Well, school starts on Tuesday, so for one last summery hurrah, we ventured over to the coastal cities in Ohio on Lake Erie for some fun.  First stop was the African Safari Park in Port Clinton, which is really more of a drive-thru zoo than anything having to do with Africa.  They do have zebras, giraffes, and camels, but most of their animals hail from North America.  It’s always an extremely fun experience, and we try to go every year.  Since this summer was very busy with the new baby and all, it didn’t occur to me that we hadn’t gone yet until I struck up a conversation with a really nice elderly couple at a restaurant the other day.  When I asked where they were from, they replied, “west of Cleveland”, so that got me thinking about the Safari Park in Port Clinton.  On the way home from the restaurant that night, I said to my husband, you know, we haven’t been to the safari park this year…  An idea was hatched, and there we were on Saturday with 6 of our closest friends.

Saturday morning was almost like a one-act play with all of us standing there on our front porch, trying to figure out who was going to ride with whom; we were trying to find the best way to do things to be as economically (and environmentally) friendly as possible…  We ended up taking just 2 cars for the 12 of us, and then once we got to Port Clinton, it was like musical chairs (cars) once again while we tried to figure out how to position everyone to get the most bang for our buck, so to speak, since the safari place charges by carload and by individual…

So anyway, after a stop at Cheese Haven In Port Clinton – and now I have to go off on yet another tangent because Cheese Haven is SOOO good and totally worth a stop if you’re in the area.  And what I mean by “in the area” is anywhere up to 100 or even 1000 miles, depending on how much you like cheese.  They have so many varieties, along with fresh jerkies and beef sticks and other yummy treats.  We stopped there to get our lunch of corned beef sandwiches – and they have the best corned beef sandwiches, yum.  Unfortunatlely, I was not wlling to take 4 kids into the cheese store to run around, so I was stuck in the car with the kids, but my oh-so-thoughtful hubby talked the worker into making me a sample bag (which they’re not supposed to do, you only get the free samples if you go into the store, but hey, I was stuck in the car), AND he made my sandwich for me – how sweet 🙂

Ok, tangent aside…  now we’ve arrived at the Safari Park, and it is SO crowded…  Makes me think twice about going there again next summer unless it’s near their last weekend of operation like it was when we went last year…  I mean, I just can’t stand waiting in line to go to the bathroom, of all things…  Waiting in line is not much fun at all, but when you’re waiting in line to do something as necessary and as unrewarding as going to the bathroom, it’s really annoying.  So, because it was so crowded, it took us forever to get through the drive-through zoo part; although not as long as it took the other vehicle in our caravan because they were stuck behind an obscenely slow white van the whole time…  So while we got out of the drive-through section, they had barely just begun…  But the whole park is a really cool place; even more so if you don’t care about the vanity nor cleanliness of your car since there are some rather huge creatures (including deer, elk, elands, buffalo, zebras, giraffe and longhorns) who drool, head-butt, lick, slobber, and basically invade your car as your drive through their habitat.  I think you must truly be an animal lover to appreciate the place since you come out filthy…  This was the first time we had been there in our new car, but I’m happy to report no major damage, that I know about, at least; but what’s this about driving our car through a pond, jamiahsh?!?

We’ll get to the bottom of that later…  when you come out of the drive-through part, it’s time for the walk-through zoo section, and there they have monkeys, macaws (military, not green-winged as the sign said), ocelots, warthogs, alpacas, and tortoises; not to mention rides for the kiddees: ponies and camels.  I noticed that they had 2 camels for riding; one was resting while the other gave the rides.  But interestingly, one was a Dromedary and the other a Bactrian camel, the difference between the two species being mainly in how many humps they had…  My daughters rode the Dromedary (1 hump), and they really seemed to enjoy themselves – I wonder if riding the Bactrian (2 humps) would have been any different?  I was envious because I’m no where near the 125 lb. weight limit, so I’ll probably never get to ride a camel…  After that, we got to check out an animal show, ironically titled “Laugh With the Animals”.  It was ironic because our host for the show was so dry – she had the audience doing everything but laughing…  It was a fun show, though, and something that we hadn’t yet done at the park in our previous visits.  Overall, an interesting day…  as it is anytime you have 12 people on an outing together!

