A Poke, a Threat Bark and some Spit, OH MY!

Sitting down to write this particular blog is proving to be very difficult. So many emotions, all the feels. You know those times when you are so happy/excited/nervous/relived/stillnervous that you just jump up and down and mutter strange noises that sound like words without the vowels? 
That's pretty much how I feel about this Monday with the chimps. 

here's a visual, for reference. 

As we know, I am in Phase 2 of Level 3 training, this is called the "assisting" stage. Essentially I am a puppet and only do what the caregiver with me says I am allowed to do. I don't do anything unless the caregiver instructs me. This is exciting because I get to start interacting with the chimps face to face. *poops pants* 

We start during lunch (I had to finish my last 30 minutes in the observation stage at breakfast, and breakfast is a very high arousal situation. Everyone hasn't eaten since dinner and they are pretty amped up. lots of banging and vocalizations. Not ideal for the chimps or a new caregiver to start the assisting stage with breakfast.) The chimps had corn on the cob, carrots and bananas. All long foods, usually what a trainee starts with so you aren't as close to the caging and you can practice the way you need to hold foods. 

Lets keep in mind here, that I am a new caregiver. I'm inserting myself into the hierarchy, whether the chimps like it or not, and have never served the chimps before. I've been briefed by the staff: 

 * Jamie probably won't take food from you. You're new, and she won't want food you've touched. Don't take it personally. 

*If she takes food, she will probably get upset when you serve anyone else. Since you've never served before, Jamie might think you won't come back around to her with the rest of her servings. And she will let you know. 

*The chimps might not be happy to take food from you. Watch for pokes. 

*Always always offer Jamie food first. She's the alpha and you are new. Its like getting on your boss' good side on the first day. 

*Don't let it scare you when Burrito bangs on the caging at you. He's just really excited to eat. If he rips things from your hand, its usually not aggressive. Just excited. 

*Its a good idea when you are starting out to check in with Jamie when serving if she doesn't want something right away. Let her know you are going to serve someone else and you will be back with more for her. 

*Take your time and practice how to hold your fingers. They will yell at you for being slow, so just tell them what's going on. 

*Keep in mind how close your body is to the caging. We don't want anyone reaching out and pinning you to the cage. 

YOU try keeping that in your head while 7 chimps are all waiting for their food. (that's not even the whole list.) 

Elizabeth served the corn first, to take some anxiety and excitement down with the chimps so they had some food to munch while I *slowly* served some bananas. So there I was, a bowl full of bananas and 7 chimps ready to test me. 

there I am. 

As instructed, I offered my boss Jamie a banana first. Simultaneously the correct and scariest hurdle. Jamie, as I've said before, is the most intelligent chimp at CSNW and loves to give new caregivers trouble. She wants to make sure we know she's in charge and we run things by her before doing them. I was ready for a number of things to happen: 

a) she wouldn't take the food or even acknowledge me. (very common with new caregivers)

b) she would find some poop for me to eat. 

c) she would display and vocalize once I offered the banana.

d) she would simply walk away. 

Offering food to a chimp goes like this: I show Jamie what I have, say "James, do you want a banana?" she nods (or walks away) and I place the banana in the caging and once she has it I let go (or try my luck with another chimp.) Jamie could also choose to not take the banana, and let me offer it to another chimp before becoming loud and aggressive as if to say "I DID NOT SAY YOU COULD OFFER ANYONE ELSE." 

To my utter shock and disbelief, Jamie did exactly what I least expected. She gently took the banana from me. No poking, no threat barks and no poop. I wanted to scream and cry with joy. Jamie was okay with me serving to her. The only parallel I can draw to the human world is getting a promotion. Jamie said I could stay. I quietly said "thanks, James" gave a submissive head nod an said "I'm going to serve Foxie now James, okay?" and moved down to Fox who had her lips through the caging and was blowing raspberries as loud as she could, as if to say "Hello! I'm starving down here!"  

