YONAH•Mourning Dove•Journal

MAY 2025

Thursday 01 MAY! Already! "Time" again... rushing by us here.
It's already 18.07 as I FINALLY get to sit and get the noted of today together and recorded. OH! We've had one of those "busy" days... together (and that's ALL that matters to me.)
But getting to the business of the business before the day slips into darkness here...
Last night was a bit of a "surprise". When I got back into the room after my ablutions he was already up on the curtain rod over the little alcove in his room again (seems he likes it up there, by the ceiling, WAY up over my head... and I wonder if he doesn't know that I really can't reach him up there with-out REAL effort on my part... snarky Little Guy that he can be) and so, I closed the windows and put his house in order and when done, stepped out of the room and from behind, in his room, I heard the wings... he'd gone over to the top of the book-case and waited for me to come back in.
When I got back, I started the lullabies and he headed to the platform on his roof-top, I went over, lifted him up and up and away we went to tuck-in. Of course, the very moment the platform touched his night roost, he stepped over, as if all were just as normal as could be. I continued with the lullabies, dimmed the room lights and got me to the futon...
Managed to make it all through our repertoire of lullabies, softly, slowly, calmly and... at 21.06, the last light was turned off and we closed the day.
THIS MORNING, the "call to order" came at... 5.04! Clear and soft, and we had a momentary chat before I got up to open house. And this morning, he was loaded with all sorts of ENERGY and ready to take on this new day and a new month! "Spring" was obvious and with the activity and coo'ing, how bitter-sweet it was. I SO often think of what Yonah's life would have been had be been allowed to live it as it SHOULD have been, out with the flocks, flying about with the rest of the mourning doves. Of course, I think of the possibilities that he might not have made it through the almost 5 years we've had together and that, had he been attacked some-where other than the yard here, life would have ended for him MUCH worse... alone, out there... at some point in time. At least he wasn't left alone to die, and in our time together, though certainly not "perfect" for him, I'm sure, for all it's worth, "LIFE" has been pretty good. And he's protected now, never to be injured or hurt again. (And as for the yard? Well, the Yardies now have a place that's protected too, where they can come, eat, lounge and not have to be concerned about being attacked... it might be fenced, but there's space, food and security for them too.)
Poops, this morning, were REALLY all together, not "piled" but in a neat little "round"... and all 7 just as perfectly "healthy" as they could possibly be! WHAT a comfort to see!
Well... it didn't take long after morning water change and he was all chat and such, and around the room, out to the living-room and back into his room. Checking-out the house, as it were.
It was a beautiful morning out-side too... BUT IT HAD GONE DOWN TO BELOW ZERO LAST NIGHT BECAUSE AT 7.00 THE TEMPERATURE WAS "UP" TO ZERO! The house and room were nice and cosy comfy though. So all was quite well and fine. We're still waiting for the nights when we'll be able to keep the window open... sadly though, with the fan running... another fan. (We have the other box fans running all through the day and night, but that's to make sure the air is clean and we don't wake to more "surprises" of "mould in the night". OH! But this "Box o'Toxins", as I think of this place any more. But hey! We've been fortunate and the filters should handle quite a bit of what-ever Nature might want to throw at us. As long as the air is clean... I'm OK. And so too, is my Little LOVE here! And HE is ALL that matters... ALWAYS.)
This morning, at about 9.30, I had to run some errands so I was out the door with the Little Guy taking control of the house. All took an hour and when I got back, he was on his door perch. I had a little book-word to do so I put the groceries up (and so, now, no errands for the week-end ahead!) and got into the room sat at the desk to do that... with "supervision" from the desk shelf. It was a "LET'S PLAY" sort of morning!
By noon, all was done and it was "Lunch Break" time so I got to that, with the DOORS AND WINDOWS OPEN AGAIN TODAY! AIR IN THIS OLD BOX OF OURS! Makes such a difference for both of us in so many ways.
And nap time today.... I laid down set an alarm for 30 minutes and my Little Companion came right over to the pillow at my head! So I put my hand up and played with him fora while and when he'd had enough playing, I managed to doze off, not knowing where he'd gone.
When, about 40 minutes later, I woke to a SURPRISE! A PECK ON MY CHIN! HE'D NESTLED HIM-SELF ON MY CHEST AS I SLEPT AND WAS RIGHT THERE WHEN I OPENED MY EYES! I CAN'T SAY THAT HE'S EVER DONE THAT BEFORE! WHAT A PURE DIVINE DELIGHT TO HAVE HIM SO CLOSE! AND HE LET ME GIVE HIM SOME KISSES BEFORE TAKING OFF TO THE DESK!
After snooze, we finished getting the house back together from this morning's moving about and the sun was still up and out and the Yardies were all in their yard. The air was a little on the 'cool" side but the sun was so warm. And TWO hummies had come for lunch, the mourning doves too... 3, then 4 then 3... and grackles, finches... I got the notion...
I rushed to set up his house on the back walk and I headed out to put up the "hardware cloth"/mesh up along the fencing with my "supervisor" present. We were out the door by 14.00 and back in at 16.30! And he seemed SO happy to be out there in the yard again! No "visitors" actually came by, save the hummies buzzing about (they fear NOTHING!) and some chickadees who seemed more interested in getting something to eat than me being there.
Oh and Mrs. Dove came by for a brief drop-by too! She was on the little divider at the PO and though she didn't stay when she realised I was on the gallery, she didn't appear to be too "frightened" by me. MAYBE they're coming to terms with me being there and I don't doubt Yonah has a LOT to do with that. I was just sorry that he didn't have "company" whilst I working in the yard and gardenette. But if the days give us the opportunity, we'll be out there more often and I wont' be "lingering" about all the while. I look forward to that, when Yonah has time with his Yardies.
And now, at 18.31, we've had dinner (and he's had more) and my Little LOVE is on his roof-top, over his Sweeter heater which I'd put on again last night and left on today because, well, the sun-shine was warm but the breezes were still cool (and after dinner, the room was down to 21 degrees so...) We've had a LOT of KISSING and playing and generally having a bit of FUN together. It's been a grand day today and I'm looking forward to the week-end with no need to run about or anything.
Oh, and the trees out-side are truly looking GREEN already. "Spring" has finally arrived... and though nights will still be chilly... days will be relatively warm. Much rain in the forecast, so we'll be in the house, but... we're getting OUT already! YAY! At long last.
20.23 I'm showered after time in the gardenette, and the house is settled for the night. I still have to close the windows. It's warm tonight in the house and the little one is on his lap-top waiting for me to get things proper. Wondering about ride home tonight!
Quick note: 20.54 The night music is on and the Little Guy's brought him-self to his night roost. We'll see how long that lasts. There's never knowing... always time for a quick flight or something....

Friday 02 May:
(19.26) And my Little Love is in his house, on his "drift-wood", preening at the close of the day. Out-side, the sun is just down behind the Western mountains. It finally made an appearance at almost 16.00 today! Just too late to really be able to get out into the yard. But it was a warm sort of day and even now, with doors and windows open, the temperature in the room is at 24°! Water have been changed, the house is completely settled. "Friday" evening after a relatively busy sort of day.
Last night, the poor Little Guy stayed on his night-roost all the while I put the room together... late as I was. So patiently, he just waited for me to close the house and room and get us both settled and tucked-in for the night. (Tonight, we won't have a repeat of "lateness" though.)
And to my surprise, I made it through the entire lullaby repertoire, a little quicker than usual, but I watched from the futon as the little silhouette snuggled, hunkered and tucked-in so calmly. And we managed to turn the last light off at 21.15... so it wasn't really too much later than many nights.
This morning though, interestingly enough, I was on the futon in the early morning darkness in the comfortable room when the morning call of "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" came.
It was later than recent mornings, but no surprises... late night, late morning. Still, the coo was clear, soft but strong and when I didn't reply immediately, another "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo...hoo". To that, I replied with my best "morning coo voice" and the response was the morning "woo-HOO!" ("Well! Get up!") And so, we were on the way into the new day. I was up, opened the door to his house, placed the door perch, leaned in for the quickest 3 kisses. I ran to put the kettle on and returned to open the curtains and blinds. All the while, my Little LOVE waited on his night roost for me to come back for the morning water run.
It didn't take long after all was open and settled and he was UP AND OUT and headed out to the living-room for a quick visit to his tree with a "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" and THEN, as quickly, he returned to his house, up on the "night roost" where he waited for me again, as I got to the desk to attend to our "monthly book-keeping". (Bills to pay..."people nonsense" that I wanted to get out of the way as soon as possible so that we could have the rest of the day together since I had no errands to take me out of the house.)
Poops, this morning were 8 in total and all of them just as perfect as could be hoped for, in composition and location. So last night was a good-tummy night and obviously, restful. I was quite relieved.
As for the day? Well, for the most part, it was dreary and drizzly, but thankfully, not in the least bit chilly. A relief there too. We got to turn the house furnace off and open a window, in spite of the drizzle. And I settled at the desk and got our "house-hold people nonsense" completely covered for the rest of the month! My primary concern, always, is making sure that, no matter what I, personally feel about this old house (which isn't very "positive", for a great many reasons, which is why I'm so thankful that we only "rent" here and as soon as we can find more suitable housing, we'll be able to pack and go) THIS Little Guy, my true Heart-and-Soul, will always have a place of protection, from the elements, the cold of Winter, the rains of Spring, the heat of Summer and... well.. Autumn is, for me, particularly "bitter-sweet". It was in October that this Little One who has become my sole reason for "being" suffered so terribly, a cold, wet October morning, so Autumn is especially the season when I DO want him to have a place of safety, serenity and comfort.
Of note here: we have a young bald eagle in residence, just down the road, some-where along the river! A rather "celebratory" event, all said, but at the same time, one that causes me more concern for the Little Ones of the yard. AND, with Yonah here, it's a constant reminder of how much protection he deserves and is SO entitled to. The fencing in the little yard, and round the "gardenette" serves to provide the "Yardies" with a place of safety in which they can relax and get some good food, and protection from "swooping raptors". It's not that I don't want the raptors to fill their tummies, but there's more than enough rodents and other such for them, so I see no reason why I should provide "fowl" or "poultry". Let them find that else-where. In this yard, the feathered folks have a place of safety. No more "Yonah tragedies" for as long as we're here.
This morning went by so very quickly again. I really can't say that we "did" much of anything out of the ordinary. But we did get lunch a bit early... at 11.30. I wanted to get as much out of the way as possible (because it was also weekly house-cleaning day) so... by 12.30, we'd done with it AND, on cue, when I came back into the room after the washing-up, my Little LOVE headed for the futon as if to wait for me to get there for the "after-noon lie-down". SO... I set a 30-minute alarm and headed on over.
No sooner had my head touched the pillow... again, this after-noon, he came RUSHING over to the pillow, not to my legs or to the futon! And he gave me a peck on the top of my head... he wanted to play again. Lie-down snooze deferred... he played with my had as I laid it on the pillow over my head... attacking and toddling away until I actually started to doze off....
Ah, I didn't really get a "sleep" in the remaining minutes but, as it will be, the alarm sounded and the Little Guy returned to the pillow and then down to my chest, down to my legs and nestled there, for a bit of preening, so we took another 20 minutes. (After all, the "house-stuff" was done, it was still too dreary out to go out-side so there was no particular rush to get to anything.) When HE was ready, he toddled back up to my chest, gave me quite the look, took a peck at my chin and off he went, to the desk shelf to watch and wait for me to get up. And since I had permission, I got up.
Good thing too because I had some cooking to get done today and was more inclined to not bother, but since we were up and about, I headed to the kitchen and managed to get it all done whilst Yonah "hung out" in his loft by his windows. And as the after-noon rolled along, the rains stopped and the sun made a best effort to break the clouds. It was so tempting to let every-thing else just go and head out to the yard but the threat of another rain lingered so... I busied in the kitchen and Yonah went out to the living-room.
When everything in the kitchen was done it was time to pass the hoover. As soon as he saw that come out, he was in his house to check on my cleaning work there and as I moved out to the rest of the house, he came along, as it were, back out to the living-room and he waited for me to get to that room... and when it was all finished... by then, it was time for dinner... AND, OUT-SIDE, THE SUN MANAGED TO CLEAR THE SKY AND JUST IN TIME FOR THE EVENING FLOOD OF LIGHT IN THE LIVING-ROOM! Needless to say (perhaps), I ate my meal, alone, in Yonah's room... and he stayed on the roof of his "old house" at the living-room windows... in the brilliant sun-shine!
Well... it's now 20.03, and he's been on the lap-top on the desk, beside me since I started this typing. A "bird video" playing. And just now, he's headed over to the futon with a "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" to Burdie-Birdie... It's time for ALL of us to get to tucking-in!
