BIG MONKEY'S HOUSE

Saturday, December 18, 2010 - 10K Run

2010-12-26T13:43:00.000-08:00

We participated in the 22nd Annual Say No To Drugs Holiday Classic 10K Run in Clearwater on 12/18/10. I had to serve only as Coach Big Monkey since it was a rainy, miserable morning. My pantyhose and fiber fill stuffing prevents me from running in the rain. Laura did pretty well despite the fact that I wasn't running alongside of her. She got 4th place in her age group with a time of 48:30 - only 12 seconds away from 3rd place and an award. Oh well! I was still pretty pleased with her performance as her coach.

Remembering My Boys

2010-12-18T13:35:00.000-08:00

I haven't been blogging much because our family suffered two excruciatingly painful losses in the past two months. On 11/11/10, Mark lost his 4+ year battle with brain and spine cancer. Although I always claimed to be his uncle, Mark insisted we were twin brothers since we shared the same birthday. I decided to post this picture of him from about a year ago at Christmastime. We had a contest to see who rocked the sock monkey hat the best, and Mark won hands down. He was an incredibly talented, funny and special human who I miss more than you know.

Thirteen days prior to losing Mark, his beloved cat Karl passed away. Karl battled bladder stones and kidney disease for over 5 years with spunk and defiance. He was very similar to his "father" in many ways. This was Karl during last year's Christmas celebration embracing his new sock brothers. I miss "the boy" and his unique cat personality. He was a treasured member of our family.

Blue Moon Half Marathon - 11/7/10

2010-11-07T17:05:00.000-08:00

Today Laura and I challenged ourselves to run an official half marathon. We've trained at this distance before, but I wasn't sure if we were up to the challenge as it has been a challenging month. Mother nature helped us out a bit. The temperature was about 50 degrees at race time. This was approximately 20 degrees cooler than it has been lately. We can run much faster when it's cool. My hope was to finish in about 1 hour 57 minutes, but we exceeded my expectations with an official time of 1:52:53 (1 hour, 52 minutes and 53 seconds). We had a high tech micro chip tied to Laura's shoelaces. Her hands were so frozen this morning that she almost had to ask someone to help put it on her shoe.

This is a picture of the two of us after the race. We got a medal! (Everyone got a medal.)

Laura finished 95th overall including boys and girls, and of course they screwed up her name. Where is MY name? I got the shaft!

Laura got this nice framed award for finishing 3rd in her age group (geezer). The dude announcing the winners did give me some recognition though, as he should. I finished 1st in the sock monkey division! Laura had to be a buzz kill and point out that I was the only sock monkey who participated. Nevertheless, we kicked some butt today! Now it's time to eat cookies.

Happy Anniversary - Part 1 of 2

2010-10-24T12:23:00.000-07:00

I've been secretly collaborating with Laura's Aunt Cheryl on an anniversary surprise for Laura and Mark. We were finally able to reveal our creation, and they just LOVED it!

To my favorite humans in the whole world,...or at least Florida, Mark and Laura.

On this special occasion there is something I would like to share with you. I’ve been sort of
moonlighting, when you are both busy I have been pursuing a secret inner desire that I’m about
to reveal.

I have always wanted to FFFFFFLLLLLLLLLLYYYYYYY! (That’s FLY)

So I’ve been making the rounds with some friendly bird life.

This was my first attempt with the gulls, no respect.

I then turned to my friend Pete the Pelican for some strong advice.

Next, I thought there might be security in numbers.

Or maybe darkness would be my friend.

Happy Anniversary - Part 2 of 2

2010-10-24T12:18:00.001-07:00

I have always admired the Roseate Spoonbill... I’m not so sure they feel the same way about me.

After spending some time with them I started to feel a bit soggy.

I guess the last thing that changed my mind was the air lift that Ozzy the osprey granted me.

So for now I’m content on staying a monkey,

but you never know....

next time you have the pleasure of a serene sunset like this

You just might see THIS!

Wishing you both a Happy Day!

- Big Monkey

Miles for Hope - Moving Towards a Cure in Clearwater, FL 9/25/10

2010-09-26T03:03:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I participated in a charity event to help brain cancer patients. It's called "Moving Towards a Cure," which is sponsored by the organization Miles for Hope. From their web site,

"The Mission of Miles for Hope is to raise awareness and funding of cutting edge brain tumor research as well as clinical trials and to providing travel assistance to qualified patients. Through our work, we intend on finding not only treatments that provide a better quality of life for those suffering with brain cancer, but to find a cure for it."

Of course this is a cause near and dear to my heart since my human Mark was diagnosed with brain cancer on August 23, 2006 and is still fighting it valiantly.

There was a 5K run and 25K, 50K, and 100K bike rides. I opted to participate in the bike ride. The scenery was fantastic since the event took place in Clearwater near the beaches.

My pal Neuri even joined me for part of the ride. He is a giant stuffed neuron (brain cell). Humans have billions of these guys in their brains, and some folks use more of them than others. o(;(]) (That's a winking sock monkey, by the way.)

After the races were finished, there was an awards ceremony. I got first place in the sock monkey division! Laura said I was the only sock monkey participating, but who's counting anyway?

Big Wonkey Gets a New Uncle (and His Hat)

2010-09-24T02:30:00.000-07:00

Big Wonkey worked his baby charm and new t-shirt to persuade Officer Po Po to be his uncle. Then he sweetly inquired if he might be able to wear his new uncle's knitted red pom pom hat.

Normally Po Po's red hat is obscured by his police officer's cap. He gladly donated it to the Wonkster. This kid is getting all kinds of new stuff.

Glamour Shots - Big Wonkey and I Strike a Pose in Our New T-Shirts

2010-09-12T03:33:00.000-07:00

You may have noticed in my previous post that I'm wearing an awesome new t-shirt! I got it from my friend Jill at Cheeky Monkey Love. Besides t-shirts, Jill sells adorable hand crafted sock monkeys and sock monkey beverage cozies. Please check out her site sometime. The message on my shirt is DON'T Shock the Monkey. Do you remember Peter Gabriel's song, Shock the Monkey? Jill has several different monkey related messages on her shirts.

As soon as Big Wonkey was born, he started begging me for a shirt of his own. I selected the "Will You Be My Uncle?" t-shirt from the Cheeky Monkey Love site for the Wonkster. For fun, I googled the phrase I'll Be A Monkey's Uncle to investigate its origin.

The reason I'm calling this post Glamour Shots is because I utilized my very professional photo studio that I've demonstrated for you in the past. The pictures taken inside the studio are high quality. I just have to get Laura to assemble and disassemble it for me.

Big Wonkey decided to raid my closet and borrow some of my accessories. The Uncle Sam hat and Sally Jesse Raphael glasses were a nice addition to his t-shirt. This kid is already jackin' my style.

John Deere... That's how I roll.

Introducing My New Baby Brotha From Anotha Motha - Big Wonkey! (Part 1 of 2)

2010-09-10T01:53:00.001-07:00

For a while now, I've been begging Laura to make me a sock brother. I've even had his name picked out - Big Wonkey. When Mark was making my name necklace, he initially put the M in monkey upside down by mistake. We were joking about it at first, but then I thought hmm... Big Wonkey would be the perfect name for a baby brother!

Laura had some time off from work this past week (a staycation), so I politely suggested that her time might be well spent making my brother. The first step was to select the perfect pair of socks.

These aren't just any pair of red heeled socks. They are truly vintage. These socks were manufactured at the Nelson Knitting Company in Rockford, Illinois which closed in 1992. We are fortunate to have a couple of pairs that came from Mark's grandma's (my mother's) supply. These socks have some subtle differences from the ones that are produced today. The red heel actually curls up into a smile. My brother will be made from the same "genetic material" as me. We will almost be twins, except that we'll have different mothers. Hence, the title of this post - he's my brotha from anotha motha.

Because these socks are so special, Mark was reluctant to hand them over to a very amateur seamstress such as Laura. However, I had faith that her motivation to create the perfect baby brother would overcome any technical shortcomings.

Day 1 (Sock 1) - He's a torso with legs. I assisted with the stuffing process to ensure that Big Wonkey was blessed with a bulbous red heeled booty. We used polyester fiberfill stuffing along with some old (clean) pantyhose. Why the pantyhose, you ask? Well, he is supposed to be just like me genetically, and I am stuffed with a combination of fiberfill and pantyhose.

Brother, you are stuffed.

On Day 2, Big Wonkey got arms. We're jumping for joy on his progress so far.

Introducing My New Baby Brotha From Anotha Motha - Big Wonkey! (Part 2 of 2)

2010-09-10T01:49:00.000-07:00

Day 3 (Sock 2) Big Wonkey can speak! His first words were "Wonk Wonk!"

The next step was crucial to our brotherhood. The eyes, which are made from pink and black felt, have it! I sacrificed the ability to breathe for a few minutes while Laura placed wax paper over my face in order to trace the exact shape of my eyeballs and pupils. If you look closely, my eyes are not symmetrical. Laura says that my left eye is friendly, and my right eye is evil. I say that my slightly imperfect eyes are part of my charm and style.

Big Wonkey was just relieved to be able to see. I gave him a cute knitted blue cap because that's what babies are supposed to wear.

Day 4 - The finale! Big Wonkey gets ears and a tail. I am so impressed with Laura's "labor" over the past few days. I feel like I'm looking in the mirror when I see my brother. I think that Grandma (Mom) would be proud too.

Big Wonkey was officially "born" on Thursday, September 9th. To celebrate his birth, we posed for a family photo. My brother One Eyed Jack joined us, along with my "mini me" Little Big Monkey.

Of course, our feline brother Karl had to join the festivities. Look for more photos of Big Wonkey in the near future. I have a feeling this kid is going to keep me on the go. He already wants his ears pierced with diamond studs like mine. I had to wait years to get mine pierced. These kids today grow up way too fast, and they want everything at once. Sheesh!

Micro Rock Crawler

2010-09-05T10:07:00.000-07:00

I was finally able to test out my (and Mark's) birthday present - the Micro Rock Crawler. Due to an overabundance of rainfall, we had to fill in our unpaved driveway with limestone. Once I finished hauling and heaving the stones, I took a load off and enjoyed my (our) new toy.

Mark and I were fighting over the controls, but I won! The Micro Rock Crawler rode like a champ and navigated the limestone like mere grains of sand.

A Very Belated Birthday Post

2010-08-30T17:14:00.000-07:00

I'm just barely posting these pictures in the same month of our birth. Yes, Mark and I have the same birthday. He says we are twins, but I'm really his uncle. Here's the eager birthday boy ready to dig into our luscious fudge cake.

I think I could handle this cake all by myself, but I must be generous and share.

Look out, cake. Here I come!

Thankfully, Mark and I got to enjoy our dessert before the chocolate lamprey came in for the kill. The chocolate lamprey is a rare genetic mutation of the
lamprey. Instead of sucking fish blood, it feeds purely on cocoa based foods like our fudge cake.

