Dr. Owl's Origins

What a surprise expateek had today! She flew from cold and rainy Warsaw to cold and rainy Vienna, and she and Mr D decided to take in the Das Naturhistorische Museum.

She was desperate to see the Venus of Willendorf, if only to reassure herself that her currently zaftig body could be deemed beautiful and with historical precedent. expateek loves citing precedent. She maybe shoulda been a lawyer. Except then she'd have to work full time and remember facts and stuff, and that's not one of her strong points.

But you know expateek. She's mad about museums!

She and Mr D saw the lovely Venus...

venus of willendorf, originally uploaded by mo pie.

and then they drifted on through the rest of the museum,

seeing dinosaurs...

IMG_6303 dino-bird, originally uploaded by ehdindigo.

snakes (eek!)...

IMG_6300 snake, originally uploaded by ehdindigo.

and stuffed specimens.

IMG_6314 ape room, originally uploaded by ehdindigo.

Note the "guard" in the far background. When Mr D and expateek entered this room, they thought that perhaps new experimental audio tracks were playing, simulating the growling of apes in their natural habitat. Turns out it was just the guard snoring. It's that exciting in Vienna on a Wednesday morning.

However, the most exciting moment came later, when expateek happened upon the stuffed effigies of Dr. Owl's paternal great-grandparents!

IMG_6325 snowy owl m, originally uploaded by ehdindigo.

Imagine the shock! Face to face with Grandma and Grandpa Owl!

As expateek started to think about how she knew their great-grandson, Grandma Owl opened her eyes and said, Oy vey! That one!

IMG_6326 snowy owl f, originally uploaded by ehdindigo.

Hunh? said expateek.

Don't worry, dahlink, I know you're seeing Dr. Seymour Owl. But why you'd pay that little putz anything for his worthless advice, I don't know.

Hunh? said expateek again.

Just because he was born in Vienna, the same birthplace as Sigmund Freud, he fluffs up his feathers and thinks he's so special. Let me tell you, he knows nothingk!

And Grandma Owl blinked angrily.

Oh my God! These birds are talking to me! In the Natural History Museum! thought expateek.


Now maybe I really am nuts!


No, expateek, you've only shown poor judgment in choosing a therapist, said the barn owl sternly.

IMG_6327 barn owl, originally uploaded by ehdindigo.

Next time, don't choose to talk to a Christmas tree ornament when you're seeking enlightenment.

Or stuffed birds in the Natural History Museum, for that matter!

Now run along, expateek, and go look at the butterfly collection. I hear it's absolutely lovely.

Ta ta!



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