APRIL 2025
|
Tuesday 01 APRIL!
ALREADY!
8.00 The sun is rising over the Eastern hills, and the snow is falling over the Western. The house is settled for the day, my Precious Little Guy is on his loft, just back from the living-room and...
We had a "strange" start to this morning... I was just on the "cusp", as it were, of waking up, drifting into a semi-dream where-in it was quite dark, I was on the futon and heard the flutter of Yonah's wings. A fellow in the room said "It's hard to protect Yonah enough..." and I looked up to his house and...
SURE ENOUGH... HE WAS FLUTTERING ABOUT, ANOTHER ONE OF HIS MOMENTS WHERE HE WAS TRYING TO FLY OR SOMETHING! In a bit of a panic, I reached for the little remote for the moon lights and as I fumbled in the morning darkness, I called-out:
"What's going on here? It's OK. It really OK. I'm right here. Let me get a light on."
I heard another flutter of wings from over-head and when the light came on, I could see my Little LOVE, on the floor of his house, in the "front corner" by his pool! I reached up, put my fingers through to let him know that I was here, he was OK and he seemed calm enough. It took me a moment to actually get up from the futon and by the time I did, he was in the other front corner, just standing there. I opened the door to his house, placed his door perch and as I did, he flew up to his food perch.
I still don't know what disturbed him this morning, but I tend to think it was the dull "thumping" from next door as she threw her-self together to head out for work. The clock read "5.33" and I could hear a bit of the noise coming through the floor-boards, as it does in this old house. Little sound comes through the walls, thankfully, with all the "sound-proofing" we have up on that "common wall". But the vibrations still manage to come through the floors. I wonder if she hadn't thrown a shoe or something. They, over there, tend to do such things from time-to-time, and the sudden "boom" startled Yonah, in the darkness.
Well, I left the moon lights on, not wanting to suddenly flood the room with brilliant lighting at that hour, and I wanted to make sure that he actually was awake, and didn't want to go back to sleep, and i headed out to the kitchen to put the kettle on.
As I went about business in the kitchen, the Little Guy actually made his way over to the desk shelf and was there, when I stepped back into the room, tail raised, wings a-flutter... nest coo's! We exchanged a few "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo's"... It appeared that all was as well as could be, following a rather rude awakening this morning.
Well? The morning progressed, I turned the desk lamps on, set the futon and brought out Burdie-Bird. Yonah headed to his roof-top for a while as I sat with Burdie, on the futon. "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo's" exchanged for a moment and I decided to bring the Little Guy with me to the kitchen as I made morning coffee.
He stood on my shoulder all the while as I poured my water for coffee and poured my first cup. And we went out to the living-room where I turned the lamp on out there. He didn't budge. He was obviously comfy on my shoulder and I was as HAPPY as I could be that he was with me and calm and safe. When we went back into his room, he headed off t the desk shelf again and since the day was breaking out-side, I opened his curtains and blinds. It was still relatively dark out there, and the Yardies hadn't even started coming round as yet. But, we were obviously up and he obviously didn't want to go back "home" so...
April...
And now, as i sit at the desk, 8.20, the sun has been shining in through the windows as the snows from the Western hills is making its way over the house. Flurries fall, the sun shines, it's warm in the room and the house furnace was running. My little Heart-and-Soul is lounging in his loft by his windows. The "bird-songs" are playing... all is calm... for the while. WHAT a start to a day, a month!
Oh, poops... this morning there were only 6 in total. 5 of them directly under the night roost and one "off to the side". But all appear to be regular, normal and healthy. It must have been calm through the night... I'm just glad that the Little Guy can snooze during the day if he wants. (We're having a bit of a "chat" as I type... "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" and some "nest coo's too".)
Last night was ANOTHER one of "those" rides home...
At 20.18 (I'd jotted a quick closing note) I was done with ablutions and the house was settled and I came back into his room to set the room and there he was... on his roof-top, obviously waiting for me to come get him! AND, AGAIN, LAST NIGHT, when he saw me come into the room, he ever-so casually, turned and walked, calmly, over to the little platform, stepped onto it and... there, he waited for me to come get him! And just as I started to our evening lullabies, it was SO obvious that he WAS, in fact, waiting to be carried off to the night roost! As soon as the platform met the perch, again, as if a commuter at his destination, stepping off the evening train, he softly stepped onto the perch and... we were settled for the night. No kisses though. He was occupied with getting snuggled.
Softly and slowly, I made it through the repertoire with one very brief exchange of "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" after "I Wish You Love", with 2 little exchanges of a nest coo... and, by 20.55... the last moon light was turned off for the night. "March" came to a close...
And now... at 8.40, my little Heart-and-Soul has had a quick breakfast, and the house is still calm. The lightest flurries of snow-flakes flutter in the sunny wind. April has arrived... and as I think:
This month marks * 4,5 YEARS TOGETHER * !!! I find it almost difficult to believe. SO MUCH TIME TOGETHER! And I think back to our earliest days and how much has changed, especially in this room. It's gone from the "spare room" where it was some sort of "work space", so sparsely furnished with no intention of ever making it much else, to a "refuge room" that I expected would be returned to a dismal cube when this Little LOVE returned to the flocks out-side to not only HIS room, but OUR room, where I now spend the majority of my waking hours of a day and ALL of the night hours... with that very little BUNDLE OF LOVE... my literal SOLE reason and cause for keeping alive. With-out Yonah, I doubt I'd ever bother to get up of a morning, likely laying in the bed in the next room (which I seldom venture into any more, save to change from day-clothes to sleep-wear, for the most part) and just "waiting for God", as it were. To be rather sure, were it not for Yonah... I seriously doubt I'd be here to see THIS morning come to be... if there's any "mercy" in Creation. 4,5 years later... time that never would have been.
But here we are... and on with the day, the month... and I am NOT complaining... even in the least.
(15.30) WELL! The SUN managed to win over the clouds and flurries of this morning and I managed to get a few house-hold tasks completed. And all the while, my LITTLE LOVE managed to lounge so sweetly, in his loft, beside his window AND make a "visit" to the living-room again, for about an hour... on his old house out there. I was thinking of moving his old house from the "window-table" but now, I've re-assessed. If my LOVE is enjoying it where it is, it stays. I still don't understand his sudden attraction to it, but as I say, if he's happy, that's ALL that matters to me.
We did take a break from the day to have lunch, at noon, and when I brought the old lap-top in for the news, he took his favourite place, beside me, on the desk... on his lap-top. Out-side, the temperature is still too chilly for us to be able to take to the yard to enjoy the sun-shine BUT, when lunch was done, my Little Guy took to his "beach" in his house to bask in the sun-shine and warmth in his own room. When I got up to put lunch dishes in the kitchen basin, I stopped by his house, he came hopping over to his door perch for cuddles and kisses and I could feel the warmth of his feathers! It was a delight, and a comfort, to me, to know that he truly DOES benefit from the sun shining in through his windows. And it's ALWAYS an absolute JOY to see him there, tail splayed, soaking in every bit of available light and warmth. Makes me all the more anxious for warmer weather so we can get out of this old house, into the actual sun-shine!
After lunch, I decided to grab a bit of a snooze. (It's not so much that I woke this morning when I did, but the way... the "anxieties" of the morning.) No sooner had I laid on the futon, there he was, on my legs! I got comfy and managed to doze for the 30 minutes and when I woke with the alarm, my LOVE was still there! And he looked up at me as I turned the alarm off, got up, started to toddle up to my chest but then went back to my leg... I set a new alarm for another 10 minutes and he re-settled on my leg. WE GOT OUR SNOOZE... TOGETHER AGAIN TODAY! I was SO happy!
But I had to get up and back to the "house-hold" and as I re-settled at the desk... my "Supervisor" took his place on the desk shelf over my head. And... we "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo'ed" back and forth for a little while until he headed back to his house, and up to his loft for more comfy lounging.
WHAT a day! (I could have run an errand today but I'm really not in the mood, I don't like leaving my little Heart-and-Soul alone during the day anyway and I'm using the "early morning start" too.) I'm SO glad I didn't go any-where today! And today, the thought came to mind: I look SO forward to being in a place where I won't mind leaving Yonah in the house for a while during a day. Here, I worry about mould, dust, fumes, "gasses", the shifting of the house, I'm mindful of every bit of bounce in the floors and then... our "darling" (sarcasm at its finest) Dee E. Sea. The latter, i doubt I'll EVER let my guard down about. But, we do what we must and as my Little LOVE has taught me:
We live for now... we "face the music and dance".
19.44 already and I'm wrapping the day up at the desk. The water run is done, the kitchen is settled. We're listening to old Israeli songs (from the 60s, I should think) on his lap-top. Enough "news" for one day, to be sure. And he's on the futon, behind me. He's had his evening snack and I'm going to get to settling down for the night. The sun has set out-side and we're in for another "brisk" night tonight. Not to mention this morning's "wake-up". So... I still have "ablutions" and we'll see about the ride home and where it will be from tonight (if he'll head up to his roof-top when I close the windows... - oops... he's toddling... on the pillows... with a woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo and a nest coo!)
20.18 and ablutions are done and the Little Guy is on his roof-top giving me the "Hey you!" coo's. Night music is on in his room so 'tis time to close this old house and this old day... here we go, the suspense of games... or not... WHAT A CHARACTER!
Wednesday 02 April:
(18.51 and it's been QUITE THE DAY TODAY! And this Little PRECIOUS LOVE is just coming in from another hour in the living-room and he's just done having his little "evening snack". And I'm just getting to sit down and put this morning's notes together and ...)
Starting with last night...
He waited SO patiently, for me to set the futon for me, and then, when I started to sing, he got up from the front of his house on the roof-top and stepped over onto the platform. I can't be certain what he hears when I sing, but it's obvious that the opening notes of "Autumn Leaves" is some kind of signal that it's time we get tucked-in for the night. AND that he associates the melody with the platform, knowing that he'll get a little ride home for the night... well... WELL! I've read that mourning doves aren't considered (by the "experts") to be "intelligent", but WOW! Can I PROVE them quite wrong! (Silly though, that the doves in the yard still haven't quite figured out that I'm "safe" and that they don't have to dash when I step out the door. Then again, THIS Little One and I have been together for YEARS so... Still, it would be SUCH a breath-taking HONOUR if the mourning doves - in particular - out-side, would come to trust me. These are the moments when I ponder what it would have been like if Yonah had gone back out, met a Little Mrs. and had Little Ones of his own. Would be be able to convey his experience in this house with a "human"? Would his children have any trust in any people? NOT, mind, that I'd be comfortable with such a thing. After all, I can't but remember being told, about mourning doves: "They make good eating. And it's so easy to get a lot of them with one shot because they feed on the ground, together." I'll NEVER understand that mentality. And again, I never really wanted Yonah to come to trust "people", in general, especially in the days when the hope was that he would be going back out into the world that is, by rights, "his". Ah... gone are those days now. We're the "flock" and were he to be out there... surely it would be his demise and I'll not have that. This Little Life is a responsibility that I cherish.)
Anyway... we actually made it through the entire repertoire of lullabies, calmly and, at 20.45, the last light of the day was turned off and the day was officially "closed".
This morning, I woke at 6.00, decided to get up from the futon and on with the day. I put the kettle on and was in the loo when I heard, across the house, the "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" call of the morning. Funny, but he had a LOT to say this morning and when, at 6.35, I got into his room and over to his house to open his door, he kept right on coo'ing! Happy to see me? Or... was I being told-off for not being in the room when he woke? I'll never really know for certain. But OH... the coo'ing! No many kisses though. Maybe I WAS being chastised. But at least his voice was "clear"... a good sing of good health, and THAT is SO important. AND HOW WE CHATTED, CHATTED AND CHATTED! For every coo from him, I had one in reply and as I replied, he kept the conversation going for the longest while!
But OH! It wasn't all that very long before "TAKE OFF!" As if he had to run, catch a train (plane?), he was UP AND ON THE WING... off to the desk shelf, then to the wall shelf and coo'ing all over the place! At 7.34 he was on the wall shelf and NEST-COO'ING! WHAT A "VOCAL" SORT OF MORNING THIS! The house was FULL of the BEAUTIFUL COO'S. IT WAS LIKE A SCENE OUT OF A CONTRIVED MOVIE! BUT THIS WASN'T CONTRIVED. THIS WAS "US" AND OUR HOUSE, OUR MORNING! THIS was "my WORLD"! and as I always am, I was HUMBLED, BLESSED and SO GRATEFUL.
Out-side, sadly, the sky was over-cast so the room was relatively dark. Not "too" dark but just enough to "calm" the general ambience of the place. Thankfully, we had the coo's, and the house wasn't chilly... just comfortable enough.
Poops, this morning were... well... AMAZING! 7 PERFECT POOPS... ALL OF THEM IN A LITTLE "LINE", ONE RIGHT BESIDE THE OTHER! ALL UNDER THE NIGHT ROOST. To some, this may seem a bit "over-reacting" BUT, ASIDE FROM THEM BEING THE PERFECT SIZE AND COMPOSITION, THAT THEY WERE IN THAT PERFECT LITTLE LINE IS AN INDICATION OF A REALLY RESTFUL, CALM NIGHT LAST NIGHT! MY LITTLE LOVE HAD A PEACEFUL NIGHT AND THAT, TO ME, IS JUST SO COMFORTING! I DO tend to worry about him getting proper rest, and not being startled by ANYTHING in the darkness. He's safe here, from predators. He's in an environment where he can simply sleep through the night hours and not that "half-sleep" that brids are known to have, "in the wild". And a proper rest/sleep is necessary for proper health and there isn't much I can provide that would be closer to his "naturally-intended" world so... sleep, water, food and the run of the house... It's no-where near what I would LIKE to be able to give him but I do what I can and I try to believe the words of others when they say:
He couldn't have it any better!
So now... the rest of the day? Right away, this morning, the conversations kept right on rolling, the calling from room-to-room, the playing on the futon. It was a morning PACKED with chat and movement. I tried to "deal with" the general "people mayhem" of the house-keeping but HEY! Play-breaks? When THIS Little LOVE wants time together, he gets time together! The rest of the world could vanish, as far as I'm concerned, as long as Yonah Taube is happy, all's well.
This after-noon... we had our little 30-minute nap... TOGETHER... I got to the futon, laid down, alarm set and he came right over, toddled, as he does, up and down my legs, and then, almost immediately, snuggled in the folds of my jeans and my shin and... I dozed off. When I woke, the was still there but when he noticed that I was awake... he was up and about, up to his house... and to his loft.
Deborah came by, cam into the house and stopped at his door to say "Hello". He was in his loft and didn't get up, which is an improvement over the past because there used to be "something" about her that disturbed him to where he'd take flight as if in a panic of some sort. I used to attribute it to her voice, that there must have been some attribute to it that disquieted him. Of course, she hasn't been close to him for a very long time and today, she didn't step into the room, but still... Then too, back in the "early days", he wasn't, at all, used to "people", and especially "other people". The only "human" he had any association with was me and he still have that "instinctive dread" of humans. (That he's lost so much of that makes me sad, in a way. I still hold such a dread fear of him getting out of the house and I wouldn't doubt that, given the opportunity, he'd BOLT, FREE, off at top-speed - what-ever that might be for him these days, considering his injuries and the fact that he hasn't had that much open space to fly about in. If he were ever to get to a tree, he'd be out of my reach and I don't know, I can NEVER actually "KNOW" if he'd come back to the house or to me, for that matter. BUT, with no fear of humans... were he to go to ANY other human, there's NO telling WHAT his fate would be! And, from the way "humanity" is these days, I shouldn't doubt he'd be murdered, some-how, either out-right or by some idiot taking him into their house - which he probably wouldn't fear either, and mis-treating him. But I'm hoping that Deborah will find time to come back soon and stop in his room to get closer to him. I'm curious now. Still it was "promising" to see how calm he was today. It pains me to think of him being "disturbed"... by ANYTHING, really. He SO deserves a safe, calm life and it's what I strive for!
And this evening, "we" (he, actually but not) received a telephone call from a most ANGELIC woman from "Chewy . com"! Yonah has an account with them and "we" had put some items into a "cart" (to replace the "lost" food that we'd ordered from "Petco . com" and paid for... and it now lost... we got a refund for it and the order was never placed again). Anyway, I'd contacted Chewy to see if there isn't a way to ship an order that won't be shipped by our least-reliable, least dependable, most insulting shipper (FedEx) and was told that there's no other "option" available. I'd sent a little message explaining that I wanted to place an order (because we need food) but don't want to take the risk. The message managed to find A MOST COMPASSIONATE, UNDERSTANDING PERSON (I'll mention her name here too because she's "Angelic": thankd you "Claire"!) who actually telephoned "Yonah"! She spent (as I've seen on the call record) almost an HOUR with me on the phone, working to settle the matter amicably and all the while I was on the phone, moving from room-to-room, it sounded as if he was interjecting his contributions to our conversation! It was a "vociferous" sort of day all day and the phone call was no exception! (Bottom line: we placed the order... well, Claire did, and it's a "test" to see how long it takes to get here, IF it gets here and what condition it's in when it arrives. I'm STILL AMAZED at how GENUINELY CARING Claire was ... and how kindly she spoke with "Yonah".)
We talked up to time for dinner to be put on the hob this evening and as soon as I stopped the conversation on the phone, I was "reminded" about the house... dinner went on and... the house returned to "normal" for the evening.
AFTER dinner, the Little Guy headed out to the living-room and when I'd done the washing-up, I went out to be with him, to check on the weather out-side, opened the front door and he came RUSHING over to my shoulder! We stood at the door, looking out into the greyness and chill of the evening for the longest moments, together, my little Heart-and-Soul nestled, literally, on my shoulder, giving me the odd peck on the cheek. I couldn't help but think of somebody coming to the door to see us standing there and was reminded about the Dee E. Sea invading that home, not too far from here, ripping a squirrel and raccoon from what was their home, to murder them! This world... But there we stood, together, so comfortable and calm... TOGETHER! And I waited for HIM to head off... and back to his tree. No matter what, he'll always be safe because to get to him for any reason, something, anything, everything will have to get through me, and I vow: trying will be the worst and most serious mistake ever made.
When I got back to his room, he wanted to play... on the futon... with Burdie! So much energy! So much to be said! Play! It was quite the amazing day! HE EVEN CAME WITH ME, ON MY SHOULDER, WHEN I WENT TO THE LOO TO EMPTY THE WATER BUCKET! AND HE WATCHED ME AS I RAN BACK AND FORTH, IN AND OUT OF THE ROOM, FROM THE DESK SHELF, BESIDE BUSTELO-BIRDIE, UP BY THE RADIO THERE. (I've moved the "Birdies" about the room, for a little change and he seems to like the "new arrangement". No doubt it's a relief to see something a little different in his world. I SO regret that there isn't more motion in the house. As Amy points-out to me: "You're the only motion, the only thing really moving in his world." So I need to try to keep more active... old man that I'm becoming.)
The one "incident" though: when I was dumping the water bucket, he took off from my shoulder and because the room is smaller and he's really not familiar with it, he some-what PANICKED AND WENT DOWN TO THE FLOOR... BETWEEN THE VANITY AND THE WALL! It's not "dirty" in that space but WOW! My heart sunk! So I gently reached over for him and it so reminded me of that October day when I reached for him under the stairs in the back. I won't EVER forget that. I'll never know, with ANY certainty, what he must have thought as I reached down for him. I can't but think that he'd resigned himself to dying then. And this evening, as I reached for him, as I did on "that day", I spoke to him, so softly, letting him know, as best as I could, that he was safe and that I was here to protect him. And I brought him out of that dark, cramped space and back up onto my shoulder and together, we went back to his room, to his house, where he could know that he was in familiar surroundings, safe. He headed right to his house and I got his room settled, quiet, as quickly as I could.
AMAZING! It didn't take moments and he was just as if nothing had happened... we were on the futon... KISSES AND CUDDLES! Honestly, he's my BIGGEST AND BESTEST AND MOST INTEGRAL INSPIRATION! He lives "for the moment", obviously. I mean, going through that living HELL of being so brutally attacked, recovering in the strange environment of a HOUSE, with a "human"! And even to this moment, being in such a panic in a strange room, trapped, essentially, between that vanity and a wall, and there we were, on the futon... kisses and cuddles and playing. He's still teaching me to stop worrying about "later", to stop be-moaning "yesterdays"... When "now" is good... we hold tightly to it. Can't change yesterday, and we have limited control over tomorrow... Live... TODAY!
OK, so it's now 20.00 and he's having another snack and all's well with the world but WOW he was so PLAYFUL! (Maybe a little relief having been "rescued"? What-ever... he's safe again and fine for it. And now, it's time to start getting this day wrapped and closed!)
20.35 He's already on his night roost and has been for the past 20 minutes or so... and I've just gotten the "WOO!"... I've been told it's time to stop this "people nonsense" and get us off to rest for the night so... More tomorrow... Wednesday is "Closed"... thank you.
Thursday 03 April:
Oh but another day has slipped by and it's already late in the day and I'm only just getting to sit and really jot notes about the morning. It's horrid, the way time passes and I can't really say what I've been doing. And it's going by so much quicker and more. I'm getting to "that age". It's not that I have more to do, nor is is that I "do" any slower, I swear the clock is re-set to rush by. But that said...
Last night, was another one of those "right to the platform and home" nights. But considering it was really rather later in the evening, I can't blame the Little Guy.
We did manage to get all through the entire repertoire of lullabies softly and slowly. The little silhouette was a bit on the "fidgety" side at first and I wondered why. He appeared to be so ready to get to the night roost when I reached up to bring him home. But as I sang, I saw him nestle under his little heater and... though it was after 21.00... quite a bit, but I didn't take notice of the clock because I was too concerned with whether he was OK and settled, he did look peaceful and comfy when the last light was turned off for the night.
This morning... I was awake when "morning call" came at 7.04. Nice and clear and I got up, opened his house, placed the door perch, went to the kitchen, put the kettle on for my morning coffee and we got right to the tasks of the morning, opening curtains, blinds, getting the waters changed and the usual nonsense of a morning.
Poops check: 7 PERFECT little poops, and all under the night roost, healthy and a WONDERFUL sight first thing of a morning!
The rest of this morning? Well...of note:
Deborah came by the house as she was coming to fetch her post and stopped by. She came IN the house AND into Yonah's room, briefly (which she seldom does - she says it's because she's afraid that she upsets him... and yes, there's something about her that he's not "fond" of, and he tends to become "fidgety" when he hears her voice, and I wonder why but we'll never really know) and he was on the floor of his house, all comfy and cosy and today, he was completely un-phased by her presence! It was quite the sight. She wouldn't actually step INTO the room but called "Hello..." from the door. It really is a shame that she won't make the effort to make "friends" with him. She's always said that, should we ever need, whether they're there or not, we're welcome to go to their house. She's even said that she could set a room up just for Yonah. I hope we never "need" to accept the offer, I wonder how Yonah would take to being in another strange room, house, and Deborah has "Rosie"... a golden retriever... I'm sure it would be no trouble but... If we're going to a new environment, it's going to be a place we can call "home" and not be in for a brief period of time. Anyway, it was a pleasant experience to see him just stay where he was. He was in HIS house, HIS territory, and apparently he was aware of that. (Or, was it because I was there and he knows he's safe when I'm there? OH, the questions that will never be answered.)
Other-wise, all said, today was a "slow" day... a "calm" day. I "attended" to the house as usual, with book-keeping, trying to keep up and catch up with all sorts of tasks and chores. I was, to be honest, probably a boring companion, but my Little LOVE made the best of it, lounging, for the most part, in his loft. The doors were open to let in some "fresh air" and the house furnace was off. It was a bit windy out-side so the air moved about the place and I was grateful for that.
I didn't even take a "snooze time", it was that sort of "busy". I was, for much of the day, at the desk, in the room, so we were together. And I DID get several "visits" to the shoulder for some kissed and cuddles (which take priority over EVERY-THING else!). And when I got up to go to the kitchen for another coffee, I had a little "Companion" on the shoulder.
The SAD thing: I didn't get to the "morning water run" until AFTER LUNCH! The interesting thing: I could see that Yonah noticed something was "wrong"... timing was off. He was SO curious when, in the after-noon, I did all that "morning running" in and out of his room, and changing the water in his pool. He notices EVERY-THING... we have a "routine" and he's VERY MUCH AWARE OF IT! It fascinates me to see how aware he is of his surroundings. Reminds me of reading that birds prefer the "familiar". And I have to wonder how that can be when they have, essentially, the entire PLANET to travel about and can cover so much area even when looking for food and water. Oh sure, they have their nests and roosting places for a night. I wonder how long they stay in the same "roosting place", especially if it's not in some sort of building. Do they find a particular tree? It reminds me of the hens when I was in Vermont:
Every evening, as the sun was about to set, the 3 of them would head off to the one hemlock tree in front of the house and make their way up the limbs. Every evening, each one took the same place on the same limb as they took the night before. No matter where they were during the day, it was always the same. In fact, they were more timely than a clock. In fact, when, inadvertently, somebody came to trim the tree and took out the bottom limbs, I had to build a little "ladder" of sorts, a "stair-way" for them to get back up the tree. That first night when the limbs were gone was heart-breaking when they all came to the front yard, and circled round the base of the tree, looking up, trying to figure a way to get to what they saw as their "safe place" for the night. So yes, I AM aware that birds ARE aware of their surroundings and DO crave a "familiarity". They ARE quite "cognizant" and Yonah too, makes that MORE than obvious, even to a "routine"... certain things, activities come at certain times... and today, his "morning water run" was "off"... Then, once I'd done and the room was back to where it should be, OH HE ATE SO WELL! As if he hadn't eaten all through the day... especially "breakfast" which follows the morning water change. (I have to pay closer attention to these little particulars. I can only hope that he didn't wait for me to eat!)
And so, the rest of the day rolled along and I kept to the tasks and chores of the house until... of course... dinner time when all work stopped, the news came on his lap-top and we sat to eat, together.
After dinner and washing-up, I sat at the desk to wrap the day up so that we could get settled and calmed before "tuck-in" and he came over to the desk and settled, as he does, on his lap-top and then... for some reason, he headed up and went up to his roof-top and got comfy up there. (No trips to the living-room today either.)
Ah... it was such an other-wise dreary day though today, so the living-room was relatively dark and quiet and nothing happening out there. This morning was rain and then, for a while, quite the WIND! In fact, this evening, when I looked out the front door, I noticed a blue jay IN THE ROAD! MY HEART BROKE! I went out to get it out of the road and there was no visible sign of injury but it certainly was dead. I can only think that it had gotten caught in the wind and pulled in front of a vehicle careening along the main. I brought it back to the yard and will be giving it a proper burial. But OH, how broken my heart. I posted a "reminder" on social media that people need to heed birds as they roll along, oblivious and self-absorbed. How "humanity" sickens me when I think... But at least the Little One won't be run over, repeatedly, mindlessly, heartlessly. If I could have saved it... but... we can't be there for "all". I try... I do.
18.52 already, and I'm just getting to the evening water. My Little LOVE is on his roof-top and I've been a miserable companion all day. Not that it makes me feel any the better for it but I'm reminded:
There's a "Lafeber", "Ask The Vet" webinar that says that "ambient companionship", just being in the same room, together, is as good as being "hands-on", in a manner of speaking. The truth of the matter is, for me, it's true. Being in the same room with my little Heart-and-Soul is comforting. Knowing that he's safe, that I'm here for him in case of any need, that we can "escape" danger together, immediately, is comforting. I just SO WISH I could actually "KNOW" what he thinks, feels. I just SO WISH I could "KNOW" that he's as happy just being together in the same room where he can see that I'm here, that he KNOWS that I'm here for him. When I have to leave the house for any reason, even stepping out to check the daily post takes such a toll on me. There are places I could go to, probably places I should go to, and I don't because I can find alternatives (like ordering on-line, thankfully). When I have to go to medical appointments, it's always a matter of anxiety before, just thinking about being away and the time is under the control of somebody who can't understand my anxieties is a horror. And all the while I'm away, all I can think of is being back with my "LIFE"... and that's what this Little One actually is.. my "Life". Were it not for him, there'd be no "medical appointments". Were it not for him, this Journal wouldn't exist because I wouldn't exist. I NEVER would have imagined that such a Little One hold so much of my actual existence but... here we are. And if I could just snuggles with him... all day long... much as one might snuggle with a dog... chances are, that's all we'd do. (But he'd NEVER have it! He's fine with an occasional quick snuggle or a few kisses, but, well... first of all, most birds don't "snuggle" and above all, THIS Little Guy isn't a "typical" bird, accustomed to being held... by ANYTHING, especially not by humans. So... All I can do is hope that our being together, our "ambient companionship" is "good enough". Then too, I'm sure enough that, were it not, he'd let me know... he knows he can come over to my shoulder to let me know when he wants "contact" and he knows he'll get ALL the Luvin's no matter what. I just wish I could know, with certainty... just with certainty.
(He just flew over to Bustel and the radio... Time for me to get moving!)
19.43 I'm JUST getting finished with the "necessities" of the house-hold and the water in Yonah's pool has been changed... thrice because as I did the first run, he ate... so I went to do it again but when I watered his little trees, a bit of soil splashed into the pool and I WON'T HAVE THAT IN THERE! Never telling what's in soil. SO, we went for a third complete flush AND FOR MOST OF THE TRIPS MY LITTLE LOVE WAS ON MY SHOULDER! OH HE WATCHED AS THE CONTAINERS FILLED, THEN STAYED WITH ME FOR 5 OUT OF THE 7 TRIPS THAT FOLLOWED BACK AND FORTH FROM KITCHEN TO HIS HOUSE!
(I guess it got too boring so on the 5th trip back he took off to his house... for a drink! I finished and then...
When I got back, the winds out-side were still gusting away so... I opened his window! For a while... we'll be closing it soon, but to have the wind blowing around his room, clearing the air in here a bit, were it warmer during the day we could have had that window open all day! But now the room is dropping to 21° so we'll have to close the window put the house furnace on for the night. 3 is tonight's minimum so that's a bit too chilly for open windows, no furnace.)
But he's up on the shelf preening and it's time for us to get to settling down for the night. Thankfully the house is settled. Tomorrow's forecast calls for SUN and 12! I'll need to make a market run in the morning so we have the rest of the day together. (It's Friday house-cleaning too so we'll be busy!)
For now... time to get to settling both of us before it gets too late. I'll close today now and pick-up tomorrow.
Friday 04 April:
Well, picking up from last night... quickly here because I'm running behind with the Journal and the day...
Last night was an absolutely amazingly smooth trip "home" to the night roost. The Little Guy was ready to settle-in for the night and he made it so obvious that he KNOWS our nightly routine and when I was getting the room settled, he was AT the platform and as soon as I finished with windows and such, he was right there, on it, waiting. HE'S SO BRILLIANT!
We got through the whole repertoire of lullabies and he settled so quickly on his night roost and by 21.05, the last light was turned off and we were "off for the night".
This morning, he woke me at 6.40 with a hearty "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo"... I always makes me wonder if he doesn't wake before I do and waits for a while before "calling" and when he's had enough time waiting that's when he calls. I hope not. But honestly... Could there be a better "alarm" in the morning? I say "NO!"
And this morning, he had SO MUCH TO SAY... Oh the coo'ing! And it didn't take but a moment after windows were open and waters in the pool were change when he was ON THE WING AND OUT TO THE LIVING-ROOM WITH MORE "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo's" AND many "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo's" too!
And POOPS this morning? WELL! indeed... I didn't get a proper count but the quantity was with-in normal expectations and PERFECT in EVERY WAY... in fact, they'd bounced, so there wasn't a lot of "wet" AND they were ALL under the night roost so there's a good tummy and he had a good, restful night last night! HAPPY start to a day!
Part of the reason I'm behind and this morning was a little on the "hectic" side... I had to make a quick run to market (so that we had provisions in the house for the week-end) and I wanted to get it done right away. Today's also house-cleaning day for the house so that we have a comfy, clean week-end. And with market comes the putting things up, arranging and the likes so the pressure was ON! (And then too, as I've always said: the anxieties of being away from the house and not being with my Little LIFE here...)
So, as soon as I got the house tasks done, I was OUT and BACK!
When I got back, instead of being on his loft, as is the usual case, he was up on his roof-top. But he likes being up there and I do have to say that I like it when I come back in from errands and he's not in his loft. It shows that he's up and about even when I'm not here. He's comfortable in "his house", and he feels safe enough to travel about. OH, how much better than being in some miserable little cage in a corner or confined to one room, on space. He doesn't have the "entire planet", meadows, trees and the likes, but he's not out there under the threat of something that would harm him, no people, traffic, "pets". And he's got his pool of fresh, clean water to drink and bathe in and the best food... and his loft... his house, windows that face the sun-shine and out-side those windows, a little lawn and woods to look at. So... So? It isn't "perfect" but...
So, I got in, let him know I was back and as I put the groceries up, he headed back into his house and found a nice little place there where the sun was shining in and he was BASKING! SO peaceful! It was a tonic to my soul... as he always is.
And so... and well... I got the house settled and by then, 'twas time for LUNCH already! ("Time" again... how I've come to both admire and despise it... admire because of the "time" I've had with Yonah and despise it because of how quickly it passes... since I've had Yonah in my life.) AND... as I sat at the desk to grab a bite to call "lunch" (which is something I wouldn't really bother with were it not for Yonah anyway), I happened to look up to see...
THE LITTLE GUY WAS GRABBING A LITTLE DIP IN HIS POOL! OF ALL THINGS! THERE HE WAS, NOT SOAKING OR SPLASHING BUT JUST STANDING IN THE WATER! I'm not sure why he was just standing there, but, he appeared to be quite content so...