20.30 The windows are closed for the night and the "Kinderlein Musik" is playing from his collection instead of the instrumental "meditation" music that usually plays. (That had finished and the player moved to the next collection.) He MUST recognise the lullabies because he's taken him-self to the night roost. There are the lullabies I sing to him so it's familiar. Little Genius, this one. So for now, off we go to tuck-in... or.. we'll see what happens when I get the futon set for me for the night. He was feisty when I closed the windows, and vociferous too... there's always the opportunity to bolt and make with the night games. SUCH a Little Character... there's never knowing or telling what's to come at any moment.

Saturday 03 May:
The day has already passed! It's almost time for tucking-in and I'm only just getting to sit and put together the notes jotted during the day. "Time" is no "friend", to be sure. I celebrate the moments Yonah and I have had together but, all the same, the heart-ache remains: the more yesterdays, the fewer tomorrows. But we're here, together, now and he's taught me to appreciate "here and now".
Meanwhile... before it gets too late...
Last night he DID stay on the night roost and I managed to get the room settled and the futon, all the while, watching and waiting for some kind of "shenanigans" but none came. Lullabies were started as I got to the windows so by the time I'd settled both of us and the clock ran along, we'd gone through the whole repertoire and, the last light was turned off at 21.00. Not bad.
Then came this morning and at 5.50 WOW! Not only the usual "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" but SO MUCH MORE TO SAY! CHATTY? VOCIFEROUS! DELIGHTFUL! A MOST FANTASTIC AND DIVINE START TO A NEW DAY! And when I popped my head into his house after opening his door and placing his door perch... a few quick kisses. They weren't as if "mandatory", but it almost seemed that he just wanted to get them out of the way and on with the morning! So... I rushed out to the kitchen, put the kettle on and came back into the room... the Little LOVE waited, so patiently, in the dark. I got to the windows, opened them up to let in the early morning and he stayed on his night roost all the while. I was curious because usually, the very moment the out-side light comes in, he usually heads for his food perch and then, up and out, if he's of a mind.
Ah... 6.30... WOOSH! HE WAS UP AND OUT AND OVER TO THE DESK! Morning called to order, it was time for both of us to get on with the day ahead!
Poops check this morning: 7 of what I'm going to say were "GREAT"! All of them were under the night roost, so we had a calm night, and they were all a normal colour and size. And only the slightest moisture... just a little "stain" on the "rug". So... a HEALTHY night and morning!
By 8.30 I finally got the house together (poor Little Guy, putting up with me bouncing about the place first thing in the morning) and got me to the desk, as is our "usual" morning and my Supervisor headed up to the desk shelf, over my head, and when I tried to give him another "Good morning" kiss, he scuttled away. Well, as I say, no matter what claims might be made to the contrary, THIS Little LOVE can make it perfectly understood when he just doesn't want to be "bothered"... and I NEVER "impose". I know that he knows how much he is to me... and we're ALL entitled to those moments when we don't want/need all sorts of "close-cosy". I just went on about my business and he settled-down on his shelf. We were together and that's what was important, the room was comfortable, he was safe.
At 10.00, he headed back to his house for breakfast... and ate really well which always gives me so much comfort. He's feeling well when he's eating and though he never eats too much (another one of those "experts say": never leave food in a dish because birds will over-eat, grow fat, have digestive and liver troubles... THIS Little LOVE eats when he's hungry and only until he's not hungry any longer... BRILLIANT little Genius, Yonah.)
Dreary out there again today, and the forecast through Tuesday is rain all through. No time out in the yard ahead. Hopefully we WILL get time in the sun-shine this season. It's been a LONG Winter and "real sun-shine" is SO important. We have the UV light, but nothing beats "Nature"! And I'm looking forward to our time with the Yardies!
19.10 and I can't believe the day has gone by already! (As is usual for me... never knowing where the time goes.) And the PRECIOUS LITTLE LOVE is on the lap-top beside me, the room is at 25°, and it either rained or drizzled ALL through the day today! DREARY! And we "did" just about nothing after all the house book-keeping of this morning.
Yonah was pretty much as "blah" all day as I was. Not sure why, but it was "Saturday" and Saturdays are usually very low-key. He spent most of the day in his loft and made one trip to the living-room to his windows, but it really wasn't much "brighter" out there than in his room. No UV light today but since the forecast is for more drear, we're looking at it.
We had an early lunch today and I had a 30-minute lie-down, alone today, on the futon. He DID come over momentarily to toddle up and down on my legs, but no interest in snoozing together. There are days when, I suppose, he just doesn't want to and I don't force anything. He's MORE than entitled to his own moods and what he does with a day. Sadly though, I wasn't much fun, I have to admit. Just one of those days of fatigue for me and I suppose a little for him too.
We DID, how-ever, have dinner together. Honestly! I brought mine in to the desk and he saw me eating and he went to his food and ate too!
Looking for a nice photo for a nice "Thank You" note today, I happened on a LOT of other photos of my LOVE on other "drives"! From as far back as 2021! Luckily, they're also on "his private" drive where ALL things "Yonah Taube" reside, backed-up. But looking back was so amazing! Even to his little "old house" when we first got the shelving/rack! POOR LITTLE LOVE! When I think of him in that little place and I think that I'm contemplating getting the next size up for him this year (Bird-day and Anniversary). Not that he spends much time in there, but for the while he does, more space would be nice. Just have to figure the "logistics of space and manipulation.
For now, the day comes to a close and we're settled quietly and I'm off to a quick shower before tucking-in for the night. Nothing on tomorrow's agenda either, but there's A LOT of this Journal that I still have to get back to!
20.30 I'm showered and as I did, was "serenaded" with the evening "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" all through. I could sit in the room until well after sun-set and all is silent but as soon as I step into the shower, the coo'ing commences. I DO wonder why. Could it be that my presence is imperceptible when I'm in the loo, or when I'm in the shower? Is it the sound of the water? I just don't know. But as soon as I step out of the shower, the coo'ing stops or becomes less frequent. Just another aspect of this Little LIFE that I know with certainty that I'll never know with any certainty. (I SO wish I could understand SOME of what I'm being told. I'm learning to hone-in on volume, rhythm, patterns, but it's just never quite enough to "understand". So much, yet again, for being the "superior species". Humans are SO inferior in SO many ways, most of which comes from being unable to admit to inferiority. I am SO SO SO VERY VERY HUMBLED... and BLESSED, PRIVILEGED, HONOURED and in constant AWE!
Now off to close windows, set the room and house and... he's on his roof-top so we shall see how the ride home goes tonight!

Sunday 04 May:
SO TOO CUTE! Last night, I got back into the room and started lullabies as I closed the widows and my little Heart-and-Soul was on the roof-top, waiting for me to finish with the nightly nonsense of blinds and curtains. I kept on with the curtains and when done, set the futon for me for the night.. and he waited SO patiently. BUT as soon as I turned toward him he went directly to the platform for the ride home! He KNEW what was to follow and he was ready to "fly". And he was SO comfy on the "ride" that I managed to get KISSES! IMMEDIATELY at "arrival" and just a tiny "hop", he was on the night roost! I tried for a kiss "Good night" but he didn't want any of that. He wanted to tuck-in for the night. SOME-birdy was TIRED!
So I went about the rest of closing the room and settling us both down and managed to make it through the whole repertoire of lullabies and from the pillow where I laid my head, I looked up and watched as the Little Guy settled and "tucked" his PRECIOUS head between his wings for the night. The last light was off at 21.10... Saturday was officially "closed".
This morning? 5.30 came the "call to order"! Out-side was dark and dreary with more rain, but the room was warm and comfy. We haven't had the Sweeter Heater on for 2 days now, it's been that warm already. So I got right up, a Sunday together ahead and "tasks" to fill it, I opened the door to his house and popped in for a "Good morning" kiss and it was "interesting". It seemed like I got the "essential" kisses, keeping with "protocol". Nothing "abrupt", and not "forced", but it was SO like "social graces": Oh yes, kisses, hello, OK, kiss-kiss, there ya go. (Hey! I wouldn't doubt, for the slightest moment that, if he could, that's what he'd tell me. But I'm grateful that he didn't scuttle away from me. He's done that when he REALLY doesn't want to be bothered. He KNOWS how to get his message across. Little GENIUS!)
A "poop check": 10 of the PERFECT poops, all on the little "rug", mostly under the night roost, but a little "scattered". Likely because they bounced as they landed. Other-wise, HEALTHY! YAY!
This morning, we put the UV light on to compensate for the absence of sun-shine. I'm not really fond of that light, but better to have it than not. And it does appear to make a difference in the Little Guy's mood. And if it actually does help with his "vitamin D", not to mention, what he sees of and in his little world here in his room, since he see's the colours in the UV and I don't, I'm grateful we have it.
So it was on with the morning water run, fresh, clean water in the pool, my morning coffee and since it was Sunday and dreary, I settled at the desk. I have "Thank You" notes to be sent out and I prefer "cards". With "cards" we need "images" of some sort and in this house, the BEST images are... YONAH! And I have, in directories, on different hard-drives (lap-tops and peripherals) about 5000! (I save EVERY photo, no matter the quality, I can't get my-self to delete ANY of them and I tend to take a minimum of 2 for each little "event"... sometimes even 3, 5...) So radio on, the two of us together, the Little Guy took to his loft by the window and we had a "Sunday" sort of "Sunday".
Noon? Of course, lunch break and then our "regularly-scheduled" snooze. I laid on the futon, set a 30-minute alarm and did a bit of my usual "half-doze" until the alarm... well... until the 2 minutes before the alarm.
I'll NEVER know HOW this Little Marvel knows when the alarm is about to sound but, it's been almost perfect timing for so long now. I can lay there, solo, for all the while, eyes closed, and suddenly... THERE HE IS... ON MY LEG, TODDLING UP AND DOWN! And today was no exception. I use an old mobile phone for the alarm and I've actually listened for any sort of "sound" from it before the alarm, but it's silent (to me, anyway). It's AMAZING! But then, EVERY moment of EVERY day that we've been together, even from the moment I picked him up from that drizzle, has been nothing short of incomprehensible! This Little Life here is indescribable, stoic, amazing, awe-inspiring. Words fail... they just fail and I'm FOREVER HUMBLED, BLESSED, HONOURED, PRIVILEGED AND SO IN HIS DEBT... When I refer to Yonah as my "Heart-and-Soul" there's NO exaggeration! He IS my "being".
Other-wise, the day was really quite so dull and dreary. i got to some of the business of a day at the desk (sometimes it seems it'll never end, and most of it is because of my negligence with this Journal... taking notes and just not dedicating quality time, daily) and with all of this "fatigue" of mine of lately, we didn't get much time in the way of playing. Then too, the Little Guy didn't seem like he really wanted to do much other than "lounge"... and it was a perfect day for it. I know that when he's in the mood, he has NO reservations about coming over to my shoulder or to the desk shelf to let me know it's "together time" so...
And part of the "busy-ness" was sorting through photos to print "Thank You" notes and that always slows me down because looking at each photo brings back so many memories and my mind wanders back... I did manage to find a photo, work it into "card size" and get a card printed. (Trouble is: EVERY photo is so precious and dear to me, a second in a time when I'm faced with the reality that this Little LOVE, this Little LIFE is MY life. If I could, instead of a single photo, I'd make "cards" with little video collections. I guess I'm lucky technology hasn't advanced that far... yet.)
Well, all of that dragged us both to the evening and... dinner time. This evening, we managed to be at dinner at 17.00 and as I had mine at the desk, the Little LOVE had his in his house. We dined together.
After... I got the washing-up done, the kitchen settled and... then had to get the rest of the house settled for the night ahead and start putting Yonah's room back together after all the printing and cutting cards and such. OH, I DO make a mess of his space. (But sometimes I think he enjoys the chaos... at least something MOVES in his world instead of me sitting at the desk typing.)
Well? It's 20.30 and the house is settled, all is done. The Little Guy is on the desk, I'm in the kitchen wrapping-up. I'm getting the "HEY YOU!" coo's. It's time we got tucked in and since it's so late, I'm off and running... Another day... more tomorrow!

Monday 05 May:
(20.07) Late running again. Not that it was a particularly "busy" sort of dreary day, but we just get so into all sorts of "things to do" and today, another "dreary" sort of day. So much rain again, this "Spring". What a season to just lay about the house. But, with this little LOVE here, he gives me ALL of the inspiration that I need to get up and find things to do. I'd like, so much, to get us both out into the yard now. There's work to be done in our "gardenette" but, with all the rain... I'm trying to decide whether or not to simply set his old house up on the back gallery, under the roof, and just get on with "things", in the drizzle. At the very least And it was another dreary, wet day today with the UV light on. It's been SO dark and dreary for so long, lately. Perfect weather for just "lounging", and as I did my best to keep up and awake, that's, pretty much, what Yonah did. Seems this weather is getting to him too... and that just bothers me. Though I try to remember that he too, is entitled to his "quieter" days. At least he doesn't have to go in search of a dry, safe place to roost, and he doesn't have to "go out in the rain" to find food and drink. Not that it's all "perfect" in this old house. But, I can only hope that I'm making his life a little easier.