If you liked reading my synopsis of the day, check out my fellow tangents.org blogger and get Jamiahsh’s take on the whole thing.  I’m going to take a lesson from him and blog this in 2 installments…  got to leave the readers craving more, so they say!  Check out my next post for a full summary of our visit to a year-round haunted house – Ghostly Manor in Sandusky, Ohio!  Until then…

Following the African safari, we drove the short distance to Sandusky, Ohio (home of THE Amazement Park Cedar Point, but we will save that for another time, hopefully soon). In order to get some spirited inspiration for our “Guided Haunted Tour” (it IS NOT a haunted house) and to have a good old-fashioned scare, we went to the Ghostly Manor Thrill Center. It is much more than a mere haunted house (more on that in a bit). For the less inhibited, there are a few video games (Deal or No Deal, that I have commented on before), roller skate and scooter rentals, and a 3D ride-through theatre that I was told was enjoyable.

HOWEVER, the MAIN attraction was indeed the manor itself. Only five (including taylhis) of us dared to enter the macabre, evil, frightening house of terror. Three of us even were brave enough to make two return trips. On the first trip through the unknown, I was brave enough to face the evil that lurked inside first. Everyone else stood behind me hoping that I would lead them all safely through the fright-fest. Along the way, I heard the others scream my name. Was this fear of the things they saw and that I was the only one who could possibly protect them from the ghastly creatures that jumped out and the other eerie things within the bowels of the manor? I will say yes. I AM FEARLESS LEADER…. HAHAHAHAHA!!!!!! Finally, we escaped the fifteen minutes of sheer terror.

On the subsequent trips, my two brave compatriots (justj and C) and I decided to attempt to come up with some ideas for our own extravaganza. However, the actors inside decided to have some fun with their repeat guests. There were only 3-4 performers inside. Somehow, they knew my name as at least one of them appeared and stated it in a ghostly voice throughout… and commented on the absence of some hair on the top of my head. “I think you left something back there… ARRRR!!!” The remainder was GOOD animatronic devices, eerie noises, spooky things hanging and dripping from above along the way, confining corridors, and appearances by at least one horror character and one monster that resembled the Rancor from RETURN OF THE JEDI. The most terrifying part for me was the moments in which you knew something was going to happen to scare the WOOLY SHEEP out of you and the suspense was gnawing at you. I LOOOVE A GOOD SCARE!!!! No wonder Ghostly Manor is ranked amongst the top Haunted Attractions in the nation. So, if you are planning a trip to Cedar Point, be sure to keep some time open to visit Ghostly Manor…. It’ll scare the yell out of you. Be advised, I would not take the very young nor the easily frightened. But, if you do, there are things to keep them occupied as well.

It’s a pity I did not know about our trip sooner, I could have asked my cousin and his wife (who lives in the Sandusky area) if he would like to arrange a visit with us.

WOW… WHAT AN EXCITING DAY!!!  A bunch of my EXCELLENT theatre friends and I took the short (?) road trip to Port Clinton to the African Wildlife Safari Park.  It was a very fun place to visit as you drove through a trail on which not only do you see a variety of African wildlife, but you also ENCOUNTER them.  Elk (baby as well as adult), zebras, monkeys, giraffe, gazelle, longhorn steer, and don’t forget the buffalo, and LUDO who was a friend of the friends I traveled with.  I am told that Ludo had gotten along in years since their visit last year and was not nearly as active.  Alont the trail. most of the animals come to your vehicle to check out who was trespassing on their turf and to perhaps snatch a quick snack (of carrots or whatever was in the cups that were purchased at the starting gate.  Quite an interesting experience having a buffalo stick his head in your car and leave his calling card of drool and stench.

I made two journeys through the safari.  On the first, I sat in the back of the van with no operating windows.  In order to get the full impact,  a brave woman and I ventured out alone to brave the wild beast.  Armed with the remaining four bags of carrots that I had purchased at Wal-Mart earlier that day, we circled the perimeter once again.  I was really waiting for the hairy beast of buffalo to sneeze inside the car; thankfully, this did not happen.  Carol and I seemed to have taken longer going through the tour the second time (still not as long as it took our companions in the other vehicle the first time).  At times, a multitude of baby elk  seemed to be congregating  right in the middle of the road, blocking oncoming traffic.  Our solution, blare the horn  and make a speedy dash through a small  pond.  Maybe that was the strange feeling encountered later concerning the van’s “pick up.”  Near the end, the giraffe decided to be more sociable and ventured to the stream of cars.  The presence of carrot vendors along the path may have had something to do with that.

Following our hair-raising excursion through the faux African  wilderness, we rejoined our  companions at a show featuring  a few of the other animals  at the park: a cockatiel named Sydney, a chinchilla, a hedgehog, a Vietnamese pot-bellied pig, and a boa constrictor.  Following the show, a few of our brave troop had a photo op with the snake.  For a great time apart from the ordinary trip to the zoo, take your family (we had a 5 week old along with us and the next oldest who is nearly 2 seemed to enjoy herself visiting the animals) for an African safari.