The chocolate lamprey enters a trance-like state while consuming its favorite food, so much so that it doesn't even notice the camera in its face. Either that or it's completely ignoring me. It's best not to disturb a wild animal during feeding time.

Big Monkey Casts a BigGER Shadow

2010-07-25T11:21:00.000-07:00

What a happy-go-lucky scene - me posing on my hog by the fireplace with my buddy Sock Monkey Nite Lite (lower right). When the sun sets and darkness is upon us, this tranquil scene will vividly transform and induce pure terror within those who unsuspectingly descend the staircase.

Step 1 - Sock Monkey Nite Lite does his thing.

Step 2 - His bright beacon is strategically located behind me.

Result - BIG shadow of me on the wall! I anxiously wait for a clueless human to emerge from the upstairs and cast their eyes upon me. Mwah Ha Ha Ha! Note: For an indication of scale, see the tiny electrical outlet in the lower right hand corner.

I Got a Neck Lift

2010-07-11T13:29:00.000-07:00

My adventures in the past decade or so have taken their toll on my physique. One of the main problem areas is my neck. It has a pretty severe droop, as you can see from a photo this past spring. In addition, a rather unattractive buffalo hump appeared on the back of my neck (see notation in photo). I'm not a vain monkey, but I would like to be able to hold my head high. Also, my custom Big Monkey necklace has been hidden from view because of my droopy neck. Last night, all of that changed. I got a neck lift!

The results are amazing! Can you believe that this was a non-invasive procedure? No surgery was required. I was told it would feel like a nice massage. In reality it felt like a semi-uncomfortable manipulation by a silverback gorilla. It was so worth the half hour of mild discomfort I experienced though. You can see that the buffalo hump has been smoothed out, and I can hold my head high again!

Best of all, everyone can see my Big Monkey necklace again! I've been told by my physician to limit wardrobe changes, so I'll be wearing this shirt for a while. It's a small price to pay for the boost in my neck (and my confidence).

Let's Go Racing Sock Monkeys! - Part 1

2010-05-22T09:17:00.001-07:00

Those of you that are Nascar fans have probably heard about Toyota's contest to design your own race car. I decided to enter my own creation, the Big Monkey car, even though the deadline for the big prize has passed. This weekend one of the lucky finalists will see their design come to life as the official pace car. Too bad I didn't find out about this contest earlier. How cool would it be to see the Big Monkey car racing around the track?

You can still vote for the Big Monkey car if you like it by visiting the Toyota Sponsafier site. Meanwhile I thought I would share the different views of my design.

Let's go racing sock monkeys! I wonder how Toby Lightman would feel about changing the lyrics of her Nascar theme song, "Let's Go Racing Boys."

That's a pretty good looking hood if I say so myself!

I'm # 55, the Double Cinco.

The different sides of Big Monkey...

I couldn't do it without Team Sock Monkey!

Let's Go Racing Sock Monkeys! - Part 2

2010-05-22T09:11:00.000-07:00

Now for my favorite portion of the race car - the rear end.

Isn't that a fine looking red heeled booty?

Monkle Sam wants you!

2010-05-15T08:19:00.000-07:00

Monkle Sam needs everyone (man, beast and socko simian) among us to participate in the U.S. Census. If you missed the deadline to return the form, one of Monkle Sam's representatives will be knocking on your door in the next few months. Please give them a few minutes of your time so that you and your family can be counted. It's so easy, even a chimp can do it.

Sock Monkey Cat Bed

2010-04-20T13:51:00.000-07:00

Karl is the lucky recipient of a brand new sock monkey cat bed. I bought it on ebay, but Walgreens carries this fine fellow as well. There appears to be a family resemblance between sock monkey cat bed and my giant twins, Jarvis and Simon.

Sock monkey cat bed is a good place to hang out while grooming oneself.

He's even got a red heeled bum like me, although I think he's a hybrid sock monkey / turtle.

Karl was so cozy in his new bed that he fell asleep almost immediately, or maybe it was the sweet lullaby I was singing to him.

2010 Census

2010-04-18T13:43:00.001-07:00

Last weekend, I filled out my 2010 census. It took a while to get the form because Crystal Beach residents did not receive them in the mail. Our town has no mail delivery, so we all have P.O. boxes. The census forms can't be delivered to P.O. boxes, only street addresses. Thankfully, the census crew set up a booth in the neighborhood where we could pick them up. I want to make sure that me and my family are counted!

OK, it's time to begin. I don't think there's enough space for the 100+ sock monkeys living in my house though.

I'm going to start with myself, since I am the alpha male sock monkey of the household.

Person 1? I will just change that to Monkey 1.

Race? Well, that's easy. I'm a Socko Simian.

Monkle Sam needs everyone to fill out a census form. It was a piece of cake, and you want to make sure that you are counted. My family and I use many community resources, such as the parks, and I want to make sure they receive their fair share of funding.

Easter Day Big Catch

2010-04-04T12:41:00.000-07:00

This morning I went to the Crystal Beach pier to test out my new fishing equipment, including a professional fighting chair plus new rod and reel.

I'll let you in on a little secret. The best bait to catch the tastiest and biggest fish is my favorite food - banana!

In no time at all, I hooked a wahoo. He fought a good fight but was no match for my Popeye forearms and top notch fishing equipment. It looks like we'll be feasting on fish for Easter dinner!

Palm Harbor Citrus Festival - Part 1

2010-03-20T18:48:00.001-07:00

I was kind of bummed out today because my Lucky Ones visitors returned to Oregon in their purple pod. To cheer me up, Laura took me to the Citrus Festival in downtown Palm Harbor. It was your basic small town carnival. The first thing I did was check out the games and prizes... SpongeBob Cool Pants!

This game looked simple enough. Throw a dart, pop a balloon, and win a prize.

Yay! I won a stuffed banana!

Oh man, look at those gigantic bananas! I wasn't allowed to spend the cash to win those babies.

Palm Harbor Citrus Festival - Part 2

2010-03-20T18:32:00.001-07:00

What's even more fun than carnival games? How about the rides! I was impressed with the authenticity of this ride when some little green men scurried out of the spaceship.

This looked like a beary cool ride.

I was a little disappointed when I couldn't pop a wheelie on the carousel "hog."

I felt the need... the need for speed. Next I test drove some Nascars. First up was the M & M car. Too bad there weren't any candies stashed in the glove box.

I got all jacked up on Mountain Dew and practiced my burnouts on the track. Meanwhile, there was a different kind of burnout happening up the street.

Palm Harbor Citrus Festival - Part 3

2010-03-20T18:15:00.000-07:00

In the middle of my Nascar race, all of the carnival workers in the general vicinity started yelling "Fire Fire!" and ran up the street. Of course my curiosity got the best of me, and I cautiously approached the recently extinguished inferno.

It's all fun and games at the carnival until someone sets a port-o-potty on fire.

I apologize for the awkward transition, but lunchtime was approaching. I evaluated my numerous options, starting with the Candy Factory.

I wasn't so sure about the elephant ears. There's something just plain wrong about eating another animal's ears.

The winner was... PIZZA! I'll take a whole pie, please!

The Lucky Ones Visit Wall Springs Park - Part 1

2010-03-19T18:16:00.000-07:00

I took the Lucky Ones to my favorite local park. Miles was eager to climb the wall into Wall Springs Park.

The gang and I posed for this photo beneath the giant flagpole at the park's entrance.

We are definitely looking forward to an enhanced experience with some native fauna, but I can't promise that our park use will be passive.

The park's feature attraction is the spring. Swimming is not permitted, so we had to settle for viewing only.

Everyone wave to Laura!

The Lucky Ones Visit Wall Springs Park - Part 2

2010-03-19T17:47:00.000-07:00

The park has a nice path for walking and cycling. I rode my hog (red trike) along the path with my passenger Socks.

I let Miles take my hog for a spin next. Being a natural athlete, Miles sped around the entire park at record pace and hardly broke a sweat. I think he might be the next Lance Sockstrong.

Miss Mollie watched with great interest and yearning as we left a trail of burned rubber around the park. After waiting patiently, Mollie finally got her turn to take this hog for a sweet ride.

Not surprisingly, our escapades attracted the attention of other park visitors. Our new friend Rick requested a group photo. He even asked me for my autograph, since I'm a weather watcher for our local NBC station.

After completing the Tour de Wall Springs via my hog, the three of us took a breather on a small pier to enjoy a view of the water. My "mini me" Little Big Monkey is sitting on my lap.

Miss Mollie's Bachelorette Party

2010-03-17T17:02:00.001-07:00

While the boys were frolicking at Peggy O'Neill's last week during Miles' bachelor party, the girls were planning a bachelorette party for Miss Mollie. They ordered a luscious chocolate fudge cake topped with a juicy strawberry, and everyone chipped in for a gift. From left to right, the party guests included Miss Pearl, Chiquita, Miss Mollie, Scarlet (Gunther's main squeeze), Gorilla My Dreams, Sockette, and Princess Monkitha. The presents they selected for Miss Mollie were nestled inside of a festive sock monkey gift bag.

"Look! It's a pair of sock monkey salt and pepper shakers. They will be a great addition to my kitchen, ladies. Thanks a bunch!" Miss Mollie exclaimed.

Besides the shakers, Miss Mollie found a Magic 8 Ball inside of her gift bag.

She decided to ask the Magic 8 Ball a question. "Will Miles and I be happy forever?", Mollie questioned. The Magic 8 Ball's response was short and sweet - Looks Good!

After the gifts, it was time to enjoy some cake and ice cream. Sockette watched longingly as Miss Mollie was about to take her first bite. The girls had a lovely afternoon together. We boys were hoping for some leftover cake, but no such luck.

Lucky Ones at Honeymoon Island - Part 1

2010-03-16T14:39:00.000-07:00

Last weekend I took the Lucky Ones to another fine tourist destination - Honeymoon Island State Park in Dunedin, Florida. The road that leads to the park is called the Dunedin Causeway. It is surrounded by water on both sides and provides a scenic view for passersby . Miss Mollie thought this sign was pretty, so I took a picture of her next to it.

We felt very welcome upon entering the park...

...until we saw this sign.

Then we made a beeline to the rattlesnake's primary hunting grounds - the nature trail.

After a rattlesnake-free hike, we took a break in the picnic area.

Lucky Ones at Honeymoon Island - Part 2

2010-03-16T14:31:00.001-07:00

What would have made this shot even better? How about some picnic FOOD to go on our picnic table? I think my personal assistant was slacking. It's hard to hire good help these days.

It was time to head for our primary destination on Honeymoon Island - the beach, of course!

Miles came up with the brilliant idea to make sand angels!

Miss Mollie plopped down beside him and made her own.

