Talking with the animals

Last week while cousin Becky and her family - Chris and Benjamin - were here, everyone went to the Como Zoo in St. Paul (everyone = everyone except Momma and me). Both Momma and I had to work. Momma does boring stuff involving contracting and business development while I not only run a child care business, but I also work in the exciting and dangerous field of home security (plus, I have a side business dealing "cuteness"). Anyway, the first zoo in St. Paul was on Harriet Island when in 1897, the city of St. Paul received a gift of three deer. Additional animals followed, and when more room was needed to house the animals they were moved to facilities at Como Park. Como Zoo continued to grow through donations of animals and money. Based on this, I'm thinking of starting my own backyard zoo. I've already got more than three squirrels, so I'm going to investigate the profitability of zoo ownership. However, I won't copy the Como Zoo business model because Stew tells me it's a "free" zoo... they only accept donations of $2 per adult and $1 per child to enter. And parking is also free! Can you believe it? I don't know how this place stays open year after year...

Speaking of the zoo, there's also an amusement park attached called "Como Town". So, not only was Stew surprised at the size of the zoo, he also had no idea there was a little amusement park attached (more like a carnival midway, except the creepy toothless carnies are replaced with clean-cut high school kids wearing Como Zoo issued baseball caps). Interestingly, Stew points out that The Half-Time Rec Club (an Irish pub featuring live music on weekends) and Gabe's By the Park (a Green Bay Packer bar) are both located within a stone's throw of the Como Zoo. Apparently, Gabe's has a tasty Reuben Sandwich on their menu. And this would be a fitting location to insert Stew's favorite quote about beer:

Without question, the greatest invention in the history of mankind is beer. Oh, I grant you that the wheel was also a fine invention, but the wheel does not go nearly as well with pizza.
- Dave Barry, American Humorist

So, soon after Becky, Chris and Benjamin left town, it started to rain... and it hasn't really let up since. News reports say the rain will stop on Friday, which means several more days of having my paws rubbed raw by a beach towel each time I re-enter the house from a bathroom break in the backyard. Luckily, Claire is prepared with her little jacket. Here she is getting ready to leave the house with Momma... I think they were heading somewhere to buy something we don't need. Stew's usually in charge of these types of purchases, but Momma likes to take over on weekends. As you can see in the photo, Claire is standing with the aid of the glass storm door (yes, the door's latched... and we always double-check it to make sure Claire doesn't accidentally push it open while leaning against it... so, thanks in advance for not sending any emails warning us that Claire can open the door). Anyway... last week, Claire starting standing (temporarily) without anything to help prop her up. So, we think she'll be walking fairly soon. I just hope she doesn't walk as fast as she crawls. She can really motor across the floor, and I have a tough time keeping my tail out of her grasp. On the upside, I am getting quite a bit of exercise.