Big weekend, part I

This was a very busy weekend, and I am really tired so I'll have to serialize our adventures over the next few posts. Friday night we picked up my sister and brother-in-law at the airport, which gave Samson a chance to see some planes taking off. He was more interested, however, in playing with Vicki's cell phone --- which, after a p.m. nap strike and traffic on the beltway, was fine with us. Like most infants, once he gets into the overtired zone, it's only a matter of time before you see the face Bill Bixby used to make just before he turned into Lou Ferrigno. And then it's all over.

Saturday we went to the zoo. It really is all happening at the zoo. The weather was perfect, and all the animals were out and doing their thing. Samson hadn't seen Aunt Mo in a few months, so this was a great chance for Sam to spend some time with his godmother. It was also, as it turned out, a great chance for Samson to test Aunt Mo's restraining skills. I've mentioned before that young Samson is not afraid of the water; he's also not afraid of penguins. In fact, this total lack of fear makes him want to launch himself out of the arms of whoever is holding him and into the penguin pool. Aunt Mo passed the test with flying colors, but we spent a while watching the little guys swim back and forth and then line up on the cement ledge like commuters at a bus stop. It was great.

A side note, since it came up more than once at the zoo. Does anyone really think it's appropriate to smoke at the zoo? I mean, does the sight of polar bears and signage about global warming stress you out so much that you need a Marlboro Red? Does the Serengeti tableau with rhinos and zebra lead you to believe that the one thing missing for everyone is some second-hand smoke? Or is it just a way to complete the whole camouflage trucker hat, NASCAR/WWE t-shirt, jorts ensemble? I know this is an issue people get very 2nd amendmenty about, and I'm not trying to seize some moral high-ground. Smoke all you want; they'll make more.

But I honestly can't get my head around why anyone would feel the need to light up while looking at/learning about animals, many of whom are endangered because of human avarice, gluttony, and other deadly sins.

In any event, lots of good stuff going on at the zoo. We got to see various big cats, lots of cool primates, and learned way too much about elephant menstruation from a well meaning but over-informative docent at the elephant pavilion.