I followed in suit. If only I had brought every sock monkey in the house, we could have made a trail of sand angels from one tip of the island to the other!

Lucky Ones at Honeymoon Island - Part 3

2010-03-16T14:20:00.001-07:00

There are benches randomly placed along the entire stretch of Honeymoon Island's beach. I enjoyed the view from my perch atop this bench.

Miles and Miss Mollie found a bench of their own.

They were searching for dolphins and sharks, but didn't spot any.

I worked on my blazing tan while stretching out on this new red towel. (Thanks Mark!)

Miles collected some shells to bring home as souvenirs for the Lucky Ones back in Oregon.

Lucky Ones at Honeymoon Island - Part 4

2010-03-16T14:05:00.001-07:00

Behind our spot on the beach was a small lagoon. Miles and Mollie enjoyed watching the egrets fly over the tranquil waters of this lagoon.

Miles snapped a photo of an egret wading in the water. I thought he did a nice job of catching the reflections of the trees on the lagoon.

The actual beachfront itself was a completely different story. There must have been a high surf advisory because the waves were huge. We got as close to the water as possible via the best way a monkey knows how - climbing trees!

Laura was a bit worried about me falling in and being swept out to sea. She wasn't in the mood to play lifeguard again. I told her to chill out because I'm an agile monkey who knows what he's doing.

Miles hung out in a nearby tree. He said he'd prefer to hang ten on a surfboard. If only they made one in our size!

Lucky Ones at Honeymoon Island - Part 5

2010-03-16T13:48:00.000-07:00

Miles was sitting pretty and not the least bit worried about the ferocious surf swirling under his tree. In case you hadn't noticed, he's got some serious guns!

After swinging from trees on the beach, we transitioned to a more laid back form of swinging. My pals enjoyed a spectacular view of calmer waters with tropical breezes gently swaying our swing. In case you're wondering what happened to me, those gentle breezes knocked me on my red heeled bum (see lower right section of swing's seat).

Our engaged couple, Miles and Miss Mollie, spent some quiet time together while I kept the beach boys occupied.

Miles thought, "Now I know why they call this place Honeymoon Island. It's a true paradise, and a great way to begin a new life together."

There's nothing better than a day at the beach spent relaxing and having fun with friends. I hope you enjoyed our adventure!

New Necklace

2010-03-14T15:16:00.001-07:00

My Lucky Ones visitors have some very snazzy beaded necklaces bearing their names. I wondered why my humans had never made such a necklace for me? Well, I don't have to wonder anymore. Mark worked very hard to make my wish a reality. He and Laura made multiple trips to Michael's craft store and JoAnn Fabrics for supplies. Although you can't see the entire necklace, it is composed of red, pink, speckled brown, dark brown and black beads. Each of these colors represent a part of me - red for my mouth and bum, pink and black for my eyes and speckled brown for my skin. A subtle blend of Mark's artistic and engineering skills aided the design and build of my new neck bling. To make sure that everything went smoothly, I supervised Mark the entire time, which he really appreciated. Once it was completed and fastened to my neck, I jumped for joy when I saw it in the mirror.

Here is a close up view. I am BIG MONKEY!

Miles' Bachelor Party - Part 1

2010-03-12T20:21:00.001-08:00

The Lucky Ones, Miles and Miss Mollie, are engaged to be married. I thought it would be fun to throw a bachelor party for Miles during his Florida vacation. Since we're approaching the St. Patrick's Day holiday, the bachelor party took on an Irish theme. The posse and I headed to Peggy O'Neill's Irish Pub in downtown Palm Harbor to celebrate our buddy's upcoming nuptials.

The guest of honor, Miles, wanted to capture every moment of his special evening.

It's time to get this party started!

The party guests included: Top Row (Left to Right) Farcus and his brother Festus, Bottom Row (Left to Right) Officer Po Po, me and Miles. In case you're wondering why there's only 4 green beers and 5 sock monkeys, Po Po was our designated driver.

Coincidentally, it was 2 for 1 Fish 'n Chips night... bonus!

Miles' Bachelor Party - Part 2

2010-03-12T20:09:00.001-08:00

The interesting decor inside and outside of Peggy O'Neill's compelled us to freely explore the restaurant. Miles said, "It's Great to be Irish" today and any day, for that matter.

This Irish Blessing contained wise words to live by. Hopefully Miles and Miss Mollie won't encounter any splinters in their journey down the banister of life.

This sign's message was true to life because we saw strangers when we entered the restaurant but left feeling like we'd made several new friends.

There were many neon signs mounted on Peggy's windows which we liked. Guinness is good.

Our true Irish monk, Farcus, posed next to his favorite neon sign.

Miles' Bachelor Party - Part 3

2010-03-12T19:49:00.001-08:00

As the night progressed and more green beers were consumed, we all noticed a resemblance between Po Po and Miles. Their mouths, noses and eyelashes revealed some uncanny similarities. Brothers or cousins, what do you think?

All of the monkey business transpiring caught the attention of one of the partners of Peggy O'Neills. Tamara was pleased to oblige our request for this photo with our bachelor boy, Miles.

When Miles laid down for a little "nap" on the table, we decided it was time to head back home.

The pooped out party goers, including yours truly, arrived home in the leprechaun green pod safe and sound.

Lucky Ones Explore Clearwater Beach - Part 1

2010-03-07T13:14:00.001-08:00

As promised, I fulfilled my duty as tour guide by taking the Lucky Ones to Clearwater Beach, which is on the Gulf of Mexico. It is an especially nice beach due to its beautiful white sand. From our beachfront parking space, the first thing I spotted was an awesome sand dune. Since monkeys are natural born climbers, our gang headed straight to the top for a nice group photo. Front row (left to right): Izzy and Buddy. Middle row (left to right): Willie, Buttons, Miss Mollie, Miles and Snap. Back row (left to right): Gunther, Mr. Monkey, me and J.R.

We decided to show this dune who is boss. Mr. Monkey and I revved up the purple Escalade for some four wheeling.

After some brief driving instruction from Mr. Monkey, Miles took the wheel with Miss Mollie sitting pretty on the back of the Escalade.

We descended to lower ground where we could really pick up some speed on the flat beach.

Miles and Miss Mollie took their turn again, and went for a smooth ride up and down the waterfront.

Lucky Ones Explore Clearwater Beach - Part 2

2010-03-07T13:00:00.001-08:00

After four wheeling all over Clearwater Beach in the Escalade, we decided to stake out our sunbathing spot for the day. Luckily this monkey towel was big enough for a group photo.

Gunther chose to watch over us little ones from atop a sand dune.

Miles, Miss Mollie, Mr. Monkey and I were feeling active, so we played a little beach volleyball.

Miles said that he must take home some of the beautiful white sand as a souvenir. He climbed back onto the dune to gather a pristine sample of sandy goodness in a ziploc bag.

As you might have guessed, we got a lot of attention from human spectators during our various beach activities. Several people wanted to know if we were for sale. This made Laura a bit more cautious, so she watched us like hawks. I told her she was cramping my style.

Lucky Ones Explore Clearwater Beach - Part 3

2010-03-07T12:47:00.000-08:00

It was time to get serious about catching some rays. I elected not to wear a bathing suit; however, I highly recommend placing shells in areas that are extremely sensitive to the sun.

Mr. Monkey enjoyed the tranquil sea breeze while snoozing in his hammock.

Miss Mollie showed off her bikini clad bod while soaking in the sun's warmth. She made sure to apply her Banana Boat sunscreen liberally to protect her skin.

I switched over to my lounge chair to enjoy a view of the water while sipping a cool and refreshing Corona. Don't you think they should use me in their next commercial?

Miles and Mollie, spent some quiet time together. I don't think I mentioned this in my previous posts, but these two are engaged to be married.

Lucky Ones Explore Clearwater Beach - Part 4

2010-03-07T12:27:00.000-08:00

After a full day of sun and fun on Clearwater Beach, we decided to check out some of the local dining establishments. Our first stop was the Palm Pavilion.

We selected seating in the outdoor patio area where we could watch humans frolicking on the beach while enjoying a spectacular view of the Gulf.

Our next stop was Frenchy's Rockaway Grill - a Clearwater Beach classic.

Again we chose beachfront seating by the quaint wooden fish railing.

Hmm... I must have missed this sign. Then again, when do sock monkeys follow directions anyway?

Lucky Ones have a Chilly Experience at Crystal Beach

2010-03-04T17:24:00.000-08:00

I promised my pals that we would frolic on Crystal Beach today. Unfortunately, Mother Nature hindered my plan. It was extremely chilly and windy, although the sun was shining brightly at least. My friends traveled a long distance to see the local sights, so we persevered the arctic-like temperatures for some scenic photo opportunities. We all wanted to sit on this rock, but the wind was at our backs. The Lucky Ones were safely shielded by this rock. I asked my personal assistant / photographer Laura why I was the only one asked to sit atop the rock, and she mumbled something about my booty being heavy enough to prevent me from going airborne. I'm going to take that as a compliment.

We enjoyed the waterfront view via my favorite park bench at Crystal Beach.

My original plan included walking to the end of the pier, but Laura said we couldn't risk the wind causing an impromptu swim in the less-than-tropical waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Apparently, she did not want to play lifeguard today.

In case I forgot to mention... it was a WINDY day. Miss Mollie discovered this by accident. Thank goodness she wore some sensible lingerie!

Miles was fascinated by the assortment of sailboats which are anchored just offshore Crystal Beach. They have been here for years and add to the charm of our lovely waterfront community.

My friends and I will be venturing out here again on a more tranquil day. I'm also ordering up some warmer weather so we can catch some rays on a real beach with white sand. Bathing suits will be optional...for sock monkeys only.

Lucky Ones Take Over the Bank - Part 1

2010-03-03T18:31:00.000-08:00

There was no rest for my weary traveling pals. The morning after their arrival, we headed to the bank. Even though it's not Friday, which is the traditional day for sock monkeys to take over the bank, my friends were eager to check it out. We began the day by assisting customers on the teller line. The Lucky Ones received much praise for their stellar teller service from the bank staff and the customers.

Snap excelled at running the drive thru lanes. He mostly enjoyed sending the tubes back and forth and talking on the microphone with customers.

The Lucky Ones fully embraced the savings campaign adopted by the bank to help their customers save for the future. They showed their support by posing on the SAVE cubes in this photo.

Speaking of savings, I took a portion of the gold coins that my pals had so generously given to me and deposited them into my bank account. My mom always taught me to save for a rainy day. Luckily with sock monkeys around, rainy days are few and far between!

Lucky Ones Take Over the Bank - Part 2

2010-03-03T18:08:00.000-08:00

After working on the front line with spectacular results, the Lucky Ones were swiftly promoted to V.P.'s (Vice Primates). As all executives should, they received their very own office. The eight of us inspected each piece of equipment to make sure that everything was in working condition.

