December 25, 2024

I am sooooo hoping photos this year are better than last Christmas. (My first few photos were in the dark so those I won’t share.) The photos really must be better because last year was truly a fiasco.

Starting thoughts for the day:

• Weather: It’s dry, and not as warm as last year, but not as freezing as the year before. Weather is a critical part of planning. If too hot or cold or wet, efficiency of the day diminishes with all the layers coming on and off. I’m wearing my Halloween costume hoping an orange track suit will be just right. (I dressed as Vector from Despicable Me while the rest of Animal Care went Minions, with Aaron dressed as Gru.)
• Eevie ferret: Our old, naked, wonderful ferret, who has multiple “ferret diseases” in their end stages, is the first one to check on. Managing challenging situations, including end-of-life ones, is hard, but ever present. (She’s alert, and she’s eaten most of her bowl of dry food from yesterday!)

And while I’m thinking about hard-stuff, it’s kind of overwhelming to think this is the 32nd Christmas I’ve come in to work here. More than half my team wasn’t even born when I worked my first Christmas at the Museum.

Finally, I grabbed a shortbread and gingerbread cookie (thanks, Michaela) and got a dad-joke in before continuing on. (I am not sure if I should thank Joyce for the dad joke button or not?? Here you go: What’s the most groundbreaking invention… the shovel! OR, what I texted the team this morning: Who’s the queen of school supplies… the Ruler!)

The Team is the same as last year, with Nicole (who has been working Christmas with me since 2020) and volunteer Joyce joining me for the work today. Nicole and I decided to start the day at 7 am, which meant she would be in by 6:45 am and me at 6 am. Nicole and I had most of the indoor tasks in good condition when Joyce arrived a bit before 8 am.

As we divided up the indoor list, I noticed how quickly Nicole moves. My head was spinning trying to just keep track of where she was. She took care of all the Education critters, so there was no chance of me letting the blue jay out this year. (I haven’t let the blue jay out since Christmas 2015.)

Last year I had to radio Nicole to come to the quarantine building (I locked my keys inside). This year — any guesses what I needed her for? I would love to say NOTHING. That I had everything under control, that I fed Aya the merlin without issues, found all the aviary birds by myself, brushed the teeth of four ferrets with the correct toothbrushes, found and distributed the right foods to the right critters, etc. Well, I was indeed able to get through most everything without issues. However, while cleaning up behind Dot and Dash, our Education chickens (who by far needed more cleaning today than anyone else), the door latched shut behind me and I couldn’t get out. I immediately started laughing, and assumed I could have found a way, but instead, I decided Nicole would be amused so I radioed her to come let me out.

Once let out of chickens, I went to Explore the Wild while Nicole and Joyce went to the Farmyard. I found three sleeping bears. Only one of which, Murray, decided to wake up for me. Both wolves were sleeping too, as were the radiated tortoises. The lemurs were all up and immediately ate after I cleaned them. Joyce and Nicole had an uneventful time in the Farmyard, and the donkey was done with his walk by 10 am.

Thirty-two Christmases on the Animal Care Team. A lot has changed. Every single current animal (except three turtles) wasn’t here when I started. The work I do now is much more leading, coaching, as well as learning from, those around me, rather than doing. It’s taken me more than a bit to accept this is okay. Nicole truly did the lions-share of the work today. I couldn’t be partnered with a better teammate today. In all honestly, I couldn’t be part of a better team.

As the day — and year — wind down, I hope everyone can appreciate how those around them lighten the load and add richness and joy to life. Merry Christmas to those who celebrate, and to everyone, may we all embrace the wealth that comes from being part of a truly special and giving team, family, or community.