We’ve got some contented chimpanzees on our hands today.
Jody:
Foxie with Dora:
Annie with a troll doll:
Burrito:
In Memory of Dane Yaguchi
Today is sponsored by Marcia Douthwaite and Marcia’s friends and colleagues at the University of Washington Department of Neurology in loving memory of Marcia’s son, Dane, who passed away a few weeks ago after a long illness. Dane’s birthday would have been celebrated today. Dane and Marcia shared a love for all primates and Marcia says that photos and videos of the Cle Elum Seven brought both of them great joy during Dane’s last few weeks. We’re so touched at this tribute and we’re all thinking of you, Marcia.
Foxie needs you
I don’t think anything will ever replace troll dolls in Foxie’s heart, but Dora the Explorer has come a close second lately. While we have hundreds of troll dolls thanks to generous supporters, our Dora supply is touch and go. If you have any Dora dolls who are looking for a good home, email us at [email protected], and we’ll tell you how to get them to Foxie.
A quiet moment
Jody’s still recovering from her birthday revelry. Jackie just caught her in a quiet moment with a troll doll on the bench in one of the front rooms.
Celebrating Jody and all moms
Today’s joint Mother’s Day/Jody’s birthday celebration has been one big loungefest (just like Jody likes it). The weather is gorgeous today (high 70s/low 80s) and the chimpanzees have spent the majority of the morning and afternoon in the warm greenhouse foraging, grooming, and going through gift bags – with breaks for leisurely excursions onto Young’s Hill, of course.
We normally limit the number of blankets we put out in the chimps’ enclosures each day to the maximum number that we can wash in a day. Today, though, in honor of the birthday gal’s love of relaxation, we threw caution to the wind and put out all the blankets we could find. Jody couldn’t be happier (see photos at the bottom of this post of her nesting with a few of them).
Annie found a new necklace in a gift bag:
Foxie kicked back with a new troll near the raceway to Young’s Hill:
Negra pondered a while before committing to going out…
…but she eventually took the plunge.
Missy, Jody, and Annie (l-r) checked out the hill from the raceway while Foxie took it easy:
The birthday girl spent much of the afternoon sifting through gift bags and inspecting new toys from her favorite reclining position. Eventually all this activity took its toll. Here she is mid-yawn:
Thanks so much to Robbi and Dick Brown and Rita Stevenson for the party goods, to everyone who has donated today (if you haven’t had a chance, there’s still time!), and of course to all the moms, who make the world go ’round.
Happy birthday, Rena!
Today is Rena Schwartz’s birthday and Melissa Pendleton has sponsored the day in celebration. Sponsoring a day of care for the chimpanzees in a friend’s or loved one’s name is such a thoughtful way to spread the love. Annie, Burrito, Foxie, Jamie, Jody, Missy, Negra, and all of their humans at CSNW wish you the happiest of birthdays, Rena!
Here’s Jamie checking out a gift bag at one of Foxie’s birthday parties:
Play as therapy
Foxie is the peacekeeper of the Cle Elum Seven. She often goes out of her way during conflicts to try to calm everyone down. Yesterday Jamie seemed to be feeling a little cranky and restless, and Foxie cheered her up by initiating a wrestling game.
