I suppose it was an okay trip to the zoo....
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!"--Michel
"Oh my Ga-a-ad!"--Garett (and yes, he sounded just like Mitchell!!)
Moonridge was everything I could have asked for and more! We got an early start, with Starbuck's to fortify me--it was an Americano, not the reg. coffee, which would not have done me any good--and a long but not too long drive up up up! A twisty turny kind of highway that might have been scary (think the Crow's Nest Pass in BC only with less turning space *L*) if Susan wasn't the awesome driver she is! I still got sleepy, but that's me and cars, plus the whole getting up early thing.
No matter, we got there in plenty of time, figured out how to get the Speedy Racer Scooter of Peril (tee hee) down the steep incline to the zoo and also where all the festivities would be. Got in for a mere seven dollars and found a place to settle in.
It reminded me of the youtube vid I had seen from the year before. Not familiar faces personally, but you know, us online writer types ;) Met some people I only knew from the web, including the ladies from the UK, Marilyn from BC and Shiredancer, a new friend. They were all super nice and amazingly helpful when I had questions. Then I walked down a little hill, and Garett was just standing there, watching the trainers bring out some of the animals.
"Hey" (I'm all suave)
"Hey, how's it goin?" (Garett will not be outcooled)
"Fabulous" (I throw him the gay bone) "You?"
"Fantastic!" (He says because he's talking to me)
"It's great to be here, and I'm sure I'll be talking to you soon." (ice on the outside, peeing on the inside)
"Super!" (Super? Super? uh huh...)
The auction begins, and we discover that if you bid on an animal and win, you get a pic taken with Garett and the animal of choice, by yourself, friends, but also by a fellow from the zoo who then turns them into pins and magnets--suh-weet! I admit, I'm a donator on a budget, so no 150 wolf for me. Instead, a kestrel of less cost, but cooly enough, less bidders, so more pic time and I'm really pleased not only with how the pic looked, but then hug was pretty damn good too!
They auctioned off a lynx with big feet ("You know what they say about big feet..."--Garett) and a frisky raccoon who scratched Garett ("It was her!" he tells Susan, pointing at his scratches and then at me!!!) and two foxes that Susan bid on and let me have the pics.
I didn't win any of the Chinese Auction items, but Garett was super funny raffling them off. From rolling his eyes over DUG to reminding us he's "a little lysdexic", he was so warm and wonderful I can't even explain it.
He autographed everything put before him, lysdexic or no, incl. many pics that Susan got for me, my name tag and my Sentinel DVD. I'm sorry, Jason, Burgi was a no show so no action signature. I tried to get Garett to write "I'm hotter than Burgi" on my DVD, but he declined. "I don't fill out a t-shirt like Richard." he said.
I gave him two ball tickets, the package, a brief letter of explanation and my card, along with another note that the last gift was a result of his comments to the convention in England. Hope he enjoys his "TOP" button ;)
More animals auctioned off including a snake that crawled all over him, a hedgehog that peed on him, and the second fox who was all hyper (While we were posing for pics, he says "maybe fox valium, or a tap on the head". I gave him a toppy smile and asked if he was getting tired...) Also, Nova, his wolf, was auctioned, and Cascade, the cougar. Finally a presentation of plaque (85000 raised in Garett's name since they began five years ago) a bag o candy (he has a sweet tooth) and a showing off of the latest quilt and then it was done.
I don't have the words, folks, he was amazing, it was an amazing day. Susan, thank you so much for everything!!!!!! Sentinel fans, thank you for making me feel welcome. And Garett, thank you for being everything I could have hoped for and more!!
ps I think our Mr. Maggart will be getting his own quote page!
"Oh my Ga-a-ad!"--Garett (and yes, he sounded just like Mitchell!!)
Moonridge was everything I could have asked for and more! We got an early start, with Starbuck's to fortify me--it was an Americano, not the reg. coffee, which would not have done me any good--and a long but not too long drive up up up! A twisty turny kind of highway that might have been scary (think the Crow's Nest Pass in BC only with less turning space *L*) if Susan wasn't the awesome driver she is! I still got sleepy, but that's me and cars, plus the whole getting up early thing.
No matter, we got there in plenty of time, figured out how to get the Speedy Racer Scooter of Peril (tee hee) down the steep incline to the zoo and also where all the festivities would be. Got in for a mere seven dollars and found a place to settle in.
It reminded me of the youtube vid I had seen from the year before. Not familiar faces personally, but you know, us online writer types ;) Met some people I only knew from the web, including the ladies from the UK, Marilyn from BC and Shiredancer, a new friend. They were all super nice and amazingly helpful when I had questions. Then I walked down a little hill, and Garett was just standing there, watching the trainers bring out some of the animals.
"Hey" (I'm all suave)
"Hey, how's it goin?" (Garett will not be outcooled)
"Fabulous" (I throw him the gay bone) "You?"
"Fantastic!" (He says because he's talking to me)
"It's great to be here, and I'm sure I'll be talking to you soon." (ice on the outside, peeing on the inside)
"Super!" (Super? Super? uh huh...)
The auction begins, and we discover that if you bid on an animal and win, you get a pic taken with Garett and the animal of choice, by yourself, friends, but also by a fellow from the zoo who then turns them into pins and magnets--suh-weet! I admit, I'm a donator on a budget, so no 150 wolf for me. Instead, a kestrel of less cost, but cooly enough, less bidders, so more pic time and I'm really pleased not only with how the pic looked, but then hug was pretty damn good too!
They auctioned off a lynx with big feet ("You know what they say about big feet..."--Garett) and a frisky raccoon who scratched Garett ("It was her!" he tells Susan, pointing at his scratches and then at me!!!) and two foxes that Susan bid on and let me have the pics.
I didn't win any of the Chinese Auction items, but Garett was super funny raffling them off. From rolling his eyes over DUG to reminding us he's "a little lysdexic", he was so warm and wonderful I can't even explain it.
He autographed everything put before him, lysdexic or no, incl. many pics that Susan got for me, my name tag and my Sentinel DVD. I'm sorry, Jason, Burgi was a no show so no action signature. I tried to get Garett to write "I'm hotter than Burgi" on my DVD, but he declined. "I don't fill out a t-shirt like Richard." he said.
I gave him two ball tickets, the package, a brief letter of explanation and my card, along with another note that the last gift was a result of his comments to the convention in England. Hope he enjoys his "TOP" button ;)
More animals auctioned off including a snake that crawled all over him, a hedgehog that peed on him, and the second fox who was all hyper (While we were posing for pics, he says "maybe fox valium, or a tap on the head". I gave him a toppy smile and asked if he was getting tired...) Also, Nova, his wolf, was auctioned, and Cascade, the cougar. Finally a presentation of plaque (85000 raised in Garett's name since they began five years ago) a bag o candy (he has a sweet tooth) and a showing off of the latest quilt and then it was done.
I don't have the words, folks, he was amazing, it was an amazing day. Susan, thank you so much for everything!!!!!! Sentinel fans, thank you for making me feel welcome. And Garett, thank you for being everything I could have hoped for and more!!
ps I think our Mr. Maggart will be getting his own quote page!