Well Andy is all settled in at Jungle Friends. The trip went GREAT! I was so nervous about the drive from Louisiana to Gainesville because Andy was going to be caged for about nine hours and I wasn’t really sure how he was going to take it. I was so proud of him. It was like he knew that I needed him to be good and that he was going somewhere very special.

He played quietly in his cage, took a nap for about 30 minutes but mostly looked out of the window at the drivers of the cars we passed. It was so funny; he was looking at every car we passed to see the people inside.

We arrived at Jungle friends around 3 p.m. and brought Andy directly to his new enclosure. After a brief introduction to his indoor enclosure we opened the runways to his outdoor habitat.

It was like letting a 10-year-old loose at Disney World. He was running, jumping, climbing, swinging and having a ball. It brought happy tears to my eyes to see him having so much fun. It really made leaving him there so much easier for me. Seth and I stayed at Jungle Friends to help with Andy’s acclimation for four days.

While we were there we also helped to build part of a new habitat that will be named Abby’s Alley, after my little girl Abigail that I will be adopting.

The drive home was a somber one because I knew that my house would be empty without my boy Andy. When I returned home, I found Andy’s room all cleaned out, his toys were gone, the bars were removed from the windows and his outdoor cage had been cut to pieces and removed from my patio. My mom, Aunt Faye, Uncle Chris, and Grandma had all worked very hard at trying to make it easier for me to return home without too many painful reminders of my baby boy. It was a huge relief to not have to do that stuff myself.

I was able to spend a couple days at home before hitting the road again to do some testing to prepare for the Torco Racing Fuels Route 66 NHRA Nationals. While I was home, Seth and I built a shelter for my dog pen to give them some shade and keep the rain off. I’ve been wanting to do that for about three years now. It’s finally done.

Seth also recently surprised me with two baby ducks for the pond in my front yard. He thought they would help to fill the hole in my heart from having to give up Andy. They are adorable and are growing like crazy. I started them off in my Koi pond but they are now very happy in my big pond.

While we were getting them use to the big pond, my neighbors Trent and Tyler and their friend came over to play around the pond with us. My true Cajun side comes out when I am at home. We ended up in the pond with the ducks, and also caught and killed a snake. Every now and then when it rains a lot, I get an alligator in the pond and I have to call the alligator man to come out and catch it. Now that I have my ducks (which I named Willie and Nelson) I am really hoping that the gators stay away.

I also had a chance to visit with my grandmother Doris, (my dad’s mom) who is now 94 years old. She amazes us with how well she is doing at her age. She’s a tiny little thing with a very strong will, which is the kind of stuff that seems to run in my family.

Kari at Jungle Friends asked if I could possibly come back to Gainesville at the end of the week to be interviewed for a special that was being filmed on monkeys. Since I was going to be testing in Valdosta only two hours away, it was the perfect opportunity for me to do the interview and to visit with Andy again. My mom made the trip with me which made it her first time in over three years to see me ride. She always had to stay home to care for Andy. When we got there I was so happy to see that Andy had been socialized with two other monkeys named Jack and Wanda. The three are getting along perfectly and just like Kari promised me, Andy has turned into 100 percent monkey! He seemed happy to see me but was obviously content with his new home. To my surprise the interview was for Good Morning America and ABC’s Prime Time News. It was a very emotional interview. I tried really hard not to cry but I was not successful at all. It is supposed to air on July 1st.

I want to tell all of you that sent a donation to Jungle Friends that I am so appreciative of your generosity. Kari tells me every time she gets another donation for Andy and it makes me so proud. I told her that we have the greatest fans in the world.

Well that’s about all I have for you guys right now.

Except, of course, for the joke of the day.

Thibodeaux was driving his car past Boudreaux's house and saw a sign that read: Boat for Sale.

Thibodeaux marches up to Boudreaux's front porch and raps hard on the door and Boudreaux opens it.

Thibodeaux say, “Boudreaux! How long we ban frands?”

Boudreaux say, “Well … all our lives, Thibodeaux.”

Thibodeaux say, “Why don you tole me you gotta boat?”

Boudreaux say, “I ain't gotta boat!” Thibodeaux say. “Da' sign say, BOAT for SALE.”

Boudreaux say, “OH NO Thibodeaux! See dat old '72 Ford pickem'up truck over dare?”

Thibodeaux say, “Yas. I see dat old pickem'up truck.”

Boudreaux say, “See dat ' 76 Cheverloet Ce-dan?”

Thibodeaux say, “Yas, I see dat Ce-dan.”

Boudreaux say, “Well, dey boat for sale.”

Until next time … God Bless!