It's Alive!
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Around lunchtime, we went on a Santa Cruz hike and came back to my mother-in-law's accompanied by a banana slug and ladybug. Then we drove the gorgeous stretch of Highway 1 between Santa Cruz and Morro Bay. We were checking in to the very nice Anderson Inn when the following conversation took place:
Innkeeper (finishing check-in process): Oh, and we don't allow pets.
Child: But we have pets!
Innkeeper (wondering if I'm going to try to smuggle an Alsatian upstairs): Really?
Child: Yes! A banana slug and a ladybug.
Innkeeper: [eyes me quizzically]
Child: Oh wait — we let the banana slug go, and the ladybug flew away...now what we have is a bucket of slime.