Week One+

So, heres an update of the rest of my first week here.



When was my last? Tuesday, I think? Let's say yes.



So, wednesday was rainy most of the day. I woke up hoping that the group of kindergarteners(kindergardeners? I hate spelling) would cancel. rainy days don't get me down, but they make me want to stay indoors and watch movies, or read in this case because by wednesday, my cables to hook op the dvd player hed yet to arrive. Despite the fact that the kids did not cancel, it was a really fun day. These youngins were perfect (or as Janice would say 50 times a day..."PEH-fect" thats how it sounds when she says it). They were so much fun! They paied attention and asked lots of questions and were so friendly and foreward. They made you feel smart and important because they see you as that way. Because it was so nasty outside we did not take them to the beach. We had them mimic Owl calls instead and I have to tell you, it was the cutest and most hilarious thing I have ever seen. I was laughing my head off.



I also mt Amanda for the first time on Wednesday. She is the visitor services intern/volunteer that is working on this little weekend summer camp set-up. Since school is still in session here, she is sort of helping out me and Janice. The downstairs volunteer office is sort of Amandas office for the time being. I wish I got my own little "not really mine" office. Amanda is, I'm pretty sure, the biggest achiever I have ever met (I dont want to use the word over because it has a negative conotation and I don't want to be mean). She made me feel like a lazy bum...which I am. But I'm not usually reminded of it in the form of a human being my complete oppsite.



Something I've noticed about the people out here, is not only do most of them have that fin New England accent, but many people agree to a statement by saying the phrase "I know, Right?" It was funny to note at first, but now it sort of gets on my nerves. Before you know it, I'm gonna be saying it "like it was my job" (to use another phrase I have heard everal people say.)



Moving on. Thursday was much like Wednesday. Less rainy and the group we had was from the same class as Wednesday(the teacher just wanted to spilt them up. Bless her). They were just as great and fun. We went to the beach again and it was cloudy and lovely, with a cool breeze. We found mole crabs and other living things. I found the biggest adult weevil tha I have ever seen. It wasn't huge, I just dont see very big ones in Missouri. Imfinished Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows for the second time and wept like a little child as I knew I would. Luckily Courtney was absent.



Friday dawned rainy again. This did not bode well. Today we were having a group of 60 kids com in. 3rd gaders. Each of them were like miny tornados. Actually, not so much destroying everything in their path as leaving a mess in their wake and making tons of noise. We had our work cut out for us cleaning up after them. I got out a little later than normal. But that was okay because it was almost the weekend!! Friday night, incelebration of not having to work the next day, me and Courtney went to her supervisor Rhondas house for a small BBQ. And small it was. It was like our family getting together. Almost to a t. They had two lage and adoreable dogs. Rhodna has a 9 month old. There were about 11 of us total. Courtney and I stopped by a grocery store to get food. It was a tenative BYOM(m for meat). Since Courtney is Vegan and I didn't want to spend extra money on my own food, we went in together to get something we could both eat. This night was a momentous occasion for me. It was the first time I have had a portabello burger. We got these huge mushroom caps, grilled them in Balsalmic vinegrette and slapped them on whole wheat buns. There was also a vegan pasta salad for all as well as home made vegan rhubard pie...another first...with monemade icecream. It had a whole wheat crust. So even eating desert felt healthy. It was a delicious night. Wheather wise also since the rain stopped. 5 of us went out to play Croquet(spelling). It was a lot of fun , especially since I didn't lose. True I scored the bronze, but third is better than nothing. It was a lot of fun and a great start to the weekend.



Saturday was pretty lazy. I should ahve done more. But who wants do do anything on the weekend? I did go to Wal-Mart for a few things that were desperatly needed. One of them being a raincoat and another being a mufin tin. I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to survive 3 months without any muffins. Then I pretty much did nothing else but figure out how to get the tv hooked up and then test drive it by watching The Sixth Sense. Then around 6:30, Corey, Courtney and I all went to Crazy Burger. A place well known for it's vegan options. The atmosphere was great, but the foodreally wasn't much to shout about in my opinion. But we had fun hanging out.

So to continue summing up life here...

Monday was crazy for not having any kids to deal with. I did a few odd jobs around the visitor center for Janice. Then I went to the vernel pool to catch tadpoles. I was unsucessful. I did, however catch several half morphed spotted salamanders. Good times. Then I eft earl to go to Trustom pond to look for tadpoles there. Again, I got nothing but some troublesome fish that apparently eat everthing they can manage, some whirlygig beetles and a bunch of mushy plants. The fact that it was miserably hot and humid did not improve my empty handed mood. So I left Trustom an hour later sweaty, tired and frustrated. My day got better when Courtney told me that everyone was goig swimming in an hour. Thank goodness for gret ideas. We went to East beach. It's farther than most beached, but it's a little ways from the actual ocean. It's a salt pond and the water was perfect. The ocean is still a little too cold right now. There were pleanty of jelly fish to keep s company as well as a hermit crab and a couple horseshoe crabs. We didn't stay long, but it was fun. I went home and watche lost.

Today, we had a small group of kids. They were very cute and easy to manage, though they went bezerk when we brought the snake "Nalu" out. Now I am here. Using a laptop at the visitor center. I' supposed to be working on a powerpoint about how cool snakes are. So I should probabl get to that.

Oh! I got my SCA stuf today. Nifty. I also found out that I am also goin to be working with the maintenence people some. I didn't realize that i was going to be spit three ways. And I will feel he strain of it this week. Wednesday, I am up at the crack of dawn to band sparrows in the salt marshes with many of the others. This makes me nervous because I have never done this before and I am the ONLY one for whom this is the case. Then on thursday, I get to help the maintenence intern Ben remove a snow fence. What the heck is a snow fence? So I sort ofahve a busy week. I knew all this cushy shcool kid stuff wasn't going to last.

Sorry that this had been such a long entry. It's just that so many things happen when you're in a new place. Well, hope all the Missouri/Indiana people are having a great summer too so far. Love you all and I hope to post again soon!!