Arrival

After many hours crunched in an airplane seat and roughly meandering through thunderheads, Lauren Chase has made it to Bend, Oregon. But I must clarify, Chimps Inc. is actually outside of Bend...in a mixture of desert, mountains, trees and cowboys. Driving from the airport, a caregiver and I stopped at a coffee drive-up next to what appeared to be some attempt at a old western town.
The actual facility is next to one of the most expensive-looking horse ranches I have seen. The owners, the Day Family, I was told, practically developed central Oregon through the construction trade. I was greeted with curious looking faces by two of the chimps sitting in the indoor play house's window...I have yet to meet them formally.
I am living with two other girls and a guy...we await their arrival scheduled for later tonight. Technically, I should say I am living with two other girls and a guy, several cats, dogs, birds, chimps, lynxes and probably any other creature looking for a home; it is a sanctuary.
The atmosphere seems pretty chilled and the people so far are easy to joke around with. Tomorrow, we will have an orientation and meet the infamous latte-drinkers...and yes, I am talking about the chimps!