After lunch, I manged to grab a 30-minute lie-down WITH COMPANY AND managed to grab a little video of it too!
*************
VIDEO
*************************
Snoozes done, time to get to the Friday hoovering and throw my dinner together. The "end of the day" comes TOO quickly and suddenly. BUT...
AS I STOOD UP FROM THE DESK WHERE I WAS "CLEANING UP THE BOOKS" FOR THE WEEK-END AFTER THIS MORNING'S SHOPPING, HE LITERALLY SNUCK ONTO MY SHOULDER AS I STOOD AT THE DESK! I STARTED WALKING AWAY AND JUST HAPPENED TO SEE HIM OUT OF THE CORNER OF MY EYE! I DIDN'T EVEN HEAR HIM HOPPING ON! He can be in a room, in the open, in other-wise plain sight and vanish into the back-ground (and I'll never understand how mourning doves EVER get caught other than when they're on pavement or some place of the kind), but that he actually managed to hop onto my shoulder with-out being detected? WOW! But he didn't really stay too long because I had to get to the hoovering of the house before being able to sit and eat and so, as I went to set-up for that he took off to the living-room.
Ah HAH though... when I got to the living-room, he actually WATCHED me, as if supervising! I was "house-keeping" and my supervisor was checking my work! WHAT A LOVE!
20.35 My LOVE is already on his night roost and I'm showered and almost ready to tuck in for the night...
We had dinner and as Friday's can be, I got right into getting the house prepared for us for the night... Washing-up, water changes and my shower. Poor Little Guy, this has been a whirl-wind sort of day for him. But it's done and it's time to close the day! And it's a bit on the "late" side too. But still before 21.00 and so... I'm closing Friday here... will continue the saga tomorrow... WHAT A DAY!
Saturday 05 April:
(9.12) Dreary morning, this. Over-cast as forecast. Rain due for the next 2 days. And as I sit at the desk, "American Standards" playing, my PRECIOUS LITTLE HEART-AND-SOUL is on his loft...but it's a "concerning" morning...
Last night, when I came into the room to get things settled for us for the night, he didn't leave his night roost save for a brief moment at the door perch for some cuddles. But as I say, that was brief. "Ride home" was in my cupped hands, kisses along the way. And after a little bit of "feather-settling", we were both "down for the night", my Little LOVE on his night roost and me on the futon. Moon lights on.
The lullabies were sung softly and slowly, and when I'd done with "I Think It's Going To Rain Today"... 2 exchanges of "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" and then, we got through the repertoire. The final light off at 21.05...
This morning? I woke at 5.30 and decided to stay on the futon for a while longer because it's Saturday and nothing on the "agenda". I must have dozed off because the next time I looked at the clock it was, already, 6.15. As I laid there, comfortably, pondering getting up (especially to put breakfast out for the Yardies this morning)...
6.18 and in the stillness of the house... "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo"... MY LITTLE LOVE was awake! It was comforting to me to be there, with him right away. So I tried a "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo" back but, as I said, after a terrible attempt "My 'woo-hoo' wasn't awake yet." But it was good enough for a "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" in reply! For about 5 minutes, I laid on the futon, Yonah was on his night roost and we "chatted" until the "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo's" changed with his "woo-HOO!" (Not a "nest coo", to be sure. There really IS quite a difference between the softer "woo-HOOooooo" of a "nest coo" and the "sharper" "woo-HOO!" which sounds more like "HEY! YOU!"
There are times when he'll coo that very way, when I'm not in the room with him and it sounds like "ARE YOU THERE?" or, at night, when it sounds like "HEY! IT'S SEEPIE-NIGH-NIGHT TIME HERE!" I'll never know, exactly, what my little Heart-and-Souls is actually saying with all of his coo's but with this one in particular, I DO notice the difference. (It's like learning a "foreign language" and that takes time... Hopefully we have enough for me to learn more "mourning dove", and this morning I WISH I could learn more... quicker, because of the event/s...)
So up I got and opened house with a wonderful little chatting back and forth and considering the hour, just rolled right along with opening windows and getting the room together for the day. And a little exchange of kisses too. Not some of the "frantic" kisses of "OH! You were gone for so long and I missed you!" but surely not the "Well, kisses, yeah, OK, if you insist." (And there IS a noticeable difference in kisses too... to be sure.)
All seemed to be going "as usual" and I stepped out to the kitchen to put the kettle on before getting into water changes and such and that's when...
From the kitchen, I heard THE SOUND OF "ERRATIC" FLYING! I TURNED IN TIME TO SEE THE LITTLE BUNDLE OF FEATHERS PASSING THE FUTON AND... I WENT DIRECTLY INTO THE ROOM TO CHECK ON HIM... HE WAS NO-WHERE TO BE SEEN UNTIL... I LOOKED DOWN... HE WAS ON THE FLOOR BETWEEN THE FUTON AND HIS LITTLE "ALCOVE" AT THE BOTTOM OF THE BOOK-CASE WHERE HE LIKES TO GO TO OF A NIGHT!
I REACHED DOWN AND WITH NO FUSS, HE LET ME PICK HIM UP. I CAN TELL WHEN THERE'S SOMETHING "WRONG" WHEN HE FLIES ABOUT AND LANDS ON THE FLOOR AND DOESN'T MAKE ANY SORT OF MOVEMENT WHEN I PICK HIM UP. HE TENDS TO BE MOTIONLESS, AS IF "STUNNED" BY SOMETHING. AND THIS WAS ONE OF THOSE MOMENTS!
I BROUGHT HIM UP TO MY FACE TO GIVE HIM A RE-ASSURING KISS AND HE WENT UP TO MY SHOULDER AND... MOSTLY OUT OF CURIOSITY AS TO HIS CONDITION, WE WENT, TOGETHER, TO THE KITCHEN WHERE, ALL THE WHILE I PUT THE COFFEE-PRESS TOGETHER AND SET THE KITCHEN READY FOR MORNING WATER RUN, HE "RESTED" ON MY SHOULDER, TODDLED ACROSS MY BACK BUT MADE NO ATTEMPT TO LEAVE ME! THESE ARE THE MOMENTS WHEN MY HEART SHATTERS WITH WORRY !!!
HE'S BEEN "DROPPING" FEATHERS OF LATE, AND SOME OF THEM HAVE BEEN "WING/FLIGHT". HE'S STOPPED "PLUCKING" THE "DOWNY" FEATHERS, BUT NOW, IT'S "WING"/"PRIMARIES". IT'S BEEN QUITE A WHILE SINCE THE LAST TIME HE'S GONE THROUGH A "COMPLETE MOULT"... A LONG WHILE, REALLY. THERE HASN'T BEEN ONE WHERE HIS LITTLE FACE IS ALMOST BALD. (HOW THAT FIRST ONE PUT ME IN SUCH A PANIC AND, FRANKLY, A PAINFUL DEPRESSION... ESPECIALLY WHEN I LEARNT HOW TERRIBLE IT IS FOR BIRDS.) AND YES, HE HAS DROPPED FEATHERS THIS WAY, BEFORE. BUT NOW I WONDER IF IT'S AFFECTING HIS FLIGHT (THOUGH HE STILL "WHISTLES" IN FLIGHT).
WHAT DOES MAKE IT ALL SO MUCH THE WORSE (FOR ME) IS THAT NOW I'M AWARE OF THE FACT THAT BIRDS CAN SUFFER FROM "STROKE"... AND "SEIZURES"! "SWEET PETE" (TEILLADY'S LITTLE DIAMOND DOVE) HAD 2 THAT I KNOW OF AND, PETE JUST PASSED LAST WEEK. HER "ARNIE", THE STARLING, HAS GONE THROUGH SEVERAL "EPISODES" AND HE'S GOT SOME SORT OF "TUMOUR" IN HIS LITTLE THROAT. ANOTHER "SOCIAL MEDIA" ACCOUNT HAS "BRUCE", A LITTLE BUDGIE, WHO RECENTLY WENT THROUGH SEIZURES, LOST EYE-SIGHT AND PROPER USE OF ONE LEG. HE'S ON MEDICATIONS. THERE'S SO MUCH THAT CAN "GO BAD"! OH SURE, I'VE GOT MY SPINE, NOW THE SHOULDER, A BIT OF "LUNG TROUBLE", BUT I CAN COMMUNICATE SYMPTOMS TO THE MEDIC. I'M UTTERLY... NOT SURE IF IT'S "STUPID" OR "IGNORANT" ANY MORE. BUT "INADEQUATE"... I don't believe I'll EVER feel "adequate" where my companionship is concerned. There's SO MUCH MORE that I SO want to be able to give this little LIFE here. He gives me more than I could ever even start to TRY to put into words, and SO often I just feel the insecurity of not providing something that he would appreciate.
Yes, he has the protection of this old house, and I purposely try to get nothing but the finest-possible food for him so that he's properly nourished. The water is as fresh and clean as that which I, my-self, drink, so if there's ever anything "wrong" with it, I'll know. The air in the house is as clean as I can possibly get it, with his window open at the top to let in out-side air and to draw the inside air out. The fan in the kitchen, out-side his room, runs all day and night every day and night to keep the house air "moving". It's filtered through 2 "purifiers" in his room, the in-take for the house heating is filtered as it's drawn in, and then again, as it's blown out. And we now have the added "monitor" that tells me, ever-so quickly, the quality, with "formaldehyde", carbon mon- and di-oxides, "Volatile Organic Compounds", and the tiny "particles" too, temperature and humidity. I'm forever and always concerned about anything that would threaten his little respiratory system. We take play breaks during the day (though I often wonder if we do so enough). He has the whole house to fly about it, though it's NOTHING even CLOSE to the "WORLD" he would have out-side. Still, it's a FAR CRY from him being confined to some "cage" as I've seen some other Little Ones "trapped" in. There's a "UV" light for those days when, as we have here in The North Country, sun-shine is rare. And he has his own little "Sweeter Heater", the infrared, over his night roost in case the room chills during the night as he sleeps. Those who've seen his room say "He's so spoiled." and then there are those who say "He'd never have it this good in the wild." I just feel that there's just more that I could be providing. (And to be honest, with my "chronic fatigue", as "people" call it, that plays into my feelings of inadequacy. Even though, thanks to our "social media", I know I'm not the only one who isn't full of as much energy as the Little Ones. Still... it's "me", and he truly doesn't seem any the worse. After all, I've come to know that, if this Little LOVE, my literal Heart-and-Soul, was unhappy, it would be obvious, one way or another. HEY! He doesn't "pluck" his feathers, and he's not at all "lethargic", and I know that he knows that when he wants to play about, he knows to come over to me where-ever I am, when-ever he wants. Oh, it's me... and it's been "me" for almost 4 and a half years now... I guess it will always be "me"... 4 and a half years... and to think, 4 and a half years ago I was told "Nobody will want to see it. It's not 'endangered', it's not a 'raptor'. Put it in a box with some paper and make it comfortable for... what-ever." And here we are!)
MEANWHILE...
Daily Poop-check here: 9 PERFECT little poops, under the night roost. And none too "wet"... they bounced about as they fell during the night. And from THAT, I can be assured that his little digestive system is running smoothly, and there's no seeds or "green" or "red" in there so... Good health.
We're off to a day... a Saturday... and I've nothing on the agenda other than we're to expect a delivery! FOOD! NEW FOOD TOO! I'm looking forward to that and hoping it'll add a little something "different", maybe a new "flavour" and maybe a new texture? A little "break" from the "monotony" of meals. AND, even MORE, I'm hoping that it won't upset his little digestive tract. But, we'll see.
OK then... (time has passed and I've been keeping "busy" with "people nonsense" as we do around here and the morning l slipped by, dreary and cold and windy out there. It's already almost time to close another day! I SO dislike "time" any more. How odd to think that there was a period (when I first came to this old house, as a matter of fact) when "time" just dragged along and I went with it, begrudgingly. But for these past 4 years - and almost 6 months... come Saturday-week already) it's all gone by entirely too quickly!
Of a note for the day, today, after lunch, my Little LOVE took off from his room, away from his loft and headed out to his living-room tree, as he does of a day, and I THOUGHT I could grab a little "30-minute snooze". Well, I DID get most of it, and must have really "deep-dozed" because when I woke, with the alarm, THERE HE WAS, MY LITTLE HEART-AND-SOUL, ON MY LEG, ALL NESTLED AND COSY AS HE COULD BE! Makes me wonder what it would be like if he were able to get around the room through the night. I won't dare try because, well, in this house, there are too many "odd" noises during the night, between "people next door" who don't know how to "co-habitate" with others, and the traffic with booming radios and screeching tyres. But WHAT A MAJOR HAPPINESS to feel that Little Guy there on my leg and then seeing him so comfy... Well hey, we took another 15 minutes until he was ready to get up... Me? I was in NO hurry... but HE had things... and so WE had things and we were up and about.
But during the day, when he wasn't "lounging" on his loft, he was flying to my shoulder. And YES, OH YES, we got play-time in today too. MUCH of that was as I was sorting through so many little "notes" that I tend to jot during a day and have absent-mindedly "collected". Every little slip of paper that I put aside for "disposal" HAD to be "checked"... a little peck, a nip and a toss. For a moment, I had to laugh because it seemed my "notes' were being "double-checked" before being "dismissed"! OH! If only I could get him to file the important papers. BUT, he REALLY did seem to enjoy the little papers. (Oddly, I've noticed his fascination with the sound of crinkling paper, say, when I roll the paper packing that comes with orders. BUT if I GIVE him paper, even crumbled, he has NO interest. I've seen "toys" made of all sorts of paper, specifically for birds. I don't get them because I don't like the dyes and I'm not sure where the paper has come from. I take NO chances of giving my little Heart-and-Soul anything that could sicken him in ANY way. That aside, as I say, he seems to have no interest in paper "given" to him but today's notes were quite the "amusement".)
And on a matter of "orders"... A NEW LESSON TODAY:
With heart-felt thanks to a WONDERFUL LADY NAMED "CLAIRE" AT "CHEWY.COM", WE RECEIVED SO MUCH FRESH FOOD TODAY! AND IN THIS ORDER, I WANTED TO TRY SOMETHING TO ADD TO OUR "MIXTURE" OF SEED MIXES. A COMPANY CALLED "WITTE MOLEN" (WHITE MILL) MAKES A WONDERFUL MIXTURE OF ALL SORTS OF GREAT SEEDS AND BITS OF FRUITS AND VITAMINS, MINERALS... ALL THE SORTS OF GOOD HEALTHY EATING AND WE'VE BEEN ADDING THE "PURE" FOR CANARIES AND FINCHES TO THE REST OF THE INGREDIENTS IN THE "SPECIAL MIX". BUT THIS TIME, SINCE WE'RE GOING TO PHASE-OUT "PetCo's" "Healthy Select" BECAUSE WE JUST CAN'T TRUST THE COMPANY ANY LONGER, I DECIDED TO TRY "WHITE MILL" MIX FOR PARAKEETS. I LOOKED IT UP, TO MAKE SURE THERE WAS NOTHING MY LITTLE LOVE COULDN'T SWALLOW (since doves don't chew) AND NO ARTIFICIAL COLOURS. PERFECT MIX! THEN, CHECKED TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE WAS NOTHING IN THERE FOR "PARAKEETS" THAT DOVES SHOULDN'T HAVE.
RESEARCH: THERE'S NOTHING HARMFUL IN THE MIX, THOUGH IT'S NOT RECOMMENDED TO FEED DOVES ONLY PARAKEET MIX BECAUSE THERE ARE SOME NUTRIENTS NOT IN PARAKEET MIXES THAT DOVES NEED. BUT TO ADD THE MIX IS FINE.
WELL? I TRIED PUTTING SOME OF THE "NEW" FOOD IN A SEPARATE DISH IN YONAH'S HOUSE AND HE HAD NO INTEREST IN IT. BUT WHEN I ADDED IT TO HIS REGULAR FOOD... NOT ONLY DID HE OBVIOUSLY ENJOY IT, HE DIDN'T TOSS AS MUCH OUT OF THE DISH AS HE USUALLY DOES! SO... TONIGHT WE'LL BE SURE TO REMEMBER TO CHECK "POOPS" TOMORROW MORNING TO SEE HOW IT ALL "GOES THROUGH". IF NO PROBLEMS... NEW FOOD! NEW FLAVOURS! NEW NUTRITION! I'M HOPEFUL.
Not to mention, we have such a "stock" of food! In fact, there's more food in this house for my Little LOVE than there is for me! And I couldn't be happier!
And so, this evening, as I put his room together again, after all the papers flying about, and managed to get settled for dinner... well... I had dinner "solo" this evening. Little Mister headed out to the living-room, even though it was relatively darker out there. (His UV light was on in his room today because of the rain.) AND... he didn't come back into his room until I started the evening water run! I had to go out there and turn the lamp on, it was so dark.
Another note today: For some un-known (and likely un-knowable) reason, when he's on his old house at the window in the living-room, when I go near him, I get "wing-snaps"... not the "Hello there!" snaps, but more of the "STEP BACK!" snaps. And NO KISSES! Kisses when he's on his tree are fine. Kisses when he's on his roof-top are almost mandatory. But on his old house... NO! I can't figure out why. Not to mention, I can't understand the attraction to the living-room these days and why he'll stay out there even into the early evening dark. But...
20.00 he's on the floor of his house just inside the door.... we need to get to settling down for the night.
Still have to get to the windows... oh my!
20.41 HE'S ON THE NIGHT ROOST.... HE'S PUT HIMSELF TO HOME TONIGHT! I'm LATE! The day is CLOSED!
Sunday 06 April:
I can't believe it's 14.30 already! Time is stolen from us so quickly... and silently. But it's been a some-what "productive" day, and over-cast again, and chilly. And the forecast is still calling for freezing temperatures and more snow coming this week again. Ah... "Spring" might be on the calendar but "Winter" is still holding tightly to our reality. But it's fine. My little Heart-and-Soul is here, protected from the elements out-side his windows with plenty of good food and fresh water and we HAVE gotten play-time in, and he's had a couple of flights to the living-room so there's exercise too... meanwhile...
Last night, he stayed on the night roost all the while I attended my ablutions and when I finally came back into the room to settle us both down, he made one quick visit to his door perch for a few cuddles and kisses and went right back up to the night roost. Poor SWEETEST LOVE! It was SO LATE again! And he made it perfectly clear that he was tired (and I felt SO ashamed for keeping him up so late) I pondered whether or not I should take my "business" out of his room at a certain hour in the evening, as I used to to, to let him get his rest. But I have to consider how he'd perceive it now. These days/nights, I come in, we settled the room, he gets his ride home and I take to the futon with lullabies sung until the last light is turned off. We're together through the night, even though, most mornings, I'm up and about before he wakes. If I were to leave the room and close the door at night, as I used to, I don't know how he'd perceive that and if I'd disturb him when returning to the room, to the futon, for the night. I used to go to the other room for the night (and then, I'd set an alarm to make sure that I was up and awake when that first "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" came along). He could get to settle and "seepie-nigh-night" at a much earlier hour that way, but would he mind the change? Well, what I KNOW I OUGHT to do is stop my nonsense, last moments of a day, and be ready to tuck-in at a more civil hour! Anyway...
We got everything settled and we made it through the whole repertoire with only one brief exchange of "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" at the end of "I Think It's Going To Rain Today". No "nest coo", so I continued on, slowly and softly to the end...
Last light off... 21.10. (Poor Little Sweet Guy!)
This morning? I'd been "some-what awake" for a while, but laying, "snoozing" on the futon because... it's "Sunday" and I had nothing on the agenda that required immediate attention and I'd a day of typing and such planned, no reason to leave the house. And with the forecast being for more rain and colder temperatures, no need to step out... no "yard work" or anything of the sort.
When I looked up at the clock... 6.18. OK, time to get to the morning, so I got up from the futon and silently stepped out of the room when... RIGHT AWAY, FROM BEHIND ME...
"woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo"...
("You trying to sneak out on me here or what?")
I did my best "morning woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" and said "You awake too? OK. I'll be right there." and right away came another "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo", a little louder and stronger. So I made haste to put the kettle on and get right back to opening house and windows for the morning!
When I got to the door of his house, there he was, as if waiting for my return, so I opened the door to his house, stuck my face in for "Good morning" kisses... and he "managed a few". Not "obligatory" but not "many" again this morning. BUT....
Poop checks (because of the new food yesterday): NINE PERFECT LITTLE POOPS! All, under the night roost, so last night was "calm". But the composition was no different from other "happy, healthy" poops. So, the "new" mix of "parakeet" seeds didn't upset his little digestive system and all when through with no trouble!
AND, this morning, as we got the room together, we had a WONDERFUL "chat" back and forth and THEN...
The FIRST FLIGHT OUT, UP AND OFF TO THE DESK SHELF WAS PERFECTLY FINE! In fact, it was SO perfectly fine that I hadn't even noticed that he'd gone from house to desk. NOTHING like yesterday's "frantic flight". So Sunday came to a GLORIOUS start!
During our morning, after morning water change and settling the room, we spent a some-what calm "Sunday" morning together whilst I tried a little "on-line shopping". Of note, and I have to laugh as I recall this, there was some trouble with one of the purchases and I got a telephone call from the banque. Well? I was talking and, as usual, of course, I HAD to be talking to my Little LOVE who had MUCH to say in response! All the while I was chatting with the representative on the other end of the call, there was an almost steady "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" filling the room! I mention it because it's the "normal" when-ever I'm on the phone and he's in the room. I DO wonder what the person on the other end thinks, because I know they hear him. One thing I must admit: no matter how the call goes, and some-times it can become exasperating, that coo'ing makes me smile SO MUCH! Most of my telephone use is for business of some sort or another and I DID have one person comment "I thought you were in the yard or some place out-side. It sounds so peaceful."
Anyway, the shopping got done for the morning and by that time, it was already time for LUNCH! AND TODAY, I WAS JOINED, IN THE KITCHEN, AS I PREPARED. YES, ANOTHER "LITTLE BIRDIE ON MY SHOULDER"! He's gotten SO accustomed to being with me as I move about the house. His favourite place? In the hood of my Sherpa! (It's the grey colour AND I'm pretty sure, he gets great footing in there.)
When lunch was ready, he headed back to his house, I sat back at the desk, we put the "news" on, as we do every day, and all was fine.
After lunch? My Little Guy was in his loft after having a quick "bask" in the moments of sun-shine that managed to break through the cloudy skies and I put the dishes in the kitchen basin and came back to the room for our "after lunch snooze".
I ALMOST made it to the futon to settle, alarm set for 25 minutes, head on the pillow when...
"woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo"... on my chest! HE MISSES NOTHING IN HIS ROOM!
So I put Burdie-Birdie on my chest and got comfy and managed to doze, but as I started to drift-off, I could feel the little toddling feet headed down to my leg and...
25 minutes later, the alarm sounded... and yes, there he was, in his chosen spot, on my leg, nestled in the folds of my jeans. He'd slept with me again! (I got a photo, of course.) So I turned the alarm off and laid there, waiting to see if and when he'd decide "snooze time was finished". Seems we could have stayed the after-noon there because it wasn't until I moved Burdie onto the futon when he got up with another "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo". (I DO wonder, though, just how long he WOULD stay there with me. And it makes me wonder what he'd do through a night. If only I could KNOW, for absolute certain, that I wouldn't move about in my sleep... I surely wouldn't mind passing the night together and waking to find him there, first thing in the morning. But I don't dare tempt "Fate".)
Anyway... 14.45 already, classical music playing and I'm trying to get a few more "bird videos" on the old lap-top for the Little LOVE to watch - if he'd like to.
Oh, and another "note": I'd gotten a package of thin plexi-glass sheets, wanting only one, but now glad for the extras, to put one over the screen on the lap-top so that when Yonah pecks, it protects AND I HAVE to say, it's working wonderfully! He can now settle on his "key-board" (which is now, a bit of thin ply-wood raised above the keys so he's not ON them) and peck at what-ever it is he sees on the screen and no more damage. (I'd still like to know what happened to the old screen, but now, it doesn't matter. The new screen works very well and he still enjoys nestling there of an evening and that's all that matters.)
(15.35 already... and I've been at the desk, typing away, down-loaded another "8-hour video", classical music playing and we had a little break... with Bustelo-Birdie... this Little Guy suddenly got up and came over to the desk shelf to "visit", and we played a bit and he coo'ed at Bustelo-Birdie who is now on the roof-top. They're up there together... with a bit of "coo'ing" and preening.)
20.08 running late again.. CLAIRE (from Chewy.com) PHONED AS I WAS DOING THE WASHING-UP AFTER DINNER, AND WE TALKED FOR THE LONGEST! She's such a blessing, really. She's gone all-in-all-out for us and since she intervened, some-how, our food orders come timely and in the best condition! She's our "Angel". AND ALL THE WHILE THE LITTLE GUY WAS ON HIS ROOF TOP! I DIDN'T GET TO THE WATERS UNTIL 19.00 AND NOW... I AM SO BEING REMINDED IT'S TIME TO WRAP THIS DAY! SUN IS GONE, TEMPS OUTSIDE DROPPING AND... THANKFULLY THE REST OF THE HOUSE IS SETTLED... AND HE'S ON HIS NIGHT ROOST... AND I HAVE TO CLOSE THE WINDOWS... (HE'S GRABBING A LITTLE DRINK OF WATER AS I TYPE THIS... IT'S ALWAYS COMFORTING TO SEE HIM DRINKING. I have to remember that for the poops report.)
20.18 Burdie-Birdie was tucked-in for seepie-nigh-night and OH! the Little Guy came RUSHING TO THE TOP SHELF OF THE WALL SHELVES AND LITERALLY RAN OVER TO THE BOOK CASE END! SO I PUT BURDIE UP THERE AND HE COOED AND GAVE BURDIE SO MANY KISSES! It was as if he was giving "Good night" kisses to ol' Burdie! It's really quite an experience to see him giving "affection" to this little "doll". And to think I made it from the stuffing of a pillow and a pillow case. No details on it. No eyes or "face". No feathers... But Burdie has become a true "friend"... it appears. (Keeps sending me back to the first time I put "Burdie" on the futon when it was complete and how I thought the response was "anger"! I took Burdie away for WEEKS... WHAT must Yonah have thought of me? Cruel? But, they're together now and well, seems I did something quite good. I just wish I could do MORE "good"... but I won't get into the "mate" again... it keeps haunting me but "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" and the two of us ain't broke so... (and now... he's back over to his roof-top... and it's time for me to stop this typing and get us settled for the night!).
20.36 He's gone back to the wall shelf... and I'm going in to see how we're going to handle tucking-in. Suspense and surprises...
Monday 07 April:
(8.36 and the "morning routine" is complete... the house is "settled", so to speak, the sky is over-cast, there's a slightest dusting of last night's snow on the grass and the temperature out there is just above "freezing"... "Monday in April". But my little Heart-and-Soul is doing so well and fine and that's the only matter of importance of the day.)
And as for last night's "tuck-in"... Oh but yes, he stayed up on that upper-most wall shelf, even as I put the futon together for me for the evening, and he watched my every move. And the very moment I started "Autumn Leaves", it was SO obvious that he was "preparing for take-off" for the "ride home", situating him-self on the shelf, getting a little last minute preening in and waiting. AND THEN... ALL I HAD TO DO WAS BRING THE LITTLE PLATFORM FROM HIS ROOF-TOP OVER TO THE EDGE OF THE SHELF AND AS "HOW'DJA DO" AS COULD BE, WITH NO HESITATION, HE SIMPLY STEPPED OFF THE SHELF, ONTO THE LITTLE BOARD AND STOOD, "AS A COMMUTER ON A TRAIN", AS WE "SAILED ACROSS THE ROOM" TO HIS HOUSE. AND, UPON ARRIVAL AT HIS "STOP", BESIDE HIS NIGHT ROOST PERCH, AT THE VERY MOMENT WHERE IT WAS A MATTER OF A SIMPLE "STEP", THAT'S JUST WHAT HE DID... STEPPED OFF THE BOARD AND ONTO THE PERCH AND... WE WERE DONE! COMMUTE COMPLETE. HOME FOR THE NIGHT.
It just amazes me how this has become so "common-place" for him. It's "expected", obviously. And as for me? WELL! I enjoy it SO VERY MUCH! I'm fascinated, really, by how "normal" it's become for Yonah, and I SO enjoy being able to give little kisses en route. It's a DIVINE way to close a day.
AND we made it through the repertoire of lullabies, slowly, softly, quietly as I watched the PRECIOUS little silhouette settle on the perch and by 21.05... last light was turned off.
Oh... a little note here:
"OUR LULLABY" of "Ich Liebe Dich" has grown. Our current lyrics:
Mein kleiner Vogelein,
ich liebe, liebe dich,
sieben, sieben, sieben und für immer., immer, du.
Ich, ich, ich,
ach SO liebe, liebe dich.
sieben, sieben, sieben und für immer., immer, du.
Ja! Ja! O! Ja! Ja!
ich liebe, liebe dich,
sieben, sieben, sieben und für immer., immer, du.
Ja! Ja! O! Ja! Ja!
ich liebe, liebe dich,
sieben, sieben, sieben und für immer., immer, du.
Mein kleiner Vogelein,
ich liebe, liebe dich,
sieben, sieben, sieben und für immer., immer, du.
Ich, ich, ich,
ach SO liebe, liebe dich.
sieben, sieben, sieben und für immer., immer, du.
And we close it with:
An der ganzen großen Zahl
It's truly "OUR" lullaby, and it's evolving... as we are... as we go along. And every night, before I get comfortable on the futon, for the night ahead, I can't but help wondering... that there won't be anybody in this world who will continue signing to this Little LIFE here, were anything to happen to me. He's SO OBVIOUSLY become accustomed to our nightly serenade, as I can see him settling, getting comfortable, and tucking his little head between his wings. I do wonder what it all sounds like to him, with the changing of melodies, not to mention, languages. But then, for me, the German is associated with the loving Oma, and I can "see" her, sitting at the edge of the old bed, in that room up-stairs, at "101", and I can hear HER voice singing, even though now, it's my voice. And it's comforting, relaxing, soothing...
vergessen den Schmerz und den Kummer der Welt.
which is what WE (try to) do... at the close of every day... together. And as long as my little Heart-and-Soul is here and healthy and as happy as we can be... NOTHING ELSE matters...
And so... this morning, after a night of being up at my usual almost-every-two-hours (for no apparent reason), I happened to roll over and lok at the clock... 6.15! So I got up, first of all, to make sure the Yardies had breakfast out there and the rest... well... the rest. As I do, I silently went to the door of the room, stepped out, closing it silently behind me and started to put the kettle on and prepare for the day ahead when...
6.28 came, through the door, quite an audible "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo"! "AUDIBLE" this morning! So I hurried over, opened the door and asked, as I do "Did I hear a woo-hoo?" and immediately came the reply, another clear "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo"!
AND... the "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo's" continued along, quite nicely, clearly and strong this morning! My sole and solitary reason for getting up and "out of bed" EVERY day was UP AND READY TO ROLL!
When I opened the door to his house and popped in for "Good morning" kisses, yes, there were a few, but he seemed more anxious to get up and out so... I got right to opening curtains and blinds and it didn't take but that moment before he was hopping to his food perch and I was "on the run" to get his water freshened and his day on the GO! And it didn't take long before that's exactly what happened... he too was "on the go"!
Out-side, the lightest dusting of snow from last night, the temperature wasn't all too "cold" but none-too-warm either, and the sky was covered with a light cloud-cover. But, 'twas Monday and... my Little LOVE was, apparently, in a great mood, great health, and well-rested...
7 Perfect little Poops... under the night roost... but there were others, off the "rug", that may have been from during the course of the night. So I'll say 9 in total, just because. But all of them are still "perfect" in size and composition. The "parakeet mix" of seeds must be OK then! And I couldn't be happier. As I say, a little something "different", a bit of "variety" in our other-wise "constant" routine of every day.
And with the energy level of heading to the desk shelf, then to the roof-top, the "nest coo's" that I was blessed with this morning, as that PRECIOUS little face stared at me, tail raised, fluttering wings... and THEN, the BOLT to the living-room with even MORE coo's... Yes, it's a grand start to an other-wise dreary sort of Monday.
(And for the record here, simply because it's a matter of fact: this is one of "those" days where I'd be just as content to go back to the futon, lie down and let the world pass until... This "getting older" thing just isn't my "cup of tea" with the aches and such, and this morning, though I woke feeling fine, the "reminders" came along and became just "insufferable", if not "intolerable". BUT, it's odd, in a way; my aches and such are on the left side, from shoulder to waist, as it were, AND THAT'S THE SIDE WHERE MOST OF YONAH'S INJURIES WERE INFLICTED! I can't but help remember the nights, laying in bed, thinking of him in the next room, and "praying" that, if there's a way, let ME have the injuries and take them from him. Could this be...? Well, if it is, so be it. I gladly take and accept what-ever it is, if from him. He's in good spirits, and apparently, in good health. THAT is ALL that makes ANY matter to me. I've "medical" available, should I need, and I'm accustomed to it. For Yonah, it's a long drive to being "handled" by a stranger who, from our past experiences and from what I've managed to glean over the years, from various sources on our "internet", probably doesn't honestly "care", so long as there's a dollar to be had. I might not be an "expert" with papers on the wall "in recognition of", but I have done, am doing and will always continue doing to the very best of my inferior human ability, to make certain that THIS Little LIFE here is comfortable. We've come to know one-another, and he's obviously come to know that I mean him ONLY THE VERY BEST of this "life" we're in. So... Bring on the discomforts... so long as they're not HIS.)
