Sunday, February 26, 2017

Killing Some Time

Just because I haven't been blogging (or FINISHING blogging; case in point, this post), doesn't mean I haven't been DOING things that may or may not be blog-worthy (case in point, this post...).  

In January, the College Boy and I went on a couple of adventures (I do love an adventure). First, we went to Oklahoma City. It was cold. And windy (it's always windy in Oklahoma - you know the song, "Ooooooklahoma where the wind comes sweepin' down the plain" and they ain't a-kiddin'). I had several hours to kill while College Boy was at his appointment, I didn't want to hang out at a mall, so I went to the zoo

A week later, we made a little trip to Omaha. In January. When a massive ice storm was predicted, as in wild-eyed meteorologists speaking of power outages and impassible roads across the entire mid-section of the country. He needed to be in Omaha on a Saturday morning, and we planned to drive up the Friday afternoon before and return home on Sunday. Then Icemageddon 2017 was forecast and our plans had to change (and no, we could not change the appointment and yes, I will explain why at a later date - be patient). I had already made arrangements to rent a car that got better gas mileage than my Sequoia (there's a reason it's named after a tree), and man, I was ready! I had that little car stuffed to the gills with sleeping bags, water, healthy snacks (plus M&Ms, because, come on), blankets, a bag of kitty litter (for traction), ice scrapers, heavy coats and boots, plus our luggage for a three day trip. 

(Interesting factoid: the College Boy was not allowed to drive the rental car, because you must be 25 years old to do so. Kid you not. He can vote. He can go to war. He can drink legally. He can BUY a car. He cannot, however, RENT a car. Go figure.)

We hit the road and got to Omaha late Thursday night. The College Boy's appointment wasn't until Saturday morning. Do you know what you do when you have a whole day to kill in Omaha in January? You guessed it - we went to the zoo.

Omaha has an AH-MAZ-ING zoo - the Henry Doorly Zoo, and if you ever have a reason to go to Omaha, you MUST pay it a visit. We visited it about 8 years ago on a trip to Colorado (and if you want to take a minute a look at a map to see how very NOT on the way that is from Southwest Missouri, you will see why you should make an effort to go there if you ever get a chance).

I had never been to a zoo in the winter before (and now have been to two within a week), and I will tell you that you will pretty much have the place to yourself when it's 22 degrees with a windchill of 14 degrees, but here's a few things I learned from my two zoo trips:

Zoos smell much better in the winter than in the summer.


College Boy HAAAATES getting his picture taken,
selfie or otherwise. Especially selfie.

I understand animals like elephants and lions and giraffes being taken off exhibit and put somewhere warm during the winter, but that pansy ass grizzly bear had absolutely no excuse.

You see a grizzly? No, no, you don't.


I have always been more concerned with wearing a cute coat than in being warm, and now that I have bought the warmest coat I have ever owned, I see just how really stupid that line of reasoning has been. Bonus: the coat is cute.





Some animals are cute and some are ugly and some are fierce and some look like a cartoon illustration.

Cute



Not exactly cute.


Fierce. Him, not me.



Cartoonish?


Cats are cats. Some will kill you and eat you, but all of them like nothing better than sitting in a box.






Giraffes deserve their own door.


Look closely. People door on left, giraffe door on the right.

Shhh! They're still getting used to their indoor digs.

I can't speak for all baboons, but I'm pretty darn attractive to one of them.


Parts of him showed his love for me more
than other parts....

The look of love.


Henry Doorly Zoo is known for their gorillas. Here's one now.



College Boy: But what if I drop my cellphone? Then what?



Gotta be a ninja to take a picture of him.




And the ice storm of the century? Didn't happen, or at least not where it was predicted. We made it home with nary a drop of freezing rain. Ate all the M&Ms and most of the healthy snacks on the drive home. And my favorite zoo animal was waiting for me when I got home.


My Nora Pearl loves me more
than that baboon ever could.






12 comments:

  1. This was a wonderful post, loved every bit of it right down to the end! I'm smiling now, and not just about the horny baboon! :-)

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    1. Thank you so much! Oh, Lord, that baboon! Be grateful I didn't get a picture of him fully, um, well, full.

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  2. Great photos, Dyanne.

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    1. Thank you, Val! I had to take my gloves off every time I wanted to take a picture!

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  3. I get that going the zoo in the winter...Great pictues, m n m's are my choice of a healthy snacks....aww Nora Pearl is adorable!

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    1. I will say that the indoor exhibits probably smelled worse than usual, since the heat was on.
      M&Ms must satisfy SOME dietary requirement, right?
      Five minutes ago, that adorable little girl turned over a glass.

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  4. Zoos do smell! Great photos. Good post.

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  5. This is the best! Love it! And girl, you and that kid of yours are two hotties!
    My dad's family came from Omaha and I know the town song.

    love, jean

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  6. Love this post. Zoos in the winter are very cool. We've been to ours and they actually have a winter thing around the holidays with lights and s'mores and reindeer and all the things. Fun.

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  7. I just listened to a great piece on All Things Considered yesterday about a National Geographic zoo photographer. They have character, animals. Love the "look of love."

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  8. *snorks* The baboon!

    I'm glad you had fun, and I LOVED visiting the zoo in Oklahoma, when I went. So glad you got to go TWICE! And yay for the weather NOT hitting you!

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  9. The face of that baboon in the second picture is hysterical. Glad you had a safe trip and had so much fun at the zoo.

    WeekendsInMaine

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