A Day at the Zoo and Other Tales of Extraordinary Interest

On Monday Jerry and I got Sarah and took an afternoon trip to the zoo. Our zoo has undergone some renovation this year so I was looking forward to it. We had family passes when our boys were small and it was a nice small zoo.

The weather was lovely on Monday, mid to high 70s by 3:00 p.m when we headed that way.We stopped at Mcdonald's for a late lunch and Mike left us at the park.

You now enter through what was the back entrance. It had been remodeled with a cafe and gift shop and the new Amazonia exhibit. As you walk in there are water geysers. Sarah immediately wanted to get wet. She has been in a similar water fountain this summer and knew exactly what they were. We rushed past this area quickly because I didn't pack a towel. I had no idea they had the geysers there.

The paved walkways are wide enough for golf carts and a tram so once Sarah's leash was on she could walk. We walked past the large lake in the center of the park.We saw ducks and paddle boats and at the dock, large swan boats that Sarah called ducks. We made our way around to exhibits that had been there for years but were empty and over grown with brush and weeds. I have no idea why. There were some really nice exhibits but I was surprised at how few considering how much money was spent on a new exhibit. There was no elephant! There was a children's area but no petting zoo and most of the features of the children's area were empty. We did see donkeys, ponies, and goats.

Sarah didn't know the difference. She loves walking and looked at everything with great interest. She is a very intense child when she is learning. You can actually see little wheels turning. When you pointed something out, she looked like a little scientist who had just discovered a new organism.

We stopped by the Otter exhibit. There were two but it was a smaller exhibit than in the past. However, there nicest thing about it was a Plexiglas tube beneath the pool. I could have crawled through and watched the swim underwater. Sarah was having none of that (neither did I) It was an large tube open at both ends and clear but she didn't care for the "puppies" visible in the glass. I never thought much that otters looked like puppies but in the face, they kind of do! She did like them when viewed from the top. I love watching otters and I always liked this exhibit.

Next favored sight was the prairie dogs. She called them "puppies" too. I told her she was getting closer. There was a tube for this too, a dark tube closed at both ends that she didn't mind at all. You stood up halfway through and should be able to see the prairie dogs up close. She was too short. It was too dark and close for me, although I could have fit inside easily. And the "puppies" were in a lower area playing. We did get to see them and they were very cute.

We wandered into several exhibits where they had been monkeys and there were a couple of apes of one sort or another. I found later that the monkeys were near where the old entrance used to be. That is a very long hill. It was when we reached the bottom of that hill that I told Jerry I couldn't do it. My legs had begun to hurt. As I said, this zoo is hilly.

We avoided the nocturnal house. For some reason, it didn't hold the charm it did when I had two little boys who were into strange creature things that inhabited the dark. This is a very, very dark room and very little light is in the glassed in cages. You can barely see the sloth. Sarah is really too small to be very interested in such things.

The bird and snake exhibit was boring and mostly under construction. We quickly bypassed the Burmese python. Neither Jerry or I care for snakes and these creatures are specifically malevolent. I hate them. He stands guard near the bird and snake room. Well, the bird room was always kind of nice. It is a large area that is like a closed corridor and in a three walled room it has lots of trees and bushes and painted scenery where they fly around. You stand outside the room and look in. Some even fly into the main area because there is no fourth wall. On the opposite wall they have glass boxes of snakes. Predator and prey in the same room.

Farther into the section is another python and this one was housed next to a cage of birds. He was extended about four feet up the wall of his cage that abutted the birds cage. There was probably another 10 feet of him on the bottom of his cage! I told Jerry he was so close to lunch he could smell it and he wanted in. Hideous creature.

We were now headed for Amazonia. This area had all been redone. The bears were gone but there was a Sumatran Tiger, a lioness, various birds and turtles.In one place they had water mist where we could have cooled off but I knew if Sarah got a whiff of that we were done for.

We saw emus, wallabies, and more turtles. There was a double humped camel, a Bactarian camel I think is what it was called. I didn't see the snow leopards they used to have either. That is quiet disappointing as they were lovely animals. I remember when they had cubs, long grown by now and in some other zoo.

Finally we entered the Amazonia exhibit. It is glass and the first thing you see from the back entrance are the waterfalls. It is really beautiful and with lots of greenery but the first section from this entrance is on the lower floor and is a series of glass cages and tanks. They have a Jaguar and she was lovely but very shy. And they have huge fish tanks but not many fish in them yet. Then we began to enter the "rain forest".

Folks it was warm. You move up a series of ramps and as you wind around you see a wall of rock and there is a waterfall and really lovely plants. A couple of animals that I didn't recognize until I got to the tapirs. The third turn takes you to nearly the top of the falls and just below the room where steam is coming out of the vents. Did I say it was hot? Let me tell you, it must have been 120 degrees up top! I had overheard a zoo employee below say something to another employee about having to come down frequently because they were misting "up there" but I didn't know what she meant. I was thinking that water mist we had seen earlier. No, it was steam. And for the first time I wondered how attractive it probably wasn't to visit a rain forest. The air was thick and hot, like a steam room. Very unpleasant, really. I prefer saunas and would love to have one but not a steam room. We had reached the end of the path and when we pushed through the exit, the outside felt wonderful, even though it was probably 80 by now.

