that she was gone so that she could focus on the actual party details once she came back in town. Panic ensued on Thursday (I got a text that day saying she would see me Friday if she weren't jailed for killing offspring first! Ha! Gotta love it.). I offered to help her with anything between Thursday and Saturday...and so came the text on Friday.
After I got home from the lab I ran Jakers around for a bit and then packed up my crafting supplies and headed out to her place. I had hardly made it through the door when her husband exclaimed, "Oh thank goodness you're here! You're co-advisor is about to go insane!!!!!" Hahahahaha...yes, I laughed outloud and saw the agreement mixed with furry in SW's eyes...poor woman - she was spent and still had dinner to make...for her family and 3 guests (they had two ornithologists (her hubs is an ornithologist) staying with them that night and then there was me). I ushered her out of the kitchen and into the dinning room where there were mounds of photographs and poster board strewn about. I told her as long as she gave me an idea of what she was going for I would do my best to finish the photo boards and then move on to whatever other task she needed done. I thought she was going to cry out of sheer gratitude! She set to making dinner and I put the photo boards together. And then...we all sat down to a lovely dinner of grilled venison steaks with grilled veggies and potatoes...complete with a glass of wine - perfection. Once dinner was over the boys all headed to the den and SW and I hung out in the kitchen and had girl time. It was positively delightful.
Saturday was another full day! It started with an egg roll making party at my place (Ummm...so awesome...and no...I didn't take any pictures. I know! I'm sorry!!!) which took a good part of the day and then we stuffed our faces with a ton of egg rolls. We made somewhere in the range of 70-80...there were 12 left...There were about 8 of us altogether...ha. After that ordeal came to a close a number of us made the trek over to SW's for the graduation party, complete with much more food....and....CAKE POPS!!!! We all slept well that night.
Sunday was another day, but a blessed one at that. I got to visit with Skate and talk to my pops and see all of my loves at church. Win, win, win!
There's the latest and greatest...how's that for short? Ha...I just kept remembering more and more things that I felt were blog worthy!!
OK, for reals, I'm closing this post with a farewell and good night.
Praying blessings upon you.
Shalm,
~MW
2 comments:
This is Stephen the lep man commenting from his new iPhone:) Sounds like you're having a blast in the tundra. Well it looks like you've discovered that rearing leps can be quite challenging. Each species is different when it comes to ideal rearing conditions. If it's too dry, they die of desiccation and if it's too wet they drown or die from fungal infections. There is also a nasty polyhedral virus that turns their insides to liquid after they eat infected foliage. I wish I was there to see your caterpillars because there are almost none in my area right now because of the ridiculous drought. I would also love to be away from the heat lol. Anyway, I've been keeping you in my prayers and I'm happy to hear that youre doing well even if your caterpillars aren't haha
I still have lots of files I need to get off my PC to my MAC...but it's just such a pain! I have no motivation to do it! Ha!
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