The Boogeyman

When I was a little girl I shared a bedroom with my sister, Joyce,who was nine years older.  For nine years she had ruled the roost, lived life her own way.   Then one day, my parents brought me home and she suddenly had another intruder thrust upon her.  She has told me that in the beginning she was excited to have a little sister, but was soon pushed to the side by aunts and relatives, and told not to touch the baby, and be careful of the baby and don't hurt her!  Over time, her resentment against this so called baby began to grow, until finally she tried to take revenge.  She was caught supposedly trying to throw me down the staircase, and thank goodness, she was caught in time! (I'm not sure if that is fact or fiction--but it adds to this story!)

As the years passed, she sought revenge in much more imaginative ways, but the major revenge was the Boogeyman!  He lived in the closet of our bedroom, a rather large walk-in closet that not only held our clothes but also had a roll-top desk in one end, but also a large trunk which my Grandmother had brought over from Sweden when she and her family emigrated to the USA.  It was in the further end of the closet, and the light didn't get down there very well.  The whole closet was lined with dark wooden wainscoting walls, with silver insulation backing them.  The small bits of silver insulation would 'peek' through the wainscoting in certain areas, and this was described to me by my sister as 'Fairy dust'.  I was fascinated to know that these walls were the entrance to fairy land! In my very own closet!  I was probably about 4 or 5 when these stories started, so I believed everything that Joyce said.

But while the idea of fairies in my closet fascinated and excited me, there was also danger. Joyce told me that hiding in the trunk in the other end of the closet was a Boogeyman, and a very scary one at that! She told me about how he really didn't like me, and that I should never go into that end of the closet or even attempt to open that trunk. If I did he may jump out and try to grab me, and hurt me really badly. When he got angry he would turn many awful colours, and could even try to eat me! So although it was exciting that there were possible fairies to be seen in one end - the other end of the closet scared me to death!

One particular day stands out in my mind.  We were both in our bedroom, and I was just sitting on my bed, playing with one of my dolls.  Joyce suddenly announced:  " I think I'll go to Fairy Land today.  I think they are missing me!"

"Oh really?" I replied, "Would you take me too?  I really want to meet them--please!!"

"I've already told you...they don't really like you..I think it's because you are taking up too much room here."

"But, I won't!  I'll do anything. I promise!"

"Well, I'll ask them. If they say it is OK, I'll come back and get you straight away, but if not - well--I'll just stay there for a while and play with them and eat their Fairy sweets."

"Oh, Please, Joyce!  Tell them that I'm just little and won't take up any space anywhere--I just really want to meet them - you know that I believe in them and love them so very much!"

Smiling, Joyce just warned, "Well, I can only do what I can do! But remember about the Boogeyman!  Don't go into the closet, and whatever you do--don't go anywhere near that ol' nasty looking trunk!  I know he doesn't like you, and it's getting harder for me to get him to stay inside there, and not come out and get you during the night!"

With tears running down my cheeks, I cried out " Please don't leave me.  I'm scared! Don't go!"

"But I have to!  The Fairies keep calling me in their fairy voices!  Can't you hear them?"

I sat and listened very closely, and then really crying now I blubbered " No!  I can't hear them.  I can't hear anything except for noises in there...."

"I'll have to go quickly now--I think the Boogeyman is getting angry--I'll have to try to put something on the trunk to keep him in there---don't go anywhere near there--I mean it!"

And with that she was gone.  She opened the door to the closet, turned on the light, then closing the door--she yelled out "Go away!  You're a nasty thing!  Don't hurt my little sister- she can't help it she is here--go away!"

Then it was quiet.  Very quiet.  I sat there for a long time, and listened and waited. Nothing happened.  I was so scared.  What if the Boogeyman had eaten Joyce because he hated me so much!  I really didn't know what to do....I wanted to run and get Mum, but she would be busy watching her Soaps, and I knew she wouldn't believe me.  I just layed down on my bed, and cried, and hoped that if I stayed very quiet, the Fairies would know I was a good girl, and they would let Joyce come back and get me....I waited, and I cried.....