The rest of lunch went shockingly well. Missy, who takes a little longer to warm up to humans got a little upset with me because I was taking a little too long, which was expected. Offering Jamie a chow bag I got a little poke, also expected, spit from Fox and a threat bark from Negra because I'm new and Neggie barks at everyone. 

Neggie's spirit human would have to be Miranda Priestly from Devil Wears Prada. She's terrifying, but she is one of the strongest women you know. 

I could even believe I had served my first meal. I felt like I just got off a roller coaster. Like I was just in a room with 7 individuals I respect more than anyone and all I wanted to do was impress everyone and make sure they were all happy.  SO. MANY. EMOTIONS. 

After lunch, Lisa radioed me to come to the greenhouse. Jamie was letting Lisa groom her, and we were going to see if Jamie would let me step in and do some grooming. *poops pants x2*

Grooming is big in chimp culture. I would equate it to getting your hair done in a small shop in a small town. (insert Steel Magnolia reference here) Its a time to wind down, hear all the gossip with your friends. Chimps are in low arousal, relaxed and trusting of whoever is doing the grooming. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBf9YjuPSo0

I watched Lisa groom Jamie with a stick for a few minutes (video link above) Lisa gave me the tool and got up so we could trade places. The second she stood up, Jamie spun around and grabbed her own tool and looked at me like "Oh no no, I will be doing the grooming around here." Jamie inspected my boot with her stick. Sincerely another big moment of the day, although it might not sound as glamorous as it actually was. Jamie being interested enough to groom me means a lot. I took off my boot, showed her the inside; my socks; and let her groom me until she noticed Ellie (the elk) outside and had to go show her who was boss. 

I served dinner with Katelyn, and this time the chimps had onions, sweet potatoes, peppers and apricots. Katelyn served the apricots first, to release some tension once again and get the most prized item out. I thought I got lucky with lunch with everyone being so nice and easy going for my first meal. Like in the movies when they be-friend the nerd to get what they want. "oh I'll be nice, because you have the food I want. But next time, look out for poop. it's coming." Now I was serving smaller foods and was once again ready for the chimp revolt with a new server. And again to my shock, the chimps handled me serving dinner (slowly, again because of the onions who decided to be slippery bastards.) and all went well! Jamie had a look on her face, I'm not even kidding, that seemed to say "oh hunny. you are so young and inexperienced with serving it's almost laughable. One day you'll learn how to go faster." The pity in her eyes was unmistakable. It may have taken a little longer, but it was a success. Caregiver Katelyn said the chimps seemed very comfortable and relaxed with me, which rarely happens on a trainees first time serving food. 

Longest blog post ever? Oh trust, it will only get worse after more interactions with the chimps. Not sorry. 

here is Burrito (closest to us) and Jody. I love the way Jody relaxes, all sprawled out on one side. Burrito sat down, looked at Jody and took the similar position. Jody knows how to get comfortable, for real. 

My way of decorating the green house after cleaning. Soon the chimps will say "oh great Becca's here. She likes to tie all the blankets on shit." 

In other unrelated news, LFJ and I are writing and illustrating a book on the differences between primates. You know, so maybe I'll stop yelling at small children at the zoo for calling an orangutan a monkey. (Probably not though, I love yelling.)

That is all I have for this week! Stay tuned for what happens next on "Becky becomes a caregiver." (I would watch that TV show.) 

lurb lurb

b

A lovely reader asked
"Why do you say "served" instead of "fed" when talking about the chimps?"

        We say we are "Serving" the chimps because we are there for them. We don't "feed" them like you feed pets, we are feeding them as individuals we work for. Feeding implies that it happens on our schedule, when in reality it's their time and when they want it. (obviously not whenever or else the chimps would over eat and be unhealthy) We ask Jamie if we can serve breakfast, what foods we can serve first and if it's okay to serve an individual. This is their home and we are just living in it. It keeps all our egos small and reminds us why we are here. 

Doing things "The Jamie Way"

If you've been here for a while, you now know Jamie Chimpanzee and that she is the boss. 

I know I've used this picture before, but I just love it so much, I gave it a reprise. (creds to CSNW)

This face will more than likely be my next tattoo; ALL HAIL THE QUEEN. 

