Pandas are a Myth

I have walked 8 miles in a zoo and I have still not seen a panda.  

This past October, Jon and I visited the famed San Diego Zoo.  The zoo is huge. I spent most of my childhood in Southern California, and while I can remember my way through Disney Land and Knotts Berry Farm with eyes shut, the San Diego Zoo is largely a mystery to me. I vaguely remember going to the zoo once when I was a small child and I have an impression of elephants from that trip.  I honestly think that any interaction with elephants leave an impression. 

The one thing I forget about California is how everything is built into a hill, or around a hill or at the bottom of a hill.  The zoo is no different. The habitats for the animals were amazing.  After seeing a Capybaras, I am positive they are really ROUS  (Rodents of Unusual Size) from Princess Bride.  I learned all about the spray range of lions, and that male hippos are the super duper poopers of the animal kingdom. 

As we walked up the hill and then back again to check out various exhibits, we attempted to see the pandas. The line for the pandas never wavered in intensity.  We attempted so many times to see the pandas that we began to believe there were no pandas. The  pandas were a myth.  You can’t convince me they have pandas in the zoo, since I didn’t see them. 

As a consolation prize for the lack of pandas in my life, Jon bought me a stuffed animal of the Red Panda.   I am convinced that the pandas are a myth and the red panda is really a fat tree fox.   In fact I have name my stuffed animal Foxy. Jon, of course, is not indulging my nonsense, and does not acknowledge Foxy and calls him Mr. Pandaman. 

I feel like there should be a moral to the story about the lack of pandas in my life. I might just be grasping at bamboo right now. Click here for a Sifle & Olly video about the majestic beauty and talents of the mystical creature, the panda.

Fish Movies

My dad asked me to write a blog post for Christmas.  Okay, that isn’t

1000% accurate. It is more like he implied it has been a while since I last posted something and we happened to be in the Christmas Holiday season. With my father in mind, I write this post, since he often asked me if I have seen a movie or show. 

Not to long ago, I was participating in a mini killer fish movie marathon with my husband. While watching movies and pulling up trivia on why certain actors look familiar, I discovered a Fandango Fish Movie Top 10 list. My husband disagreed with almost every movie on that list.  

Thinking about that conversation, I compiled a quick list of Fish Movies that are fun to watch. (Notice that I didn’t say they were good, just fun. Some of these are terrible movies.) Jon agrees with most of these movies, but certainly not all. 

Below is my quick list of Fish Movies that are varying shades of fun to watch and can be very loosely considered fish movies. 

Fun Fish Based Movies

1. Horror at Party Beach
2. Piranha
3. Up From the Depths
4. Piranha 2 
5. Creature from the Black Lagoon
6. Revenge of the Creature
7. Jaws 3
8. Creature from the Haunted Sea
9. Killer Fish (MST3K version preference)
10. Humanoids from the Deep

Do you have any Fish movies that you would put on the list? Something that might not be considered a good movie but is certainly a fun movie to watch for various reasons?

The Turtle Moves

There was an escaped turtle in my backyard.

This turtle might be a ninja or at the very least a reincarnation of Houdini.  Maybe he has been reading too much Terry Pratchet. The turtle (whom I have name Mr. Turtle) lives three fenced in yards down from mine in a pond.  I have no idea how he is making it into my yard. This isn’t the first time this has happened.  The other week Mr. Turtle was found under my car.  I suspect he was trying to hot wire it.

The mystery of how he is getting in my yard is puzzling at best, but the trick of getting him back to his yard is task and a half.  The first round where Mr. Turtle was caught before he could steal my car, it was easy to get him back to his home.  All the neighbors were chilling outside and the clamor of finding a rather larger turtle drew their attention over the fences.  This time after establishing that none of the neighbors are home and that turtles can move rather quickly when they want to,  developed a friendship with Mr. Turtle.  After much one sided discussion and eyeing up my neighbors back yard  and discussing the virtues of staying in their own yard, wandered into my neighbors vibrant foliage and returned Mr. Turtle to his home.

This adventure with Mr. Turtle just makes me think about Terry Pratchett’s book Small Gods.  The more I think about it, I could have had a god in my backyard.

You can't trample infidels when you're a tortoise. I mean, all you could do is give them a meaningful look. - Terry Pratchett

Stephen Murderface Frogmonster

There is murder in that frogs eyes.  You can just tell that it is slowly plotting your doom as soon as it figures out how to get free.  My  brother has come up with a new way to torment me for the rest of my life.  He bought a Pyxie (Pyxicephalus) bull frog that can life up to 45 years.  In his infinite wisdom he has decided that if anything untoward were to happen to him, that I should be the caregiver of the ball of amphibian hatred.  This is not something that I am overjoyed with. 

I have tried to convince him that any of his children would be honored to be the keeper of Stephen Murderface Frogmonster if the end were to come sooner to him than his frog pal, but he just isn’t having any of it.  He feels that I would think of him every time I had to feed it and it would be the gift that keeps on giving. 

This frog can group up to nine inch big and eat small rodents.  Steven Murderface Frogmonster tries to attack and eat anything in his tank. I am pretty sure this is how monster movie start.  Knowing my brother it will probably break records in frog size and longevity. I am going to be fearful for my cats.  

I have started collecting southern recipes on preparing Frog Legs as a precaution. 

Arnie the Armadillo

His name is Arnie, and he is an armadillo.  He is my new cuddle friend. 

I will admit that I sleep with a stuffed animal.  It is comfortable to have something tucked under my arm.  I read some where that it was healthier and you will get a more restful sleep if you have your arms slightly elevated. It was recommended the use of pillows to elevate the arms in a relaxed stance.  I just want to state that pillows and stuffed animals are made out of the same thing. It is only logical to use something that reflects your personality and style while still getting the job done.  Why use a pillow, when you can have a stuffed animal?

I don't think you ever reach an age where stuffed animals aren't something to bring a smile to the face. While I was on vacation, my husband and I stopped by a speciality toy store on a whim.  They had a zoo's variety of stuffed animals and a charming young salesmen around the same age as my youngest niece stocking the shelves.  While my  husband and I were exploring the shelves of all the unique animals, the savvy young sales lad talked to us about Fennec Foxes and Red Panda's and how they are "really cool."  I loved the enthusiasm he had about his favorite stuffed animals, and while I didn't end up taking a fox or panda home, the whole experience made me smile.  I love the way people light up from the inside when they are talking about one of their favorite things.  You could tell that the Fennec Foxes and Red Panda's were his favorite out of all the stuffed animals there by the way he talked about them.  It made me want to change my mind on my selection or at the very least add an extra friend to the basket. There is something wonderful about finding a new stuffed friend.  You are never too old to enjoy stuffed animals.