But a lot of time passed, and Joyce was still gone.  I was getting scared that something had happened to her.  So, getting up and wiping my eyes and nose with my arm, I carefully and very quietly opened the closet door--the light was still on, but I couldn't see Joyce anywhere--I very carefully looked down towards the trunk, but couldn't see anything different.  If the Boogeyman had eaten Joyce wouldn't there be a bone or hair or something left?  I looked as hard as I could without getting too close to the trunk, just in case. 

Then I came up towards the Fairy end, where the light was.  There was more Fairy dust on the floor, and I figured Joyce must have been rescued by the Fairies!  I was happier now--I knew that if I went back and sat down very quietly on my bed, she would be back and take me to Fairy land with her.  So I went quietly back to the bedroom, and shut the closet door behind me.  I sat very patiently on my bed, trying very hard not to cry anymore, so that the Fairies would like me, and I waited ...and waited.

After a long time, Joyce opened the closet door and holding a lollipop in her hand, she smiled and said:

"I tried very hard to talk with the Fairies--especially when they came to help me fight with the Boogeyman!  Boy! He really doesn't like you!  Anyway, the Fairies helped me get him back into the trunk, and then they took me away!"

"But why didn't you come back and get me?" I sniffled, looking at her with tears starting to run down my cheeks again.  "I was being very good, and very quiet!"

"They just said No!" she replied, licking the lollipop and said "Sorry!  I'll try again next time.  Just don't go near that trunk ever!  The Boogeyman was very ugly this time!"

"But why don't the Fairies like me?" I asked in a shaky voice, "I'm not a bad girl!"

"I dunno.  They just don't --c'mon--let's go downstairs and see what Mom is doing"

With that, she was up and heading for the stairs. "Oh, and by the way -- don't say anything to Mom--the Boogeyman doesn't like her either!"

Then she was gone, and I quietly followed, wiping the tears on my arm again.


At times I think though, that I still hear the fairy laughter, and the boogie man sometimes snorts in the dark corners at night.....no matter where I am!


Footnote:  After thinking about it, I decided to include the fact that the Joyce that was then in my childhood, isn't the same Joyce that exists in my present life.  She is loving and caring and understands what damage she did to me.  Doesn't excuse it though!  There are other stories of other things that she did over the years--but I think that you get the idea from this one!!

Birthday for our first born baby!

Just recently Bronwyn celebrated her birthday..we as a family love birthdays and celebrate them with love, and gifts and balloons and fun--She was in Rocky, but still had the presents to unwrap, which we left when we were there recently.  It sounds as though she had a great day--as it always should be--each year needs to always be celebrated...but there are memories of birthdays with her that were fun, exhausting, and sometimes a struggle...

...OK..since you asked nicely, I'll tell you..

When she was being born, it started out on the 14th of July, but her Dad's birthday was on the 15th!  He really wanted to have her born on his birthday, but hey!  What could I do about it, I mean when the baby wants to be born - well then, it just happens...but the day dragged on, and the night rolled on into late, exhausting hours.  It suddenly became close to midnight, and holding his breath, John looked at his watch more than he looked at me, or what I was going through--suddenly the magical hour of midnight appeared and he shouted out in excitement: "OK, Jan--let her rip!  It's the 15th!" Not the best words he could have used, and at that stage, if I could have reached him, I really would have hit him--but a few hours later she was born, and our first-born baby was finally here!  It was a great celebration!  ( I have to insert at this stage, that as he held her for the first time, he went pale, and almost fainted--the nurses grabbed him and her, and rescued the moment! I'll never forget it!)

As both John and Bronney shared the same birthday there was always noise, excitement and (for me, a lot of work!)  There was once just one cake, and then eventually 2 cakes - one for Bron and her little parties, and one for John and family and friends--eventually we worked out a system, and still managed to celebrate each birthday somewhat separately when it involved family and friends.  But just for us, it was a great morning of presents and laughter and balloons.  It was fun that they shared the same day, and we always tried to celebrate the specialness of it all.

