Training to Close

Today was my first day learning how to close. After 11 days of work and waking up at 5:30AM, I finally got to sleep in!! It was great. I left my apartment around 10 and was to work by 10:15. I helped clean up the rest of the holding areas that needed to be done and headed to lunch. The rest of the afternoon was pretty relaxing. The weather here has been beautiful-mid 80s. Perfect weather to work in! We added mulch to the bongo area and I had my first lesson in naming and picking out browse. There sure are a lot. I can't mess it up either since some browse is toxic to our animals! Everything from sugar maple, honeysuckle, red maple, tulip, blah blah. Closing is very similar to opening-just opposite. The hogs are always ready to come in. They run through their chute and into eat their food. Fat little piggies. I'm so in love with them. The best part of closing is I get to get me some Damani giraffe lovin' before I head home. He is such a sweet animal. If I am upstairs, closing gates, he just reaches his head up and watches. If I am downstairs doing whatever task, he leans his head down to see what's up. What cool animals. Tomorrow is my "Friday". I have Tuesday Wednesday off. Casey is going to visit- we are going to the Nashville Sounds minor league baseball game Tuesday night. We get free tickets for working at the zoo. Well, the women's gymnastics and dinner are calling my name.

Night.