The holidays are over and it seems like things are getting busier and busier, leaving me no time to use the best holiday gift ever – my new writing cabin, “BeauMiew Cottage.” (photo left).

I hadn’t worked on the book I’ve been writing for years, since 1998 in fact, according to my computer’s date stamp.  Each time I tried, I’d be interrupted or lose my train of thought or have to stop and do something else, and the book remained a low priority. For the past year or so, I’ve been looking for someplace safe and cozy to write, and finally found the perfect solution. BeauMiew Cottage is close enough to our home and GH business during the day, but far enough away from the telephones, radio chatter and interruptions of our everyday life. I had our old screen door installed at the new cottage, since its "Go Away" message seemed more appropriate there.

 I’d looked for small cottages and sheds online, but didn’t find anything I liked or could justify the expense for, and building something would mean taking someone off of GH construction, which was not an option – we’re far enough behind schedule as it is! Finally I stumbled across www.spiritelements.com and my heart skipped a beat.  I contacted Spirit Elements by email and was amazed at the quick and friendly responses I got. Being the brazen person I am, I asked about getting a discount for the cottage, since we are, after all, a 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization.  A generous discount was offered and while the cottage cost was more than we’d planned for initially, Steuart agreed, the cottage would have several uses – my writing cottage, or a guest cottage for researchers, etc.

A Thank You to Spirit Elements

Spirit Elements not only gave us a generous discount on my writing cottage, but they donated 1% of their November 2005 sales to Gorilla Haven, which, we will in turn donate to insitu gorilla conservation projects. This generous donation, in addition to the discount and their great customer service makes us happy to spread the word on our website, if any of our readers are in the market for their own writing cottage or the variety of other items Spirit Elements offers.  This company also has a policy of donating to a variety of worthy causes each month, which we think is a great trend we hope more and more businesses and people follow.  Thank you Seth and Jennifer for all your help for us personally, but for the world in general!

www.spiritelements.com Toll Free (800) 511-1440  (303) 998-1440 Fax (800) 511-1421

Spirit Elements, Inc. 6672 Gunpark Drive, #200 Boulder, CO 80301

I thought it would be a simple matter of a roll back truck backing into the building pad we’d prepared near the Burro Barn and easing it off.  Ha!  I should know by now that nothing is ever easy, but miracle of miracles, with our wonderful crew and the advice of our friends and contractors, the 6,000 pound pre-built cottage was delivered and set in place. The left photo shows part of the hassle getting the cottage off the delivery truck and on to a local tow truck with a roll back to set it in place. The small incline rising to the building pad, was named Hemorrhoid Hill, since it was such a pain in the butt to get the cottage there! Going back to the pyramids, we borrowed from the Egyptians and used big round poles and our tractor to roll the cabin up the hill and in place – an engineering marvel, to say the least (see right photo)!  Within days a new metal roof was installed (we lost some shingles on the journey here) and electricity was hooked up and I was ready to move in. The cottage doesn't have a toilet, but I found a nice camping toilet that can be used, and I'm now looking for an outhouse to set nearby - or, it's a quick dash to the cabin!

Steuart laughed, saying this was my childhood dream – a doll house of my own, I could decorate with all my toys.  What he seemed to forget is that our cabin, our home, is my doll house, surrounding me in a cocoon of gorilla warmth and security. But since I have more gorilla stuff than anyone I know, I had plenty to decorate with – including photos, posters and stuffed animals and old furniture from our cabin.  BeauMiew Manor was a name I came up with about 15 years ago … I thought it would be the name of our dream house, but our house – in Chicago or here in Georgia - never looked like a manor and thus the name was never given. Finally, this cottage was perfect for the name, to honor two special souls in my life.  You’ll have to wait for the details in my book, about Beau, the miniature poodle of my childhood, and Miew, my first cat (of my early 20’s and 30’s), who helped me hang on, when times were really tough.

The cottage is heated with a space heater. I have a laptop, comfy writing chairs both inside and on the lovely screened porch which overlooks the back yard (photo right), as well as an old recliner inside, in case I need a nap. So, the book is back underway, whenever I can organize the time to set aside a few hours of quiet time – easier said than done, these days. Those of you asking when it will be ready to read, will just have to take a chill pill and relax – it will be a while!  Getting GH built is still the top priority and we’ve had more than our share of delays and challenges to cope with, but we are getting there – really, we are!

Joe’s doing fine, although he’s recently been spitting up food which has us looking into various possible causes, including possibly acid reflux.  It’s not life threatening and he’s eating and behaving well, so our vet team and caregivers are discussing how we’ll treat this condition – it may turn out to be as easy as some Rolaids or Tums for his tummy! Since we know Joe has IMHA (immune mediated hemolytic anemia) as well as advanced periodontal disease (see prior update about this), we may decide to schedule an immobilization, where we can look at everything at once. 

We’ll keep you posted, but meanwhile, I’ve been helping with Joe’s morning routine and can assure you, he’s his old wonderful self and hard to believe he's in his 43rd year.  I’m helping clean SB villa in the morning, preparing the cages with his morning feed, etc, and Joe – who’s never been my biggest admirer – is getting used to me being around in a different capacity, other than just the lady who comes to visit with guests. He’ll shift for me, which means he’ll move from one cage to the other if I ask him, and lets me close the doors. This may not sound like a big deal, but some gorillas don’t like to shift for anyone but their beloved and favorite caregivers – and sometimes they like to give them trouble too!  Joe’s very easy going and one of the most cooperative and tidy gorillas I know. 

I’ll enter first thing, around 8 a.m. and greet him, while I close him into the D cage (his favorite). If he “lets” me close him in (he’s never objected, sweet guy that he is), I say thank you and offer him part of his breakfast – usually a corn on the cob or apple, while I start cleaning the C and transfer cages. Kelly helps and is there to make sure I don’t do anything stupid, and coo’s to Joe, who purrs and rumbles back as the two of them exchange their lovers’ duet. It’s so cute! He’ll snap his fingers or clap his hands “asking” for more food as I walk back and forth, trying to get the hang of hosing without spraying down anyone/thing nearby (Kelly’s learned to stay away from me when I’m hosing!).  I talk to him, thanking him for being so sweet and patient with me, as I try to do the job that Pete and Kelly have been doing all their professional lives, and are much better/quicker at doing than I am.  Joe is very sweet and will climb around the D cage, peeking over to see what I’m up do, occasionally smashing the mesh if I stop too long to talk to him, since he knows the rest of his breakfast will be there when I’m finally finished! 

GH’s Next Gorilla:  Emma Villa  & Construction Update

Our next gorilla resident has been identified by the Gorilla SSP and we’ll be making an official announcement as soon as we’re closer to his arrival. Needless to say, we’re all excited and working to make sure we don’t miss the spring time deadline we’ve set, for his arrival.

Emma Villa is waiting for the steel maker to finish the transfer cages and some latches and minor bits. The sprinkler and mister systems are in, and plumbing and electrical, etc, are all ready too.  Steuart has started the computer programs for the electronic door control system, as well as doing all the wiring and board construction – a Herculean feat in itself. With 13 doors in Emma Villa, the panel housing the hardware and computer system is six feet wide and seven feet tall, so Steuart has his work cut out for him!  (photo above shows Steuart with the first of the 14 constructed control boards).

Kathy’s Cottage and the re-design of HQ are the other big constructions projects, and on-going tasks working on the Group Building and habitat continue as much as time allows.