Sometimes an ending is a perfect way to have a beautiful beginning...

Saturday, February 6, 2010

The Los Angeles Zoo





Last Saturday we did our usual, pancakes and fruit in the morning after we all climb into our big bed together (and I do mean all, mommy, daddy, Sissy, Bethany and two doggies) to snuggle and wake up daddy. Then we did a few things around the house (it really never ends) and then we went to the LA Zoo! We just love this zoo because it's small and you don't have to spend an entire day there. I think we were there all of 2-3 hours and hit all the 'highlights'. We love the flamingos, the giraffes, the apes, the chimps, the alligators, the meercats, and the koalas! The zoo is in the process of re-building the elephant exhibit, so they're on hiatus. We went to Mimi's Cafe afterwards. Now, I'm a country girl at heart (you remember, I've told you all about that) I mean, my hometown has, like 9000 people in it! So, when I get to LA (or even surrounding it) I am a fish out of water! I try to think of what great things to do/shops to see to cram into our time there! We don't have a Mimi's Cafe where we live so we enjoyed getting to eat there. All except the part where Bethany wants to run around, say 'hi' to everyone and scream if she doesn't get what she wants. That part makes eating out not so much fun. But we did have a great time at the zoo! Bethany is understanding so much more these days and we could really see her enjoying all the animals this time! Photos: top to bottom:
Daddy and his girls enjoying the day! Bethany on Daddy's shoulders waving to the giraffes.
My 'flamingos' looking at the flamingos! The LA Zoo sign.

Sunday, January 31, 2010

It's Looking At Me!


We were living in Twentynine Palms, CA on the Marine Corps base. We loved living on base. We had a cute 2 bedroom, 2 bath condo that was, maybe, 5 years old. Hubby was with the sniper unit in his company. I worked full-time at the physical therapy place just 3 miles out of the base gate. I worked with children who needed physical therapy and who had disabilities, all different types. We both worked all week and then come the weekends had all the time to ourselves (no babies, yet). Hubby's sniper unit (12 Marines) were all single except for him. Our house was the only place for them to come have a home cooked meal, a place to wash their cars, and just relax in front of the TV without being at the barracks. They weren't always at our place, just maybe a few times a week. I didn't mind. They were always grateful and well behaved!
I had come home from work one day in the summer (yep, it was hot... most likely at least 100 still at 5pm!) and walked into the kitchen to put my lunch bag away. Something in the corner of the kitchen ceiling by the sliding glass door caught my eye but I continued what I was doing. Pull out meat to defrost for dinner. Get a glass of water out of the fridge (no one drinks the base water... ick). Turn the air conditioner up, it's hot! Head upstairs to change out of my scrubs into shorts. Get back into kitchen to begin dinner, when, oh my land... what on God's green earth is in the corner of my kitchen???? It's black, it's the size of my fist, it's kinda hairy and, oh, dear, it's looking at me!!!!!!! Gulp... must get to the phone... must call Hubby right away!!! Is it watching me?? It's still looking at me! Does it jump????? Ugh... it's moving!!!! Oh, dial the phone quickly (fingers flying) someone had better be at their shop (what the platoon's work area was called) pick up, pick up, pick up! Hello? Get White!! We have something in our kitchen looking at me, tell him to hurry!!! Ten minutes later, the entire platoon shows up to help me with my very large desert tarantula!!!! In my kitchen!!!! Ugh!!!! (I wasn't the only one freaked out, it did take the entire platoon to get him out!) The thought still gives me heebie jeebies!!!
Fast forward to 1999 we were living in the same town we're in now but in a different area. Hubby was in law enforcement, working the night shift. He was upstairs asleep and I had just gotten home from work at the urgent care. I went to put my scrubs into the laundry. I opened the door to the laundry room and saw it! There was a medium-sized snake stretched out in my laundry room!!!!! OK, gross out, stay calm, put a towel from the bathroom under the door after it's shut so it can't escape! Now, scream for Hubby! I don't think his feet touched one step as he ran downstairs. He's asking me, what kind was it? Me: uh, I don't know. Him: well, did it have a triangular head? Me: I don't know, I didn't stick around long enough to examine his head! So, the fire department had to come and get my new laundry buddy from behind the dryer. He must have been hungry for mismatched socks.
I hope I never have another "critter-in-my-house story to tell you" but it is me and if something is going to happen, it will happen to me! Ugh. The above picture is the 'tarantula house' like, 17 years later! We got to go see it recently when we were in the area. When we lived there we had to rake the dirt and keep the yard looking pretty! We loved that house! We loved that time in our lives!