We Almost Needed An Ark

This summer’s weather has been crazy.  There’s sun, and then there’s a lot of rain.  Then a little sun, and then a lot of rain.

Last Friday, I decided to take the kids to the zoo.  Unfortunately, the heavens then opened up a torrent of rain and tossed in some thunder and lightning to boot.  As I was driving to the zoo, I could actually see streaks of lightning coming down, thunder was booming, and the rain was coming down so hard that it was difficult to hear the music in the car.

And then Ane piped up with “MOM!  You told us we didn’t NEED JACKETS!!”

It was true.  It had only been overcast at our house, and the weather forecast predicted sun by the afternoon.  Once the thunderstorms had passed, naturally.  We did have the large golf umbrella in the car, so I knew that we could get around reasonably well.  Plus, we’re zoo regulars – we know where all the covered spots are.

So once we arrived, we got our bearings in the African village next to the savanna sprawl.

The kids made “music” while I watched…

… and yelled at Tad to stop climbing on things, even if it does look like a ladder.

Rerun had rhythm, and started dancing.

Once they were done, we started heading for the Day Exhibit/reptile house.  We’d have to leave the stroller outside, under some trees in the “stroller parking” area, but it would be dry and reasonably warm inside.

As I was unbuckling Rerun from the stroller and closing the umbrella, the zoo used it’s PA system for the first time in my adult recollection.  “We strongly advise everyone to stay indoors until this adverse weather system passes, for your own safety,” the voice announced.

It was raining so hard, I kind of wondered if an ark was going to appear.  We had all the animals we could want for one…

The kids and I spent a leisurely half hour inside the reptile house.  Ane and Tad were allowed to wander at their own pace, so long as they stayed inside the building, while Rerun and I took the more toddler-paced tour.

Rerun was enthralled with the yellow-spotted sideneck turtles that were swimming around, and tried counting them.

After seeing all kinds of snakes and the dwarf crocodile and the tree kangaroo, we peeked outside.  The rain had finally stopped.  We ventured on to the rain forest exhibit, just to stay inside a little while longer, but when we finally came out of that building, the sun was starting to break through the clouds.  We headed over to the bears and river otters, ate our lunch, and then went to the family farm for one last stop.

The family farm has some new tenants: two kunekune pigs from New Zealand.

Rerun liked them, but his favorite thing about the family farm is the barn with the chickens, which features a video on a repeating loop of an egg hatching.

He had to be carried out of there.  He could watch that video and look at the chickens nearby all day.  And he can say “chicken” and “egg” – even if he can’t tell which one came first.  (Ha ha!)

Ane finally admitted to me, as we were leaving, that I had been right about the weather clearing up, but that I still owed them a treat, like I had promised, for not having them bring jackets.  We compromised with milkshakes from Dick’s on the way home.

Note to self:  Bring jackets, even if it’s 100 degrees out, when going to the zoo, just so the girl can’t complain.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, July 17th, 2012 at 12:55 am and is filed under Children, Life in the Pacific Northwest, Vacation Tales.
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