Day with the Animals

Going to sleep last night I was struck with the realization that I had neglected to take LD's car seat from the Nissan before HH set out for the night watch. Not good. I was stricken with that pit in my stomach that says, "you fool...you got excited to see your DF (dear friend) and her children and look what you've done...you won't be able to go unless you figure out someway to safely transport LD."

I should know better than fret. Military wives (and a dear military husband we know) are some of the most resourceful women (and guy) that you could meet. Never fear, they can turn anything around and find a solution. It comes from years of doing it all on our own with a smile and that undeniable sense of stick-to-it-ness. DF did not disappoint. Within 5 minutes of talking to me she had located a car seat for LD and was gearing up to leave the windward for us. We were on. Catastrophe adverted and we never needed to figure out how to get in touch with HH...he came home to go to bed! (pray for him...night watch is always rough). While HH drifted off into dreamland, the kiddos and I set out with our DF for downtown Honolulu. Home to Waikiki Beach, land of bikinis, surfers, and wild animals. Yes, that's what I wrote. Wild Animals....not the kind that walk on two legs but the furry, scaly, or feathery kind. The Honolulu Zoo.

I have to say, I was impressed. Going into the excursion today I had not set out for it to be on par with San Diego Zoo or Zoorasia (located in Yokohama, Japan) but I had thought it would have a hometown feel that would get some wiggles out of our kids while they enjoyed learning about animals and reptiles. The kiddos had a blast. DF and I expelled many exclamations all revolving around the basic premises whenever you deal with excited kids: "slow down", "wait for us", "just a minute...let me look at the animal in here before we move on to the next". I think I'll speak for us all that we had a great joint clan outing. We're already hot on the trail to plan another one.

One of my favorite memories of today will from lunch. Now, there are signs everywhere around the park to not feed the birds. Well, the sign is more like a suggestion than a rule. We sat down to eat our yummies and low and behold here comes a rather cocky peacock strutting his stuff around the tables. He would cock his head to the side, eyeball what you were eating, decide if it was worth his time, and then the stare down would begin. He stood for quite sometime near the boys. He would sway, he stared harder, he stretch and flopped his feathers. Come on...I'm fierce...can't you see it in my little bird "war" face? Our little men did not give into the plight of the peacock...I think they really wanted to, but our comments that they might lose a finger in the process may have had something to do with their decision to heed the sign rules. A much older lady than myself, well, she read the sign and busily fed the peacock within minutes of sitting down to her hamburger. (I swear what she was doing was not us in Glacier!!!) Guess she couldn't stand the "war" face...too frightening!

By the time we returned back to the lodge we had spent the majority of the day at the zoo. I'm so glad that the day was saved by DF's resourcefulness. I can't imagine today without enjoying a day with the animals, my kids, and my dear friend. HH woke up an hour or so after we got home and asked how the day was..."awesome. An awesome day with the animals in Waikiki. Next time you can come...we're members now."

To see where we were all day you can visit the Honolulu Zoo's website:
http://www.honoluluzoo.com