Rabbits

One of my many glamorous tasks at work is to groom an English Angora rabbit named Hufflepuff. This picture is not her, but you get the idea. I tried to get around it for about a year by saying I was allergic to her, which I very mildly am, but was called out on this and it is now a daily task. As you might imagine this includes brushing out her fur and clipping her nails, but what you might not want to imagine is me having to wash out her vulva also.
Without getting too graphic, a rabbits vulva has two deep pockets on either side of her external lady bits that collect a great amount of smegma almost daily. I'm getting a little queasy just typing this. Hopefully, you are too, because it's a disgusting job and I should not have to suffer alone.
The worst part? The smell. Sour and cheesy.

So I haven't been to work in two weeks due to an "unpaid furlough" if you will and therefore haven't had to wash rabbit vagina for two whole weeks. Today I ate bagels and cream cheese. Then I went to my OB/GYN appointment this afternoon where I was biting my fingernails and caught a wiff of something familiar, and horrific. My fingers smell like rabbit vagina. I blamed the cream cheese and went and washed my hands. It didn't work very well.
Somewhere, Hufflepuff is laughing.

One Pissed Off Llama

Inca, the llama at the zoo, is very distrusting and wary of humans. Only three people I know of are able to touch her, myself included.
She got a shot last week.

I don't think she'll be letting anyone touch her anytime soon.

The "Magic" of Pregnancy

I almost killed someone today. But I can't be blamed, they totally had it coming.
Most mornings, when I have the car and some extra time, I'll get a half sandwich, some fruit a cookie and a drink from the Co-Op for my work-time feedings. When I got in line, the cashier, an evil, elderly gentleman who, several months ago, I had a conversation about Cliff Bars with, saw me and recognized me. He then picked up the rubber-grocery-delineator from the front of my groceries and placed in between my drink and my cookie, separating the fruit and sandwich. Mother Fucker.
It took all I had to not throttle him.
Then when I got back to the car, I began to eat my sandwich, saw it had too much mustard and started to cry.

Blasto

Yes, yes. I'm pregnant.
I can't say it came as much of a surprise as we were trying to become pregnant, but I am surprised by the daily rush of panic, misgivings and nausea.
The official due date is December 17th. We think it's a boy but it' s, or course, still early to tell.
Wish me luck.
" So why the picture of the rough skinned newt?" you may be asking yourself, well, H-man is finishing up his projects for the school year and I got to go with him to check on live-traps up in the mountains. When I say I "got to go with him" I of course mean he dragged me out of bed despite my whining and nausea and forced me to have a good time, which I did. Now I have poison oak. See what having a good time will get you?

Janurary 2010

I have some wonderful news.....

Springtime in Humboldt, or, Busy at Work, Busy at Play

Springtime in Humboldt County is one of my favorite times of year. The rainy season has, for the most part, ended so I can walk to work without getting my pants and socks wet. It also means that we are busy at the zoo as many of the schools in the area are on Spring Break which results in tons of visitors.
I think I must be especially lucky to work where I do; not only do I get to work with animals and meet a lot of interesting people every day AND get paid for it, but the zoo is in a beautiful old-growth redwood forest where I retreat for my hour long break, geocaching and meditating.
Every month we get a little pamphlet on how to keep us city employees healthy and motivated. This month the topic was stress reduction. Some tips included:
---Having at least an half-hour exercise session
---Having a place to yourself to meditate and reflect
---A few others that I can't remember at the moment, but also apply to my daily life.

Today, a couple of good friends came to visit me (another perk! having a job where I can socialize and laugh). One is a mommy and brought her adorable son who I got to play with during my break.
I can't see how things could get much better than this. Well, maybe if this was all taking place in New Zealand, I suppose.

It's My Birthday and I'll Sit Around and Do Nothing if I So Please

Today is my Birthday. Husbandman is wandering around the house, getting ready for class and singing a Beatles song modified to be silly and dirty. Life is good.