Meet the zoo animal, redux
Nov. 11th, 2005 10:51 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
celticdragonflyTonight was Meet the Zoo Animal night at the bookstore again. They do this monthly. First time we went, it was a tortoise and a toad. Or of course, as far as Maggie was concerned, a turtle and a frog. Next month was a red-tailed hawk. THAT was cool. Next month Karl took the kids, as I was at Conestoga. It was the night the next Harry Potter book was coming out, and they had an owl and a python. The month after that it was a penguin, then the ZooDude was off to Africa for a month. Last month was right after my surgery, and Karl and his mom took the kids to meet a hedgehog[1] and a chinchilla. Maggie thought the latter was a cat.
So tonight it was the penguin again. Apparently last month somebody asked for him to come back. Jack, the blackfooted African penguin. Middling sized as penguin species go, warm climate, about 6 lbs. Imprinted on humans, especially ZooDude. Maggie was entranced. ZooDude can get her to swim/fly in his arms up in the air just the way she would in the water, vocalize, come to him when he calls his name, etc.
Oh, pronouns get weird here - they thought he was a boy, and named him Jack, and years later found out she's a girl. Their 2nd penguin, Oscar - same problem, but at least they can blame that on another zoo. Their new penguin got named Domino as they decided that was gender neutral.
Maggie enjoyed herself, was very raptly attentive. Next month he wasn't sure yet what to bring - I put my vote in for mammals, maybe a cat. Would be cool. No, he can't bring us the newborn lion cubs, pity. We picked up a flyer about a weekly zoo class they do for kids 3-5 - starts in September and goes the whole school year, so we've missed it for this year, but we might want to do it for Maggie next year. Jamie was not so attentive, and Karl ended up taking him outside with the harness and leash and letting him have a run around the shopping complex.
[1]Yes, yes, Karl tells me this and I start softly singing the inevitable song. Karl told me that apparently the hedgehog had heard the song, and had heard a rumor that the idea was going to be tested that night. And he wasn't having any of it.
So tonight it was the penguin again. Apparently last month somebody asked for him to come back. Jack, the blackfooted African penguin. Middling sized as penguin species go, warm climate, about 6 lbs. Imprinted on humans, especially ZooDude. Maggie was entranced. ZooDude can get her to swim/fly in his arms up in the air just the way she would in the water, vocalize, come to him when he calls his name, etc.
Oh, pronouns get weird here - they thought he was a boy, and named him Jack, and years later found out she's a girl. Their 2nd penguin, Oscar - same problem, but at least they can blame that on another zoo. Their new penguin got named Domino as they decided that was gender neutral.
Maggie enjoyed herself, was very raptly attentive. Next month he wasn't sure yet what to bring - I put my vote in for mammals, maybe a cat. Would be cool. No, he can't bring us the newborn lion cubs, pity. We picked up a flyer about a weekly zoo class they do for kids 3-5 - starts in September and goes the whole school year, so we've missed it for this year, but we might want to do it for Maggie next year. Jamie was not so attentive, and Karl ended up taking him outside with the harness and leash and letting him have a run around the shopping complex.
[1]Yes, yes, Karl tells me this and I start softly singing the inevitable song. Karl told me that apparently the hedgehog had heard the song, and had heard a rumor that the idea was going to be tested that night. And he wasn't having any of it.