Buddy was busy crunching numbers on the adding machine while Miles and Miss Mollie got the printer loaded with paper and ready to go. Izzy and Buttons used their executive privilege to take a short break.

Willie said, "Hold my calls, please. I'm about to score a big account with a new client."

While Willie wheeled and dealed, Snap and I booted up the computer and made sure that all software was loaded properly.

After a hard day's work, a little R & R is in order for my friends. Stay tuned for more sockosimian adventures!

Lucky Ones Arrive in Their Purple Pod - Part 1

2010-03-02T17:22:00.000-08:00

For quite a while there has been a plan in the works for some of my pals from The Lucky Ones Sock Monkey Shelter in Central Point, Oregon to come for a visit. There are many sockosimians (sock monkeys) who live at the The Lucky Ones. The head of their family, Miss Grape Elizabeth Good, is one of my bestest pals on Facebook. After much deliberation, she determined that seven of her family members would travel cross country in their purple pod to Florida. The truly Lucky Ones were Miss Mollie, Miles, Willie B. Good, Izzy Good, Buttons, Snap and Buddy. Supplied with nanner chips for their only nourishment, these brave pioneers spent the last week packed tightly in their purple pod with dreams of warm weather, sandy beaches and palm trees in their future. I had my personal assistant Laura check the post office every day until they finally arrived today. Without further ado, I unpacked their cardboard box this afternoon and gingerly opened the lid to the purple pod.

Hi Lucky Ones! Welcome to Big Monkey's House!

Miss Grape E. Good and her brother Ernest Lee included a personalized note for me introducing my Lucky Ones visitors.

Karl and Megan couldn't resist checking out the cardboard box which contained the purple pod. The Lucky Ones also have feline family members. Perhaps they could detect that with their super-sensitive snouts?

Lucky Ones Arrive in Their Purple Pod - Part 2

2010-03-02T17:06:00.000-08:00

The Lucky Ones were kind enough to bring treats for me to share with my family. There were tons of gold coins in their pod. I felt like I hit the jackpot in Vegas! They told me that I could either spend the coins or eat them. We'll have to see if Laura's bank will accept them. Another gift which is definitely edible is a package of yummy frosted animal cookies, some of which are monkeys! The Lucky Ones want to spread their good luck to my home via the red Chinese envelopes which contained several pennies.

Karl's luck ran out when he tried to investigate my gifts. Not good for kitty, but very good for sock monkey!

The Lucky Ones were so excited to meet my big pal, Gunther. He patiently held us in his lap for a lovely group photo on the couch. From left to right: Willie B. Good, Buttons, Miles, Gunther, me, Izzy Good, Miss Mollie, Snap and Buddy.

Stay tuned for more adventures in the next couple of weeks. I will be playing tour guide and taking the Lucky Ones to many exotic locations, including the bank and the beach!

Introducing J.R. !

2010-02-23T14:08:00.000-08:00

By now most of you have seen the famous Kia commercial featuring a sock monkey which debuted on Superbowl Sunday. After doing a little research, I was delighted to contact Bonnie Connelly who served as consultant to the advertising agency hired by Kia. Coincidentally, Bonnie authored a book I own called "Everything's Coming Up Sock Monkeys." She made the small sock monkey that appeared in the back seat of the Kia at the end of the commercial. On her web site,
In My Own Dream Studio, I was able to purchase a replica of the Kia "Joy Ride" monkey. My new monkey is named J.R. Even though he is a pretty famous monkey, J.R. is surprisingly down to earth and laid back as all sock monkeys should be.

Here are J.R.'s credentials. He's a V.I.P. (Very Important Primate)

Valentine's Day and Miscellaneous Gifts

2010-02-23T13:41:00.001-08:00

I apologize for the delay in posting these photos. My personal assistant has been occupied with more important things lately. Can you imagine anything more important than helping a sock monkey update his blog? Me neither.

The gifts I've received lately have more than compensated for the neglect. Check out my new t-shirt purchased on
Etsy from seller Sillysockmonkeys. It's a perfect fit. Got bananas? You bet I do!

My photos are now going to have a professional quality to them thanks to my brand new studio! It's a soft light box with a velvet blue background. Two halogen lamps provide ample brightness for my modeling shots.

Mark bought this gift for Laura. It's a sock monkey cross stitch kit. She needs to learn a new craft.

My new pal Julius came to live at our house a few weeks ago. He's super smart and specializes in fixing computers. He's already applied for a job with the Geek Squad.

This pretty little lady is a sock gorilla or sock ape, whichever you prefer. She's just a wee gal and still sucks her "thumb" occasionally. Her beautiful necklace can be worn by a human female as a bracelet. Laura doesn't have the heart (hee hee) to take it from her. The gorilla my dreams arrived at our home in this lovely red champagne flute on Valentine's Day.

Superbowl Moments

2010-02-09T03:01:00.000-08:00

Here's some photos of our Superbowl Socktravaganza. I had a vested interest in the results of this game since I had chosen the Saints banana just hours earlier. Sorry Peyton, I didn't realize how much power my choice would have. You can go to Disney World another year, man.

Sock monkey wanna-be Laura and Gunther are ecstatic over another Saints touchdown!

Our party guests, from left to right: Scarlet, Ben Socklisberger, Gunther, me, Laura, Simon, Troy Monkamalu and Jarvis

Karl couldn't resist joining the couch potatoes, although he struggled to keep his eyes open.

Karl is fast asleep, I'm sitting on his back, and Saints fans everywhere are celebrating!

Big Monkey's Pick for the Big Game

2010-02-07T11:27:00.001-08:00

Are you ready for some football? Get your game face on folks, it's Superbowl Sunday!

This is how I plan to spend the majority of the day, lounging and maybe tossing the pigskin around a bit.

Oh... and EATING! Here's my Big Game cake - chocolate with fudge icing. Yummo!

Before the festivities begin, I'm going to make my pick for today's match up between the Colts and the Saints. Which banana will I choose?

After much consideration, I'm picking New Orleans. Geaux Saints!

My Big Presentation at the Bank

2010-01-30T12:31:00.000-08:00

My presence was requested as the keynote speaker at last Thursday's morning meeting at the bank. The focus of the meeting was customer service, and I was given a specific topic to cover. I can't reveal too much internal company information, but I will share my presentation board with key concepts illustrated. I wore my power suit and Chuck Taylor high tops, like all the big executives do, to make sure I was taken seriously.

To make my presentation more memorable, I came up with an acronym (A RED HEEL) for the list of items up for discussion. This phrase is easy for sock monkeys (and humans familiar with sock monkeys) to remember since we're made from red heeled socks.

I went through the topics by aiming my laser pointer at each item on my presentation board. I was told by Mark that all official presenters must use one of these tools. My pointer is actually in the shape of a mouse. It's used to drive the tuxedo cats at home crazy by moving it haphazardly across the floor, wall, etc. while the cats try to "catch" the elusive red dot.

My presentation was followed by much applause and appreciation by the bank employees. I think this will lead to my promotion to at least the V.P. level (Vice Primate). I'm not sure what compensation I will accept, but the offer must be in the six banana figure range.

Behind the Scenes of Big Monkey's House

2010-01-22T15:32:00.000-08:00

If you've ever pondered what a sock monkey photo shoot might look like, wonder no more. Thanks to a second human photographing behind the scenes, now is your chance to see what it's all about.

This was from my photo shoot at the beach. Mr. Monkey and I were spotted sunbathing with the gals from the Today Show, Kathie Lee and Hoda, who are checking out our buff sock bods.

I have to include this shot, no matter how much it pains me. The photos you normally see as a finished product in my blog make everything look easy. However, the reality is that I sustain many falls, bumps and bruises in the process. The ugly truth is revealed below. She let me fall about 5 feet to the ground from the top of that sign and doesn't look too concerned about it. I bet she'd be more upset if her precious camera had dropped.

Sometimes I can't even have one moment of peace. I tried to chill out at our pier one day and enjoy a spectacular view of the water. There she is snapping away... sigh.
It's rather frightening to be constantly pursued by the stalkerazzi. I guess it's just the price of being a famous sock monkey.

Pictures from Vacations Past

2010-01-19T16:49:00.000-08:00

Since I haven't traveled in a while, I decided to post some old photos from miscellaneous vacations past. Here I am with Socks, Little Big Monkey and some towel animal friends we met on a cruise in March 2004. We went to the Cayman Islands, Mexico and Belize. The sombreros and Mexican beer t-shirt I'm wearing were souvenirs for me and my little buddies. As you can see, we had a major fiesta consisting of Corona and exotic fruits.

June 2006 - Here I am in Key Largo at the Holiday Inn where the boat from the famous movie of the same name, "The African Queen" is docked.

December 2004 - I'm ready to get my drink on at the Flying Monkeys Saloon in Key West.

Laura and I posing in Times Square, NYC in October 2005. This was Laura's first trip to the Big Apple even though she grew up only 100 miles away.

July 2006 - Laura and I are hiking in Sedona, Arizona. She's sucking down some cool water from her bladder style back pack while I'm suffering from dehydration.

Ride 'Em, Cowboy Socks!

2010-01-12T16:31:00.000-08:00

I was proud to present my little buddy Socks with a brand new stick horse and instructional flip book titled, "Giddy Up." Many years ago in his youth, Socks had a stick horse which was accidentally misplaced. He was thrilled to see his old buddy and ready to jump back in the saddle again!

Socks got a refresher course on riding his new stick horse by literally flipping through this book. The pages create an animation of a sock monkey riding his stick horse through the desert. He even winks at the viewer during his ride!

There he goes! It's just like riding a bike. One never forgets how to ride a stick horse. Simulation of the desert ride is accomplished by these strategically placed authentic red rocks from Sedona, Arizona.

Galloping past the red rocks, Socks can barely control his bucking bronco. Yee haw!

Snow Monkeys?

2010-01-12T02:57:00.001-08:00

It may not be snowing (yet), but it is certainly cold enough. Did someone move our house up to Pennsylvania while we were sleeping? We've had low temperatures in the 20's and highs in the low 40's. Thanks to Karen, I am now able to venture outside without freezing my red heel in my new winter garb. Karen is learning how to knit, and I think she did a fantastic job on this scarf and hat!

If you look closely, you might see icicles hanging from my ears.

Karen made an extra hat, which I lent to Billy Ground Hog so we could go outside and play. BGH is already somewhat equipped for blustery weather in his snowman sweater.

The good news is that this 2 week long cold snap is coming to an end, for the time being. By the weekend, Crystal Beach will see high temperatures of 70 degrees. Hooray!

I've Been Warholized!

2010-01-06T17:30:00.000-08:00

During the weeks before Christmas, Mark and I had secretly been working on a present for Laura. Now it's time for the big reveal... I've been Warholized! Mark used a program called Paint Shop Pro to create these Andy Warhol-like images of me. Then he sent the file to a company in California that printed it out on canvas.