Jamie is very much aware of what we say. She understands all too well what we are trying to do and where it ranks on the important scale. She is arguably the most intelligent chimpanzee at CSNW and the more time I spend with the chimps the more obvious that becomes. She is quite the tool maker and user, the first to snatch left over food that was dropped outside the caging and is the first to tell you when you have made a mistake. She can be the most charming chimp in the house and then immediately reverse her request. (ie: she gestures at a piece of food outside the caging she wants, you ask if its okay to pick it up and give it to her, she nods, you pick it up, and she displays and bangs on the caging saying "I did not say you could touch that, ya fool!" 

I can't pick favorites at CSNW because the chimps are all so different from one another and each fill a different part of my little primate heart. But I could admit that Jamie is my favorite to learn from, because every time I'm there she teaches me something about how smart chimpanzees really are. How they really understand situations and projects happening around them.  Today in the chimp house I said "Some days I think Jamie chimpanzee is smarter than me." Caregiver/Volunteer Elizabeth replied "That's how we all feel most days. And don't worry, that feeling will only intensify as you get further in your training." 

Jumping in with both feet I guess. 

So, Doing things the "Jamie" Way, what does that mean? 

WELL I'LL TELL YOU SILLY GOOSE.

In order to clean the chimp areas, we move the chimpanzees from room to room, which involves opening and closing automated doors. When we arrive in the morning the chimps have access to all areas except the hill. We close off the two doors that give access to the greenhouse, and then the humans are allowed in to clean. Usually moving the chimps is a relatively easy process. They are used to the routine of being shifted from place to place and normally in the morning they are already inside, because they know breakfast is coming (and some of the chimps love to watch us make it. aka BURRITO.) 

Today we were done cleaning the greenhouse and playroom and were trying to move on to the front rooms. This is after breakfast has been served, so everyone is pretty much playing and taking a siesta. Usually the chimps are in the playroom scouring for the forage we left (forage in the playroom is typically a small food we just throw around so the chimps will come into the playroom and out of the front rooms so we can close them off.) Rooms 1,3 and 4 were closed off, and Jamie and Jody had taken up camp in room 2. Every time Lisa tried to move the doors, Jamie would throw poop at her. So, we ended up waiting in the kitchen doing laundry and making ourselves a snack until Jamie decided it was okay to leave room 2 and Lisa was allowed to close the doors. This is the Jamie way. Need I more proof that the chimps are the boss around here? I don't think so. 

This is Ellie, a female elk who has taken up residence outside the young's hill electric fence. Ellie walks right up to humans to let them pet her, and has apparently sparked some animosity with the dog of the house. 

Today I was lucky enough to accompany Elizabeth on a walk around the hill with Jamie. Jamie requested we wear boots on our walk, so Elizabeth put one on her hand and I wore one on my foot. Don't worry, Jamie stopped a few times around the hill to check and make sure we still had our boots.  

Jamie usually requests that whoever walks with her around the hill wear a pair of boots, after the walk she likes to inspect and/or groom them. Usually the boots you have on the walk, Jamie will ask for so before the walks we hold up pairs of boots for her to choose, so we don't end up upsetting her when we wear our own boots and she can't have them after the walk. 

After the walk we went into the greenhouse to see if I could observe any interactions between Elizabeth and Jamie, as I am still in the observing stage of Level 3 training. Once again, Jamie said "We are doing it my way" and insisted that she poke my boots, and I had to take off my shoes, and she wanted to groom me instead of Elizabeth. Elizabeth kept saying "Come on James, you can groom my boot. Its really cool. Look at my boot!" and Jamie kept gesturing at my feet and boots. Elizabeth's response: "Well Jamie, Becca isn't in that part of her training but if you groom my boot you can groom Becca's really soon." 

Jamie's response: *turns back to us*

So, it's pretty much Jamie's way or the highway. And when Jamie doesn't get her way, its class dismissed. 

Here's Burrito getting ready for breakfast. SUPER PUMPED. 

