A Great Adventure

     On Saturday I took Chase and his friend to Great Adventure. It was one of the best days I have had in a long time, and I have some great days, so that's saying a lot.

     Our day started with a trip to through the safari. We've gone through this before. Many times. Here, in Florida at Disney World, all sorts of animal sightings. For some reason seeing animals right up close is fascinating to us. Zoos I don't do. They upset me. This safari trip was different though. Maybe it was the energy of those two little boys, or that it was just me as the adult this time, or the day, or the pull of the moon. I don't know why I loved it so much. I just did.

     The first animals we saw were these big ostriches. Big huge feathered birds that walk around like they own the place. Tapping their big beaks on people's car windows. Poking their necks back and forth. Standing in the middle of the road. They reminded me of the moose at Yellowstone Park. The first one you see is exciting. You stop, admire, take a few pictures. By the third or fourth, you are just zooming by, jaded by the previous sightings. On to more interesting, more elusive animals.

    Next animal, the elephant. Big, gorgeous, wrinkled, grey animals.
"I feel sorry for them," Vinnie said.
"Me too...."
This why seeing animals in captivity is hard. I always try to justify my sadness by the fact that my money for the tickets might be helping them somehow.

"What's next, Boys?" I ask.
Chase looks at the map. "I think we've got some zebras coming up," he told me.
The zebras are my absolute favorite. Right? I think they are so gorgeous. We took some pictures.

The whole ride through the safari were various animals with big antlers. I wasn't allowed to stop or pull over for them because apparently they look to much like deers and deers are a dime a dozen and we've got a big day here. No time for boring deer like looking animals.
Jay-ded.

We went through the rest. The lions and tigers made me the saddest. There homes weren't that nice and watching that pacing of a lion in a small area makes me feel claustrophobic. We saw bears that were so cute, big black ones, brown bears, all of them reminded us of dogs. The way their snouts looked and their head movements. I loved them. The baboons were cool too. One baby baboon was apparently upset about something and pouting. An older one, we thought the mother was trying to "talk" to it. She kept putting her arms up with a "I don't know what's wrong with you," gesture. It was so human like. I just don't know where they came up with that whole evolution thing? ;) That's a joke, I know we evolved from Flannery.

So we were nearing the end and Chase says, "Don't you think that the geese just ruin everything?" Now this made me laugh from the moment it came out of his mouth because I knew exactly what he was talking about but I wanted to hear what he had to say. "What do you mean they ruin everything?" I prompted. "You know, they're everywhere. I have to see them all the time," he answered, slightly disgusted. I have been laughing about it ever since.

Locked In Target

"If by accident you got locked in Target, you could live... forever."
That's what Saige said to me on our way in tonight.
Target to me is like cell phones. I know there was a time that it/they weren't around. I just don't really remember it all that clearly. Kind of like my life before marriage. I know it existed. It's all just very unclear how we got from there to here.
So as we walk in to get Chase the freshly made twice baked potatoes that I can only get at Target we continue her thought.
"No, really Mom. They have everything. They have groceries and clothes and tv's!"
"I bet there's a shower around here somewhere too, if not, I guess you could just wash up in the sink." I add.
"Right! They have shampoo and conditioner and even hair straighteners," she says happily.
"Yes, you could live in Target and look good doing it!" I add.
She ignores me.
We are walking down the aisle going for that grocery section at 7.30 on a Thursday night. It's dark outside and rainy and a damp and really we should be home.
"Hey look! That's Aunt Sarah over there!" she says.
Of course it is. It's friggin' Target, why wouldn't we run into someone?
Where did I used to shop for nonsense and twice baked potatoes? I can't even vaguely remember. I think one time when I need a garden hose I went to K-Mart but there was no Wegmans those days so I don't know where those potatoes could have come from. They had to come from somewhere.
Maybe I made them. Maybe I pulled out my big kitchen aid mixer thing (that I got as a wedding present from that foggy but really happened event) and I put it on the counter and I peeled some potatoes while I chatted on the phone with the long curly cord that was attached to the wall and I made some of those twice baked potatoes. Maybe. Unlikely but I can't think of a better explanation.
After we got through our Target get together with Aunt Sarah, Viv and Jude we hurried down the aisle because by this point Chase was calling from his Iphone to Saige's Iphone wondering where we were. Just like I used to do back in 1979 when I was a ten year old kid and my mom was out shopping. Not.
"On our way," Saige lied way to skillfully for my liking.
"Oh my God! Oh no! Oh my God!" I yelled.
"Are there none left?" Saige asked as we stared at the spot where the potatoes should have been.
"Oh man, he's going to be mad. That was all he wanted. What can I get him that he would like as much?" I asked as I scanned the other pre made foods for something he liked.
"Sushi?" Saige said.
"They don't have that here," I said.
" That's the one thing Target doesn't have!" she said, "I guess you couldn't live here long, Mom," she added knowing my great love for the chance of mercury poisoning.
I guess she's right on point cause I don't see a wine list sitting around anywhere either.
Target needs to step it up if they want me squatting there anytime soon.