MONKEY BUSINESS

It all started on a whim. Since Anne had worked so hard to get her book on chocolate published, and had her fingers in at least 5 other enterprises, I decided that her logo, Choco Monkie, needed a girlfriend. So, I made a sock monkey for her.

As I made this little monkey, I made up a story to go along with it. She was a French monkey that came over on a boat to live with Anne. I named her Chocolette, and dressed her in a pair of white Capri's with a red and white stripped shirt. And a wide-brimmed straw hat. I put little earrings on her, and gave her a duffel bag that carried a change of clothes for her, a skirt. Anne was delighted, and she carries her with her on speaking engagements.

After that, I decided that I’d make one each for my daughters and grandchildren. I was really having fun with this. I ordered more socks on line, and started in on Savannah’s. After I’d made three of them, a friend of mine asked me to make a pediatrician monkey for her daughter, who was a pediatrician. She loved it, but asked me if I could put hair on her, so I bought some yarn and started fashioning hair for the little monkey. I also found a ”baby” sock monkey that I’d been hanging on our Christmas tree. Soon the baby was affixed in the arms of the pediatrician monkey.

Okay, the ball is rolling. This was fun. It wasn’t just an assembly line of socks and fluff. As each little monkey progressed, it started taking on a personality of its own, and since there was no one but Hank around to hear, I actually started talking to them. Hank listened intently, cocking his head one way and then another. I’m sure he thought I was talking to him. When I’d get quiet, Hank would quietly walk over and very gently grasp the monkey’s tail in his teeth, and very carefully try to ease it off my lap. He must have thought it was his. He’s done that several times. Actually, Hank has his very own sock monkey that I bought at a garage sale for a dime. Unfortunately, it’s in shreds in his toy basket. He still loves it, though.

I made all the rest of the monkeys with hair. I also dressed them to suit personalities and preferences. I made a Grease Monkey for Chris to over see him in the garage, while he restores an old Le Mans. I also had a couple of other requests lined up from friends. I made monkeys for all of my sisters and sisters in law.

Well, I thought that would be the end of it, but as soon as I put away my monkey stuff and stowed my sewing machine, I got three more requests. Why sure! I just whipped those two little charmers out. At last count, I've made about 25 of these little charmers. I wish I could put them all on here, but, alas. There's no room.

At last! I’ll just put my sewing machine up and …………….. “What’s that George? You want a sock monkey too? A what kind of monkey? This will be the crowned jewel of sock monkeys. I’m only in the planning stages so far, but once I get it all together, it’ll go pretty fast. George will have his doll. I will post it for all to see. In the mean time, all of you try to think of what kind of monkey GIII would ask for. It’ll just let it be a big surprise.