Got a slow, easy start this AM. Since I wasn't supposed to get to the Primate Rescue Center until after 2PM, I enjoyed a leisurely continental breakfast provided by the Mason, Ohio, Super 8 Motel and then hung around my room until about 10AM.
I meant to drive around Cincinnati but took the wrong exit and found myself on I-75 going right through the center of town. Oh, well. At the south end of Cincinnati is a bridge. On the other end of the bridge is Kentucky. At the first rest area I picked up a map of the Lexington area and some advice about taking a scenic route to get to the PRC. But suddenly the time I had to dawdle away was all dawdled. It was 1PM, I was still north of Lexington and I needed to stop for a bite to eat. Scratch the scenic route.
I had to find a quicker route, but there is no direct path from one side of the city to the other. I got some advice, but no one agreed on the best route. Then I got discombobulated. It was after 2PM when I finally reached the route I needed to follow past Nicholasville to the PRC. I managed to find it (again, I was there six years ago) with no more difficulties.
April T was there to greet me -- and put me to work. Even though it was late afternoon, I was able to help out by preparing frozen fruit treats and popping corn. Not sure what kind of work I will be doing tomorrow, but the popped corn bin is not quite full.
The PRC houses 11 chimps and assorted monkeys. Most are former pets that people are desperate to get rid of once they realize they aren't really cute and cuddly. The facility is currently filled to capacity. Since primates are social animals, and the residents were often singly housed when they were pets, April has to introduce various residents to one another -- and not always to individuals of their own species. One especially interesting example is a lone siamang (an Asian ape) that shares living quarters with South American spider monkeys. Call it primate diversity. Grooming is a universal language.
After quitting time, I retraced my path back to Nicholasville to the motel where I'd made a reservation and then April came to get me for dinner. We went to a local restaurant called Ramsey's. Real local Kentucky food. I enjoyed my first catfish of the trip. Very good. And since homemade pies are one of their specialties, I had a big slice of Pear-Berry pie, a Ramsey prize-winner made with spiced pears, strawberries and blueberries. Really good. Really, really good.
I'll be back at PRC tomorrow around 9AM. Tomorrow night in Nashville.
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