Happy Birthday, our October reveling friends!! Personally, I’m Elphaba-green with envy of you all who get to have October birthdays.
Just past midnight, I woke out of the soundest of sleeps to Great-Horned Owls calling loudly outside my window. As if on cue, the season of Jamieween has arrived! On October 31st we will celebrate Jamie’s 45th birthday and if you’re new to the sanctuary, it’s one of the most anticipated celebrations of the year. And you never know what is going to happen (last year the reigning Great Pumpkin Thief was overthrown)!
Jamie is a kaleidoscopic force of life. She is one of the most intelligent, strong-willed, resilient, inspiring, creative, endearingly silly and sometimes, intimidatingly scary individuals I know. The details of Jamie’s childhood are somewhat murky. We do know that she spent the first nine years of her life living with a trainer. And while we can only verify her year of birth, I’m not sure a better day than Halloween could have been chosen to celebrate this amazing woman and her trick or treat ways. Despite everything she’s somehow miraculously survived in her life, she seems to have come out even stronger. Jamie knows her worth as an individual and she tolerates nothing less from those around her.
One of the things I most love about her is that you always know in no uncertain terms where you stand with her. (We’ve written about this often here on the blog, and Anthony recently described in wonderful detail what this can look like). I could not have more admiration for her and while it’s not always easy, it’s nothing short of a privilege to help provide her with a life in which she is heard, her choices matter, and she can “live spherically, in many directions.” (From a favorite Federico Fellini quote of mine).
Happy Birthday, beautiful James! How we love you.
We are profoundly grateful to each and every one of you, October celebrating or not, for being here, for making this special home for 16 chimpanzees, 4 cattle, and a feisty barn cat possible. For making Jamieween possible! Every single day you show up in a myriad of ways, all of which play an invaluable role in their lives, and our lives. You are Pals, and Buddies, you keep our shelves stocked and the chimpanzees’ bellies full, you read/like/share/comment on our posts, you sponsor days of sanctuary to include the chimps in the important days of your lives, you rally in emergencies (I mean, it’s mind-blowing), you help for a day or for years, and you are here, present, standing with us and lifting all our hearts. You are part of a community like no other, as Jenna beautifully shared recently. Please know that we celebrate every one of you every day.
And may I also share happiest of birthday wishes for two very special October celebrating people connected to all our hearts:
Annie’s beautiful daughter, Mariah, will be turning 31 on October 4th! This photo (courtesy of Save the Chimps) is like looking at a younger Annie. Save the Chimps, the Florida sanctuary Mariah thankfully gets to call home, notes on her page that she is a loyal friend…and while she is quiet and reserved, she also has a sassy streak. Moxie!! Just like her mama!
Annie:
Also gratefully residing at Save the Chimps is Negra’s son, Noah, who is turning 33 on October 19th. Good grief, does this handsome guy look like his mama or what?! Noah is noted as being happy and incredibly playful, and that no chimp or human can resist playing with him. Noah and Burrito share the same father, Mack. Mack passed away some time ago and while I didn’t know him, I can’t help but smile at the thought of this connection and their mutual bottomless pit of joyful energy.
Negra:
Wishing you all an enchanted, magical and of course, spooky Season of Jamieween! And now only 31 days until we find out the biggest question. Who will be the Great Pumpkin Thief of 2022?!
