Wednesday, 7 January 2015

The beginning Pt. 2

So as my goal from previous blog was to make my Soil Science class in the afternoon did you make it I hear you ask? The answer would be yes. But I was late.! And not just the 2 days late I already was. After landing at Bradley airport, I'm more than happy not to see another aeroplane for a while, I got my transfer to the hotel. Checked in fine and all very nice. Considering I'm spending the next 7 weeks here its hard not to conjure up images of Alan Partridge..?! Need to get my oversized plate out for the breakfast..!

So off I set to get the bus to Umass and eventually start The Winter Turf School. I had little over an hour to get there, I was reliable informed it was a 10 minute bus journey away and according to the bus timetable I had there was a bus in 15 mins. All good I'm thinking. So I venture outside into -7C and snowing. Oh how I wished for my snow boots and gloves..!! But I'm a hardy Notherner at heart so off to the bus stop I go. An hour later, no bus.! Question,  why did I wait so long? I was determined to get to a class and didn't want to let the transport God's defeat me. So eventually along came the bus and I made the class.
I then spent the next hour being completely dazed and realising how tired I was as we (I say we, I didn't contribute much!!) discussing water soluble Nitrogen and the differing effects of slow and quick release fertilisers. The kind of juicy stuff I'd come here for but maybe not after being on the go for 48 hour's..!!

But it was great to kind of meet the class, my arrival was met with almost mythical greatness  (more to do with my journey as opposed to me..) .

So I made it back to my Hotel, still no bag, and did what any self respecting Brit would do and went to Walmart.!! It was then I realised I was exhausted.

2.30am bag arrives at reception looking in a worst state than me, but it's here.

So Wednesday begins and it's a better day round. Fuelled by a hearty breakfast off to a full day of  classes.
Today's  topics ranged from Fertiliser analysis, seed planting, in a very impressive greenhouse facility to Turf Entomology (you know it's gonna be a good course when the problems caused by Racoons are discussed, unfortunately calling for Carl Spackler  (Caddyshack  reference #1) wasn't even mentioned and closed the day with Turfgrass Pathology.

Juicy stuff yes, but enjoyable.

So as we move into Thursday we will see what the day brings, bring on a cold day so I can test out my cold weather gear, think I might get my wish.....

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