Rain, rain, here to stay!

Hi from the land where it is still raining. It has almost been continuous since yesterday. We had a about a five hour break this afternoon, but then it has started again and sounds like it will be another long storm.  Today we decided that the constant drizzle was not enough to stay in or to wait for it to stop, because it sounded like it was not going to stop for a long time.  Our goal was to recheck/ find new Inga along the Puma trail and in the plot. It was a very ambitious goal because when it rains the team is reluctant to work as hard as they should, they are cold, wet, and are starting to count down the days until hot showers. So the rain takes away a lot of the enthusiasm they have. I find that I enjoy the rain because I don't mind my feet being wet, they usually get wet every day, I like the temperature, and I use my rain jacket with my umbrella to stay dry. Another reason I like the rain is because you have high potential to see lots of frogs and other reptiles. Today we did find a tree frog hanging out on one of our Inga. It looked very relaxed on its little twig just watching us work in the rain. After that we had lunch and then finished the Puma trail. We decided that we would do the Puma plot tomorrow. The other reason we did the Puma trail today is that one of the ways back to the station passes near by a some pocket monkey trees. I had asked the primatologist that is studying them where to find them, so I knew where they were. After the Puma trail I lead the team on a search for the pocket monkeys. I was the only one who seemed really excited to try to find them. T was interested in finding them and very willing to help look, but the others were very obviously lacking enthusiasm that I think the monkeys deserved. After trying the first spot which I was warned would most likely be empty, and it was, the team did not want to try the second location. I told them that they could go on back to the lab but I was going to stay and find those monkeys. T decided he wanted to come to, so then everyone else came as well. I lead the way with my duel spider wands using extreme stealth so as to not scare the monkeys away. I knew when we had a arrived at the tree because I saw the rind of a fruit from the dining hall, and there was the tree all full of holes from the monkeys. The pocket monkeys Live in family groups numbering under ten individuals. They live in only one tree, a  parkia, that they open up little wholes in the bark and eat the sap that comes out of it.  The monkeys are about size of a cantaloupe. They are really cute and curious. I was able to stand right under the tree and look up the trunk and see one. It was hard with the late afternoon light, so it looked like a shadow.  The monkey kept watching me as long as I stayed quiet and still. We had to stand around for about ten minutes being quiet before we saw any other monkeys. After watching for a couple of minutes we went back to the lab knowing that because it was so late we would be working after dinner, and we did. I think it was totally worth going to see the monkeys. I really enjoyed seeing them and I can now say I have seen all ten species of the Yasuni park! Oh, we have a second gecko living in our lab. This second gecko is small and her name is Wanda. We have also found out that Philippe has a neighbor, and there are two mini possums that visit outside the lab named Fredrick and Nicolas. I at first thought the possums were rats. Oops!