She was so happy with her gift! Although Mark had complained that he "missed his deadline" to get it done in time for Christmas, it was well worth the wait.

Here's the actual file used to create this work of art. You can get a much better appreciation for how brilliant the colors are.

Knitted Sock Monkey Hat Contest

2010-01-04T17:49:00.001-08:00

Laura's aunt and uncle sent us this awesome knitted sock monkey hat. The humans and the giant sock monkeys were all vying for a chance to wear it, especially since the low temperatures have dipped into the 30's here in Crystal Beach... brrr! This gave me an idea. Why not have a contest to see who my viewers think wears the sock monkey best? I'd like to introduce the first contestant, Laura. Please note that my appearance in this photo in no way implies an endorsement on my part.

Our second contestant is Mark. He grabbed the hat from Laura as soon as she unpacked the gift box. This monkey was on a mission to get warm and become a fashion icon simultaneously.

Simon thinks he rocks the hat better than anymonk.

His twin brother, Jarvis, strikes a pose.

Gunther matter-of-factly says that sock monkey hat looks best on his chrome dome.

Lock in your votes, folks. Tell me who you think is America's Next Top Sock Monkey Hat Model. Limit one vote per fan, please.

Favorite Stuff on my Fridge - Part 1

2010-01-02T13:03:00.000-08:00

My Facebook pal, Harry, came up with a brilliant idea to take pictures of the interesting stuff on his refrigerator. I decided to follow his lead and do the same with mine. As you can see, my fridge is a conglomeration of miscellaneous items collected over the years.

I've included my 10 favorite photos here because I can only upload 5 per post. There are many more which I have posted on Facebook. If you haven't friended me yet, my name is Velike Ludorije.

Sitting atop the fridge - smoking shriner monkey and see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil monkey jars
Top - Bucky from the comic "Get Fuzzy." He reminds us of Karl in terms of his appearance and cattitude. Karl sits just like Bucky in this picture quite frequently.
Bottom - Hand sketch by Mark of sad monkey getting reverse mohawk haircut

Another work of art by Mark - spitting monkey gets lottery tickets and mini monkey riding bicycle

Karl (about 10 years ago) inside the fridge between the iceberg lettuce and the eggs. Yes, he did this all on his own while Laura was unloading groceries.

Favorite Stuff on My Fridge - Part 2

2010-01-02T12:49:00.000-08:00

Monkey twins

Space chimp from NASA in Houston

Friendly shrimp from Bubba Gump Shrimp Company and monkey gift cards from Target and Walmart (depleted long ago)

Sock monkey magnets handmade by my friend, Noah

George Bush chimp thinking about bananas

Brothers' Bowl Banter

2009-12-31T16:41:00.000-08:00

On the final day of 2009, Billy Ground Hog and his brother Woody reunited at the bank. Woody has been living at Miss Amy's house for about a month now. He is extremely happy there with his new adopted brothers Charlie and Squeakers, but occasionally Woody longs to hang out with his Ohio brother, Billy Ground Hog.

Since Billy Ground Hog has lived at my house for about 2 years now, he has converted to become a Penn State fan. Woody, of course, is a diehard Ohio State fan. The brothers are both very football oriented, so they are extremely excited about their respective school's New Year's Day bowl game. Penn State will be playing LSU in the Capital One Bowl, and Ohio State will face Oregon in the granddaddy of them all, the Rose Bowl.

Woody showed his spirit by making this sign to root for his team.

When Woody stepped away for a moment, Billy Ground Hog put a little post it note over the Ohio on Woody's sign.

Woody pondered for a moment, and then slightly lowered Billy Ground Hog's post it note.
"See, we can root for both teams with one sign!" he told his Nittany Lion fan brother. Woody is considering a future as a foreign diplomat when he grows up one day.

Here's to victories for OSU, PSU and all the other Big Ten teams!

More Monkey Gifts

2009-12-27T10:49:00.001-08:00

Laura received this very good monkey watch. I especially like the monkeys on the band. Even if the watch dies, it will make a nice bracelet.

This is Nano Monkey. He came from ebay, along with many other items in our home. He is called Nano because he is so tiny. To give you an idea of his size, I've placed Nano Monkey on my paw. He's barely 1/2 inch tall.

We received this nifty night light (another Cracker Barrel find) from Mark's dad.

Laura's aunt Betty gave us a different night light. Our house will be lit up by multiple sock monkeys when it gets dark.

Laura received this awesome pair of Paul Frank pajamas from Mark's brother Scott. Julius the monkey is our friend, and so is Paul Frank.

Christmas Monkeypalooza - a Plethora of All Things Monkey

2009-12-27T09:30:00.000-08:00

This Christmas could certainly be considered Monkeypalooza. We were so fortunate to receive many simian related gifts that included monkeys (sock and otherwise), artwork, clothing, decor, etc. I wish I could post pictures of every item. Our cup truly runneth over this year. Here are two cuties which appear to be the offspring of our giant red sock monkey, Scarlet. Rusty (orange) and Casey (blue) are making friends with their new buddy Karl.

This little dude is crocheted. He's only a few inches tall, so it took some seriously intricate work to create this buddy.

He was made by a nice lady named Meema who lives in Canada and sells her monkeys on ebay. It turns out that a shriner sock monkey Laura purchased two years ago was made by the same person. These two are brothers!

Speaking of brothers, here is one of the Monkey Brothers donning a brand new holiday sweater from Cynthia. He is pushing a shopping cart that Mark bought for us from Think Geek. Think Geek is a good place to find cool toys for your favorite nerd, and they are a monkey friendly company.

We received some delicious buckeyes from our neighbor Joni and from Mark (courtesy of Cracker Barrel). Our native Ohioan, Billy Ground Hog, is ready to devour some of his favorite holiday goody! Buckeyes are basically peanut butter balls covered in chocolate. Yummo!

Sock Monkey Graphic Works of Art

2009-12-27T08:56:00.000-08:00

Mark bought some really cool sock monkey pictures on ebay for Christmas. The seller's name is pounddesigns. You can also purchase from her web site, Pound Designs. She even creates other pieces besides sock monkeys. Here's the Bride and Groom - perfect for the humans this year.

The hear no evil, see no evil and speak no evil monkeys enjoy some brews at a sock pub.

This one is for Mark - the scuba monk. Mark used to snorkel a lot, and it almost seemed like he was scuba diving because he would hold his breath for a long time and swim very deep chasing after sea creatures. This monkey just needs an underwater camera, and he would be Mark.

Good versus evil - which will this sock monkey choose? Laura has a Paul Frank t-shirt with a similar design featuring Julius the monkey.

Here's Mark again playing the bongo drums. He really does have a set and likes to make a lot of noise to bother Laura. Personally, I enjoy his drumming.

Giant Sock Monkeys Times Three!

2009-12-27T04:11:00.001-08:00

There's quite a story behind this post, so I'm going to backtrack a little. Laura had seen a new four foot sock monkey on ebay, and she mentioned this to her co-worker Michelle. Michelle is also addicted to sock monkeys, and Laura is her dealer of sorts. Last week, Laura ordered the sock monkey for Michelle after she enthusiastically gave the OK to go forward with the adoption.

Fast forward to Christmas Eve at the bank. Laura's head teller, Deb, brought in a gigantic wrapped present for her, and guess what was inside? It's the same sock monkey that Laura had found for Michelle on ebay! Apparently he was at our local Walmart as well. How Laura missed this at Walmart we'll never know. She normally has a very good radar for sock monkeys. Laura was giddy over having a third four foot sock monkey to add to her couch collection. She brought him home and proudly showed Mark, who didn't have much of a reaction. Hmm...

The reason why he didn't share in her excitement was because he also got her the same monkey at Walmart. He rode his "hog" (recumbent tricycle) all the way to the store to buy it for her. What a sight that must have been with the giant sock monkey in his storage basket! Laura said she is keeping them both because they are twins and can't be separated. The first twin "born" on Christmas Eve is Jarvis, and the second twin "born" on Christmas Day is Simon. His full name is Simon Key... SiMON KEY... get it? Mark said the other twin should have a mon name too, but the only thing Laura could think of was Damon which isn't a good monkey name in her opinion.

The day after Christmas, Michelle's ebay monkey arrived. Here he is before I liberated him from the plastic bag.

The twins have now become triplets! All of them are exactly one day apart. Here's the happy threesome posing on the couch.

Here are the silly boys mimicking the See No Evil, Hear No Evil and Speak No Evil monkeys.

The brothers meet Gunther.

How many giant sock monkeys does it take to fill up a couch? The answer is five. From left to right: Scarlet, Jarvis, Simon, Michelle's monk (name to be determined) and Gunther.

Christmas Day Continued

2009-12-27T03:55:00.000-08:00

You may wonder how Santa Monk can deliver presents to all the good little monkey boys and girls around the globe and still have energy to enjoy the festivities on Christmas Day. The secret is Starbucks! Santa downed several Java Chip Frappuccinos to keep the party going.

Santa loves coffee... hee hee!

Mark, the wanna be chimp, received a Monkey Butt toiletries gift pack. It includes shampoo, body wash, lotion and powder for his monkey butt! Do you think someone was trying to give him a hint?

Mark is modeling one of the gag gifts for Karen. It's a snuggie like wrap, and the box says the design is a "leaf swirl pattern." They should have put a warning on the box that wearing this for an extended period of time may give you the munchies. Apparently Mark has been wearing it too long because he's attacking the Christmas cookies.

Karl's feline cousins, Gilbert and LT, enjoyed watching some fishing programs on television during the day. Check out the jaws on that monster!

Christmas Morning - An Ominous Beginning?

2009-12-27T03:35:00.000-08:00

Apparently while Santa Monk was delivering presents around the world on Christmas Eve, an assailant was busy preying on the sock monkey filled tree. Laura found the two assaulted victims on the floor Christmas morning.

She immediately summoned Officer Po Po and Po Junior to investigate the scene. There is no holiday when it comes to crime.

The fine fellows in blue were able to gather forensic evidence before the crime scene was contaminated by a frenzy of unwrapped presents.

Once Po Po could obtain a warrant, he returned to arrest the perpetrator, Karl. Here he is about to attack some of the Christmas gifts. He's eying up the beef stick... sigh. I guess it's back to cat jail... again.

Another tragedy occurred on our front porch later in the morning. A small dead bird was discovered, but it appears that no foul (or fowl) play was involved. He was relocated to Monkey Hollow in our backyard as his final resting place. RIP, my feathered friend.

Christmas Eve - Package from Noah

2009-12-27T03:21:00.001-08:00

The day before Christmas I received a package from my sock monkey pal, Noah. He is a blogger just like me. If you want to check out his blog sometime, look under my "Blogs I Follow" section and select Existential Sock Monkey. Noah's mom, Kathy, is very talented. She knits, sews, and makes all kinds of wonderful crafts. I was very excited when Noah told me they were sending a package to Laura and me!

