Back to the Grind

I've been back to school a little over a week now, and it is already hectic! My semester consists of taking biochemistry, comparative animal physiology, human anatomy and physiology and native american studies.

 I also found out last week that I will definitely be doing research this semester! While unfortunately it is too late to actually help me with vet school applications, I am very excited to have the opportunity to see what it is like to conduct a behavioral research experiment! Even better, my dear friend Gael will be doing it with me, as well as my VP for Pre-vet club, and an ex-pre-vetter who is a hoot. We are going to be studying dog communication and trying to determine whether dogs can distinguish barks in a certain way; testing two hypothesis about the purpose of barking. I'm still a little fuzzy on the details (I have a reading list a mile long to take care of this week), but it seems like it will definitely be a good experience! I will probably be adding it on as a fifth "class," Bio 460, which will show up on my transcript and give me credit (not that I need it :P).

The last few weeks have been rather eventful. I worked my butt off at the farm right up to the last day before school. We had a lot of changes with farmhands and staff, and so I was training away, as well as finishing all the little things that needed to be done before I went back. I helped ear tag and deworm this years lambs, and we had two more litters of piglets born, which all had to get teeth clipped and iron shots. I will still be working there on Saturdays, and covering when they need me to (like this Thursday morning before class), but so far my schedule has been a bit interrupted.

This past Saturday we had a funeral for my great uncle Frank, who was tragically killed when someone ran a stop sign and literally plowed him and his motorscooter over. While it was very nice to see all of my extended family, it was sad to be attending a funeral rather than the party that had been planned. But, in true fashion of my large Polish family, there was far more laughter than tears, people spending all day telling their favorite stories of Frank, and they even ended up having a small party after all. Grief mixed with healing.

I also have a whole new pile of fluffballs in the garage, which are for my aunt (with a few to replace ours which were eaten). My neighbor's dog came into the garage and disemboweled five of my day old chicks before I dragged her butt out of the box, leaving me with fourteen and a really, really bad attitude.... I don't even want to talk about that because it still pisses me off. So we have another dozen in the incubator; this time trying an egg turner.

I will be getting back into posting regularly now; at least once a week if not more! While I am sure plenty of it will be rather boring, we are doing some pretty neat stuff this semester with the PVC (can you say dermestids??), and I have a good bit going on at the homefront. So stay tuned!

~Melissa