As Bron got older, she loved having birthday parties, and I always tried to theme the parties to whatever her current fad of toy or happiness was.  We had Strawberry Shortcake parties, Cabbage Patch kids parties, etc, and associated games for all the kids.  I always tried to provide the same themed party prizes, and each guest went home with their own party present along the same lines. However, I still at that stage did not understand the party bag.  The little bag of lollies and things you hand to each child as they leave the party.  During Bron's parties, I had a large bowl of lollies for the kids to help themselves, and as I stated I provided a present for each party guest.  But without the bag of lollies at the end- it was a flop of a party according to them...took me a while to realise what I was doing wrong, err right, but wrong--you know?!

But the party games were a great challenge--not to create, or even have happen, but to control Bron from trying to win each prize!  She always was (and still is!) very competitive - (even she would admit it), at games, and especially games with prizes--she wanted them all!  Not the point of the party games really though, was it!! 

So I would distract her, or trip her, or do anything to let the others win, until at one party she got angry and wanted the prize.  I had to interfere, and make up a reason why the other 'winner' should have the prize, and pulled Bron aside and told her to stop competing--well--that was like adding fuel to the fire--she went crazy!  Eventually I just gave up and gave the other prizes to the kids who hadn't won yet--for best smile--best runner, anything--and just kept Bron away from the prizes.

After that particular party, I had to pull her aside and tell her what a disappointment her attitude had been, and promised her that because of it, she couldn't have a party the following year.  It killed me, but I kept my word, and I think it made her think about it all..because the year after that she understood and was happy to share the prizes--just hated not being the winner!!

Now I haven't ever tried to claim that I am a great cake maker--actually I suck at it.  I can bake them--sure--but make them pretty and successful?  For kids? Not really..I remember one cake at one of Bron's parties--I was baking it as I decorated the room for her party--always a lot of work to decorate and make it just party great!  Anyway-- eventually the two layers of cake had baked and I had them out to cool--still had to decorate them and add final touches to the party.  Well- the clock ticked on, and the party environment looked great, but the cake refused to cool fast enough, so decided to just go forward anyway,  I made the butter frosting, added the pink food colour and started to frost the layers.  It seemed simple enough, but when I tried to put the two layers together, the top one kept sliding off, and settling on a slant.  Try as I did, it just wouldn't cooperate--(I think it was possessed by the horrible anti-party thug- horrible things that they are.They creep in and try to destroy anything nice that is attempted, humphing under their thuggish breath, "Humph!" they rumble out, and even slobber and grab at dirt if they can reach it - horrible things!) So, desperate, I found some toothpicks and put them ever slightly in the bottom layer of cake and settled the top layer onto them.  Holding my breath, I waited.....the top layer stayed in place!  I finished decorating the cake with the relevant figurines and candles for the party theme, and placed the cake carefully in our cold room.  Whew--it was a relief to have that over, just as the first guest arrived!

Well the party rolled on, and it was eventually cake and photo time, I 'proudly' brought the cake out, which had so far been cooperating, but couldn't figure out how to remove the toothpicks from the cake.  So placing the cake in front of Bron for the photos and candle lighting, we eventually cut into it, and served it out.....with my warning: "Kids!  Eat around the wood--it is in there somewhere!"  My warning didn't scare them, and they ate happily, if not messily--probably occupied in looking for the wood!  I think they thought it was another party game!

As Bron got older, and moved out into her own home, as a single young woman on the go, birthdays still were a big thing!  A big part of the celebration was always the balloons and the pre-set-up!  We, as a family, always hung the relevant amount of balloons to the persons age--by this time Bron was 20 something.  I was stuck at work in a late meeting, and Bron was away or at work, so it was up to Chris to do the decorating.  We must have had a key to her house, as he let himself in, set down our presents, and started blowing up the balloons.  He had the balloons hanging from her lounge room ceiling and around, along with the streamers. I came over after my work finished, just in time to see him complete it all!  It looked great!!  We went home with big smiles on our faces knowing that Bron would get the big surprise when she got home.

As I said, Birthdays are a big thing in our family!!

Bear with me guys!