Oh boy! What's inside the bag?

First I received a nice Christmas card with my name on the envelope.

Then I found these really cool magnets! Noah made them himself, with a little help from his mom. Noah has a very professional looking business card that he can hand out to others interested in finding his blog. He included one in the package for me.

Then I found this awesome sock monkey tote bag. Noah said his mom made it for Laura, but she can use it to transport me back and forth to the bank or on other adventures. We both LOVE the bag! I jumped into it immediately. We can't thank Noah and his mom enough for sending us these special gifts!

Pre-Christmas Activities

2009-12-27T02:59:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago I told you about the Teddy Bear Roundup, which collects and distributes bears to children in need during the holidays. One of my best pals on Facebook, Harry, who happens to be an alpine polar bear himself, sent a buddy all the way from Hoboken, NJ for donation to the cause. Many thanks and hugs to you, Harry! We really appreciate it. Here is Santa Monk posing with the delightful, huggable pal from Harry.

I think the little fellow is taking a shine to Santa Monk.

After posing for pictures with Santa Monk, it was time for our new friend to be sent via interoffice courier - the next step towards his final destination of a new home with a child that loves him. Santa carefully packed him up in a transport bag and humanely cut some air holes so that he wouldn't suffocate. Good luck on the rest of your journey, bear buddy!

The entire week prior to Christmas, sock monkeys infiltrated the bank. It was Sock Monkey Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Here's a photo of Gunther and a few of his little Christmas buddies.

Meanwhile on the home front, our small tree was dominated by sock monkeys of course. Some of these ornaments were given to us as gifts this year. We thank everyone who contributed to the collection!

Chef Big Monkey's Beef Stew

2009-12-07T03:10:00.000-08:00

Last night I prepared a delicious beef stew for my family. I found the recipe on the Food Network's web site, and this is the second time I have made it - Red Wine Beef Stew with Potatoes and Green Beans. If you click on my link, you can see the ingredient list complete with instructions. I will be giving my two cents worth of advice to guide you through the process. The recipe says it takes 2 hours and 20 minutes total time, but I would allow 4 hours. The potatoes I used (Yukon gold) take much longer to cook than they say. I supersized many of the ingredients using lots more carrots and potatoes than the recipe called for.

Here I am browning the beef. Normally I don't use real butter, but I did follow the recipe in this instance. Browning the beef in butter adds a great flavor to the stew.

I'm cooking up the carrots and onions in the leftover beef juices. The aroma is just incredible!

I used a Cabernet Sauvignon for the red wine. The key to the wine is use something you would like to drink. When I sent my assistant to get ingredients Sunday morning, she was quite perturbed because she had forgotten that Florida doesn't allow alcohol sales before 11:00 am on Sundays. Duh! She had to return for a second trip later in the day. If you are a wine buffoon like Laura, just pick a medium priced bottle that has a cork instead of a screw top. Removing the cork was an ordeal in itself, but I won't go into that. Very important - drink the leftover wine during the cooking process.

Four hours later... hiccup! Here's my finished stew pot. Doesn't it look divine?

Finally it's time to eat! Since it took so long to prepare this stew, I made sure we had plenty of leftovers for future meals. I think it will be even more savory after sitting in the fridge for a couple of days.

Donation to a Good Cause - The John Winter Memorial Teddy Bear Roundup

2009-12-03T02:52:00.000-08:00

My friends from News Channel 8 are sponsoring the annual Teddy Bear Roundup. Through the Rough Riders, donated bears are given to children in the hospital during the holidays. The bank where I work, Regions, is one of several collection sites in the Tampa Bay area. I did my part by donating this cute, fuzzy friend to the cause. Hopefully he will make some child beary happy!

My pal and I posed by the bank's Christmas tree prior to him hopping inside of the box. I reassured him that his time in the box would not be too long. Soon he will have a good home just like I do.

Meet Billy Ground Hog's Brother Woody

2009-12-01T16:52:00.000-08:00

I'm sure you'll remember Billy Ground Hog (or BGH for short). He's my buddy who is originally from Ohio. He played football in the SMNFL (Sock Monkey National Football League) for the Cleveland Red White and Browns during his prime. Now he's living the charmed life of a retired pro athlete at my home in Florida. BGH has been admired more than once by Laura's co-worker at the bank, Miss Amy, who coincidentally is also an Ohio native.

Amy's birthday was approaching, and Billy Ground Hog noticed that one of his brothers was up for adoption on ebay! Better yet, this brother played football for Ohio State, and Miss Amy's husband is an alumni. After coordinating with Laura, we made it happen. Brother was on his way from Ohio to Florida. When his coach arrived via the postal service, BGH did the honors by opening the hatch for his brother.

All of a sudden, a friendly head popped out. "Hello hello hello! Greetings from Ohio!," brother exclaimed.
After climbing out of his coach, brother and BGH took some time to catch up. BGH admired the genuine buckeye necklace that brother wore proudly around his neck.

Brother came with other accessories besides his necklace. Take note of his pom pom hat and fleece blankie displaying his Ohio State spirit.

After a brief reunion, it was time to prepare brother for his new home with Miss Amy. BGH helped his brother burrow in a birthday gift bag. He didn't shed too many tears, knowing that his brother would live only a few miles away. They would be able to meet again, perhaps for Sock Monkey Friday at the bank.

Miss Amy was delighted to adopt brother! After bringing him home and discussing with the family, his name was determined to be Woody after the famous Ohio State coach Woody Hayes.

Admirers of these handsome, well made brothers will be happy to know that there are more of their siblings available on ebay for an extremely reasonable price. Check out the ebay seller billygroundhog for more details.

Chef Big Monkey Shares His Green Bean Casserole Recipe

2009-11-28T03:42:00.001-08:00

I'm going to divulge my recipe for green bean casserole which I prepare every year for Thanksgiving (and Christmas too). Here's the ingredient list:

Paste:
2 T flour
2 T sugar
1 tsp. salt
2 T butter

Other Ingredients:
2 cans french style green beans, drained
1 pt. sour cream
2 c. shredded swiss cheese
2 c. corn flakes

Here I am shredding the swiss cheese into a bowl.

Then I combine the drained green beans and sour cream with the shredded cheese.

Next I cook the paste ingredients in a small sauce pan until they thicken. Then the paste gets mixed into my bowl. I spread the bowl contents into a 13" x 9" casserole dish.

Now it's time to make the topping. I slightly brown approximately 2 c. of corn flakes with a dab of butter in a frying pan. Once the flakes are finished, I sprinkle them over the casserole dish contents. Then it's into the preheated oven at 350 F for approximately 20-25 minutes. I hope you enjoy this tasty side dish as much as my family does. Bon appetit!

The Thanksgiving Day Swiss Cheese Tradition

2009-11-28T03:28:00.001-08:00

Every year for Thanksgiving, we make a green bean casserole which contains a block of shredded swiss cheese. This is a very tasty side dish, and I'll be sharing the recipe with you today. However, the most anticipated event prior to preparing the casserole is the placement of the swiss cheese tradition. During the course of the day while watching football and gobbling down appetizers, someone is bound to take a snooze on the couch. Normally, it's one of the non-busy humans, but this year it happened to be a sock monkey. The person (or monkey) who falls asleep gets the distinguished honor of having the block of swiss cheese placed as close as possible to their face without waking them up. Then photographic evidence is obtained and shared amongst all of the Thanksgiving guests. This year's winner was Billy Ground Hog. Gunther did the honors by carefully placing the cheese under his nose. He twitched a bit, and then resettled back into napping bliss. Gunther motioned me over quickly to capture these shots, just in case the ground hog would arise from his slumber.

Here's a closeup of the shenanigans. You might have noticed that the swiss cheese is resting on my fabulous sock monkey dish from Cracker Barrel.

Michael's, the Knitted Sock Monkey, and a Big Surprise - Part 1

2009-11-25T17:26:00.002-08:00

Laura went to Michael's last week just to browse around, and she heard some monkey noises coming from the yarn section. She followed the sounds and encountered a wonderful pal! He was a store sample - a knitted sock monkey head with two arms crossed under his chin. He was carefully wire tied to the store display. After inquiring about him, she was told that store samples were not for sale. End of story. There was a knitting pattern book for monkeys, but they were sold out. A bit dejected but not undaunted, she was determined to bring me back to the store to see if my sock monkey charm could convince them otherwise. At the very least, we would get some pictures together.

A few days later, I returned with her to Michael's. It was hard to contain my excitement as I approached the store. We made a beeline for the yarn section, but more heartache awaited us. The knitted buddy was gone. How could this be? He had been liberated from the chains that held him down. We sought out the employee that Laura had spoken to the other day. Apparently, it was time for the display to come down, and our friend had mysteriously "disappeared." Hmm... I detected some monkey business going on here, but I kept my red heeled mouth shut.

Laura and I were not ready to give up. There's another Michael's about 20 minutes away. We sped off in the Beetle, keeping paws and fingers crossed during our ride hoping that it would provide more fruitful results.

We searched fervently for the yarn section. As we got closer and closer, my eyes spied him! The buddy that Laura had told me about was here. Hooray! As soon as he saw me, he called out and begged me to free him. Laura and I went through the chain of employees to see what we could do. They tried to help us, truly, but in the end, the result was the same. No samples for sale when they're done with the display. Back to square one...sigh!

I tried to make the best of the hand we were dealt. Laura took some pictures of my buddy and me. We promised to come back and visit him whenever we could.

He pointed out the highly sought Patons book with detailed instructions about how to make full bodied monkeys. This is the book that was sold out at the first Michael's store we visited. Even though Laura doesn't know how to knit, we purchased the book anyway.

Michaels, the Knitted Sock Monkey, and a Big Surprise - Part 2

2009-11-25T17:00:00.000-08:00

I tried to be upbeat and not show my disappointment to the rest of my sock monkey family. I tried not to sulk. I implored my Facebook friends to visit their local Michael's store, but I knew the odds weren't on my side. Then, something totally unexpected happened! Laura brought home a package that had arrived for me at the post office. What could it be? Let me take a peek inside.

A few seconds after I opened the box, a gray and cream colored head popped up and said, "Hi, my name is Roger." I stared at him in disbelief. Were my eyes deceiving me? Roger said, "Big Monkey, I heard that you met my brother at Michael's the other day. He was so sorry he couldn't come home with you, but he made some calls and, long story short, here I am."

I must be the luckiest sock monk in the world, or at least I feel like it today. Roger said he was originally planning to arrive on Christmas Day to surprise me, but he heard how sad I was after the rejection at Michael's so he arranged immediate transportation to Crystal Beach.

Roger told me that he has some really cool cousins in that book I purchased at Michael's. I decided to peruse the pages and earmarked the ones I want Laura to learn how to make. I think she needs another hobby, besides following me around and taking pictures.

