Otters, Legos, and Puppies, Oh My!

Hello to all of my awesome readers! Well, I know it has definitely been awhile and I apologize for that. The last month has been EXTREMELY busy for me, and I can’t wait to tell you all about it! 

Last month, I had the rare opportunity to go back to California, down in San Diego and visit an animal sanctuary to swim with live otters at a place called Nurtured by Nature, but I will get to that. For my best friend’s birthday, I flew back out to California for the week to drive down to San Diego with her dog and her mom. I had so much fun staying in the hotel with everyone. On one of our days, my friend, Liz and I had the chance to go the San Diego Safari Park to see all of their animals. While there, we both took a caravan tour and got to meet giraffes, rhinos, and gazelles up close! It was completely awesome as just a month before we went, one of the giraffes had a little baby so we saw not only a year old rhino with her mom, but a little baby giraffe as well! 

Then the next day, Liz and I were able visit the animal sanctuary for her birthday. From where our hotel was down is Escondido, it was only about a 30 minute drive, but the drive itself quickly went from highways to scaling a hill where the sanctuary was. It was incredible and felt so secluded from the world which made the experience even better. At the sanctuary, a group of 8 of us, Liz, me, and 3 other pairs of people had the ability to meet a bunch of amazing animals. First, we were put into an enclosure where we sat on cushions spread out while we met some armadillos, a paca, and even a sloth named Chloe. Then we were taken down to meet a couple kangaroos and had the ability to feed them leaves and branches. It was extremely cute as one of them had just been born a couple months ago named Binks. Binks immediately became our favorite due to the fact that he started nibbling on our shoelaces. Next, we met a small baby capybara named Strawberry in the enclosure next to the kangaroos. After taking some time to play with Strawberry, we hiked back up the hill and got to sit down and feed a lemur bananas.

Next, after we took a short break and listened to important instructions about what to do with the otters, we suited and snorkeled up and climbed into a pool. There, we were each spread out and given a bucket of toys the otters could take and play with. Finally, came the otters. All 3 of them were lead into the pool as a group and dove off of our shoulders into the pull. Their names were Razzle, Skittle, and Jujubee, and they were known as the Candyland group. Slowly, but sure enough they each began to climb on us and pick out the toys from our buckets. All of us in the pool were able to pet them and hammock them in our shirts as they swam from person to person grabbing toys and climbing in out of the pool, using our heads and shoulders as stairs and diving boards. For about 30 minutes they all played with us, then Razzle and Jujubee decided they had to leave to use the bathroom and never returned. Once we thought they were going to ask us to get out of the pool and get dressed, they told us that e could stay in as long as Skittle, the third otter still wanted to play. So we stayed in the pool for another 45-60 minutes while Skittle has his time to play in the spotlight. When the trainers would call for him to ask if he wanted to go back to his enclosure and go to the gate. Then we they went to pick him up, he would run back into the pool and start playing again as he teased the trainers. It was hilarious to see him play with us all, thinking he was funny for tricking them. When he finally decided he’d had enough playtime, he slowly hopped up the stairs and waited for the trainers to pick him up, for real this time. Then, we all got out of the pool and changed back into our dry clothes while the main owner of the sanctuary gave a talk about how much we could help spread the word about the importance of otters and about how much of the ocean’s ecosystem is affected and better with them in it. Then, it was time to go. On the way out, I bought myself a T-shirt and my friend a towel. I will never forget how incredible that experience was.

After spending a week with my family in California after my trip down in San Diego, I flew back to Omaha where the next weekend here, there was a convention called Brick Days. At Brick Days, many talented Lego artists displayed their work among tables within a convention hall. At each table, there sit their pieces, some of them even functional and moving too! One table had a giant amusement park with rides like a rollercoaster, a ferris wheel, and a carousel. Each ride was hooked up to a button that allowed kids or anyone walking past to press them and start up the rides. It was so fun to watch the kids faces light up when they realized that they had set one of the rides into motion. Among tabled like the that had movable parts, were giant pieces of art created with Legos. One table had a giant Death Star painting done in legos, while another table has a portrait of Audrey Hepburn from her classic role in Breakfast at Tiffany’s. As an artist myself, I was extremely impressed to see what could be made from Legos! On the back wall of the convention, there was a row of vendors selling different Lego minifigures and as a comic book fan and mini figure collector, I couldn’t help but buy a Marvel Sandman figure and some fun other green sets. While I was still missing my family back in California, it was definitely a great experience to being back here in Omaha!

So, let me tell you about something else new and exciting that recently happened in my life. Just this weekend, I adopted a puppy of my own. Before I agreed to live with my cousins a couple months ago, I asked kindly if I was allowed to have a dog and they agreed that I was able to, so I started looking immediately. After having no luck early on to find a beagle pup, I gave up on my search until I was contacted by an organization called the Basset and Beagle Rescue of the Heartland about a new litter that had just been born. They asked me if I wanted to be included on adopting one of them when they were ready. I agreed that it would be a great opportunity, and put my name in line for one of their new puppies. Well, after a couple weeks of updates and approvals, I was able to pick up my new puppy, Ollie this past weekend. Right now, he is a 9 week old Beagle/Dachsund mix with a ton of personality and love for me and my little cousins. After having a beagle when I was a child at my grandparents house, I wanted another one for getting acquainted with in Omaha, and now I am able to. It’s still extremely exciting to me, but also nerve-racking as I’m trying to teach him new tricks and how to be potty trained. He is currently napping in his kennel as I type this! While I have only had him for a couple days, he is already a spoiled little duded with a bucket full of new toys and tons of awesome treats for him to chow down on. And on that note, I gotta take him outside to potty! Phew, I am so tired as I take him outside every two hours even through the night, but I know it will all be worth it when he gets older and can feel safe about not having accidents in our house. 

Anyhow, I’m sorry again for taking so long to update you about what is going on in my life for the past month. Though, as you can see I have had tons of things to do and stay busy with. Heck even this coming weekend I will be vending my stickers and buttons at my uncle’s Kaiju Convention here is Omaha. I look forward to updating you on how that goes, but for now it’s time to play with my new pal, Ollie! Have a great rest of August and I will talk to you guys later! :)