L to R here's Jamie , Jody and Neggie getting ready to enjoy some breakfast. 

So that's all for now. I'm almost done with stage 1 of level 3. My next stage is the "assisting" stage where I start to help serve lunch and can be invited to play by a caregiver. EXCITED. 

mew mew.

-b

Getting Spit On- Perks of the Job.

Just because I can, I'm going to start with this picture of Annie, taken from CSNW's website. 

One of Annie's identifiable features is her right ear, which has a notch taken out of it. Her hair on the back of her neck is also almost always standing up, another way to identify her. 

and I just love this photo of her. <3

By now, it should be no surprise that the Cle Elum 7 are exactly that; a group of 7 different beautiful individuals who have 7 different personalities. Just like humans, getting to know people and feel out different personalities is sometimes awkward, and a little stressful. 

In becoming a Level 3, I am at the most basic level, inserting myself into the hierarchy that the chimps already have in place. I'm putting myself at the lowest spot on the totem pole, even lower than that really, until the chimps have accepted me as a part of their group. In the wild, female chimps leave natal groups for new ones, and are either accepted or forced to move on to find another group who will accept them into the hierarchy. Most females are accepted pretty easily, as the males see another partner and usher them right in. Sometimes the alpha male can upset group chemistry by accepting a new female as his own right away, and creating tension between existing females who probably felt like a newcomer came in and stole the highest ranking spot. (usually not likely, as the highest ranking female ain't got time for that. She knows she's still in charge, regardless of new ladies coming in. New ladies also normally pay respect to the existing hierarchy.) 

ANYWAY, being the lowest on the totem pole, I am automatically the target for what I affectionately call "chimp hazing." It's exactly what it sounds like. I'm the least familiar face in the chimp house and when there is tension, anger, or someone just gets bored and needs to remind me who's in charge, I am the first to get hit with whatever. Spit on, poop, etc. Monday was a pretty good day in the chimp house, Jamie was feeling a little angry, but I managed to escape the day without her trying to throw poop on me. Foxie was the one who needed to remind me what was what. 

Here's miss Foxie (or Foxie Lady as I like to call her) taken from the CSNW website again. whoops.  I recognize Foxie mostly by her face. I can't really explain it, but like humans I've been around the chimps long enough that I don't need to look for certain marks like Annie's ear, or the patches of grey hair that Missy has. I can look at Foxie's legs and know its Fox. For the untrained eye you can usually tell it's Fox because she has a troll doll or a dora doll in her had or riding on her back. 

Foxie and I haven't really tested the waters yet with our friendship. She is really close with caregiver K, so they play anytime she is in the chimp house. Foxie was the first chimpanzee to ever spit on me the first time I met the Cle Elum 7 2 years ago. So I guess I can't really be shocked when she spits on me now. Serving lunch and observing Lisa, we were almost about to leave and Foxie gives me one last reminder of where I am in the hierarchy. It wasn't that bad, because usually the chimps will go to the water spigot and fill their cheeks, and then drench you. Fox only had a little spit, but she got me right in the face. As caregivers, we do not react. In sanctuary life, the chimp house is the chimp house. I'm visiting their home. So when they spit or throw poop, we never raise our voices or reprimand them. Lead caregivers usually have a report with Jamie, as she's usually the poop thrower and it sounds something like this: 

"ahh, sorry James! I know I know, but I had to close the door. I'm sorry. Good aim though lady, you got me. You got me good. I'm sorry I'm sorry." 

*walks into human area*

"look alive, Jamie is not having it."

Usually I just give a head nod (a submissive behavior to say I'm not here to cause trouble) and a quiet "sorry" as I've possibly done something to upset a chimp and I'm not allowed to address the chimps directly yet. And move along. Clearly when Foxie spits on you, she's done looking at you. 

