Meet the Animals

[celticdragonfly]

The Borders bookstore down in the middle of Fort Worth does a thing on this Friday of every month - I just found out about it a few weeks ago. (I put it in my calendar, I figure we'll do this regularly) The Fort Worth Zoo (which is a really good one) sends an outreach van with animals. So tonight the kids got to Meet the Animals.

As we drove up, I was talking to Karl about it. "They can't bring anything large, I expect - I can hardly see them bringing a gazelle. And they can't bring anything dangerous. Probably a turtle."

So we get there, get the kids into the stroller, go on in, find the circle of kids already established. (We were running a bit late. Yeah, again.) There in the middle of the circle was a turtle. Karl said "Nice call, Laura"

Actually, it was an Indian tortoise, and a large toad. Or as far as Maggie is concerned, a turtle and a frog! They offered the kids to touch the tortoise. Maggie emphatically declined. The frog was NOT to be touched, as it had glands and stuff and the caretakers have to be careful of washing hands.

(Apparently one caretaker once didn't do a good enough job, touiched his eyes while driving home, and had to pull over abruptly as it temporarily blinded him.)

The frog was mostly in the bucket, as it was jumping all over. He took it back out, it jumped all over some more, peed on the carpet again.

If an animal doesn't pee on the carpet, it isn't quite the same, is it? I remember being in a veterinary program for gifted kids in high school, at the local university. They filmed us one week. That was the week they brought the gazelle into class. It went all over the front of the room. Never fails.

The next two months will be COOL, I talked to the guy afterwards. Next month is a red hawk. The month after that they're getting into the Harry Potter stuff and doing OWLS!

Maggie will like the owls. Every time we need to get back on the 820 fwy after going to the library, we have to do this weird service street go-around, because of where the 183 splits off. We drive past a Hooters, and every time she talks about the owl and makes "whooo, whooo" sounds.

And to Certain Friends - you know who you are! - this does NOT mean she has an early vocation. Unless possibly as a veterinarian. Really.

Comments

[aeddie.livejournal.com]

How about a calling as a Hooters girl? (grin duck run real fast)

[marymont.livejournal.com]

That's your GODSDAUGHTER you're talking about! Fie, aeddie, fie.

[aeddie.livejournal.com]

Hey, waitresses make good money.

[celticdragonfly.livejournal.com]

Precisely. That IS the "vocation" a friend of mine was mentioning. Mama Sez No.

[joyeuse13.livejournal.com]

Hey, there are waitresses, and then there are "waitresses." ;)

[telophase.livejournal.com]

Oooooooo, sweet! I'll have to show up. XD

[celticdragonfly.livejournal.com]

That would be lovely! It's the Borders at the 30 and Hulen, 2nd Friday of the month at 7:30 pm.

They pee on the carpet.

[carbonelle.livejournal.com]

And that is why, when you do animal programs, Tarps are Your Friend! BTW, There's a lovely picture book, Owl Moon by Jane Yolen that Maggie might enjoy sharing with you.

[technomom]

How cool!

I got to touch a raptor once at a Mensa gathering. Its feathers were unbelievably soft!

There was a baby goat being raffled off at another Mensa gathering. Very cute, but apparently they can't be housebroken :-)

[joyeuse13.livejournal.com]

Yeah, Suzan's baby goats are utterly adorable...but you know, they grow up into big, ornery grown-up goats who eat everything. And they can't be housebroken...hm, sounds kinda like teenage sons...

Owlish memories

[bkseiver.livejournal.com]

Ah, yes. I was working first aide for the first Zoobilation in Baton Rouge. They brought out an owl who had lost a wing, so they were keeping him. He was on leather tethers and glove, like a falcon. I asked if I might pet him, and they suggested the back of his neck. I inserted my fingers all the way up to the HAND before I touched neck skin - and so VERY soft downy feathers under there. Now I remember - his name was Merlin. A rare opportunity I cherish - most of the public didn't get to meet Merlin that personally.