Warren Nurses

This morning the sun is shining but yesterday was a torrential downpour, almost all day. I went to see Hirwa group in the morning for a routine health check, and the rain didn't start until I was ready to leave the gorillas so I had a GREAT visit! It was only about an hour walk, gradually uphill the whole way, and sometimes not so gradual. I do pretty well now - of course I get winded but I don't have to stop and rest anymore, and rarely feel like I just can't go on like I did in the beginning! But I have learned that I will NEVER be able to keep up with the trackers - they always slow their pace for me!

I have also learned other important lessons over the past 8 months:

• It is better to fall down than to grab one of the nasty nettles to keep your balance.
• It helps when you are going down a steep hill to pull over a bush and step on that, digging in your heels so that the branches catch you (that's what the gorillas do too).
• When following the tracker through thick vegetation, stay well back so that the machette does not hit you in the head (yesterday one of the leafy branches he cut landed on my head!).
• Test the vines before you count on them to hold your weight.
• Don't lean forward when walking downhill.
• Don't worry about it when you hear a lot of Kinyarwanda words, then your name, then more Kinyarwand words (I just smile as if I understand and keep walking).
  

Here are some of the images from my visit with Hirwa yesterday morning. At one point we were on a VERY steep slope, and Munyinya, the silverback, needed to pass us. I really wanted to follow the 7 meter distance rule that MGVP set, but the tracker and I had nowhere to go! The only way for us to get out of the way was to sit down as far to the side of the small trail as we could. Munyinya calmly walked within inches of us. I so wanted to let my hand fall across his shoulders and back. I drank in the moment - his powerful smell, calm but confident walk, the one glance in my direction. Absolutely amazing.

Munyinya in the bamboo just before it started to rain.

Trackers waiting for us to finish with the health check - where's Waldo?!

Munyinya and one of his females.

This is how it looked when we first spotted the group.

The view of town from the gorilla group.

The rest of the day was spent doing my desk job, but walking through the compound required an umbrella, so I sported my "Warren Nurses" umbrella for much of the day!


Other news - Ama successfully caught her first tennis ball on Monday! I'm so proud.

my new house

It is the rainy season now for sure - everything is green, rivers are running like crazy, waterfalls are falling (I took Bob to see a waterfall that had no water in January...), and well, it rains a lot! Every day, at least for a while. My tomatoes and peppers are finally coming up. Ama and Chewy dug up my cucumbers and I've replanted. Raddishes got squashed by a VERY hard rain, but they are trying to come back up, and I've been transplanting flowers as my stress relief program!


I also moved into a little house that is on the MGVP compound property. I am now the proud occupant of a 3 room house! I have my own bathroom and kitchen, and a second bedroom I can use for guests (that's where Donna stayed when she visited earlier this month!) and where Sara and Aaron will stay when they come for a visit in June!!


Ama is 6 months old now - Mike spayed her this week, and she came through with flying colors. She weighs about 35 pounds, and I don't think she'll get much bigger. She is full of energy, and loves to play, and keeps me sane, if that is possible!!



Maybe she is a little spoiled....



Here are some pictures of the new place.













That's a convent on the other side of the fence. The chief of police lives on the other side of our compound - I feel very safe!!

Happy Birthday Sara!!!!!!!

Happy 24 my dear daughter. Have a wonderful day. I so wish I could be there to back you a cake (I am baking banana bread here today in your honor!!!).
Have a wonderful day. See you in 3 weeks!!!!

And happy birthday to Sandy Ezell too! (Knew that thanks to FaceBook!)

surfacing....

Things have been nuts here.

3 year old gorilla in congo who's hand self amputated after a severe injure

3 confiscated chimps sent to a sanctuary

sick silverback in Congo

Intervention training in Rumangabo and Kahuzi Biega

Our boat was struck by lightening on Lake Kivu

Sick adult chimp that needs to go to a sanctuary

Respiratory disease in a gorilla group in Rwanda

Hired a new veterinarian for Uganda

Our newest confiscated gorilla got very sick, but is better now

Had a GREAT visit with Donna!!!!

Got a package from Jason and Carrie!!

Helping with the huge gorilla census that is going on in the Virunga massif for the next month

Got stopped by a road block driving at night from Butare to home (Eddy talked our way out of a search!

Miss you all like crazy but haven't had time to communicate - sorry!!!



New blog on ww.Gorilladoctorsblog.org

Gotta go do accounting now... ugh.