Benefits of working at a zoo

Today ended on an exciting note for me. I was leaving the zoo to go home and heard the tigers growling. I was invited in to see them eat their evening meal. Let me tell you - it was so exciting. Ever had a 650 pound (yes, 650 pounds!!) male tiger snarl threateningly at you while he was crouching over a piece of meat? It was enough to make me back up a couple steps. He is HUGE and didn't like my looking at his meal one bit. Visit this website and see some spectacular pictures of the tiger preserve of Dr. Marcan who provides the tigers to the zoo.

It was quite an experience that I will not soon forget. I told CD that he would just have to come over one night to see this. Words are just so inadequate at times.

Here is a picture of one of the benefits of working at a zoo.

Lily of the Nile

I was going through my pictures this evening and came across this unusual lily that I have planted in the back yard. It is called a Lily of the Nile or the proper name is a Agapanthus umbellatus. It is a beautiful plant and the flower is on stalks 2-3 feet high. It is attractive to bees, butterflies and birds and the flowers are fragrant. Just plant and ignore.

Blue and Gold Macaw babies

Blue and Gold Macaw babies born at the zoo.






Meet Shiloh and Skylar. They are enjoying their morning meal.



Shiloh was hatched a week before his sibling, Skylar. He loves to take care of her and is always trying to feed her.

It's a jungle in here

Thought I'd add a few photos I have taken of the gift shop. It keeps me busy and I don't have much time to work on this. But I have said to myself "Self, show them what you are doing" so here we go.















This is the lion section. It looks pretty good but I still want to add details to it. For an example, a small descriptive sign telling about our lion, Clarence.

I am learning about retailing and merchandising and more. Being the gift shop manager is a challenge - deciding what to order, when to order it, what to price it and then moving it about about every two weeks to keep it fresh.

This gift shop is different from other small gift shops in that most of the customers are coming to see the animals. I rarely have customers that come in just for the gift shop unless they are looking for that exotic animal gift.

One item that sells very well are rubber snakes. Green, black, blue, red. Doesn't matter - the kids love them, the moms hate them. After they make the purchase, I tell the mothers that after the rubber snake has frightened them for the umpteenth time that they are great for gardens, flower beds, etc... where you may have trouble with birds and the local wildlife. Then yesterday I had a captain from one of the local fishing boats come in looking for the 52" blacksnake we sold last year. It appears that they are great to scare off the gulls. So I guess I will order more of those and give him a call when they come in.

If you are ever in the area, drop in.

Miami Dolphins

Read today that Miami has all 87 players signed and ready to go in today's first training camp. GO MIAMI!

Read today that our new quarterback is Trent Green, 14 year veteran. GO MIAMI!!

I'm not looking for a Dan Marino, just a decent quarterback that can win some games. GO MIAMI!!

Problem with living here is that Miami games are rarely shown. GO MIAMI!!

GO MIAMI!!

One more time on aging

I've been asked, off blog, if my rules to deal with the older generation applied to me or to others. My off-the-cuff response is "does it matter?" If it strikes a response from you then I have accomplished what I intended which is that you thought about it.

Rules to deal with the older generation

Rule #1 - Be compassionate. You will be one of us sooner than you think.

Rule #2 - Remember that what is mine is mine to do with as I please, I earned it with blood, sweat and tears. I do not have to leave it to you. Until my mind has gone completely south I still get to decide and I do not have to explain it to you.

Rule #3 - Don't treat us like children. Treat us like adults with age-related problems.

Rule #4 - Forgive us our transgressions and we'll forget yours. If you don't you may find your inheritance is a basket to go to hell in.

Rule #5 - Remember who helped make sure that you always had food to eat, a safe place to lie your head, and a slap on the bottom to remind you of your manners.

Rule #6 - Don't piss off my caregiver or you may end up wiping my ass.

Five months and counting

Shall I age gracefully? I am told that getting old is about aging with dignity.

Let's see what I have to look forward to:

Hearing - never been great due to perforated eardrums and now it's going to hell in that proverbial basket we've talked about before.

Eyesight - not what it used to be and going downhill from here. Next stop coke bottles.

Lifting - anything heavy is beyond me. More than 15 pounds gets a cry for help.

Joints - popping, groaning and complaining loudly.

Memory - selective, which may not in itself be a bad thing, but sure does tend to piss off other people.

General health - face it, this is as good as it is going to get.

So why the reflective attitude today you ask? Growing older will do that for you.

