One year ago today, staff were waiting at the Chimp House, glued to our phones waiting for every update from J.B., Diana, and Dr. Erin as they were driving up from Southern California following a well air conditioned trailer carrying six new friends we were all desperately waiting to meet. At that point we have heard all about them, but I don’t think anything could have really prepared us for these six individuals about to pull up the driveway. Upon first sight those of us who had been waiting had fell and fell hard in love with them.
I remember Lucky was actually the first one from that group I had met. I helped offload her from the trailer and got her ready to enter her new home. She had a fear grimace, which to be fair, I would too in a new situation like this, not knowing what was happening or why it was happening. I let out a few breathy pants to her and gave her some reassurance and her grimace faded away. The door then lifted and Lucky entered her new home. Then one-by-one the rest entered their new home: Dora, Gordo, Terry, Rayne, and last but definitely not least, Cy.
That entire day seems like forever ago since they have been considered a part of this family. It feels like they have always been a part of our lives, yet the calendar does indicate it has been only one year(!). To commemorate their celebration, we threw a party with some of the greatest hits from parties this past year: oatmeal with berries, fingerling potatoes, tomatoes, heads of baby iceberg lettuce, and young coconuts.
Here are some of the photos from today:
Cy:
Dora:
Gordo:
Honey B:
Willy B:
Even Missy’s Group got to celebrate!
Missy:
Jody:
Though he wasn’t able to participate because he is still recovering, Burrito was up and about and already playing games today! And he got extra attentions from caregivers!
When I arrived in the morning, I went in to check on him. He was still pretty sleepy, but gave some very soft Bronx cheers, and played a game of tag, albeit while laying down.
After some time, he was up and about and ready for some visitors, which he did get throughout the day.
Happy anniversary to the six! So glad they’re with us.
Oh, I was starting to worry out here on the other coast!
Thanks for the Bubupdate, Chad, and the wonderful video!
Kudos to whomever had the courage to get the super closeup of Cy, his look of frustration, and those prehensile lips in action! You were risking a poke there!
I’m loving this group and their bunny hops, Dora leading the conga line, and I think that’s the funniest picture of Farmer Jo that I’ve ever seen!
I kept checking my e-mails too. It’s hard to believe how far they’ve come in a year. I have to wonder what grass feels like for the first time. I watched an older video from Project Chimps and one of them was too uncomfortable to venture outside. At that time she had stayed in for two years. I hope she has finally felt the grass!
What a happy celebration! Great video and pictures! I was concerned when the blog was so late but it was well worth the wait. You guys really know how to throw a party!
had to watch it again!:blush:
Li’l Dora says the coconut is so good, you have to slap the table!
Yeah we fell in love at first sight what a gift for all of us. Looked like another fun party, good job on the catering goodies again. I wonder if the California caregivers showed them some dancing moves to music which prompted the bunny hops and head bobbing? When you have the grove you just go for it!
Wow a year already. The team at CSNW have done so much for them in one year. Fantasic new forever home, three new chimp friends and loads of TLC.
In the next year you will give them a huge outside space to explore!
I very much admire all that you do. Well done all the CSNW team.
Great party Chad, it is good to see Willy B. has learned to crack open his coconut…a while ago he was playing soccer with it to get it open and got very frustrated when that did not work.
I was wondering: did we celebrate the arrival of HoneyB., Willy B. and Mave every year, like we do with the Cle Elum 7, and now with the Lucky 6?
Maybe make it the date they became a family of 9, one succesful intergration to celebrate every year.
Oh Chad! What a fun video to watch! I felt as if I was there with all of you. Thank you.
First and oh so most importantly, it was good to see to Mr. B up and about visiting with his pal Jamie. When you have a tooth pulled that has a root the size of Mt. Everest the recuperation is slow and painful (as I learned first hand with a past dog of mine). Blow him a kiss from me.
On to the festivities! Happy 1 Year Home to the “Lucky Six”!! Has it really been a year?! Like Keith said above, you and the chimps have accomplished so much during this time it feels as if it has been much longer. Found myself a little teary eyed realizing all the firsts they have experienced this year. And I forgot that they arrived during that record breaking heatwave!
Todays celebration was a hit! Love the oatmeal fruit cups, especially Lucky trying to lick every last bit of flavor the paper cup held! Laughed when Honey B waltzed past the lettuce head a fingerling potato! But you could tell she was on a mission to find something special. I melted over Dora and her joy over eating the coconut! And Cy too! The curl of his lips as he works to crack the darn thing sipping all the spilled sugar water off the floor. And, did the boys (Terry and Willy B) ever invite Mave to play in their Fort Wall game?! She was just swaying and waiting for an “in”.
Yes. I am honored to have the Lucky Six and ALL of you in my life. (And that includes all the chimps from WW, especially the last two groups awaiting their soon-to-be-transports to their new sanctuary homes and all the amazing people who care for them.)
What a fabulous post, Chad! Wonderful photos. Probably enough to satisfy everyone.
I swooned with your story of your first meeting with Lucky.Little details do plump up a story, but I was touched by how you saw her in discomfort and stepped in to reassure her. So very sweet of you.
Thanks so much, Chad, for this wonderful video of celebration! Their process of going from trepidation to curiosity to now being settled in and with 3 new friends for their group has really been a remarkable year. I recall watching the video of their journey over and over and being tearful with gratitude each time. I felt the same way when Honey B, Mave and Willy B made their journey. What a journey their lives have been to their forever home. All the new things we’ve learned and observed about each of them are wonderful including, among others, Gordo sitting on/in boxes, his adorable bunny hops, Cy’s very pensive magazine perusals, Dora’s adorable self giving Terry the heave-ho when she’s not interested in his “intentions”, their integration with the 3 — what a wonderful year it’s been. And something I noticed as I followed along in the hallway with the food cart — a leafy green plant up on a ledge, an ivy I think!!! As if ya’ll don’t have enough to care for, attend to, be proactively aware of!!! There’s an indoor plant in your midst!!! I am just bowled over by this simple image. The day I “accidentally” learned of the existence of the sanctuary was truly a red-letter day for me and I’m grateful every day for that moment.
Chad thank you for the awesome video. I remember the day they arrived there. I’m so glad they came to such a wonderful place. Happy anniversary to the six and what a wonderful party they all had. I see they all have different techniques with those coconuts it’s so heartwarming to watch all of them enjoy themselves so much. Thank you to everyone who made this possible.
So very happy to hear about Burrito doing better and hope he will be back with his friends and family soon.