Mike was to pick us up and sure enough, he had slipped in free since it was after 4 and was sitting at the cafe watching the children in the water geysers. This was it. We took off Sarah's shoes and changed her into a different outfit and let her go.

She knew just what to do and she had a blast. Mike stood nearby had as much fun watching her as we did. After 15 minutes we had to get her ready to go because they closed at 5. She pitched a fit. We put her dress back on and a fresh diaper but she cried all the way to the car and fussed for several minutes until I gave her a pacifier and she began to doze off.

A very long afternoon! Papa and I were pretty tired, too. Sarah spent the night and was in bed by 9"30 but grandma had a horrible night. Leg pains shooting up both legs and I don't think I slept a full hour all night. I dozed. Sarah was restless half the night as well. I know I restarted our sound machine (beach sounds) four times and it will play for an hour. I am usually asleep by the time it stops. So, I know I went to sleep but not how long I slept for each time and I restarted the machine four times. I was up at 8 and so was Miss Sarah. We had breakfast and both went back to bed!

We were back up at 10 and Jerry and I talked about the car problem. Did I tell you it was broken down again? It will take over $400 to fix it this time. This was the last straw. So, Tuesday found us in Henderson, KY to look at a car. I had told Jerry that morning to go to this car dealer's website and see what he could find. He found a Honda and we headed over. No, ladies, here is the difference in how a man shops and how a woman shops. Pay attention.

When we got there they said they had the car ready for us to test drive. We went out and I head for a car. I walked right past the CRV. They stopped me. This is it. I looked at Jerry but got in. There must have been something on my face because the salesman said, "Would you folks like to drive alone so you can talk or do you want me to go with you." My wise husband said, "We'd like to go and talk about it."

I said, "It is an SUV! Jerry, I can't afford and SUV!"

"It's a CRV. I told you it was a CRV."

No he did not. He just said a Honda. I pointed that out but he asserted he had told me it was a CRV. Whatever. "I'm not buying an SUV."

"It's a CRV."

"I can't afford the payment, I can't afford the insurance. And I sure can't afford the gas! We are not buying this."

We went back. When we went in I told the salesman "It was nice. It drove very good. I really liked it. But I can't afford the payments, the insurance, and certainly not the gas."

He laughed and said, "What would you like?"

"I want a CAR! That gets good gas mileage and has a reasonable payment."

"What kind of payment do you want?"

"As close to $250 as you can get it."

"You ever drive a Ford Focus?"

"No but I've seen them."

"I have several. What color you want?"

My husband said, "Red or black, anything but silver."

I said, "I don't care what color it is! Silver is fine but no black because it would be hot."

He came back with a 2007 Focus with 22,000 miles on it. It was a demo for test drives. It still had 14,000 miles warranty left on it. And it got 33 mpg on the highway.

We drove it. My husband immediately hated it. He's six feet tall. Small cars intimidate him. The salesman was the same size but was a bit bulkier, yet, he had no trouble getting in and out but my husband struggled. Yeah. Like that's gonna matter to me.

I liked it. We sat down to talk. I gave my information to the salesman and when I gave my birth date he said, "That was a very good year."

I said, "Yes, it was."

"I was born that year." He paused then laughed, "You look ten years younger than me. You must take good care of yourself."

Cha-ching.

He came back after running the credit check and I told him I had forgotten to list my student loan. He leaned on the desk and smiled, "Lady, your credit is so good, it don't matter."

Cha-ching.

Yes, I bought it. How close did I get? My payment is $299.96 but extra $50 got me a 5 year bumper-to-bumper warranty that will cover virtually anything that breaks down. And Gap insurance. I only recently heard of this. If my car is totaled, if my insurance won't pay it off, this insurance covers the shortfall. The window glass and doors are etched with a serial number that can be traced in the event the car is stolen.

So, I drove a "new" car home on Tuesday.

Wednesday? I spent the day asking what the heck I was thinking! I don't do spontaneity!

Mouse Hole

For some reason I found this hysterical. I couldn't stop laughing when I read it and even now I am laughing!

A man called 911 and said, "Someone come quick! My wife fell asleep on the couch with her mouth open and a mouse ran down her throat!"

The operator replied, "Calm down, sir. Wave a piece of cheese over her mouth and maybe the mouse will come out. An ambulance is on the way."

When the ambulance arrived, the EMT found the man waving a fish over his wife's mouth.

"What on earth are you doing?" exclaimed the EMT. "Didn't the 911 operator tell you to wave a piece of cheese over your wife's mouth?"

"Yes," the man replied. "But I gotta get the cat out first."


From The Good Clean Funnies List

A Lovely Day in the Neighborhood

Well, it is 10:33 p.m. here and I've followed Jilly's cleaning method all day. I got quiet a lot done and had a nice time!