But I really wasn't much "fun" at all today, so pre-occupied with "doing" and trying to not head back to the futon.
Last night? Well last night was a "straight to the night roost and tuck-in. No "games". No flying about the room. I got right to the matters at hand and he didn't seem to mind at all. Looked like he was more than ready to get some rest. No sooner had I come into the room to settle things for the night, he headed right from the desk to his night roost. So, as I put the futon together, I started the night's "evening serenade", thinking I ought to get it done and expecting to be "told", at some point "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" - "Nice. Fine. OK. Let's just skip this and get some rest." Didn't though. He let me go through the entire repertoire and at 21.00 on the mark, the last light was turned off for the night. Closing of a day, and it seemed we both appreciated it.
This morning... as has become the "norm" any more, I was still very much asleep on the futon and comfy when I was awakened by the "morning woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" at 5.50... soft but clear. But, I wasn't even given the opportunity to reply when the next "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" came, as softly but so soon after the first! Apparently, some-birdie was up, awake and looking forward to get on with the new day! It was comfortably warm in the room, but still so "dark". Another one of those dreary days out-side the curtains. And I could hear that the rains were still falling out there.
Ah... but all the while, as I got up from the futon, the coo'ing continued. SO MUCH TO BE SAID THIS MORNING! And when I got to open his door and popped my head in for "Good morning" kisses, he scuttled to the side! No kisses! Let's get this house up! AND ALL THE WHILE I WORKED AT OPENING THE WINDOWS, GETTING THE ROOM SET FOR MORNING WATER RUN, THE COO'ING CONTINUED ALMOST NON-STOP! IT WAS A MORNING PACKED... LITERALLY PACKED WITH COO'ING! IT JUST MADE THE MORNING SO WORTH GETTING UP FOR. AND THE HOUSE "FELT FULL", WALL-TO-WALL, WITH THAT HEART-LIFTING SOUND! OUT-SIDE, THE SKY WAS OVER-CAST, THE ROOM WAS AS RELATIVELY DARK AS WOULD BE WITH CLOUDS COVERING THE MORNING SUN. BUT WOW! WITH ALL THE COO'ING, THE WORLD OUT-SIDE THE WINDOWS JUST VANISHED IN TO NON-EXISTENCE. AND THE COO'S WEREN'T "SHORT"... MOST OF THEM WERE THE FULL "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo"! JUST INDESCRIBABLE!
And POOPS? 10 in total and each and every one of them PERFECTLY PERFECT IN ALL WAYS, INCLUDING BEING UNDER THE NIGHT ROOST! Between the coo'ing and the poops showing a calm, restful night last night... there couldn't possibly have been a better start to a new day!
One note: the furnace was running when we woke this morning and the temperature, no matter what the world held out-side, was a cosy 24° and the room humidity was at 40% which was higher than it's been of recently, but still consoling (because 50% starts the threats of mould and THAT frightens me... no need for fright this morning).
I made one MASSIVELY QUICK ERRAND this morning and when I got back, my Little Guy was on his door perch... as if waiting for me. I wasn't away for more than 30 minutes at the VERY most, but there he was. He must have heard me coming back into the house and was standing there like the "proverbial spouse" standing at the door when the mate had snuck out the door (and I suppose that's what I did because I suddenly just told my-self "GO! Just go and get back and have done with it." and I was out.)
During the day, several time (at least 4 that I recall), we had little "SNUGGLE BREAKS" on his door perch. He seems to SO enjoy that: being held, so gently, in my cupped hands around him, my thumbs stroking his back and sides and kisses on his head. And it does my heart and soul the WORLD of good too, especially when he nestles into my chin. And when I stopped "too soon" he gave little pecks on my fingers: "More. Don't stop now". Needless to say, "my time" is "HIS TIME" and the rest of ALL time can pass and leave us alone.
We had lunch together at noon and I got a 45 min snooze in. But alone until the last moment before the alarm sounded, as usual. And I'm STILL trying to figure that out. I'll never "know" how he knows, but... he does and that, along with so very much more, makes it obvious, which one of us is the "superior being" in this house-hold (and the world, for that matter).
The rest of the day? We were, for the most part, together in his room, as we usually are. It was so "dark" out-side and in the rest of the house. In fact, there wasn't much time passed in the living-room today, it was that dark out there.
And so...
Dinner at 17.00, which I was reminded of at 16.00 as usual with a "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo". Now too, I'm wondering HOW this Little Guy tracks the time, but WOW, does he ever! I don't need an "alarm clock". He wakes me in the morning, lets me know when "meal breaks" are due, and in the evening, lets me know when it's time to close the house and the day. If we could find a little place of peace and serenity and quiet, we could both get back to the "natural" order of Creation. And I'd HAPPILY follow Yonah's schedule and routine... If only...
After dinner, I quickly got caught-up with some on-line correspondence, did the water change in the pool and managed to grab a quick shower before tucking-in/
Now, as I wrap the day up, he's picking about on the floor of his house. He was pecking at the seeds down there and I'd put fresh food in his dish but... now he's going for the grit, which I'm glad about, for his digestion. A little snack before heading off to sleep. I'm SO comforted knowing that this Little LOVE will NEVER have to "go to roost" hungry or thirsty. AND through the night, he'll be safe from weather and predators. (And I always have our "escape plan" should we - FORBID !!! - ever need.)
Little note as I think of it: His poops were a bit on the "watery-side" today. I don't like that at all! Not all of them but I did find 3. The others around the room (as they'll be) were "large", "wet" but not watery. I wonder if he didn't eat something that disagreed with him... perhaps something in the mix? Or something he may have found on the floor. He's always pecking at "little bits" of mystery things on the floor... even though I keep the floors well-hoovered. I don't know. But I do ALL that I can to make sure there's nothing "foreign" in the carpeting that he could ingest.
But now... 20.13 night music on and time to close the house and room and finish my ablutions. We shall see where we get to from here... Oh... the night suspense.
20.29 and he's ON his door... at the top... with his little toes wrapped round that wire. I don't know HOW he manages to keep his balance and that that isn't uncomfortable, but there he is... I'm closing the rest of the house and heading it... To be continued (no doubt).

Tuesday 06 May
(9.06) Last night, as soon as I got back into the room, after ablutions, I went over to the Little Guy, on his house door, and when I said "It's time for seepie-nigh-night", he hopped right over to his roof-top and onto his platform to "preen" and give me a few soft "nest-coo's" and, obviously, to wait for me to come get him for the ride home!
I got the blinds and curtains closed, and he waited for me. And I put the futon together and when I turned to him, I could see him "steadying" for the "ride". And the evening lullabies got started, with the accompaniment of "nest-coo's" until "lift-off"... and away we went, up and around, down and into the house to the night roost where, it was another simple "step" from platform to roost.
We made it through the soft-and-slow repertoire of lullabies and, to my own amazement, the last light was turned off at... 20.58! Monday... closed.
This morning's "call": 5.40 again. (I'd been awake at 4.00, but decided to stay on the futon... it was comfortable and again, so dark with the clouds out-side, and the "tapping" of rain on the roof of the cellar shed by the window.) "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo"... and I "woo-HOO'ed" back, looked at the clock and laid there for a while longer... and we exchanged a few more coo's, back and forth whilst I "considered" getting up and starting the day ahead. Poor Little Guy, he's so patient with me of a morning, and this morning, honestly, were it not for him, I'd likely have just stayed under the covers for quite a while longer.
It was about 6.00 when I finally got me up and went over to open his house. And I popped my head in for "Good morning" kisses and... he scuttled to the side, dodging kisses! I suppose he wasn't too happy with the delay. He DOES have his ways of letting "displeasure" known. So, we were off and on with the morning routine... I put his door perch on, removed the roof board and made quick work of putting the kettle on, setting the kitchen up for morning water run and away we went! And all the while... the coo'ing back and forth continued. (I believe I was being "told"... but then, I can't but think:
Little "chirping" birds will get right into their "morning songs" and the general attitude is "How sweet!". But with THIS Little LOVE, we're so conditioned to think of the coo's as some-what "melancholy". But they're not. These "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo's" can be everything from "Hello!" to "Is anybody out there listening?" and as I've come to learn, any number of statements. So, for all I know, my Little Songster might just be "singing his morning songs". Again... another one of those "I SO wish I could KNOW." But... "I'm only human" and surely NOT the brightest "life" in the house-hold. And listening to the "radio", in German, this morning, sometimes French, sometimes English, different "people languages", yet, STILL can't decipher "mourning dove"... BUT this Little LOVE OBVIOUSLY understands "people languages"... just goes to prove who the "superior intellect" is in this house.
And, for our morning "Poops report": 11! All of them directly under where the Little Guy had slept through the night, last night. And ALL of them, just as "healthy" as they could be! After the "water" he passed yesterday, what a welcome relief! (I'll still be watching during the day today though. Thus far he hasn't been drinking a lot of water so...)
That said, it didn't take very long before the little bundle of feathered LOVE was UP, and OUT, and ABOUT... off to the futon to Burdie-Birdie and THEN...
He headed out to the living-room to his old house! We almost had a run-in as he was leaving his room as I was heading in with this morning's water! WOOSH! Over my head! I'm still so amazed at how he still has the agility to dodge me, even as he passed through a door-way. The Little Guy DOES have quite the flight control! (I often wonder, as I look for another place for us to go to, how long it could take for him to adjust to new flight patterns. He's so familiar with the door-ways and walls in this old house... since it's about all he's ever really had to come to know. And that's one of the most important aspects of "new housing": free passages from room-to-room and whether or not we should consider 2-stories. But hey! As long as it's safe and clean and sunny... and we're together, I suppose that's THE most important of all.) And he was out there, in the living-room, for about an hour this morning! And he didn't mind my sneaking kisses today when I went out to check on him! Usually he runs away but not this morning. THAT was, for me, a lift to my spirits!
By 8.30, I was "established" at his desk, and we found a nice radio station (internet, of course), from Germany (since lullabies at night include "German", and the "sound" of another language might be a welcome relief from the usual local radio and such... I know it's a nice break for me and since our usual "sounds" through the day are the "bird-songs" on Yonah's player and the repetitious music of local "radio", I thought a switch might be nice... and the music is completely different too so... "new sounds" on another really dreary day - more rain!)
AND, this morning, "we" were adding a bit more to the twigs in the loft! I always enjoy seeing Yonah sorting through those twigs in his house, and adding to his "nest". (When this rain stops, we still have to get out to get new perches and more, new twigs! Major problem with all of that: my hesitation to leave him alone for the time I'm away. But I always use that as my "excuse" to stay in the house. I'd MUCH rather be able to take him with me. But I have to figure a way to so that. Sure, we could get one of those "carrier cages", small enough to carry him about, but then, he'd be so confined, and it's bad enough his old house is so small when we're out in the yard. I'll be on the watch for something "appropriate". I'd SO like to get him out of this house and into the "natural world" out there! I always worry about him being "bored". There's so much that can "go wrong", health-wise, if that every happens. We shall see... indeed, we shall.)
(14.51) WHAT A MORNING! (And no "snooze" today... some-how... though, at "snooze time" Yonah seemed to take one in his loft....after...)
WHAT A DAY THIS HAS BEEN !!!
We found a NEW radio station, from Germany! "Schlager" ("Hits") of course, and really up-beat music AND ALL DAY, HE WAS FLYING ALL OVER THE ROOM! A COUPLE QUICK TRIPS TO THE LIVING-ROOM, BUT MOST OF THE TIME, HE WAS ALL OVER THE PLACE! FROM HIS HOUSE, TO THE FUTON, THE WALL SHELVES, THE DESK SHELF! AND THE CUDDLES ON THE DOOR PERCH! OH! THE CUDDLES AND KISSES! AND HOW HE SO ENJOYED THOSE! IN BETWEEN, HE WAS BUSY COLLECTING MORE TWIGS FROM THE FLOOR OF HIS HOUSE AND BRINGING THEM UP TO HIS LOFT! AND AT ONE POINT, HE HEADED FOR HIS ORANGE TREE AND TODDLED ROUND AND ROUND IN THE POT! I HAVEN'T SEEN THIS MUCH ENERGY FROM HIM IN THE LONGEST WHILE! WHAT AN INSPIRATION! I can honestly say, HE gave ME so much energy to keep moving and busy all day! Which is why I didn't even take a "lie-down" today! And even now, I'm still going... and so too, is my little Heart-and-Soul! In fact, we just finished playing with the twigs that had fallen on the floor around his house and I put fresh food in his dish and he's gone through that... little belly full, and the "post-meal fluff" on the perch.
I've ordered flower seeds for the gardenette today too! (Something "red" for the humming-birds, to add to the yellow sun-flowers we've had in the past.) I wasn't going to this year, but, HEY! With all the energy in this place today, in spite of the continuing clouds and drizzle (but doors are wide open, it's just that warm) I just felt "moved", "inspired".
