Franklin Park Zoo

Today we went to the Franklin Park Zoo.  Never mind the bombing in Boston on Monday, we were going to the Zoo, dammit.  We met with all of our friends from Historic New England Education crew that Mommy formerly worked with.  It was good time, though Mommy didn't harass them nearly enough about how Mommy can be educational in her new job.

The Zoo was packed with families of all shapes and sizes, it is Mass school vacation week after all.  But it was ok, Mommy still got a got parking space, and we still saw all of the animals, and without huge school groups shoving around.

We of course saw the Gorillas, and the Tigers and the Lions.  And then we were distracted by the Merry-Go-Round, which everyone loved.  We had a nice picnic lunch where James stayed stationery for almost 8 minutes (!), and then were completely distracted by the new playground they have there that is on steroids.  Like, complete crazy playground.  Little remenants of the playground were all over the Zoo - so I am not sure what kind of grant this is that they received, but it is crazy.  I had to tell James and Joel explicitly before we stepped into the playground that they were only allowed in the 2-5 zone.  The 5-12 zone is crazy, like for adults.  I can just now imagine the fundraising party they had to open this site, and the drunk 80 year old adults climbing the structures and sliding down.

We parted ways with our friends and on the way out (we always park by the Giraffe entrance, which is the best if you are there early) we decided to go into the bird house.  This was a mistake, if you have a stroller, for sure.

And now, my piece on the bombing.

Everyone needs to say their peace, you can see it all over the news and facebook, and in daily conversation.  "I know someone who knew someone, etc."  A few things strike me.  Out of all the thousands and thousands of people who were there, 3 were terribly, horribly murdered.  But it was 3.  We are so lucky that the vicious people (person) who came up with this idea was relatively small scale in his horror.  But, we cannot downplay the importance of life and three is three too many.  Not to mention an 8 year old.  I still cannot bring myself to understand how this family can possibly cope with their loss.

That being said, besides the loss of life and the injuries to almost 200 more, it is also the injury to the psyche of a population.  People who now for the next few months will be slightly freaked to go on public transportation, visit a public place, worrying about what maybe in that trash can over there, and doesn't that person look suspicious, and where is the nearest fire exit.

After living in NYC during 9/11 and after, I spent countless hours worried about this.  Holding my breath in the subway tunnels, always planning my escape route in restaurants and at work.  It was sad, unnecessary and exactly what the terrorists wanted.  I am not doing that this time, even with two little guys with me.  Hence, we went to the Zoo today.  I am not going to lie, lunching next to two enormous trash cans made me think twice, but in reality, it was wonderful to see the place filled with families - no one was scared, everyone was out to have fun, to live life.  This terrorist lost.  I am so happy to be more confident, more secure, and more at home now than ever before. I can say that I am not scared of them. And, from the looks of it today, neither are any of the people who live in or frequently visit Boston.