And It Continues...

Kids Club Day #2

Today was fun! I love it when i can say that i've had as much fun as the kids. This morning went smoothly, in the same vein as yesterday. This afternoon, however, was awesome. We got on a bus and headed up to the Hahndorf Farm Barn. Now, i'd never herad of this place before, so was more than a little apprehensive about what it was and whether the kids would have a good time. Therefore, i was stoked when we all had a blast!

First off, we had free time; we fed the guinea pigs, held the rabbits, oogled the adorable new-born mice (that were teensy and pink and looked like jellybabies!), fed the goats and let the cow suck on our hand; we all agreed that it was the most peculiar feeling in the world. Afterwards, we went out into the paddock, to feed the emus (another incredibly bizzare feeling, to have them pecking at your hand) and deer. We leaders were like children; smiling and sneaking extra tisbits off the helpers. When we fed the kangaroos, the darling things would put their hands on my forarms and eat from my palms. Adorable, they were so soft and cute!! I struck up a raport with one of the girls who worked there, who laughed at my enthusiams. We bonded over our mutual dislike of being tall, so i pointed out the tall boy-leaders who accompanied us - good times.

Next, came the 'show'. We sat up in the grandstand, Dr.B and i excitedly calling out answers with the children. Mr. Farmer (yes, that was his real name) brought out the Alpaca and we counted his teeth... did you know they only have four on the bottom jaw? And that, reminiscent of their camel relatives, they have soft feet perfect for walking on sand? Neither did i. Then came out Cecil the sheep; he was huge and truly bizzare, but he could walk himself back to his own pen on demand, which was cool. The blind sheep, of the same breed as those that wandered the deserts in the age of Jesus, was led forward... it was scary looking... and walked into a wall on the way out... but it had a long tail, which was cool. They can live off the fat stored in their tails when food is scarce in the desert. We were told that Daisy, the Jersey cow, was asleep outside, so we had to call her name loudly to beckon her in - she actually came! Mr. Farmer squirted milk into the audience, which was cool - and then we all took turns milking her!! Dr.B and i giggled and wiggled like four-year-olds; 'you go first!', 'no, YOU go first!'... It was so much fun! Mr. Farmer liked me, so he put my finger into the automatic milker and i got to feel what it would feel like for the cow; very cool.

Afterwards, we piled back onto the bus and headed home. Everyone had had so much fun on the farm! Granted, i felt embarassingly 'city' - it was like betraying my South Australian heritage, being so excited about things that are so mundane for the state. And i know, i've seen so much of what i saw today before, but it was just fun to do it in this environment!

Another day of Kids Club successfully completed.