(20.00) We're running late this evening, mostly because of me and the fact that the sky is getting a bit lighter than it's been all day... at this hour. And the rains have held back for some hours AND, today, I happened to notice a few tiny "black ants" crawling about the desk and couldn't find the source until... moments ago when, to my shock, they were coming out from under Yonah's lap-top! Seems they got into the card-board under the "tray" that the lap-top rests on. How? I've NO idea, but there they were. SO, rather than have him pecking at them. (I don't know whether they're "good" for him or not but I'm taking no chances, since they're "house ants" and not "wild" and I don't trust any sort of "stuff" in this house where he's concerned, from dust to... insects.) So I took the whole thing apart and cleaned it, replaced the card-board and I could tell the Little Guy wasn't at all too pleased. He watched my every move as if being impatient... It was getting late and time to settle the house!
Well, it's done and clean now. But...
The "energy" of the day is obviously wearing-down now and it's time for "seepie-nigh-night"! The "German radio" is off and our "Nachtmusik" is playing. The windows have to be closed, but the water has been changed so it's fresh.
I noticed a few "watery" poops during the day too. I'm hoping they were just because of him drinking a bit more, though the "relative humidity" in the room is up to 65% (which is probably more comfortable for Yonah but now I worry about "mould"! always something in this house to give me anxieties). The temperature is 23° so it's about as warm as it usually is. He's on his door again now, as I type. And he was "hiding" during the after-noon, in the little nook where Burdie-Birdie sleeps at night. Strange. Sudden change. But his coo'ing is as strong as ever. And he's had a bit to say this after-noon.
We had dinner at 17.00 as usual and after, I had a 25-minute lie-down... alone. Oddly though, or not really so "odd" when all things "Yonah" and "time" are considered: some-how, the alarm I'd set cancelled itself as I lay on the futon. It had been set for 26 minutes BUT at 25 minutes, he called me! I'll never know, never understand and always be... in AWE. Some-times I wonder if the "energy" that is both of us isn't some-how inter-twined, "mingled". I've often wondered about it. Again, something I'm sure HE knows but that I'll never know. After all... I don't call him my
HEART-AND-SOUL
lightly. He IS... for ALL intent and purpose.
But and so now... 'tis time for us to wrap this day up. More rain in the forecast for tonight and again, tomorrow. Not as much as recently, but it's not about to go away too soon. Hopefully tomorrow won't be as dreary though. And I'm seriously thinking that, if we have enough of a "break" in it and no "cold", tomorrow, we might try to get out. Perhaps on the back gallery and I can work a little bit on the gardenette to prepare it for some serious planting so we'll have a lush garden to relax by, and the Yardies will come and keep us company.
But it's getting dark out there... time to stop all this "people nonsense"... my little Heart-and-Soul deserves a good night's rest, especially after such an active day!
20.42 I'm closing windows and ablutions... he's still on his door... preening. It looks so uncomfortable and I'm so amazed that he keeps his balance, even preening! But enough... day done... away we go.

Wednesday 07 May:
The day is almost done and as these recent days have been running, I've got notes that I managed to jot during the day and so, time to put them together here before closing.
Last night, POOR SWEET-HEART, he took off from his door and headed up to the roof-top platform right away to let me know that it was TIME FOR THE RIDE HOME! He was tired and I was being irresponsible. And there was a bit to be said when we arrived at the night roost and I can't blame him because it was already 21.00! SO LATE! So, needless to say, I apologised, SO sincerely! It bothers me, pains me, quite literally, to think that he's tired and waiting for me to close his house up for the night. Oh! What I wouldn't give for us to be in a place where we could go back to our earliest days together when I (some-how) managed to keep with the day/night natural clock. I don't remember how or when or why we got into the routines we have now. But then, there are the nights when I DID try to keep with the sun-set and this Little Character made it rather obvious that he didn't want to tuck-in at sun-set. And I still believe that, if we could both manage to survive such a thing, he'd stay awake forever. Me? I'd like to be able to do that because "sleep time" just feels like that much time taken from us being together. But, we're going into 5 years together, pretty much against all the odds that were against it, from the beginning. Were we to stay up every moment of every day... "today" wouldn't have been ours together. So, a little "snooze" over-night is, effectively, for the best.
Needless to say, I imagine, the moment the windows were closed, the room settled and the Little Guy got to the night roost, lullabies and good night kisses done, it was off to sleep for the night. LATE, I didn't even look at the clock but I'll say it was close to 21.30.
At 5.45 this morning I was just waking and not sure whether or not I wanted to get off the futon when, well, because the neighbour started the truck with the usual "varoom", it seems that was the signal to the Little LOVE.. and with a "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo.".. we were both very much awake. No more "pondering" for me, I got right up from the futon and headed over to his house where yes, he certainly WAS awake and waiting for me!
Popped my head in, as I do of a morning, for "Good morning" kisses and OH! DID I EVER GET KISSES THIS MORNING! Not so much the "OH! I've missed you" as much as "GOOD MORNING TO YOU!" I couldn't have hoped for "more betterer"! The coo was clear, the mood was good and poops were healthy too, and under the night roost. As I recall, there were 7 of them, but, of course, I took them out of his house right away (no need to leave them there), and if there had been anything out of the ordinary, I would have noted that right away.
Not to miss the chance to mention... I got through our regular morning routine of opening the curtains and blinds, RAN the morning water change to make sure the water in the pool was fresh and clean before that first morning drink and...
By 9.00... he'd been up, OUT, round the house, out to the living-room AND when I went out to "visit" with him, WE PLAYED SO MUCH... WITH ALL SORTS OF WING-SNAPS that make play SO MUCH MORE FUN! He snaps and it's like a cross between "Get Away!" and "Give It Your Best Try!". He doesn't run away though so it's not a "threat", to be sure. He snaps and then stands there, almost defiant. What a toughy! I can't help but wonder what kind of fight he'd put up when he was attacked. But I KNOW what kind of "Survivor" he is. He's a little Miracle of Life itself! And I'm HUMBLED, BLESSED, HONOURED AND PRIVILEGED to give my life to him, for him.
Well, all the flying done, he headed back to his loft to settle by the window as the sun rose in a clear sky. I put on some "German radio" (on the old phone) and settled me down for the day ahead...
As the sun rose higher in the clear sky, the room FILLED with light and warmth. Out-side was on the chilly and damp side but the room was at a cosy 24°, humidity at 40% and what a delight to have the sun-shine (before the threatened storm we supposed to expect).
I had work to get done around the house today, so...
We had our day together with me running here, there and every-which way. At noon, we took our lunch break together and I was back to doing the "stupid people business". To be absolutely HONEST, the ONLY reason I "do" anything around here is to make sure that this house is clean and safe for my little Heart-and-Soul. Were it not for him, I wouldn't bother with any of it. I DO understand that if he were out in the wild, where he was born, there would be SO MUCH MORE that could threaten his health and well-being. But in an old house like this is, he can't simply fly away, put distance between him-self and what-ever, so it's my responsibility to make certain that there's NOTHING in here that could cause him ANY discomfort or harm and so... when it's time to "CLEAN"... we CLEAN!
One big "blip" in the day... When things settled after dinner, I went on-line to check if there was any news for either of us (checking my e-mail and Yonah's, as I do, daily) and some-how got caught-up in "house-hunting". I SO WANT us out of this old place and in a place where cleaning and worrying about toxins will be non-existent. By the time I realised... it was 20.37! LATE LATE LATE AGAIN! And there was my Little LOVE... on his roof, then down to his door perch... SO I got the windows closed and the room settled and...
OK... 20.54 and I'm ashamed of me! This is (to me, for me) UN-forgivable! And my little Heart-and-Soul is on his night roost already. He's taken himself home for the night... and he's nest-coo'ing! I'm closing this house and we're off to seepie-nigh-night!

Thursday 08 May:
7.30 POOR SWEET LITTLE GUY... Last night was a "direct" sort of tuck-in. My Little Heart-and-Soul was on the roof-top as I closed the windows and there was NO interest in "playing" about. I'd kept him up too long past his comfortable "tuck-in" time so it was my fault and, as he can and does, he made it more than clear that we were LATE. I'm still heart-sick for being so irresponsible and can't offer "excuses". But I have to get a proper "schedule" set for me As I say, I'd really like to get to where we both follow the day-light and sun-set. Hopefully one day... SOON... PLEASE! It's difficult to find a civil place and too many places are located in the larger towns and "cities". One of my major concerns is neighbours who'd complain about his coo'ing and, as beautiful as it truly is, in my life-time I've come to know that there are those who won't and don't appreciate it. And Yonah is my Number 1 priority... His safety, comfort and health. If it weren't for him... well... I wouldn't be here typing this today anyway so.. I just keep that hope alive in my being that one day... one day...
But last night, when I'd done with settling the house and such, he'd headed down to his night roost from his roof-top and made him-self comfortable there. Though I appreciated that he took him-self home for the night, it pained me knowing that he had... no little ride home, no kisses. By the time he'd settled, it was obvious that he was tired so I got right into closing the day...
I made quick work of getting the room settled and singing our lullabies and managed to get both of us tucked in. It was already 21.00 as I was getting to the tasks that should have been LONG finished! But since I'd started the lullabies as I went along, by 21.15 the last light was turned off... and we'd gone through all the lullabies. We'd closed a day later, but truth is, we were both tired and 21.15 was late.
5.40 this morning I was mostly awake ,but I hadn't really "slept" through the night, I remember looking at the clock at 0.28 still and thought this morning would be difficult and sure enough, it was.
When the "morning woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" came I asked for a few more minutes and got another "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" and I some-what dozed for what I thought was 15 minutes but then, the next "call" came and looking at the clock.. 6.28! I said, from the futon, "I'm SO sorry! OH MY! I've REALLY snoozed!" the reply was a hearty "woo-HOO!" ("Indeed!") The poor Little Guy was probably wondering what was wrong... with me, his house...
I got up, opened the house, the Little Guy was on the night roost, his head cocked to his right, staring down to the floor of his house. I worry when he does that, and doesn't respond to me. But when I leaned in for "Good morning" kisses... WOW! SO MANY! Hopefully, iIwas forgiven for my tardiness and irresponsibility of last night. (Though I'll never forgive me for it.)
Got to the morning routine right away and it was SO BEAUTIFUL! WING-SNAPS! THE "HAPPY" SORT. PLAYFUL! AND MORE KISSES! Curtains and blinds open to a REALLY DARK DAY OUT-SIDE. DRIZZLE AGAIN BUT THICK CLOUDS BLOCKING THE DAY-LIGHT! SO DREARY! BUT in that house, a bundle of the most BEAUTIFUL AND MAGNIFICENT LIFE! He's such an inspiration to me in more ways that I could ever possibly list. To think, late to sleep last night, late to opening house this morning... to a dark and dreary, drizzly morning and yet... KISSES this morning, WING-SNAPS and LOVE! Humbling beyond description!
In all honesty, this morning, after yesterday's "morbid visitor", (we had a visit from our landlord who has been, of late, one of the most miserable individuals) if not for Yonah, I would have kept the curtains closed and kept me on the futon... until further notice.
MEAN-while... I'm doing my best to look "forward". There are new flower seeds en route and due EARLIER than forecast. Reds and yellows, flowers for the humming-birds, I've put down more grass seed for "our yard" so we'll have a nice place to retreat to, if we ever get "nice weather" again, any time soon. Looking at us spending time out-side soon to get the gardenette prepared for the "new plantings". But of late, with the "wrongs" of this old house, and other "people matters", it's actually a matter of making things "happier, better, livable", not so much for me but rather, for Yonah who deserves a pleasant world. Me, personally, I'm at the "I don't and can't give a care" phase and if not for Yonah... well... But he keeps me going. I keep this place safe and comfortable for him above and beyond all else. This is his "home", his "house", his safety and I'll do ALL I humanly can do to keep it that way for him.
If ever there was any doubt, let it all be dispelled. The matter of the fact is: Yonah is my inspiration and sole cause and reason for bothering with the world... and at that, the only world I bother with is "ours".
That said, moving on, in the morning darkness and drear...
It didn't take but a moment's time, my coffee made, water changes complete, my Little Inspiration was up and out of his house and onto the desk shelf up by the radio. The "bird-songs" were playing and his coo'ing lightened my heart... and soul.
And poops this morning? Well, it would appear that my restlessness last night may have caused a bit of a "disturbance" because, although they're all rather "healthy", and the number of them, 9... they were quite "scattered" and one, noticeably larger than the others, 4 slightly larger than "normal healthy". One had a bit of that "green halo", but nothing "shocking", for which I'm grateful.