I have two blogs coming--working on them simultaneously (whew! That's a big word!)  Both are totally different from each other- but hopefully worth waiting for..life here has been crazy lately!

"How can a person write!", she said to herself!

I promise--could be worth reading.....maybe a memory jerker--maybe scary!  Who knows!!

Luv ya!

Strap and Squirt and their peculiar lttle ways

I really love Strap and Squirt, but they sure do know how to work me to play on my sympathies, and get their own way--most of the time anyway..sort of like when our girls lived with us.  I usually always gave in, and Maddie especially really knew how to work me. I used to tell her that it's not fair when she used her eyes in the Puss in Boots (Shrek) sort of way--but she did!  And I would be :"Doomed as doomed could be, you know!"-Ed Grimley

Well, Strap does the same thing. 

His key position is to sit at the back patio doors and look through the glass at me, especially when it is just me in the room.  He really plays me.  Because he sheds so much hair, I am not letting him come inside so often, unless I really have planned a good cleaning day, when it doesn't matter, because I will clean it all up soon anyway! 

But on normal days, he just and puts his nose against the glass even, and with his eyes, asks me why
I'm not playing with him!  Guilt!  He's a good guilt Master! (I wonder if he was a good Jewish Mother in a former life) - Sorry if I have insulted any Jewish Mothers - but you know what I'm talking about!

Look at those eyes--c'mon! I'd have to have a cruel heart to refuse that look!  9 times out of 10 - Strap wins!  Don't you just hate that!  I mean, I should know better, Maddie knew I should know better, Strap knows I should know better, --but do they care? No!  They have their eyes, and their not afraid to use them!

Eventually, I usually give in, and agree to play ball with Strap.  This involves me throwing his favourite colour of ball - yes- he chooses his favourite colour of ball each day, based maybe on his mood and all.  (I know , you are telling me that dogs only see in black and white tonings- yea yea--but this is Strap--who knows with him- he identifies everything by colour!

We went down South recently for family issues, and to stay with Bron and family while we dealt with the other issues.  Before we left, I made sure that Christine, our wonderful animal person would be available to feed and look after Strap and Squirt.  She is brilliant- she comes in, plays with them, and then feeds them and leaves, when she knows they are OK.  Anyway, with the note I left for her, I included a new purple tennis ball, for her to give to Strap.  Apparently it was the only ball he would play with.  He has days when he will only choose his pink ball. even if we throw the blue ball!  He now has green, pink, blue and purple...I'll test him out on his choices--but he hasn't disappointed me yet in how he chooses his balls. He kills me!  There's some deep intelligence there, hidden by the eyes! Darn those eyes!

Anyway, as soon as Squirt sees me outside, she starts to use all of her language skills- dredging up old phrases even - anything to get my attention - so while I am throwing balls for Strap to bring back directly to me, Squirt is squawking:
"Wake up!" "Strap", "Squirt", "Like it!" and whistling like mad...any sound she can think of--and I am repeating them to her--it is often chaotic out there--but fun!

Strange white spider

A few weeks ago I was in my study early one morning, when I noticed a strange looking thing on the edge of my opened door...so I investigated.  It was a white, almost transparent spider with a large balloon type thing on its back. 
 
I studied it for a while, then just walked away.  But I started to get a bit worried.  I had never seen anything like this before, and wasn't sure if it was poisonous or not--so I photographed it, which is what I usually do with anything I'm not sure about, (snakes, birds, spiders, etc) then sat down again at my desk.  I watched it for a while, and then thought that maybe I should get rid of it.  (First of all--you have to understand that I have a real phobia about spiders, I mean--I get scared, and don't like them in my close proximity!) 

I will tolerate spiders as long as they are not being in my area and could be harmful--we have so many of those here in Australia! In our old house, before moving here, we used to get very large huntsman spiders.

Anyway, these were fairly large spiders and I used to make a deal with them--I think I have written about that before--sort of like a spider wrestler--as long as they stayed in their own space--up at ceiling height, I would live with them--come into my zone and they would be 'goners'....

