The *2007* school trip to the zoo

I realize you're all zoo-ed out, as am I, but I figure now's probably the last chance to realistically work in the post about the 2007 zoo trip, long promised and long delayed.

As I mentioned on the prior post, I chaperoned YaYa's K5 class last year. We were allowed to wander off and do what we wanted with our groups for the five hours of the trip, and I admit to being a little overwhelmed at first by leading a group of 4 girls.

By the end of the sweltering day I think we'd all had a fun and pleasant time, and I think our group did well, with two exceptions. The first is when we were in the playset area. Unlike the '08 trip it was SUPER crowded with scores of kids, and when it came time to regroup I was missing the blonde girl  in the front of the picture. Never mind the warnings to stay in the area, or the constant head-counts, she skedaddled. I found her minutes later playing in another area that had been called off limits for all the K5 kids, but yikes . . that moment wasn't good for the ol' heart.

I'll get to the second moment later. But first, some animals.  Why? Why not?

In a the last zoo post Beth asked if the zoo had any big cats, and mentioned that it seemed Milwaukee had a fairly large zoo. Yup on both counts. The zoo, which I've never failed to appreciate (even as it bores me most days, having seen it so often) hosts 1800 specimens of 350 species on its 200 acres.

Here's some of the cats from that day. Most shots failed to turn out because of the reflection of the glass. Just our luck they weren't strolling around the outdoor areas that day.

Brief interruption: one thing I failed to mention about the 2008 trip was that a lion suddenly jumped to attention, stood up on a large rock, and began to roar and bellow at the crowd for mintues on end. It was a loud, fearsome, wonderful display of his strength.

Here's the girls holding onto the baby gorilla statue for good luck.

 

Here is one of the 'dinosaur tracks' the girls were intent on following.

I think this next one was in the aquarium or bat area. Either way, YaYa looks cute.

Remember this from this years trip? I honestly would've sworn it was a new addition to the zoo this year.

As I said, it was a sweltering day. I let the girls go hog wild with the water from the hand-washing station near the goat feeding pens.

A waterfight errupted and we all left the area soaked.

Here's the group trying out a foot massager to rest their weary bodies after a long day of walking.

Like I said, a fun day, and a nice introduction to YaYa's friends.

Oh, yeah, that other 'moment'?

After the giraffe area YaYa threw a hissy fit (the joys of chaperoning your own kid) and ran away from the group and hid in a crowd. She didn't go far and I knew she was within hearing range but I was boiling mad, especially since I knew she was egging me on after the play set incident.

She finally emerged from behind a sign, all smiles and 'ha-ha', and I let her have it with both (verbal) barrels. I petered out as I noticed she kept looking over my shoulder. I turned around, and who was there ? ? ?

Why a stunned, emotionally damaged Quaker family, with their children now near tears, that's who. I'm sure they thought me a heathen brute, and I'm equally sure they now use me in sermons as an example of the evil of the outside world.

Thanks YaYa ;)