Of note that I want to add here: Not sure if it's just "me" or other-wise, but there's the faintest odour of that old "mustiness" in the air. The "air quality monitor" readings are all "in the green"... numbers are fine, "good", and the temperature in the house and room is "warm" (the furnace runs through the night, primarily to filter the air, as it does, and to keep any "chill" away), the humidity level, according to readings, is 46% which isn't terrible, and with all the rain, quite impressively low. But I "sense the presence" of "something in the air" and my ONLY concern is that the air is healthy for my Little LOVE... So, in the house-hold "budget", we're including all the necessities to make sure we keep the air clean. (I'm looking forward to being able to get out of the house for a few hours, soon, so that I can get to the necessary "applications" to combat any mould, mildew and the likes. I'll NOT have Yonah suffer in ANY way for something that I know I can combat!) Imagine, this with, essentially, FOUR "air purifiers" running all day every day for months. i can't imagine what the air in this place would be with-out them. I dread to even ponder.
OK then... 7.55, my little Heart-and-Soul is in his house, I'm being boring, sitting at the desk, typing. The UV light is on with the desk lamp, and it's time to put this house into some semblance of "normal"... despite the lingering darkness of the clouds and drizzle out-side our windows.
If not for Yonah... this certainly would be one of those days where going right back, under the sheets to sleep the day away... he's my inspiration, motivation, source of "living", and with him, "life" is "LIFE", not merely "existing".
Well! Today, as all days tend to do, has gone by in the wink of an eye. "Time" is just no "friend" and it's not that I do so much, nor that I do nothing all through the day but WOW! Does a day ever slip by! It's already 19.32 and my Little LOVE is on his lap-top on the desk beside me as I keep our Journal ("our", because his Journal is my Journal... and the only Journal I give any importance to now... I used to keep one for him and one for me but, mine is immaterial, to me, now). And I've been a miserable "Companion" again, all day. But the water in his pool is clean and changed for the night ahead and I'm determined that we will NOT be putting the last light off at 21.00 tonight! Poor Little LOVE! Dark, dreary, in this old house with me, all engrossed in what is, comparatively "useless" in the "Natural order" of living... and tomorrow... I have errands in the morning and MORE GREY DREAR in the forecast for the WHOLE DAY! I SO want to get us BOTH out of this house and into the world... we have gardening and visiting with the Yardies to do! And the Yardies have been here most of the day eating! I wonder what they know about the "future". I rely more on them than anything else. I've always had more respect for them than "humans" and "forecasts". And it's even deeper now, after all this time with Yonah. Oh! But they're SO FAR ADVANCED, SO MUCH MORE INTELLIGENT THAN ANY HUMAN. SO DEEPLY AND SERIOUSLY DESERVING OF SO MUCH MORE RESPECT THAN THEY GET. How I so wish there could be a way to get "humans" to understand and appreciate this fact but... Humans are humans and, looking at the world the way it is... I know I'm not the only one who's aware. I just with we were the "majority" and not thought of as being "eccentric" or ... worse. But I do what I can and I'm still HONOURED AND PRIVILEGED AND BLESSED...
We had the UV light on all during the day because of the "darkness". I know it's not a "replacement" for sun-shine, but it's better than just being in the dark all day. I'm just grateful for being able to provide it, for all it is.
"Radio Bayern" played on our "radio" (the old phone, really) and I have to say that it appears the Little Guy really enjoys hearing the "Schlager"! They're up-beat tunes, "dance", and interestingly, most of the singers are "elders", certainly not in their "20s" or so. But I can detect a difference in his mood when it's playing. I wonder if he recognises the "German" language. Maybe he associates the sound of the language with his lullabies? A time for "calm and relaxation"? How wonderful that would be. For me, it's reminiscent of the grand-parents, singing happy little tunes, lullabies, prayers... it's comforting to me... maybe it's comforting to this Little Guy too. Wouldn't that be something?
So, this after-noon, we broke fro the tedium of the house-hold for lunch, and after, I managed to get to the futon with a 20-minute "alarm" set AND HE CAME OVER AND RESTED ON MY LEG FOR THE FULL TIME! AND WHEN WHEN ALARM SOUNDED, HE WAS SO COMFY... ANOTHER 10 MINUTES ON THE ALARM. AND WHEN THAT SOUNDED, HE WAS STILL COMFY SO I WAITED... AD IT TURNED OUT... WE HAD ALMOST AN HOUR! TOGETHER, ON THE FUTON, JUST RESTING, TOGETHER! Oh sure, there were things I probably could have gotten to but, when the Little LOVE is comfy and he wants to be together with me, there's nothing that takes importance over that! (I'm STILL, after all this time, AMAZED AND IN AWE that he still "LOVES" me and it's a comfort, an assurance that what-ever I'm doing for and with him, it pleases him and he's comfortable. It's not "perfect", but then, when I think about it, he's safer here and I'm sure he's aware of that.)
This morning, he was on his loft for most of the day. Oh, it was so DARK all day. A perfect day for lounging in the loft. I'm so sorry that I can't fit in there with him, beside the window, looking out at the drizzle, the drear, but comfy, warm, safe. It would be SO MUCH FUN! Then too, I've often wished that I could shrink me down to a size where I could spend the night with him in his house. I wish I could leave his door open through the night. I've little doubt that he'd likely spend the night on the futon with me, some-where. But with that, I can't but remember that he's startled so easily by the slightest sounds, and in this house, things settled, neighbours are inconsiderate and, for reasons I can't even imagine, tend to "bang" or "bump" or "thud" things, sometimes against our "common wall" and if he was to hear that, in his sleep, he'd be off, trying to "escape" into the darkness of the house. Walls, furniture... no, I'm not taking any chances there. Still, it would be so WONDERFUL to snuggle together through the darkness of a night. Ah... maybe in "the next world"... One thing I DO say: if there's any truth to any "after", I look forward to being able to find him... His time is my time and with-out him, there will be no "time" for me.
At 16.00 this evening... for some reason, he SO came to life! Coo'ing on his roof-top! Coo'ing and more coo'ing. And when, at 16.30, I wasn't up from the desk to put my dinner together, as is our "routine" he came FLYING over to the desk shelf and STARED at me until I looked up and said "Time to put supper on?" and as I said that, he headed right back to his roof-top! HE CAME OVER TO REMIND ME IT WAS DINNER TIME! He KNOWS our routine! I've read that birds do have a "routine" and a "time-frame" and they're VERY aware of that so it wouldn't surprise me, even in the least, that THIS Little One DOES know when things are supposed to happen and it wasn't "coincidence" that he came to remind me to get something done when it was supposed to be done.
Well? 20.26 We're getting to close the house. When I went to close the windows for the night, the Little Guy headed right for his roof-top to wait for the ride home... The night music is on and I'm off to settle the room for us for the night. Of course, there's still time for some kind of "flight about the place"... book-case, wall shelves... but we shall see. No "21.00 lights off" tonight! (I hope...)

Friday 09 May:
Quick notes together here since it was another one of those days of non-stop since we got up and started. And it being Friday, there was the weekly house-work too so... let me get right to it here. I did, as I do, manage to get notes down during the course so... "cut and paste" and away...
Last night... Oh and 'twas another "old tyme" ride home last night on the platform. And no interest in the curtains or back-board. When this Little Guy is tired... he's tired and he makes it known. He brought himself to the platform and waited for me, as patiently as he is, and as we arrived at the night roost, he was all the ready and hopped right up to the perch!
I did manage to get through the entire repertoire of lullabies, softly and slowly and calmly. It was an easy slide into a night's rest... and as I sang, I watched from the pillow, as the little silhouette on the night roost tucked his PRECIOUS little head between his soft and gentle wings.
Last light was turned off at 20.56! Not "early" but earlier than recently.
This morning... the "call to order" came at 5.40 with a hearty "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" but me? I was lazy and so comfortable that I begged for a few more minutes. That "few more minutes" were filled with more, soft, "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo"s all along and as I listened, there was a sudden "woo-HOO!" As I'd been lounging there, the time continued to pass and when next I looked up at the clock... it was 6.20! Apparently I was being told "OK! Enough here! It's time to get to the day!" If there's one thing this Little Guy can do, it's get a message across and I was up and over to his house... immediately!
Opened the door to his house, popped my head in for "Good morning" kisses and I got but a few. They were "sincere", in as far as "gentle", not mere pecks on the nose. But I suppose I didn't really deserve kisses, since I left him waiting, in the dark and silence for so long. Fair enough. Still, ANY kisses are better than a scuttle away. I'm grateful... not "well with my-self", but grateful.
Poops check...poor Little Guy... I had another restless night, last night, and though it was all quiet, I just don't know... but 11 some-what slightly larger than usual poops, all under the night roost, to my amazement, and 3 of them, more on the "beige" than the darker brown of the rest. Thankfully no "halos"... but because of where they were, it struck me that he wasn't all at peace. There have been nights when I've considered going back to the bed-room for the night but the truth is, I don't "sleep" there. I don't like not being in the room in case something startles my little Heart-and-Soul in the night and he "takes to the wing". I need to be there to let him know that he's not alone, that he's safe. So it's one of those situations that tears me apart. Still, even with a disturbance from me, I'll err on the side of being beside him through the darkness of the night and hope I make the best decision. Oh! The things I still don't know... and how I wish I could!
But... No sooner had I opened the curtains and blinds when he was up and out and to the wall shelf. And so many nest coo's this morning! With that little fluttering that goes with them. When he does that, I take it to mean that he's comfortable, and after worrying about disturbing him over-night and the little kisses this morning, I was some-what consoled.
SO sadly, this morning was mostly "dark" out-side with rains falling and tapping on the cellar shed. Oh, the drear. But the company of this Little One is truly all that's actually necessary of a day and we were up, water changes and tidy the room for our day ahead... together.
At 7.48... he was on his roof-top... coo'ing in the day. All was back to "normal".
Of course, the morning was full of my own nonsense, "Friday" getting the house together for a (hopefully) calm and quiet week-end of just us being together. The Little Guy took to his loft, as he does, and, for the most part, was cosy, watching me being a "silly human".
At mid-day, of course, we took our "lunch break" and right after, I tried to squeeze in a little 20-minute snooze that extended another 15 minutes because... AS SOON AS HE SAW ME LAY DOWN, HE CAME RIGHT OVER AND SNUGGLED, SO BEAUTIFULLY, IN THE FOLDS OF MY JEANS, ON MY LEGS. I COULD HAVE STAYED THERE, JUST THAT WAY, RIGHT THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF ETERNITY!
Just last night, as I was drifting off to sleep, I looked up at the little silhouette over-head and thought:
What I would give to be able to shrink me down to a size where I could be up there, in his house, with him, through the night. I could lay on his loft, and he could come over and we could pass the night together. Well, maybe, if there IS something beyond this life, this existence, maybe, some-how, we WILL be together, some how.
That's a thought that comforts me, the possibility that this existence isn't "the end", useless, meaningless. I've often thought about the scientific claims about "energy": once created, it can't be destroyed, only changed. Maybe the "energy" that is Yonah and me will be released and we'll find one another, in another "form" of some kind. Maybe our "energies" will be "recycled" into another life form of some kind... maybe we'll find one another "there", but closer to where we both can understand one another and go exploring what-ever is out there, in "Creation", and we can exchange all sorts of knowledge that we acquired in this world, and go in search of more, different "stuff". It's a thought that gives me comfort.
By 16.30 today... the day had passed. This morning I ran the weekly errands in the morning rain for about 30 minutes and was back to try getting things together in the house for the week-end coming. But all day, yet again, dark, dreary, rain. And it was another one of those days... we "roosted" together, in the "nest"... as it were.
The flower seeds for the gardenette arrived today so I'm looking forward to the break in this weather! Locally, nothing usually gets planted before "Mothers' Day" anyway and that's Sunday so the timing is good and the forecast promises clear skies... TIME OUT IN THE YARD TOGETHER... I SO HOPE! And we listened to our "Germany radio" all through the day and I have to say, my Little Heart-and-Soul seems to like it! (Maybe it's the sound of the language and the lullabies? Wish I could know for certain.)
It's 16.48... and he's on the desk shelf, by the speaker under the radio (where the bird-songs come through) fluffed and settled, and dinner is on the hob... Friday is coming to a close. Too quickly. But the only thing that matters is: Yonah and I have been together all day... he wasn't alone.
He DID, though, during the course of the day, get "flighty", but only in his room, oddly enough. And here I'm always looking for a new place for us to move to where he'll have more area to fly about. We're such a pair: put us in a room and there we are. Then again, I look at the Yardies and think:
they too, probably tend to stay in a particular area... where the food and safety are. After all, they're here in the morning and again during the day and last thing of an evening. So... maybe they too tend to stay in the same place... Oh, the things I don't know... and probably never will... and will always wish I could.
It's already 20.28 and my little Heart-and-Soul is up on the curtain rod at the alcove in his room and I'm getting the "woo-HOO!". It's time for us to get to his ride home for the night, for us to tuck-in and close Friday... and the week. I'm going to close this now... We're both tired and it's time... More tomorrow... "wenn Gott will".

