I'd like to be, under the sea........

In the past few weeks we have made multiple trips to the Pittsburgh Zoo. The primary reason is that because of my membership the trips are basically free. We enjoy the zoo, and in my energy-deficient state, there is just enough balance between walking and resting that I can handle it.
I have been going to this Zoo since Crispian was a little guy. For several years we've walked through the aquarium and strained to try to get some kind of look at the octopus. Every time we were there, this creature would be balled up in a far corner, practically indistiguishable from its imitation surroundings.
Lately, though, we have gotten to see it move around--on the glass, around the tank. Amazing. I have some pictures that aren't among the greatest, but you can see how cool an octopus is. I'm not sure why the apparent change (apparent to us---maybe others have a different experience). One time another zoo patron told me that a zoo keeper had told him that the ocotopus was responding well, stimulated even, by human touch. I have also noticed during our last visit that a few squeezy bath toys were in the tank with him.