Theresa was nice enough to invite me to a zoo event this morning, "Breakfast With the Giraffes". We were able to feed the giraffes mulberry leaves, which, apparently, they really like. We were in a special area "up close and personal" with them. It was awesome! I love giraffes - I've always felt a sort of kinship with them since I was the tallest girl in my class for years and years. Also, I seem to have some kind of "giraffe vibe" since they always seem kind of curious about me too....but really, today, they were all about the mulberry leaves. One licked my hand! It was, honestly, one of the coolest things I've ever had a chance to do in my life....

We walked around the zoo a little after the event. Theresa took lots of photos, especially of the warthog. (I hope she puts those in her portfolio. It's a talented animal photographer that can make a warthog look good!)

I can really tell the difference in the new medication - it wasn't nearly as easy to get around as it had been when I was taking the medication that my insurance company didn't approve. I had to keep sitting down or leaning on something every few feet. But I was really grateful to be able to enjoy the zoo on my own two feet, stairs and all.

Anyway, when we were leaving we stopped by and saw the vultures at the exit of the African continent area. It's hard to see the natural beauty in a vulture, even for somebody like me who grew up singing "Every one is beautiful / In their own way!" But I noticed that the vultures were preening.

They preen just like K-bird, just like any other bird, carefully getting their feathers in order and spreading preen oil over their feathers from a gland at the base of their tales. And I stood there and thought "Huh. Even vultures do the best they can with what they've got. Even a vulture wants to look as good as he can, and be the best vulture he can be."

I know how weird this sounds, but it was really inspiring.