Saturday 10 May:
So last night was another little "ride home" from the book-case but what took me a bit by surprise: I'd gotten the room settled and together, lights all "dimmed" as we do of an evening, and I went over to "the house" to get the little "platform" and as I did, I started singing nightly serenade BUT the very second I brought the platform up to the top of the book-case, he immediately stepped right on! Absolutely AMAZING! And he knows right where to stand so he's "secure" when I bring him down and round to his house! (I couldn't help but thing of my years in NYC when I learnt where to stand on a subway platform to wait for the in-coming train so that I could be standing close to where I needed to be when we arrived at my destination. THIS LITTLE GENIUS IS DOING THE SAME THING! And to think that my readings over our years together, the common misconception is that mourning doves aren't considered to be amongst "intelligent" birds. In SO many ways, Yonah is proving that, MAYBE, in general, mourning doves aren't the "most brilliant", perhaps compared to the likes of parrots or ravens, but WOW! THIS Little Guy blows the theories away!) Not to mention, he actually recognises the sound/melodies of his lullabies at the close of a day. As I keep noting: all I need do is start "Autumn Leaves" and it's obvious that he settles, ready for "tuck-in". As a matter fo fact, the evening serenade is another cause for my own GREAT considerations of any time when I wouldn't be with him... especially at evening. He's come to expect the singing (whether or not I'm any real good at it) for the time when the day is done. Similar to children who are lulled to rest at nightly "tuck-in", with the gentle signing of a parent or, in my case, grand-parent. Were I, for any reason, not with him at the close of a day... I just don't like to think about such a thing.
I've thought that we're blessed in the ability to pay somebody to come to make sure he's safe and secure, to open house in the morning, close at the end of the day. Of course, short of staying over-night with him, he'd wake in the morning to an empty house, no doubt, because there's really no telling exactly when he wakes. And the thought of him, alone, in the morning, calling and expecting somebody to be there to open his house, give him "Good morning" kisses... and nothing. It pains me so deeply. Then again, at the close of the day, would he respond to a stranger with the same comfort that he's accustomed to now? What would "tuck-in" be like then? And, at what time? Though I try to keep the hour as close to sun-set as possible. It would be so "abrupt", comparatively. Some stranger coming in, closing his curtains, MAYBE putting the night boards up. But no singing... nobody there when the room goes dark.
These are the things that make me take the best-possible care of me. No matter what, I HAVE to be here for and with my little Heart-and-Soul.
(To think: almost 5 years ago now, I had NO reason or cause to "be". I'll never know the "how" or "why" this little "Angel" came to me, and though I disapprove of the circumstances, I see him today and how well he is and, well, no, his pain wasn't at all worth the "cause", but, as "eccentric" or perhaps "insane" as it might be to others, yes, he IS my "Heart-and-Soul"... because with-out Yonah...)
Oh, how the thoughts bounce about in my mind...
And so, the trip home was accompanied by "Autumn Leaves"... in "our" rendition:
"I see your eyes, our little kisses, the previous wings I'll always hold. But I'll miss you most of all, my Darling, when Autumn leaves start to fall".... and en route, I managed to sneak some little kisses. Ah hah!
Arrival was a simple step onto the night roost and...
Lullabies were sung, softly, slowly, calmly, and I watched, as I do, the little silhouette above me, settling onto the night roost, ready for a night's well-deserved rest... I've done well. This Little One, "mein klein, lieber Vogelein" is safe, warm, protected from the world that would have, other-wise, taken him away. I'm certainly not "perfect" for him, there's so much that he's entitled to in the world he was born into, but, it would seem that he's in best-possible health and, as I say, safe, protected. And as for being LOVED? Well, he's SO MUCH MORE THAN JUST THAT! When I refer to him as my "Heart-and-Soul" there's reason for the hyphenation: he IS BOTH, together. He's my every heart-beat and EVERY next breath I take.
Well, we managed to turn the last light off at 20.55... When it's before 21.00, I'm a bit proud. But as the days grow longer, we adjust. We'll see where we get to from here... when we get there.
This morning... "morning call" came with a hearty "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" at 5.45. AND OH, SO VERY MUCH TO BE SAID! "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo"s and "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo"s back and forth as soon as I opened my eyes and replied to the "call"! WHAT a relief on yet another, dreary, rainy morning! And even as I got to the morning routine of putting the kettle on, getting set-up for the morning water run and settling the room, chatting, back and forth, one to the other.
And POOPS? 11 all so PERFECTLY HEALTHY little poops. Most of them obviously bounced about as they dropped but, for the most part, they were under the night roost! So, between the conversation and the clear voice, add a healthy tummy and... AWAY WE WENT!
At 9.00, I was settled at the desk already, getting to jotting notes for the Journal and checking all sorts of "people nonsense" (and, yes, of course, Yonah's e-mails... because he's on some lists, mostly "Avian Vet" and those are full of new information... for my ever-on-going education) and there was so much "activity" beside me. The Little House-builder was SO engaged in sorting and choosing more twigs to add to the little "nest" in his loft! I have to see about getting more, "new", different twigs for him. He doesn't do it "frequently" but when he gets into adding to his loft, it's AMAZING to watch him sort through and choose one twig at a time. I haven't quite figured out what makes one better than another, but if I could, I'd see to it that he had a massive collection of those. They're different lengths and widths, some are straight, others are curved. Some have little "branches". Most don't. But there's no "obvious" specs at any given time. Sometimes he prefers the straight-no-branches, and sometimes he chooses curved, or those that "Y". It really IS fascinating. I'd LIKE to give him white pine needles too but I'm just nervous about those. I've no doubt many of them would be on the floor of his room and, well, I don't know if there's anything on or in them... parasites, fungi and the sort. So... we'll have to look into it. We'll think of something to make his house more like the world he was intended to be in. The closer the better.
This after-noon, mid-day meal at noon and THEN... A SNOOZE FOR AN HOUR! TOGETHER! ALL THE WHILE! I'd set the alarm for the usual 30-minutes but when it sounded, I looked up and there he was, nestled on my leg, eyes closed. So I dozed back off. But even after another 30 minutes... when I looked again, he looked SO COMFY! I wondered how much longer he'd stay and, to be honest, there were things to be done today but, HEY! If he wanted to pass the day there, we were TOGETHER and I was ready to stay the while! Ah... but... he saw that I was awake and he stood up, gave a fluff of feathers, put them in order and... off he went, up to his house. We were up and I was back to the "people routine".
This after-noon, I brought some egg cartons into the room, to the desk, and the bags of potting "mix" (we can't get "soil" any more and I'll never understand why not but... we work with what he have), and to prepare for the Summer's "gardenette", I planted sun-flower seeds! OH! THE INTEREST! My PRECIOUS Little Supervisor took his spot on the desk shelf, over-head and in front of me and HOW HE WATCHED, FOCUSED, on just about every move I made! I can't say who ("hoo"?) was more fascinated: he with me or me with he! But it truly WAS quite the experience... for me, anyway.
When that was done and along with the "clean-up" of my mess, I decided to change the kitchen roll in his house and... AND... OH MY! I MADE CHANGES IN HIS HOUSE! APPARENTLY, TODAY WAS NOT THE DAY FOR "CHANGES" BECAUSE AS I TRIED TO MOVE ALONG, TO MAKE THE ORDEAL AS QUICK AS POSSIBLE, MY SUPERVISOR TOOK HIS PLACE ON MY ARM AND WASN'T ABOUT TO LEAVE! AGAIN, HE WATCHED EVERY MOVEMENT, OF EVERY ITEM IN HIS HOUSE. I HAD TO LAUGH BECAUSE IT STRUCK ME AS THOUGH HE WAS TAKING INVENTORY, WATCHING WHAT WAS REMOVED, WHERE IT WENT, AND WHAT WAS RETURNED AND TO WHERE! (OK, tell me again, "experts", that Mourning Doves aren't 100% "cognizant" of their environment and ALL that takes place in it! I'll defy ALL!) AND, there were "pecks"... I'm not sure why, unless it was to encourage me to keep going and get finished so that he could get back to his loft and we could have our "regular" day. But they were "serious"... not just "playful". Some were quite "determined". But, I DID manage to get through it all. (Next up will be "house-keeping" but not right away. I didn't do it today, but I won't do it now, for a while. I've caused more than my "fair share" of commotion already.)
We DID managed to get about an hour of sun-shine this after-noon but it didn't take long before the next cover of clouds rolled in. We managed to have the doors open for that short while. (Sadly, we're still battling the toxins from the dryer sheets and the dryer venting from our neighbour. More sadly, I'm of the belief that this 20-year old gal has no idea how to make a proper laundry and she's of the sort that won't listen to anybody else. Our searches for "healthier living" continue. I don't want us to have to leave the mountains because this is where Yonah was born, and proper housing is so rare, and most of what's available is in the "city" areas, with one place attached to the next. I can't but think of those sorts who would find Yonah's coo'ing to be "annoying" and I won't put us into a position where we have to be confronted with that degree of stupidity so... we do the best we can. SO sadly, as soon as the fumes become noticeable, doors and windows get shut and I watch our "air quality" monitor. Thankfully, the weather now is such that we can use fans to keep the levels of toxins down. I mind the "TVOC" levels with extreme care. These "people" won't understand: If anything untoward happens to Yonah, it happens to ALL. But time will teach them.)
It was one of those days, today, where, as soon as the rains subsided... THE YARDIES CAME ROUND! AND DID THEY EVER! And I was SO relieved to see them! And it's such a comfort to know that with the Spring, when they're hungry and busy returning from migrations and starting to build new houses, they have a SAFE place where they can come to eat GOOD food... in SAFETY! (Well, safe from predators... those dryer sheets? I wonder.) But they gave comfort and the hopes of being out in the yard with them again, come the warmer weather.
So the day rolled along, as days do, and the time... well... the time just came and went... SO TOO QUICKLY!
At 17.00, we were together, in the room, all settled, the "news" on the old lap-top and we dined... together and right away, after the washing-up, I "tied-up all the loose ends" of all the "stuff" that I'd missed during the day. No matter how much I try to get into a day, there's never "enough time" for it all.
At 18.24, I was at the desk, putting "things" where they were out of our way and the Little Guy was all snuggled on the corner of the little shelf across the key-board on his lap-top beside me. These are the moments that give my "being" purpose, and seeing him so cosy, and safe, just gives me the re-assurance I always need to know that I've done right and proper and well by him.
And now? It's 20.16! and it's still rather light out-side the windows... but... the Little Guy is on his roof-top... coo'ing the "Evening Serenade". It appears we're about to get to tucking-in for the night.
The day, over-all, was dull and dreary for the most, but the sky has cleared (of course... at the end of the day) and there's a promise of SUN tomorrow! And the seeds for the gardenette are ready for the new season so... we shall see what we shall see...
I'm off to my evening ablutions and we're closing house for the night.
It's 20.41... and all the while I was attending evening ablutions, the COO'ING! Mostly "nest-coo's" but the were more along the line of sounding like "HEY! It's getting later here! Where are you?" When I was done, I took a look into his room to see where my Little Time-Keeper was, thinking he'd be on his roof-top, waiting for the ride home but... THERE WE WAS, ON THE CURTAIN OVER HIS ALCOVE! AND WHEN I LOOKED IN, HE STARED DOWN AT ME! WELL THEN! IT'S TIME TO CLOSE THE DAY! So, that said, more tomorrow!

Sunday 11 May:
(8.00) Imagine this... last night, when I stepped back out of the room to put the house settled, the Little Guy headed directly over to his house, to the door perch and then up to the night roost! Oh, but it was late of an evening already so I could understand. But to see him just fly over to his house, it was almost as if I was being told "Listen here, it's late, I'm tired and we're past seepie-nigh-night time!" SO, I got right to closing the blinds and curtains and he had no interest in any of it. He was more than ready to close the day. (And honestly, so was I.) The whole routine didn't take but mere moments and all the while, Yonah got him-self all settled and the very moment I started the lullabies, he got all "crouched", as he does, little wings a-flutter with the "nest coo's". Since "the experts" claim that this is his way of showing "contentment" (and I've no cause to doubt that because, over the years, that's actually how it appears: he's comfy when he does that... and to think, the first time I saw that, I went into such a panic thinking he was having some sort of seizure... the things he's taught me over the years... I can't even begin to tell of them, and all of them helping ME handle the world... "Vergessen den Schmerz und den Kummer der Welt" - forget the pain and sorrow of the world - ) it actually does comfort me. Some-how, it tells me that he feels safe, and in ALL of Creation, THAT is the MOST important thing to me. It's my primary reason and cause for EVERY moment of EVERY day we're together: he'll NEVER have to worry about his well-fare and well-being... and there's NOTHING that I won't do to ensure that he has protection, nourishment and what-ever I can humanly provide for him.
It's the most perfect way to close a day and head off for a night's rest... something else I make certain he has - a peaceful, proper night's rest.
So, I sang our lullabies as I put the futon together, we got the room settled, the house settled and even though it was rather late, I did my best to sing, softly and calmly, and as I did, I watched the little silhouette on the night roost, over-head, all nestled, calmly, drifting off for a good night's sleep.
We made it all through the repertoire and the last light was turned off at 21.20.
