On Safari with the FBR

Great Aunt, FBR and my Favorite Panamanian

Since I had a rare slow day at work yesterday I took the afternoon off so I could go on safari with the FBR. She’s become quite a fan of zoo animals and Great Aunt suggested we return to the zoo patronized by the FBR’s mother back in the early 1980s – Roger Williams Zoo down in Rhode Island. We wanted to get a picture of the FBR on the same sculpture of a dog that her mother graced thirty years ago.

Pool Time Prior to Departure

Zebras

Her First Hat and Method of Conveyance

Traded up in Both Areas 

Very Talkative Bald Eagles

We timed our departure to coincide with the FBR’s nap time – trying to abide by our daughter’s stricture against “breaking” the FBR. We stopped by Great Aunt’s house to pick her up and set out for the zoo. I still had my office attire, minus the tie, which made for a semi-uncomfortable afternoon as the temperatures climbed into the 90s. My Favorite Panamanian was playing quick draw with the sun tan lotion and wisely rented a stroller for the shortest legged one amongst us. I was extremely impressed with Great Aunt who, a few weeks after receiving her new knee, gamely kept pace with our frenetic two year old.

The "Hot" Dog Statue

Pointing out the Hidden Gibbon

The heat also effected the animals as we passed a number of the exhibits where the signs proclaimed there was an animal present despite a seemingly empty pen (yes I’m talking about you Red Wolf); damn that natural camouflage. I did get to see the back end of a snow leopard as he snoozed hidden behind a tree but a bear refused to leave the hidden stream he was bathing in when we stopped by. The FBR was a huge fan of the harbor seals, especially when we went to the underwater viewing port.

Unavailable Goat Petting

Elephant House

Hang time With New Friend

I wasn’t too upset that by the time we arrived at the goat petting area that they were being fed and thus unavailable for petting. I had to content myself from keeping the FBR from kicking the ubiquitous pellets that covered he petting area. She loved the giraffe and elephant house since we caught them at feeding time. What she liked most about the house though was the ability to hang from a rail. She coaxed a couple other kids that were passing through to join her, she’s very social. I think the FBR misses her friends from home, something her grandparents just can’t replicate.

Time to Go

Grampa! - I Can Reach the Trees Now!

We were followed by a loose peacock into a central plaza which the FBR took in stride. My daughter later informed me that peacocks seem to love the FBR was for mystical reason. Since it was so hot and we needed to insure the full Rhode Island experience we stopped at the plaza for a couple of Del’s frozen lemonades which came with the requisite session of brain freeze. The FBR is now a big fan. We weren’t able to have the FBR mount the dog statue for the signature photo since it was hot enough to fry steak on. It was a great day, despite the heat and obligatory animal aroma. I know I’m prejudiced but the FBR is so much fun to hang around with. You throw in Great Aunt and my Favorite Panamanian and can rightfully conclude yesterday was an exceptional day, even with the hour long traffic jam we ran into on our drive home.

Some other people had an exceptional day yesterday as the last of the trapped youth soccer team in Thailand was rescued. I was amazed they survived more than two weeks in the total darkness of the flooded cave. I also admired the ingenuity and courage of the rescue team who shuttled the boys out through a series of cave dives, not something for the squeamish. It was cool to see everyone around the world, in these divided times, coming together to pray for their rescue.