In my next post, I will continue on our fun-filled extravaganza.

Earlier this week I heard about someone from Georgia (State in US, not the Country) found a body of what they believed to be Bigfoot. They said there would be press conference on Friday (today) that would explain everything, and be proof positive of Bigfoot’s existence. You did not see a blog on this earlier, because I believed they were all wet. After the press conference today, my mind has not changed.

I would like for someone to find Bigfoot, Sasquatch, or a Yeti, but so far there are only a few blurry pictures and some anecdotal stories.

While I contemplated that story, I remembered a short story about a guy who brings a College football player from Tibet. I couldn’t find it anywhere on the web, so I will have to hunt through my collection of books someday. I don’t recall if they ever said the player was a Yeti, but it was hinted at very strongly. Good short story for me to remember it for this long (years).

Twenty-one movies, twenty-one femmes (at least). One marriage, one faux-wedding, several suggestive names. Some brighter than others. One actress an Oscar Winner who ALMOST had her Bond character spun off in a series of her own. By following the link you can get a glimpse of ten of the Best Bond Women and continue on to rank them in order of your preference. HOWEVER, I would like to take a moment to list my nominees for the WORST Bond Women. PLEASE, feel free to comment or include your choice. Or you can also add suggestions for the best. I can think of one that should have been listed.

• May Day & Stacy Sutton (both from the forgettable A View to a Kill. Grace Jones played the statuesque henchwoman of psychopath Max Zorin and former Charlie’s Angel Tanya Roberts played one of the least memorable bombshells)
• Agent Mary Goodnight (dumb name for a dim witted Secret Service agent in The Man With The Golden Gun)
• Dr. Christmas Jones (from The World Is Not Enough. Would anyone believe that Denise Richards could ever convincingly portray a nuclear physicist? The last line of the film is pricelessly dreadful. “I’ve always wanted to have Christmas in Turkey.”)
• Bibi Dahl (Olympic ice skating hopeful in For Your Eyes Only played by Lynn-Holly Johnson fresh from her starring role in Ice Castles. Total blonde eye candy. MUCH TOO YOUNG for the 54 year old Roger Moore. She was seen continuously throwing herself at him; thankfully, 007 kept his distance.)

I realize that the common concensus is that most Bond women ARE indeed eye candy but there have been many notable exceptions

Today touched on many memories for me. Today I went to a funeral to support someone I’ve known for a few years. I knew him through the theater and her through church. Our interests, outside of the community theater are different. Even our views in the theater are different, but today that makes little difference to me. Today we share a common bond. Today we are both widowers. Will that make us close friends, not likely, but I guess it could happen. Things like that happen everyday, but it isn’t what I mean.

He is at the very start of his journey of widow/erhood. I’ve been on the journey for 4 years and almost 8 months. We became brothers in the same journey. It is very much a journey. The trouble is that, as in life, we all journey this path in our own way. Today, I offered any support I could give. I made this offer from my heart. I know as well as any man could some of the things that will occur for him in the next few days, weeks and months. But I don’t know how he will approach or handle the events that will happen. I can only be around to listen. It is a lonely journey that he faces. A journey where you take help when you find it, but all the choice you make must be the right choices for yourself.

The funeral was in the church my wife and I attended for over 10 years before she died. She had many wonderful talents, and the church was her place to share them. I see her touch in many areas of this church. Things have changed, but they remain the same.

The funeral was for a lady that also touched the church in many ways. She had been there for close to 30 years. For years to come her legacy will remain with the church. Things have changed, but they remain the same.

Today a saw again a sister in the same journey. She lost her husband a year before I lost my wife. We still have that bond. It unites and separates us. Grieving is different for all.

People dying at much too early an age. But then again, I see where I’ve been and I have a sense of where I am heading. Not the life I would have chosen, but the one I was given. Mine to do what I can. Things have changed, but they remain the same.

When i can I offer support to those on this journey. The best support I can offer is that I have been on the journey. There are many lights to guide you on the path. Many come before, and many follow. Drop a light every now and again to guide those who follow. Follow the lights of those that when before….