Hell in a handbasket

The other day I heard someone say "he is going to hell in a handbasket". I remember this saying from my childhood. It confused me then and confuses me still.

What size does the handbasket have to be to fit a guy inside?

Would it still be considered a handbasket if you can't carry it?

Would the handbasket burn up as it got close to hell which is supposed to be all fire and brimstone?

Who would stuff the guy in that handbasket?

Who is going to carry the handbasket to get this guy there? You want to be on the committee? Where do you take it?

The devil must have a whole closet full of handbaskets if you can go to hell in one.

Let's talk turkey

Fact: Turkey poop to help fuel new power plant. [Karnowski, AP, Benson, Minn]

Ever wonder what happens to all those turkey eggs? Ever ate one? Where do they go?

Turkey eggs taste just like regular old hen's eggs, just bigger. I can only remember eating one or two in my life when I was a just a kid, Mom scrambled them. Of course, you can't use them in a recipe because you'd have to figure out how to divide it..most recipes call for hen's eggs. Ok, this calls for 3 hen's eggs so that means it is one or is it one and one-half turkey eggs? Quick, somebody call a ph.D. with a calculator!!

It seems that the turkey industry uses the eggs to make, get this, MORE turkeys!!After all, Thanksgiving is right around the corner!

Spring is here!!

If you haven't seen it before, here is a cute picture of a baby mockingbird waiting for mamma to come back with a great big fat juicy worm. He better get it while he can because mamma will kick him out in a week to fend for himself!

Why is it

That when the family cook goes on a diet, the whole family goes on a diet. CD has been told to change his eating habits and lose weight or the alternative is to take another pill to reduce his cholesterol. Well, Doc, you are talking to the guy who is like a child told to eat his spinach. He hides his multi-vitamins that I try to give him each day so that he doesn't have to take them. Every day I have to ask "Did you take your vitamin?" - just like a kid that you have to ask if they finished their homework. And the answers are the same.....moan, groan.

This diet is the Sacred Heart diet, which by the way, really sucks. Nothing but fruit and a veggie soup on the first day. All veggies and veggie soup on the second day. Veggie, fruit and more veggie soup on the third day. Today is only bananas and skim milk.....oh, and yes, more of that freakin' veggie soup. IT does work and does help to get rid of chocolate cravings because you start to crave actual food - and I have lost 7 pounds and we are only starting on day four.

I asked CD on the second day of this fast if he had even hinted to the doctor that he downs ice cream every night. I mean he eats it like they were going to stop making it any day now. An ice cream shortage coming? A law against ice cream because it possibly may make your cholesterol higher? BUT, no, he didn't mention that. Instead we are on this fast way to lose weight so he can stock up on ice cream again. My advice to CD, take the stupid pill!

 

In Memory

 

Mother
1925-2007

When tomorrow starts without me,
And I'm not there to see,
If the sun should rise and find your eyes
all filled with tears for me,


I wish so much you wouldn't cry
The way you did today,
While thinking of the many things,
We didn't get to say.


I know how much you love me,
As much as I love you,
and each time that you think of me,
I know you'll miss me too.


But when tomorrow starts without me,
Please try to understand,
That an angel came and called my name,
And took me by the hand,
and said my place was ready,
In heaven far above,
And that I'd have to leave behind
All those I dearly love.


But as I turned to walk away,
A tear fell from my eye
For all my life, I'd always thought,
I didn't want to die.


I had so much to live for,
So much left yet to do,
It seemed almost impossible,
That I was leaving you.


I thought of all the yesterdays
The good ones and the bad,
I thought of all the love we shared,
and all the fun we had


If I could re-live yesterday
Just even for a while,
I'd say good-bye and kiss you
And maybe see you smile.


But then I fully realized,
That this could never be,
For emptiness and memories,
would take the place of me.


And when I thought of worldly things,
I might miss come tomorrow,
I thought of you, and when I did,
My heart was filled with sorrow.


But when I walked through heaven's gates,
I felt so much at home
When God looked down and smiled at me,
From His great golden throne.


He said, "This is eternity,
And all I've promised you."
Today your life on earth is past,
But here life starts anew


I promise no tomorrow,
But today will always last,
And since each day's the same way
There's no longing for the past.


You have been so faithful,
So trusting and so true.
Though there were times
You did some things
You knew you shouldn't do.


But you have been forgiven
And now at last you're free.
So won't you come and take my hand
And share my life with me?


So when tomorrow starts without me,
Don't think we're far apart,
For every time you think of me,
I'm right here, in your heart.

