Talking with Monkeys

Our family has a fascination with monkeys.  Mr. Lincoln has often said that he would like to get a chimpanzee, dress him up, and take him to church.  He just wants to see what the children's ministers would say.  Frankly, I do not think that would be a hard thing to figure out.  I suspect, "no monkeys allowed," would become "policy" at children's church.   Not being one big on "policies" at church, still, I would definitely support a "no monkeys" directive. 

Jenny, the precious one who now lives in Minnesota, loves monkeys.  Her favorite was her Monkey George, known to most of the world as Curious George.  She carried her Monkey George everywhere she went.  In an effort to not have to carry a big stuffed animal everywhere, her mom gave her a Baby George.  Actually, she has several Georges, with a Boots thrown in for good luck.  I once took her to TPAC to see Curious George Live!!   Two Monkey Georges attended with us; they did not require tickets.  We enjoyed the first half, but at intermission Jenny asked if we could go home.  Being the sensitive hostess that I was, I informed her that we would not be leaving until the show was over.  I certainly wanted to be sure that I got my money's worth.  I think she ended up enjoying the second half of the show.  I mean, we had to find out if the Man in the Yellow Hat found George in Italy.   Spoiler alert....he did.

When Jenny and her family moved to Minnesota I wrote her letters every Wednesday.  Sadly, this did not last but a few months, but during that time, I bought a monkey, named her Matilda, and encouraged her to write letters to the Davis Monkeys.  When Jenny, at age 5, received the first letter from Matilda she asked her mother, "who does that?"  Matilda began to take on a life of her own.  She traveled with me, sort of like a Flat Stanley, and sent postcards or pictures to the Davis Monkeys from her "many" travels. 

Matilda attended the World's Longest Yard Sale the first year Sheri, MP and I went.  Bathrooms are scarce (plenty of port-a-potties ~ only in dire emergencies, please)  so the girls and I stopped at the Beaumont Inn in Harrodsburg, KY for a brief respite.  Matilda asked if she could play the piano, and of course, I got a pic to send to Jenny.  One of the many things I love about Jenny is that she realizes the ridiculousness of these activities, yet she just plays right along.  I am never quite sure if she does it for her own enjoyment or for mine.  Jenny replied to one of the earlier letters Matilda sent.  She wrote: DEAR MATiLDA i SHER WANT TO MEET YOU i LiKe YoR RED BOW AND NiSE UMBRELLA.  I had told her that it was hot here and that Matilda was seeking shelter under the gourd leaves...gourds that came from Jenny's yard.  She decided on her own to call it an umbrella. 

When I came home from Minnesota after having surgery, my brother, Sam came by to visit.  He brought me a little gift...something to eat, but I cannot remember exactly what, and, you guessed it ~ a monkey.  Matilda now has a friend with which to interact when they are home alone.  





Unless you think this blog and our family's activities cannot get even more ridiculous, just wait.  MP decided that she wanted her baby to have a 3 1/2 foot sock monkey.  What better way over the days, weeks, and months to tell how the baby is growing than to take his or her picture by a huge sock monkey?   3 1/2 foot sock monkeys are not cheap.  $80 was the best price I could find for the one she wanted.  His name is Sammy.  The company names them all.  So, I bought Sammy from Amazon and had him shipped to my house.  He was uncomfortably crammed into a box with his feet up over his head.  When I unpacked him, Sammy had a dirty spot on his face.  Now, I cannot give a dirty-faced monkey to my grandchild.  I told Mr. Lincoln that I would have to send Sammy back.  He was incredulous.  "How can we send him back?  If he's dirty and won't come clean, then the company won't be able to sell him, and probably they will euthanize him.  Do you want that on your conscience?"  Well, no, I did not, so I tried to clean Sammy up, but no matter what I tried I could not get the spot off his face.  What to do?  What to do? 

There was only one option.  We had to buy another Sammy.  MP wants one for her baby.  We cannot give her a dirty one.  So, I purchased another 3 1/2 foot red sock monkey.  Now we have 7 feet of sock monkeys.  In an effort to keep Sammy a secret from MP, as she is often at our house, we put the 2 Sammies in the top of a closet facing each other so that they could communicate, and not feel lonely.  Seriously, we are educated people, but as my friend Martha would say, "we just ain't rite!"  Finally, the day arrived for the Sammies to come out of the closet.  Clean Sammy to be wrapped to be given at MP's baby shower.  Dirty Sammy ~ can you call a baby's stuffed toy Dirty Sammy ~ nope, he's known as DS now, is now resting peacefully in the crib until Baby Henderson needs it.  He was huge help to me yesterday as I put the crib together.  I could prop one side rail on his head as I attached the other end.  Such a helpful little monkey.  

blessings