Jamie has rules. These rules are created for the humans and as such we are expected to follow them, without question, no shortcuts. These rules are created by Jamie and are subject to change without notice. We’re just along for the ride. 🙂
The past couple of days the chimpanzees cannot get enough of Young’s Hill! Reminiscent of summers past, Jamie has been taking near constant spins around the hill, accompanied by her human caregivers and delightfully, many of the other chimpanzees. The daytime temperatures have been hovering in the low to mid 30’s and somehow this has completely invigorated them all. Perhaps they know what’s on the horizon, literally, as at this point snow is due to start tonight and stick around off and on for the next week at least. But I digress. Back to the rules.
As many of you may know, Jamie often asks us to fetch the utility Gator to race with her around the hill. She used to like the humans to ride in the Gator while wearing her boots. But with me at least, this rule has changed a bit into wanting to have one human drive the Gator AND one human run with her ahead of the Gator. Though it’s always been the obvious rule that the Gator never wins these races, she’s adjusted the rule more recently to seemingly want to run away from the Gator, well ahead of it reaching her and her human companion. Now here’s a specific scenario where she gets very specific with her rules:
Jamie and Burrito will be racing up the hill with two caregivers. Half way up the hill Jamie will decide one of the humans needs to return to the barn and fetch the Gator. She indicates this by walking back down the hill, looking toward the barn and shaking her fist. Jamie speak for “Go get the Gator!” “Now!” She will rarely be deterred from this. Next rule is the absolute.very.second one human leaves to fetch said Gator, Jamie looks at the other human as if to say, “Ruuuunnn!!!” and you are expected to RUN and get as far ahead of the Gator as possible before it even leaves the barn. (Unfortunately for this human, this is also the uphill part). This reminds me a little bit of those silly old games where you’re trying to see how fast you can unlock your door as you pretend a murderer is after you. You know that game, right? No? Well, anyway…
And what if the humans try to skip the rules? Well, you’re going to have to go back to the beginning and do it right. After several runs up and around the hill, this human tried to take a short cut at one point and hitch a lift on the Gator with Chad, at least for uphill portion. We went a short distance, then Jamie abruptly stopped, turned around and marched us back down the hill to the starting point where she gestured for me to get out of the Gator and then run with her ahead of it! Humans need a lot of supervision. At least this one, I guess.
We never know for sure what’s going on in that brilliant, kaleidoscopic mind of hers, but we couldn’t be more thrilled to get to tag along.
As I revved the Gator (because that’s the most exciting part) and did my best to drive steady, poor Chad was tasked with capturing this wild, blur of a woman from the passenger seat and somehow managed capturing her in all her crazy excited, hair-standing on end, charging across the hill glory:
As Anthony accurately put it today while looking at this photo, Jamie is a hurricane of a chimp woman. Indeed she is. And we love her so. What a privilege to be caught up in her wild winds with her.
The construction guys are working so hard to get the roof on before the snows fly and watched us storming around the hill again and again. I can only imagine what goes through their minds. They asked who ended up winning. Of course, we all know the answer to that. 🙂
Cara says
What a great story and pictures!
Marcia says
What a funny and heartwarming story Katelyn! Jamie is so cool! I love hearing about the detail in her expectations and organization of the humans. She has developed her managerial skills over time and is clearly an expert now. The pictures are fantastic and really capture her spirit. The first photo is wonderful. She looks so happy.
Sherry says
I don’t think this story could have made me any happier!!
Kathy says
Thank you for this wonderful post. You painted a descriptive picture with your words. And the pictures were perfect. That first one of Jamie, the stance before the bolt, is exciting. Thank you!!!
PatC says
Great story! That top picture says “I. AM. The Boss.” to me. That picture plus the 1st paragraph made my day. Here’s to you uphill runs, Katelyn!
Marya says
What a fabulous description of this adventure, Katelyn. Even the very first photo of her shows her sly, cagey side. Her expression looks a little mischievous, like “What can I get them to do for me today-Ha-ha!!?” Jamie has a very old soul (I think they all do, but hers is different to me somehow) and I think about her a lot, actually. Thank you for this wonderful sharing of these activities today — It’s almost possible to feel like I was there participating due to the wonderfully visual play-by-play you’ve shared. Maybe she’ll be too tired tonight to look at her books!
John Joseph O'Brien says
I love that top picture of Jamie! Would love to have a copy of that one and any similar ones of the other chimp family.
Deanna says
This is one of my favorite stories yet!!! What a fun time and what a privilege!!! Love love love this!!!
CeeCee says
Thank you for the great story and pictures today.
It’s really Jamie’s world, we’re just lucky to be living in it 🙂
margaret says
Well that’s plenty of exercise for everyone.
margaret says
In Australia it’s 200pm (daylight saving)on a hot sunny day and I should be putting the washing on the line!
Linda C says
Lol, now imagine it happens multiple times each day!
Kathleen says
“Jamie is a hurricane of a chimp woman. Indeed she is. And we love her so. What a privilege to be caught up in her wild winds with her.” To this I reply, be still my beating heart.
Once again you brought the moment to life right before my eyes. I can just imagine the look on Jamie’s face as her expressions tells you to “ruuuunnn!!” up the hill. So very funny. Chad’s photos capture the beautifully fierce athletic essence that is Jamie. I just love this chimpanzee woman.
I saw your weather forecast for this week and all could I think about was how happy Burrito will be. : )
CarolR says
Ha! Ha! Don’t you just love this beautiful, intelligent girl? She’s turned the tables on the first part of her life…..no more cramped terrible cage but the freedom to run and fresh air she deserves. And without one word of human language, she has ‘her’ humans doing exactly as she wants, not the other way round. What a character! The look of determination on her face from Chad’s life threatening photos outside and the smile on the inside one…..she knows how to get what she wants. Go Jamie!
Pat Malcolm says
Jamie’s humans must simply go home and collapse at night!
Elaine Reininger says
Oh my, what a hoot this blog was. I am amazed at how she communicates her demands. And you caretakers are so wonderful to do exactly what you are told. We can all appreciate the difference between what Jamie has now and the horrible windowless small cage she lived in for most of her life. Brava Jamie, you keep those humans under control. Love Ya so—oooo–oo much.
Linda C says
Um…nope, just you, sis! XD ;P
It must be listed in the job requirements: be able to sprint uphill. Bless you guys for humoring her in her new game!
Chad, amazing pics! You caught both the “stomp stomp” AND the spring launch!