Why did I get spit on while just observing lunch? Good question, and your guess is as good as mine. I'm a strong believer in the chimp hazing aspect, and once Foxie and I feel out our relationship I should be safe from getting soaked. I also could have been smiling too much, and smiling in chimp culture is a fear grimace and denotes aggression. I also could have unknowingly used body language that suggested I was threatening; eye contact, making myself bigger, leaning forward towards the caging without being invited, etc. Because it wasn't my first time at the rodeo and I'm pretty good at modified behavior while with the chimps, I'm going to go with chimp hazing as my final answer.  

Sorry for the lack of photos this week, it was a busy monday and I wasn't wearing anything with pockets. for shame. 

The question I've chosen at random this week is: 

"What is your favorite thing to do while visiting the chimpanzees?"

The easy answer is everything! I even love doing the chimp's laundry. 

The actual answer is watching a meal. I can't wait to be able to serve meals, but in the mean time I love sitting out their with them while they eat. There's something so wonderful about 7 smacking mouths and food grunts that makes you appreciate being so close to our closest non-human relative! I also really love making meals and seeing who gets really excited about what food. 

You guys rule the school. 

In other completely unrelated news, we ordered our save the dates this weekend. 

here's a sneak: 

love it love it love it. 

Now I have to figure out how we can incorporate chimps at the wedding. I'm thinking ice sculptures? 

okay, clearly bed time. 

lurv lurv lurv.

B

Monday, Monday.

There are a lot of memes out there about how terrible Mondays are. Like, A LOT. Even though I have to wake up hours earlier than I do for my "9-5" job to drive over the mountains, I love doing it. This morning I left a little earlier than I needed to, so I explored Cle Elum's nature before I got to the chimp house. 

(ignore the butt of my car, so I'm not the best photographer to walk the earth. JUDGE ME.)

I feel very fortunate that my Mondays are spent with 7 of my favorite primates on this earth. 

Anyway, a lot of people ask how boring it is drive over the pass so frequently, and is it hard to stay awake. The easiest answer is yes and no. Annoying right? I'm honestly so excited every time I go to the sanctuary that whether I've slept for 8 hours or 8 minutes, I am pretty awake the whole way over. The worst part (or used to be now) was that the only radio station that comes in once you get to a certain point outside of Seattle, is country. If anyone knows me well at all, you will know my complete hatred for country music. I can't explain why, nothing tragic happened while I was listening to Rascal Flatts one day or anything, I just have never liked country music. Now that Lars and I are sharing a car, he has a fancy little doo-hicky that I can plug my phone into and listen to my spotify (which is mostly EDM and House music, in case you are wondering.)

Lately, in some strange turn of events, I like to unplug my phone and listen to the country that comes in. There's just something about getting into town at 8 in the morning where the speed limit is 25 and listening to country music that just makes you appreciate the nature and quietness around you. I can't even explain it, and it honestly scares the shit out of me, but there you go. I'm digging country music now. *help*

Sanctuary life was pretty normal today, below is breakfast. The chimps usually have a smoothie for breakfast and a few other fruits along with their vitamins and meds if they are taking any at the time. 

 Below from L-R is Annie, Jamie (on the blue chair) and Foxie enjoying some breakfast. 

Because of the water issue today, we did spot cleaning in the playroom. To conserve water we did have we sprayed the areas that were really in need of scrubbing. Below is Neggie's nest. I personally think she is the best at making nests because of all the chimps, she spends the most time sleeping and laying around. Her nests are usually wrapped together so tight that when I move them to clean, they don't come apart. I push them off the edge of the upper platform and it falls and makes a very loud THUD as it hits the ground, Neggie's nests are no joke.  As the oldest member of the group, I think she has the most right to spend her days snoozing.  

Cleaning the playrooms on a nice day is quite the task. Not only is it very warm in there, but I have adorable Burrito watching and waiting to come back inside and see what kind of food forage we have left for him. 

Below is Jamie checking out some streamer in the greenhouse as I clean the playroom. 

 Here is Burrito in the same window as before, only now he's taking a little siesta. 

And here is the lunch I prepared: Bell peppers, tomatoes and sweet potatoes. 