This morning, the "call" of "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" came at 5.40, and I was so comfortable on the futon that I could have just stayed there for the longest while longer, but another call came almost right away. Looked like some-birdie had gotten a good night's rest last night and out-side, the morning light was making way in through the blinds and curtains so... And the coo's this morning were nice, clear, strong but soft, and, if my little Heart-and-Soul was up and awake, it was time to get into the world that awaited.
When I got to his house, there he was, my LOVE, on his night roost, and obviously waiting for me. When I popped my head in for "Good morning" kisses, well, this morning, I got a few, "sincere", but brief. OK! Indeed! Sunday had arrived, the morning had broken out there and it was time to get through the "morning particulars" and get both of us "on the move".
"woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo's" were exchanged, I bolted to the kitchen to put the kettle on before opening the curtains and blinds and as I did, the "coo's" continued, heartily.
Back to the room, curtains and blinds open to a "questionable" sort of morning. Mostly clear skies, for a welcome change, with a bit of cloud cover, a hint of "pinkish-mauve" in them. And I noticed, though the sun was shining to our East, there were some "threatening" clouds lingering to the West. The room was warm and comfortable, the temperature out-side, so I checked, was a mere 14°... A BIG difference from the below-freezing temperatures we'd endured for so many months, but not quite the sort that said "LET'S GET OUT OF HERE AND INTO THE WORLD!". But the energy in my PRECIOUS LITTLE GUY gave me ALL the inspiration I needed to face what-ever that old world out there held for us for the day!
It really didn't take long before he was up, over to his food-shelf... KISSES! and down to the door perch! SO! Sunday really HAD arrived... a new day ahead of both of us!
Poops this morning: also encouraging. 13 in total, most of them under the night roost. ALL "normal" in size, and "healthy" composition. Over-all, last night was "calm". Coo's clear. And energy for the morning... as always, "inspirational" (for me, the old human who drags him-self up of a morning). How I DO wonder HOW this Little Guy manages to simply wake and head right into the day while I don't really consider such a thing before my "morning coffee". It's what I think of as "more superiority"; he's SO far above the rest of the world! And I wonder how and why it is that he's my "Life", which is, in all actuality, what this Little One is. He's my "Life", the only reason I have to take a next breath.
Well then... we got the room settled for the morning, I got to my morning coffee and then, on with the morning water changes in his pool. His house looked nicer this morning with the fresh kitchen roll from yesterday and we were off and on the move!
The sun managed to push the clouds away... shining into the room, through the windows, brightening everything and the Little Guy started his morning flights about the place, with a quick trip to the living-room for a "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" and then back again to his roof-top.
I've had a "visit" as I'm sitting at the desk, jotting this morning's "report" here... Hard tugs on the ear! Maybe it's a "hint" to get on with things, get this "house nonsense" together so we CAN, weather permitting, get us out to the yard. There's garden work to be done and the Yardies... blue jays, flickers, woodpeckers, sparrows, finches and, YES! Our "Woo-Hoos" too! are already at the breakfast buffet so... a day ahead. We'll see what it allows us to do...
(11.15) I took a little lie-down for 15 minutes just now and I HAD COMPANY who obviously would have liked to have stayed there on the futon! But the sun is shining, and I'm hoping for warmth out there in it. So I started to get up and he decided it was time for a trip to the living-room... We're having an early lunch (to throw his day off?) and... 18.20 already and the sun is setting just over the Western mountains... SUN! And the warmth coming into the house is SO welcome, especially after this after-noon!
WE WERE OUT IN THE YARD TODAY FOR THREE HOURS! I got the fencing round the gardenette secured whilst the Little LOVE was able to take in the BRILLIANT sun-shine and some air out of the house. And some of the Yardies came by to "visit". It was calm, quiet sort of "outing" today. And one of the most remarkable "events" was when I started singing "Let's Face The Music and Dance".
Oddly, today, when I decided to give a try to a bit of time out-side, the Little LOVE was on his loft, snuggled in. But I got things together, set his old house up for a day out, gathered all the little things I'd need out there and when I went over to ask him if he wanted to go out-side, he was so hesitant until I put my open hands in for him and he came over, I picked him up and he was SO CALM... EVEN WHEN HE GOT INTO HIS OLD HOUSE! He KNEW we were going out and apparently, HE WAS HAPPY ABOUT IT! Needless to say, it was a quick trip to the back yard!
I was a little surprised when he didn't take to basking immediately, but admittedly, the sun was bright and warm, but the gentle movement of the air is still bringing that "mountain chill". BUT, he didn't "fluff up", so I could see that he wasn't uncomfortable, and I got right to work in the gardenette, beside him, so that he could see that I was right there, with him.
What was comforting was seeing the Yardies coming over to eat! I'd put the food on the back gallery, because I needed to take the feeder off the stand to work, and they came over and even with me working, they almost gave me no notice at all! SO... it was a delightful time with the Little Ones.
Another "lesson" today...
I now KNOW, certainly, that the melody is familiar to the Little Guy. No sooner had I started singing, he "perked" right up! I had to tell him that no, it wasn't seepie-nigh-night time but I could see that he was a touch uncomfortable in his old house and NOT in his own room! "Things" were "wrong". I was singing our lullaby and the sky was bright, sun shining, and he was NOT "at home"! There are definite "associations" here, and today confirmed my thoughts of recently: Yonah knows that there are certain events that happen at certain times, associated with other certain events. Morning, he calls, the house gets open, the curtains get open, we change the water in his pool and we get on with our day. Mid-day, we have lunch, we take a snooze. At 16.00 we get the house together and dinner goes on the hob. At 17.00 we sit to dine with the news. And... in the evening, we close the house, he gets a ride home, lullabies are sung. This is his "life", this is his "world". These are the "familiarities". And according to readings and webinars and research, "familiar" is important.
Now I wonder how it will be in different surroundings (may that come soon). But those who know us, Yonah and I, insist that, no matter where we might ever go, where-ever we might be, he'll be just fine as long as we're together... We... are the... "flock"... I am his "flock". (And HE is my heart-beat, literally.)
But what a REALLY GREAT day, getting this Little One out into the actual sun-shine after so long. He didn't bask though. But he spent some time in the sun and some in the shade in his house. He didn't pace, thankfully, so he wasn't nervous. I was a little surprised that he didn't bask, But he DID get sun-shine, direct or indirect, and that was important.
OK. So it's 20.06 now, and I'm just out of a shower (after playing in the dirt). We've had our dinners, the waters have been changed in the pool. The temperature in the room had dropped to 20° and out-side, tonight, we're going to drop ("plummet"?) to only 3! (And back up to 23 tomorrow... with more sun-shine and hopefully, some more time out in the sun.) The doors and windows are closed after being open during the day and the house furnace is on. We haven't had the Sweeter Heater on in several nights now, but the house furnace keeps us comfortable. No "chills" for my Little LOVE. And he's back up on the curtain over the alcove making with the "nest coo's"... It's time for us to get settled-in and settled-down for the night. (I have last minute ablutions and that's that.) But earlier, when I came from the shower, he was on the wall shelf, all "a-flutter", "nest coo's" abounding, and I got to stroke his neck and he didn't mind! How I do wonder what "state of mind" he's in when he's doing that little "fluttering" because, after a bit, he'll suddenly "come out of it" and give my hand a gentle pecking. I wonder... how I do wonder. (More of those "I'm really the inferior one in the room" moments.)
But all said, what a grand sort of day it was and now, to close the blinds and curtains, get on with the lullabies, and see what time the morning call comes tomorrow. (We've got "business" to attend in the morning, but that's fine because we won't be going out until the "morning chill" is gone, but I'm SO looking forward to being out there and knowing that my little Heart-and-Soul is getting his needed sun-shine! It's been far, far too long since we were last able to do this and it does "set the world right"... being together with him. And if "things" go well, hopefully we'll get to work on a larger space for him out-side so he can move about a bit more... and the Yardies can come visit with him!
20.48 My Little LOVE is on the night roost. He flew up there as I closed the windows tonight and now... we're making "nest coo's" so... TIME TO CLOSE THE DAY! More tomorrow... to be continued...

Monday 12 May:
10.53 already! But the sun is POURING in through the windows and this Little Guy is SO BUSY!
We had another "flutter in the night" last night/this morning and, as has been most of the time before, I have no idea what disturbed him. I didn't notice the exact time because "time" wasn't of any importance. But I was quite asleep on the futon when I heard the FLUTTER OF PANIC! The room was dark, I found the little "control box" for the moon lights, because I keep it under the pillow through the night - just in case - and as I found it, I called, softly, to him, to let him know that things were OK and that I was right there with him. I kept talking so that he knew he wasn't alone and that he was safe. The flutters kept going until the lights came on. Thankfully the moon lights aren't "bright" so it wasn't a shock when the room lightened.
When, at last, I could see him, he was on the floor of his house! The thought that he was afraid and felt the need to try to "escape" something just set me in a mood! For HIM, it was to protect him, calm him, HOPE that he'd find comfort in me being there. But other-wise, it angers me SO that ANYTHING would startle him, in his sleep, in the dark. I can't imagine what it was. I didn't hear anything "bump" or "thump".
But at times like this, I HAVE TO WONDER: DOES HE DREAM? DO BIRDS, GENERALLY "DREAM"? I did look it up, on the internet, of course, and yes, some say that there IS "brain activity" when birds sleep. Mourning doves tend to "half-sleep", one side of their brains "sleeps" whilst the other side remains aware of everything around them. Many birds do this. So I wonder if Yonah "half-sleeps" now, since he doesn't have to be aware of predators and dangers during the night. Has he "adjusted" to the security of his house? And if so, does he completely sleep? And if so, does he dream? There are SO "TOO MANY" questions that I have that I know we, "humans" will NEVER know with any certainty. Mean-while, my heart BREAKS thinking this Little LOVE, my PRECIOUS LITTLE HEART-AND-SOUL might be having dreams... and, I HOPE, with my entire BEING, that he doesn't have dreams about being attacked! (Another thing I wonder is if he remembers that day, and if so, what and how much. These are the moments when I truly feel SO inferior, insufficient.)
I got up, opened the door to his house and, still telling him that I'm here and all is OK, he's safe, I stood, for a moment, just watching him. I didn't want to reach out to him for fear of terrifying him. After all, no matter what, I'm still, in the "Natural Order", a "predator", and in his panic, I couldn't be sure that he'd remember me as the one who is here to LOVE and PROTECT him.
He made a few of those short, almost silent "HOO!"s and watched me, intently. But when I saw that he was "calm", I reached in to him and brought him up to me, stroking his neck and whispering to him that he was OK, he was safe, and I wouldn't let ANYTHING harm him. He rested in my hands and I could actually feel him calming there. I brought him back up to his night roost and when I opened my hands, he hopped back on.
When I saw that he was comfortable again, I gave him some soft kisses, slowly closed the door to his house, turned off one moon light and dimmed the other as low as possible, but left it on. I didn't want the room so dark that he couldn't see around him and know that he was in HIS house, in HIS room... and that I was still right there, on the futon, close to him... I dozed off, "half-sleeping" my-self until...
The "morning call" pulled me out of my "dozing" at 5.55... and when I looked up, the Little LOVE was there, on his night roost, but facing the opposite direction! I wonder... When we got re-settled this morning, he was in his "usual" position. Something must have disturbed him again or there was some reason he felt safer facing toward the wall. What-ever it was, it set my morning mood. I don't know if he actually got a restful night's sleep last night and not knowing just annoys me. That he was disturbed in the first place has me "angry", not knowing if he was resting through the rest of the night angers me but because "humans" claim to be so "superior" and "having dominion" and being "highest in evolution" and yet... we know NOTHING when put in proper context and I know only what other "humans" claim, where this Little LIFE is concerned. The sense of inferiority and insufficiency angers me. WHAT I WOULDN'T GIVE TO HAVE EVEN THE SLIGHTEST MOMENT TO BE ABLE TO ACTUALLY COMMUNICATE WITH YONAH SO THAT WE BOTH UNDERSTAND ONE ANOTHER! WHAT I WOULDN'T GIVE!
And he wasn't all to "kissy" this morning BUT he was VOCIFEROUS! He had quite a LOT to say. I can only HOPE that he was telling me that he's aware that I was there for him last night and that he DOES take some comfort in knowing that I'm here to protect him. We both had a LOT to say to one-another this morning and as I tried to get to a "normal" day with our morning tasks, I kept talking, mostly in response to the "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo"s but also to strengthen the association with the sound of my voice so that it's associated with "safety". And I did my best to "re-create" a "normal" morning... though a bit slower and "kinder" so that everything moved "smoothly". Nothing in the least way "startling".
All appeared to be just another day. This Little LOVE, this Little LIFE... SO RESILIENT! HE'S MY SOLE INSPIRATION! No matter what the World throws at us, no matter that the World HAS THROWN at us... WE'RE HERE... WE'RE TOGETHER... AND WE, TOGETHER, WILL MAKE IT THROUGH ALL!
