Four Little Monkeys

Fifty million years ago

They walked upon the planet so

They live in a museum

It's the only place you'll see 'em.

.

The Police: Walking in Your Footsteps

.

On Saturday I went with my sisters-in-law on Ken's side and all of our children (except the man-child, my 16 year old nephew) to the Royal Tyrrell Museum in Drumheller.

?

I snapped only one quick picture of the kids together before we entered the museum, and I should have taken the time to make sure everyone was looking. There are 11 kids grouped together here, but one of them is easy to miss - he's hiding behind Steven and facing away from the camera.

.

The museum has been updated since the last time I was there and I love the new gallery. They've taken the most valuable and scientifically significant specimens and put them behind windows that are framed with gilded frames as though the exhibits in the gallery room are fine art. This dinosaur is in what's called the 'death pose'. After death the ligaments dried and contracted thereby pulling the head and neck back on the body.

.

In addition to the preparation lab that can be viewed through windows, there was a paleontology technician working on a fossil out in one of the halls. He was totally approachable and ready to answer questions. The fossil he's working on here is a turtle shell.

.

The giant sponge fossil became much more fascinating after I told Carmen it was Sponge Bob's great-great-grandfather.

.

T-Rex Chloe

Steven kept teasing me with quick pseudo-dinosaur motions that he knew I wouldn't be able to catch with my camera. I actually got one picture snapped, but I only caught his forearm, so he won that session of camera hide and seek.

.

My sister-in-law, Christy, thought this sign was amusing and pointed it out to me. Was she calling me a Camerasaurus?
.

This was so funny. We were up on a hill above the museum and I asked Steven to pose with the view finder, and when he stepped up to it he managed to hit himself in the eye. He backed off and was saying 'Ow, ow, I can't believe I did that! . . . take a picture.'

'

The picture I was trying for.
.

There's this fun scale inside the museum that tells you what animal you match in weight. The platform is big enough for a small group, so the kids all got on and together they weighed as much as a male lion.


Then Christy, Natalie, Stephanie, and I got on (we made sure we all stepped on together) and we were the same as the kids!

We came home and found the men and the man-child as we had left them: roofing Christy's old house that she's got up for sale.

Christy, I don't imagine I have to suggest this to a saver like you, but tell me you're hanging onto the extra tar paper!

.