When you really think about it some of the stuff we cook/ bake is really kind of odd. Who ever got the idea to wrap fruit up in sugar and dough and then bake it for an hour? If you had never eaten a pie, would that sound just great and delicious to you?

We will be doing the Canadian Thanksgiving this coming weekend. The pie baking has begun. From Friday until sometime late on Sunday the house will be full of people. Times like these make me wonder if I was really meant to be a hermit. I know I'm not the social butterfly type. But, I never feel more like disappearing through a crack in the floor than when I am surrounded by family. Mostly they mean well. Mostly they don't feel any need to censor themselves. Mostly they seem to look at me as if I'm the goodie goodie version of the black sheep of the family.

Anyway, enough about that.

Would you like to be a hermit? I think I would not like the grubby part of it. I'd rather have a shower, a hot one. I'd rather have lovely scented soap and shampoo. But it would be nice to be alone. There is something about being alone that makes me feel myself.

I read The Zoo of Depressed Animals on the Crotchety Old Man Yells at Cars blog.

A site about elephants also has some background about the zoo - "Louise Terry was the owner of Terry-Lou Zoo in Scotch Plains. The 7-acre zoo was established more than 49 years ago. Most of the animals housed at the zoo were castoffs from other zoos. Some of the animals were too old to breed, were deformed or had been injured or maimed by hunters.

Mrs. Terry and her husband, Franklyn T. Terry, owned the zoo until they sold it in 1993. In 1997, the zoo was closed and the animals were relocated."

Jack English has a photo of Frazee Homestead on the zoo land. He wrote about the history of the place, before it became a zoo even.

So far I can't find photos of the abandoned zoo itself. I did find an abandoned petting zoo, Benson's Animal Farm, Hudson, NH.

What is the point of all this? Not much, mostly a personal interest in rural and urban exploration (abandoned places). But, think of those animals at the now abandoned zoo or petting zoo. What kind of life must they have had before winding up at the bottom of the barrel zoo?

Write a tribute to one of them, make up the name, the history and decide what kind of an end they came to. Will you write it in a sentimental, sad or practical point of view?

What I've learned from my goldfish today... You can not underestimate space and camouflage.

The feral goldfish in my backyard pond have had babies after all. I thought it would be impossible for any fish fry (babies) born out there to survive the adult goldfish, the frogs and toads and the assorted birds and other predators who wander by. But, they are there. Yesterday I was looking at the pond on a quiet day when the water was very clear. I noticed two new goldfish, smaller than the others. I really knew they were new because they are brown/ bronzed coloured. Until now there were only two fish in the pond that colour, now there are four. I don't know goldfish genetics enough to know if the bronze fish are the lucky parents but it does seem bronze is the right colour for natural selection in a backyard pond.

Anyway, with enough space to find food and shelter (and the right camouflage) two baby goldfish have survived the Spring and Summer season.  It was really nice to see them. I won't go so far as to claim they are cute but they are alive and that's an achievement in itself!

Write something where camouflage is an essential element to survival. Don't just think about jungle scenarios. Where does camouflage fit into urban life? How could some element of that be added to an urban story?

Also, why does camouflage have so many letters? It's a spelling hazard. The goldfish don't have an answer for that one.

Your ideal romantic relationship is peaceful, romantic, and private.

This came up as a result from a quiz on Blogthings.com. It's probably right. I do want something close, personal and cuddly. Not that I am all cuddly all the time. But, that is all a part of being close in mind and in body. Spirit too but that could be asking too much, besides I'm not looking for a complete clone of myself. Still, I'd never stay in a relationship where there was a lot of discord (with himself or his family/ friends).

How would you sum up your own romantic relationship personal best in just three words?

Although tattoos are the fashion, petroglyphs will last longer. What would you carve into a rock forever? Maybe something lighthearted, fun or inspirational? A message to the Mothership? A note in a bottle to the future humans on the planet? A reminder to always brush your teeth and do your homework, for your children? What would you carve on a rock?