a day at the zoo.

After spending Monday home sick and spending yesterday home with the tropical storm, I was a bit stir crazy this morning. I was especially happy Joe asked me to go with him to the Virginia Zoo. I'd wanted to go since the first time I worked at dCompany and drove by it every day (the second time I worked at dCompany I took another route, like I was driving to a different place). The Prairie Dogs are coming! Soon they will be here! Yay! Prarie dogs!, signs proclaimed.

I love zoos. For the most part, I think, they do alot of good for wildlife (mostly reversing damage caused by humans, I imagine). Loved the San Diego Zoo and perhaps you've noticed my affection for Tai Shan.

The Virginia Zoo was fun, and had going for it the fact that it was up the street--withing theoretical walking distance, if you didn't have to walk all around once you got there. Joe liked feeding the goats, for 25 cents a piece of goat food, and I especially liked the meerkats and elephants, of course.

The first time we got to the prairie dog habitat there was a sign: "The prairie dogs will return! After yesterday's heavy rains, some of their tunnels collapsed and they are busy rebuilding. We expect them to be out later!" Ah! Later! Good. After more walking and elephant peeping, and wondering if raw gazelle meat really tastes all that good to a lion, we headed back to see The Prairie Dogs! Yay! They are here! Turns out they weren't, however, and we were only treated to zoo volunteers mucking out the habitat.

Still a good day, though with three more things checked off the "we have to do this before Joe leaves downtown" list.