Koko Wants to Move to New Preserve

It is 11:00 am and has started raining. Koko sought shelter in the covered, enclosed small yard, and stayed out for a few minutes, but with the 45 degree temperature, she decided to go back into her rooms. Inside, I got out photos of the site from my most recent trip to Maui and showed them to Koko, displaying the panoramic set first. Penny: Maui. As Koko looks at the photos she signs … Koko Visit, mean-visit mail there. The photos came in a mailer-like envelope. I show more and explain, Penny: This is the foundation for the play yard. She signs … Koko Nut there. Penny: Yes, we could put nuts there. (Lately we have been tossing donated nuts in the shell into her play yards.) We look at most of the rest of the photos and I narrate that we are working on moving there, with explanations of the pipes and trees and roads in the pictures. When we get to the second to the last one—a lovely one showing the site and the trees and ocean beyond, Koko signs … Koko All there hurry! Then as I get out the second set Koko hold up some flowered fabric to show me, Koko That (to the flowers). Penny: We need flowers there, that’s right! That’s what’s missing, isn’t it? Next we look at the second set. Penny: Spacious place! Koko Good. Penny: This is where the construction is. Koko Good. Penny: There are banana plants growing there, and grass. When we get to the next to the last in this set, of Sue Savage-Rumbaugh and Loyal Nordstrom, Koko signs … Koko: Look there. (To Loyal in a long flowered dress, with her nearby and nicely forested property in the background.) Koko: There. (Again to Loyal.) Penny: Friends there and nice trees. I’m thinking: this is the year we will make it happen! Penny Please Help Us Build the Maui Preserve