Friday October 23, 2015
It was nice to visit my Happy Place on Friday for a change. Smaller crowds meant a quiet and peaceful walk-around. It was cool and damp this morning. When the weather gets cool, an Open Door policy often goes into effect, allowing the animals to come and go as they please. This morning, many of them went - back to bed I think.
 
   
 
*mumble, mumble crunch, crunch* 'Great food you have here, toots' said the new Siamang chomping away on fresh broccoli to his ladyfriend. I haven't heard the pair of them sing together yet.
 
   
 
Xerxes was having a huge yawn when I arrived. What a large (and clean) mouth he has.
 
   
 
'Aaaaah - nothing like a big ol' yawn to get the blood flowing to the head.'
 
 
 
 
Xerxes swaggered right up to the viewing window and gave us all the once-over. Then he turned around and sprayed the glass! Everyone laughed. The cubs never showed their faces while I was there. Perhaps they were embarrassed.
 
 
 
 
Mr and Mrs. Worrywart: 'Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear! Do you think that ceiling is going to fall on us?We'll all be killed. Oh no! What's a monkey to do?'
 
 
 
 
Here's Dave, looking a little lost now that his pal Misawa has gone to live in Texas. It's almost as if he keeps looking for Misawa.
 
 
 
 
'Don't worry,' says Auntie. 'We're keeping an eye on him and making sure he doesn't get lonely.
 
 
 
 
'So are we.' says one of the Zebras. 'We're always up for a good game of Tag.'
 
   
 
At first I had no idea that the Sloth was in the exhibit. I haven't seen him for ages. I saw the green leaf bobbing up and down, looked more closely and there he was.
 
   
 
I wonder what mischief Uzumma will get up to today. She looks very mischievous.
 
 
 
 
Since Nina died, 47-year old Pete in the other gorilla exhibit has a new companion - Amanda who is 45 and also Uzumma's mother. So far they are keeping their distance.
 
   
 
Just as I arrived at the Ring-tailed Lemurs the keeper announced that he was going to give them a second breakfast as they were huddled up and looking cold. One of the Lemurs was very excited by this news. ''Wow! You mean it? Hey Guys - more food! Let the fun begin!'
 
 
 
 
'Here! Here!' Toss it this way, pal!'
 
   
 
The keeper also put little piles of veggies around and sprayed the bark of trees with apple juice for the Lemurs to lick off. 'It keeps them out here a little bit longer.' explained the keeper.
 
 
 
 
'Don't bother me - I'm busy. This apple juice tastes good but I wish he'd warmed it up a bit first.'
 
 
 
 
'Hey guys! Check it out! He says it's a 'Carrot Stick'. What's a carrot? What a great color. I wonder if it tastes as good as it looks?
 
 
 
 
'Hmmmmm. Kinda cold, and hard on the ol' choppers but pretty good, all in all.'
 
   
 
Yikes, everyone's heading back inside now. Wait for us! We're coming too.

 And that was it for my trip too. It was another good visit.