And as I type, my Little LOVE is beside me, on the desk, giving a preen and our day moves along, as Earthly days will do. As Yonah has taught me well: we take the moment at present and live it. the next moment isn't guaranteed and the previous moment can't be changed. "Let's face the music and dance".
Well, it's 18.32 and my Little LOVE is on the floor, in the shadow of the desk, in the air moving from the house furnace. He's been there for almost an hour now, and appears to be quite comfortable. He was playful during dinner, and he HAS eaten well all day and even at dinner time so that's comforting to me. And I added the "parakeet" mix to his general mix... the same "300ml" as the other mixes. He appears to like the "new addition" so, we'll keep watching. If anything "changes" for the worse, out it all goes to the Yardies who, I'm sure, will enjoy it.
During the day today? He was active, flying about in between lounges at the loft.
This after-noon, after lunch, I had a lie-down for 20 minutes that went into "over-time" when, just before the alarm sounded (that "2 minutes" that the Little Supervisor here is so aware of and I still don't understand) he came flying over to my chest, toddled down to my legs and nestled right in. So, I set another alarm for an additional 10 minutes and... well, that too, sounded and he obviously had NO intention of moving from his cosy spot. So, another 10 minutes passed before he decided it was time for us to get up. (And in good time too because I had a very brief errand to run this after-noon while the weather permitted one.)
I was gone and back and when I got back, he was in his loft, as if I'd been in the house all the while.
We had quick moments of sun-shine during the day and it was quite something to see as he made the best of every bit of sun coming in through his windows... basking where-ever he could find a sunny spot. Those are the moments when I'm happy with being able to provide him a place of safety and comfort and in sun-shine!
It was, all said, "a day" today. I was kept so busy with "shopping for Aunt Deb" (we're putting together a little package of Swedish items with a little tea kettle and cups to say "thank you" for all she's done for us., especially opening her house to us, if we ever need in times of storms and the likes.. Aunt Amy is next on the list). I had to make a few phone calls this morning and of course, my Supervisor had his input as I spoke. I SO LOVE it when he gets "chatty" and I'm on the phone! (People on the other end of the call tend to ask if I'm out-side when they hear him.) So there was a "flurry" of movement in the room for most of the day.
This after-noon though, it all calmed down and we had moments to play on the futon and then, well, dinner, which brings us back to where we are now... 18.50 and time to get to the evening water run. (With the HOPE of getting settled-down and tucked-in soon tonight... no more of this 21.00 stuff...)
19.45 and all that's left of the day is my ablutions and to close the windows which I'm about to do even now. And of course, after the past few hours of "serenity", the Little Guy had his nightly burst of energy, flying about from the futon and Burdie-Birdie, to the desk shelf, into his house and round the room.
But he's coo'ing quite a lot, as he does of an evening and I DO wonder: is this an "evening call", and "evening song"? Is it that he'd call out of an evening, in the wild, to the other doves? Is he looking for other doves? Some-birdie to nestle with during the night? Or is it just to say "Good night to the day"? What-ever it is, he does tend to become more vocal as the sun sets, and "in season", when it's not bitter cold, and there are more mourning doves about, I HAVE noticed that some will tend to take to the power-lines, in the open, and coo. Oh, if only to know what he's saying... if only... But now, it looks like we're going to get to settle at a reasonable hour tonight. Now to see if we'll get tucked-in right away and, what time we'll wake tomorrow.
20.10 Things are settled in the house. Time to close today's page. My Little LOVE is on the desk shelf making with the "nest coo's" so... we're off the air, as it were, for tonight.
Tuesday 08 April:
It's already 18.05 and we're just settling-in and settling-down after another dreary-chilly-but-wonderful day together.
And as I sit at the desk to type, my LOVE is on his roof-top, coo'ing along whilst one of his "new" bird videos plays on his lap-top on the desk beside me. (He's "scrunched" on his roof-top, toward the front, a-top his Sweeter Heater, which is where he seems to like to be in the evenings. And I wonder if this isn't the hour he'd prefer to get to tucking-in, though, when the time comes to do so, well... it appears to be a different sort of story. Just shows: no matter how much time we've spent together and how much he HAS taught me... humans really are the inferior ones in this little "equation". But he appears to be so comfortable and I suppose that's what matters most so...)
Meanwhile, last night's "trip home"... When I came back from my ablutions, he was on the desk shelf, cooing along, as he does of an evening until I stepped into the room and headed to the futon to start putting it together for me for the night. As soon as he saw me arranging the pillows and putting Burdie-Birdie to the little nook in the book-case, he FLEW (quickly) over to his roof-top and the very moment I started our lullabies ("Autumn Leaves"), he toddled right over to the little platform! There's such a strong "association" now, especially with the singing. (I wonder what would happen if I played a little "montage" of these songs, in their originally recorded versions, during the day. I'm going to have to see if he recognises the music, the melodies or if it's just me and my "renditions". A new lesson for me to learn. I'll have to try and "report".)
WELL THEN... I moved along to settle the room (since we were getting to tuck-in rather early and I was still curious to see if there would be a "fuss" made, considering the earlier hour) and when I didn't stop everything to bring him "home", he came back to the front of his house and coo'ed right along with my singing! It was as if he was singing-along! I didn't stop the singing, just to see what he'd do and he kept right along with me! MAYBE we DO sing together! Maybe he gets to sing HIS evening song and now, HIS song is part of MY song and it all becomes "OUR SONGS". (More that I'll have to pay attention to. Meanwhile, it was WONDERFUL!)
AH BUT THEN AND WOW... THE VERY MOMENT HE NOTICED THAT THE FUTON WAS SETTLED FOR ME, HE GOT UP AND WENT DIRECTLY TO THE PLATFORM (his "ride home") AND STOOD THERE, WAITING FOR ME TO COME TO GET HIM. AND AS I MOVED THE LITTLE BOARD, WITH ITS PASSENGER ON, TO THE FRONT OF HIS HOUSE, HE SIMPLY MADE HIM-SELF COMFY, IN PREPARATION FOR "TAKE-OFF" AND THE "FLIGHT" TO THE NIGHT ROOST! AND THE VERY SECOND THE PLATFORM REACHED THE PERCH, HE HOPPED RIGHT OFF, ONTO THE PERCH AND HEADED FOR HIS "NIGHT ROOST", UNDER HIS "SWEETER HEATER". OUR DAY WAS "CLOSED" AND OUR "REGULAR ROUTINE" COMPLETE. (And, of course, I continued our lullabies with a few breaks for some last minute kisses.)
We made it through the entire repertoire again, and as I sung, I could see the little silhouette snuggling-in for the night, over-head.
At 20.40... the last light was turned off... the day, officially closed.
This morning? Though I was some-what awake at 4.45 already, I decided that I was in no particular rush to get up and the room was so comfortable, I managed to doze back off to sleep and woke again at 5.30. Stayed there, on the futon, enjoying being in the room, in the morning quiet, with my One And Only Actual LOVE who was still, apparently, sleeping... but at 6.00, I had to get up (to put breakfast out for the Yardies... it had been a chilly night last and I wanted to make certain that there was enough for them to eat for morning energy), so I made my way to the door, closing it behind me, put the kettle on for my morning coffee, served breakfast in the back yard and... at 6.18, through the door, came...
"woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo"! and then another "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" almost right away. And this morning, the coo's were a bit louder than they've been of recent days! SO... I headed right into the room and over to the little house by the windows, peeked in to see the little silhouette facing the door of his house as if waiting for "that crazy human" to pop his head in for "Good morning" kisses.
When I DID manage to do, I got a nice face-full of kisses this morning and quite a few "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo's" too! And when I coo'ed back... we had a nice little morning schmooze!
I got right to opening the curtains and blinds to another over-cast morning and a world "lightly dusted" with the little bit of snow that had fallen as we slept.
Poop check report: 8 in total... ALL of them as perfect as could be and all under the night roost. So, the new seed mix isn't upsetting my Little LOVE's tummy and that's quite a welcome relief and he was "chatty", I got kisses... PERFECT start to a new day... in spite of the chill out-side the windows. And so, I was off on the morning water run whilst my Heart-and-Soul put his feathers together and then... headed right out to the desk shelf and then over to the futon where he could "supervise" the water relay.
Budri
And so, all the morning routine completed, it was time to get on with our "normal" day of keeping the house together, and all sorts of "people stuff". The sun didn't make its way through the cloud cover and though the temperatures out-side didn't rise much, they did just enough to melt the little bit of snow out there.
And my Little LOVE established him-self in his house, on his loft, by his windows, as he does of a day, to watch his "human" get along with all the nonsense that humans do during a morning.
But, we managed to break for a relatively "early lunch" at about 11.30 and by noon, we were both having our "mid-day" snacks, together, with the daily news on the old lap-top.
After, of course, was "snooze time" and I'm coming to believe that that too, is an "expected" part of the sialy routine because as soon as I'd done eating and had put the dishes into the kitchen basin, I returned to the room to find my Little Supervisor at his door perch, looking at the futon! It was as if he were waiting for me to set the alarm and have my lie-down. And as soon as I'd done, he came right over to the pillows at the "foot" of the futon and gave a little "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo"!
Now, today, since it was early enough, I decided to try something else "new". I'd set the alarm for 45 minutes (which I very well could have used today, all things told) and brought Burdie over to rest on my chest, as I do when I have a lie-down. I wanted to see if my little Heart-And-Soul would come over and snooze with me today and he did, but today, I was curious as to how long would be enough of a snooze for him! So I started with 45 minutes, almost expecting not more than 30. Well! The alarm sounded at the 45 minutes and there he was, on my leg, as he will be when we snooze together, so I turned the alarm off and laid there, quietly, waiting...
It was another 10 minutes later when I finally felt the Little Guy hop off my leg, saw him toddle up toward my shoulder and then take off to the desk shelf! SO, looks like, given the chance, our after-noon lie-downs could easily run into an hour! But what makes my soul dance: Yonah actually, obviously enjoys having a mid-day snooze TOGETHER! Today I felt like "one of the flock". I'm to understand that "relaxing" is what birds do in the wild, during a day and today, more so than other days, WE did our mid-day relaxing... TOGETHER! WHAT A HUMBLING HONOUR!
And so... nap-time done, we were up and about again and I got right to the affairs of the rest of the day, with the intention of making sure that "things were settled" tonight, and not late!
Yonah took a couple flights out to the living-room but didn't stay long today. Can't say that I blame him. The living-room was rather dark because of the cloud cover over the sky, there was a light on in his room, and the lap-top was still on "the news" so there were sounds in his room.
This evening, at 17.00 we got together for "supper"... and as soon as I came in with my plate and sat at the desk, my dinner mate headed to his food too. And so, together, we dined.
19.04 the house is settled, waters are changed and the only thing now is the windows! MAYBE we'll get to a civil tuck-in... again, tonight! I'm aiming for it!
I'm at the desk, to get today's notes together here, on the Journal, and my Little LOVE has come down from his house to his lap-top which is playing one of his "new" videos... of little birds... no music, just the little chirpers... and he's pecking at the screen (which is now covered with the new plexi to protect it)! AND he's coo'ing at what appears to be a little yellow finch. The first bird he's taken any notice of!
Oh, today, our friend, "Teillady" posted a little video of her "Arnie", the starling... drinking MILK from a spoon! Apparently her veterinarian suggested it for Arnie (who is of "quite an age" and has been through quite a few "health" issues - in fact, the shock for me was that her "Sweet Pete", a diamond dove, passed before Arnie). I recall reading that "dairy" in general, isn't recommended for birds, other than the rare bit of cheese (protein) (and Yonah doesn't like cheese at all... but then, he, like Arnie, is "wild" and doves in the wild don't get cheese anyway). But that was quite a lesson to see. I can see some benefit from it though: protein for his muscles and such and calcium for his little bones. But it was quite the thing to behold. Arnie SO enjoys his milk!
OK... 19.43 and MY Little Heart-And-Soul is up on the desk shelf and it's time to get to his windows if we're going to get to settle soon... Time for night music and my ablutions... and to see what sort of "calamities" are to come... he's getting "explorative", as it were, "fidgety"... oh my.
OK... 20.10 and he's on the night roost, our "nightly music" instrumental, "meditation" music is on. It's time to get this house closed and us to tucking-in for the night. This Tuesday is closed!
Wednesday 09 April:
Last night was a repeat of: as soon as he saw me coming back into the room, he obviously KNEW it was "tuck-in time" and with no fuss at all, he headed right for the little platform for the ride home to the night roost! Imagine THAT! And I can't but think of searching our "internet" to see what the "experts" have to say about the "intelligence" of mourning doves and how they, in their "wisdom" claim that mourning doves aren't considered to be "intelligent"... mostly because they're so easily startled. BUT I SAY, it's that "startle" that makes them all the MORE intelligent. AND they OBVIOUSLY ARE VERY MUCH AWARE OF THEIR SURROUNDINGS! Perhaps MORE-SO than other birds. OK, so they don't "use tools" as ravens and crows do. And sure, it's as I think, often, that the doves in the yard still BOLT when I go out to put food out for them, they just haven't come to understand that I mean them no harm. But HEY! THIS LITTLE LOVE SURELY has a "routine" and he DOES recognise and understand that certain events occur at certain times of the day, and even during the day... "lunch", "dinner/supper", water changes... he OBVIOUSLY UNDERSTANDS SO MUCH MORE than the "experts" give credit for. And I'm not accepting that Yonah is an "exception" (though sometimes I DO have to wonder). Anyway, tuck-in was smooth and in no time at all, we were settled for the night.
Lullabies were sung as we closed the day and as I started "die Vögelein", he gave one little "nest coo". I repeated it to see if any more were to follow but no... just that little comment and so... I continued, finished the repertoire and the last light was turned off at... 20.35! A nice, early night for both of us.
This morning? I was up and about at 5.30, for no particular reason. I woke, I was up, and so, I stepped out of the room, silently, closing the door to his room behind me, as I do.. and I waited to hear the "call".
6.15 came the first "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" through the door AND before I could get up and into the room, two more followed almost immediately! SOME-birdy was awake and ready to roll into the new day! AND, when I did get into the room, opened the door to his house and poked my head in for "Good morning kisses"... there were SO SO MANY KISSES AND BEAUTIFUL WING-STRETCHES! WHAT A PERFECT START TO A NEW DAY! It truly does lift my heart and spirits to be SO BLESSED with such a BEAUTIFUL reception first thing of a day! Clear voice, the almost-insistance that it's time to get at the day! AND KISSES? WELL! NOTHING can top those! My little Heart-and-Soul is as happy to see me as I am to be with him, to be here for him. The world will never know... but "the world" isn't important. We're here. safe, he's healthy and that's all there is.
And it didn't take but a moment after I got the curtains and blinds open and he was ON THE WING! Out of his house, about the room, flying here and there! ENERGY! KISSES! WOO-HOO! Yeah!
BUT... Poor Little Guy... We took his fountain out this morning right away for a vinegar flush and at 9.00 it was going through the clear water flush... I want to make sure that the "plumbing" is safe for him and that flushing is so important because, well, the tubing tends to gather something and builds a bit of a "film" through it. (I have to wonder: it's "food grade", they claim it can be used for beverage fountains and the likes, but if it's gathering enough of something to build a "film", what is the "film"? I can see it because it's all "exposed", on the outer part of his house. What of those who don't see it? And I'm pretty sure it's caused by the bits of seeds that get pulled in as the water is circulated through the pump. Well, at any rate, this morning, vinegar got flushed through to make sure "film" was gone... and the vinegar actually does clean it out nicely.) Still, first thing in the morning and there I go, pulling his house apart.
THEN, to make it all the worse? I put our music from the iPod on and... our "lullabies" played... FIRST THING IN THE MORNING! I COULD SEE THAT THE LITTLE GUY NOTICED THE MELODIES AND I COULD SEE THAT IT STRUCK HIM AS A BIT CONFUSING! WHAT was happening here? Seepie-nigh-night as the sun was rising, the day-light coming in through the windows? I stopped those and went on to just playing the rest of the tunes and things soon settled into "morning" and the day went properly.
(Meanwhile as an additional note here: my left shoulder is really bad this morning, painful, and trouble breathing and singing. I ponder going in to have it checked but that's HOURS of wasted time to be told "muscle strain, hot pack, cold pack, Tylenol, stress and dehydration. As long as I can open and close house, attend to the maintenance of Yonah's house and home and him... Oh, were it not for Yonah, I'd just lay down and let this pass. But, if it becomes worse, I'll have to succumb and have it checked. I take care of me so I can take care of him and I MUST be here and able to take care of my little LOVE!)
Oh... Poops Report: 9 in total this morning and EVERY ONE OF THEM, PERFECT IN EVERY IMAGINABLE WAY. SO, we add that to the morning.
11.55 Time for a quick note. I've been busy all morning but we got the fountain cleaned and replaced AND OBVIOUSLY APPROVED... AT 11.45 I was at the desk, working along when I heard "splash"... looked up an THERE HE WAS... SOAKING IN THE POOL! SUN POURING IN THROUGH THE WINDOWS! GLORIOUS! (He's basking now, just in side his door in his house. I'm relieved to know that the water in his pool is clean and clear and fresh... and now, we'll have to flush clear water through... no sense drinking "bath water"... though it's really not "dirty"... still, it's the general idea. I know that, out in the "wild", birds use "bird-baths" to bathe and drink, and from one bird to the next, they don't know who was in there before them... then too, there are the birds that drink from road-side puddles, but there's no reason Yonah needs to drink such. We have plenty of fresh, clean water and that's what I make sure is in his pool... no matter what.)
17.38 Well? I DID head off to the "emergency room" today. The pain in the shoulder got to be a little too much. And they took an x-ray. Seems there's something "wrong" with the "rotator cuff". I must have pulled something out when I tried to mow the lawn. Live and learn. And they claim there's a bit of arthritis in there too. OH... "age"..."time"... BUT ODDLY? IT'S MY LEFT ARM... AND YONAH'S INJURIES WERE TO HIS LEFT WING! Two old guys... and I remember those first nights and how I prayed to be able to take ANY and ALL pain from him... It's taken "Fate" long enough. Now I hope I HAVE taken it ALL from him... and I'll gladly accept it if he's not in any discomfort. But he was alone for about 90 minutes! And hour and a half! (Honestly, I'm not sure if he actually noticed because when I got back, it was as though I'd been in the next room... BUT I KNOW that he notices when I'm not around. And all the while I was away, I kept thinking that I HAD to get back to the house. Thankfully, it all went rather rapidly, all considered. And now we're back together and the rest of the day, what's left of it, can move along...)
BUT OH! WHAT A DAY SO FULL OF ENERGY! AND WE DIDN'T GET OUR "SNOOZE" IN! That bothers me. We have a "routine" and it was broken. But it doesn't appear to have made much difference. The energy, the flying about, the playing, snuggling and cuddling... We had a GOOD day, all told. I'm grateful for that.
And we had our dinner together as we're supposed to do. So... next up... closing the house and hoping for a restful night's sleep.
20.00 I haven't gotten much of anything on this Journal (it's been a lot of quick notes, so the particulars are, at this juncture, "fill-ins", I'm becoming "remiss" but am making certain to keep track of the days...) and waters are changed with the clean pool and fountain and my Little LOVE is on his food perch staring at me. A new bird video is playing on his old lap top and we're going to settle down no matter what... No more "late nights "here! Things happen during the course of time but we managed to pull it all together and right now, it's time to close house... We'll fill in the little stuff that I've missed, tomorrow.. as much as I'd like to stay up and finish tonight... I'm tired, especially after the exhausting anxieties of being away today.... and me being up and awake and about does my Little LOVE no good. I tend to believe that he knows when I'm not at rest, and I DO KNOW that he'd see that I'm not on the futon with him so... we're off to sleep. (It's better for me too... proper rest so that I can be healthy and here for him... and THAT is THE MOST important thing.)
Thursday 10 April:
16.15 already and we've had another one of those days of busy morning and a calm after-noon.
Last night was "interesting"... Some-birdie was quite ready to settle-down by 20.00 and when he went to the "night roost", it was "for the night". When I'd finished my ablutions and came back into the room, he was quite established and ready for the nightly serenade. In fact, I was a little late closing the blinds and curtains and as I did, he had NO interest. No "playing with the 'curtain critter' nor with the fingers at the back-board". And when I started singing, I could see that he was getting quite comfy on the night roost! Well!
By 20.20, the room was settled and I headed for the futon and kept watch to see if he'd make any sort of movements toward his door or even the floor of his house... Nope.
And as I "tucked me in", and sang our nightly lullabies, I watched, with care, the Little LOVE over-head and I could actually SEE him tuck his head between his wings and nestle-down! HE WAS TIRED! It had been a "high energy" sort of day all day, yesterday, and that break in routine when I'd left... well... We were both tired by day's end.
I managed to make it through the repertoire of lullabies, calmly, softly, and all the while, noticed the "serenity" above. It was a comfort to me to see that little silhouette nestle so peacefully.
The last moon light was turned off at 20.40... and the next thing...
This morning, I was "some-what awake" though in that "dreamy" stage, aware of being awake but it was SO comfortable that I was contemplating getting up, having no idea what time it was when, in the silence:
"woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo"... loud and clear! And not just once but THRICE, almost one right after the other! (I wonder if I missed any before that, but I can't imagine how I would have done because I was still right there, on the futon and his voice was quite clear.)
I looked up at the clock: 6.18. I got right up and went to his house, opened his door, popped in for "Good morning" kisses and OH! DID I GET KISSES! It was a "normal" morning, we were together, all was well with the world. Thursday called to order.
Poops were good, "regular", "normal", so we'd both gotten a good night's rest.
As for the rest of today? As I say, it was a non-stop-keep-moving sort of day with all sorts of house-related "people nonsense". My arm was a bit better but still really "tight" and sore so it seemed that I was slowed. Still, over-all, it was a regular "human-hectic" day which is why I'm only just now getting to jot this and even now, the day is still "running" so... But all is well and that's all that matters.
20.05 TIME IS BEING QUITE "TIMELY"... no concern or consideration. It just goes along and entirely TOO quickly!
After dinner this evening, at 18.30 MY LITTLE HEART-AND-SOUL CAME OVER TO THE DESK AND SETTLED ON HIS LAP-TOP AGAIN! He doesn't do that very often of late, so it's SO comforting to see him "snoozing" there. I'm SO glad that we've managed to keep it running, SO glad we got the new screen (and the plexi to cover and protect it so he can peck again). ANY "little thing" I can do... and seeing him snoozing beside me keeps "the world away"... Peaceful.
But now it's time to close house. He was on the night roost for a while, but is on his rooftop ... our night music playing... and I'm being "informed" that it's time to stop the day and get us tucked-in for the night! The "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo's" and "nest coo's" abound! I'm running late and we both need to stop!
20.21 he's gone up to the top wall shelf and the coo's are sounding a bit "curt". Oh, but he CAN get a point across. (I wonder if anybody else would ever notice the subtle differences in tone, timbre, volume... Funny, that, because that's what the "experts" claim birds, generally, hear. I'm beginning to "learn mourning dove"! But it's because my heart wants to understand... It's like learning music, and trying to understand the soul of the composer who writes an instrumental, really. But I have to get to settling this house for the night now!)
Friday 11 April:
Last night was another one of those "AMAZING" trips "home for the night. My Little Character was up on the top wall shelf as I started putting the house together and, the next thing I saw: he'd made his way to the top of the smaller book-case by his alcove, all the way up by the ceiling! So I just got busy, putting the futon together for me for the night and started singing the nightly lullabies (hoping he'd take the hint and come down for the "ride home" to the night roost... silly me). When I'd done with the futon and was so ready to tuck-in m'self, I had to bring the platform up to him, up there, so high up. BUT... THE VERY MOMENT HE SAW THE PLATFORM THERE, WAITING FOR HIM, HE SIMPLY AND IMMEDIATELY HOPPED RIGHT ON AND... WE WERE "SAILING THROUGH THE ROOM" AND OFF TO HOME FOR THE NIGHT. It's so amazing when he, so casually, gets onto that little board. He KNOWS it's his ride home and to the night roost and it's all become such a "matter of fact". BRILLIANT LITTLE GENIUS!
When we arrived at the roost, he IMMEDIATELY hopped onto the perch and there we were. (I have to wonder if he wasn't tired at that hour.)
We made it through the repertoire of lullabies and as I sang, on the futon, the Little Guy "put his feathers together" as he does before seepie-nigh-night, and by the time I was done, he was too. We were both, at our respective night roosts and ready to close the day.
But I noticed when I'd done and was about to put the last light off, he had last minute "touches", a few more feathers that needed attending... but in a moment... I could actually see the little silhouette tucking his head in for the night. Seeing that calmed me so much for the night ahead and at 21.05, the last light was turned off and the day was officially closed.
This morning 6.02, I was still on the futon, comfortable when he called! Loud and clear. "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo!". And when I got to his door... KISSES AND WING-STRETCHES! Little kisses, but kisses! I opened the curtains and blinds right away, sadly though, to the dreary day outside and... Friday commenced! I was off to the kitchen to get things together, get some laundry done and all the while, my little WONDER was chatting away... and at one point, he came toddling out to the kitchen to visit (or Supervise) and off to the living-room for a while.
AND SO... He was up, about the room, the house and SO CHATTY this morning!
And poops: 10 ALL SO VERY PERFECT IN EVERY WAY, INCLUDING, UNDER THE NIGHT ROOST!
All morning, he had a BLAST because I was on the phone for most of it and of course, I was talking so I MUST have been talking with him so he was ALL over the room, coo'ing! It does my heart so much GOOD to hear that little voice, and when I think that he was "contributing" to a conversation that he may well have perceived as being between the two of us, it made it all the more "up-lifting". I don't really "talk" much during the course of a day, since it's only the two of us for the most part. But it now appears that I'm going to have make sure to "engage", talk "with" him more. Who would have ever thought that this little LIFE from the "wilderness" would have such and interest in just the sounds of a human voice. He has his recorded "bird-songs" that play all through the day, but... well... maybe it's because it's "my" voice? Maybe he DOES, in his own way, recognise that this is the voice that goes with the hands that brought him in from the cold and wet October day and gave him the safety and sanctuary. I have NO reason to believe other-wise. He KNOWS, he's VERY MUCH aware and, well, it was AMAZING!
We had a break for lunch at noon but I had one quick errand to run and some book-keeping to do so no snooze ,so we played in between my "nonsense".
I did manage to get out for about 20 minutes and when I came back... KISSES and COO's and rides on my shoulder! THOSE ALWAYS give my own life a reason, cause. When he's that close to me, and he seems to enjoy the travel through the house, it lets me know I'm doing well... and that the "LOVE" I have for him is reciprocated. He feels safe with (and on) me. And nothing could be more important.
And then, I tried for a late 20-minute lie-down and he was right there, on my leg. Apparently, I lay down, it's "together time" and he settled for about 10 minutes... until, of course, 2 minutes before the alarm when he came up to the pillow to peck at my head, and then, onto my legs again... as if he was telling me: "Give me 10 more minutes"... and I did. Of course...
THEN, it was time for me to get to rush through the Friday house-cleaning and as I hoovered in his room, he "rode along" on my shoulder! I always wonder what it all means to him, if anything, when he sees me hoovering. I become aware of the fact that he has no reason to understand that that "tube-thing" is lifting debris from his floor and so, that I pass it back and forth. AND, I can't but think of the difference between Yonah and cats and dogs. How cats will RUN from a vacuum cleaner and I've had to battle with more dogs as they attack it. But Yonah? Means nothing to him. No threats. So much so that he perches right there, on my shoulder as I go through the house with this machine making all sorts of noises. Now, tell me which one of the three is the brightest.
ALL SAID, TOLD, AND DONE... BUT OH! IT WAS A "TOGETHER" SORT OF DAY! WOW! WAS IT EVER!
20.08 already and another day is coming to a close, and it's been a FULL day too! My Little LOVE is on his lap-top and there's a "bird video" playing on the screen beside him. And we're about to wrap this day up. The water in his pool is fresh and clean and I'm off to close the windows for the night ahead.
20.28 He went right to the roost as i closed the windows and put on the night music... Of course, the house isn't closed yet and I still have to go in to put the futon together for me so... Suspense... But WHAT A DAY! WHAT A DAY!
Saturday 12. April:
(17.40) OH MY WHAT A DAY.... dreary and drizzly as it's been...
Last night though, it was another one of those nights where, at the very last minute, the Little Character all but "bolted" for his roof-top platform for a ride home! I'm still just so FASCINATED by how much he expects to be "brought home" at the end of a day! He headed up as soon as I started singing "Autumn Leaves" and before I'd finished, he was established on his night roost and ready to just settled-down for the night!
And I made it through the entire repertoire, softly and relatively slowly, and from the futon, again, I watched the little silhouette above me snuggling-in and tucking his little head between his wings. THAT is, for me, THE MOST RELAXING part of an entire day because I can SEE that my Little LOVE is comfortable and knows that he's safe for the night.
I have to add here, a little something that I can't get out of my mind since yesterday:
On our "news" yesterday evening, there was an interview with a gentleman who'd been struck by lightning and set a-blaze. Taken to hospital and such, he actually "came to" in the MORGUE! He'd been declared "dead" for 28 minutes! In the years that followed, he'd been declared "dead" during 2 surgeries too. SO, because of these experiences, he's written many books on the matter and in his interview he said he has a belief that I've had for many years now:
"We are vessels of energy..." he said. We don't ever "die" (following the scientific theory I've heard: energy can be created but never destroyed, it can be changed but not destroyed). At "the end", we observe our entire life-time "in 360 degrees"... "second person", and we, as our "energy", "meet" every person we've ever come to know in our life-time... the "energies" some-what "meld". (I have to get some of the books: Dannion Brinkley) He stressed, some-what, the theory of being a "vessel of energy" and that in "dying", there is no "fear". For those who have done evil in their life-time, they will "re-live" their evil (making it, essentially, their "Hell") but for those who've done good, they will experience that good. (He went on to become a hospice volunteer for many years, being with those who are dying, and to experience the "deaths" of others as an incorporation with his own experiences.)
So, two things come to my own mind, all the stronger now, one that I've held since Yonah came into my own life and another that's been a more recent "thought":
Since I ascribe (too), to the "energy" theory, as it were, I always think that, when Yonah "dies", his "energy", his "life-force", as it is, will "go on" into the "Greater Energy" that is "Creation" as we call it. And I've always said, thinking he'll "leave" before me, "Please don't go away too far too soon... I'll be right behind you." I've seen and some-how believed that, yes, I WILL "meet him" after this, and together, we can go to the places that I know and he can take me to places he knows, and we'll "understand" one another and travel about. What comes after that, I've no idea. If there's a "reincarnation" it will be interesting to see what we both "return" as, but I'm positive that, at least for some time, we'll be able to be together again.
That said, Last week, I was in such pain in the left shoulder and on Thursday, I actually went to the local "emergency" where they took several x-rays. The pain was so terrible that it was physically sickening and it made breathing rather difficult. My first and primary concern was being able to take care of Yonah AND being here for him so I wanted to know what was causing such pain. The bottom line: some sort of "age related" nonsense which was relieved with a simply over-the-counter reliever. Today, it was MUCH better, though still "stiff". BUT... the thought that stays with me is that it's in the "LEFT" shoulder and arm... the same side that was so terrible for Yonah when he'd been attacked.
In our earliest days and nights together, I would lay in the bed, in the next room, my hand pressed, palm against the wall that adjoins both rooms, firmly, and I actually begged and prayed that, if there's ANY possibility in all of this "Creation" that I could take his pain and sufferings and injuries from him, let it be so. I didn't know what to do for the little dove in the next room, but I could take me to somebody who could treat and handle what-ever "damage" I'd happily accept.
Today, when I think of how MIRACULOUSLY, and QUICKLY this Little Guy healed AND THEN, of his own volition, he came to my arm... I can't help but wonder... Was my "prayer" heard? Did "some-one/thing" actually hear me AND GRANT ME MY PRAYER? If so, I couldn't be MORE DELIGHTED, SATISFIED, COMFORTED. I can't say one way or another, and I never will be able to, but... the coincidence, if that's what it is, points in relatively positive directions. That, and when I think of how, at the time on Yonah's injuries, I was merely "moving through" the moments of every single day, begrudgingly, just "waiting" for the moment when, with any "good fortune", I could lay down on the bed and just never wake up again.
I can't say that in the 4 and a half years we've been together, I've done anything "extraordinary" for anybody else, haven't "made the world a better place" (OK, not that I know of), so I can't imagine why this Little LIFE would come to me to "save me", to keep me around longer. BUT what I CAN AND DO AND WILL ALWAYS SAY IS THAT HE HAS GIVEN ME CAUSE TO MAKE SURE THAT I'M HERE... FOR NO OTHER REASON THAN TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT HE'S ALWAYS SAFE, NOURISHED PROPERLY, AND HAS ALL THAT I, A LOWLY HUMAN, CAN PROVIDE FOR HIM.
Yonah IS the "energy" that is "me"... that is this "being" that I am. So I wonder where "we" will "go" after this and I DO SO look forward to being together with him, and finally, we'll be able to "chat" and tell one-another ALL sorts of things from each perspective that we "were" (that we are now).
OK... that said... back to last night...
A few kisses, the repertoire of lullabies, we finally got to turn the last moon light off at 21.01, not "late", though I'd hoped for a bit earlier. But I could see the Little Guy all snuggled and "tucked" peacefully in his house, on his night roost... and out-side, a very light drizzle fell...
Now, this morning? Well yes, I was awake at about 5.00 but I just didn't want to bother getting up at that hour and let my-self doze back off into "almost sleep" again when...
"woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo", nice and clear, woke me up.
