Apes on Tour!

We apes have been off on our travels again! This time we set off for Wexford in the sunny South East....and sunny it certainly was! We jumped into the Chimp Cab and set off early on Wednesday morning.  Monkey Queen made us a little travel nest out of her cardi and set it on top of our suitcase so that we could see out and make sure we did not miss anything!  Gary the Gibbon spent the whole journey jiving about to Monkey King's funky tune selection...Gary says his dancing has really improved since he started going to "Satsuma's Zumba"!

After a very, very, VERY long time, we finally arrived at our hotel, which was called the "Carlton Millrace". We had to hide in MQ's handbag to sneak through reception because the hotel website wasn't clear on their policy on ape guests, but we soon made ourselves at home in our comfy room.  While MQ made coffee, we sneaked out of the room to see what other facilities there were and we soon located the pool and jacuzzi which were very conveniently located just downstairs! We had a great time diving into the water and hiding in the bubbles in the jacuzzi...normally we only have bubbles like that in our bath if Tapas has had too much ripe fruit but this was MUCH better! Unfortunately when we finally trooped back to our room after our swimming fun, MQ told us we smelled a bit funny, so she made us have ANOTHER bath!

This time we got to wear funny little shower caps to keep our wigs in order. MQ says we should have been wearing swimming hats in the pool, but when we pointed out that we have fur all over us, she said maybe a wetsuit would have been better!After a relaxing bathe (using our lovely Little Satsuma palm oil free lavender soap, perfect for a pre nesting dip!) we got snuggled up in some gorgeous fluffy white towels. Satsuma needed an extra one for his super lush ginger fluff!

Before heading to our soft nest, we enjoyed one of our many Easter eggs which MQ said were special palm oil free ones made by someone called Mark Spencer (at least we think that's what she called him?). After our long journey we were super tired but we knew we looked our best for the next day's adventures!

Love from Tapas, Satsuma and Gary xxx

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Time for a revamp!

We are in the process of updating this site.  There will be some exciting new features such as an online shop where you can purchase your very own unique critter, and a gallery where we will be publishing images of our critters and pictures sent to us by Sockedelic fans! We will also be suggesting pages in our links section, which will have details of all the best ape related news and items of interest, so keep checking back!

A spooky story for a dark night!

Satsuma and Monkey Queen spent the weekend far from the Monkey Sanctuary, visiting MQ's lovely family in the gorgeous Co Fermanagh. While they were there, they were given a wonderful gift from a most talented writer and artist, Odhrán Harbinson. Satsuma was thrilled to receive such a marvellous present, and he couldn't wait to rush back to the Monkey Sanctuary to share it with all the other simians! They all agreed that Odhrán was already a much better writer than Oliver Jeffers (the monkeys other favourite), and his spooky Halloween tale made their fur stand on end! Satsuma certainly does love banoffee pie more than anything, and after being ape-napped by a vampire, witch, grim reaper and their band of fiends, it is just what a small orangutan would need! Satsuma has decided that the book is too good to keep to himself, so we'd like to share it with all of our friends!

Autumn, and newcomers at the Sanctuary!

Well, that's the summer holidays over, now back to work!

I feel a change in the air, Autumn is closing in, nights are drawing down early, trees are slowly changing their hues and it has become chillier in the nest lately. Monkey King even lit the first fire of the season last night. All us simians gathered close round, curled up on the rug together enjoying the blazing warmth,being careful of course to keep our tails out of the glowing embers - nothing worse than a singed tail!

We monkeys love Autumn, it is a season of sorcery and magic, a contrast of darkness and light (sounds like a certain Orang I know actually!) when anything is possible and spooks and ghosties hide in every shadowy corner waiting to pounce on the unsuspecting ape! We love the crisp air, crunchy leaves and dewy grey frosty mornings, and snuggling in nests lined with extra cosy blankets at night.

We love the apple pies and rib-sticking slow cooked dinners, the soft low lights and drowsy evenings by the fireside, the squeaks and groans of the Sanctuary settling down for a long winter, and the whispers of old tales of mayhem and horror which make your fur stand on end......but the most special time of the whole Autumn season is Halloween when the Sockosimians of the Undead come out to play their tricks and japes!

We have recently had some strange and exotic visitors to the Monkey Sanctuary....unusual critters, strangely attired apes from distant lands who are staying with us until Halloween. The Sanctuary has become an unsettled place as the monkeys gossip and whisper in corners about where these strange beings have come from, and why they are here.

I have heard rumours that Monkey Queen and Auntie Janine will be bringing them to the craft fair at Florence Court House, Enniskillen on Halloween Day (Sunday, 31st October 2010).

You can help restore order and sanity (???) back to the Sanctuary by helping us rehome one of these odd critters. If you would like your own Undead Sockosimian, please email Monkey Queen and let her know, or purchase from our Etsy store!

Monkeys journey into the West!

Satsuma and Hawaiian Bob recently decided that they should go and explore their adopted homeland, and Satsuma kiss-squeaked MQ into booking them a holiday in the very beautiful Westport. MQ found a lovely hotel called The Castlecourt which allows monkey guests, and in no time at all they set off with MK in the Chimp Cab on a long journey into the West! The furtherest Satsuma had ever been before was the gorgeous Co Fermanagh (MQ's homeland) so he was very excited and spent most of the journey creating riotous dance moves to MK's funky tune selection! At last the weary ape adventurers arrived at their hotel, and found that the lovely staff had anticpated extra monkey guests and had arranged an enormous room with 3 very comfy nests.

Satsuma and Bob wasted no time in sneaking out of the room to explore the hotel and it wasn't long before they were getting up to mischief in the hotel pool and jacuzzi - anyone who thinks apes can't swim haven't seen these 2 in action! While MQ & MK enjoyed a delicious dinner in the hotel restaurant the naughty twosome sneaked out to go and explore the town. The next morning, 2 apes with booming bonces emerged from under the covers with a note!
However, MQ decided that some fresh air and a stroll on a beach were just what was needed, so
the monkeys took off on an adventure to Croagh
Patrick and along the coast, then up into the mountains! It wasn't long before they were jiving along to car tunes again as MK piloted the Chimp Cab along some crazy bendy roads full of sleepy sheep! Satsuma had never been on a beach before and it wasn't long before Hawaiian Bob was happily splashing in the water giving Satsuma his first surfing lesson, using some floats borrowed from the hotel pool!!

Then it was up into the mountains for a drive around some of the most breathtaking scenery Satsuma and Bob had ever seen! Their map reading skills needed a little work, but thanks to MK, they all arrived safely back at the hotel.

After a long day on the beach and a crazy drive in the Mountains of Madness, all a small ape really needs is a nice long bath and a cozy nest to share with his best friend!

Satsuma will be back soon to tell more of his adventures!

Meet our new friend!

This rather handsome and dashing chap is Hawaiian Bob, who was a surprise arrival at the Monkey Sanctuary a couple of weeks ago. The postman arrived super early one morning bearing a large and wriggling package addressed to the Monkey Queen. It seems that Bob was an inhabitant of a mysterious place known as Ebayland. Someone had taken the unfortunate simian, and unceremoniously shoved him into an envelope! Luckily our postman is obviously aware that we will rehome all primate softies, so after a long time travelling without even as much as a banana to sustain him, Bob arrived safely with us.

Hawaiian Bob likes Cream Soda, surfing, pineapples, building sofa nests, the smell of grass, coffee, and playing with Satsuma.
He dislikes being left alone when MK & MQ have to go to work (whatever that is), wearing shoes, unusual unidentified smells, and radishes.

We think he is going to be very happy at the Monkey Sanctuary!