Jasper finds counting Flamingos at the Zoo very Flamingostrating

Hello Boys and Girls, HOW are you all this week? Wait until I tell you where Aunt Molly and I were last weekend. Dublin Zoo no less! Every year in January we try and get up to see our many friends in the Zoo if possible and wish them a Happy New Year. We had great fun on this trip because there was a head-count going on. The keepers wanted to know exactly how many animals and birds they were taking care of. I decided to give a hand so they put me counting Flamingos. Have you ever tried to count Flamingos? You think you have it nearly finished and next thing a few decide to hop off and you have to start all over again. It's very Flamingostrating. When I gave up on them, the Head Keeper told me to count the elephants. 'You're the right man for that job,' he said. I'm not sure if he was joking or not but I tried it anyway. I was nice and relaxed because we went to Dublin by train. I love to have my breakfast watching the fields of Galway fly by, especially the Fields of Athenry where we get the train from. Is there anything nicer than a spin on a train? When we get to Dublin we walk to the Zoo, which is in the Phoenix Park and we love to hear the exotic birds and monkey calls ringing over the green park. It always reminds me of the time I was an explorer in Africa and had lots and lots of exciting adventures. I'll tell you all about them some day. The Zoo covers about 30 acres and you could spend the whole day just trying to see everything. Sometimes there are visiting animals. A few years ago I saw a pair of Giant Panda bears from China. You just never know who will be there when you call. Over one million people visited last year. Not all at the one time. Good job. My Elephant Joke While I was finishing the count at the Elephant House there was one missing. Molly and the elephant keeper arrived. 'How can you lose an elephant Jasper?' he cried and Molly told him I could lose my head if it was not glued on. Keeper Jack then told us a funny thing. The elephant is the only mammal that can't jump. Well I said, looking at the beautiful big elephants, that's a good job. Can you imagine what it would be like if elephants started jumping about. What if one decided to jump in the swimming pool? There would be such a splash that there would be no water left. Aunt Molly said that it was the same when I jumped in the pool too. I didn't think that was very funny but everyone else laughed their heads off. So I told my elephant joke. The Lion confronts a Tiger and asks who is the King of the Jungle? The Tiger says 'You are, mighty Lion'. Next he asks a Rhino and gets the same answer. Then he marches up to an Elephant and puts the question to him. The Elephant picks him up in his trunk, whirls him around three times and tosses him into a tree, 'Just because you don't know the answer,' says the Lion, 'there's no need to go losing your temper'. Well we saw lots more but will have to keep that for another day. Bye for now, Uncle Jasper