We had a little "chat" as I got my old body up from the futon and when I got to his door, opened it and popped in for a little "Good morning" kiss, I got a couple but mostly, he had MORE to say this morning! And when my Little Heart-and-Soul wants to chat in the morning, I'm just as happy as I could be. (Of course, my "morning coo's" were more "singing and even at that, not so great, "morning voice" as they were. But they were good enough to keep a conversation going as I went about getting the room and curtains and blinds open to the dreary morning out-side. (Yes, another over-cast morning, drizzly, but no snow and no cold so there was that to be said for it.) And I turned the UV light on this morning, a forecast of more drear so, no sun-shine. I don't know what, exactly, the UV light does but if it makes the colours and such in the room look better for my Little LOVE, and he DOES appear to respond positively to it when it's on, all the more that I can do, in my other-wise "insufficiencies" as a "people".
Poops: 9 in total, all of them still very "normal" in all aspects. So this "new" seed mix in with his usual, is agreeing with him (or he's not eating any of them... but I'm glad to know that they're not making him ill). And, from the looks of them on the "rug", he did have a peaceful night, last night so he was "properly rested" this morning.
As I got to putting the kettle on for my morning coffee and setting up for the morning routine and the Little Guy was up, about the room... "Energy in the morning"! YAY! AND we chatted room-to-room whilst I was in the kitchen... and by the time all the chaos of the morning was over and done... I managed to check the post and when I came back in, there he was, in the living-room at his "new fave hang-out"... on his old house... with a "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo".... WOOHOO!
So I decided that today, I would focus on the "tasks at hand". It's a "holiday" but the world continues and there are "things" that need to be done... for one reason and purpose only:
TO MAKE THIS PLACE AS COMFORTABLE FOR MY LOVE, MY LIFE, MY HEART-AND-SOUL AS POSSIBLE.
I have noticed though...He seems to still be "shedding" feathers. I'm finding all sorts and sizes round the house. AND HE'S STOPPED WHISTLING AGAIN! He's flying about the house in silence! My "consolation" is seeing that the "Trio" of mourning doves in the yard have returned, and the "Pair" are coming regularly AND I can see from the doves in the yard, they too, are "going through" some moulting of their own. 'tis the season. But in the house, it's rather odd: I've become more "sensitive" to the little "breezes" that Yonah makes when he makes his "fly-by". I've become "aware" of the slightest "current" of the air in the house when he passes... silently. OH, the things he's taught me! I just can't say, can't list them all. But I can only "consolidate" it all with one word... AWE... just "AWE"!
As for the day... well... after getting all the "people nonsense" of the house-hold done this morning, I've wanted to make a "special" card to go with the tea, pastries, tea set and little "treats" for "Rosie"... Deborah, Julio and their Golden Retriever, so I set me at the desk and focused on images and inscription and such. And as I worked at the desk, we listened to "American Standards" on the radio.
Yonah took to his loft and made a few flights to the living-room during the morning and AT JUST BEFORE NOON, HE CAME OVER TO THE DESK, TO MY SHOULDER, AND GAVE ME A FEW STERN EAR-TUGS! IT WAS TIME FOR OUR LUNCH BREAK! HE KNOWS THE TIME! SO... we took our lunch break and, as we do after, I headed to the futon for a 30-minute snooze.
He didn't come right over this time but moments later, as I was just dozing, he came, nestled on my leg and... 2 minutes before the alarm (and this time, I used the other old phone for the alarm so... I'm in even MORE WONDER how he knows) he came up to my chest to "wake" me and then headed over to the desk. But as soon as he noticed I was about to get up, he came rushing back, landed on my legs and when I bent my knees up, he "rode" along, "perched" quite comfy. Needless to say... nap-time was extended a few minutes longer.
When HE was ready for me to get up he went back over to the desk and I got up, put the kitchen together "post-lunch" and returned to the desk to finish the card I was working on. And as I did, I was "supervised from above... my Little Supervisor too his position directly above on the shelf and watched as I printed and cut and such. (I always wonder what he's thinking...) When I'd look up, he gave me a wing-snap so we took breaks to play until he toddled away.
And so our other-wise "dull" day passed along and the card got done, envelope and all. I showed it to him (since the "gifts" are from both of us) and he gave it a little "peck of approval" so, the day was not for naught.
And when I sat back down at the desk, the reminder: "Supper time" had arrived... "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo". And... he headed to the living-room whilst I put my dinner on the hob. When done, he came back to his house, grabbed his own "dinner snack" and took to his roof-top.
And now (19.00 on the clock) he's on his roof-top as I type... It's time for evening water run! So... off I go... (We down-loaded another "bird video" for his collection and we're running through it. It's interesting to see which "bird calls" he reacts to. I'll have to take notes. No interest in watching though. More... "I wonder".
OK... so 19.40, waters changed and the house is settled for the night. Just me and my ablutions.
And AS I changed the waters tonight, my Little LOVE headed over to the pool for a nice drink of fresh water... for the night ahead. Now... we're having our little "before tuck-in snack". These are the moments when my old heart dances with delight: my Heart-and-Soul with fresh, good food to eat and fresh, clean water to drink... and no worries or concerns about predators or any other harm that might come to him. And the air in his house and room being monitored. Hey! We're doing what we can!
AND... Yonah is now settled on his old lap-top. I've changed from the new video to "the news" and it truly IS quite something to see: the "news" comes on and he comes to the lap-top. I can't understand it, can't quite figure it out. Is it the images? The colours? The voices? By now, I'm pretty sure those voices are familiar to him so they might give him a sense of comfort. And maybe hearing "human voices" is making him more comfortable around other humans? I'm still looking forward to seeing him react to Deborah when she comes by. She's avoided coming any-where near him because back in the "earlier days", he did tend to become quite nervous when-ever she stepped into the room. (It's why she wouldn't see to him on those days when I had to go to work... she said she was afraid he'd injure him-self by trying to get away from her.) So... one of these days... Meanwhile, I'm rather fascinated by his "comfy place" in the room... so close to the lap-top screen. BUT I'm SO delighted that the new screen is working well, and the plexi protects it and that he still pecks at it, as if there's nothing there.
Anyway... 20.04 and time for us to get settled for the night... and to see what sort of "affairs" there will be with tonight's "tuck-in"... Oh... the "suspense"... I have to smile...
20.29 He's taken himself from his roof-top to his night roost. Night music is on... and we're off to tucking-in... though I still have to get the futon together for me. (We did play with the curtain critter this evening... he came from the lap-top to his loft for that! Silly Little Guy.) So... to be continued tomorrow...
SUNDAY 13 APRIL * 4 YEARS AND A HALF * !!!
(It's 18.11 already and the sun is shining as it sets behind the Western mountains, and it's been quite the day together today... OUR ANNIVERSARY... A "MILE-STONE ANNIVERSARY" as far as I'm concerned, and we had the WHOLE DAY together and it's been another WONDERFUL DAY!) To think that 4 and a half years ago today, this Little Wonder here was all but "abandoned" by ALL of those who proclaim some sort of "caring" for birds. "Put it in a box with some paper..." and here we are! VERY MUCH TOGETHER! AND, as I type, he's having his little "evening snack" after being SO animated for trhe past few hours! Yeah, well... SO much for the "experts" Here we are... and here I am... and with-out Yonah, I wouldn't "be" and wouldn't "have been".
let me get to the matter at hand before we have to start the evening "water run" and then... well... the "Tuck-in Games"...
Last night was another one of those "right to the roost" nights. As I put the lights off in the rest of the house and headed into his room to get the futon together, he actually headed to his night roost and there he stayed as I put things together to settle and close the day! I started the evening lullabies and he "took the cue". He TRULY DOES recognise the melody and associates it with going "seepie-nigh-night"! BRILLIANT LITTLE GENIUS! (And I still wonder why the mourning doves out-side haven't yet figured out that when I'm in the yard, I'm there to give them food. Oh well... If we're still stuck here come Summer, we'll see how many and who comes by when we get out to the yard this year. I'm wondering if there'll be another little lady to come by. How I WISH I could figure a way for Yonah to have some better contact with the other doves. Although, it might be better as it is because there's a chance of him being exposed to something that the other doves may have contact with that he has no defences against... health-wise... It's all the "un-knowables... But we'll see what comes as Summer approaches this year.)
And so, we made it all through the repertoire in silence, and I sang softly and slowly too, and all the while, I could see my MOST PRECIOUS LITTLE HEART-AND-SOUL settling on his night roost and tucking his little head between his wings for the night. I really can't put into words, in ANY language, the serenity of seeing this little LIFE so comfortable, obviously feeling so secure, after all the Hell he's been through in his little life-time. I am SO EXCEEDINGLY HUMBLED, BLESSED, PRIVILEGED. Just no words for it.
The last light was turned off at 20.56, I sang, in the dark, as I do, our "Ich Liebe Dich" and we were off to "seepie-nigh-night"...
This morning? QUITE THE SURPRISE...
I was so asleep that I was in a dream (about needed to take pictures of "Mr.G's" because it was about to close and I wanted to record it in photos; oddly, the place I wanted to take a photo of in the dream was a yellow house, but G's actually was white, and there was a dark grey house in the way of getting ha proper shot of the place; in the dream, I was quite sad and becoming frustrated when....)
"woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo"
The first one was loud and clear enough to wake me and I waited, listening for another, just in case this was only a "one-off". The room was quite dark and I wanted to make sure that my Little LOVE actually was awake and sure enough, another "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" and when I looked over at the clock...
5.38 !
As I say, the room was still quite dark, of course, but I called back (in my "morning voice") "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo? Are you awake? Do you want to get up? It's still dark out there."
"woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo...hoo." came the reply and so... I got up, primarily to make sure he was OK and when I got to his door, I could see my little HEART-AND-SOUL there, on his night roost, comfortable, looking back at me. And when he saw me at the door... he called again "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo". SO! I opened the door to his house, placed his door perch and turned on one moon light as dim as possible, just to give some light to the room in case he was awake and wanted to leave his house for any reason and would have some light to see by. I still wasn't positive that he was awake, so I stepped out to the kitchen to put the kettle on... figuring I was up, he was up, I'd get on with the day and if he wanted to go back to sleep he could, if he wanted to get up, he could...
All the while I was in the kitchen there was, from his room, a steady "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" and I answered each one... Oh, he was awake... and chatty... and WHAT A PERFECT WAY TO START SUCH A DAY AS TODAY... A "MILE-STONE ANNIVERSARY" DAY AND WE WERE CHATTING AWAY! (I wondered if he's aware, in some way, what this date is... does he have ANY recollection of the 13th October 2020? I SO wish I could know, and there's a part of me that wouldn't doubt that he does, some-how.)
What surprised me was when I went back into his room, thinking I may as well get to the morning water changes and there he was... ON THE DESK SHELF! He WAS up, and OUT, and into the day! And chatting all along! By 5.50, Sunday had officially commenced!
Poops Report: 10 in total... all of them quite healthy but a bit larger than "normal". Only just a little bit larger, so no "concern". Then again, he did have quite a drink of water before we got settled and I've been wondering if he's eating well. OK... this morning's poops show that indeed, he IS. And could I want for more? Perfect composition, under the night roost...
I jstill ust wonder what woke him so early this morning . I'll be watching for the days to come. Is THIS the beginning of "earlier mornings"? We shall see, indeed.
Dreary again, this morning. Thankfully not "cold" but over-cast and rather dampish. (Relative humidity in the room this morning: 26%) and I'm watching THAT with particular interest because there are days to come when it's expected to be "warmer" again, though the nights will still be rather cold, not the :below-freezing that we've had but hopefully, cold enough to keep us from being attacked my mould again, and I'm already prepared for a "first attack" on that as well. I just have to mind that there will be birds trying to nest in the rafters of this old house and in the attic, no doubt and I don't want to injure ANY of them so...) But the "hygrometer" and the "Air Monitor" both indicate that it's "OK" and air quality is ""GOOD" so...
And so... since we were up and about and the water was changed, the blinds and curtains were open, I got to the "people nonsense" of the day ahead... and Yonah made his little flights about the room and a trip to the living-room and back as I settled in.
I got so busy this morning after our general "mayhemery" and had to replace soil on the orange tree, and did so, by the hand-full... removing the top soil and replacing with fresh , bagged soil AND AS I WAS WORKING, MY LITTLE COMPANION-SUPERVISOR HOPPED, FROM THE DESK SHELF TO MY SHOULDER, THEN TODDLED DOWN ON MY RIGHT ARM, TO WATCH, CLOSELY, AS I PUT THE NEW SOIL INTO "HIS" ORANGE TREE... AND THEN, HE CAME OUT TO THE KITCHEN WITH ME, RIDING ALONG ON MY ARM, WHEN I WENT TO GET THE WATER FOR THE TREE! AND HE STAYED WITH ME AS I GOT THE WATER AND WENT BACK INTO THE ROOM TO POUR! HE'S JUST SO AMAZING, BREATH-TAKINGLY AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED. He's SO comfortable riding along on my shoulder and back and NOW, even on my arm! He KNOWS he's safe with me! And again, I'M SO HUMBLED! He didn't take off until I started pouring water onto the soil in the pot of his tree and then...
He made a couple more flights to the living-room but stayed briefly and came back to his room where I was getting things settled so that we could get on with the rest of the day.
At 9.41... he was having a little "breakfast" - poor Little Guy, his house was such a whirl of activity so early in the day! And after he filled his little crop, he headed over to his loft with a little "serenade" of "nest coos". He was SO SO comfortable, SO SO relaxed, this is his "home", and it seems WE actually are "his flock" and he appears to be happy with it this way... and I couldn't ask for anything greater than that. ALL I truly want and work for is to provide this little LIFE with a safe place to call "his" and will go to any length to make certain that that's what he has... "for as long as..."
I managed to get the "house-hold" settled this morning and at noon... I was "reminded" that it was "lunch time". He DOES know, no matter what time he wakes, obviously, when it's time to stop work, put the after-noon news on and sit to eat. And I made quick work of putting my lunch together and sat at the desk, with his lap-top on and I ate, he ate, we listened to a bit of the "news" and after...
As I knew I would, I wanted to take just a brief "lie-down" so I set an alarm for 15 minutes and headed to the futon and, yes, no sooner had my head touched the pillow, my LOVE came over from his house, and he landed on the pillows at the "foot" of the futon, gave a little "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" and I tried to doze.
As he does... 2 minutes before the alarm sounded, I felt him toddling... on my leg. And when I opened my eyes... there he was, all snuggled in his favourite spot on my leg SOOoooo... There was nothing more important than my little Heart-and-Soul's comfort... I laid there waiting for him to get up and 30 minutes later... I woke again... and he was STILL there! I waited... took a couple photos and moments later he got up, toddled up to my waist and headed over to the desk... it was time for us to get up.
So... I wanted to get some calendar pages printed because this year, I'm working on a "Photo Calendar" with photos of Yonah, and I got up and headed right back to the desk... to his "interest". He was SO intrigued as I put the final touches on the monthly pages, watching from the desk shelf over my head. And of course, there were the occasional wing-snaps for a bit of play time. And he watched, intently, as the pages came out of the printer. "Motion"... papers just "magically" floating out of that little box! WOW! ("People nonsense"... OH! What I wouldn't give to know what he's thinking!)
As I wrapped things up by 16.15, he'd taken to the old lap-top on the desk and got him-self comfy AND THE SUN MANAGED TO BREAK THROUGH ALL THE MORNING'S CLOUDS SO THERE WAS LIGHT IN THE ROOM AT LAST! (We didn't have the UV light on this morning though. It was dreary but not "dark"... thankfully.)
One of the "fascinating" events of the day though... He was ALL OVER BUSTELO AND BURDIE TODAY! OH! The "mounting" and the "OO!'s"! He's done this before, of course, and though it's "discouraged" on some of the "webinar videos" I've seen, it's just to be expected of all birds... especially "in season", but today was quite "busy"... with the back and forth from Burdie to Bustelo-Birdie and such. SO, I'm taking this to mean that my Little LOVE is truly quite HEALTHY! He's certainly got the energy, and with the wings flapping away, between that and the flying, he's got his strength! No complaints from me and I'm certainly not going to "discourage"... I certainly don't interrupt.
So... went our day and into our evening and at 16.50... "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" from the door perch. "Supper time"! (I tell you, he KNOWS the time, the routine, the schedule, the agenda!) So we stopped everything, I put my supper on the hob and he re-settled on his lap-top until I came back in to eat and my Little Companion headed up to his house until I was done with eating and the washing-up.
At 18.40, I was sitting at the desk, jotting today's notes for the Journal and he came over, settled on the old lap-top again, the news was on... and he took to his preening. We were VERY much together and apparently that's all that really mattered... to both of us.
(19.00 and I'm still typing... the front door to the house is open... I managed to get some of the air and WARMTH of the setting sun into the house and my Little LOVE is still on his lap-top... and the sun is setting... time for the water run).
SO... 20.00 and the Journal page is caught-up, Yonah is on the lap-top, and I can see the little eyes closing. Timing is perfect. The sun has set out-side, water is done, all that's left is my evening ablutions... Our ANNIVERSARY DAY is coming to a close. FOUR AND A HALF YEARS... WE'RE ROLLING INTO 5 YEARS! (And what gives me hope is "Tiellady's" little "Arnie"... 11 years, strokes, cancer, tumours... and her recent videos of him splashing in his pool! HEY! If Yonah and I have another 6 years together, I'll do ALL I need to do to make sure I'm here and able to provide him with safety and comfort...
AND EVERY BIT OF ALL THE LOVE I HAVE THE HUMAN CAPACITY TO GIVE HIM!
Right now? Time to wrap things up... for the night... it's been quite a long day... for both of us!
Monday 14 April:
At 20.35 last night he was on the desk shelf when I came back into the room but as soon as he saw me stetting the futon he rushed over to his roof top and waited for me to finish and THEN, as casually as he could, he simply toddled to the platform to wait for the ride home! It just FASCINATES me when he does that. There's such a "routine", so much "familiarity" with a day to him. And when he heads for that little "ride home" it lets me know that he too, is ready to turn the lights off at the end of a day and get some rest. Of course, I always wonder if I don't keep him up later than he'd prefer. But so often, when he makes it clear that he isn't quite ready, I wonder: if I stayed up all through the night, would he stay up with me? If I could, if WE could, I would. More time with him, whether we're "together" or just in the same room, "sleep" seems to take our time together... If we could survive never having to take this "sleep"... I'd be more than happy. But... rest is necessary and so...
We managed to make it through the whole repertoire of lullabies, calm and soft. And... at 21.05... the last light was turned off... The day closed.
This morning... he woke me at 5.51! I really was still quite asleep on the futon and the room was still relatively dark that early. I didn't "rush" to get up just to make sure he wanted to get up and sure enough, the coo's continued so...
By 7.30, the sun was up and shining in the sky out-side the window and he'd been out to the living-room and back and forth! A morning of ENERGY! The Little One was rested and healthy for another day!
Poops report for this morning: TWELVE and ALL OF THEM "REGULAR" SIZE, ALL HEALTHY AND ALL UNDER THE NIGHT ROOST. The "evidence" I look for every morning: a restful night and a healthy night followed by a healthy day. Couldn't ask for more than that!
At 7.43 he took a little "break" and came "home" for a healthy breakfast and our day was ROLLING!
The strangest bit of the morning: I was going on about the business of the day when I happened to look up to see him... A QUICK SPLASH IN THE POOL! THAT ALWAYS gives me cause to smile! When I see him in there I'm still so amazed that I had the good sense to make sure he had that pool. And I always remember how the "advice of experts" is "no more than an inch of water" in the "bath". Well, his is a bit deeper and he SO enjoys the soak. This morning, it was a "quick in, splash about and out". "Refresher", I suppose, more than a full "bath". But it was obvious that he enjoyed it... and so too, did I - seeing him in there. And when he'd done, he hopped up, gave his wings a few flaps to shed the excess water and up, to the door perch and out into the room and to the shelves to "put his feathers together again".
Oh my! 19.34 already and we're running into the close of another day. AND WHAT A WHIRL-WIND DAY IT WAS, WITH ALL SORTS OF PACKAGES FINALLY ARRIVING, INCLUDING FOOD FOR THE YARDIES! AND SUNSHINE WITH WINDOWS AND DOORS OPEN!
We had a visit from Deborah too! (And with today's "arrivals", her "Thank you package" is almost complete too!)
AND AMY CAME IN (MOSTLY TO CHECK THE AIR IN THE HOUSE TO MAKE SURE IT'S JUST MY HYPER-NOSE ... THERE ARE ALL SORTS OF TERRIBLE "FUMES" IN THE HOUSE OF LATE AND I'M NOT SURE WHERE THEY'RE COMING FROM AND I WANT TO MAKE CERTAIN THERE'S NOTHING THAT COULD HARM YONAH... I'M GROWING OUT OF "ANNOYED" AND INTO "ANGRY" WITH THIS PLACE... SO MUCH "THREATENING" HEALTH AND SAFETY... ESPECIALLY YONAH'S - HE'S MOSTLY "RESPIRATORY" AND EVEN THE SLIGHTEST SOMETHING IN THE AIR PRESENTS SUCH A THREAT. IN THE WILD, HE COULD FLY AWAY FROM IT, BUT IN HERE... WE'RE BOTH LIMITED AND EVEN WITH THE WINDOWS OPEN... IF I CAN SMELL IT... IT'S THERE AND I'LL NOT HAVE THAT!) WHAT WAS AMAZING IS THAT, ALL THE WHILE AMY WAS IN THE HOUSE, WE STOOD IN THE KITCHEN RIGHT OUT-SIDE THE DOOR TO HIS ROOM AND YONAH SIMPLY SAT AT THE CORNER OF HIS DESK AND WATCHED US! He has a "trust" of Amy, which to me, says SO MUCH! "Good people".... truth is, Amy's the only person I know whom I trust with Yonah. She has a magnificent heart for the Little Ones... a good soul, and Yonah is proof of that.
I spent most of the day with the new telephone that arrived today. It's a "test phone" really, to see if we can't move Yonah's number from the "Ggle" service to actual mobile. Then he'll have a registered number to go with his address, e-mail, web-site. Setting it up for the old "Skyp" number was easy enough but learning what to do with a new mobile phone... and connecting it to the "WiFi"... well...
AND, we worked on packaging Deborah's gift box and THAT was a LOT of fun because there was so much paper involved with the un-packing the items from their shipping boxes and arranging them in the final box. Yonah is SO fascinated with/by the rolling and crackling of the packing paper! I can't figure why but he appears so fascinated by it as I roll it and the sound gets him flying all over the room! (I've read that it's safe enough for him to play with so I'm thinking of making some "toys" for him... little "pom-poms" to hang about. It's what's used for the "toys" on-line, but those are made in China and I don't trust them to be safe enough for MY LITTLE HEART-AND-SOUL. So... a little project in the making... and we MORE than enough paper at this point. The MOST "FUNNEST" BIT: THERE WERE MOMENTS WHEN HE CAME OVER, PERCHES ON MY SHOULDER TO WATCH ME ROLL PAPER, THEN PACK THE BOX! HONESTLY! SOMETIMES I DO WONDER... AND I SMILE. All of this "people nonsense"... if he were to have gotten back to his flocks in the wild... the stories he could tell! (If... But at this point, we're together for our duration...)
At noon, as we do, we took a lunch-break and after, I tried to grab a 20-minute snooze but he headed out to the living-room and there were so many coo's out there that I got back up after about 10 minutes. I just didn't want him to be alone and didn't know what all the coo'ing was about. So I went back to the packing and paper-rattling and we had MORE FUN for another while!
All of that ran us into ... dinner time! Days go by entirely too quickly any more. So we sat, together, well, I at the desk and he at his shelf and after, I had to put the rest of the house back together after all the un-packing and re-packing but...
As I was getting into that, the phone rang... CLAIRE, from Chewy! SHE CALLED TO CHECK ON TODAY'S ARRIVALS AND WE CHATTED. IT'S SUCH A PLEASURE TO CHAT WITH HER. SHE'S AN ANGEL IN A WORLD SO IN NEED OF ANGELS. SHE'S GONE VERY MUCH OUT OF HER WAY TO MAKE SURE YONAH (and the Yardies) ARE TAKEN CARE OF! AND I'M SO GRATEFUL TO HER FOR HER CARING.
But it took some time away from getting the house settled... so, I got running about after, to change the water in Yonah's pool, settling the house for us for the night ahead AND ... the house furnace is back on for the night... The temperature dropped, suddenly, to 21° which was rather cool after the warmer temperatures of the day. The furnace will take the chill out of the house. Thankfully, Yonah has his Sweeter Heater too so I don't worry too much. Oh sure, I'm certain the chill won't "bother" him, but I'd rather he didn't have to fluff feathers to keep warm. He's got a house and home to protect him from that, and, honestly, if calculations of his age are correct... this Little Guy has never had to fend-off a "Winter" and there's NO reason why he should have to deal with "cold" now. I'm here to "protect" and cold is included in that. Anyway, he'd been on his lap-top for a while and as I got closer to finishing with the house, he headed to his door perch... to watch me rushing about the place.
Right now, I'm just hoping tonight will be a restful night... after such a wonderful day!
As I'm finishing this typing he's on the desk shelf by the radio with Bustelo-Birdie... coo'ing. Lets see how tuck-in goes tonight.... Oh my.... "sudden burst of energy" in the room... we're together as we ought to be and he's happy. (And so am I!)
20.31 The house is settled. The room is next and my Little LOVE is on his night roost already... coo'ing. What a DIVINE way to close a day! More tomorrow. We're off to tucking-in.
Tuesday 15 April:
(19.21 and another day of notes during the day and catching-up last item of the day...)
So let's start with last night, as we do of a day... To my amazement (yet again), my LOVE actually stayed on his night roost, waiting for me to come back into the room to close the windows and get the futon together so that we could both tuck-in for the night.
Not even the slightest interest in the "curtain critter". It made me wonder, really, as it does: Was he really just THAT tired? The sun is setting later in the day now, so it's not the sun-set, even though, it had set by the time I got round to my "responsibilities".
But there he stayed, so patiently and I managed to get a couple of kisses in as I started the night's lullabies. And I did manage to make it through them all, calmly and softly.
By 21.00, the last moon light was turned off, a rendition of "Ich Liebe Dich" and all was silent until...
This morning I woke at 5.10 and decided I'd get up and on with the morning and wait in the kitchen... all was calm and quiet and such, and at 6.07 came the first of a "string" of "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo's". The first of 3 was "soft" and each successive coo grew louder! OH MY! Not sure whether it mean "Hello? Is anybody there"? or "HEY! WHERE ARE YOU?" but when I finally got to open the door to his room and asked "Did I hear a 'woo-hoo'?" the answer was quite clear... "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo!"
Oh, my little Heart-and-Soul was up and ready to get about.
And SO, yes, INDEED HE WAS!
I managed to open the door to his house, pop my head in for "Good morning" kisses. Not many but "sincere". But when I got the curtains and blinds open to the day out-side (not "bright" yet but no too over-cast and not at all too cold), I popped my head back in for a couple more kisses and THEN I got quite the "welcome" of kisses!
Poop check: 8 ABSOLUTELY PERFECT and ALL under the night roost! What a GREAT thing to see of a morning! Healthy poops and under the night roost after a calm night!
Ah... BUT... it didn't take him but a moment and... HE WAS UP, OUT and ROUND ABOUT... EVEN OUT TO THE LIVING-ROOM! First thing of a morning!
Poops check: 8 absolutely perfect in each and every way... from composition to placements under the roost. Good health. A restful night behind. And surely, a BURST OF ENERGY THIS MORNING! Couldn't ask for better!
When I finished the water run and got the room all settled, I headed out to the living room for a quick "visit" and there he was, a-top his old house, where he seems to prefer these days, and as I approached.. WING-SNAPS! SEVERAL OF THEM! HE WANTED TO PLAY! AND SO WE DID! A little bit of "Kiss and Catch" (or "Catch and Kiss" because he BLATANTLY tries to provoke me into trying to catch him before he lets me - when he lets me - give him a kiss) and he did his usual "running away" but didn't leave the top of his old house. He WANTED TO PLAY!
The next thing I knew, as I started back to the kitchen, he was ON MY SHOULDER! AND THERE HE STAYED AS I WENT ABOUT PUTTING THE KITCHEN IN ORDER AND THE REST OF THE HOUSE TOO! If EVER there could be a more perfect way to start at day... I doubt it. To have this Little LOVE, this Little Guy, my Heart-and-Soul actually WANTING to be with me... HEY! NOPE! NOTHING could be any better, assuring, comforting... HUMBLING...
And when he was bored with the "people nonsense" going on, he headed back into his room and by 8.00, I was in too, settled at the desk, a few more "people nonsense" to settle... before I had to make one quick errand this morning so that I could get it out of the way and on with our day together.
As the clock passed the time, the sun rose in a clear sky out-side, the room brightened and the air warmed (though not warmer than "April" allows... the air still holding the chill from the mountains).
By 8.00 I was very much settled at the desk, getting into the affairs of the house and day ahead and my Little Character was back in the room with me, at the desk... HIDING, as it were, behind the little mirror I keep at the end, almost under the lowest shelf there. He often goes over to give a few "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo's" to the reflection in there but of late, he's taken to going BEHIND it, UNDER the shelf. It's dark back there and I wonder why he looks for dark, especially after all the commotion this morning, with the flying around the house and all the playfulness. But I've come to accept it as what he wants and as long as he looks and behaves healthy... I'm NOT going to interfere. This is HIS house, home and life and I'm not here to impose ANYTHING on him (as long as what-ever he wants doesn't cause him any harm, of course).
But, this morning, I DID manage to make the quick errand that I had to do and I was gone about 20 minutes. When I got back, he was in his loft... all comfy and cosy. Our time and day together just picked right up where it left off... as if nothing ever came along to break it. This Little Guy is SUCH an inspiration to me in EVERY way. "Things happen. But it's up to us - or me - to simple leave them where and when they happen and keep going." After all, I look at what Hell he's been through and yet, I see him today and no matter what, we're together and he's picked-up and moved on. I SO NEED to learn to do that: live in the moment at hand... To be honest, I HAVE, to a point, learnt it and as I've always said and always will say:
As long as there's a Yonah, there's a me...
This after-noon, after lunch, I laid down, as we do of an after-noon, for a little snooze and was "solo" until, as he does, my Little LOVE came to join me for the last few minutes. I STILL don't know HOW he knows when the alarm is about to sound but WOW, his timing is AMAZING! And we laid there for a little while longer until HE decided to get up and so... we were back to our "regularly-scheduled" me doing more people nonsense. (Though, I have to say, much of it isn't really "nonsense" because these days, I'm working on putting this Journal in order. It's been "off-line" for a while... ever since the fiasco with the "Dee. E. Sea", as they are. But I'm keeping it up. It's a 5-year record of this little LIFE here... and it deserves to be put "out there", if for no other reason, than a source of information to others who might have the heart and HONOUR of giving LOVE to a Little One. I had to fumble through SO VERY MUCH because of the lack and absence of information, AND the out-right refusal of too many so-called "avian veterinarians" who simply couldn't be bothered. MAYBE THIS will help somebody - even though, admittedly, it's a LOT of reading and SO much needs to be broken-down and made more readily available. But right now... I have to get it recorded properly.)
I can't believe it; it's already 19.44 and our day has passed and I'm still (of course I am) at the desk and my BESTIE COMPANION is on the roof-top of his house. Out-side, the sun is obviously setting and there's been a little "Evening Concerto" of "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo's". I'm being informed that it's time to wrap this up and get on with the evening settling-down. Waters to be changed, tidying his room... I'm up and off and at it!
10.54 I stepped out of the room and he headed directly over to the futon to Burdie-Birdie... the windows are closed-up for the night and he watched me so closely as I went about the "chores". Some-how, he looked as if it confused him. Too early? He's SO aware of SO much, and the day-light, the hours... I don't know how he perceives "time" but he seems to know that certain things get done at certain times... and in certain order. But no matter right now. If we can get settled sooner it'll help us both get proper rest at night and I worry about him getting needed rest, especially since we generally don't follow the sun-rise-set the way we ought to do.
Time for me to get to my "evening ablutions" and us to tucking-in here....
OK... 20.09 and OH THE CALLS as I was out of the room changing into my night-wear! You'd think I'd left the house and town! How I DO wonder what he thinks is going on. It's not like we don't do this every evening. But hey... at least I AM here with him.
20.14 and he's on his roof-top and the "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo's" and now nest coo's and we're closing the house and soon... the day. More on the matter tomorrow...
Wednesday 16 April:
(19.34 WOW! This day went by SO quickly today! And it's been almost non-stop! And to think, this morning, i woke and got up at 5.00 thinking it was going to be such a calm day together... oh well...).
I'll get right to it here now...
Last night we had another "ride home" on the little platform from the roof-top. The PRECIOUS Little Guy was up there, waiting, so patiently, for me to come in from my "evening ablutions", although, all during, he called with his "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo's". And I did my best to call back to let him know that I was only in the next room.
But the very moment I got back to settle the room for the night, he was obviously ready to get to the night roost. Silly Little One... he wanted to settled-down for the night but he wanted that ride home. So I started settling the futon and started the evening lullabies too, as I went along. And OH! The very moment I got the first note of "Autumn Leaves" out, there he was, on the platform... it was "time".
I made quick work of the futon and the rest of the room and as I turned to his house, I could tell he was "braced for the ride" and away we went. At the very second that platform met the perch, he stepped, casually off, and was almost immediately settled-in for the night.
We made it all through the lullabies, slowly, softly, calmly and I could SEE the little silhouette on the night roost, all "tucked-in". The last light was turned off at 20.45!
