Topic Requested: Thanksgiving

Thursday, November 27th, 2008...
Thanksgiving Day...

We wake up early... Cool air... Rain falling from the ominous clouds in the sky... Long drive...

"Family" trip to SeaWorld... I put family in quotes, because although I am not "technically" a part of the family, I have been sort of adopted into it... For better or worse... They have a piece of my heart...

We are welcomed, upon pulling off the highway, by pounding rain... The droplets pelted the truck so hard and so fast the wipers could barely keep up... Is the whole day going to be like this???

Pulling into line, waiting for the parking lot to open... The droplets fizzle to a light sprinkle... Just enought to keep the window wet... Half hour later (because we got there sooooo early), we exit the truck and head for the entrance to the park... Just an occassional sprinkle falling from the sky...

No lines... We quickly enter, and head to check in at the special events counter... All checked in~ we head to breakfast... Breaskfast~ with "Shamu"... Well technically all seven of their orca whales dined with us at some point in time... Bobbie couldn't take her eyes away from the action, thus hardly eating anything... The rest of us enjoyed the buffet style breakfast, and the marine lesson from the whale trainers...

Done eating~ shows over... We head to my favorite thing at the park... The ray pool... Bat rays, sting rays... Yes they are sooooo slimy... But they are soooo cool! This is the one place in the park I make sure to visit each time I come... Watching them glide through the water... Peaceful... Feeding them~ fun... Watching the kids be amazed by these creatures, and being able to get so close to them is sensational... We each take turns feeding them... Even Tammy and Bobbie take a stab at it... Although, I don't think they will offer to feed them on the next trip...

Indoor aquarium... Glow in the dark fishes... See through fishes... Poisonous frogs... All fun...

Shark encounter... The guide specifically tells Tammy that the kids are not to be thrown into the shark pool no matter how tempting it may seem... Krista likes seeing the fishies in the water... She tries to touch them... Tammy threatens to throw a kid into the pool~ I remind her that the guide specifically told HER she could not... Family picture at the end of the exhibit...

Manatee rescue... We sit and watch the manatees and alligator gar fish lazily swim about... Krista and Bobbie are having fun following them about...

Time for the dolphins... Krista finally falls asleep~ albeit a short nap only... Bobbie, Tammy and Robert come out in wetsuits... I step into photographer mode... Snap snap snap... Pictures taken as fast as possible to capture this once in a lifetime experience... Laughing, splashing, dancing, hugging and kissing a dolphin... Wow! How cool is that???

Missing panties...

Rumbly tummys... No~ Tammy doesn't want pizza... What is the next restaurant? A health food type place... Grumble grumble... We decide to eat there... "Healthy" bread (ie. not white), lots of lettuce and tomato; fat free mayo; baked chips~~~ GROSS... Krista and I were the only ones to finish our lunch/dinner... She ate carrots and raisins... Me~ a turkey wrap...

A quick glance at the otters... Watch a guy swim through the dolphin tank picking up stuff that was thrown into the water...

Then head towards the exit... Ruffle through the gift shops... Head out to the truck... Leave...

All three in the backseat fall asleep on the way home...

Fun, to say the very least... Have to make an effort to head back soon... Hopefully when I feel well enough to participate better... Or allow someone to rent me a scooter... Although, I would rather take the former rather than the latter...