It usually worked, and they kept to themselves--but occasionally I would get a cheeky one, and well, I am bigger than they are--I'm not a killer though--Chris does my dirty work--unless I'm on my own, and have a very large tin of bug spray! I spray it until it is covered and then make a distance between it and me--sometimes I wonder who the spray is going to kill first!  You know when the tin says odorless--odorless to who? Someone without a nose?

Anyway--back to my white spider story - you guys distract me in my need to explain stuff!

I really didn't want to kill this spider, as it was small, and I didn't know anything about it, but it wouldn't cooperate and climb onto my shovel and brush thingy, so in desperation I got some paper towel, and loosely bundled it, and just grabbed the spider and put it in our kitchen rubbish bin--I figured it could probably wriggle out of the loose hold on it, and eventually make its way to freedom..that was my reasoning anyway--(You may not know how much courage and bravery it took for me to do this, but it really did!)

I have tried to do research to find out if it was poisonous or not--what I have found, if my research is correct, is that it can give a painful bite..but still I wonder....really kind of a cute little guy--now remember my phobia--I really am being generous in my outlook!

Gronwyn

When Madison was growing up, she couldn't say Bronwyn's name, so it ended up being Gronwyn.  Unfortunately for Bron, the name stuck, and we used to call her by that name quite a lot.
But to make it even more painful I used to stand at the bottom of the stairs to her bedroom, and when she was going to school, and wasn't up yet, I would shout out: "Gronwyn, get out of bed! Gronwyn, wake up!!"
I knew that would irritate her, and it did, and she usually got up just to yell at me...but at least she was up!  But to make it even more irritating I would imitate the voice of the Mother in 'Throw Momma From the Train' 

http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi436076825/

In 2000, Bron decided to fly to the States and spend Christmas with my sister and her family in Michigan, so that they could have a white Christmas.  I know she was looking forward to it, so with a girlfriend in tow, they headed off.  I was a bit worried for them, as it was so close to the 9/11 incident, and I knew that they had scheduled New Year's Eve in Times Square in New York...but I bravely waved good-bye at the airport, and set about getting her Christmas parcel ready so that it could be sent in time.

For fun, I decided to try to find a portable (cordless) recordable alarm clock.  I finally found one, and my evil plan began!  I recorded a message on the alarm clock which said, irritatingly:
"Gronwyn! Wake up! Gronwyn! Are you awake yet Gronwyn? Wake up!"  I sounded as irritating as Momma, and happy with my result, wrapped it in pretty paper and ribbon, and packed it in the box with her other presents.

The parcel arrived a few days before Christmas, and my sister put it in her study to wait for Christmas, but there was a strange noise coming from the package at times!  Just not all the time!  Finally out of curiosity, she showed Bron the package, and they talked about it, then one night, the strange noise happened again!  Bron was there this time, and she opened the box containing all of her Christmas surprises, including Christmas bon bons for the Christmas dinner table, and other fun things. Once the box was open and she took out the presents, and one of them started to make a muffled noise again...

Looking at those in the room, she decided to open it, as it was close to Christmas, and everyone was curious now.  So cautiously, and with a bit of a smile on her face, she unwrapped the mystery parcel, and discovered the 'mystery' present.  It was the alarm clock!

By some strange quirk, it had turned itself on, and everyday at the appointed time, (which happened to be closer to night-time there, it chimed out the same annoying wake message that I had recorded.  It apparently had been doing this on its whole journey to her....

Can you imagine the strange looks on the postal workers faces if it occurred while around them? After 9/11, I'm surprised the parcel wasn't ripped open and investigated as it made its journey to her!!

I laughed when she told me.

Zookeeper

Last night Chris and I watched the movie - Zookeeper!  I enjoyed it so much I was really laughing  out loud - what a great movie for freeing the spirit and making anyone forget about life and any hassles for a while! 
What I loved most I think was that the animals were recognised as being able to talk, and the humour that occurred because of it!

I talk to my animals all the time- and in their own way, they talk back to me. 

