Welcome back vacationers! Sounds like you had a lot of fun!

I sent a note to the zoo via facebook to ask if they were planning to get a new walrus to keep the remaining one company and letting them know that I would certainly contribute to a fundraising drive for a new walrus. In the meantime I guess I will have to comfort myself with my other favorite animal, the Scottish Highland Cow. Here is a representative photo of one from the internet in case you're curious:

The Highland cow is pretty good. You come across herds all over the country nowadays, not only in the Highlands. I was driving up a very steep single track road in Mid Wales last summer when I realised my progress was being observed, patiently, by two Highland calves. And they watched me go down again too. Their colours blend in very well with the upland landscape.

Jessica~although your link seems to be broken, the cow looks like a cross between a yak and a longhorn steer. I'd be afraid of them!

Cows are generally very quiet, placid, and basically quite dumb. Not a whole lot there to be scared of Allison.

I don't have a favorite animal at the zoo but I can watch the baboons for hours. Their social order and behaviour is fascinating. So is all the total misinformation that other people looking at them tell their kids.

I have never seen a walrus in captivity - didn't know they could survive in zoos!

Dagmar

I'm going to google the highland cow... link isn't working but I'm very curious! =)

That cow needs a haircut, LOL.

October seemes to be bad news month for me. Just found out that my only real family - my younger cousin and his wife and 2 kids - is breaking up. My cousin and his wife have been separated since April (they told almost no one) and divorce is in the cards now. Two kids, aged 13 (as of yesterday) and 9. I'm so for all of them.

I took my niece out for her birthday on Sunday and that's how I found out. She was acting so nervous and weird that I emailed her mom. She emailed back the news.

I'm hoping they can get through this without it becoming too brutal for anyone involved. Don't know any details and will not pry. I have invited each parent to come over if they want to talk.

I will continue to take my nieces out for things, like I have been doing for 2 years now. That's what support I can offer so I will do it. If they want to talk about things I will listen but I won't press them.

And I have been eating and eating and eating since Friday. I can't really remember another time when I've received so much depressing/frightening news in such a short time.

The event I was so looking forward to (Cesar Millan) seems kind of inconsequential now. As does how much I weigh. SIGH.

Dagmar

Hugs to Dagmar

Dagmar - you have had a long string of bad news, I'm so sorry honey. Don't look at Cesar Milan as inconsequential sweetie, look at is as something nice to do for yourself with everything flying around you.

Hmmm, the image is showing up just fine for me. Weird. I'm sure googling for "scottish highland cow" will bring up a lot of images.

Silver, are the herds you mentioned wild cows, or are they being raised for meat or milk?

Dagmar - I think going to see Cesar Millan will be just the thing to cheer you up after all this bad news! As for walruses, there are actually very few in captivity. I think only about 8 zoos/aquariums in north america have walruses, and each one has between 1-5. Usually they get them when wild walruses are found injured, ill, or orphaned.

Jessica - I see this. In case you see the cow again I'll type the text.

It says:
REMOTE LINKING FORBIDDEN
50megs does not support remote linking of images or files for FREE accounts.
PLEASE UPGRADE YOUR ACCOUNT

All in a pretty text box.

Shannon, I totally saw the cow again. Here is another image.

Well, that's an animal that looks as if it were designed by a committee!

Went to the senior center and had a flu shot this morning. It was a complete circus. If I hadn't known that this is the 3rd of 4 clinics they're doing, I'd swear they've never done it before.... The first shot they gave me the needle was barely attached to the syringe, so when the gal pressed on the plunger, the liquid all ran down the outside of my arm.... Yes, they gave me another.

It's cold here, 20F at 7 am, and not much warmer now. So much for fall, winter has set in.

Jessica - I suspected you might see the cow.

Wow - that is a scary looking animal. With lots of hair.

Good gracious Pat - that would seriously annoy me. That meant you had to get pricked twice. Ick! We haven't quite gotten to fall yet - it was 84 degrees yesterday...

Oh, I love the cow!!!