post-Easter-week

As everyone who works in a church knows, Easter is the busiest week in the year.  Even Christmas can’t touch it for the amount of stuff involved.  This week although we did not have last year’s excitement of the tree falling on the house, we did have emergency cat surgery (see photo below), emergency new tires and archery practice (of all things; it’s for school of course).  Then all the services, then quick like bunnies we hopped into the car and dashed, very slowly it turned out, to Minneapolis where we visited Ken, Gail, Daelin and Rhys.  They are all well although Rhys gave David and Jan minor head-colds.  We also laid flooring in their house and discussed cars and Thomas train at length.  We played some Wii and had some La Fogata Mexican food.  So that was really nice.  Here is a photo of Jan wearing his new (to him) boots that Rhys passed on to him.

And here is a photo of Rhys and Jan watching (probably) Thomas train videos. 

After jumping back in the car and dashing again fairly slowly back to South Bend (MSN  maps says 7.45 hrs.  It took 11.5 hrs there and 10 hrs back.), David went to work the next day, came home because he was so sick, Jan and I did loads of errands because David and Jan are going to Florida tomorrow.  Today, we all went to the zoo, so here are zoo photos.  It was a pretty quick trip because David has to go to work again since he won’t be there tomorrow.  I might skip too. (Pretty tempting I must say.)

The weather today was pretty great for the zoo; loads of animals were up and about that are usually just lolling around in the heat.  On the other hand, loads of animals were not yet out for the season.  I’m not sure where they go during the winter; maybe they also have condos in Florida.  Jan was particularly entranced by the alligator, even though it didn’t move, and the camel, of all things.  The tiger (on the other side of the glass) got about 6 inches from him, but somehow the camel was cooler.  Oh and of course, the lilliput train.  We only had about two tantrums about that.  Really, not too bad.  So here are some zoo photos.

Me in my 10$-movie-star-from-Target glasses hauling J because the alligator was just soooooo alluring and he didn’t want to leave.

Looking at buffalo, I think, although probably the train (again).

The zoo also had a new exhibit:  Flamingos!  They certainly make me think of their French name: flamants.  They are pretty vivid.  I have heard that they get their colour from eating so much shrimp or food that colour, so I wonder what they eat in good old SB?  Must be gourmet.  Anyway, they were worth a bunch of photos.

I think black swans are the niftiest thing. 

And then, of course, the requisite photos of Jan looking handsome/cute.

And finally, our own, not-so-ferocious-at-the-moment “wild” beast.  The vet thinks he was bitten by another cat when he refused to come inside one night.  You can just see one puncture wound.  He had to have his abscess drained (yuk!) but now he is feeling much better and desperate to get back outside.  Some kitties never learn.

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So that is all from this neck of the woods.  We are all pretty exhausted since the trip and subsequent colds have meant almost no sleep worth mentioning.  Stay tuned, however for action-packed photos from Florida of the men while the woman slaves away back here.  We also have another concert, Jan’s birthday and visit from g-parents, a big-old school event, then another concert and another visit from g-parent & uncle and another big old school event, plus the usual stuff… life is guaranteed not to be boring around here until June.