This morning, as I've said, I was up and about at 5.00 and busied in the kitchen, thinking the day ahead was expected to be dreary again (and it was, pretty much... with a bit of a flurry of snow here and there... in fact, last night, the mountains god a new "dusting"... Spring might be here on the calendar but Winter's still lingering about out-side) and as I wasn't paying attention, I heard the soft
"woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" through the door. And when I coo'ed back, the response was immediate and a little louder... as I got up from the kitchen table, I coo'ed again and the reply was again, a little louder.
As I opened the door to the still relatively dark room, I whispered: "Did I hear a woo-hoo?" and immediately came the answer: "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo". OK... I DID hear the "woo-hoo" and the little dove was ready to get on with the day... and OH... WAS HE EVER!
I opened the door to his house, popped in for "Good morning" kisses and there were SO many KISSES! And wing-stretches! And no sooner had I opened the blinds and curtains, the dim grey morning light coming in, WOOSH... wings a-flutter and away! My Little LOVE was up, out and to the desk shelf! I hadn't even had time to set-up for the morning water run! It was AMAZING to see! And what a tonic to my old heart, to see my SOLE reason for being, SO happy and healthy and full of energy!
Poop check? 8 perfect poops, only slightly larger, again, than others, but composition and such, just perfect. And ALL of the directly under the night roost, so last night was a restful night. The only "note" I make here is that they all have a slight "green" colour to them. Not a "concerning green". I'm thinking it might be something in the "new" "parakeet" mix. But I'll be watching. AND I HAVE TO NOTE: HE'S EATING SO MUCH LATELY! THIS MORNING I PUT FRESH FOOD IN HIS DISH BECAUSE HE'D GONE THROUGH ALMOST ALL OF WHAT WAS IN THERE IN JUST ABOUT 2 DAYS! (AND BY THIS AFTER-NOON, HE'D MADE QUITE THE "DENT" IN THE FRESH FROM THIS MORNING! AND IT'S NOT BEING TOSSED ALL OVER... HE'S EATING! IT'LL SOON BE TIME FOR ANOTHER "WEIGH-IN"! But since poops are normal... I'm quite rather happy to see he's got a good appetite!)
BUT I JUT CAN'T PUT INTO WORDS THE GLORY AND ELATION OF ALL THE COO'ING THIS MORNING! HE WAS OH, OH, OH SO VERY, VERY VOCAL! THERE'S SO PRECIOUS LITTLE (if there's ANYTHING) MORE BEAUTIFUL THAN TO HEAR THAT MAGNIFICENT, HEAVENLY LITTLE VOICE! It's such a reminder that, if I've done only ONE thing in my entire life-time worthy of existing at all, keeping that little voice ALIVE and SINGING... I'm complete. To think it was almost silenced. To think that I'd come back to the old home state with nothing other in mind than to sit and let "life and time" do what it would, take a toll and simply "drop off and away" and then... There he was, this little heart beating, a little body breathing, terrified, torn, literally, and, well... And over these years, he's survived to start a day, see a morning, with a SOUL-STIRRING soft song. I'm so ABSOLUTELY HUMBLED and will, FOREVER, see this experience as a BLESSING, and HONOUR, a PRIVILEGE.
And that he has such a WONDERFUL APPETITE! I put all fresh food in his dish and he he ATE so much, so well! (And no, I don't worry about him getting "over-weight" because, contrary to "advice from the experts" THIS Little Guy eats what he wants, and as much as he wants but only until he's not hungry any more. He doesn't eat all through the day and doesn't eat ALL of the food he has. And by 16.00 he'd gone through almost ALL of what I'd put in his dish - it wasn't a LOT, but WHAT AN APPETITE! I keep remembering the advice of that veterinarian in Vermont, when I told her about "Mimou" being in such terrible condition with that abscess on his little face. "As long as he's eating, he'll be OK." They know, these Little Ones. When eating does no good, they stop. THIS Little Guy is eating so... He's in GREAT SHAPE!)
Well then... after my morning of bouncing about doing this and that, which is my typical day, we had our lunch at mid-day and I took a lie-down... a "lie-down" that turned into TWO 30-minute snoozes. My Little LOVE must have senses that I was actually tired because he came to be with me for the first snooze but then went up to his loft to let me grab the remaining time. It would have been delightful to be together for the whole time but... he decided I'd be better alone... and when I woke from the second snooze, I DID feel better and was up and about and back to our normal day.
By days' end, I have to say it was another one of our "TOGETHER DAYS". As I sat at the desk, he came over to my shoulder, and when I got up, he came right along with me... pecking at my cheek as I made my way about the house, to the living-room, then in the kitchen. He WANTED TO BE WITH ME! (Yeah, I'm BLESSED, in the truest sense of the word, and HUMBLED by the HONOUR and PRIVILEGE.)
At one point, we were together in his room, me at the desk and him in his loft, and I got up to go to the kitchen and as soon as I stepped out of the room, he coo'ed in what sounded so much like he was telling me to not go or to hurry back... he didn't want to be alone! (Needless to say, I was back in seconds!)
(20.00 gotta sign off... he's on the futon and it's time for us to get this house settled for the night. It saddens me that the day has gone by. This was one of those where, if we could survive, I'd stay up with my Little LOVE... right through, likely until the "End of Days".)
(A little note, as reference and to make mention: Something smells "wrong" in the house tonight. Not sure if it's my sense of smell... off of late... or something got into the wall and dies. But the Air Quality Monitor is FINE! We can only hope. But my Little Guy is obviously ready to tuck-in... and to be honest, I am too. Just thankful, really, to have this "Air Monitor". If there's anything harmful in the air, it would indicate it and all is well with-in the "green" so...)
20.26 The Little Guy is in his house, on his night roost, our "night music" is playing softly and he watched me close the windows up - blinds and curtains - and when I was done, he went over for his little "before tuck-in snack"... and that always does my heart good. He won't EVER have to go to sleep with any hunger or thirst. I'll see to that, no matter what! AND, he even continued eating as I rolled his house about and into position for the night! So... now, we close the day and on to the night ahead... hopefully for a restful night's sleep. (Hey! There's something else: I read that mourning doves "half-sleep" during the night. Half of their brain and body sleeps and the other half stays awake and aware of their surroundings. NOW he doesn't have to be bothered or worried. He's so safe... and THAT IS WHAT I EXIST TO ENSURE!) On to the night...
Thursday 17 April:
(19.24 and notes typed again during a non-stop day.... save a 30-minute snooze after lunch...)
Last night... If this Little Character isn't expecting his "ride home" I can't explain it any other way but, yes, indeed, at 20.26 he was on the night roost as I got my evening ablutions done BUT, when I went into his room, he BOLTED for the upper-most of the book-case and there, took to the "nest coo'ing", repeatedly as I put the futon together for me! So, as I put the night-sheets on (I was already in my night-wear), I started singing "Autumn Leaves" and he continued to coo along with me.
When I'd done, I simply went over to his house, took the platform over to the book-case, raised it, singing all the while, and not only did he hop onto the platform last night, he came over to the edge so he could look down to let me know he was there! On the "journey home", I even managed to get a KISS! AND AGAIN, no sooner did the platform reach the perch, he hopped right off, onto his "night roost" and was settled!
Oh YES! Rides home at the end of the day are part of our "Life" now... and for me? I couldn't be happier to be here to provide that. It's almost as if that ride gives this Little Guy a sense of "comfort", "safety"... an assurance that yes, we ARE together and yes, he IS safe. Some-how I believe he knows that I'll give my own existence to protect him... no matter what, against no matter whom.
And we did manage to make our way all through the lullabies last night, softly and calmly. And as I sang through, I could see the little silhouette settle, tuck and go off to sleep for the night.
NOTE: It's 19.35, I'm at the desk, the "news" is on the old lap-top and my Heart-and-Soul is nestled there, beside the screen, little eyes closed. THIS is what a "LIFE" is... No more "existence"... He gives me a "LIFE"!
This morning, I woke at about 5.40 and decided to stay on the futon for a little while and at 6.00, I woke again and decided to get up and on with the day. No sooner had I stepped out of the room when...
"woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo", loud and clear.
I went out to the kitchen to put the kettle on and came back to open his house and as I popped my head in for "Good morning" kisses... wing-stretches and KISSES! And "woo-HOO's" too! It was a GLORIOUS start to a day that promised clear skies and sun-shine! (Wind and chills, but LIGHT!)
He waited so patiently as I opened the curtains and blinds and put his house back to the window but the moment I went to start the morning water run... HE WAS UP, OUT, ON THE WING AND AWAY! OUT to the desk shelf and coo'ing almost non-stop! It was a BEAUTIFUL sight to behold! And filling the house with those coo's? It literally "changed the air"... the sound, the one... the song... it was DIVINE!
By 9.10 he was out to the living-room, settled on his old house at the windows and still coo'ing along and away!
I'd planned on heading out for some errands during the day, but this morning, we received the last item that was to go into the "Gift Box" to "Aunt Deborah" so, OH! Did he have FUN as I opened boxes, crinkled paper, packed items together and taped. Action! Movement! And he appears to have such a fascination with the sound of paper rattling and of course, tape being pulled from the roll. He flew all over the room as I put things together and such and was SO HAPPY! Made a couple visits to my shoulder for cheek-pecks AND KISSES! MORE KISSES!
POOPS? 8 PERFECT POOPS UNDER THE ROOST! MY LOVE HAD A RESTFUL NIGHT!
At noon, he reminded me (with a hearty "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" from the door perch) that we had to break for lunch and so... we did. I had my lunch at the desk and he had a bite "at home". And I have to comment again: HE'S EATING SO WELL THESE DAYS! HIS DISH EMPTIES QUICKLY AND THERE ISN'T A LOT BEING TOSSED OUT ONTO THE SHELF! HE REALLY IS ENJOYING SOMETHING IN THIS NEW MIX! Ordering MORE to keep on hand, to be sure!
I finished lunch a bit early, Aunt Deborah's package was ready to be delivered, people-paper nonsense was caught up... I managed to make my way to the futon, set a 30-minute alarm and no sooner had I gotten my head on the pillow, my Little LOVE was right there, on my leg... He didn't stay, but it seems he it's his way of "tucking-me in". He waits until I get settled, at least, before taking off... and he did... out to the living-room. (He's enjoying more time out there of late but I'm not concerned. I'm delighted that he has another room to go to and the whole house to fly about in!)
After snooze, I bounced up, put me together and decided to make the errands on the agenda so that I could be out and back in quick time. When I left, he was in his house, at the loft so I bolted. Delivered Deborah's gift, to her door (she wasn't home so I didn't linger) and got a quick visit to the market and was back in just over 30 minutes... when I walked back into the house, he was there, in the living-room, in his tree. I wonder if he even noticed that I'd been gone. But what-ever, I was relieved to be back and see that he was safe and sound. He looked at me when I came in, acknowledging my "presence" but stayed on his tree so he was satisfied... the "flock" was back together as we should be.
WELL! AGAIN! Another day passes so too quickly! It's 20.00 already and ti seems there's still so much more that ought to be done with this day. The worst is, it's now so late and I've been jotting notes on this Journal and there's so much that has to be actually "recorded" and now... my Little LOVE is up, pecking at the screen on his lap-top, here, beside me, at the desk and it's time to settle the house and the day! Waters are changed and fresh and clean in his pool for the night, most of the house is settled, but it's time to get to tucking-in so we get a proper night's rest! I still have to get to the windows though so... it's time to see what little "surprises" lie in wait for when I get to that task...
OK. 20.36, he's already on his night roost, giving me the "coo's" so... today is closed and more tomorrow...
Friday 18 April:
Last night was "easy-peasy" tuck-in. The Little Guy had brought him-self "home" for the night... he was ready for seepie-nigh-night and I just went about the regular settling of house and room and all the while, he "watched" from the comfort of his night roost. And lullabies were sung and by 21.10 we were off and away to "Traumland".
This morning... I was JUST waking at 5.44 and the very moment I came to realise that I was awake... from over-head
"woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" and then... "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo... hoo". When I "said" "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" (because I can't actually "coo" that early in the morning) the reply was TWO MORE "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo". He MUST sense, some-how, when I'm awake because I hadn't even had the chance to open my eyes! Honestly, he AMAZES ME SO MUCH IN SO MANY WAYS. I KNOW he senses when I'm anxious. And I've no doubt he senses when I have to step out of the house for errands (mostly because my anxiety level rises). I KNOW he notices when I reach for the little bundle of "cards" I need when I have to shop. But that he can sense when I'm awake! Anyway, since he was SO vociferous I took that to mean that it was time for me to get up, open his house and get on with the day so... up I got and over to his house to open the door and pop in for "Good morning" kisses and WOW... KISSES AND WING-STRETCHES! OH YEAH... HE WAS AWAKE AND READY TO ROLL! (I wonder if he hadn't been awake before me and was just giving me a little extra time until it was just too late to lounge about.)
The sun was up in a clear sky out-side the window and this morning, this Little Guy was BURSTING with energy and nest coo's!
Nine perfect little poops under his night roost... Good health and a restful night! The perfect start to a new day.
And it didn't take but moments before he was on the wing, out of his house and about the room and a trip out to the living-room too... with the usual "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo's" out there and then... a rush back to his house as I made my way to the kitchen to put the kettle on and prepare for the morning water run.
I got right to our regular morning of getting his room settled for the day, having my coffee and the usual and this morning, I had some book-keeping and such to get to as well, so I headed right into that. Seems there's always something that needs to be done every morning and it's all distractions, for the most part. But it's time in the room with my BESTIE LITTLE SOLE REASON FOR BEING!
At noon, I got the "reminder" that it was time for lunch and after, I was working on putting labels on the jars for his food (since there's new - "parakeet" - mix in with it now.. and I actually got to print a little label with his "personal" mix, including the "list of ingredients" and the quantities of each other mix on it). His shelf is now so in order. (I can't but think of a time when I might not be able to be here to provide for him... with my health and age and such, and so, I do my best to make it so that, if anybody else has to tend to his nourishment, there will be no doubts or questions as to what he's accustomed to. Because of all the years of doing that "Home Care", I'm all too familiar with what it's like to "have a stranger in the house" - I can only HOPE, with my ALL, that WE NEVER have to experience that, which is why I attend to my health-care these days. I HAVE to be here for my little Hear-and-Soul for as long as... and I WILL BE!)
But I ran a little later than usual and whilst I worked on his labels and he came over to the desk and "snoozed" on his lap-top beside me. Seems when he figured I wasn't going to snooze, he got up headed to the living room... BUT...
moments later, I had a lie-down and as soon as I got to the futon, he "called" from the living room. I answered, he coo'ed... but be didn't come into the room. I had to smile thinking it was as though he was calling "I know you're laying down but I'll be staying out here. You get a good snooze."
I got a 45-minute snooze... sadly, alone.
Since today was Friday, it was "house-cleaning" day so I was busy, room-to-room, there was so much "activity" in the place and the Little Guy made the best of his "crazy human" roaming about the place BUT... ALL DURING THE DAY, EVERY OPPORTUNITY HE GOT, I GOT WING-SNAPS AND HE WANTED KISSES AND ATTENTION AND PLAY! IT WAS REALLY QUITE AMAZING! Of course, I stopped what I was doing and we took "cuddle-breaks" and "play-breaks". I mean, really, NOTHING supersedes THOSE!
Then, all the house-work took us right into dinner time and we FINALLY got to settle-down together, the news on his lap-top on his desk and time to "relax" a bit before I got the washing-up done, the house settled for the night (and the week-end) and right after I headed to a shower this evening.... in silence... no calling, oddly. Usually, when I get into the shower, he coo's. I wonder: does he lose the sense of my presence when I'm in the loo? Is it the water or the location of the room? It seems he's calling to make sure I'm still around more than much of anything other. But when I got back to the room to settle there he was, my little Heart-and-Soul, nestled on his lap-top. And as I sat in the room with him, he got up to "preen". All was well. The "flock" was assembled together again.
I'm not certain why, but he's plucking those little "down feathers" again. I'd hoovered before supper this evening and by the time I'd done eating, there were little feathers all over his room again. But the weather IS getting warmer (highs in the mid-to-upper teens again (though Sunday is supposed to be -1° again at night). Seems it's ";tis the season" for getting rid of the "Winter wear". Though I tend to wonder: the house furnace has been set to 21° all Winter and the room seldom ever got that low (though, today, for several hours, we had both doors open for the air and when the room dropped from 24° to 21° I put the furnace back on, doors closed so...) so I'm just hoping that this is a "change of season shedding". He really hasn't had a "full moult" in quite some time, and I'm not really complaining. If he can shed the feathers a little at a time and not have to experience what must be gruelling itching and pain, well, let the little feathers fall. I wish he wouldn't have to experience it at all, but "Nature". And when it's done, he'll be all the better for it. Makes me think of the Little Ones out there in the wild. When they go through their moulting, they still have to fly about to look for food and water and shelter. Often, they hide, in the darkness under any vegetation they can find, and there, they have to tolerate the discomfort and the danger. But Yonah? He has the safety and comfort of his "home", a little pool to soak in when-ever he wants or needs. He's got his food and drinking water, fresh and healthy, protected. I SO wish I could provide the same for all the Little Ones, but I know that's impossible. But at the very least, THIS Little LOVE here, my PRECIOUS, CHERISHED little Heart-and-Soul can pluck the feathers where-ever and he never has to worry about hiding... or being cold or hungry or thirsty. And all day he has his "home"... and all night, he can sleep peacefully and safe. I can't give him "perfection" but I can give him this much and I suppose, compared to what he's been through and what he might have had to go through after being attacked... well, hey... not so bad. No "perfection" but safety so...
I have a photo of Yonah from 31 December 2020 as a "wallpaper" on one of the phones here and today I was looking at it closely. OH! The difference! He looked rather "scraggly"' back then, and the ends of his tail feathers were white. He was so young and had been through such Hell. I look at him today and he's "slender", his feathers look so healthy, even with his age. His weight is where it ought to be for a healthy male, and OH is he ever EATING so well! In fact, today, I had to refill his food dish! And there's so little that he tosses out of it. His poops are as they ought to be, in composition and quantity. It's encouraging and comforting (to a point... I'll NEVER be absolutely "comfortable" where his health and well-fare are concerned...).
And now, at 19.49, I'm showered, the house is all settled. We just have to close the windows, put the futon together and he's pecking about the seeds on the floor of his house. "Friday night"... all is calm, and we just hope all will stay that way through the night. It's been quite the "active" day for both of us.
And I STILL can't get over the "kissing sessions" during the day today! I don't know WHAT got into him but I'M IN HEAVEN! He his ways of letting me know that I'm doing well by and for him and I'm BLESSED, HUMBLED, GRATEFUL AND IN AWE... ALWAYS!
Now... to see about tonight's ride home...
20.12 he's on this roof-top... time to stop the news, close the windows... brush my teeth and... RIDE HOME! Patient little LOVE... Oh how patient he is with me...
20.22 Blinds and curtains are closed, the house is settled and this evening, we played with curtain and board and I got kisses on the roof top (when I stood on my tip-toes to get up there)! He's SO playful this evening but... time to tuck-in and close the day....
20.37 My Little Love is on his night roost and making with the nest coo's. Day's done... More tomorrow.
Saturday 19 April:
(15.25 already... this day has passed along entirely so quickly... and we've kept "busy" together. It being Saturday, no real "house-work" and MUCH time to kiss and snuggle and play. Dreary. The UV light on today. I'm not sure if it still works as it ought, but it's been in the fixture for just over a year now and the "instructions" say they're good for about a year... but that's based on daily use and we use it only on cloudy days because on clear days, the sun comes POURING in through the windows so we really don't need it.
Today I wondered if there's any real difference in the way the world looks to Yonah when we go out into the yard. Is there a noticeable difference in the colours, the presence of UV light out there? Yet another aspect of his life that I SO wish I could know, learn. No matter how much I tend to think I might know, there's just so much more that I don't know... and when I see the other birds on-line and how much other people claim to "know", I can't but think: Oh, we humans are such and inferior species in OH, SO MANY ways and aspects. Even to where, as Yonah has come to understand, or at least recognise human words and phrases... and all I can do is differentiate the patterns of his coo's, the length, the volume, the clarity... ANYWAY.... to last night and this morning...)
Last night, again, my little Heart-and-Soul settled him-self on his night roost as I finished my little evening ablutions and when I came back into the room, there he was... still on the night roost. I had to put the futon together for me and was waiting for the last-minute bolt to the roof but, I even managed to start "Autumn Leaves" whilst he was in his house and he didn't move from his roost. I got through all of settling the room for the night, continuing with the repertoire of lullabies and there he stayed. He was TIRED! The day was CLOSED! Poor Little LOVE... I kept him up too late again!
But it was a calm "tuck-in" with kisses and a little bit of cuddling. I sang softly and slowly and made it all the way through all of the lullabies and I could see the little silhouette on the night roost, tucked-in by the time I'd done at 21.05.
This morning? Well! It looks like we're heading into the "Summer hours" here...
I really wasn't quite awake, but only just coming out of sleep when...
"woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo"... at 5.54!
The room was still rather dark because of the clouds covering the morning light out-side the windows but... as soon as I moved my head on the pillow... another "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo". And when I "spoke" (because I can't "coo" with a "morning voice") a coo in reply... "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo". We exchanged a couple of those and it all changed when I got that "woo-HOO!" of "OK. Nice chatting. Let's get on with the day here."
When I got up and opened the door to his house, my PRECIOUS LITTLE LOVE thrust his head forward for "Good morning" kisses! And then, beautiful wing-stretches in preparation for... well... the morning. And the coo'ing went on and on and on and on and....
Even as I stepped out to the kitchen to put the morning kettle on, the house was FULL of that most-beautiful, precious, cherished "song". (Of course, I hadn't opened the windows as yet so some of that just might have been a bit of "It's still dark in here! What's the hold-up?") So I made quick work of putting the kitchen ready for my morning coffee and got right back into the room to "roll along" and get the curtains and blinds open to the dull-grey morning out-side.
It had rained last night as we tucked-in and the world out-side was still quite wet, though the rain had stopped falling. The forecast was for more rain through the day so, as soon as I got the windows open and readied for the morning water run, I put the UV lamp on. I still don't know if it makes much difference in the lighting in the room or even if it's still helping with Yonah's vitamin D production, but we have another bulb at the ready and I do see a bit of a difference in his general mood when it's on so...
Poops Report this morning: WONDERFUL! 9 perfect poops, a bit "scattered" but it appears they'd bounced as they dropped during the night, and not because of any un-rest. The colour and composition is SO COMFORTING! Size too. Especially when I think of the new seed mix ("Parakeet") that's now included in his diet. I don't know what's in there now, but he's eating EXCEPTIONALLY WELL since it's been added! (Yesterday, when I was making the label for his "mix" jar and transferring the "parakeet" mix from bag to jar, I made "lists of ingredients" for the "Witte Molen Pure" mixes. There are particular differences between the "Canaray-Finch" and "Parakeet" mixes:
Canary-Finch:
Turnip seed, Rapeseed, Chia seed, Dried mango
Parakeet:
Panicum (which I learn, is a grass seed and a grass that I've seen growing wild), Buckwheat
Oh sure, he really enjoyed the "mix" (HIS mix), before the "parakeet" mix was added, but there's obviously something in the "new" seeds that makes the entire "personal mix" all the more tasty! So now, we're going to have to do a little "weigh-in" soon to see if he's gaining any weight. What-ever is happening though, it's good to see him eating so well (and not throwing so much about on the shelf... or, on the floor, which seems to have become his "stash" because I've noticed that when he goes to the floor by the window, he pecks into the carpet and he's not very happy when I hoover there. Silly Little Character that he is.)
Well, it didn't take long, again, this morning, before he was UP, UP and AWAY and OUT to the living-room! And OH! The coo'ing! SO MUCH COO'ING this morning! It was GLORIOUS! It truly IS a bit of absolute HEAVEN! It's as if the air is "filled", and it truly is as though something about those coo's changes the very air itself! I don't doubt it changes something at the "cellular" level of my being because the only way I can think of it is: being "wrapped" in a comfortable blanket, but completely.
As I put me and the house and kitchen in order, the coo'ing continued until he decided it was time to go back "home", as he does of a morning, and head to the loft... for a while...
I was done with all the "people nonsense" around the house at 8.30 and headed into his room, intending to spend a dreary but WARM day together and no sooner did I sit at the desk, he came RUSHING over to my shoulder and TUGGED at my ear... repeatedly! We got in some kisses... REAL kisses and when he'd had enough of those, he hopped down to the corner where his lap-top usually is and got comfy there, beside me. "American Standards" played on our radio and I got to his journal...
I looked SO forward to our day together and having NO errands, no disruptions ahead...
This morning rolled along, with the drear and the UV light on and OH... the energy in the house! This Little Guy was SO FULL of energy, flying all over the place and onto my shoulder... From his room to the living-room!
AND OH HOW WE PLAYED WHEN HE WAS ON HIS OLD HOUSE IN THE LIVING-ROOM! HE CHASED MY HAND, WING-SNAPS, PECKS, IT WAS SO WONDERFUL! IF ONLY I COULD FIGURE A WAY TO GET A LITTLE VIDEO OF OUR PLAYING! I see so many videos of other birds playing and such, but THIS Guy? The camera comes along and he's AWAY! (Once upon a time, I would have SO enjoyed putting more photos of him on his web-site, and little videos, but these days, I don't dare. I daren't mention "why", but those who read this, if anybody ever does, will surely understand. We've come FAR too long to have some self-appointed "vigilante(s)" barging in the door. As it is, most of the reason why I don't like leaving the house and leaving my LOVE... my LIFE alone here is because of distrust in all too many. And all it would take is for him to coo "at the wrong moment" and I've no doubt there would be ... I don't want to think.
BUT the IMPORTANT aspect of it all is that he's happy, obviously, and surely healthy and comfortable. We have "us", our "flock" and as long as he's safe and happy and healthy is all that matters in all of Creation.
Anyway, that play-time was FASCINATING!
I've read that birds don't associate human hands as being part of the "whole". So Yonah's perception of my hand and fingers isn't "me"... it's some "separate entity". When I splay my fingers, he likely sees it as a "wing", which might be why he raises his wings, in defiance, a "threat" to the "critter" in front of him. And OH! Did I ever have the greatest time "playing bird"! And he "attacked", retreated, and when my hand retreated, he LUNGED at it!
We played that way for several long moments and I waited until he showed his satisfaction with having "won the battle". (I've watched the mourning doves in the yard for so long now that I've become familiar with the tactic: There's been one, in particular out there, who defends food... and then there's the Little Guy out there who defends his Little Lady. It's SUCH a DELIGHT to see Yonah holds that instinct. I've NEVER wanted him to become too "domestic", as it were. The very thought is abrasive to me. He was born in the "wild", and I NEVER want him to become a "house bird". He's a connection of spirits, mine and his, to the "Natural" world, as it was intended.)< br />
Well? We got a little snooze together this after-noon after an early lunch. I'd set an alarm for 25 minutes and when I laid down, he came right over to my leg and nestled. When the alarm sounded, he came toddling up to my chest, as if checking to see if I was awake, and then went right back down to my leg so I re-set another alarm for 15 minutes more. When that sounded, I was about ready to get up and he must have sensed it because he toddled back up to my chest, then down to my leg and off to the desk shelf. Snooze-time was done!
This after-noon the rains stopped, the sky cleared only momentarily, but the house was quite comfortably warm and the room was at 24° for most of the day. (Tomorrow is supposed to return to "April" though.) No house furnace running and for a while, we got to open the doors for air. (Though the "air monitor" says the "quality" is quite good. Checking the readings, it's either "normal house air" or only slightly different from "out-side air". So doors open or closed, at least I know the air my Little LOVE is breathing is "safe". I'm SO relieved to have this monitor now that the weather will be warming up and we'll have windows open soon. Now, if only we had a nice little place off the roads... I keep looking.)
Later I managed to get to the desk, put on some music and sit to get to the Journal and my little Heart-and-Soul took to his loft. Together in the room... and the rest of the world... out-side the doors and windows... Us, together, the "flock"... tucked-away...
(17.28) Suppers are done, washing-up is done and my MOST PRECIOUS LITTLE LOVE is on his lap-top beside me at the desk. But he's at the front edge of it, just standing there, looking toward the floor! He was just down there, on the floor, again. I don't know why he goes there, in the "shadows". The house furnace isn't on (it's 24° in his room) so it isn't the moving air. But his so docile. He's eaten, very well. He's even had fresh grit. But if I play with him, he doesn't run away... I wonder... and I worry... now that I'm so aware of "strokes" and "seizures" (just read another post today about a bird who'd had seizures some time ago, but medications pulled him through it... still). We'll see. Maybe he's just "zoning-out" as they call it. I HOPE.
Well then... it's already 19.58 and the evening water run is done, the house is settled, we're about to turn the "news" off and "night music" on. I have my little ablutions to do and the Little LOVE just left the desk shelf and headed to the futon. He actually "supervised" the evening water run from his "position" on the desk shelf... and... now, as I type, he's headed "home" for the night. Time to wrap the day. I don't want to really. This is one of those days where, if we could both survive it, I'd be more than happy to just stay up through the night with him. But the doors are closed (and it's still as warm as ever in the room). I've put the house furnace back on because of the "chill" coming tomorrow morning. It's running but not for long. And... the night music is on... and that means... "seepie-nigh-night time"! So let's see how that goes... WHAT A DAY! And tomorrow... a "holiday"... and hopefully a calm one!
Sunday 20 April:
(16.00) The sun is shining so brightly right now as it's been for most of the day after a rather "shady" morning. And my Little Heart-and-Soul is on the floor of his house after spending most of the after-noon behind his lap-top, making "nest coo's"! He wasn't "out" in the room nor in the living-room all day, choosing, instead, to be "hidden away" behind the lap-top. SO CURIOUS!
He's been in good spirits all day though, and yet, when I laid down for the "after-lunch snooze", he didn't come over to snooze with me.
He HAS come out for some snuggles and kisses though, and didn't "run away" as he'll do some-times, so I don't believe he's angry with me. I guess he's just having "one of those days"... he just doesn't want to be "out and around".
He's looking good, in good health, and no signs of anything "wrong". (AND NOW HE'S PECKING AT THE LITTLE "TOY" - THE MAPLE CUTTINGS THAT I MADE FOR HIM SO LONG AGO SO THAT HE'D HAVE SOMETHING TO PECK ON TO CONTROL HIS BEAK LENGTH! THAT MAKES ME QUITE HAPPY... HE ACTUALLY DOES USE IT! NOW I HAVE TO FIGURE A WAY TO MAKE HIM SOME KIND OF "FORAGING BOX". I THOUGHT OF THAT THIS MORNING... ALONG WITH GOING TO GET HIM NEW PERCHES... I'M PLANNING ON THAT WHEN "AUNT DEBORAH" COMES BACK TO THE "FARM".) Maybe it's got something to do with the "season"... maybe some sort of "moulting" issue. I'll be keeping quite the watchful eye on him.
Other-wise....
Last night, he stayed on his "night roost" all the while I put the room together when I got back in from my "evening ablutions". No little "games" or "chases". He MUST have been tired again. Or , he's getting to where there are certain times and certain "activities" around the house that are now associated with "tucking-in". What-ever it is, "tuck-in" last night was just plain, simple, straight forward and we DID get in cuddles and kisses so he wasn't angry with me. And we made it all through all of the lullabies, softly, slowly... and even managed to get the last moon light turned off at 21.00!
This morning? I was only just barely some-what waking in the early morning dull light in the room, and enjoying the warmth in the room, happy that there wasn't a "chill" when, in the silence and darkness...
"woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo"... nice and clear, but "soft".
5.42 on the clock! It DOES, indeed, appear that we're careening into the earlier mornings of the "Summer" and I was, for some reason, really quite tired this morning when called. So I gave it my best effort to "coo" my reply of "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" and he answered with a clear and slightly louder "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo". We exchanged one more "round" of that when he changed it to "woo-HOO!"... that coo that I've come to understand as "OK. Nice chatting. Now let's get up and at the day."
I returned a softer "woo-HOO" and OH, I just HAD to get a moment longer on the futon... and, I managed to "wake me up" at 6.00. All the while, my Little LOVE waited, so quietly and patiently.
When I finally got up and opened the door to his house, my Little LOVE was still on his night roost, as calm as he could possibly be. OH! The patience he has with me! And when I popped my head in for "Good morning" kisses... he was "most generous" with kisses, a GRAND wing-stretch and another "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo". (I wonder: was that a "It's about time!"?) And he waited on his night roost until I put the kettle on in the kitchen and returned to open his curtains and blinds to the still rather dark morning out-side.
It didn't take him long before he was up and out of his house this morning and we were in a "full run" on this Sunday morning.
I got a bit of laundry done in the kitchen, planting some sun-flower seeds from our new mix for the "Yardies". (I want to see if they actually sprout and grow. If they do I'll know they're fresh and clean and healthy. If not - I'd bought "organic" sesame seeds for Yonah some time ago and tried "sprouting" them and when the majority didn't grow, I learnt they really weren't all as "natural" and "organic" as claimed, they were disposed of in the house-hold garbage, I wouldn't put them out for the Yardies!) Got the house together and even made one REALLY QUICK errand into town...
AND, this morning's POOP REPORT: 10 DELIGHTFULLY PERFECT little poops, all on the rug under the night roost. SO, my Little LOVE's tummy is going GREAT, and he obviously had a restful night last night. ALL I could hope for.
