Zoo. One.

Yesterday, I wanted to get a little bit more use out of this gigantic long lens that I'd rented from borrowlenses.com, before I had to return it, so after I dropped the kids at school, I headed north, and went to the San Francisco Zoo.

I got there early, and had plenty of time to get FREE street parking. I had intended to renew my membership, which would have given me a one-time free parking pass, but I thought "Hey! Free is better than that", so took the street parking. It was just a short jaunt down the street to the beach, and I was more than a half hour early (the Zoo didn't even open until 10am), so I strolled down to get a look at the waves and surfers.

I got sidetracked, though. There's this GIGANTIC daschound head up on one of the light poles down the middle of Sloat. What is it? Maybe some ad for a 1950's hot dog diner? I was fascinated by it.

And then I got to the beach, and the weather was PERFECT! I was glad that I'd put my sunscreen face cream on. Who knew that it was going to be so clear? I'd driven through DENSE fog to get there!

I checked my watch. Nearly time to go stand in line, so I went back to the zoo.

There was quite the line up at the ticket booth, but I asked one of the security guards, and they said "oh, go inside if you want to renew your membership", so I just bypassed all the line-standers, and went around to the membership office.

They were in a tizzy, though. Apparently, the computer system was broken, and they couldn't access any of the member accounts. When I said that I wanted to renew, the woman just looked at me all forlorn, and said "I wish I could renew you, but the computers are down. Here, let me stamp your hand, and you can just go in. See if the computers are up when you return, and then maybe I can renew you then, ok?"

Woot! It was like a free pass! But of course, my guilty conscience would not LET me not-renew, now!

The zoo stlil wasn't open, but from the little courtyard by the member's office, you could see into the African Savannah exhibit.

A mommy and her baby.

The mommy says "Hey, baby, your mane is all ver-schmutzed! Here, let me fix it for you."

And my kids thought *I* was the one who originated the 'spit in a kleenex and wipe your face' move! It is universal through ALL species.

And then these Oryx came over, and the mommy tried giving them lick-baths, which they objected to strenuously.

They kept poking her with their long horns every time she'd try to lick them. It was hilarious.

Hello, Zebra!

(and may I point out that I have seen all this BEFORE I even entered the zoo? This is from OUTSIDE THE GATE!)

Mr. Giraffe points out that I need to go to a meeting now. But I will be back after lunch to share MORE zoo photos!

"You're late! You're late! Go before I lick your head with my big long blue tongue!"