Back to the Zoo

Miss Pam accompanied us to the zoo today.  Major plumbing work began this morning and we were going to be without water for ten hours, so I thought it was best to stay as far away from home as possible.  The kids had a great time, despite Kendall's stuffy nose (allergies, confirmed by the dr this afternoon) and Clark's fussy state (we believe he is getting molars of some sort).  It was still a beautiful day to be outside getting some exercise. 
We saw our favorite birds (they are located near (in with?) the Red Pandas though I can never remember what they are called.  They "chatter" with the kids and we all get a kick out of it.   Another family favorite would be the otter exhibit.  I love them and could just sit there all day.  They were quite animated in the water this morning even though it was a bit chilly at the time. 
The big hit was, once again, the covered area where the kids can push buttons and hear different sounds made by gorillas, chimpanzees, etc.  Clark can almost perfectly imitate the sound made by chimpanzees during a temper tantrum (Surprising?  Not really.).  They crack up and screech right along with the primates.  
It was a big day for chimpanzee sightings as there were quite a few outside goofing off.  I was able to get a shot of Baby George because he was right near the window.  One larger chimp came running right up to us and pounded his fists and then hit the window with a large stick.  It was a little intimidating despite the fact that there is a large piece of glass (or some thick protective material) between us and the monkey, but he was just getting defensive because it was snack time.  I get the same way about a Little Debbie or toasted marshmallows. :)
Here are some pictures from the zoo:

 Here was the surprise we found this afternoon:

It turns out that the plumbing work will take longer than anticipated as they had to cut through the ceiling in the kitchen.  This came AFTER they had to pull everything out of the pantry and cut into the wall in the side of that area as well.  Ugh!  We can only hope that when it is all complete, it will greatly improve our water bills, water pressure and overall comfort level with those aspects of the house.  They have told us that they will be here EARLY in the morning and will finish the job tomorrow.  Nanny Barb graciously offered to keep the kids overnight so that they don't have to be subjected to the dust created by all of the work going on here. 
Tomorrow is another day....and one with a new water heater and new pipes!  Woo hoo!