Today was a little weird with the water situation, and the chimps had water bottles to drink out of for most of the morning until the water came back on. Even the way they drink their water is unique and different from one another. Missy drank water from the bottle much like a human, with one hand bringing the bottle to her mouth and pouring some in. Seconds later I watched Annie try a different tactic, putting her mouth over the top of the water bottle and squeezing the water up into her mouth, much like a juice box. I love catching little differences like that in the chimps. 

While observing the chimps today Burrito was displaying, which caused the other chimps to move downstairs in the playroom to leave Burrito upstairs making vocalizations and throwing things around by himself. Every once in a while is vocalizations would get louder, turn into screams and you would see him fly by on the upstairs catwalk; hair standing on end, bipedal and running towards the closest chimp. All the chimps would scatter out of his way and Burrito would become quiet again for a little while only to display and run around some more. Although Burrito is lower on the hierarchy at CSNW he often displays and makes lots of noise and chases the girls around for a few seconds, only to be put back in his place by one of them. Why? I honestly don't know, but if I had to guess I would say he just wants everyone to remember that he's the only dude in the place, and sometimes its hard. :) (I mean, you try being the only guy living in a house with 6 ladies.) 

In Jamie hazing news, no poop has yet to be thrown at me but she did spit water all over me once the water was back and working in the playroom. I'm not allowed to interact with her yet, so while we were observing the chimps she asked for my attention many times and I could do nothing but head-nod at her and continue sitting there. (which is really hard, let me tell you.) so after many times of my no response or play with her, she walked over to the spigot and filled her cheeks and soaked me. Which, I was told was just a "welcome." :) 

Busy busy monday. 

that's all for meow. 

-b

TCOB- Takin' Care of Business.

Well, now that we are all caught up on my not so lucky May, lets get back to business. 

After what feels like forever but is actually not even close, I have finally reached level 3 training at Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest (CSNW)! I honestly could not be more excited. The past 6 months I was in Phase 1 of Level 3 training, and this phase consists of 
*Readings (general chimp knowledge and background)
*Observation (caregivers verbally explaining what they are doing/how they are interacting with the chimps)
*Tests (quizzes and knowledge on the Cle Elum 7 themselves, and general chimp trivia.)

Last week I took the tests and passed! (PRAISE BUDDHA) 

I know what you are thinking:
"But Becca, why were you worried about passing the tests? Don't you know everything ever about chimps and primates?" 
*blushing*
Why thank you kind loved one, to think I know everything! LAWLS. I definitely don't know everything there is to know about chimps and primates, every one of them has their own personality, its like saying I know everyone in the United States and what their favorite ice cream flavor is. (for those of you who like mint chocolate chip, I like you more.) I was worried about the tests because I have this weird test taking problem ever since college. In school, specifically with Anthropology, the one thing I really really cared about doing well in I would get horrible test anxiety and second guess every question and panic like a small child lost in the mall of america. 
And because I care about the chimps and the sanctuary more than nearly everything else, taking the test was a little rough. 

(pretty much me)

SO. Now I am officially in Phase 2 of Level 3 training, which is broken up into 5 sub sections. (LORD) In approximately 6 months (give or take) I will be a Level 3 caregiver! I'll have more updates and pictures after monday, my next shift. 

On June 2nd I ventured into Seattle with LFJ to listen to Lissa Ongman talk about her work with chimps. 

(Above is Lissa at the CCC located in Guinea)

She is a pretty awesome person in Seattle doing some amazing things in the non-human primate community. The CCC (Chimpanzee Conservation Center) is a rehabilitation center in Guinea who help raise orphaned chimpanzees and release them back into the wild. One of 2 programs in the world to do so. 

I simultaneously love and hate her. She's definitely someone to look up to; having traveled to the CCC at 23 and for the last 10 years has been watching and helping chimps grow up and venture back into the wild. 

cough cough (dream life) cough. 

In my own sanctuary news, I am currently brainstorming a name and location. Two major steps that seem easy enough, but once you start its REALLY FUCKING DIFFICULT. For example: 

"I love Washington with all my heart and soul but the weather could be warmer more often for the chimps somewhere else.." 

and 

"Well I love Great Chimpanzee Project (horrible name and literally just made up on the spot, not a real option I assure you.) but The Center for Great Apes is already in Florida and I want the name to stand out but not be too weird.." 

and 

"Do I want to rescue just chimps? what about monkeys? maybe chimps and gorillas? all great apes? no monkeys?..."