Yesterday when I was playing ball with Strap I told him I didn't want to throw the blue ball anymore and preferred the pink one - so he brought the pink one to me.  --Now you can't tell me that he doesn't understand perfectly what I was saying...meanwhile Squirt was yelling out in the background--"Strap! Hello Strap!"

The other day when Chris and I were at the zoo, I bought a soft toy replica of a black cockatoo, which calls out in their bird song, when a button is pushed.  This morning I went out to the patio to see and talk with Strap and Squirt, and pushed the little button on the black cockatoo while I was standing in front of Squirt's aviary.  She acted miffed and ruffled to begin with, then she just stopped and actually hung upside down to study his face.  She suddenly said "Hello!"  I loved it...she was trying to make friends!

I so much love animals and their wisdom....sometimes I think we just need to stop, take a breath, and learn from them.  What a more peaceful world it would be....

Strap discovers his worker dog spirit again!

We have discovered that we have nuisance birds here - they scavenge and eat all and everything, and even raid Strap's food dish.  They are classified here as a pest--but it is hard to get rid of them   That is-- until today!

Strap suddenly discovered his inner dog voice and right of herding, and he hunted them straight out of the patio, and then later when they flew up to one of the palm trees, he just sat there and watched them, daring them to come down to his territory--it was fun to watch, and also good to see him running around again.  He had become a bit too complacent, if you know what I mean!

I believe these pest birds are called Indian Myna birds---they just invade!  We still have other bird life here--but these guys are a real nuisance.  I used to love feeding the birds when I lived in Rockhampton, but won't put out any kind of food now, as these horrible things just flock in!

http://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/2012/05/28/3512724.htm

The local council and other groups are attempting to do bird traps to help rid the area, as they are deterring some of our more preferred and precious bird groups from nesting in the area. They are real interlopers and should never have been allowed to be an introduced bird species!  So that's just great--we all know that now!  Similar to the cane toad stories--but that truly is another story!

Anyway, Strap was running around chasing them away and then coming back to our glass doors for us to say: " Good Boy!  Keep it up!" He would then tear off again, and chase them, with that determined border collie look in his eyes--we haven't seen that look for a while!

Squirt got all excited and yelled out: "Hello Strap!" and other comments, and we had fun watching him.  Squirt included!

It was great to see him take control again - something he hasn't wanted to do for awhile...transition period maybe - from a larger property to just an acre--who knows- but our spoiled friend was a happier chappy today--great to see!

You know, if and when  anything happens to these guys I will miss them so much--they are such characters!  I love them to pieces, and know it is given straight back to us! 

Life can be grand can't it!

Snake necklace

Writing about snakes in my last story reminded me of the time I was getting ready for work, and one of my necklaces fell from my wall mounted hanger and then started to wriggle across my dressing table....I didn't have my glasses on at the time, as I was putting on eye make-up with my special mirror, and just stood there for a few seconds while I tried to work out was what going on!

Then I realised!  It was a snake!  Mind you it was a smallish and slender one, but had disguised itself as one of my necklaces!  Now that's just not playing fair at all!

So I grabbed my glasses very quickly to get a better look, and YEP - a snake!  In my mind I kept thinking it must be a tree snake, as it had somehow come into the house and somehow climbed onto my necklace holder--but hold on!  It was on my necklace holder--I mean there are limits--do I go into their private chambers? NO!   Well--action had to be taken--but what to do?

So I ran upstairs to the kitchen and grabbed our large butcher knife from the drawer, and then holding the knife carefully, ran back down to our bedroom and the snake was still there!  On my dresser, where I had my make-up and jewellery and my stuff!  Not his!  So, using all of my will-power I struck out at the little wiggler--still not sure if it could have been a baby brown snake and somehow ended up in my necklaces--I don't know--when one is kinda scared I guess common sense sometimes escapes!  Anyway--I hit him--about 3 times with the knife--after a while I realised he was dead and then the adrenalin went away, and I had snake blood and guts on my dresser table--YUCK!  So I got cloths and disposed of the snake and the blood and the mess and wondered if the dishwasher could wash the knife's blood off Lady Macbeth's guilt over spilt blood "Out Out damn spot!"