By 10.43, the sun rose into a clearing sky and came pouring in through the windows. Bright, yes, but it's obvious that we're out of the "Winter" season. The sun rises and passes more to the North now, so it's not so direct and when it is, for the relatively short while of a morning, it's not as "direct" as it is in Winter. Well, I'm SO HOPING that it won't be much longer and we'll BOTH be out in the yard again, in the "direct" sun-light... with the Yardies. And I'm looking forward to seeing who (hoo-hoo-hoo) comes round this year. I always wonder which mourning doves return yearly and I'm looking forward to seeing if any-birdie who knows Yonah comes round this year.
Well then... it's now already approaching 19.30 and evening water run is done. We've had our supper together and I have to say, it's been a some-what "odd" sort of day. My little Heart-and-Soul stayed rather much to him-self for most of the day. As I mentioned, he hid behind his lap-top on the desk for a while, and then, on the upper-most wall shelf. He did come to the desk shelf as I typed along and such during the day, and we DID get "Kiss-Breaks"! AND, when he was in his house and I got up from the desk, he came over to the door perch and SO OBVIOUSLY LUXURIATED in being held in my cupped hands and I rested my face close to him and stroked his neck! He pecked, so gently, on my fingers and nuzzled his head up against my chin. (I have to get a chair that's high enough to sit with him that way for longer periods of time... another little "project" in our days to come. Honestly? If it were possible, THAT'S how I'd spend every waking moment of every day: holding him close, stroking his neck and giving gentle kisses.)
And this evening, as we had supper, we got another little "bird video"... a "Nature" documentary that tells much about birds of all sorts and has a lot of varied "bird-songs". Nothing "scientific" and MORE video to play on the old lap-top with the fresh new screen!
Right now, he's on that lap-top, pecking at that new screen, the "evening news" is on (and too, the house furnace... the room is at 24° but there's been a chill in the air all day, in spite of the sun, and tonight we're due for another burst of chill). I have to say that getting that sheet of plexi for the screen was quite an excellent move. It doesn't appear to phase Yonah at all (which was my major concern) and it protects the screen from the little pecks. (Another "I Wish I Knew": what it is on that screen that so attracts my Little LOVE... and, from what I see on the internet, other birds too.)
We're soon due to get to settling and tucking-in and it's a bit more difficult now that the sun doesn't actually set until later in the evening. In fact, there's still quite a bit of day-light out-side the windows. But I want to make sure THIS Little LOVE gets his needed rest. So... we're about to see who (hoo-hoo-hoo) will be tired enough to get to the night roost tonight...
20.15 Night music is on... and my Little LOVE is on his door perch... time to close the windows... the sun is gone... but... there's still time for "Flight Games" so... we shall see...
20.24 and he ate so well as I closed the windows tonight. In fact, he showed no interest in the windows... he was eating! And now he's on the night roost so... closing for today.
Monday 21 April:
(7.55 and my little Supervisor is on my shoulder! He's suddenly all sorts of active this morning! And it's WONDERFUL!)
Last night was another "night roost" night. No chasing. No little "games".
BUT ONE THING I'VE COME TO NOTICE:
LAST NIGHT, AGAIN, AS I STARTED SINGING OUR "AUTUMN LEAVES", SOFTLY AND CALMLY, MY LITTLE HEART-AND-SOUL STARTED THAT LITTLE "FLUTTER" THAT ACCOMPANIES HIS "NEST COO'ING"! NOW, I'VE COME TO READ THAT THAT "FLUTTER" IS AN INDICATION THAT HE'S COMFORTABLE, CALM, AND THAT IT'S RATHER QUITE A COMPLIMENT TO HIS SURROUNDINGS. HE'S AT EAST. SO WHEN HE GETS "NESTY" WHEN I START SINGING, HE DOES RECOGNISE THE MELODY AND IS ASSOCIATING IT WITH "SETTLING-DOWN" FOR THE NIGHT. THE FLOCK IS "AT HOME" AND ALL IS WELL AT THE CLOSE OF THE DAY. AGAIN... I AM MORE HUMBLED THAN WORDS CAN EXPRESS, AND SO MUCH MORE BLESSED WITH WHAT CAN ONLY BE THE "HEAVEN" OF "LORE"! I'LL NEVER KNOW WHAT I'VE DONE TO BE SO HONOURED... BUT YES, TO BE SURE, YONAH IS MY ONLY REASON FOR BOTHERING WITH OR ABOUT ANYTHING ASSOCIATED WITH SIMPLY "BEING". AND THAT HE'S COME TO BE SO COMFORTABLE WITH ME, AND ACTUALLY, AS I APPEARS, FEELS "SAFE" WITH ME... IT PUTS THE REST OF CREATION INTO PERSPECTIVE:
THERE REALLY IS NOTHING OF ANY IMPORTANCE OTHER THAN... THIS LITTLE GUY... LITERALLY, MY HEART-AND-SOUL!
This morning, again, I woke at about 5.20 to the sounds of the neighbours waking but decided to just stay where I was, on the futon, and to wait to be "called".
At 6.02... "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo". The day-light was just breaking and when I looked up, there was the little silhouette, on the night roost, apparently waiting for me to get to the day.
I coo'ed back, as best as I could with a "morning voice" and he replied immediately. A little "chat", back and forth, but brief, before the "final 'woo-HOO'". It was time to get up, get "rolling" and on with the affairs of a Monday morn! And when I got to his house, opened the door and popped my head in for some "Good morning" kisses, there were plenty of those... not an "over-abundance", apparently there was no time for such things this morning, there was something more important to attend to... like water change, opening the curtains and that sort of thing. He's SUCH an inspiration of a morning. This morning I would have liked to just stay on the futon, comfy, but... very much like other mornings, were it not for my Little LOVE, that's likely just what I would do. But... * LIFE *, I see that little bundle of HEAVEN and no matter what the world might have in store, I think of him, I see him, and NOTHING in Creation is more important than being with him, and knowing that we have another day... together.
Oh, it didn't take very long after the curtains and blinds were open... he was on the food perch, then to the door perch and OFF to the wall shelves with many "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo's"! And I? Well, of course, I was into the morning routine, kettle on and away we went! Morning water run, settling the room for the day ahead.
We even had a little living-room visit and again, this morning, HE WANTED TO PLAY at his old house by the window! Wing-snaps, running about as I tried to sneak in some kisses there. And then... WOOSH! He was off and back to this house where, when I got to his room, he waited for me on his "night roost perch" for MORE play and kisses and wing-snaps! SOME-birdy was well rested and "in a mood"!
From the looks of poops, this morning, TEN of them... and ABSOLUTELY PERFECT... EVEN TO THE SIZE, THIS MORNING. Colour, composition, location... and the "smaller" size that I've come to see as "normal". (I do suppose that the 10 of this morning is the same "quantity" as the 7 or 8 slightly larger, but I think of them "passing" and can only imagine that the smaller are easier. The "digestion" of this Little Guy is something that rather intrigues me. To think of how his food simply passes along through the night. As he "sleeps", it simply runs along the intended course, un-like humans who tend to "hold" through a night, unless there's something "amiss". BUT... it's all well-digested AND, as I say, the colours are as they ought to be. A comfort... especially fist thing of a morning.)
And now, at 8.14, he's on the desk, beside me, the radio is on (local station), bird-songs playing. The "Air Quality Monitor" showing all things quite just fine. The house furnace is running, though the room temperature is at 23°, out-side I see -2° this morning. But the sun is rising in a hazy sky... "Monday"... "April"... and a day together. I've no errands... and a PERFECT COMPANION.
19.44 and my PRECIOUS LITTLE HEART-AND-SOUL is on his lap-top beside me, at the desk. The "evening news" is on. He's just come back "home" from a visit to the living-room where he headed right after we had our dinner.
And when he got back, he headed for his food and I started the evening water run... through which he continued eating after, of course, stopping to check what I was doing in his house and pool. Nothing goes un-noticed in this house.
The day? Well, it was me, being busy, putting together a little "book" of our nightly lullabies. I've wanted to list and print them, especially the German tunes, just so we have them. (Next adventure: me recording them... so that they can be played for him... in case of events I truly can't dwell on because time away from him, for any... ANY reason, is just too much for my mind, soul and body to handle... I just can't...) Anyway, as I worked on typing, printing, gathering and such, my Little LOVE lounged on his loft by the window where the sun that we had this morning, faded away from behind growing cloud-cover. (Tonight's forecast is for rain again, and "cool"... Not the sub-freeze temperatures, but still quite chilly. Today, I checked our oil for the house furnace and we're quite sure to be quite warm for quite a while longer and more oil is already in the budget for next week so... Keeping this Little Guy warm and safe is my priority and no matter what, he will be!)
We did have a break for lunch at noon and yes, I had a lie-down "snooze" after, as we do. And today, no sooner had I gotten to the futon when there he was... on my leg, preening. But it seems as soon as he sensed I was about to doze-off, he decided to head back up to his loft. I DO have to say that I've become SO accustomed to him being with/on me when I nap, today it became quite obvious to me that a nap with-out him would be a horror for me. Feeling that little feathered Being there, on my leg as I doze-off has become such an integral part of my existence now. The ONLY way I would EVER want to know what it would be with-out him there is when "I lay me down to sleep..." ... "forever and a day" (in the lyrics of Janis Ian, "Tea and Sympathy").
But he DID come back just before the 30-minute alarm sounded (and as always, I still wonder how he knows about the timing), toddled up my leg to my chest and then took off to the desk shelf... and I was back up and back to the "people nonsense" of the day.
This morning though, as I recall, I had to make some telephone calls and yes, of course, my "Supervisor" was right beside me, staring at me as I spoke to the person at the other end of the calls. He's quite "The Character".
OH! OH! OH! AND... this after-noon, as I was compiling our "lullabies", I'd put on a "string of videos", a "play-list", as it were, of "Heintje" tunes (which are most of our German lullabies of a night) AND OH! When THIS Little LOVE heard the familiar songs, HE COO'ED ALONG WITH THEM! I suppose he recognised the melodies but the voice wasn't mine, BUT IT WAS AS THOUGH HE SANG ALONG! The melodies? The German language? Both? I don't know what it was but is was AMAZING... AND TOUCHED MY HEART AND SOUL! These songs have become our Life together! And just as singing them brings back the most beautiful memories of my child-hood, now, those memories are ours... Yonah's and mine, together.
So now... 20.00 and he's up and about on his lap-top and out-side the windows, the sun has set... it's our time for tuck-in... Water's changed... house is settled... off to close the windows... and... what-ever this Little One is plotting....
20.31 already. I had to come back into the room this evening when I was brushing my teeth. So much coo'ing goin' on! It seemed to be "assuring", though there was much "interest" in it as there used to be. Then too, there really wasn't much interest in the closing of the windows this evening either. As I did that, my little Heart-and-Soul was on the floor of his house, watching and then he headed up and out to the roof-top when I'd done and put his house in place.
BUT... A NOVELTY: WHEN I WENT BACK TO THE KITCHEN AFTER "DROPPING IN ON" HIM, I WAS PUTTING THINGS TOGETHER ON THE KITCHEN TABLE AND... WOOSH! HE CAME FLYING OUT OF HIS ROOM, FLEW OVER MY HEAD, HEADED OUT TO THE LIVING-ROOM (WHICH WAS DARK ALREADY) AND THEN, ROUND THE "FRIDGE WALL" AND RIGHT BACK THROUGH THE KITCHEN AND BACK TO HIS HOUSE TO HIS ROOF-TOP! I have to wonder what THAT was all about! But, in his room, the "night music" was playing and all was relatively settled for the night, so... I'm wondering about tonight... "Ride home"? We shall see... For now... time to close the day... more tomorrow.
Tuesday 22 April:
(8.36) Last night was a rather "odd" situation. "Tuck-in" was really simple. My Little LOVE was on his night roost when I came back into the room to settle-down for the night, and we started the lullabies as we usually do. And AGAIN, as I started "Autumn Leaves", he did his little "flutter" with the nest coo's. So indeed, ti does appear that the melody is now a "familiar" indication that we're about to, at long last, after a day, getting ready for a night's sleep. It's really such a comfort to my old soul to see that he's so relaxed and knows that we have a "familiar routine", which is, as I'm to understand, something that he needs. (And, to be honest, I need too.)
The rest of our "routine" was straight-forward and "normal" until...
As I was finishing the whole repertoire, softly and calmly, I looked up to see that the little silhouette was facing the opposite direction again. Instead of facing his door, as he usually does, he was facing the wall and I could see his head wasn't "tucked". He was looking at something, little head turning side-to-side. I didn't hear any sort of sound in the room, but it seemed something out-side had his attention. So, at the very end of all the lullabies, I got up and had a look round the house, out-side too. Nothing out there... So strange.
When I got back into the room and looked-in on him, he coo'ed "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo", so I popped my head in for some "assuring kisses" and he completely ignored them. Didn't move away, but didn't move at all. I was at a loss. I tried another little kiss and he turned round to face the door and then, back to facing away. I wondered if he wasn't just getting more comfortable. I too, some-times, lay on my other side for comfort before sleep. Maybe that's what he was doing? But he seemed "occupied"... looking at something that I couldn't detect. The only thing I could think of was to keep singing the lullabies, only this time, I sang much softer and slower, hoping that the general tempo and volume would be more calming...
As I sang, I noticed that he did turn back to his "regular" position, facing the door, and for a while, his little head was turned toward the window... though, the back-board was up so he didn't see the windows.
I just kept singing... and actually made it through the whole repertoire... so we had two full renditions of lullabies.
By 21.30, it appeared he'd calmed and settled for the night. But OH! So LATE! So I took the chance and turned the last moon light off and laid on the futon, listening for ANY sort of sound in the house... Out-side, the rain started to fall, the little "taps" on the cellar shed roof... But as for the rest... all was calm and quiet. Not even the sound of the house furnace (it was warm in the room and house last night, thankfully.)
Well? We did make it through the night. I was up once at about 2.00, got up to check the house and got right back to the futon and...
This morning, I was "half-awake" when... "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo"... at 5.40. The coo was clear, "strong", "healthy". I answered with a "Good morning to you." and he coo'ed again. I was so comfortable on the futon and would have liked to take a little "extra snooze" but, the coo'ing continued and then came the "woo-HOO!" of "OK! Get up, you." and so I did.
He was facing in the usual direction, but when I popped in for "Good morning" kisses... none this morning.
A check on the poops: 10 very "usual", perfect colour, composition, nothing out of the ordinary and all of them under the night roost... right to the little "scattering" as they'd bounced... so they weren't "wet". Looked healthy.
I opened his house, managed to remove the roof and back boards with-out having to do too much rolling about (of his house, to move it away from the window so that I could get to the curtains), and I headed out to the kitchen to put the kettle on. And as I did, the coo'ing continued. It was a "normal" sort of start to the new day ahead.
There was plenty of coo'ing and when I returned to the room to open the curtains and blinds, my Little LOVE was still on his night roost... So I got to the business of letting this morning's dull, rather grey light in. Unusually, instead of hopping over to the food perch, this morning, he toddled over to his loft. I wondered about that. Wing troubles? Not feeling well? Why no hopping or flying about? I went on with getting the room together for the day, headed out to the kitchen to make coffee and when I got back to start the morning water change, HE WAS ON THE DESK! At the corner where his lap-top sits during the day. He often goes over to the little mirror there to coo at the reflection and so, there he was. THAT was "normal" for a morning. And when I got to the water run, he watched for a while and then headed back "home" to the "night roost" perch for a bit. I went on with the rest of the morning routine, watching and listening. He coo'ed. All clear and strong. And then... he was back to his loft for a while.
Now (at 9.03) he's on his roof-top. He'd made a quick trip to the living-room to his old house there, and when I went out to see him, he gave a couple wing-snaps, we played a little while, but he wasn't really in much of a mood for playing, and NO kisses. he didn't "run away" from me. He just didn't seem to want to get too involved with too much playing.
Consolation? As I sat at the desk to get to this morning's journal here, he DID come over to my shoulder and gave a couple ear-tugs. We chatted a bit and he headed over to the futon where Burdie has been from since we got the room together... a little "mounting" and back up to his roof-top.
Much coo'ing this morning though and he appears to be OK. So...
Meanwhile, out-side, there are clouds rolling in from the Western hills. There's a bit of rain in the forecast and I'd thought of making a bit of an errand this after-noon but have decided it can wait... we'll have the day together. And if it's to rain, well then... here we are and will be. We'll make the best of the day ahead and I'm going to keep careful watch.
I'd still like to know what went on last night though. So strange... and yet another one of those moments when I'd SO like to know what my little Heart-and-Soul is thinking... and what he's telling me with his coo's! Another day of feeling SO inferior to him. HE recognises songs, tunes, melodies, even words and phrases... Me? I understand almost nothing from him. It's all truly humbling.
13.49 and we've had one of those mornings of many ear tugs as I've sat at the desk, trying to catch-up with SO much that just seems to pile-up when I'm not paying attention. And the sun has finally taken a stand against the clouds and is beaning in through the windows. I'm up from a 45-minute snooze on the futon... WITH MY PRECIOUS BESTIE LOVE OF ALL who, of course, saw me have lunch and head for the pillow and came RUSHING over! And when I woke, I could feel him, on my leg, preening, as if he knew I was waking and wanted to look his best! (I wonder... I wouldn't doubt it, but I wonder.)
When I got back to the desk, it didn't take but a moment before he was back on my shoulder... more ear tugs and cuddles! And now, he's on his loft, I'm at the desk and the sun is shining brightly. Shame, really, that the house furnace is still running though. The sun is shining but there's still a chill in the breezes coming down off the peaks of the mountains. Were it a bit warmer, we'd both venture out to the yard... and I look SO forward to those days again. (As a matter of fact, the Yardies where here this morning, most of them grackles, black-birds and of course, the blue jays... 2 mourning doves, a few sparrows, but not very many... winds blowing and the chill holds.)
15.55 CAS playing, on the lap-top, a documentary about birds... no sound... and my Little Guy just coo'ed a reminder.. 16.00 DINNER TIME! He's been beside me since we played on the futon!
I can't believe the day's passed so quickly again. I've been keeping busy most of the day, at the desk, at the lap-top, catching-up on this Journal. There's SO much to "fill-in". I've got many "notes" jotted but what-ever it is that's taken "hold" with me for too long, health-wise, seems no matter how much I try to get done in a day, by the end, I'm still behind where I want to be. Anyway... we HAVE had a day together. I'd considered running an errand today because the weather was so clear, but... I'm much happier that I decided to stay here... Maybe one day, I'll figure how to get Yonah to come along with me for "quick runs". I have to get him some new perches and am thinking of going down to "Aunt Deborah's" to get some "saplings" in the woods round her house and maybe I can bring Yonah along for that. The bad: he'll have to be in his old house which is small. And I'm not sure how he'll take being out of the house in strange surroundings. But if he has to stay in the truck for a little while, in his old house, windows open, weather permitting... we'll have to give it a try. Deborah is always telling me that he's more than welcome there, and in better weather, I've been thinking of taking her up on the offer. She doesn't mind if we go to "the farm" when they're not there so we can have time out in the fresher air and sun-shine. Something to plan and look forward to! A change of scenery and OPEN spaces... better than this little "yard" we have here.
Meanwhile... he's headed out to the living-room... and I'm off to putting my dinner on the hob... Time for us to have our evening meals... a little news... WOW! The day has passed... and it's been really so nice out-side. Bright sun-shine. Such a shame there's still such a chill in the air though. And I don't know how much of a "chill" this Little Guy is ready to handle... since he's had the warmth of the house all through the Winter and his own little heater over his night roost. Oh... how I look forward to the day when we can both get out into the air. (I have work to do on the gardenette too and look forward to him being there with me.)
18.23 The sun has been POURING into the living-room for most of the after-noon/evening and my Little LOVE has just come SOARING back from a couple of hours out there, on his old house and mostly, on his little tree in the corner. The front door has been open for quite the while so there's "air" out there, and the one box fan has been running, on lowest setting, to keep the air "moving". I had my dinner "solo" this evening because he took off shortly before I set it on the hob (after he reminded me at 16.00) and have been in his room alone until just now...
AND... HERE HE IS... HE'S HAD A NIBBLE TO EAT AND HE'S SETTLED ON HIS LAP-TOP BESIDE ME... ALL "SNUGGLED", LITTLE EYES BLINKING... HE'S ABOUT TO SNOOZE... HERE... WITH ME. In about 30 minutes, I'll get to the evening water change and then... well... we'll try again tonight, to get to tucking-in before too late. Hopefully, the evening will stay calm and tonight, we won't have to worry about any sort of disturbances... and no repeats of last night. I still have no idea what disturbed him last night but the best I can do is HOPE we don't have a repeat. For now though, it's HEAVEN... my LOVE, my LIFE, my Heart-and-Soul is here with me, calm, safe, and he's eaten... and he's healthy.
OK... 20.05... and THIS LITTLE GORGEOUS PRECIOUS BIT OF ABSOLUTE HEAVEN is STILL on his lap-top beside me. I've been typing so much here and he's been nestled right beside me. These are the moments... Out-side, there's still just a bare trace of what's left of the "day" but the sun is certainly behind the Western mountains and it's time to settle down and in for the night. (We had the house furnace off for the after-noon and I'd put it back on a while ago and it's running now. 24° in the room but... it's still only April and the nights are still "cool". But my Little LOVE has nothing to think about... his house, room and world are all warm, comfy and safe. And now... time to turn the "news" off, the music on and get us tucked-in...
20.32 My Little LOVE is on his night roost now... the windows are closed for the night ahead. And again, this evening, whilst I closed the blinds and curtains, he had his before-tuck-in snack. Hey! I'm SO glad he can eat what he wants, when he wants and he won't go to sleep hungry or thirsty.
So OK, now... of to seepie-nigh-night.
Wednesday 23 April:
(16.35) We actually made it to "last light off" by 21.00 last night AND, the Little Guy stayed on his night roost and "tolerated" my repeated kisses "Good night". We got through the lullabies... all the way to "Stille Nacht" and suddenly... "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo".
I coo'ed back, and he coo'ed to me, I coo'ed back and he coo'ed to me and then... I wrapped-up the nightly lullabies and... our day was DONE!
HOW-EVER....
This morning, I was NOT even some-what semi-awake when the "morning call" came. I was comfy on the futon, sleeping away (though, I do, I've come to notice, tend to wake every 2 hours through the night so...), the "morning" was only just looking like it was trying to decide whether or not it was time to brighten the sky and...
5.25... "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo"... and not the recently-usual "soft" coo. This was a definite "Hello? I'm awake here." call. I opened my eyes and laid there, still, and waited to see if, in fact, this Little Guy really WAS awake and sure enough, he must have noticed that my eyes were open and along came the next "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo". He was up, so I was up. I softly said "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo to you too, you." and got up, opened the door, as I did, I got a HEARTY "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" AND a wing-stretch!
5.25... It looks like we're REALLY heading straight into the "Summer hours" now. But MY consolation is that my Little LOVE woke, of his own, when HE was ready to start the day. (Now, we have to make sure that we get to "tucking-in" at a "civil hour" at night so he gets ALL the rest he needs (and I'm not even going to try to be up and about before him now that he's going to get up just before sun-rise).
When I looked out the window to the back yard, only the smallest Yardies were there at that hour, the ones who are usually the very first to breakfast. So THIS Little Character is getting up "before the birds".
It didn't take very long, this morning, before he was up, hopping about. I stepped out to put the kettle on for me and got back to remove the "night boards" and open the curtains and blinds and no sooner had I gotten the windows open, he was at his door perch and ready to take wing!
A check of the poops: 9 perfect and right under the night roost so last night was a restful night and his tummy is good... and getting up at 5.25 in the morning, energy and ready to FLY... NOTHING could be better than that except...
After the water change and getting his room settled, I headed out to the kitchen to pour my morning coffee and as I was standing at the kitchen counter... behind me... WOOSH! HE CAME FLYING INTO AND AROUND THE KITCHEN AND HEADED BACK HOME! It was one of his "reconnaissance" flights! He wasn't heading to the living-room... It truly was as though he was coming to check on me and my "location"! I SO had to laugh! And when I looked-in on him when he got back into his room, he was on his food perch, having a little breakfast... almost as if saying "Nope. Wasn't me. I wasn't there. Been here all the while." (And I wouldn't doubt, for even the briefest moment, that that's what he was thinking... slick.)
I got the notion to do some baking this morning and took to the kitchen to "make bread" and as I did, the radio played a local station and yes, the Little "Early Bird" went to his loft to lounge. BUT...
As I was working at the kitchen counter, I heard him head out to the living-room as he "sailed" by me but a moment later, there he was... TODDLING THROUGH THE KITCHEN on his way back to his room! It always intrigues me when he decides to simply stroll about the house. It also makes me so much more aware of the fact that I have to be SO CAREFUL EVERY TIME I TAKE A STEP around the house. When he flies by, most of the time, there's a little "whistle" so I know where he is. But when he toddles about... he just seems to "appear"... but on the floor! And it's really fascinating that he actually blends so well into where-ever he happens to be. Granted, the general colours in the house are shades of brown and beige, but no matter where he goes, even on the futon with the "red plaid" linens, when he's still, he's almost impossible to see... especially if I'm just taking a quick glance.
When he comes through the kitchen this way, I sometimes think it's another "check"... sneaking in to make sure I'm still in the house... "Supervision".
All said though, I'm SO glad that he's SO comfortable in "his house" here... he KNOWS he can move about safely... no "threats" to his well-being... and that's what I'm here to make certain will always be: that this Little Guy is SAFE!
By the time all the baking and such it was already time to break for lunch! And yes, I was reminded of that too, with a little "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" from the door perch. So, together, we put the news on his lap-top and settled at the desk, together, but it was later than usual so, when I finished eating, I put the dishes into the kitchen basin and came back into the room and there he was... on his lap-top, looking right at me... We'd lunched... it was time for the daily "snooze"! And yes, he WAS watching and waiting for me to head to the futon because, as soon as I went over to it, he was RIGHT THERE!
And no sooner had my head touched the pillow... he came RUSHING over... to the pillow, at my head and gave me a couple of the most gentle little pecks and started to get him-self comfy.
Well? We started to settle that way, but when he realised I was getting cosy, he toddled down to my chest, gave me a glance and headed to my leg... and THERE... he got nestled, as he does... and we snoozed... first, for 20 minutes, but when that alarm sounded, he looked up at me and then re-settled where he was... We stayed where we were... for another 30 minutes. Hey! I had nothing on the agenda for the rest of the day other than more "Journal" work. I'd gotten so many more photos backed-up. (OH! The photos! If each one were to be printed, we'd need a whole other house to store them! But these 4 and a half years have been SO unimaginably WONDERFUL... AWE-FULL! I'm grateful for the invention of "digital photos"... and videos! OH! Videos!) So, by the time we both managed to get up (when Yonah decided it was time for us to do... when he took off to the desk shelf from my leg), the sun was still shining brilliantly and it had warmed the air out-side... we opened the doors to the light and warmth... and as I got up to get the kitchen back to settled, my Little Nap-mate headed out to the living-room, to his tree... and the top of his old house.
At 16.00 I was at the desk, working on some budgeting and he came over to his laptop, gave me a wHhhh and got a few kisses and cuddles and off he went back to the living room... He was telling me "Time to put supper on!" So? I did and when I came back to the desk and he came back into the room, to his door perch... another "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo... and he had a bite to eat and then headed up to the desk shelf and "snuggled" there, as I worked a little more on today's journal.
(18.00) Supper is done and this evening, I had a Companion as I ate. My BESTEST LITTLE LOVE has been on his lap-top, beside me, even now, all snuggled, "tapping at the news" and taking little snoozes.
The sun managed to stay brilliant all through the day today and we got to turn the house furnace off, open both doors for the nicest air circulating through a house that truly has been in need of a good "airing". The "Air Quality Monitor" has been perfect all through the day too! So, that gives me the comfort of knowing that this Little Guy is breathing clean air again... and no "circulated" and "filtered" air. (Though, the temperature in the room is dropping down to 21°, which isn't "too cold" but, we'll be closing soon and putting the furnace back on for the night. It's still "April"... and we have chilly days and nights still coming so we'll make sure there's plenty of warmth for the Little LIFE here.) For now though, it does a soul so much good to see him so comfortable.
"Aunt Deborah" stopped by as we sat to dinner and now that she's back locally, we'll be making plans to get out and get some new perches! It'll soon be time for "Summer House-Keeping" and that means EVERYTHING in the house gets a good cleaning. And MAYBE we can go visit "Aunt Deborah" together this time!
For now, it's just nice to have doors open, sun shining into the living-room so brightly and knowing that if he wants to, my Little Guy has a "new place" that he's come to enjoy... at the windows, on his old house where he can nestle comfortably.
(18.41) Oddly, as I was typing, Yonah headed up from his lap-top to his night perch and he's been there for about 45 minutes now, under his Sweeter Heater. The sun is starting to set, though there's still quite a lot of sun-shine out-side, but it's "evening" and temperatures are falling out there and in the room, it's cooler than it's been all day. 21°... looks like it's time to close the doors, turn the house furnace on for the night. My Little LOVE is chilly! (Tells me that my decisions against us being out in the yard during the day are good. I've been so tempted to give it a try, setting things up out there and spending time together out-side again, but the air is still carrying the chill from the mountains and, well, Yonah's never had to fend against chills so... now I know... we'll wait.) But it's time to get to the evening water run anyway... Tonight, we're going to get tucked-in at a proper hour. Some-birdie was up quite early this morning and his house has been active all day. (woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo from his night roost... off we go... AND A ''woo-HOO!" nest-coo too!)
It's 20.10 and my Little Guy is beside me here, at the desk, he's on his lap-top and looking at me... I can see... it's time to tuck-in for the night!
20.33 I just went to put Burdie into the nook on the book-case and said "Seepie-nigh-night Burdie-Bird." and the Little Guy went rushing to the futon to say "seepie-nigh-night" to Burdie and then, when I went to the windows to close up for the night, he RUSHED over to his roof-top to watch but... no playing. He'd been dozing on the lap-top until I started getting the room together so... he's now on his night roost and it is SO time to tuck-in so... we're done with the day and ... more tomorrow....
Thursday 24 April:
It's 19.23 already and thankfully, I managed to take notes all through the day because it was quite the busy one. And now, as we get to settle for the day, the doors and windows are open, as they've been for most of the day and for the most part, quite warm (at a high of about 24° out there). Thankfully, perhaps, we didn't get any of the rain that was in the forecast, but the humidity is noticeably higher which is, for my Little Guy, better than the dryness of these Winter months, and it's giving higher readings on the "Air Quality Monitor" in his room. I'm going to have to learn the "acceptable" differences in the numbers, and this monitor is so sensitive that it tends to sound an "alarm" at levels that I've looked-up and found to be "normal" or even "acceptable". (I have to keep in mind, all the time we didn't have a monitor and, for a prime example, we had an entire Summer of nothing but "haze" from "wild-fires" across Canada that literally turned the skies "red" as far South as New York city... we survived that so... But the doors and windows are open again for a while before we "tuck-in" for the night and yes, the monitor is ticking it's "warning", but the air still doesn't smell or seem "terrible". I just worry SO MUCH about my Little LOVE! I take some comfort in seeing the Yardies out-side, having their late night snack. As long as they're around, I know THEY know best so they serve as my "mentors".)
Let's get to the day whilst we may here. It's almost time to wrap this one up, and I can see, by my Little Guy on his door perch, he's getting ready to "turn in"....
Last night, at 21.00, all the lights were off. It's become our almost "normal" hour for that and though it doesn't afford a "10-14 hour" night's rest, I trust that Yonah will sleep as much as he needs. And I do, as I say, take consolation in knowing that he "snoozes" during the day (as, I'm to understand, do ALL the Little Ones of the trees out there in their "natural habitat"), so I don't worry too much about it.
He stayed on his night roost for "tuck-in". No "games", no chases, no "ride home". And we made it through a "shortened repertoire" of lullabies because, at the end of "I Think It's Going To Rain Today", we had a little "chat". Just as I was finishing, he called, so softly: "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" and I stopped the music and answered. Thrice for each of us and I tried to continue but I could see the little silhouette... he was fidgeting, so I skipped the "Turtle Dove" and went right to the German lullabies and by the time I was done, he was settled... A little "Guten Nacht" and... we were done.
This morning? WELL! I was still sleeping and was awakened with a hearty "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo"! The clock read 5.42! I answered, but laid still on the futon and we had a little "morning chat", exchanging "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo's" for a bit until suddenly, came the finale... "woo-HOO!" 5.55... it was time to stop with the chatting in the morning darkness and get up and on with the day! And so... indeed, we did.
When I got up and opened the door to his house, my Little LOVE was there, all comfy, on his night roost, and he gave me a glance. I popped my head in for some delightful "Good morning" kisses and got right to our morning routine... kettle on in the kitchen, coo'ing back and forth all the while.
A little chilly, this morning. The house furnace was running, but it wasn't at all "cold". And the sky was quite a bit over-cast, as the forecast had threatened. But not too heavily, thankfully. We could see the morning light coming up over the Eastern hills and there was enough light already, at 6.00, to not need any artificial lighting and both of us could see perfectly well. So well, in fact, that no sooner had I opened the curtains when this Little One was up, out and about the room... over to the desk! That morning energy is something I'll always marvel at, derive such comfort from, and almost envy!
Poops check this morning: 10 "delightfully perfect" and all under the night roost, so it was another "healthy morning" and apparently after a restful night, last. Quite inspiring for me, I have to say, because this morning, there were errands that had to be run later on and, well, as much as I dislike leaving my little Heart-and-Soul, even for a moment's time, I tend to look for "excuses" to postpone or even cancel them, but, seeing that he was fine gave me incentive to be "responsible".
