Happy Halloween

Dr. and Bride of Frankenstein

My niece Tiffany and her husband Patrick

This has been my all time favorite Halloween costume / couple dressed up.

Yes, that is her real hair teased up with just a little white added.

Signs: Good-bye

Washoe passed away October 30, 2007

She was 42 years old, on borrowed time as far as chimpanzees go. She lived out her final days in The Chimpanzee and Human Communication Institute at Central Washington University.

Washoe was the first non-human to learn human sign language. She had a confirmed vocabulary of 250 signs. Washoe had to understand and use each word in the right context before it could be added to her list .



Washoe had an adopted son Loulis. She was able to teach him to sign also. Louis is the first chimp to learn to sign by other chimps, rather than by humans.



To read more about Washoe and other signing chimps, look here:
http://www.friendsofwashoe.org/

*** Update ***
See my post of Nov. 5th ...Patrick found the Girl of his Dreams

"Girl of My Dreams"

... well not MY dreams, but Patrick's dreams.

If this is real ... if it's true ... it's quite romantic.

I can imagine both sides of this story.

Seeing someone. A stranger. A glance. Trying not to look like a stalker. Trying to make eye contact. Trying not to make eye contact. Hesitating just a second too long. She's gone.

Seeing a post in the local newspaper. Looking at a flier nailed to the light post on the corner. Walking out the grocery store and seeing it on the community board. Surfing the net and finding a blog created. All with the sole intention of finding you.

Patrick, today's post is just for you buddy. I hope you are real and this makes it's way around the net, until she is found.

http://www.nygirlofmydreams.com/

** Update **

I e-mailed Patrick and he replied. He said yes, it's true and he'll keep me posted if he succeeds in finding her.