But I looked at the clock and decided I had better contemplate that problem at work, as it was really getting late now!  I think that was the first time that I ever felt sort of sorry about killing a snake--mainly because we just never know if they are poisonous or not! 

If it makes any difference to the snake--I totally scratched and marked my dressing table top with that butcher knife, and it has left life long scars...guess it sort of serves me right--but why did he think he could live life as a necklace--Stupid snake--should have known better--I know my jewellery!!

Going to the zoo!

Lemur sun baking--something they do daily

This one's for Neil--My roomy for two years while I finished my last two years of my four year degree -I was studying to become a high school teacher, and Neil was studying for primary.  As a result  I was often her guinea pig and troublesome student.

I really remember the 'Zoo' unit - I have had that song stuck in my head ever since....

Anyway, here in Cairns, we are lucky enough to have a lot of zoos--tropical, natural Australiana, jungle safari, butterfly enclosures, venomous, and well--you get the idea...
 
But Neil was determined to take me to the zoo all those years ago, and so we were inundated with zoo pictures, songs, rhymes, - you name it....I mean --I love zoos--always have --but WOW! That was one zoo study plan! Obviously--- because it has stayed with me all these years!  Neil, you must have been a fantastic teacher!! 

Chris and I recently went to one of our local zoos - the  Cairns Tropical Zoo.  We had such a fun day playing with and photographing the animals, and really just enjoying the beautiful sunshine--we are well and truly into our first Winter here in Cairns, and I travelled around the zoo all day in a summer ruffled shirt and sunglasses!

 (Maybe I've mentioned that I love living here??  This morning for example is glorious--the sun is shining brightly and the animal life and bird song surrounds us.  Best place in the world to have a Winter!!)
 


This is a wedge tailed eagle - truly an elegant bird - and we had a front row seat for the show!  It was a free flight bird show, and featured magpies, a white barn owl, this eagle and a cockatoo....it was fun as they swooped low over our heads.

A cotton-top tamarin monkey

We then to see the Nepalese red panda and by lunch-time we were smack dab in front of these cute little monkeys.  Because they are so small they are becoming endangered, as in their natural habitat they are caught and then sold as pets, and easily replaced if not cared for properly.  They are at times forced to become street performers, (maybe I made that up...) but it isn't a good life for them.  But what we found to be so much fun was watching them choose their tidbits of food from the bowl that was being offered to them.  They just patiently sat on a branch and sorted through the pieces of fruit and sultanas and picked carefully what they wanted.  Then held the piece of food in their small hands and ate it gracefully.

By this stage it was time for the snake presentation and show.  The snakes were amazing, and we witnessed a black faced python (who just slithered around on the enclosed stage area, then the scary death adder, who quite frankly looked more like a lazy fat lizard--but the venom isn't lazy and as a result they are quite content to wait for their prey to come to them, as one bite, and they have dinner!


I was fascinated by some of the tales that the snake handler told us, but after a while found him to be more of a 'know-it-all' rather than a good showman.  Especially when a young boy of about 9 would ask him questions, and would be dismissed rather flippantly.  However, then he brought out his taipan!  Now Chris and I have had experiences with taipans, especially those that decided to enter our home!  I have written about them in the past, but he handled this taipan really well!  He took it out of a container, with his long snake staff, and while holding the large snake's tail walked his stage area, and demonstrated it's agility and speed of movement.     

After that experience we went into the snake house to see the displays, and I discovered a very large taipan---sure was happy that we never had to fight with one of these of this size when we lived in Rocky!  After that we went to see the crocodiles and alligators on display.  There was still a lot
more for us to see, but we were
feeling a bit walked out, and
decided to save the rest of the zoo for our next trip back there.  It is a great place to bring our visitors - so will discover more then.

So in the words of the song by Peter, Paul and Mary:

We've been to the zoo zoo zoo
So have you you you
You came too too too
We been to the zoo zoo zoo

Enjoy this clip of Peter and Paul having fun with this song! -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fyn5nnqorbI