Here's a closeup of this "Monkey Business" book. It includes both knitted and crocheted monks. I highly recommend it for all of my crafty friends.

I'm on You Tube!

2009-11-22T16:59:00.000-08:00

Click HERE to check out my first video on You Tube! I'm demonstrating my new Christmas sock monkey snow globes that change colors. Enjoy!

Chef Big Monkey Prepares Lasagna - Part 1

2009-11-17T03:40:00.001-08:00

I decided to prepare a tasty meal for my family last Sunday - homemade lasagna! I'm going to show you step-by-step how to make this masterpiece for yourself at home. My recipe came from "The Encyclopedia of Creative Cooking," 1984 edition. However, I got a little creative myself because I supersized the recipe!

I left the meat portion alone, but I basically doubled everything else. If you like a lot of meat, you can increase the portion, or you can make it meatless as well. I began by browning 1 1b. of ground beef and 2 Italian sausage links (casings removed). Once fully cooked, I drained the fat and juices and moved the meat to my sauce pot. I've been told it's best not to pour the drippings into your sink. Laura's grandpa used to pour them into a steel coffee can and put it in the fridge labeled "FATSO." When the can was full, he would toss it out.

I finely chopped a gigantic onion. Then I cooked it in the same pan as above with a bit of olive oil until the onions turned translucent.

At the end of the onions cooking, I added some minced garlic. The garlic doesn't need very long to cook because it turns brown right away. The recipe called for one clove of garlic. ONE clove? Fugetaboutit! I supersized that because we love lots of garlic.

Once the garlic and onions were cooked, I added them to the sauce pot with the meat. Now it's time to add the tomato products. The recipe called for a 28 oz. can of peeled Italian tomatoes and a 6 oz. can of tomato paste. I added more tomato products to double this and then some. I got creative and added some tomato puree too. You can't really mess this up. Just make sure you get a nice consistency.

With the major sauce ingredients mixed together, I added approximately two teaspoons of sugar and crushed oregano to taste. The sauce should simmer for about 40 minutes.

Chef Big Monkey Prepares Lasagna - Part 2

2009-11-17T03:27:00.001-08:00

I boiled a 16 oz. box of lasagna noodles for about 15 minutes in a giant cauldron of water with a pinch of salt and a dash of oil. After draining the cooked noodles, I ran cold water over them (very important so that you don't burn your paws). Then I arranged them on paper towels to dry.

Now it's time for the fun part - making the layers. Begin by lightly greasing your pan. I used cooking spray. Then cover the bottom with some sauce. The layers go noodles, ricotta, mozzarella, sauce, repeat. I have exactly enough noodles and fixin's to make 6 layers.

After finishing my layers, I top everything off with parmesan cheese. I recommend freshly grated, but if you want to save time you can use the bottled stuff.

I estimated the cook time to be approximately 45 minutes due to the amount of layers in my pan. At the very end, I turned on the broiler for a couple of minutes to brown the cheese on top.
Here's the finished product out of the oven and ready to serve.

Chef Big Monkey Prepares Lasagna - Part 3

2009-11-17T03:10:00.000-08:00

After slaving over a hot stove for several hours, it's now time to enjoy the fruits of my labor. My tasty dinner consists of humongous slab of lasagna, tossed salad and garlic bread.

Just to make your mouth water, I thought I'd show you a closeup. I think I'll be in a lasagna coma after this meal, but it will be so sweet!

This has nothing to do with lasagna, but I decided to include a couple of random shots taken the following day of Karl and Gunther. This is Karl's favorite couch. Sometimes he likes to sit with a human. Sometimes he likes to sit there alone and take up as much space as possible. Sometimes a human might be sitting there and leaves to go to the bathroom, and Karl wastes no time in jumping up and claiming the couch for himself. I tried an experiment to see if it would work. Would Karl still want to sit on the couch, even if Gunther is there? You betcha!

Aren't they cute together? The red object by Karl is his stuffed lobster toy.

1st Annual Run for Primates - 11/14/09 - Part 1

2009-11-14T09:54:00.001-08:00

The event of the weekend in Palm Harbor was the 1st Annual Run for Primates, which benefited my friends at the Suncoast Primate Sanctuary. The run was held in Wall Springs Park, which some of you might remember from my previous posts this summer. On Thursday, Laura and I went to the sanctuary to complete our registration. You can see some pictures of my chimp, monkey and orangutan buddies on the cork board in the background.

I did a little investigating while we were signing up.

Here's a picture of Bob the Chimp. Apparently he'll be participating in Saturday's race. Check out those running shoes.

For all of you aspiring runners out there, bananas are the premier pre-race fuel. Laura and I downed a few for energy prior to our run.

1st Annual Run for Primates - 11/14/09 - Part 2

2009-11-14T09:41:00.000-08:00

I decided to peruse the food table prior to the race. I'll take two of each, please.

Look at all these goodies! I have to wait until after the race to chow down.

Here's the t-shirt they gave Laura. I can't believe they didn't have one in my size. Well, it's time to get on my mark, get set... GO! Our race course passed right by the sanctuary. Laura and I heard some chimps cheering for us as we ran past.

Drum roll please... Big Monkey wins! I came in first in the pantyhose filled leg division. For my fine effort, I was presented with a gold medal and a bouquet of roses. Laura is honored to pose with the sock champion.

After my victory, I meandered through the park a bit. Some of you might remember the spring which my friends and I have visited before. All in all, it was a fine day! Laura finished 4th among the humans. Don't get too excited, there were only about 20 of them.

Nuts Crush Lions 24-7

2009-11-08T11:57:00.000-08:00

Saturday, 11/7/09 - As the Penn State Nittany Lions prepared to face the Ohio State Buckeyes at Beaver Stadium in State College, PA, a face off of a different kind was happening in Crystal Beach, FL. My nemesis, Bunckeye, challenged me to a game of pigskin.

Take that, buddy!

Despite my best tackling efforts, Bunckeye maintained possession of the ball. His agile spider monkey legs took him into the end zone for a score. Not only was Bunckeye the winner of our skirmish, his beloved Buckeyes trounced my Nittany Lions 24-7. Bye bye BCS bowl and Big Ten Championship... sniff sniff!

Good sportsmanship is of utmost importance among primates. After all was said and done, Bunckeye and I are still good pals.

Sockoween 2009 - Part 1

2009-11-01T03:39:00.001-08:00

Ahh yes... it's that magical time of year when sock monkeys in costume get to invade the bank for candy! Here's our group this year. From left to right: One Eyed Jack as the devil, King Big Monkey, Monkey Brother as the jester, Billy Ground Hog, our lion Chiquita, Henly as the angel, and Marcus the aviator.

My friends Frank Sockenstein, Little Pumpkin Monkey and Count Sockula are frolicking with Sock Monkey Pumpkin, who vants to suck your blood. He's a vampire this year.

Our festive display table at the bank with candy!

Here's the gang at home before they head out for trick or treating.

King Big Monkey knights Sir Sock Monkey Pumpkin with his bejeweled sceptre as his court jester observes.

Sockoween 2009 - Part 2

2009-11-01T03:26:00.000-08:00

My little munchkin pals, Frank Sockenstein, Little Pumpkin Monkey and Count Sockula, are all geared up for some intense trick or treating.

Grrrr... Chiquita looks so ferocious as a lion.

Billy Ground Hog is extra festive in his jack-o-lantern sweater, colorful mittens and Halloween socks.

Marcus the aviator aspires to be the Red Baron, or perhaps Snoopy.

I'd fly with you any day, Captain.

Sockoween 2009 - Part 3

2009-11-01T03:18:00.001-08:00

It's the classic battle of good versus evil or angel versus devil.

I think Karl can tell you who won. He's trying to hide from his momma because he doesn't want to wear his costume.

No such luck... this rodeo is on!

You can lead a horse to his food bowl, but you can't make him wear his hat.

Sorry cowboy! Your horse is all tuckered out. He's licking his chops after putting on a feedbag.

Big Monkey Throws a Wedding - Part 1

2009-10-24T17:57:00.001-07:00

My humans, Laura and Mark, decided to get married spur of the moment on Thursday, October 22nd. Laura asked her co-workers on Wednesday if it would be okay for them to marry at the bank after her shift on Thursday. These ladies went all out at the last minute to create a fabulous atmosphere for the wedding and reception. I take my crown off to salute them.

Here is an old photo that Mark hunted down of he and Laura on their first date in May 1996 at an air show on Ft. Lauderdale Beach. Their heads are circled in green. I was trapped in a bag in Pennsylvania during this period of time, so I didn't even know them yet.

Fast forward to 2009... here are the happy couple still going strong!

Miss Cynthia presided as the officiant and notary public, while Miss Amy and Miss Deb witnessed the ceremony. Here is the transcript from our ceremony.

Miss Cynthia: We are gathered here today to unite Mark and Laura in marriage, which is an institution ordained by the state and made honorable by good primates throughout the ages.

Miss Cynthia to Mark: Do you Mark, take Laura to be your wife, to love, comfort, and cherish from this day forth?

Mark: Yes

Miss Cynthia to Laura: Do you Laura, take your monkey Mark to be your husband to love, comfort, and cherish from this day forth?

Laura: Yes

(Laura and Mark exchange rings.)

Miss Cynthia: Having thus pledged yourselves to each other, I do now, by the virtue of the authority vested in me by the state of Florida, the town of Crystal Beach, and the Honorable Big Monkey, pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss your chimp.

There wasn't a dry eye in the bank. Our wedding guests (from left to right: Farcus, Squeakers and Mr. Monkey) were quite moved. Squeakers was our guest of honor, as he lives at Miss Amy's house.

I would like to highlight the lovely atmosphere that Laura's dear co-workers and friends created for the ceremony. I was feeling rather royal, so I dressed as King Big Monkey for the day's festivities.

Farcus, Mr. Monkey and I frolicked amongst the autumn decorations.

Big Monkey Throws a Wedding - Part 2

2009-10-24T17:48:00.001-07:00

Now that the ceremony is over it's time to eat, drink and be merry! The cake is absolutely beautiful and reflects our autumn wedding theme.

Uh oh! The bride is about to mutilate the cake. I determined that she should never be a surgeon.

The groom is first in line to get his piece of cake.

Yummo! I'm chowing down on the cake and a mini Dove chocolate ice cream bar.

I just love weddings... and sparkling cider. Hiccup! I'll be dancing on the table soon.

Big Monkey Throws a Wedding - Part 3

2009-10-24T17:36:00.000-07:00

Here's our bride ready to throw her beautiful bouquet to a captive audience. Who will catch it?

Congratulations, Mr. Monkey! You'll be the next one to get hitched!