I feel a little like Alice falling down the rabbit hole, but in the best most exciting way. 

In completely unrelated news, a dear friend/boss/coffee shop owner/work mom took our engagement photos. 

*squeals*

It was a perfect example of a regular day in my life: 

I had worked at the sanctuary all day, on a particularly rough day; Jamie just so happened to be in a grumpy mood and was throwing poop at the caregivers. I thought "of course, the one day I want to look a little nice I'm going to get covered in poop." 

ALAS , the gods were looking down on me that day and I escaped poop free, but trying to get home was no simple task either. I-90 was backed up all the way to Cle Elum and there I was: 78 degrees out, no water in the car because I was in such a hurry and one box of the driest cheez-its in all the land. (1st world problems, am I right?)

And yet somehow I managed to get home, do something with the birds nest on my head, put a dress on and Mama Finca captured my favorite pictures of Lars and I to date. 

Funny how things work out, huh? 

That's all for meow! 

(don't forget to check out chimpsanctuarynw.org/blog for updates on my chimpanzee family. 

LURV.

-b

Accidental Sabbatical.

Oh my lord.

Is anyone there? I wouldn't blame you for leaving, I have neglected this little baby for over a month! Shame on me! During my sabbatical I have experienced some things and learned to look at certain things another way, so I'll just take a moment to update yall and get back to chimping in a few days.

I was in my first car accident. I'm not talking a dented bumper or losing my keys; my sweet baby grandma car is dead. Totaled and dead, thanks to a large truck who decided to turn in front of me, while I was on my way home from work. It was actually pretty terrifying, if I'm being honest.  As soon as I realized what had happened, all of those terrible horror movie scenes came flying into my head, you know, where you see the car leaking fluid and a fire starting and all the doors are smashed and locked so whoever is in the car is about to blow up. Yeah, that happened. So, now my fiance and I have decided to be a one car family, for the time being. I have to say, it's pretty nice sharing a car. He has a motorcycle so I get to take the fancy car to work. so much swag yall, so much.

Anyway, inside my totaled car was my baby laptop, and the impact from the accident smashed the screen and it has also died. So, I have commandeered LFJ's laptop for the few times I need to use it, and not having any time to devote to this guy, I decided that NOW IS THE TIME. 

In dealing with the accident, and all of the paperwork, lawyer, blah blah that goes with it I've learned a lesson that has taken me 22 years to learn. A lesson I thought I already had down, understood. Life is on it's own timeline. Some humans (aka me) grow up thinking that we can control everything, we just choose what to control. I could control everything with my sheer will and pocketbook, but I only choose to focus on A.B and C, blah blah.  My planner is divided into 15 minute increments, I'm always minimum 30 minutes early to everything and I schedule my free time. I thought I had it down. Then BOOM, I get into an accident, I no longer have a car or mode of transportation to get me anywhere I need to go whenever I need to get there, and all of the sudden I am THANKFUL. yeah, thankful to have a huge inconvenience in my life. I woke up and realized that I was wasting so much of my life planning and not actually doing. Life is to be lived in the now, not in 10 minutes, not in 10 days, not in 10 years.The problem with humans is that we think we have time. (Buddha said that, am I right?) We save money because we want to go to blank in 10 years, but then 10 years rolls around and we are busy with something else and we put off our goals and dreams for another 10 years. And before we even know it, we are 97 getting ready to leave, re-living all the things we did and didn't do.  So in the matter of a month I got tickets to concerts I've wanted to go to, bought home organizational things I've been wanting, emailed people who I've always wanted to talk to about working with and quit jobs that I have been hating instead of complaining about them and taking each day as it comes, not planning for it. WHAT? 

disclaimer: I'm not like dropping all my money on Ikea furniture and exotic trips to Utah or anything, I am, after all, getting married soon and working on opening my own sanctuary so I'm keeping most of my money tucked away. But if we aren't having some fun every day, then what's the point?

