Marco our birthday boy

Well I almost missed telling you about our birthday boy. Marco de Pooh Pooh to give him his full title, is four years old today. On a day some four years ago, a small red bundle of fur, no larger than my fist, was brought to Canaote. He had been found alone in the forest and was brought to us by the boys who had found him.
We often think about him at Christmas not only because he first came to us in this season but because he did not come from a human home. Nearly all of our children have been brought to us from human families. Marco is the exception. For this reason he reminded me of the Nat King Cole song, 'The little boy that Santa Claus forgot'. No one every enquired after him. No loving human called to see how he was getting on in his new home.
But our story has a happy ending. Sussy adopted him and treated him like her own son and for three years she nurtured him. Ultimately he became too boisterous for the old lady and we had to separate them. He was now a big adult monkey.

We had news that Gabriela's female, Vicky was looking for a husband and we decided that we would let them meet. Marco went on a visit to Vicky and the magic happened. They fell in love. They are now totally inseparable. The little boy that Santa forgot has made a success of his life. He now lives, free in the trees with a beautiful lady howler.
Marco is at Manrique with Vicky and Gabriela, his human family so we could not be together today but here at Canaote we opened a bottle of bubbly and raised our glasses to him. Happy birthday Marco. We really did.