Sock Monkey Friday 10/9/09 - Gunther and Scarlet

2009-10-11T10:38:00.001-07:00

By popular demand, Gunther attended Sock Monkey Friday at the bank again. His girlfriend Scarlet had heard that some ladies requested Gunther's appearance, so she came along to chaperone.

We had fun monkeying around in the lobby before the bank opened. "Can we have some service, please? We'd like to open a checking account."

Gunther was either truly inspired to save or else he was just having fun playing with these giant blocks.

Scarlet had fun hanging around on the Wealth Management display. That's how she rolls.

"Hold all my calls, please," Gunther said authoritatively. "I have to catch up on my e-mail and attend an important conference call."

Eat your heart out, P Diddy and 50 Cent. Check out B-Monk's new style!

2009-10-06T16:00:00.000-07:00

Here I am (B-Monk that is) striking a pose in my new fur coat. Let me emphasize to my homies - this coat is 100% faux. No furries were harmed in any way, shape or form to produce this luxurious piece. I think I'll wear it to the Grammys when my hit "Auto-Biggie-Ography" gets nominated for an award.

Non-Sock Monkey Pals - Part 1

2009-10-05T16:53:00.001-07:00

I've been meaning to introduce you to some of my other monkey friends that are not of the sock variety. There are too many to mention in one post, but I wanted to highlight a few of them. On the left is our Christmas tree angel. He is counting down the days until he can sit atop our fine faux evergreen. On the right is Mark Monkey. Yes, that's right, his name is Mark. Believe it or not, the company that manufactured him provided the name. He's a rather portly fellow but very jolly.

Continuing with the holiday theme, these are my Valentine buddies. From left to right, Albino Monk, Boxing Gorilla, and Hearty Monk. Aren't they sweet?

This guy is little bit crazy. I try to humor him so he doesn't go ape on me. If you squeeze his paw or try to steal his banana, he'll screech and jump around.

My pal below is our Penn State rally lemur. He is a true blue and white fan!

OK, I had to throw in a picture of me and Neuri. He's a neuron (i.e., brain cell). I thought he looked rather tasty, but I was told not to eat him.

Non-Sock Monkey Pals - Part 2

2009-10-05T16:42:00.000-07:00

This is monkey pillow. He's a plushy who's perfectly content being attached to this pillow. Can you blame him?

This little guy is crocheted to look just like a sock monkey complete with pom pom hat.

My homeboy Julius is a true celebrity. He's Paul Frank's brilliant creation based upon a sock monkey his grandma made for him as a child. Hmm... that story sounds familiar.

This is Julius pillow. He's a cozy pal to take a snooze on. Poor guy, I think he's seen his share of drool over the years.

Last, but certainly not least, is Lego Monkey! He's a climbing monk, although after a few falls (caused by clumsy humans) he's required some reassembly. Go Lego Monkey!

Jester Hat

2009-09-27T13:46:00.000-07:00

Thanks to a tip from my pal Noah, I found out that Target had some awesome Halloween hats. They were in the pet costume section. My favorite was the jester hat, which Laura so generously purchased for me.

As soon as Laura took it out of the bag, Karl literally climbed up her pant leg to investigate. Little did he know he was about to become the next victim! The hat has a chin strap for pets who are not so cooperative about wearing it. Here's our sad jester boy. C'mon Karl, you're not going to collect any Halloween goodies with that scowl on your cat face.

Sock Monkey Friday 9/25/09 - Food and Surprises - Part 1

2009-09-27T13:35:00.000-07:00

My presence was specifically requested this past Friday at the bank by my manager, Miss Amy. I could hardly wait to attend, especially since I found out that lots of food would be involved. When I arrived at the bank, I was presented with this glorious crown bearing my name! What a bonus!

The bank is helping to raise money for the American Heart Association. Anyone who donates gets their very own heart displayed. I had to do my part...

... so here's my heart.

For a brief moment I felt guilty about the non-heart healthy lunch I was about to consume. However, it passed quickly as soon as I laid my eyes upon the pizza.

My friend Eugene and I scarfed down several pieces, and then it was time to move on to the next course.

Sock Monkey Friday 9/25/09 - Food and Surprises - Part 2

2009-09-27T13:26:00.000-07:00

Our feast would not have been complete without some yummy desserts. Eugene and I attacked this plate of homemade key lime cookies.

J.J. Gandy's has the best desserts in town - pies, cakes, and cookies. It's all good!

We still had room for some additional treats - two bite brownies.

Between Eugene and I, we had about 20 bites worth.

What a fabulous day! I'm so glad I was asked to be the guest of honor.

The Case of the Missing Ear Bling - an Open-and-Shut Case - Part 1

2009-09-21T02:00:00.000-07:00

I've been tantalizing my friends on Facebook this weekend with a secret that I was keeping. However, I'm ready to reveal everything. Drum roll please...

Mark told me that he wanted to ask Laura to marry him! He said he needed some help designing a ring that he could present to her on Friday night when he popped the question. What could he give her initially before selecting something more permanent at the jewelry store? His glance shifted from my eyes to my sparkling bling-filled ears.

I got the hint. I replied, "Mark, I can help you with this task, and we can use one of my ear bling to accomplish it." The wheels started turning, and I came up with a plan to fashion the perfect ring. However, Laura was in and out of the house on Friday. When she came home, I strategically sat in my beach chair so she wouldn't see my bare ear.

Mission accomplished! She didn't notice a thing. However, my rather astute friend Festus was a bit more observant. He confronted me about the missing bling. I should have thought this out better, but I said that I didn't know what happened. It was gone when I woke up this morning. This was not a good thing to say to an aspiring cowboy sheriff. Festus insisted on calling Officer Po Po to file an official police report.

Officer Po Po arrived in his brand new police car and asked me a bunch of questions - when did I first notice the bling was missing, who did I interact with that day, etc. When I insisted that it was no big deal, he looked at me quizzically and shook his head. He could tell I was hiding something, but he just couldn't put his finger on it. After Po Po left, I breathed a sigh of relief and vowed to continue with my project in secret. I would avoid all monkey contact until my mission was complete.

Sparkly ear bling, you're about to become an engagement ring!

The Case of the Missing Ear Bling - an Open-and-Shut Case - Part 2

2009-09-21T01:31:00.000-07:00

There's an abundant supply of free bamboo near my home. I thought this might be the perfect material to construct a ring. Now I just need to find a shoot with the proper diameter.

I had to complete this task in a stealthy manner, so I wore my camouflage John Deere cap while I sawed down the bamboo.

After securing my sample of bamboo, I headed off to the machine shop to do some precision handiwork.

After cutting and sanding for hours, the ring is almost done. Now to add the bling...

Ta-Da! Here's the finished product. Mark was so grateful for my help. Friday evening he returned from the pier triumphant because she said YES! For my efforts, I received a replacement ear bling from a fine kiosk in the mall. Officer Po Po declared the Case of the Missing Ear Bling to be officially solved and closed.

Gunther's Sock Monkey Friday - Customer Appreciation Day at the Bank

2009-09-20T14:22:00.000-07:00

Gunther was very excited to attend another Sock Monkey Friday at the bank, which happened to be a Customer Appreciation Day. This was a special Friday because FOOD was involved. The theme of the day was patriotic. New customers received American flags when they opened their accounts. The bank's official decorator (Cynthia) brought festive items, including some adornments for Gunther. He arrived wearing his customary Penn State baseball cap.

However, he looked quite dapper and Uncle Sam-like in this patriotic red top hat.

This was his absolute favorite though - a red headband with pom pom style antennae.

Did I mention FOOD was involved? Cookies, brownies, candy, danishes, hot dogs, chips, etc. Gunther tried a little bit of everything.

"Thank you so much for bringing me to Customer Appreciation Day, Laura!" Gunther gives her a giant sock monkey hug.

Presents from my friend in the UK - Franklin J. Monkeypants

2009-09-14T17:23:00.001-07:00

I have been a very fortunate monk this week. Today I received a package all the way from the UK. Many thanks to my Facebook friend, Franklin J. Monkeypants!

Oh boy! I can't wait to see what's inside!

I received a monkey card "Bald is Best." How true that is! I also got a cool monkey paper weight and a sock monkey cell phone charm.

Last, but certainly not least, I got some English candy called "Wham." Franklin warned me not to go crazy on the candy because it's very chewy.

Here's a closeup of my cell phone charm. I think Laura wants to make a necklace for herself out of it. I might let her if she's good. I was so happy to receive such a nice care package from my friend today. I think the felines are jealous because I've been getting spoiled rotten lately.

Presents from Cracker Barrel

2009-09-14T17:10:00.000-07:00

Last week I received a great tip from one of my Facebook friends about new sock monkey loot at Cracker Barrel. On our way home from Moffitt last Tuesday, I got a chance to pick out a few early Christmas presents. I chose two candy dishes and a candy jar.

I am going to hide some goodies in this jar.

I've got some Dove dark chocolates I can keep safe in here.

Safe? Maybe I spoke too soon. Somebody is trying to raid my stash!

Another present I received from Cracker Barrel was this cool camouflage John Deere hat. I can wear this out in the backyard when I'm looking for varmints.

Thursday Night's NFL Season Opener - Steelers 13, Titans 10

2009-09-12T14:51:00.000-07:00

We were still at Moffitt when the pregame show began. After listening to the Black Eyed Peas, I have a feeling that tonight is going to be a GOOD night for the Steelers!

Once I got home, I gathered my fellow Steelers' posse Troy Monkamalu (center) and Ben Socklisberger (right).

Go Big Ben! Let's win this game!

Even Karl got into the spirit of the game with his Terrible Towel. The game was a tail biter, but my Steelers came through with a victory in the end. Yippee!

Moffitt Cancer Center - Part 1

2009-09-12T14:33:00.001-07:00

This past Tuesday, we found out that Mark would need to receive more chemotherapy. We returned to Moffitt Cancer Center on Thursday for the first session. He will receive one drug via injection directly into his brain. Before the drug is administered, his physician's assistant withdraws spinal fluid. This fluid will be tested later for the presence of cancer cells. Mark has a special port in his brain called an Ommaya reservoir. We call it his "Easy Button" (like Staples).

Here is the chemotherapy drug that will be injected next. It looks like Mountain Dew (or monkey urine). Hee hee! Let's say it's Mountain Dew. That sounds better.

Mark's physician's assistant gives him the shot of Mountain Dew. She is enjoying this a little too much, I think.

Now for Part 2 of his treatment... Mark will also receive another drug that is supposed to inhibit blood vessels from growing around a tumor, which should deprive it of nutrients and it will shrink and hopefully disappear. This drug will be administered through a port in his chest. We have to go to another area called the Infusion Center to receive this injection. I am checking out the machine which will slowly infuse the drug into Mark's port.

After my inspection, it looks like he is good to go. Mark will be hooked up to this contraption for about an hour and a half. Since it's dinnertime, I'm going to make a run for some comfort food and I'll be back shortly.