A day in the life....and more farm life

(The View from my FH window....SURPRISE it's CORN! This is the stuff that turns into Silage)

Well I have had a request for what my normal interpreting day is like.  that will follow my newest farm adventure.  Tomato "juice" making.I offered to help.  After peeling 50 mini carrots, we sorted through tomatoes. Then CUT CUT CUT CUT CUT.  More veggies... repeat.  I was pretty stoked about helping.  I like learning stuff like this.  Heck, who knows what adventurous things I might try if I have a large garden some day.  The Farm family asked me if I was gonna put this process in my blog. "yup!"  It's a city chic trying something new!

Break time including listening to a historic moment from President Obama.  I want to be able to tell my kids what I was doing when the war was declared over.  FYI, thank you to our troops! 
So a typically day for this interpreter.  Well honestly, there really isn't a typical day.  I'll give you what I do most of the time, for right now anyway.  I usually arrive a half hour before my first interpreting assignment.  Keep in mind that since interpreting can be so mentally draining we only interpret 25-35 hours a week.  Another professional standard is classes with lectures lasting longer than 1.25 hours require two interpreters.

I usual interpret 3-4 classes per day.  Some require a team others don't, like hands on classes don't need as much interpreting.  I am interpreting Physics, College Math, English, Architecture classes, some advisory appointments etc.  Think about if you needed it in college, I will most likely interpret it.
I spend 3 days on our campus and 2 at another UW school.  We have a total of about 7 students we primarily work with.  I go to the classes based on us 3 staff interpreters availability.  The remaining hours are cover by our freelance interpreters.  When I'm not interpreting I'm prepping for the classes, by going over the concepts.  Thankfully I don't have to know the information the same way the students do.

Please let me know what else you want to know.  I will post pictures after I move in on Saturday.  Just FYI I am formally approved for the apartment.  I get the keys on friday!

CHHHHAAAAnnnngggs

The winds of changes are blowing at 60 MPH.  What a busy weekend!:)  Friday, Andy and I went to the Brewer game to support my professional organization.  Mom and Dad also bought tickets.  Had a good time and the Brewers won.  Although I admit I talked more than I watched the game. :)
Saturday drove back to Madison to.... PACK!

I thought I'd be moving Mid-September or October 1st.  My roommate in Madison found someone she can live with.  Thankfully I had planned on looking at places this past friday.  I have a place picked and have applied for it.  It is pretty much mine in the sense that I have an appointment to pick up the keys this Friday.  Moving day?  Saturday, as in this Labor Day weekend.

If any of you are in Green Bay and want to help unload a U-Haul your help would be most welcome.  I will provide food and beverage!:)

The apartment is a one-bedroom loft.  The bedroom is on the first floor and the loft is not all in one.  I love the open layout and can use the loft as a guest "bedroom"  and office.  I will keep you all posted.

Week Two!

Well work is picking up.  After a full day I even made it to the gym!  After a 45 minute workout I headed to "farm home."(FH)  A little background about FH... I am staying with an old friend and her parents.  They have been generous to open their home to me.  I still have to figure out how to thank them in a way they will accept.

Today I thought I figured it out.  I offered to help feed the cows/calves.  Let me first add I have already learned more about where our food comes from than I thought I would.  (Remember... I'm a city chic)

New vocab:
Nutted
Silage
Spaghetti Pie

First thing when in the barn.... FLIES! All over the place! Then there was cats, calves, poop, hay, flies, moos, and flies.  oh! and don't forget baby chics.  Steps to feeding cows....
1. mix milk
2. bring milk to day old (CUTE) cow, who almost knocked the bucket over in trying to get the milk.  I admit if I hadn't eaten since 4am I'd be pushy too.
3.  Try and feed the babies who don't get how to drink from the bucket.... bottle time!
4. day old cows....are not smart.  You literally have to hold their head to the bottle just to get it.    Then when they do get it?  ATTACK!!!! The milk was gone in 3 minutes or less.
5.  Next feed cute but begging cats.
6. See chicks while protecting them from cats.
7. Learn that "mucking" stalls is not how to clean up cow poop.  It's scraping!  I'll spare you the details... but the smell was gone thanks to the barn cleaner.  Think of a moving circle of rakes taking the ick, hay, food... etc out of the barn.  Note before turning on, make sure no baby cows can get stuck.
8.  Move dirty food over for the older cows.
9. Fresh food for the middle aged cows.  Learned: corn is like candy or apple pie for cows... They went nuts... mooing and pushing ensued. 
10. Learn how food get from silough to barn.
11 inside at 7pm, shower and wolf down pizza.
12. relax and stop blogging.

Good night!