In keeping with our theme this week:

Anchorage, Alaska: So far, it’s the trainers at the Alaska Zoo who are breaking a sweat trying to coax Maggie the elephant onto the world’s first treadmill for a pachyderm.

Despite months of training using treats to entice the elephant to work out, the sometimes cantankerous African elephant is not much interested in using her treadmill to go for a brisk morning walk, or for that matter an afternoon or evening walk.

For two months, Maggie’s trainers have used her favourite treats — watermelon, apples, carrots, peanuts in the shell, banana slices and sweet potatoes — to entice the 8,000-pound elephant onto her $100,000 custom-made treadmill.

While Maggie’s made some progress, she has a long way to go.

[snip]

(Zoo director Pat) Lampi said he wouldn’t be surprised if it took a year or more to get Maggie actually walking on the treadmill. “Everything is being done in her comfort levels,” he said. “This is totally new to her, walking on the treadmill and moving forward. ... It is baby steps.”

[I know how she feels - "baby steps!"]

Word from Orlando - Animal Kingdom was very nice, but not as good as Botswana. Mom likes to have the game drive truck stop so she can take pictures. They'll probably go back again sometime before they leave. She said they're going to The Magic Kingdom today and will report back on differences between FL and CA.

[Still sounds better than working.]

SAVE YOUR CORKS!!

[Only 7,213 more needed for our wine cellar wall.]

Quote du jour:

"There are no mistakes. The events we bring upon ourselves, no matter how unpleasant, are necessary in order to learn what we need to learn; whatever steps we take, they're necessary to reach the places we've chosen to go."

Richard Bach (1936 - ____) US novelist, author

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