Hmmm

I was all geared up to just write write write but then I get here and my mind goes blank, just shuts down like the power went out. ::Reboots brain:: Hmmm... What to ramble about today?

Thir morning I got some coffee. I hate to say it, but even as coffee is an acquired taste, it is one I have acquired. I drink it very little but I like it. Anyway, the lady asks me my name. I say Kristen, clearly. Crystal? she says. Kris-ten, I say again, with more emphasis than before. AH, she smiles, Kristy...is that spelled with an i or a y at the end? T-E-N, I say one last time. The name is KRISTEN. Oh, okay--she smiles and scribbles it on the coffee cup. I swear it happens every time. I should just spell my name from the very beginning, instead of allowing them to go through every other K name known to man and wasting 10 seconds of my precious, precious time. Hah, okay--don't panic. I don't really take myself so seriously. It's just amuses me :-p

::Looks at coffee cup and reads K-R-I-S-T-I-N written in blue sharpie:: HAH! every dang time, I swear... Don't even get me started on my last name.

I'm all sneezy. I just love waking up in the morning and immediately my nose starts spazzing out. It's a lovely way to start the day, with allergies. Makes for a cheerful Monday, as if they weren't cheerful enough. I'm all drowsy (hence the coffee) and my eyes are kind of itchy.

Speaking of allergies! I volunteered Sunday morning at the wildlife center. It was AWESOME! I fed baby squirrels, baby birds, a sweet little fawn (think Bambi). I helped give water to a bobcat, an albino racoon and Gracie, the sweet little fox that acts like a puppy. I am so eager to get my rabies shot it's not even funny--Gail, the head lady, says that she needs someone with their shots to train Gracie to walk on a leash. HOW AMAZING WOULD THAT BE?! I am so excited. I also helped Gail catch Great Horned Owls, which was actually kind of scary. Those things have some serious talons and you're in these dimly-lit, small rooms. They would panic and fly right at your face! Good thing I have Matrix-like dodging skills (hah) and survived the ordeal. She wrapped their heads up to calm them down, weighed them and set them free in a much larger cage area, where they immediately flew around, clearly disoriented, and smacked into the walls. Sort of comical, but don't worry--they were just fine. One even hung upside down like an enormous, feathery bat. Gail says she needs someone to help her with the owls; apparently everyone wants to help with the hawks and the falcons. Me, I think owls are awesome. On their wings, the the feathers on the very edge have this fringe--very small, very soft--made to cut through the air and make them more silent. Here, it looks like this:

Neat, huh? I like see it in action and know that such a small variation between regular feathers and this can make such a big difference.
Sayonara little mice!

Anyway, I told Gail that I would love to help her. She's such busy lady--I really don't know how she does it. Essentially, when there aren't any volunteers there to help, she does all the work. It's insane. Everyone should give them money.