For $20, What Do You Expect?

We should have known that a trip to the Tulsa Zoo was not going to rival San Diego, Toronto, or even Woodland Park in Seattle. But when the total tab for five children and two adults rang in at $20, we should have known something was up.

Highlights:

• The zoo employee who was amused, then surprised, then flat out shocked to notice that not just one, but all of the flamingoes slept balancing on one foot.
• Upon approaching the barrier to the polar bear exhibit, my friend uttering, “Is that deck railing?”
• The threat of the day: “If I have to jump in after you I am going to be some kind of pissed. I’ll do it, but I’ll be pissed.”

The Oklahoma Aquarium was much better than the zoo, especially the fishing reel and tackle collection. Where else can you see – in the same location – a Scatback, a Weezel Bopper, and a Old Time Nipple Dipper?

She Sleeps Until When?

When you hang out with other people’s children, you learn a lot about their parents. It’s fun.

I’ve written about our recent Spring Break zoo excursion to Tulsa. We tried to get adjoining rooms, but the best the hotel could do for us was two rooms across the hall from each other. I ended up with my daughter and her best friend. The other mom got stuck with all the boys and the pizza boxes. (I have no idea how that happened.) While we princesses were sleeping in, the other room was up watching cartoons and scarfing down leftover pizza.

“Are you girls hungry?” I asked the sleeping beauties in my room. My daughter’s friend nodded vigorously. “Okay,” I said “Let’s go to the other room. Your mom’s making oatmeal over there.”

“She is?” The girl looked at the clock. Her face registered extreme confusion. “Because she usually sleeps until like… ten.”