Yesterday we made a trip to our second-closest Walmart, and that location keeps their baby formula behind the counter, with the cigarettes.  I guess formula theft is rampant, at least at that Walmart location.  The cashier said something about it being used to make drugs, but I don’t know if that’s just her own hypothesis or if it’s true, but it doesn’t really make sense to me.  Whatever the reason, it’s so much more inconvenient for us regular shoppers.  Not only do I have to remember to get the formula on the way out, but we have to stand in a special line since only the one checkout lane has the formula.  Then you have to be clear on which kind you want, and you have to make sure the cashier knows what you’re talking about because there are at least 10 varieties.  It would stink to come home and find that you were given the wrong kind or had forgotten the formula altogether, which did happen to me last time I shopped at that Walmart location.  Anyone who has or has had little kids can understand how crazy kids can get in the checkout line.  Not only is it boring (especially at Walmart, where it often takes forever and a day also), but they’re nice enough to stock both sides of the aisle with plenty of tempting goodies for kids, conveniently all at eye level.  So the kids often are going crazy in the checkout line, and now the weary parent is expected to remember they still need their formula (and probably cigarettes, the way the shopping trip is going!) and to make sure they get the right kind of formula.  It’s a stupid set-up, and I really hope they don’t implement this change at my local Walmart where I do most of my shopping.  I have a suggestion that would make things a wee bit easier if they insist on keeping the formula behind the counter.  In the baby section of the store, have papers with bar codes on them corresponding to the different types of formulas.  That way, we can just grab the slip we need and put it in our cart, eliminating the need for remembering to get the formula later or confusion with the cashier.  This system works well when you buy large items, like swingsets, so why not try it with formula?

And while we got on the subject of drugs with the cashier, she told us an interesting tidbit about Walmart’s cash registers.  It seems they are trained to recognize the combination of supplies one needs to create a meth lab.  If someone buys this combination of items, the register will alert the employee.  Now I’m as opposed to meth labs as the next person, and I certainly don’t want them in my neighborhood, but when the Walmart cash register is programmed to tell you what not to buy…  I think that’s a little too much.  Big brother, here we come…

If you were planning to make a space in your upcoming holiday season to see two rather high profile movies, it would be wise to consider changing them or you will be waiting a LOOONG time in line. A few weeks ago, the reboot of Star Trek by Lost head guy, JJ Abrams has been shoved from Christmas Day to May 8, 2009. More recently, Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince has been rescheduled for a July release. Not entirely sure why but articles suggest that the writer’s strike from earlier this year may have something to do with it. However, producers claim that the sixth installment of the cinematic adventures of the boy wizard is in the can ready to roll. Some speculate that changing the release date will help in the long run as Warner Bros. previously had no big releases set for midsummer.

As far as the latest franchise to get a face lift, I say ENOUGH already. We will probably be subjected to a totally new interpretation, with an entirely new cast, and be asked to forget everything that came before. Leonard Nimoy is set to make an appearance as an aged Mr. Spock. Of course, Mr. Shatner is bitter because he was not offered a spot in the role that made him famous. However like every good captain, Kirk DIED in Generations (although Bill in his profound wisdom did revive him in a series of spin-off novels… talk about ego). And we will again ask the question, when exactly DID Chekov come aboard the Enterprise. Another sign that this will be an entire relaunch of the series (only the names are the same to not protect the innocent?), it is simply entitled Star Trek (no bloody A, B, C, or D; but wait, they dropped the number after 6, I think).

Two baby moose are called what?  Twin baby mooses, I guess…  But anyway, check out this really cute video I received via email – a baby moose finds someone’s backyard sprinkler, then he goes over and “tells” his mommy and twin brother about it, and they all enjoy themselves tremendously.  The mommy moose grooms her babies in it, and the babies play together – it’s SO cute!

Sure beats the other baby moose video I saw this week – we won’t go into that (you fellow CNN junkies know what I’m talking about), just nature taking its course, I guess…  But let’s focus on the cute mooses (?) playing in the sprinkler instead:

Click here for some extremely cute baby animal action.

Today I heard a news story that I knew I wanted to blog about, but when I got ready to blog I couldn’t remember what the story was about. Then when having a conversation about my job, I remembered what it was. The Government just released the name of people who worked for the OSS. And on that list was none other than Julia Childs. I remember seeing her on TV playing with roasting chickens. Her show The French Chef was on PBS from 1962 to 1987 (last new show in 1971). I would never have thought of her as a spy for the U.S. government. But now we know.

I imagine if Julia Childs could be a spy, then that would leave the door open to almost anyone. What better cover than a cook. I’m not sure she was a cook when she was in the OSS. Oh well why spoil a fanciful story.

From various news stories on the web, I was able to find that the son of a former President, a baseball player, future Supreme Court Justice were also members of the OSS. This strikes my fancy.

Oh, and as for my employment, well if I told you….