If Tomorrow Starts Without Me
Author believed to be
David Romano

Women's clothing and measurements

CD asked me yesterday how women's clothing were sized. What were the standards? Like most men he does not understand that most of our clothing cannot be purchased by waist and length. For instance, 36" waist x 31" instep. Don't we wish? Of course that would mean that we would have to know our waist measurement and I'm not sure I want to. I cannot remember the last time I took a tape measurer to my waist, or thighs, let alone the breast area. How do you measure breasts that are sagging, by the way??

He said: "How do you know what size to buy" Good question. Harder still to answer. "Well," I said, "you know approximately what size you are - 10, 12, 14 so when you go into the fitting room you take all 3 sizes with you and try them on. The one that fits the best is the size you are".

He then asked what about the instep? Again, a good question. The answer is is that it doesn't matter. If you are short or do not wear 4" heels then they will need to be hemmed. In amazement, he said: "so you buy pants that are too long for you every time"? "No", I replied: "sometimes they are labeled short, medium, and long". "So what you are telling me, he says, is that you cannot buy off the rack and expect the item of clothing to fit correctly". "You got it!", I said.

In further explanation to his consternation, I said: "if you are lucky you can find a good designer and her/his clothing will always fit you. There are no standards for women's clothing. Every designer, clothing manufacturer makes up their own standard." "Why?", he queried. "The designer has one model that he determines is the perfect size 8. All their clothing sizes are either increased or decreased from this size 8 to make the other sizes."

Now a size 8 is in the Missy category: The perfect woman according to Designer A is 5.4, her bust is 35-1/2, her waist is 27-1/2, and her hips are 38. Designer B disagrees: The model woman is 5.7, 36, 26, 36 - his customers are a bit taller. (both heights are within size 8 standard) and it goes on from there. Now, CD is totally lost at sea.

And I make it worse by adding that since the American woman is heavier than she used to be the designers do not want to make her feel bad and reject his clothing by putting the correct size on them. As an example, Designer A's perfect woman put on 10 pounds and she should be wearing a size 10. But he wants her money so he just relabels all his clothing. Her perfect size 8 is actually a 10 but only the designer knows for sure. And the label that one size fits all is actually a joke.

There has been attempts to bring women's clothing sizes to one standard but don't look for it any time in the near future. There is an interesting website available that allows you to post your measurements, your favorite brand names/stores, and it will give you what size you should shop for. You can find it at FitMe. I threw in my measurements as best I know without touching that tape measurer and got back sizes I really didn't what to know about. So in conclusion just let me say: "CD, forget about it!".

Christine Feehan

During the Christmas holiday we had dinner with some old friends of ours. She is a voracious reader, like me, and of course lying on her sofa was a copy of Christine Feehan's books, "Twilight Before Christmas." It was one I had not read so my friend gave it to me. We agreed to trade authors that we like so that when we are looking for a good book to sink into for a couple hours, we won't waste a lot of time buying a book that is full of nothingness.

Christine Feehan is absolutely one of my favorite authors. She writes a variety of stories from the paranormal to contemporary.

She writes in series which I love, such as The Dark Series. It features Carpathians, the good guys, who fight the vampires, the bad guys. It has a strong sense of honor and family as well as a lot of really hot sex. If you have an aversion to sex, don't read them.

Another series is the Ghostwalkers. As Christine says they are "action/thriller series grounded in science with heavy paranormal elements". And the heroes and heroines each meet a need within each other to make them the perfect couple. Not as much hot and steamy breathing as the Dark Series, but still an excellent read.

Another series is the Drake Sisters. They are modern day witches with unusual talents that are used to help the people of the town in which they live. Enjoyable reading material suitable for most people.

I enjoy each and every book written by Christine Feehan. She does a great deal of research and shares it with the reader on her website. If you do read one of her books, let me know which one and why you did or did not like it.

New Year Resolutions

I don't do resolutions. Like most people I procrastine and unequivocally, indirectly prevaricate to the point that the resolution is lost in ambiguity. So I don't do resolutions.

I do attempts. Like in I will attempt to lose 10 pounds this year and not let it find me again.
I will attempt to get all my genealogical papers, pictures and documents in order. I will think about attempting to quit smoking. See, attempts.

Why get your knickers in knot when you know the resolution ain't going to work. Whereas, with the attempt you at least have a fighting chance.

So good luck to you and good luck to me. We're going to need it. By the way, Happy New Year!