Autumnal Zoo and Night Run

Well, back in the Man Cave, deprived of the company of the New Jersey bunch, but I’d like to think we made the most of our short time down there. We capped it off yesterday with a visit to the Turtle Back Zoo, a small zoo near their house. The FBR had told me a lot of stories about the place and was excited to escort us around. Wingman and Wingmom accompanied us for a very fun afternoon. I was surprised at the collection of animals available and for once they were up and about. Usually when I visit a zoo, the animals are sleeping, usually behind a strategically placed rock so you end up seeing a paw sticking out. Not this time, they were up and about, something I attributed to the brisk fall air as opposed to the humidity of summer when I usually patronized animal parks.

Outside the Zoo with the Inevitable Shoulder Ride

With Abuela

Showing Abuela How to Pat Rays

The FBR coaxed her two grandmothers to help her pet the sting rays. Since I run into enough of these beasts down in Panama I wasn’t that thrilled with this. I had a couple land on my back when I was boogie boarding earlier this year. We saw some beautiful leopards, lions, wolves (a personal favorite), and giraffes. The FBR got to feed the giraffe which was kind of cool. It seemed she always wanted to be somewhere else within the zoo while the rest of us wanted to see the exhibits. She eventually calmed down enough to permit a casual viewing, after a promised pony ride, of course. The goal of the entire quest was to reach the miniature train which ran through the woods near the zoo.

FBR Head Popping up in Prairie Dog Village

Cheetah with a Dog as a Partner

The Pony Ride

Giraffe Feeding with Abuela

FBR not Shying Away

FBR Ignoring Sign trying to Pat a Bear Through Glass

We eventually reached it and the FBR was mollified to the point that she shifted her focus to the next thing on her wish list, which seemed to expand every time we walked by an attraction. These attractions usually cost a couple bucks but she knew grandpa was usually good for it. Overall though it was an afternoon I’ll always treasure because I got to spend it with some very special people and a very excited granddaughter.

FBR and Grandpa on the Train

The Grammas Right Behind Us

FBR and my Favorite Panamanian

FBR and Flamingoes

We changed up our travel plans so we could have the special afternoon. Instead of trying to shoot the gap between the two rush hours we waited to leave until after 7. It turned out to be a smart choice (I do get them, every now and then). The only downer was having to pull away from my daughter’s house with the FBR wailing in despair at our departure. We thought we’d leave after she went to bed but that didn’t materialize. Despite that sour farewell we made excellent time and even Connecticut wasn’t prepared for this change in tactics. We made it back to Worcester in less than three hours which is a new record for the trip. I was so psyched that I even decided to finally turn on the heat in the house. Although, to be perfectly honest, that had more to do with some extremely cold Panamanian feet that kept getting shoved under my legs in bed.

The Wolves, Very Cool

Who Knew?, Cheetah's Best Friend Also

Leopard

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RECURRING CHARACTERS                                           

BR3 – Blog Reader #3 – granddaughter #3, BRS - Blog Reader the Sequel - second granddaughter; FBR - First Blog Reader - first granddaughter, ABFA – Amazing Best Family Athlete = my daughter in law; Wingman – my son in law; Wingmom – Wingman’s mom, of course; Keene Friends 1 & 2 – friends since high school from my home town of Keene, NH; Soxfather - my brother in law; Great Aunt - my elder sister; Cantankerous Friend – friend since grade school who likes to argue about everything, poses as radical leftist to attract women; Kindergarten Friend – friend since kindergarten whom I reunited with after many years; Pittsburgh College Roommate– high school friend, also a “Minor Celebrity” in Pittsburgh; Deckzilla – our backyard deck which grew to monstrous dimensions once my wife got involved in planning; Maine and Virginia Musqueteras – two close friends of my wife – her US sisters, my wife is the 3^rd musquetera (musketeer); Riggins - also known as the Grandpuppy, son's dog; PanaGals – female relatives /friends of my wife from Panama; Panamanian/Latin Mafia – inevitable group of Latino friends my wife accumulates wherever we have lived & their spouses; Neighborhood Mafioso - wife's close friend and Panamanian mafia member, Favorite Panamanian - the wife (of course); First Friday – celebrations to mark the First Friday of the Week; Curbside Girls – close friends of my daughter acquired during her single days in Brooklyn