Let me first say: everything is fine. With that said, let me next say: I give everyone off for Christmas and I work. And finally: last week I reminded the Keepers to be extra careful during the next two weeks given the fact that many people were on vacation and we would be down some staff every day. This is where we get to “do as I say, not as I do”, and let me remind you that everything is indeed fine. Here’s the abbreviated version:

I was planning to get to work around 6:00 this morning, but was up with my daughter at 4:00 and fell back asleep, so didn’t get here until 7:00. In order to get every animal their AM treatments early enough, I started many different projects and completed none before moving on to the next area. While spreading out the muskrat food, I even noticed the drain was filled with bark and distinctly said to myself be careful not to overflow the pool. I moved on outdoors to get wolf #1389 his medicine, which he took fine. I know, nothing interesting said just yet, but hang in there…

While cleaning the lemur stalls, I seemed to startle the red ruffeds when I made noise with the dustpan. They in turn startled me when they alarm called, and I stood up, bonked my head on a perch, and knocked over my bucket of lemur poop. And yes, all is fine…

I went to the Farmyard and was relieved to see our donkey Lightning, who had been rather lame yesterday, walking much better today. When I was leaning down to check his hooves he jumped, spun around quickly, and his hoof landed on my foot. I was very glad I didn’t get kicked, but I really didn’t want a 300 pound donkey standing on my toes…

I was trying to save time while cleaning Max the calf ‘s stall and opened the stall to pick up one pile of poop while he was eating. Yup, you guessed: nothing really saves time more than chasing a calf running around the Farmyard, Loblolly Park, and up near the train station. I quickly learned there was no way to catch him, he seemed to be having great fun, and with no one on grounds he could not hurt anyone. I let him run. (I got him back by making a bottle for him and I gave it to him at the Caboose and walked him back to his stall)…

Now, we’re back to that muskrat water I was talking about earlier: Yup, you guessed again: I had turned the water on and left. As I remembered, I ran down the hall to Carolina Wildlife and saw lots of water, some dripping out of the window, and the bowl of food floating in the pool.

I’ve worked every Christmas for the past 14 or 15 years. Usually I just break a dish or two, although I thought last year was the worst: Last year it was raining (which would have been nice this year). There was a lot of water on the roof of the vehicle we drive. When I went to “knock off the water”, I was standing in the wrong position and got doused with a few gallons of water. Then, I locked my keys in the bear house and had to walk back to the building in the rain to get a spare set.

I have to go now: somewhere in the Museum is a bottle of medicine for a painted turtle who has a sore on his tail. I gave him his medicine this morning, but I cannot find the bottle now and I will need it for his evening treatment…It kind of makes me wonder what’s in store for me next year?!?