“Someone told me it’s all happening at the zoo”
The temperature is 66° right now, and I’m delighted. I even sat in the sun on the deck to read my papers, something I’ve avoided for days. It will get warmer later, into the mid 70’s, but the nights and early mornings will stay chilly for the next couple of days.
More great whites are off Chatham. They can’t pass up those free meals just lying in the sun waiting. Swimmers were warned out of the water yesterday at South Beach as one of the sharks wasn’t all that far off shore. The great whites have become tourist attractions.”Move a bit closer to that fin, Alex, so I can get it in the picture.”
My mother used to pack lunches for us when we went on our adventures. We’d be gone all day. One summer was spent at the zoo where we got to feed the animals, including Babe the elephant. That was my favorite summer of all. We got to be friends with one of the workers who took us behind the cages where the public couldn’t go and taught us how to feed the small animals. We, my brother and I, would fill our buckets with all sorts of fruits and vegetables and walk down the lines of cages feeding each animal in turn. I remember the cages were wooden and painted green. Most of the animals in them were small ones like raccoons. Babe had her own place as she was the big attraction, and we’d go in right with her to leave dinner. People were on the other side of the gate, and I always felt a bit self-important as I went about my task, and sometimes I even patted the elephant for effect.
It was always a long day at the zoo, and we lived at the totally opposite end of town. My mother sometimes had enough money to give us bus fare one way, and we used it for the ride home. If not, we walked, though plodded is probably the better description.
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July 31, 2010 at 11:36 am
I wonder if swimming with sharks ever will be as popular as with dolphins 🙂 🙂
You have experiensed every childs dream!!! I would have pushed my best friend to the tigers if someone had told me so just to be able to feed a baby elephant 🙂 🙂 The girl I was helping with her french homework is going to the school that educates Zoo animal care takers now this autumn. I´m actually feeling a bit jealous 🙂
It was to far for us to a big zoo with tigers and lions and those big animals, but we had a smaller zoo just where I lived. They mostly have Nordic wild animals and farm animals. A year ago one politician got the idea that the popular mooses and Red deers (and most of the other wild animals) should be removed and replaced with rare farm animals. It´s actually the first time I´ve heard a politician gotten fired 🙂 🙂 It got close to revulotion in Gotheburg 🙂 🙂
How many programs did they make of Battlestar Galactica? I saw the two first yesterday and liked it a lot!
Have a great day now!
Christer.
July 31, 2010 at 1:04 pm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Battlestar_Galactica_%282004_TV_series%29_episodes
July 31, 2010 at 1:15 pm
Thanks S!
Christer.
August 1, 2010 at 9:25 am
Christer,
Only if the sharks are dead or toothless!
It was an amazing summer. We went to the zoo just about every day. It was a small zoo, a local one, which is still there but so much bigger and better for the animals. The part I miss is the children’s zoo they used to have. It was arranged around nursery rhymes.
I think it went for four years. They made a decision to end it which made all of us so disappointed. It is well worth watching.
July 31, 2010 at 4:28 pm
When I first met my wife she was a Friend of the Naitonal Zoo and would often spend her weekends on preg watch which meant staying locked up with whatever animal over night. We both went when one of the Pandas was getting close. But Jesus, spending the night with a cuddly looking Panda in a preg watch area with mice and rats running around was creepy. What an adventure though. We still remember that night. Of course she didn’t deliver her cub on our watch but did two mornings later when a zoo keeper was with her. The National Zoo is a cool place. I miss it! But I know what you mean. Summers at the zoo were always fun.
August 1, 2010 at 9:27 am
Z&Me,
I would have loved doing something like that and after Ghana, creepy stuff doesn’t bother me. Besides, I know mice live here. The cats have sent a few mice to their heavenly reward. I have caught some in my have-a-heart cage too. Peanut butter gets them every time.
July 31, 2010 at 5:52 pm
Many years ago I remember a visit to a dark dank Paris zoo and there were a couple of giant turtles having one heck of a good time.
Pouring with rain here in Detroit, I had better put on the TV and see what those Tigers are doing 🙂
August 1, 2010 at 9:28 am
My Dear Hedley,
It’s nice the turtles found an enjoyable activity to while away the time.
Ah, the Red Sox and the Tigers-God Bless David Ortiz!!
August 1, 2010 at 11:26 am
It seems those turtles always has a good time 🙂 They had it when I was at Paris zoo too 🙂 🙂 🙂
August 1, 2010 at 11:01 pm
Christer,
Those little devils!