DR. LUCY!!

Dr. LUCY and TARO arrived last night for a visit!  We were so excited to see them and hear all the news!!! Lucy had just gotten back from Karanambu.  She had been there with a group of scientists from the Shedd aquarium in Chicago.  For the last 15 years or so, Dr. Lucy has been working with Diane and the Giant River Otters, traveling to Karanambu several times a year.  Dr. Lucy Spelman is also the secretary of the Karanambu Trust. She also happens to be a world-renowned zoo and wildlife vet...and our friend! (Lucky, Lucky US!)  You can check out her website  at  www.drlucyspelman.com

We sat up to all hours talking, talking, talking...there is just SO much to do!  But how wonderful for us to have such tremendous support from someone as knowledgeable and enthusiastic about our new adventure! 

TARO is Lucy's beautiful, loving companion.

We got up early and picked up right where we left off!  Finally it was time for Lucy and Taro to head home to Rhode Island.  But before she left, Lucy treated our cat Ben, who had been in a cat fight and had been injured! 

We'll see her again before we leave

AND Lucy is coming to Karanambu again at the end of August!!

We are so lucky!!  Thanks Lucy!!

Friday is CO-OP day!

Every other Friday morning, the Montclair Co-Op set up shop in our backyard.  The truck arrives early and Gwen and the troops sort through the produce and make up the boxes which are picked up by the members throughout the day

By Noon everyone started to come by and our place was packed!

But, inside the packing continued...

BY THE WAY...ALL THE SOUTH AMERICAN TEAMS GOT THROUGH!!!


THIS IS WORLD CUP!!!!

Sammie, Bennie, Sweetie and MushMosh

Figuring out what is best for each of the animals has not been easy...our first instinct was to take everyone with us.  We even talked to Dr. Lucy about what to do. Then we started to think about what was best for them...so hard to do.  The cats were easier...Mushie is going to live with Tahl and Bennie will live with Alissa....Sweetie, (she is her name, SWEET) we are still working on ....BUT Sammie, how could we leave Sam? He has been such a good friend for so many years, how could we possibly leave him? But he would be so unhappy at Karanambu, he's a long hair Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, the original "Lap Dog"...When Larry (Salvador's brother) and Margaret and Samantha were here, we were obsessed with what to do. Larry said, "why not bring him over so we can meet him".   The next thing you know,  Sam was curled up next to Margaret...following Samantha around and going for a walk with Larry!  By the next day, he was boarding the plane to Florida with them! He is now living the life!  He is HAPPY and healthy and well loved. Margaret & Larry & Samantha have been so great!  Samantha skypes with Sammie on the computer so we can talk to him and Margaret calls to give us an update on everything he is doing.  He is one lucky puppy!!!  And so are we, because we know he's happy and we haven't lost him, he is still in the family!

Lounging by the pool

ON SKYPE with Samantha

Tahl, WORLD CUP and Jake

Alissa's boyfriend, Tahl has been staying with us for the past few days!  Such fun! It really is hard to believe that he is more into World Cup than Salvador...both of them are at it from the crack of dawn!

 G O A L ! ! !

This afternoon, amid the packing, Jake came by and spent a few hours talking about Karanambu and the challenges that we know are ahead and what he can do to help us!

And the packing continues...but, what am I going to do with all my Dad's books?

SATURDAY - Day off for the Garden Tour

So, we took the day off from packing....today was the Garden Conservancy Tour.  I had two gardens on the tour this year, Claire's and Jenny's.  Andrea took pictures using the new camera that Jonathan gave us as a wedding gift. There was big turn out this year.  Everyone really liked the gardens.It was a great day.

Jocelyn's chairs looked perfect in Claire's garden 

 I was really really happy with the way things turned out...

Getting Ready!

And so the adventure begins, with love and excitement and unbridled optimism! We are packing up the life we have come to know and heading to the North Rupununi of Guyana, South America. We will serve as the General Managers of the Karanambu Lodge, Inc. and Salvador will also serve as the Coordinator of the Karanambu Trust.  This is a huge undertaking, but we are thrilled to be given such an amazing opportunity!

We were married on May 30, 2010

 

 BUT on June 1st, the PACKING began!!!

The house looks like someone has turned it upside down and given it a good shake! The dining room table serves as "command central", lists upon lists upon lists, and a calendar outlining the weeks to come as we prepare for the Adventure of a lifetime!

We have been talking about doing it....but now we really are! It is so exciting and scary and thrilling all at once.

back to packing....