I had Sarah for a few hours so her parents could go to the store. She played a bit and we just kind of hung around and watched Barney, her favorite.

The rest of the evening I spent watching t.v. My husband left for work at 9:45 p.m. and I have the rest of the night to myself. I'm doing taxes for Becca's mom. She's a bit late. LOL, by a few months.

I've taken my muscle relaxant and a good thing, too. I realize when I sat down earlier tonight that the day had caught up with me. Back was giving me some pain. I will have the whole bed and can really spread out. I can't use a pillow or anything or sleep on my side for long because of the pain.

I am feeling rather pleased with myself. I warded off all hints from people, except Becca's mom. But she paid me to do the taxes so I'm good with it.

I will go now and finish up and then to bed. Hope you have all had a lovely weekend. I still have Sunday to go but since I get Monday and Tuesday off, it won't seem so short.

The day was lovely. I should have gone out more and just sat down. It was cool all day and sunny. But my house is clean except for the rooms mentioned.

It's a Secret

I haven't told anyone by my husband and oldest son. I took Monday and Tuesday off. I've sworn them to secrecy. I've found that some people, when they find I am off, want something from me. I wind up doing nothing for me and going back to work exhausted, rather than rested. So, I am going to try and make this four day weekend work for me.

I've taken a page out of Jilly's Handbook of Household Hints. I'm cleaning in spurts. I've mopped all the floors but three. Can't get in to my room because Jerry is sleeping and it needs a through cleaning before moping. Mike's is the same but I believe I'll have him do the work. The den/dining room is cluttered and I want to get to that on Monday when I can really move some stuff around. I have to have help and Jerry will be off so that is my goal for then.

I'm doing laundry as I go. I've done most of the dishes. How can three people have so many dishes? I still have to clean the baths but it is only 12:30 here so there is still time. Between all this I am reading blogs and writing them.

Jilly, this is ever so much easier!

I hope by the time I go back to work on Wednesday, I won't care that the paperwork has piled up.

Virus, Anti-Virus - To Be or Not To Be

The last post had a comment from my friend, Cliff, regarding vaccinations. I agree with him but it is the basis for this post and I wanted to save you the effort of having to go back if you didn't want to.

"I once attended a lecture by this guy who radidly spoke against vaccinations. He was a little extreme, but his claims had some valid points. In many other parts of the world people do not get all this vaccination stuff and they are not necessarily ill as a result. The one thing he pointed out that was very obvious to me is that there has not been a recorded case of polio in the last 50 years, so why do people still get vaccinated for it?

Vaccination is like it always has been, a situation of gamble and profit driven margins. Heck you live life thinking all these things could happen to ya, well ya might just pass up on the point, which is LIVING!"

My thoughs from this are Amen, Cliff! There is plenty of evidence of people getting the virus they were vaccinated to prevent. Polio was consdiered extinct. However, people have started to get it again. A few, even after the vaccine is administered, have always got it. So, like all things, there is no sure fire fix. In this country, if you don't get vaccinated for childhood diseases, your child can't go to school and eventually, may not be able to get a job in certain fields.

An interesting note, most third world countries are not known for the same kinds of diseases we get! They get things related to starvation. We get things related to excessive eating! There is a subtle irony here somewhere.

I'm not sure if poorer nations get things like whooping cough, which has also popped up again in America in recent years in some areas of the country. That is an awful disease. Measles are still floating around, too.

When I was studying anthropology, I read about tuberculosis, which America thought they had eradicated in the early 20th century. Aids has brought it back in force. My studies said that signs of this disease can be found in bones 10,000 years old. From the studies of ancient bones, they determined that this disease lies dormant for a very long time, dropping off the radar of humans. Then, it shows back up and becomes an epidemic, only to drop out of sight again. My guess . . . every virus has been here longer than we have. When nature decrees it is time for a purge, she calls in her army. They are very efficient, silent, and frequently deadly to thousands at a time.

I also suspect that ancient people were more efficient with the bodies of their dead. They didn't do autopsies and scientific experiments to see what they could find. They buried those who died by disease quickly or they burned the bodies. Fire is a great sanitizer.

Biblically, there were certain people who could handle a body. They were also separated from the tribe for a period of time after the had done so. This was a most efficient method to prevent disease in the camp from spreading and to insure if some did catch it, the numbers were limited and the persons would die outside the larger population. Sounds cold but most cultures had such methods in practice to insure their overall survival. They were much more practical about death.

Before modern medicine, people died of some terrible diseases. They had no way to prevent the spread of such diseases, no hospitals, no medicines. So, we've come a long way. But vaccines have proven that they are no cure for anything. They simply limit the spread and delay the onset of diseases that are probably simply waiting for orders from higher up.

Incidentally, my whole family, like most Americans have been vaccinated against all the childhood diseases. We haven't had them, well chickenpox and measles we've had. I appear to be immune to mumps. Been exposed several times. But vaccinations haven't saved me from other diseases. In the long run, one isn't much different from another to me. I've probably lived longer, but I probably won't care before it is over.