Monkey Business

When I was a little girl my best childhood memories are from the summers that I would spend with my grandparents at their lake-house. I remember I would pick out my most favorite clothes at the current time with shoes and lay them out days ahead before I went on the plane to visit. I couldn't wait.

I couln't wait to run around in my jammies at night on the deck in the cool dewy breeze and catch fireflies. I would wake up early when the peace in the air only captured the naturous sounds of insects, wind through the trees and water sloshing from the lake to the shore. I would catch night crawlers with my Grandpa. We would jump on his fishing boat and fish with the poles he used to make me out of bamboo. My Grandma would make delicious food... and I still to this day remember the very comforting smell of her cups in the cabinet. She would give me the best tickles with her gorgeous natural nails that put me right to sleep.

I would ski... jet ski... ride in a tube on the back of the boat and be frightful about going over the white edge. If I fell off any of those I would be afraid that a giant fish with teeth was going to nibble my toes or something else, until someone came to the rescue. My brother and I would bury each other in the sand. I pranced around in my swim suit all day... never really liked to wear too much clothing.

There was one more thing a bit scary to me located in the basement. There was a stuffed Gorilla just randomly laying around. I never knew his purpose or where he came from, just that he creeped me out. Anytime I needed to go down there I would pause then holler from the top of the stairway to my brother, "Come on Dustin!"

My Grandparents had picked up a replica at a garage sale recently and left him with us before they set forth back home. He puts the same scare in the boys as I had once. They tried to dunk him in the pool for a swim. Great Grandma said it was going to have little gorilla babies now that he got wet. So the boys have decided the only place for him is outside. He has now become a family joke with the hint of spook that won't leave. We would find him hanging out in the chair in the back of the yard... found him on a wall... he's welcomed the boys home from school in the driveway. 

I haven't seen him for a while. This was up until I went to trim a bush in the front yard yesterday morning. Benny hustled outside barefoot digging at the bush and I raced him back into the house to finish his morning routine. I went over to see what was so great about this bush I had just cut back and there our frightful friend was... someone had stuffed him in that hidden foliage for all this while. The boys fessed up at breakfast who locked him up in the branches. Scarlet and I kissed the muffins goodbye for school and a few minutes later the doorbell rang. I honestly didn't think it was my babies. It wasn't, but I have a feeling they may be behind it in some way. Only because this is who was there. ;)