As the sun rose, it came through the clouds and in through the windows and Herr Burst-O-Engery found a little spot on the wall shelves, made him-self quite comfy and for the longest while, "sang" a complete composition of "nest-coo's"! AND, he was in quite the "Kissie mood" this morning, too! So much so that he didn't even stop the nest coo's when I went over for kisses... and I did at every possible moment.
When I'd finally gotten the rest of the house settled, I sat at the desk, needing to check the house-hold budget. Today we had to put in a call for more oil for the house furnace. We're not "out" and it's not "dangerously low" but it's the usual "end of season" assurance. It's only the end of April and here, we've had more snow and cooler nights well through May so I got right to the business of "people business" (to make absolutely certain my Little LOVE won't be "chilled" of a night to come.
Of course, I had to be on the telephone and did so at the desk, and of course, I was talking so I MUST have been talking with HIM so, when-ever the receiver wasn't at my ear... I got tugs. He was right with me as often as he could be. (I wondered: I'm usually quite anxious when I know I have to leave the house and I don't doubt that he senses that... and he came to assure me that all was well.)
When I'd done with the business, I did a quick check of "our" e-mails (mine, for me and the house and Yonah's, for any "bird-news" and to check on the status of the order for his food that was due to arrive today). As I did, I happened upon a little video posted on social media of a woman who "rescued" a wild parakeet (though she called it a "parrot") after a terrible wind-and-rain storm! SO precious! She recorded the "rescue" and the "treatment" of the Little One's wings and feathers that had been damaged in the storm AND after a while, the Little One had come to where, when she held her finger out, s/he'd come flying right over! Something Yonah still will NOT do with me (though he WILL come to my shoulder, when he's of a mind). He was on the desk, beside me, and I looked over to him and asked:
"Why don't YOU do that?"
and as soon as I asked HE CAME RUSHING UP TO MY SHOULDER AND GAVE SUCH TUGS ON MY EAR! It was as though he understood and that was his way of saying:
"I don't come to your finger but I come to your shoulder and that's closer to you!"
and to be honest, I'm more grateful that he actually wants to be that close to me... not just on a finger... but right next to my face... where we can be so cosy and close and "cuddly" too... where I can give him KISSES! (If he's on my arm or hand, he tends to fly away.)
That, pretty much describes how most of the entire day went along. Ever-so "close" and "Lovie"!
AND... because the weather was so WONDERFUL out-side, sunny and "warm" (not "hot" but certainly delightfully "warm") we had the WINDOWS OPEN... BOTH of them in his room! The sun was REALLY warm, fighting the chill in the air so... the room smelled so nice filling with "out-side" air for a change. And the breeze from the window comes into and through his house so it must have been a delight there too. it's been so many months of "static air". What a relief... to BOTH of us, I'm sure.
I set the Air Quality Monitor up today to check the "quality" of the "new, fresh" air and it was no different from any other time which is great because I wondered about out-side dust from the road and other "particulates" in the air. But it was perfectly fine! And with no house furnace running... just great! And the room continued to feel comfortably warm so it was just such a delight!
Early "lunch" today and, according to routine, a snooze, set for 30 minutes. But today, unusually, my head touched the pillow and there he was... AT MY HEAD, ON THE PILLOW... for quite the while too! He usually comes over to mu chest or legs, but this time, he was on the pillow with me.. for a while anyway. And then he moved to my chest and almost seemed to settle there for a bit. I closed my eyes and he headed to my leg but up and away. I was alone on the futon until the alarm sounded.
He must have heard the alarm and came over to the futon and THEN he decided "we" needed a little "extra time" to "rest" and nestled on my leg where we got the usual extra 15 minutes and so I stayed, of course. Not only will I not "disturb" him but when we're together this way, I'm in such HEAVEN! So I wait until HE decides it's time to get up. (And today, I HAD to run errands which causes me more anxieties than I care to ponder - not being comfortable leaving my little Heart-and-Soul alone - or being separated from him anyway so time together was perfectly fine with me!)
I DID, though. I DID get the errands done and was gone for about AND HOUR! When I got BACK, there he was, on his food shelf, having a little nibble (it was about 15.30 by then anyway). When I walked into his room, he FLEW RIGHT OVER TO THE FUTON AND THEN OUT TO THE LIVING-ROOM... I went out to give some "I'm back kisses" and as I approached him I got WING-SNAPS! HAPPY WING-SNAPS! OBVIOUSLY the joy of being re-united was mutual (and my heart just JUMPED for that joy)! What made it all the more poignant today:
There'd been a fire in town last night! Another "old house". When I drove by, I was taken by the pile of blackened old timbers there where the house used to be. When I spoke with somebody next door to it, the comment "The house was over 100 years old..." like this house we're in! And "It just burnt right away, really fast." my stomach wrenched and churned. It's something always on my mind when I leave Yonah alone at home. The very thought... the... I can't... mentally, physically, emotionally... I can't even let the thought settle in my head. So when I got back today, it actually WAS a relief and celebration! I know how careful I am to make sure the house is safe, whether we're in or not, but in an old house, in a small hamlet and with neighbours too close by, there's never a time to be "complacent". Then too, even in the newest of houses... we just never know, we can never know with any certainty. It's part of my "departure" and "separation anxieties". How I worry... just how I worry.
FUNNY TODAY: HE'S FOUND A NEW PLACE TO TRAVEL TO AND "HANG-OUT" AT: THE ROD ACROSS THE TOP OF THE LITTLE "ALCOVE" IN HIS ROOM! There's a canvas drape over that opening and I've tried to make it look as inconspicuous as possible. He's NEVER really paid it much attention but today, this after-noon, as I got to the desk to do our book-keeping, I heard a "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" and looked up and around the room to see where he was. Couldn't find him in ANY of his usual places and out of the corner of my eye, I noticed a little "dark spot"... There he was, as casual as could be, up on the rod, looking down at me! AND, toddling across the length! He MUST have hopped onto it from the top of his book-case! He's surely curious about his surroundings, and though it's not "the great out-doors" or the WORLD which is, by rights, HIS domain and territory (the entirety of the planet, when we think about it), it's nice to see him "find new places" to explore, get different perspectives of his "house"... since his house is ALL of this place. But WHAT a Little Character. And when he realised that I'd seen him and commented "Well! Look at you up there!" he looked down at me and it SO appeared that he was thinking "Yeah? What of it?" Honestly? I DO know that birds don't actually have "facial expressions", but there are moments when it "feels" (I'll call it that) that THIS one actually DOES. (Or I'm just "feeling"... I SO wish I could know what he's thinking when he's thinking something... and how he "KNOWS" things. I always believe that he knows SO MUCH MORE about Life that I can only surmise.)
Oh, and today, he's been "playing" with a little "toy" that I put together from strips of brown packing paper. It's a little "pom-pom" of sorts, about 10cm around. Nothing fancy, but he's been tossing it about, as he does. I'll have to make more of these and "toss" them about the room. (I still have to figure a way to make some sort of "birdie" that will move, bounce or something. But it has to be sound or motion sensitive so that it doesn't have to be "tossed" or pecked. "Craft projects"...)
At 18.55 I was sitting at the desk, wrapping-up things and getting ready to put the room in order and get to the water run, my Little Love was on the desk shelf, up by the radio, SNOOZING and suddenly, he woke up, headed to his house and grabbed an evening snack! The house doors are closed but the window still open. There's a "bird documentary" playing on his lap-top. No more "news" for today. Enough of that. It's the time of day to stop all the "people nonsense" and get us calmed and settled.
20.00 I'm not done with today's entry but Yonah's on his lap-top now, pecking at the screen (thankfully, at the plexi) and the Air Monitor is calm again. When I get moving about and we "sage" the place, it tends to "rise" and tick and beep. It's very low volume, but I hear it and I'm sure Yonah does too. The "sage" smoke isn't all that heavy, and I've come to SEE that it DOES make quite a "good" difference in the air quality over-all when it clears. The readings of TVOCs and the likes tend to rise as the smoke fills the house and as it settles and disappears, the readings drop considerably! I've read that it actually clears some bacteria and can thwart the growth of some moulds! So, for the moments of "inconvenience" as it smoulders, it's all well worth it. And since it's "plant", it's "natural", and it isn't "heavy", doesn't linger long so it's certainly no-where near the threats of the heavy, lingering smokes of the alleged "wild-fires" we've been cursed with in recent times. And it SURELY ISN'T as threatening as a "house-fire" with electric smokes and the likes. Mean-while... There's a bit of air moving about in the room and the day-light is disappearing... time to get to tucking-in... let's see how it goes tonight... I'm off to "ablutions"... and he's got his bird video playing so the night music will have to wait... I still have to close the curtains and windows anyway.
20.25 So the Little LOVE is on his night roost. He came right up to his house when I closed the windows and only a little play with the curtain... a couple of coo's as I brushed my teeth, but we're ready for tucking in.... night music on, house furnace too, for the over-night (in case of a chill... AND, indeed, for the air filtration too!). More tomorrow... today is "closed".
Friday 25 April:
(16.15) Poor Little Sweetest Heart-and-Soul. He was SO tired last night that he stayed on his night roost, all through the settling of the room. No hopping about. No flutterings. He just settled right down and right in for the night. So I got things together as quickly (but calmly, so that there was no "disturbance") as possible and began the nightly lullabies even as I put the sheets on the futon and put the rest of "things" in order for the night.
And we made it through the whole evening repertoire of lullabies, softly, calmly, and as I sang, I watched the little silhouette over-head as he truly did nestle-down for the night.
Thankfully, by 20.55, the last light was off and we were quietly done with the day.
This morning? Well... at 5.52 I was softly awakened with a gentle "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" which was followed by something "unique":
The softest "nest coo's"... that little "woo-HOOooo". And when I "asked" "woo-HOOooo?" it started a rather lengthy exchange, back and forth of nest-coo's. Not the "woo-HOO!" that I usually hear when it's time to get up and on with the day, but gentle, soft coo's... as I say, for the longest while before, oh yes, came the "woo-HOO!" when our morning exchange of "pleasantries" was done.
When I got up and opened house, popped in for "Good morning" kisses, I got a few. They were "kisses", gentle and kind, but not too many. Apparently, Friday had arrived and it was time to get on with what-ever was on the agenda.
Out-side, this morning, the sky was over-cast, as forecast, thankfully the room was warm, but the house furnace was running. Oh... April. And I have to wonder if the Little Guy wasn't a bit too warm over-night because this morning poops were all quite close together on the little "poopie rug" under the night roost, but they were all quite close to the front edge of his floor. It looked as though he was "pressed" against the little mirror that's hung on the front of his house, at the end of his perch/night roost. Comforting, all 7 of them were perfect in every way... from moisture and colour to content. So he wasn't "ill" over-night. And his energy this morning was "normal" too. No sooner did I get the curtains and blinds open, he was out and about the room, over to the futon, and coo'ing away as he does of a morning. The room wasn't "hot". It was just as comfortable as it's ever been. But I do wonder what happened over-night.
Still, as I say, poops were perfect, and his little voice was perfect and his energy was perfect. Oh, the wonders that I'll never actually "know" with certainty. But that's the way it's been every moment of every day for our almost-5-years together. (And again, I have to reference the claim that "humans" are so 'highly-evolved" and so "intelligent". THIS Little Guy "knows" more about me than I could ever know about him...)
This morning, the "plan" was, originally, to get much of his Journal attended to and the after-noon, cleaning. Now that we're heading into the season where the windows and doors will be open, it's time to make sure that the filters in the heating and the air purifiers are clean. (And there's another "full house-keeping" coming due too... and this year, the "plan" is: for our 5-year anniversary AND Yonah's 5-year "Birthiversary", we're going to get a "new house". I'm contemplating moving up to the largest available... which is a couple of inches larger and "fresher", newer and hopefully cleaner... it's a thought and something that might necessitate a larger "shelving rack"... and hopefully we'll be in a "fresher, newer, cleaner, safer" house over-all... "Hope"...)
Anyway, what actually transpired this dreary morn was that we got into more "people nonsense" with seasonal budgeting which kept me at the desk for the morning and all the while I tried to focus on "calculations" and the likes, my Little Supervisor made his "visits" to my shoulder... ear tugs, cheek-pecks, and several "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo's" in my ear! Now THAT'S become something QUITE NOTABLE! It's a relatively recent development. He USED to come over to my shoulder and tug at my ear or peck at my cheek but never make a sound. NOW? Not only am I being given "little clues" and "hints", I'M BEING TOLD (something... and I can only imagine what, but I'm being TOLD)!
AND, today, when I reached up to stroke his back or neck, he didn't RUSH to get away! It was SOME kind of morning, this was!
So eventually, I did get our heating fuels recorded, and "our" e-mails ready (his and mine), but it took me almost up to LUNCH break time! "Almost"... we had an "early lunch" today, I finished the "work" and, in his own inimitable way, my Little Supervisor reminded me that it was time for our "mid-day lie-down". He came over to his door perch and stood there giving me the "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo's" until I looked up and said "OK. It's time for a snooze. Are you coming for a snooze too?"
It didn't take but a moment and there he was, on the futon, coo'ing at Burdie-Bird who had been there all morning. And no sooner had I laid down, with Burdie on my chest, he was up on my chest, a quick "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" to Burdie and, down to my shin where he "nestled". Our "mid-day snooze"... together.
Alarm set for 25 minutes so I could get a snooze and up and on to the house-work ("Friday house-work") and we settled, snug, on the futon. It was more of a "shut-eye" for me, so all the while I laid there, I could feel the Little Guy on my leg as he preened a little while and then settled calmly until... the alarm sounded. Ah but... obviously, 25 minutes wasn't enough for him because when I turned the alarm off, he made NO motion to get up! In fact, when he saw that I was awake, he actually nestled even MORE, and preened a little more... and nestled MORE! So? So, yes, I laid there, waiting for him to decide when we'd both had "enough" of a snooze.
About 15 minutes later, he looked up at my face, stood up, toddled up to my chest, gave another look, as if checking to see if I actually was awake and when confirmed... off he went, to the living-room and I got up and on with the chores that waited.
He was some-how fascinated today, with the goings-on as I pulled the Hoover out and set it for work. He followed me from room-to-room, and when I took his air purifiers apart to clean them out, he stood on his roof-top, watching SO closely. It was almost as if today was the first time we'd ever done this! But it was really more of the "We need to be together" sort of way the day had gone.
House-work done, things put back to where they're "supposed" to be, the next "Notification"... "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo"... 16.00... time to put dinner on the heat and get to settling for our dinner... together. HONESTLY! The sun can change with rise and set, people can change the clocks, this Little LOVE has a routine set and he knows when something is supposed to be happening! (I still SO wish we could follow his clock for when we get to go "seepie-nigh-night" ... sun-down. I remember how I used to get him settled for the night at sun-down in our earliest days together. Back then, his room was so sparse, his accommodations where, in comparison, horrific. But then, he wasn't expected to be staying for very long. Still, at sun-down, he'd be in his "house", the lights in the room turned off, and I'd step out, close the door and leave him to rest for the night. OH! How things have changed over the time. Now? As I've said before: I believe that if we both could survive, neither of us would EVER get any sleep. And the way he flies about as soon as he knows it's "seepie-nigh-night" time... I DO wonder when HE'D decide we both could get to tuck-in. Anyway, for now... we do the best we can with what we have and I do the best-possible to make sure my little Heart-and-Soul gets his rest... NO FATIGUE... NO HEALTH TROUBLES!)
And so... 18.00 and we've had evening meals. I'd put fresh food in his dish this morning and he's eaten SO WELL during the day! Looks like we might have a "weigh-in" tomorrow. I can't believe how WONDERFUL his appetite is! And I wonder what's in the "new" "parakeet" mix that's made his food, generally, so much better. Thankfully, we just got another bag of it so now, we have PLENTY of "back-up foods" for him. There will be NO "hungry" in THIS house! To be sure.
20.00 and... I'm showered, the house is settled and I've been typing and this Little Character had his evening snack and a drink of water and has said his "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" to Burdie, on the futon and just now... he came SOARING over my head to the desk shelf... I'm being told:
Friday is closed! So... I'm off to ablutions and heading for the futon! (Have to close the curtains and blinds though so there's time for ''ride home" or "catch me"!)
20.20 The house is settled, the blinds and curtains are closed, with no interest this evening. The Little Guy stayed on the desk shelf all the while and didn't go "home" until I'd put his house in position for the night. BUT, he's on his roof-top now so I'm heading into the room (after moving the computers and phones to the kitchen where they stay for the night - no computers or phones in the room during the night so no noises and nothing to "attract" any sort of "WiFi" or the likes). Hopefully, we'll be able to tuck-in and away from the day at a "civil" hour tonight? We shall see... More on the matter tomorrow...
Saturday 26 April:
20.00 and I'm dashing through some notes jotted during the day. It's been another one of those where the day started and just kept rolling along. (I need to stop this and dedicated specific time for this Journal... catching-up can get crazy, but I want ALL days accounted for, not only because of the memories, but because of the documentation of CARE, should ANYBODY EVER question Yonah's well-fare and well-being! Ever since that horrific, un-called-for "raid" on that "Rescue Centre" and the out-right "murder" of a squirrel and raccoon... I trust NO ONE! - Well, save for Amy who loves Yonah, it seems, as much as I do.) Anyway.... to get to the matters at hand before it gets too late... again...
Last night's ride home to the night roost as... I started lullabies as I put the futon together for me, the windows were already attended, blinds and curtains closed. As I started singing Yonah was on his roof-top (patiently awaiting my moving his house about to the "nightly position") and he started preening and then... hearing the melodies, simply turned and stepped right onto the platform there, prepared for the "flight" from roof to roost. It's SO obvious... "Autumn Leaves" means... we're heading for a tuck-in! And he KNOWS it.
Up we went, over and into his house and at the "meeting" of platform to perch, he stepped onto his night roost and proceeded to get cosy for the night. And lullabies went along soft and calm as I closed his house for the night and got me to the futon. By 20.50 we were done with the day!
I have to say, this Little LIFE here is SO teaching me the gentle art of "patience"... This dreary, drizzly April morning, I laid sleeping on the futon, after being awake once at about 4.20 when... "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo"... came the morning call to order. And I looked at the clock... 5.54, and called back "Good morning to you! Is it time already, to get up? Oh, I could use a little while more. It's so comfy. You really ready to get up already?"
"woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" came the reply. BUT... ME... being the lazy sort that I can be of a morning, I laid there, thinking about what we could do with the day ahead and the next thing I knew, another "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo"... I opened my eyes, glanced at the clock... 6.14! I'd dozed back off and my PRECIOUS LITTLE LOVE waited, so quietly, for me, in the morning darkness! I was UP and over to open his house, get the curtains and blinds open and let in the morning dim light. OH! What he must have been thinking of and about me, laying there all that while. Mean-while, out-side, the Little Ones were already busy coming and going to breakfasts and getting along with their "tasks of their day"! I DID get some kisses though, when I popped my head in and I was off and on the move... kettle on, morning water changes rolling along.
Poops: 9 perfect in every way, together, almost neatly, in one place, under the night roost so healthy tummy and a good, restful night behind us. I need to see that of a morning.
For most of the day though, I'd been in a sleepy mood today (shoulder pain). And it was rainy out there and my poor Little Guy... He headed out to the living-room and when I went out to visit with him, he made it clear that he didn't want to be bothered. He flew away from me when I got close to him. Looks like we BOTH had "one of those days". I didn't force the issue, of course. Hey! We're ALL entitled to "those days" and I'm in NO position to "demand" that he tolerate me. So I go on about my business... I was sleepy... and I'd stayed late on the futon so....
BUT... at 10.55, I was sitting at the desk, typing along with today's business and suddenly, HE CAME TO MY SHOULDER! I swear he knew I was tired and in a bit of pain, and that little "visit" made ALL the difference in the world to me! Were it not for Yonah, first of all, I KNOW I wouldn't be "here" on this date, and second of all, if I were, it would have been a day where I likely wouldn't have bothered getting up from bed or futon or where-ever. I just wouldn't have bothered with the world. But then, I think of my "discomfort" and compare it to the living Hell this Little LIFE has suffered through, and how, all these years, he's tolerated me, likely tolerated ALL sorts of pains from all the injuries and still, he comes to me, to my shoulder, will snooze with me, play with me, even chat with me and, well, I've NOTHING to be-moan. And while he's on my shoulder, so close, everything else in the world vanishes... we're together and we're good, fine, well... and "all is well with the world"... "our" world.
And so, at mid-day, we took our regular "lunch break" and, as we do, of course, I went to the futon for the daily "lie-down"... I managed 45 minutes, most of which were alone. BUT, as he does, and I'm still in awe, just before the alarm was set to sound, there he was, on my leg! he didn't stay long, but it's always as if he knows the alarm will sound and there are moments when it seems he comes over when he does to give the appearance that he's been there all along, as if trying to make me think that I didn't snooze alone. What-ever it is... I SO HAVE to smile.
And so... I was up...
The day went by so dreary. We had the UV light on to compensate for the darkness. We haven't been out in the yard, and that bulb isn't the same as being in the sun-shine, but I'm some-what relieved that we have it. And the doors and windows open for air circulation. At least the house wasn't "closed-up". Not, mind, that it's any real proper substitute for being OUT in the WORLD! Still, at the very least, there's circulation and "fresh" (as much as is possible) air.
AND, silly Little Guy, he was back up on that curtain rod over the alcove in his room, quite a bit today. He seems to LIKE it up there. And I'm sure it "view" is a welcome relief from his usual roof-top or the futon. A more "aerial" view of the terrain, as it were.
Well... the day is done and gone by and I didn't "do" much at all with it. Got notes and such jotted for this Journal (I was so tired, generally), and did manage to get a little of our "house-hold stuff" together. And now, the Little One is on his door perch.
We DID get some play time in... twice... in the living-room at his "old house" (the one he stays in when we're in the yard, now). A little bit... not much. Seems we were both "fatigued".
But the warmth of the day and the open windows was refreshing. And now, the purifiers (in his room and the box fans set with the filters) are running, The house furnace is set on, mostly for the filtration of the air in the house. (With the in-take, out-put and the main filter in the unit, there's a LOT of filtration going on in the place... I some-times wonder how ANYTHING could manage to escape it all.)
OH... I DID manage to compile a nice little collection of what I'll call "Nacht Muzik", on the old mobile phone. There are lullabies on there too AND I HAVE TO ADD HERE: as I found them on the internet, down-loaded them, then played them whilst adjusting, Yonah heard the melodies and it OBVIOUSLY cause some "concern". Lullabies? Day-light? WHAT? And on some of them, I changed the "pitch" so deepen the voice of the singer and it sounded close to my own voice! It got FLIGHT and COO'ing ALL OVER THE ROOM! (Plan: to make an actual recording of our repertoire so that, should I ever not be able to sing before we tuck-in, we'll still have our lullabies at the close of a day... but may THAT day NEVER come!)
I did manage to get a little recording of OUR "Ich Liebe Dich" on the phone too... Not as good as I'd like but at least there's a recording of it! Nobody else would know it, but now there's a recording. (Oh, that technology... beats the old days before we could record cassettes... and even those weren't as convenient. We can even put a copy on the web-site now! Imagine that!)
Well... 20.24 and my fingers are done typing and it's time to close the windows for the night. The Little Boss is on his roof-top, coo'ing at me and "prancing"... Looks like we've run to the end of "patience" for the day... TUCK-IN! More tomorrow...
Sunday 27 April:
It's already 17.45 and today has run away from us, as ALL days seem to do (especially these past 4 and a half years). And it's been grey all day, with little spells of drizzle. And not warm enough to put the house furnace off and open doors and windows.
And as I sit at the desk, to get today's Journal entry going, my Little LOVE is where he's been passing quite a bit of time today for some reason: on the terracotta dish, on the shelf, under his house, by the window. And he's been quite "vocal"... NEST-COO'S! Those have been the majority of his vocalisations today and I'm wondering (as I always am) what this is about. I'd SO delight in being able to get us out of the house and into the yard again, out in the air, the "real light" of a day, and with the Yardies. And if he's "broody", it breaks my heart to think that his natural little instincts are calling for a mate and I'm absolutely useless (again). But, again, I worry about introducing another dove, though I'd NEVER entrap one because, it would be like forcing an "arranged marriage", and there's no way of knowing how she'd be received. If there were no attraction, it would HORRIBLE to think of another dove being ignored or worse. Then again, I keep thinking of how many have said, over our years together:
He's happy with his "flock" as it is. You two are the "flock" and you're his "mate".
I'm a miserable "mate", really, but the truth is: we HAVE done quite well this long so... it's just a matter of time, I suppose. And as I think of other Little Ones, relegated to cages, mostly ignored, I suppose we're doing "well", so... I can only hope... as I've done every moment of every day we've been together.
Let's get to last night and this morning then...
Yes, indeed, last night, we were back to "ride home". When I came back into the room to get everything settled for the night, he was still on his roof-top, and still very much "prancing" about. BUT, as soon as he saw me heading for the futon to put the sheets on for me for the night... he headed up to the top of his book-case, got "snuggled", tail raised, little body fluttering and "woo-HOOooo"! The old "nest coo serenade"! So I went about putting the futon together and started the night's lullabies, with the accompaniment of "woo-HOOooo".
When I'd done with everything and had the room and house settled, I brought the little platform over to the top of the book-case, placed it level with him and it didn't take a moment and sure enough, he simply stepped off the book-case, onto the platform and waited for me to take him "home" for the night. (I can't tell when he's on the platform though, because he's so light, so it's a matter of me tipping it a bit to see him. And he seems to know that because he situates him-self in the centre... ready for the "flight"! It's all become so "normal" for him now... and I'm LUVIN' IT!)
On the way "home", I paused for a little kiss and it was obvious that that's not what we were supposed to do. We needed to "get home" for the night and the Little Character moved closer to the edge, closest to his house. I was being told...
As soon as we arrived at the perch, he hopped, immediately, onto the perch and started to settle at the night roost. We were home and the night had arrived and the day was done!
We made it all through the entire nightly repertoire of lullabies, softly and calmly, and as I sang, the little silhouette over-head nestled, little head between little wings. By 20.50 the last light of the day was turned off... we were "seepie-nigh-night".
THIS MORNING? WELL! It certainly does appear that we're in "Summer season hours" because I'd looked up at the clock at 5.00 and had dozed back off, pondering getting up (or not) when came the
"woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo".
5.42! The day is breaking earlier and even with the blinds and curtains closed, between the dim light that makes its way through those and the light that comes into the room from the rest of the house, this Little Guy doesn't miss a second of a new day! And when I answered "Oh my! Are we REALLY ready to get up to face this new day?" came the reply "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo...hoo"! So, woo-hoo... we were! At 5.45 I got me up from the futon and went over to his house and there he was, on the night roost, looking toward his door. He was waiting for me... patiently (or maybe not). And when I popped my head in for "Good morning" kisses, something "new":
Not so much "kisses" but he simply "touched" the tip of my nose. A quick, little "press", thrice, and that was that... he toddled away. He didn't appear to be "angry" with me, but all considered, a "press on the nose" is WAY MUCH BETTER than him side-stepping away... and he's done that some mornings so...
And I have to add that I opened his house, opened the windows to our dreary Sunday morning and it didn't take long before the first flight to the living-room so...
Oh, and poops this morning: 10 perfectly perfect and under the night roost so good tummy, good rest, good morning, good day.
19.47 already! WOW! And out-side the windows, there's still remnants of day-light! Oh, the "long days of Summer" are rolling-in quickly! The sun is "setting" but the "darkness" comes later and "tucking-in" gets later with it. I keep an eye on the Yardies now, and try to keep their timing for closing the day. After all, they have "Nature's clock", the way things were meant to be. We can only try to stick with that, but with "people" around, well, we've been through almost 5 years of these "time changes" together. I just never remember exactly "how" we changed... it seems to just happen.
For now though, the house needs to be settled for the night. Evening water changes are done, and as I sit here pulling the day's notes together, my Little LOVE is on the floor of his house, just inside his door, staring at me. What I wouldn't give to be able to know what he's thinking! (Then too, that's ALWAYS. To be able to know, to understand, communicate with him. I can learn different languages of people... HE can understand MY languages - since he's obviously come to understand phrases now in English, French and German - and yet I, the "highest-evolved" have little-to-no idea what his coo's are saying. So which one of us is the "inferior" one? I think that's obvious.) But it's time to turn the "news" off, put the lap-tops out to the kitchen, get the windows closed and the room settled for us for the night.
As for the day? Well, it was, as it tends to be more often than not, "scattered" with little tasks and such, stayed so dreary for most of it, and with the clouds and drizzles, on the "cooler" side out. The furnace ran from time-to-time to keep the "chill" away. I did my best to get "things" done and keep a bit of "motion" going in the place. Tried to get typing and book-keeping to-date too.
Since it's getting to the time when we can put some flowers out, hoping to brighten our little back yard for the Summer season, I worked on "painting" a little flower pot that I'd uncovered some while back and thought I could use for something. So I got the old acrylics and brushes out and set me down at the desk to be "artsy" and to my delight, it caught Yonah's attention! Something "new"... and "motion"! He came over to the desk shelf for a bit to watch as I painted and he seemed some-what "interested" in this "new people nonsense" going on in his room! I have to wonder what colours he sees as I mixed paint and applied a "terracotta" to the other-wise "white" pot, and I have to wonder what he must have thought of the whole project.
Next came tying a "hanger" for the pot. "Mason twine". Strands cut and tied, and strings going every which way! MORE PLAY STUFF! I HAD to laugh as he "attacked" the threads as I tried my best to get them tied! My little "Supervisor"... showing me how it's done. (HEY! Well, it's not like mourning doves are famous for "intricate nest-weaving" or anything. And it reminds me: I'd still like to figure a way to hang a terracotta "dish" some-where and see if THIS Little Guy doesn't make some kind of "nest", or a "loft alternative" in it. He's "nestling" in the large dish on the shelf under his house. It's close enough to the window so that the sun-shine gets to it, and these recent days, he seems to be enjoying it, "hiding", as it were, in it, fluttering with his little "nest coo's". Another little project for his room and house. (Me, trying to keep his "world" here, in this house, as close to his "natural" environment as possible.)
AND YES! OH YES! We DID have breaks in all the "affairs" to get some "PLAY TIME" in... with Burdie-Bird on the futon. AND I got some "visits" at the desk too... the little "check-ups" and "check-ins" on the shoulder as I worked at the desk. (Or maybe it was "progress checks"? Never can tell with this Little Guy.)
One thing though, he was SO "vociferous" for most of the day. SO MUCH to say! But MOSTLY "nest-coo's"! Makes me think "Spring and mating season". Or, maybe he's just content? I'll never be able to be certain about it, but most of the "experts" (those who have had MANY MORE YEARS in the company of these Little Guys) tend to say that it's "contentment", that their Little Ones are at peace in their surroundings. So I'll hope that that's it. We're enjoying the "company" on one-another. Besides, I'm rather certain that if Yonah wasn't "comfortable", he's got plenty of ways of letting that be known, and that he finds the strangest little places around the house now, from the living-room to the corners in his room, at least he's not "confined" to one room, or a horrid little cage, and he can be up and about. (And he IS finding "new places" of late too: hiding behind the little mirror on the desk, in the "cubby" where Buride-Birdie stays the night AND ON THE CURTAIN ROD at the "alcove" in his room... which is the latest. No "boredom" or lack of places to get to... And I have to say that there's precious little in Creation that's more comforting to the soul than that little "woo-HOOooo"... so soft, and seeing the little feathers fluttering. Almost 5 years... I still can't believe it's true, and these are the moments when I really do think: "We are a flock".)
At noon-time, as we do, it was time to take our "mid-day snack break". A little earlier today, because, I'll say, the "drear" of the day, so by noon we were well-settled and I had my snack, my Little LOVE had his and yes, of course, it was time for our "snooze" after. And so, I set an alarm for 30 minutes, as I do and got onto the futon. No sooner had I done when he came right over, to my leg and started to get settled but, for some reason, he didn't stay. Instead, he headed out to the living-room! So, I got comfortable and really only just-about dozed (waiting for him to return... it's not "comfortable" when he's not with me now... I've become accustomed to snooze-company now) and THEN... the alarm sounded and I turned it off and... IN HE CAME FROM THE LIVING-ROOM! I thought it was to check on me and make sure I was awake BUT, as he'll do, he headed right for my leg again AND NESTLED-IN! SO... I was in no particular rush to get back to the day for anything. I laid there, to wait and see how much longer I'd get for a lie-down and, another 15 minutes together, so calm and relaxed, before UP and AWAY! Time to get up and back to the rest of day ahead... still dreary, as it was.
Nice though, as the after-noon passed, the skies started to clear and the sun made a nice appearance. Not steady, but enough to brighten the room a bit. BUT, the winds were strong and coming off the mountains, they still carry that chill from the higher elevations. Winter is still lingering a bit "up there" and it made it just cool enough to not open the windows today. Shame, really. But the forecast holds some promise of some rather warm days in the week to come. And the good thing this year is that we have the "Air Quality Monitor" and purifiers so I don't "worry" too much about the air in this house. (Hopefully, we won't have any trouble come the Summer heat and humidity this year... now THAT'S an actual "terror" for me. But we're prepared... we know what to do and how to do it to fend against onslaughts of "Nature". No moulds in the air in this place!)