No matter how much you plan, or how many details you square away you can still be on your way home and total your car. Although the paperwork, doctors appointments, PT and such is enough to make me want to hide in my room forever, I'm (in a very weird way) glad it happened. It probably sounds bat shit if you have never been in the situation before, but I promise I haven't lost it. Yet, anyway. :) Although I did register for a 5k and I don't even run to the dinner table so... maybe help?

SO: Here's to a summer of 
* using my actual camera more than my iphone.
* only doing things I want to do, and enjoy doing. 
* hiking everything on my "hike this shit" list. 
* more chimp time than ever before (and getting Jamie to like me.) 
* HAVING SOME GODDAMN FUN


So there it is. What I've been doing for the last month-ish. 
In the next few days I'll update about the sanctuary, and how I PASSED MY TESTS AND AM NOW OFFICIALLY A LEVEL 3 CAREGIVER IN TRAINING. 
(yeah, I'm pretty fucking pumped,) 

For the first time in a long time, I am so in love with my life and everyone/everything in it. 

I'll be back soon. I must sleep for I am exhausted. 
meowmeowmeow

-b

The upstairs corner window.

When cleaning the chimp areas, the chimps are moved into a different place, often with a meal, the doors are closed and locked and the humans are okay to enter and scrub. In a weird way, I like cleaning the chimp enclosures. I like seeing the nests and how they are made, what they do with the enrichment and how they choose to spend their time. I love finding where Foxie leaves her trolls, inside/on top of things. I also like to try to guess who's nest is who, which is sometimes easy if you've seen the chimps in one place earlier that morning (ie, Neggie is almost always under the east facing window wrapped in her blankets with just her face poking out.)

When we are cleaning the play room, on the second floor there is one window in particular that I could sit at all day just to observe everyone eating. It's a great view of the chimps chowing down, and sometimes someone happens to be sitting in the window on the other side eating breakfast. (I've only seen Missy there, and she is not used to me yet as she looked over her shoulder at me and continued eating.) I was lucky enough to get a few shots of the chimps while eating breakfast.

   This is miss Annie, waiting to get some breakfast. Where the grapefruit skin is sitting is where the chimps can sit.

The next two are Mr. B, enjoying some grapefruit. 

And of course, Negra. The oldest chimp at CSNW.

Because I am still training for Level 3, I have not gotten to interact much with the chimps one on one yet, so sitting at this window is often some of my favorite moments at the sanctuary. When I'm cleaning, the chimps can see me and know where I am, and they are often aware of where I am at all times. While they are eating, they are pretty focused on the food and I can sit at the window for a few minutes and observe how they interact with each other. 

I wish I had my phone with me while cleaning the greenhouse this day, because as we were cleaning Jamie popped up in the same window I usually observe from, and watched us clean the greenhouse. The best part about this was she had taken a scarf from the playroom and tied it around her neck, in a little knot, probably how your grandmother would tie a scarf on. I leaned over to caretaker Lisa and said "Look at Jamie, she looks so good in that scarf. Tied in a bow, like a classy, working woman would tie a scarf." 

Just because it was adorable, here is a troll doll for Foxie that someone sent to the sanctuary. 

SO CUTE RIGHT? Fox would have loved it! (We couldn't give Foxie this baby, as it was really squishy, and if they are too squishy Annie will eat them.) 

I'm continuing to read more and more about different chimps and different sanctuaries and I am never left any less motivated to open my own sanctuary to give as many chimps as I can a few final years of peace. Reading stories about chimps with PTSD, anxiety so bad they rip their own fingers and toes off when they are experiencing high stress, and the list goes on and on I assure you. Thus begins the process of writing grants, meeting with real estate agents and working my way to opening my first chimpanzee sanctuary. 

PHEW MOTIVATION. sometimes it just hits ya, am I right? 

so, if you are reading this and have a facebook, please like Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest and learn about my non-human primate family. <3

all the love, 
B