The Zoo

My parents are in the process of getting their house ready to sell. As a consequence since our arrival there has been a parade of workmen in and out remodelling two bathrooms, fixing plumbing, installing new windows. Yesterday the new windows were being installed upstairs and the only thing to do with two little boys who were very much underfoot but couldn't play in the backyard due to the debris was get out. So off to the Philadelphia Zoo we went. Seemed appropriate.

It was a beautiful, mild sunshine day, and after living for two years without a car, I can hardly describe to you the liberating feeling of hopping in my own vehicle without having to walk anywhere or rely on a bus or a friend for a ride. I feel like the scope of my world has broadened. Outings seem so much less daunting or exhausting. Davis has finally started to get used to the car and now regularly falls asleep in his carseat. It's like a baby narcotic. Both boys really enjoyed the zoo, and I decided to purchase a year membership which includes free parking. After what we would have paid just for this visit, we would only have to come one more time to pay for the membership. You can bet we'll be using it a lot over the next year or at least as long as we're in this area. We stayed for several hours, enjoyed a packed lunch, visited the petting zoo right before we headed home with a promise to Addison that he could ride the kiddie train next time. With the membership there is no pressure to see it all, a feat nearly impossible for such a large zoo. We missed the big cats (lions, tigers, etc.) this time around, but it didn't matter. We'll definitely be back soon.

All Addison wanted to see from the time we stepped foot into the zoo was the giraffes.

When I first saw these animals, I thought to myself, "Wow, they look a lot like Hairy Coos!" And, indeed, they were! I wanted to tell all the people standing around, "You know I lived in Scotland for two years and we saw these live around the countryside," but I stopped myself because I knew no one would care.

Extinction? Have you seen how many there are in Scotland? Oh well, I'm sure they seem exotic to the Philly crowd.

The object of Addison's great affection, a full-size tractor in the barnyard animals section.