Travelog for: Palmito

Hello! My name is Palmito. It is the Spanish word for "heart of palm."

I used to be part of someone's collection (the same one as Robito) and have just arrived at my new home in Miami, Florida, today.

I'm a little black monkey who loves making others laugh, no matter what it takes--I don't care if I make a fool of myself so long as I manage to cheer my friends up and put a smile on their faces. Like any other monkey, I enjoy climbing on things, especially trees (though of course there are no trees in the apartment where I live, so I climb on the cat's carpeted condo or on the bookshelves!) Despite having no arms or hand (just like Robito) I can climb anything with ease!

I just love eating sweet things. Cookies are my favorite treat! I really like candies, too, so Halloween if my favorite season! I hope I can go to many Halloween parties, and even better, go trick-or-treating with a bunch of kids in cool costumes! Of course, I'd need a costume of my own... Perhaps Robito could help me make one.

I would like to visit zoos in different countries. I hope to make many friends as I travel around the world!

Today I went somewhere for the first time. Just like Robito, my first little adventure was a visit to the studio where Mom works. There wasn't much to do other than sit beside her and watch her work on the computer, though. I was a little bored until it was time to have our snack. Then I ate until I was ready to burst! After that, I just slept inside Mom's hat.

When I woke up again, I was back home, on the couch. I had been awakened by the noise my friends were making while preparing the table for their evening snack. So I joined Robito, Vince, Vinnie and Viviana (the little girl-mouse who lives somewhere in this building and was visiting us yet again) and ate with them. I ate and ate until I was ready to burst--again.

Now I'm sleepy... Where is that hat?

Yay! I'll be going to a Halloween party in Oregon next month! Mom just told me. Maybe I can fulfill one or two of my missions. Also, it looks like I will meet a lot of monkeys there! And, along with them, Robito's good friend SaruMaru. We will be traveling to Oregon together. How exciting!

Mom already made a costume for me. I will go as a superhero! Later I will put it on and see if Robito can recognize me. I'll bet he won't be able to tell it's me.

Today he took me to meet one of the housecats, Stimpy. Stimpy sure is fat and mellow. But I heard he wasn't always this way. Lately, it seems, he's been getting lazy and very loving, much more than he used to be when he was younger...

The masked "Captain P"  has arrived in Oregon.  He looks ready for the party as he is already in costume.  Do you think anyone will recognize him? 

There was much to see already when Palmito arrived.  His host has a series of things planned in the next few days before the party.  There are a few days for visiting the area and viewing how others might decorate for the Halloween holidays.

Palmito saw something very large floating back and forth in someones yard.  He wanted to take a closer view.  He did not want to approach it alone so he asked his newest TV friend BobbyJack if he would go up to it with him.
BobbyJack made him promise to hold onto him very tight.

The masked "Captain P" and the black masked "Ninja" were very brave indeed.

My goodness---he had never seen such a large pumpkin---and smiling too!  Always be suspicious of a smiling pumpkin.  You never really know what they are thinking.

Then before he could take a breath there was something else that caught his eye. 
BobbyJack was just as shocked as he was.  What is that?

BobbyJack told him he has seen them before around here.
They are called "pirates".  One must always be aware of where a pirate is.  You never know what they will do.

"Captain P" said  he could probably pop him in a minute and be out of the way before he got him.........................

Here in this small town of Pleasant Hill is one of the largest pumpkins in Oregon.  This pumpkin was raised for a contest.
It was raised from a special seed for making giant pumpkins.

The pumpkin seeds are started in a greenhouse or glass hot house in February and then taken to the outside gaden in May where it can grow until October 10th. when it is then cut from the vine to be weighed.
It takes a forklift or tractor to move the pumpkin onto the scale which is a very very large scale.

This pumpkin won first prize for being the heaviest and largest pumpkin in Oregon.  It weighs 1,524 pounds.  The owner won many thousands of dollars for the prize.

Captain P thought it was even larger than the other large pumpkin he saw.  But this one has no face.  That worried Captain P. 
One can never tell what a pumpkin is thinking if he has no face.  It is even worse than having a smiling face.
He was a bit worried sitting there but his host told him he would be safe for a few moments.

There was another pumpkin next to this very large one. 
It too had won a contest for the owner.  It was loaded onto a truck and went 600 miles to be in a contest in California.
It won first prize too for being the largest in the contest there.
It weighs 1200 pounds.

Not everyone can grow such large pumpkins.  But Captain P said he knew he could if he just had a little help.

Captain P has made many friends while here for the party.  Here he tells of the lovely "Tanusha" who is visiting also.  She is sitting in the front of this big pumpkin.  Everyone thinks she is so lovely.  Captain P wants to bring her home with him.

Palmito arrived at the Halloween party and was ready to play.  They were having a great time already and everyone started to play a guessing game as soon as he got here.  All monkeys like guessing games.

Everyone tried to guess who each was in the costumes.
Here, he is waiting to show them his face and no one knows who he is. 

They still don't know as he did not give them his name.  All the are monkeys trying to tease the other into guessing.
It is a fun game.

Palmito joined in with the fun game called "Dunk for Jelly Beans."  He had to grab as many jelly beans with his lips that he could get.  No one seem to catch very many beans in their lips.  It is a very hard game.

Palmito just knew he would like this next game. 

Grab a Marshmellow with your Toes!

He had perfect toes for this game and it was a great deal of fun.

Everyone cheered him on when he finally got one of the marshmellows.

Soon the marshmellow game got out of control.

Holiday Harry and BobbyJack jumped to the wall and began throwing marshmellows into the crowd.
They were having such a great time.  Monkeys love this sort of game.

There were so many fun things to do at the party.  There was even a party at the party for Minerva bear.  Her birthday happen to follow on Halloween on the same day so everyone got special treats to help her celebrate.

Little chocolate cupcakes just the right size. 

Palmito didn't play in the next game as he was not sure it was a good idea to try and put a tail on a bear.  The bear said he didn't mind though.  He needed a tail so he let others try to put one on him.

Palmito was happy to cheer on the others and watch from below.

After the games everyone went Trick R Treating.  There were no little people running around as one would expect because there were games going on in the schools. 

But their host took them to a fun place where they gave out candy and gum and everyone had a good time.