Most of the afternoon was looking into getting him a "new house" this Summer. In August, we'll be "observing" a "mile-stone"... FIVE YEARS! IF OUR CALCULATIONS ARE CORRECT, THIS LITTLE GUY WILL BE 5 YEARS OF AGE IN AUGUST, AND IN OCTOBER, IT WILL BE FIVE YEARS THAT HE'S BEEN KEEPING ME UP, ABOUT AND BREATHING! I'D LIKE, SO VERY MUCH, TO DO SOMETHING SPECIAL THIS YEAR AND THINKING A NEW HOUSE IS IN ORDER. (There's nothing really "wrong" with the one he has, though, in the corner, where his pool is, it's beginning to show a bit of "rust" from the splashing and through the "settling" on the shelving, and probably from the daily rolling to and from the windows, it seems to be "settling"... I notice a bit of a "bend" in the shape - nothing worrisome, but hey! 5 years, a little change might just be good.) I'm trying to figure the next larger of the "crates" (which is what his house actually is: a "dog crate") and getting new shelving to support it. It's not really a matter of "affording" as much as it is the room/space we'll need for it and being able to "roll" it to and from the windows with the added weight. (I'm not getting any younger as our time passes... neither of us is but I have to keep in mind that it will likely become a bit harder for me to keep rolling things about.) The next larger is only a few extra inches in length, width and height, but a little more space for him I'm sure would be nicer, and he's not in there, with the door closed, except at night. Still... I'd like to get him something larger, a little more room/space. So, in addition to me "house-hunting" for both of us, today's "real estate searches" were for a new house and a place to put in on. (And then, we'll have to get new "night boards" to fit the new place too. The boards were cut to size to fit his house and I've considered not using them at all here, but that's really not an option. First of all, they block the traffic lights at night and even more important, I have reason to believe that closing his house with them gives more of a "house" sort of atmosphere. He has a "wall" and a "roof", maybe similar to a "rafter", a place of safety and comfort. I'm to understand that mourning doves "roost" at night, in evergreens - pines, hemlocks, &c. - but I wouldn't doubt that they prefer, where available, the rafters of the old barns and out-buildings locally for more protection. So, yes, even with a new house, we'll have to get the board that fit. But HEY! As I say: MILE-STONE... FIVE YEARS! Will we have another 5 after that? I don't know. But no matter... NEW HOUSE TO COME!)
And I'm still trying to figure a "walk-in aviary" of some kind, for out time in the yard this year (since it appears we're stuck here for another Summer). I wish he could participate in it all, give me some input, ideas, suggestions, recommendations for what he'd like best. These are the moments when I keep in mind how nobody wanted to be of any help to us in the earliest days when HELP was something I SO NEEDED to ensure his safety and recovery. ANd everything that I did was, primarily, my "gut instinct". AND, contrary to the beliefs of those around us ("Put it in a box with some paper..."), it would appear... we've done EXCEPTIONALLY well. So I'll keep "looking in-ward". Apparently SOMETHING in there is giving the best-possible direction. We'll get through. We WILL... together.
AND... again, today, he spent quite a while in the living-room, and this after-noon, the sun was in position to shine in there more-so than in his room so that was quite nice. But it's interesting: when he's out there on his old house, he'll "play" a bit, with wing-snaps and such, with my hand "chasing" him about (he doesn't fly away so he seems to enjoy the "play" but when he's there he doesn't want kisses! If I try to sneak them in, THAT'S when he heads off to his little tree or even back to his house. He'll "play attack" my hand but NO kisses. More "fascination".
And... so... and... So the Sunday slipped by and passed by us again... when I sat for dinner, he'd had his snack and he headed out to the living room again, until I was done and went to the kitchen for washing-up. When I came back into his room, he came back too and now... he's pecking about the floor of his house and its time for us to settle in for the night (and the house furnace is running! crisp night ahead, but we're warm and there's oil so no "chillin'" in the house). And I'm putting our daily notes together. The water in his pool is fresh and clean, most of the house is settled for the night. Just a matter of closing windows and getting us settled-down for another night, hopefully, restful.
20.18 and it's time to close windows and get to seepie-nigh-night here! My "evening ablutions" are done and I'm in sleep-wear and my LITTLE LOVE is up on his book-case again... making with the "nest coo's"! And, no doubt, patiently awaiting his "ride home". So, for now, we close today and tomorrow... we pick up from here. Oh, even though I do enjoy this "end of day" because we've made it through another, if only we didn't have to sleep! And the older I get, the quicker the time seems to be passing... it's SO un-fair! (To think: about 6 years ago, I had NO interest in "another day" nor even "another moment" or "another breath" and now... it's ALL just slipping by TOO QUICKLY!)
Monday 28 April:
(15.00) MUST appreciate nights like last night. I got back into the room, the "night music" was on, nice and soft, instrumental. A little bundle of feathered LOVE up on the upper-most top of his little book-case, all a-flutter with nest-coo's, watching for my return and his little "lift". All the while I put the futon together for me for the night, the nest-coo's continued and when I'd done, I got the little platform from his roof-top, brought it over and started the nightly lullabies. No sooner had I brought the little board up level with the edge of the book-case when I could see the shadow move. He stepped right on and waited... and when I brought my little passenger down, I managed to sneak a kiss and we were off... to "home" for the night. And immediately upon "arrival" it was another calm, simple step onto the night roost. From there, the roof board went on, night music off, lullabies...
We made it through the entire repertoire again, last night, soft and slow. At 20.50, the last light was off, a "round" of "Ich Liebe Dich, Sieben und Immer" and... 21.00... Sunday was closed.
This morning? Well then, I was actually still asleep when came the "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo", nice and clear, though not terribly loud. I know Yonah can see me on the futon from his night roost and it's a bit of a comfort to me to know that he wakes now, and can see he's not alone in the room.
Quick look at the clock: 5.55. Quite the difference from the 6.30 of some recent days (and the 7.00 of Winter). I replied to the "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" with a "Good morning to you! New day? All ready? I guess we need to get busy here?" and I got up, opened the door to his house and popped my head in, as always, for a "Good morning" kiss...
I got about 3... "Hesitant" kisses though. I DO often wonder (I "wonder" always, but sometimes a bit more than other-wise) why there's such a "variety" of morning kisses. Then too, people have days when first thing of a morning are "I don't really want to..." and I don't doubt that my Little LOVE doesn't have those too. Hey! We're all very much entitled. I can only hope that he's in the best-possible health and condition and that there's nothing "wrong"... with him or that I didn't snore during the night to disturb his rest. THAT's something I tend to worry about most: snoring and being generally restless. Were he "out there" in his birth-right wilderness, I'm sure there would be MANY MORE reasons why his rest would be disturbed during the night. But here, in this old house, I just can't tolerate even thinking that he'd have anything other than a peaceful night of proper rest.
Poop-check this morning: 10 perfect little poops that had "bounced" about on the "rug" over-night. Seems we had a good, calm night together last night and with the clarity of "voice" for the "morning call"... 'twould seem we got the rest we needed so, it was, all told, a "good" start to the new morning and a new week.
And when we got the curtains and blinds open, out-side, a clear morning sky ahead of what promised to be a truly warm, clear day ahead! It didn't take but a moment's time when, as I started preparing for the morning water change, there was a little bundle of LOVE, up, off and on the wing... over to the futon to greet his Burdie-Birdie. As I ran the run, water-carrier, he "supervised" for a while and then, was out to the living-room. Good poops, kisses, woo-HOO's and energy this morning. Couldn't ask for more.
After all the running and settling and getting his room "presentable" for the day, I headed out to the living-room and opened the front door to check the skies over the Western mountains. And as I stood there, with the cool morning air coming into the old house, a "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" which I answered with my own "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" and next thing I knew, THERE HE WAS, MY LITTLE HEART-AND-SOUL, ON MY SHOULDER! We stood there, looking out as the morning "rush traffic" (all 4 vehicles) passed by and he was just obviously so comfortable, on my shoulder, then across my back to the opposite shoulder and for a while, he made himself comfy in the hood of my Sherpa (as he does). Then, back to my shoulder for a peck on the cheek, on the nose and back to his little tree with the decoys.
OH! But how I SO look forward to the days when we can get up and out to the yard together. This morning looked promising, but the winds coming down off the Western mountains still carry the chill so... A little more time. A little more time.
By 8.45 the sun was shining brightly in a clear sky, the house was calm and settled for the day and so were we... I, at the desk and the Little LOVE in his loft. The "radio" playing "instrumentals" from the 50s-70s and Monday was "established". 6° out-side, 24°in the room and a "threat" of heading up to the 20s for the out-side temperatures coming! Nights in single digits though. And I'm looking forward to getting the back yard settled for us. But for Monday morning... calm. And April almost done. May is coming, but... I still remember that "Mothers' Day" and snow so...
This morning, my left shoulder was quite painful ("rotor cuff" nonsense, and probably because I hoisted a bucket full of water in one of our "hasty" water changes) so I took a "naproxen" and just wanted to lie down for a brief while as I waited for it to "take hold" so I made my way back to his room and took a little lie-down. WELL! A change in the "normal" routine! And me, on the futon, BEFORE LUNCH! It required "investigation" and so, my little "Sleuth" came over to the futon to check on the event at hand. Obviously, when he was sure that all was fine, he toddled down to my leg, as he does, and made him-self quite comfy there. Hey, a "snooze" is a "snooze" no matter what time of the day. And I set a little alarm for 20 minutes. I didn't really "doze off", more another "half-doze" but all the while, there he was, my little Heart-and-Soul, on my leg, as comfy and cosy as he could be. And when the alarm sounded, he was in no particular hurry to get up so we actually got another 10 minutes before he decided it was entirely too early and time was passing us by. He got up and headed to his house for a morning snack and I got up and got back to the "normal morning nonsense" that "people" get involved with of a day.
I happened to notice that there was quite a bit of seed in his pool after his nibble. I'd filled his dish a bit too high and so... we ran another quick change (completely) of water and as soon as I'd done, the Little Guy hopped right over to the pool for a GOOD, HEALTHY DRINK of FRESH WATER!
When he'd done, by then, the sun was pouring in through the windows and it was so warm... we opened one of his windows!
In fact, at 11.00 HE WAS BASKING IN HIS HOUSE ON THE BEACH, AND HAVING A BIT OF A SNOOZE! (and to think I worry about him getting proper sleep buit I'm so happy because he CAN bask and snooze, SAFELY, in the protection of his house. and with the window and back door open today, nice air coming through... and warmth... SUCH a relief... for BOTH of us, I'm sure)
Goodness me! Shortly after lunch (and I didn't take a snooze today because of the snooze this morning), I changed the water in his pool again because of all the seeds in there and when I'd done, he "inspected" the work, hopped onto his door perch and WOOSH! He was out of the room and back to the living-room! I went out, managed to sneak a kiss and opened the front door to let in the warm air from out-side. But he stayed out there for hours today, quietly, silently. I was in his room, with the "radio" on low, and a "bird video" on his lap-top but the house was so silent. One of those days where he preferred the living-room to his room. As much and lonely as it is to be in his room with-out him, I take a little consolation in knowing that he has "other rooms", other spaces where he can be. And if he's comfortable in the living-room, on the top of his old house, by the windows... with the door out there open, at least it's a "larger" space, a different "scenery" and there's plenty of air moving about. It's not for me to decide where he'd be best. And I might suppose that that's where he spends time when I'm not in the house with him.
I got permission from Deborah today to go wandering about in the woods along her property for new perches. Tomorrow's morning weather is supposed to be fair so that's the plan: tomorrow morning, before lunch, I'll head down and hope to get all the "perch" we need to replace what's in his house now. Depending on what we get, we'll see if we change the configuration, just to make things a little "different" or keep the same as it is. I don't suppose I can change his "night roost" though. He's obviously comfortable with it being as it is and I'm to understand that birds, in general, prefer "familiar". And especially at night, when it's dark in the room... well... Yonah's comfort above ALL! It's just that the perches are wearing so smooth, and he's got one "dowel" that he obviously isn't comfortable on. Not to mention, the "texture" is better for his little feet and toes. No "bumblefoot"! The most difficult part of new perches is the thickness. His loft rests on 2 perches, as does the corner of his food shelf so... We'll hope for the same or very similar tomorrow. AND, of course, the type of tree. Ash, maple, birch are good. No pine because of the sap. And surely no hemlock. (Though we don't have much of that any more.) AND, maybe we'll find another little tree to pot and add to his "garden". More greenery! More "nature"! And then? "House-keeping" again. Poor Little Guy! We'll clean his house up a bit more too.
He HAS been pecking at that little "toy" I'd made for him though. More-so of late. And this morning, I happened to notice that he's managed to "trim the hook" on his beak! I'm SO RELIEVED to see that!
(Got called and went out to PLAY! CHASE! And the attack of the hand! Wing-snaps and all sorts of commotions! I REALLY NEED to get more play time in now. And... 14.15, he's back on his roof-top... more PLAY and I brought Bustelo-Birdie over and he immediately hopped right onto dear Bustelo-Birdie! So we played a little bit again and now, he's up there, preening Bustelo-Birdie. I SO wish we could be out back today! But the breezes are still quite chilly and there's clean-up that needs to be done out there. Well... 'tis only the end of April... Better days are coming!)
16.26, dinner on the hob, my Little LOVE just had a healthy snack and I HAVE to comment:
I'd put Bustelo-Birdie on his roof-top earlier and as I noted, he HOPPED RIGHT ON, wings up and all over the place! "Having his way", as it were (not sure if it's "mating" or a display of "dominance", after all, Bustelo-Birdie is supposed to be on the desk shelf, NOT on his house) but OH MY OH MY OH MY! He's been "at" Bustelo-Birdie more times than I've managed to keep count of! (And to think: in the "webinars" it's suggested that such "behaviours" should be "discouraged". Can't see why. But OH, to think of him doing that with a little "lady dove"... Poor dear! She'd be ready to pack her feathers and leave at this point!)
I'm also noticing that his "claws" are growing rather long again too. With the next "house-keeping" I'm going to have to find something to add so that he'll "file" those down. I just SO DREAD the very thought of trimming them my-self. I have the clippers and the "Styptic" but I don't want to inflict ANY discomfort and he doesn't make the task easy. Silly little Character. (And now... with a "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo"... he's off and back out to the living-room. Let's see how "dinner" goes... alone again tonight?)
Well? 19.37. Water changed, the house is almost settled for the night. The back door of the house is still open and there's still quite a lot of day-light out there. And my Little LOVE is on his lap-top beside me here, at the desk, pecking at the "news". All day we had doors and windows open so we got the circulation going in this old place. I've put a new "stick" in the window for the room to hold it open a bit more tonight, from the top, so that air can flow, but behind the blinds and curtains. Hopefully it won't get too chilly in the house over-night. But there's oil for the house furnace (and more coming tomorrow morning!) and my Little Guy has his Sweeter Heater in his house. We'll be just fine. As long as the air is clear and clear for him.
He spent MORE time in the living-room this evening, which was good because that's where the sun-shine is in the after-noon and evening now. And I brought Bustelo-Birdie out to be with him for a little while and it was obvious: Bustelo-Birdie doesn't belong in the living-room! He didn't attack, but he didn't want to play either. He stayed on the opposite side of the roof of his old house and then made a quick flight back "home", leaving Bustelo out there alone! So, it's OK for Bustelo-Birdie to be in the room, but not in other rooms. I live, I learn.
But now... it's time for us to start getting ready to tuck-in for the night. As I say, there's a lot of day-light out there just now but maybe when the curtains are closed it'll be better. We're going through the "change of season" and every year it's the same: I never remember exactly how we "adjusted" the year before but... we manage.
One thing that weighs on me now though: Winter is gone and the sun is moving so rapidly across the Western mountains into the "June/July" position at sun-set. And No sooner will it reach the "end" to the North, it'll start back to Winter again... Winter passed quickly, and now that the warmer weather is coming, I'm just all too aware of how quickly the "Summer" season will pass... the sun will start setting closer to the South again... and "stall", as it always seems to do. These are the moments when I'm reminded of when I first came to this old house. I didn't like it, but I didn't see me in it for much more than about 6 months. I knew there were "health issues", I had no intention of intervening. I was at an age where I didn't want to bother with such things. I came here thinking that it was the "end of a long journey" and I was comfortable with that reality. And each morning I woke, I did so begrudgingly.
Then, a little over a year later, THIS Little One, attacked, torn, clawed, chewed, so badly injured appeared, and obviously either in need of help or death. I decided to do what I could to try and "help". I had NO thoughts of him being in my "care" for much longer than a couple of weeks, at the very most. In fact, I never saw myself being able to actually bring him back... but time passed... and passed... and on that day when he hopped onto my arm, giving me his trust... well... even then I kept thinking of the day when we'd go out to the meadow across the road, close enough to the trees so that he could fly up and into the wood-lands, safely and... I would return to this house... once again... to "wait for God".
Today? I wake to each day begrudgingly again because each day we've had together is one less day we'll have together in future. Our "yesterdays" begin to out-number our "tomorrows". And now it's a matter of me being here for him, for as long as his little heart beats, his little lungs take air. I don't begrudge HIM ANY of that. He IS my *** HEART-AND-SOUL *** and I give that more openly and willingly than I've EVER given anything of my existence. I just worry as I age, and things start to "go wrong". Every medical appointment is "hope" that what-ever it is that aches can be treated and will be, properly. I MUST NEVER abandon this little LIFE... and I won't. But "Time" is an evil aspect of existence, and none has control over it. And I worry...
But right now... 20.05, the night music is on... and it's time to wrap this day up. My Little LOVE is preening on the desk shelf over my had by the radio. All we need do now is close blinds and curtains, make the futon... my ablutions... and tuck-in... Another day... and tomorrow? Well... in the morning I hope to get perches, maybe some soil for the gardenette so we can put the yard together for our time together... out-side, in the sun-shine... with the Yardies... the other birds who'll come to visit us... "Tomorrow"... "Tomorrows"... I have them... because of Yonah Taube.
Now? We get to see about "ride home"...
OK... 20.34 here and my evening ablutions done and the nest coos are EMPHATIC! FROM THE ROOF TOP! EMPHATIC! INDEED! SO HERE WE GO! Today is CLOSED, thank you!
Tuesday 29 April:
FIRST HUMMIE OF THE YEAR AT 12.12! Looked SO tiny! So glad I put the feeder out on Sunday! AND WE GOT OUT OF THE HOUSE TODAY!
It's 20.07 already! and here we go... Notes on the day and making every best effort to get us both tucked-in for the night before it gets too late! The room is so warm! It's as if Summer is making a best effort to get here and get the Winter and Spring over, done and gone!
I'll do my best to keep things in order as I recall them from the day. It's been non-stop again (and as usual, most just a lot of "people nonsense" - oh, if we could both just find a nice place in a wood-land together and never have "people nonsense" to deal with).
Last night... to my surprise, the Little Guy actually took him-self "home to the night roost". No sure, but there are times when I DO believe that if he could, he'd give me quite the lecture when the time got to be too late. But seeing that, it touched my heart and yes, I feel so guilty thinking I've kept him up and awake entirely too late. What I wouldn't give to just tuck-in when the sun sets... the way "Nature" intended. Once upon a time, when the room was Yonah's (and looked rather sparse and almost depressing), I remember getting him settled at sun-set and I'd go on about my business in the rest of the house, the door to his room, closed for the night. I'd go to the bed-room, next-door, when I was done with the day, and set an alarm so that I'd be up and about at least an hour before him. Ah... I don't know, but I prefer it the way it is now: I'm in the same room with him, to make sure I'm THERE should I be needed for any reason and I do like getting up in the morning with him, to the sound of his coo'ing (which is MUCH better than ANY "alarm"). Anyway... I made quick work of settling the room and house and all else and managed to make it through the lullabies and by 21.20 last light was off.
At 5.45 this morning... "call to order"... with a "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo. I got up, opened the door to the little house on the shelves and popped my head in for a "Good morning" kiss and OH! KISSES KISSES KISSES KISSES! Obviously SOME-birdy got a good night's restful sleep, and if I'd transgressed last night by keeping him up too late, all was forgiven. (Then again, as I often say: THIS Little LIFE has taught me SO much and with it, to "live for the moment". He's lives through the Hell of being attacked, grabbed by a human, taken out of the world and into a house and just goes on with each and ever day since... by the moment, no matter what the situation presents. I TRULY work to keep that same attitude and perception... I'm not good at it, but I try and he's my daily inspiration.)
And POOPS? 9, all PERFECT, under the night roost and a little bit "bouncy". But hey, they weren't "wet" and no horrific "halos" of green around any of them. So, it was a grand start to what other-wise turned rather hectic...
We got a delivery of propane this morning, and there were measurements to be recorded for that and the oil in the tank for the house furnace. Hopefully we won't need that again, for a while, but it's a comfort to know that we have it, should need present. I won't have this Little LOVE in his house, chilled!
By 9.30, he was out in the living-room, likely fed-up with all the goings on, with the opening of windows, changing water in the pool, settling his room, me running round with deliveries and such. It really was a LOT of activity packed into a little space of time and something that doesn't usually happen of a morning. I usually try to keep "waking up" to a steady roll.
Poor Little Guy. But I'm glad he has another room to go to when he wants a relief from his house.
AND... the sun had risen in a hazy sky and it was, as I say... SO WARM! Nice to have windows and doors open of a day.
Late, this morning, I RAN out to get soil for the back gardenette and by the time I got back... IT WAS TIME FOR LUNCH! (Time stolen.) The temperature out there... 29°! So we settled-in to have our lunch together and I pondered the possibility of bringing Yonah out to the yard. The air was so hazy (smoke, they claim... Canada is starting their "wild-fires" already). But with the garden soil, I was anxious to get out and mix it into the earth and what a perfect opportunity to get that done AND get BOTH of us OUT of this box! Well?...
WE WERE OUT THERE TODAY FROM 13.00 TO 15.30! And I worked with the BEST supervision. I even took the fencing down completely and put in new posts! And my Little Boss watched the goings-on as he soaked in every bit of what-ever sun made its way through the haze.
I'm not too comfortable with him being in that haze, but figured it was better out-side where there was a mixture of "real air" and not the stuffiness of the house. And he didn't seem to mind it at all. Probably thankful for the change of scenery. Oddly enough, when I'd brought him to his old house to go out, he didn't fuss at all! I asked if he wanted to go outside and got a wing-snap! So off we went!
For the gardenette, there's more work to be done but I got all of what I intended to do and more (with the fence). And there's rain in the forecast so the soil added today will be mixed into the earth. WE DID IT AND WHAT A GLORIOUS RELIEF TO HAVE MY LITTLE LOVE OUT OF THE HOUSE AT LONG LAST!
When we came in, he headed right for his room and Burdie-Birdie as he always does and I got busy throwing my dinner together AND MAKING MORE NECTAR for the hummies!
We managed to settle to dinner on time and we both ate... together. Well, my Little LOVE in his house and me at the desk. And... after... we did the water change and I grabbed a shower.
Now, as I get this down, the room is at 17°, the humidity is a comfy 40%. We DID get about 20 minutes of rain. And the forecast is threatening that on Wednesday night, temperatures will be back to 0°. But today? We had all doors and windows open and WE GOT OUT INTO THE YARD!
Time for me to seriously wrap this up here... I'm being "informed"... coo's are "rolling". And there's a HOT night ahead. Next on the list of "tasks": getting window fans out and up AND HOPING FOR "GOOD AIR" IN THE OVER-NIGHTS TO COME (though I've a feeling we're in for some terrible smoke again... leave it to "Canada").
For now... the saga will continue... 'tis time to give this day up to "yesterday".
Wednesday 30 April:
(14.13) Last night, indeed, we had QUITE the "experience"... As I closed yesterday, the Little Character was up on the curtain rod at his "alcove" as I completed my "evening ablutions". BUT... the coo's coming from the room were "softer" that most evenings. When I got into the room to settled for the night, there he was... on the curtain, little body just all a-flutter, making with the softest little "nest-coo's", just as comfy as he could be! And he was so involved with the nest-coo'ing that I even got the camera and managed to "capture" THREE little videos of him coo'ing! (I'm not sure if it was that he was pre-occupied or if he's just gotten so accustomed to me reaching for the camera, but which-ever it was, he wasn't deterred by any of the "video-capturing".) I was thinking that we were going to have to bring a platform up there for the "ride home" to tuck-in BUT... No sooner did I start singing the evening lullabies and putting the room together for the night when... this Little Character toddled right over to the top of his book-case and waited for me to bring his "chariot" to him! Now, some might say that I've been "taught", "trained" to follow a routine (and they wouldn't be completely wrong), and I can't help but remember reading the "experts" who claim that mourning doves aren't considered to be "intelligent", AND I CAN SAY (AND I DO SAY), maybe they don't readily accept me when I step out the door to give them food in the yard (but they don't BOLT as quickly as they used to), and maybe they don't learn to "trust" humans all too readily (and I can't blame them for that because, admittedly, I don't trust humans, for the most part). All the while though, THIS Little Genius appears to actually KNOW the hours on the clock, even with the "time change" to "Day-light Savings"!
He knows that, in the morning, at a certain time after we wake, I'll be disturbing his morning peace with the "water change" in his pool, so he "steps aside" (flying else-where) to "supervise". And he's more than proven that he knows when we're supposed to take our "mid-day break" for lunch. If I'm not in the kitchen preparing mine by noon, he comes to me from where-ever he happens to be at the moment, to either roost on my shoulder for ear-tugs or he'll be at his door perch with a hearty "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo". After lunch, he knows that I'll have a "lie-down" and if I'm not on the futon, he heads for it, and gives a hearty "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" to Burdie-Birdie, who's usually there. And then comes our "evening meal". At 16.00 I go to the kitchen to put food on the hob and if I'm late, he comes over again, to give me another vocal "reminder". At 17.00, I sit at the desk in his room, the "news" is on his lap-top and he heads for his food for a quick bite and then, usually, comes over to settle on his lap-top beside me.
THEN, we have the nightly "lullabies", and as soon as I start "The autumn leaves... drift by my window" he heads to where-ever it's from that he expects to be "flown home" for the night.
Say what will be said, THIS Little Guy can't be any "exception". I'm convinced HE KNOWS, he's learnt and his routine is set. And if HE can be this BRILLIANT, the others MUST have that ability as well.
I'll say it always: that man is the highest-evolved species is a statement thought of and written by "man". And the old adage "And God gave man dominion over all..." was written by "man". Both claims conceived by "man", recorded by "man", read/heard by "man" and believed to be so... by "man". As far as I'm concerned, I look, particularly to birds, descendants of the "pre-historic" dinosaurs, the only "known" survivors of the "Great Extinction" and I'll argue "superiority", vehemently.
WELL! that all said and "recorded"...
Indeed, my Little Love was on his book-case, giving last-minute preens as I put the futon together for me for the night and I went over, with the platform, raised it up, still singing, slowly, and almost immediately, he hopped on and we "flew" across the room to his house. (I sneaked a couple of kisses en route.) AND, as he does, as he moved into the house and approached his perch, he moved closer to the edge closest to the perch and on arrival, hopped right off the platform and onto the "night roost" to settle there for the night.
It was SO HOT in the room last night that I could have put the window fan on, had it been ready. Even with the one window open even wider, from the top, the temperature in the room was at about 27°. So, last night, for the first time in a very long while, I disconnected the little "Sweeter Heater" over his night roost. Thanks to the "webinars" I studied, I remembered that birds, in general, can tolerate a bit of a "chill" but they easily over-heat and the slightest rise in their body temperature can prove fatal. Yes, Yonah has other places in his house to roost through the night, should he want or need to, but I just won't take the chance of him over-heating in his sleep so... the room was warm enough to hold through the night, even with the forecast low of 5°. And the house furnace was turned back on as "back-up".
Once every-thing was all settled, kisses "Good night", I kept the evening repertoire of lullabies going, softly and slowly and the Little Guy nestled and tucked and by 21.05, the last light was turned off and...
This morning? First of all, last night, for some reason, I kept waking up every 2 hours all through, and almost as if some sort of "alarm" had been set. So in spite of being awake at 5.00, when I looked at the clock and started to ponder getting up, I'd dozed back to sleep when...
"woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo"... clear but gentle. The clock read 5.35. But it was time to get up and on with the day and so... I was up and opened the door to the house.
In-side, the little silhouette was on the roost, looking toward the door, waiting. And when I leaned in for "Good morning" kisses, I got quite the face-full! A PERFECT start to a new day! And the room was comfortably warm too! (The temperature out-side, a chilly 7° but the room held its own with warmth through the night and I recall having heard the house furnace running at one point last night so... all was well and warm this morning.) I removed the roof-board right away, placed the door perch and rushed out to the kitchen to put the kettle on, as I do of a morning and returned to get the curtains and blinds open. When I returned, the Little Guy was still on his night roost, waiting for the light out-side to be let in. It was still rather "dim" out there but, no sooner did I get the windows open, he was up and over to the desk... in preparation for me to start running in and out of the room with the morning water change.
NOTE FOR THIS MORNING: AT ABOUT 6.00, I CHECKED OUT THE BACK WINDOW TO SEE IF ANY OF THE YARDIES HAD ARRIVED FOR BREAKFAST YET AND THERE, ON THE FENCE SURROUNDING THE GARDENETTE... ONE TINY HUMMING-BIRD! 7° THIS MORNING BUT THERE S/HE WAS! I WAS JUST ABOUT RELIEVED TO KNOW THAT THERE WAS FRESH "NECTAR" FOR THE TINY ONE BUT, UNFORTUNATELY, THAT CAT FROM ACROSS THE ROAD CAME RUSHING UP THE DRIVE AND FRIGHTENED THE LITTLE ONE AWAY! (People... and that particular family makes a "hobby" of "collecting" animals as "pets" and then proceeds to ignore them. They've got chickens that have been struck by motor vehicles on the main through the hamlet and they don't care. They've "lost" several cats over the course of about 2 years. I actually had to witness one being struck in the road... and they don't care. They've the most wonderful "Blue-tick hound" who obviously is neglected because he's so animatedly delighted when-ever a delivery person comes to the house and he howls waiting to welcome them. I've called the local "SPCA" and they've out-right refused to intervene. And I don't doubt it was one of those cats who attacked Yonah so it sickens me to my core to see that in this yard, especially in the morning when the local birds come by to eat, to fortify against the chills of the previous night. And now, especially, with this little Humming-bird who needs the nourishment SO... well... that's all I'm going to note on this point, lest it become...) ANYWAY, I WAS DELIGHTED TO SEE THE RETURN. THAT FENCE GIVES BIRDS A PROTECTED AREA IN WHICH TO EAT CALMLY AND REST, IT THEY WANT. AND LAST YEAR, THE HUMMIES WOULD COME BY IN THE MORNINGS, CONGREGATE, TAKE TURNS AT THE FEEDER BEFORE HEADING OFF INTO THEIR DAY. THIS YEAR, IF I HAVE ANY-THING TO DO WITH IT, THEY'LL HAVE THEIR "MEETING PLACE" AGAIN!
And so, Wednesday was "called to order" and we got on with the morning's "business". I settled at the desk for "end of month... people/house-keeping" business and Yonah? He made his usual "rounds" of the house.
POOPS? 7 most delightfully perfect little poops, and delightfully under the night roost, not scattered about. Perfect poops on a sunny end-of-April morn!
NOTE AT 10.30... I LOOKED UP FROM THE DESK AND OH WOW! THAT LITTLE "TOY" I'D MADE FROM THE CUTTINGS FROM THE MAPLES THAT I'D CUT FOR PERCHES IS SWINGING! THE LITTLE GUY IS HAVING AT IT !!! WOW! SWINGING AND BOBBING AND ACTUALLY GRASPING WITH HIS BEAK! It's almost FRIGHTENING, he's using so much force. But surely, it's helping to keep his little beak trimmed. (It was starting to grow a bit again, but he's been at those twigs and he's brought it back to about where it ought to be. When I see the old photos of him where it literally "curved" and I had to fill his food dish deep so that he could eat... AND when I think of "Dr. Ditz" clipping his beak, causing bleeding, and her then taking him to the next room, where I couldn't see, and coming back to tell me "His beak was fractured so I repaired it"! NO! NEVER AGAIN! At least this little "toy" is working... )
(10/32 he's back in his loft... and the SUN is shining in the sky - OH MY! Snack time! GLORIOUS!)
Now, if only I wasn't so tired... I was up every 2 hours through the night again last night for no obvious reason. "Age"... and aren't we BOTH getting that? To think... we're careening into FIVE YEARS here... together and, if calculations are correct... this Little LOVE will be 5 years of age too! It still seems so recent, that fateful October morning... and how clearly I recall it. "Age" and "Time"... SO UN-FAIR!
Well... at 12.30, lunch was wrapping up and to my delight, I looked up to see the Little Guy IN THE POOL! And of course, right after, a little basking in the sun as it poured in through his windows. The basking didn't last very long though and he was ON THE WING... UP TO THE DESK SHELF, IN FRONT OF ME... SO HAPPY WITH HIS LITTLE SELF! UP AND OUT TO GIVE SHAKES AND PREENS! I'm SO comforted that he has that pool. The sun is bright and warm but the breezes out there still hold a chill as they come over the mountains. But here, there's no bother with such things as "chilly". The pool water was likely nice and warm and in the house, plenty of warmth to "fluff and dry"...
19.58 and I've been at the desk, filling in the day's notes and the house is settled, I changed the water in the pool twice... since it was "bath-water". And the sun is setting out-side. Tonight's forecast: 0°! So, Sweeter Heater and house furnace are on for the night. And the Little Guy is on his roof-top where he's been for a while now. (At one point, he made some kind of DASH out of the room, into the kitchen and turned right round and came back in again, back to his roof where Bustelo-Birdie has been for some hours, gave Bustelo quite the loud "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" and re-settled up there. There were no lights on in the kitchen or living-room so I'm thinking: too dark to linger long.) Anyway, time for my evening ablutions, closing the windows and hopefully getting to settle down and tuck in... Now to see where the Little Character heads to await his "Uber" lfit home for the night....
|
|
