The further and continuing adventures of the girl who sat in the back of your homeroom, reading and daydreaming.
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Toomai-Tam
Tam has not "seen the elephant" (or has she?) but not only has she seen an elephant or twelve, now she has ridden one. I have proof!(What, you never heard of no Toomai of the Elephants?)
My wife has done many, many things I have not, including climbing various mountains in the Rockies, visiting the Grand Canyon, graduating from college Phi Beta Kappa, earning 3x my highest salary, and so on.
However, I have ridden an elephant, and she has ridden nothing more exotic than a camel.
Both of us are bested by my kids, who went to visit Grandma when very small. Grandma took them to the local zoo on one of the very rare days that kids got to pet the BABY TIGERS and play with them. We are both insanely jealous.
Seeing the Elephant: a life altering experience.
Playing with BABY TIGERS: an experience you can brag about all the rest of your life.
In fact, the clever mahouts wanted to have one grown-up with every batch of kids. They put the Big Person next to the gate in the saddle-railing.
Tam has considerably more babysitting experience than I have. She offers one qualification few other can: Anyone offering harm to her young charges will encounter major resistance from Miss Tamara!
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(What, you never heard of no Toomai of the Elephants?)
One of these things is not like the others...
ReplyDeleteOne of these things just doesn't belong...
She needs a howdah pistol.
ReplyDeleteWhere'd she hide her Hoowdah gun?
ReplyDeleteSome people are just big kids. Did she make you buy her cotton candy or fennel cake?
ReplyDeleteGerry
I didn't know she'd get that close to children without convulsing!
ReplyDeletewv: clenchr. That was my first thought.
My wife has done many, many things I have not, including climbing various mountains in the Rockies, visiting the Grand Canyon, graduating from college Phi Beta Kappa, earning 3x my highest salary, and so on.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I have ridden an elephant, and she has ridden nothing more exotic than a camel.
Both of us are bested by my kids, who went to visit Grandma when very small. Grandma took them to the local zoo on one of the very rare days that kids got to pet the BABY TIGERS and play with them. We are both insanely jealous.
Seeing the Elephant: a life altering experience.
Playing with BABY TIGERS: an experience you can brag about all the rest of your life.
I like how she made sure to keep one kiddie behind her in case the tiger attacks from behind.
ReplyDeleteIn fact, the clever mahouts wanted to have one grown-up with every batch of kids. They put the Big Person next to the gate in the saddle-railing.
ReplyDeleteTam has considerably more babysitting experience than I have. She offers one qualification few other can: Anyone offering harm to her young charges will encounter major resistance from Miss Tamara!
PS: Baby tigers? BABY TIGER petting??? WANT!!!
ReplyDelete...With Huck the tomcat,I kind of have that already. Still, BABY TIGERS!
"Seen the elephant?"
ReplyDeleteHelp?
Mike James
Dare I mention it, but perhaps Auntie Tam can finally live down the elusive bikini photo now. ;)
ReplyDeleteHeh. Tam on an elephant with children. Safest children on the planet.
tweaker
Mike James: GTS!
ReplyDeleteMost commonly, and especially in the American Civil and Spanish-American Wars, to have been in battle.
The Wikipedia article is surprisingly off-base, preferring earlier senses of the phrase.