Jasper was hit by a car and left on the side of the road for dead and as soon as I saw him I knew we had to adopt him. Lars will readily tell you that I would adopt every animal who needed a home if I could, and it was no surprise to anyone when I came home one day after getting my haircut and said "So I may have adopted us another child..." without asking Lars first. whoops.
The transition, as with all introductions, has been a little rough. We are on the other side of it now I think, everyone is getting along 90% of the time with some disagreements here and there. Raleigh just wants to play with him and Butters hates everything about him. Specifically when I'm petting him and not her. I raised a sassy one.
So now in our tiny one bedroom home, we share the bed with 3 babies. Who, luckily, never all sleep on it at the same time.
Also, we are less than 2 months from #jorgensenwedding2015! HOLY POOOOOP. And I can feel the anxiety rising, let me tell you what. Not so much for the actual day itself, I've been waiting to marry Lars for almost a decade now but the details. There is so much shit to keep track of it's sincerely ridiculous. Center pieces, catering, how do we get here, where do we put this, etc. LIKE WHAT. I hate weddings. Seriously. I've said it from the beginning- a money pit. An industry designed to put you in debt for a 8 hour event. *eyeroll* What I'm trying to say is, hire a fricken wedding planner. Spend the money. I wish I would have. Now I'm drawing some wedding ground plans, getting centerpieces made and NOT DIETING TO FIT IN MY DRESS. because that is the dumbest shit I've ever heard.
BUT I AM EXCITED THO. I'm excited to spend a week with my dearest friends before hand, in the most beautiful place in WA, getting ready for an amazing day of love! All those pesky details are trying to distract me! turds.
Lars and I are having a CSNW/Tanzania inspired wedding, thanks to the Cle Elum 7 and our approaching travels. The only redeeming quality of being bogged down by details- at least they are chimp focused!
This week, a truly remarkable feat happened that has resulted in "June 22- Becca and Neggie BFFL day."
I wouldn't say that Neg and I have a complicated history, more of a small one. Negra isn't one to play chase or hand tickle. If you walked into the sanctuary on any given day, you'd probably find her in her spot on the catwalk under the window napping in her nest. It's her home, so she can do what she wants. The few times Negra moves quickly is when a meal is about to happen. After the meal she heads right back to her nesting position. Not a bad way to live, I must say.
I came in on Monday morning and did my usual rounds. A quick "good morning" to all the chimps. Usually I only get to see B and James, as they are inside watching who is in the human area. Jamie will start to groom my boots, and we get so wrapped up in that that I don't get to see everyone else until breakfast. Monday I said a quick hello to James and went out to the greenhouse to see who was there. Foxie was laying on her back with a baby on her belly minding her own business, and I walked to the upper section of the greenhouse to find Miss Negra ready and (not so patiently) waiting for breakfast. To my shock, she stuck her lips out through the caging for a hand kiss. It took me a few seconds to realize what was happening- Neg and I have had maybe 1 other contact (outside of meal interactions) in the 3 years I've been there. I sat down and said "I can have a kiss Neg?" and she continued to stick her lips out. I put the back of my hand up to the caging and got a kiss! I put my hand down, and Neg asked for another one, sticking her lips back through! I took a second kiss on the hand from her, said a very loving "thanks Neg!" and started to stand up. She then turned around and pushed her back up to the caging, asking for some grooming. Shocked, again, wondering if that's what she was actually asking for; I picked up a stick and said "okay Neg I'll groom you if you want." and sat for a few minutes picking through her hair. Then Annie came up to say hello, I said "thanks Neg!" and gave Annie some hand tickles and went to finish up getting breakfast ready.
I ran back into the human area to tell the staff of my experience, because they also know Neg isn't giving out hand kisses for free like B does. She doesn't let people groom her that often, and a good amount of the time she will quickly threat bark and try to poke you once you start, as though she forgot that she asked for grooming, or quickly changed her mind. This was such an amazing interaction that now we have a bffl day.
It's such a milestone to share these interactions with Negra, who in my opinion is the hardest to create a relationship with. I'm truly thankful that she is opening up to me, and understands my relationship with her is a positive and healthy one. So thankful for this experience, and I hope Neggie and I will have many more.
I bought Jamie and I matching boots, and she was moderately impressed. In her defense, Lars was there that day and she was very invested in who he was and what he was doing. I can't really blame her though.. :)
<3
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