The Last Zoo Installment

All one has to do is turn around from looking at the grizzly bears to be able to look down on the river otters.

They are a favorite for all of us.  There are two of them in this picture, playing together on the rocks.

But once they head for the water, the best viewing is from down below.

The zoo is just SOOO much fun, even for the big kids!

By the time we got down to the bottom of the exhibit, the river otters had already left the water.

But we are by nature a patient people.

So we waited.

And took pictures.

And looked at the pictures we took.

It was right at this precise moment, when I was taking this picture of Jonge, that it seemed as if something were missing.

One, two, three, four, five...

THERE WAS NO SIX!

The pretty little girl in the pink gumball shirt wasn't there!

What can I say?
Daughter had her own four children to watch.  Pake has Broeder safely confined in his stroller.
So it was me.  I lost Hertsje.
John Ball Zoo is a very secure place and by the time we realized Hertsje was no longer with us there were several people besides ourselves looking for her.

This picture may be blurry, but it is my FAVORITE picture of the day!
Hertsje wasn't lost at all.  She was right where we had left her, at the top of the river otter exhibit.  There was something interesting on the ground that had caught her attention.  Thankfully, she was totally unaware that she was no longer with us.  So, no trauma for her.

She just went right back to having fun with her cousins!

Um.., isn't this a lovely wall of plants?

Yes.  Yes, I do believe it is!

This is a submerged snapping turtle.

Doesn't it look as if he is appalled that I could not keep track of ONE child?

Yes.  Yes, I think he does.

We should probably go home now.

The old people are tired, the little people are tired.  Daughter probably could go on for longer, but since she seems to be in charge of eight other people besides herself she probably wants to get out of here too.

Oh, look!  Beautiful old-fashion white hydrangeas!

My grandparents had these in front of their house!

I'm rather sure that MY grandma never lost a child at the zoo.

My mom did, but that's another story.

Goodness.

This is my ashamed face.

Actually, it's the only face I've got, and it pretty much always looks like this, but on this day there was a layer of shame that even Picmonkey.com couldn't remove.

This boy was worn out.  He napped all the way home, which isn't very far.

But not this girl!  She had a WONDERFUL time with her cousins and brother at the zoo.
Me?  I'm still recovering.  And continually practicing my counting.  One, two, three, four, five, six.