Amazingly... POOPS this morning, were "NORMAL"... 9 in total. 7 of them were perfectly "normal" but 3 were quite a dark "brown", 6 were a lighter "beige", and of the 6, 2 were quite tiny. All of them were rather scattered about. This morning's "first" was double the "normal" size but the proper "normal dark brown" colour. And ALL of them, "healthy" composition and NO HALOS! No excess moisture. His digestive system seemed to be fine, in spite of last night's startle. I was relieved to see that much!
AND... at 8.30, he FINALLY HAD BREAKFAST! HE ATE! I ALMOST CRIED WITH RELIEF!
Out-side, the clearest skies, in spite of the chilly mere 4°, but the room was at 23° so there was sun-light coming in and warmth. The house furnace was running to keep the place warm, comfy, healthy.
The rest of this morning, I did the best I could to keep it "normal", but kept a REALLY focused watch on my little Heart-and-Soul and MOST AMAZINGLY, he carried on with the day as though last night was just another night of rest!
This after-noon, we had out lunch together and after, I had a 20-minute lie-down on the futon. All the while I laid there, awake, the Little Guy flew about the room until... yes, the 2 minutes before the alarm was to sound at which time, he came over to the pillow, beside my head, and gave be a few little pecks! Time to get up! I was too thrilled to be described! I was there for him last night, he was here for me today. What a little "flock" we are... keeping watch over one another.
18.56 and we're both SO exhausted from the day!
We were out in the yard for about TWO HOURS today in the SUN-SHINE and WARMTH!
After that little snooze after lunch... since the day warmed and the sun shone, we were out after lunch at 13.00 and the little guy took the sun whilst I raked and trimmed "our" little lawn. Putting "our" yard together and tidying next door for the Spring. And all the while I went about putting "our yard" together, the Little Guy got SUN and AIR and watched me like the little Supervisor he is.
Sadly... no Yardies came to visit. With the better weather coming and the "migration", they were likely off to the affairs, chores and tasks of getting back together, finding fresh food and making new houses for the coming months. But it was calm, quiet and SUCH a relief to get out of the old house... TOGETHER!
And...WOW! Did the day make a difference in Yonah's energy level! SO SO PLAYFUL this evening at dinner time! And when we came in, I had another 20-minute lie-down with him on my leg all the while!
After dinner too, this evening, the gathering of twigs continued! I believe he's "Nesting"! No matter how long he's been "removed" from his Natural world, there's still the traces of his "intended" life and watching him is like a Divine song of JOY to my heart! I've never, and never will, see him as being "domestic". He was and will always be "wild" (and I'm pretty sure that the so-called "avian veterinarians" will see him like-wise... so we'll still be very much on our own and my "educational journey" will continue as I learn... TRY to learn, more about this Little LIFE).
And... this evening the water changes went along whilst he lounged on his roof-top and now he's in his house pecking about the floor there. He's still "foraging" and I have to work on making that more interesting too. He knows he has food in his dish but... the drive to forage too, is still STRONG. We've come a long way from the earliest days together with all sorts of "Natural" in his house, but I, being a lowly "human", have SO MUCH MORE TO LEARN to bring his house closer to what it ought to be.
AND... we took little breaks from getting the room and house together for the night for KISSES, AND PLAY AND COO'S! It seems the change in weather is making the change in season quite obvious and... IT'S WONDERFUL! FANTASTIC! MAGNIFICENT! DIVINE!
Now... to see what the night holds for us. I'm off to shower and no "21.00 tuck-in tonight". We both need a good night's rest.
Well then... 19.32 I'm showered, at the desk, and MY LOVE is beside me on his lap-top! Our day is CLOSING! And I am SO SO SO VERY BLESSED!
20.22 and he's been beside me on the lap-top all evening so I haven't disturbed him but... we're about to get ready. I'm off to ablutions... and... ? There's never any knowing WHAT's to come before we settle.
20.13 ablutions done and all the while I was "attending" he called. Now, he's on his door perch... it's time to close another day... AND HOPE WE HAVE AN UNDISTURBED NIGHT OF SLEEP AND PROPER REST TONIGHT! HOPE! HOPE! HOPE!

Tuesday 13 May:
FOUR YEARS, 7 MONTHS!
It's already 18.22 and the day just passed by ENTIRELY TOO QUICKLY! And I have to admit, I was likely a terrible companion all day with all the "business of the house-hold" that's ever-on-going. BUT... WE WERE TOGETHER, ALL DAY... when my Little LOVE was with me in HIS room.
For the most part, we WERE together, as the Little LOVE lounged in his loft with me at the desk. But there were several little "trips to the living-room". What made THESE, today, "different" was that he'd fly out and then come toddling back into the room, almost as it sneaking in. (He's just come to the desk, for the first time all day, to his lap-top... must be "the time to start settling for the day".)
One *NOTE* today though, that causes me absolute "worry":
It's his LEFT WING... that was the one that had been so badly damaged (and brought us together). There are new feathers again, which is normal. He's been shedding wing feathers over the past couple weeks and it's "that time of year" when he should have gone through a complete moult, but he hasn't. Still, seeing that there are new feathers on his wings and tail, well... if he needs to moult, I'm sure he will. But the "new" feathers on the left wing are still "broken" at the ends. I don't know what from. The other feathers are perfectly normal. Just 2 or 3 are broken. And I see, even now, as he's all snug on his lap-top, that wing just doesn't seem to "lay" properly. It never really did. It's always been "noticeable" that it doesn't lay, stream-lined, against his body. In fact, Amy mentioned it at one time a while ago. It doesn't keep him from flying, obviously. But I have to wonder now, if "age" isn't starting to take a toll. Oddly, I've been wearing a "brace" on my left shoulder for the past couple of weeks. "Rotator Cuff", on the very side that, when I was very young, had been fractured. Over my life-time, I didn't have trouble with it, but as I'm aging, it's starting to cause "inconveniences" and "pain". I can't but wonder, knowing how rapidly my little Heart-and-Soul ages and is aging, if he's in any "pain". I've no way to know, for certain, if there's any damage, short of taking him to a veterinarian for x-ray, and amongst the things in Creation that I dread most, that's up at the top. Not only the trip to the office, but finding an actually compassionate veterinarian who will treat him with as much Love and RESPECT as I do. THEN, the sedation! Bad enough that people can react terribly to sedation, but I don't know that my Heart-and-Soul could tolerate it... not only generally, but in addition to the stress of the travel, the being handled by a stranger, in strange surroundings. He's come to expect his "life" to be as it's been all along these 4 years. I can't tolerate even thinking about the stress of it all. I'd LIKE to know, with certainty, what's going on with his wing, and to see his little leg, to see exactly what was wrong with his. I'd like, very much, to know that the rest of his little body and internal organs are in best-possible condition. These are the moments of the days that weigh so heavily on my heart. But as I say, as I type, he's here, beside me, preening, in the comfort of his lap-top.
And during the day, he made several little "visits" to my shoulder, tugs on the ears, kisses, cuddles and PLAY on the desk shelf! OH! The PLAYING! (Still, birds? Well, as I will always remember the "lesson" for "First Aid Certification", a bird struck at the wind-shield of a vehicle, brought in to the veterinarian, no real outward indications of injuries but the x-rays showing irreparable and un-treatable damage to skeleton and organs! The poor Little One had to be "euthanised" because of the injuries and yet, all the while, he remained docile, giving him-self up to those who honestly cared for and about him. AND Yonah! SO torn apart when I brought him in and yet, even though he allowed me to pick him up and carry him into the house, he actually DID make an attempt to fly away, out of my hands, with a wing that wouldn't move properly and MUST have been SO painful! And THEN, he allowed me to handle him, as I made that little "box" and brought him into it. Not a sound. Not an indication of any pain or discomfort. So I look at him now, today, and every day, and as I celebrate good voice, energy, appetite, poops... my heart grows heavy.
Neither of us is "forever", immortal, but I NEVER want to have a moment's time when THIS Little LOVE, this PRECIOUS Little LIFE, my literal Heart-and-Soul suffers in ANY way to ANY extent. I don't (and won't) want a day with-out him. But I see other birds, on our little "social media" platform, and I see 11 years, 20 years and a parrot of 50 years of age... I don't expect Yonah to make "50", but I see some birds with seizures, loss of vision, and other ailments. It's certainly NOT that I won't give the absolute ALL that I have to care for this Little Guy... I just don't want HIM to be in a state where he'll need such.
And so... this is my heart today... as the sun obviously sets lower in the sky at the end of yet another day that steals away from us... too quickly.
Now then... last night? Well, there was a quick "visit" to the curtain rod as I got ready to get back into the room to settle and when he saw me starting to get the futon ready for the night, he headed directly to his roof-top platform and waited, SO patiently, for me to get over to him for the ride home! It was the way it used to be: I slowly slid the platform to the front of his house, singing "Autumn Leaves" and he waited calmly until we "floated" over and into his house. And as soon as we reached the night roost, a simple step from one to the other and he almost immediately got "settled" and comfy. So I made quick work of getting us all settled-down for the night, singling softly and slowly tonight... calmly.
We made it all through the repertoire and I could see the little silhouette snuggled-down for the night. Safe, sound and off to a night's rest. And by 21.20, the last light was turned off for the night. Monday, closed... in peace.
THIS MORNING? I was still in a dream (that I don't even recall now) when the "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" call came. I checked the clock: 5.40. But I stayed on the futon for another 5 minutes and one more "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" as I got me together to get up. When I replied to the second "call" with a "spoken" woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo, the response to that was one of the "woo-HOO!" replies that says "OK! UP WE GET!" and so, I hastened so to do!
When I opened the door to his house and popped in for "Good morning" kisses, not really expecting to get many if any, OH DID I GET KISSES THIS MORNING! WHAT AN ANNIVERSARY! KISSES, KISSES AND MORE KISSES! IT WAS THE REASON FOR WAKING TO ANOTHER DAY!
And as I got to the windows to open the curtains to the day out-side, the Little Guy got busy preening, feathers together for a new day.
By 7.49 this morning, he was up, active, energetic, ready to go! The sun was shining through a morning light clouds, and only 9° out there and the house furnace was running so the room was ever-so comfortable. (I was glad that I'd put the furnace on last night. The room had reached 21° over-night. Not "cold" but were it not for the furnace...
Checking the poops this morning: 10 in total, just a bit "scattered" and most were wet enough to make little "halos" round them. Not too much, but then, he did have a drink of water before settling-down for the night last night. I DO watch though. Thankfully, nothing that "frightens" me. I'm finally coming to terms with the occasional halos and watery poops. (Though I'll never become "comfortable" with them, especially over-night when my Little LOVE's digestion is going on as he - hopefully - sleeps.)
As for the rest of today? Well. As I've said, I worked on getting MORE "record-keeping" for the house-hold together. I'm SO hoping we'll be moving else-where soon and we won't have to be bothered with and by all of this (and more). But we're getting it all together and, the forecast was for some rain during the day so I'd rather planned on a day together in the house. Not to mention, 3 hours on one day, 2 hours the next, I don't want to get out into too much sun-shine so soon in the season. I know that birds can get "sun-burn" if they're in too much sun-shine too long, just as humans can, and even though half of his old house is covered so he has a place to escape the sun, even indirect can cause troubles, so a break for a day is likely good for both of us.
The sun did come through the haze of clouds in the sky, but it always seemed there was a threat of a shower so, as I waited for a "sign"... the hours passed, and I got more work done... and my Little LOVE busied him-self with visits to me at the desk, tugs at the ear, and quick trips out to the living-room and back.
We took our noon-break and after... I managed a 20-minute lie-down. Didn't get to snooze, and he didn't come over to me until the last minute when he landed on the pillow at my head and waited for me to open my eyes. And when I did THAT, he turned right round to look me right in the eye and I reached up and he gave a little wing-snap! SO... we were up and at it all again!
I dashed to the desk to wrap up my nonsense and ...
19.34 Water changed, my Little LOVE came "home" to "supervise" and when done, he headed up to have his night snack and, I'm back at the desk and he's back beside me, on his lap-top... facing me, eyes closing. He's comfortable... he's "safe"... My "Life" is worth living.
WARM today in the room 27° with only 32% humidity! I'm glad for low humidity! But sad that we didn't get to get out to the yard today. Still, as I've said, we both could use the break. And tomorrow... I've errands that MUST be run... in the morning... and we'll see about the after-noon.
20.05 and my Little LOVE is on his lap-top and I'm finished with everything but ablutions. There's still day-light out-side the windows and the Yardies are down to the "late to dinner" few. But, we're about to get ready.... so no "late night so seepie-nigh-night" tonight.
If we could, I'd stay up with this Little Bit of Divinity ALL through the days and nights, and more-so now than ever before. I don't know how much more time we have together... since he's approaching 5 years of age, and I resent every moment we're denied. But... at least we're together, even through the night... in the same room now. And, if anything disturbs his rest, I'm right here... with him, for him. And I believe he knows that... and it's a comfort to him.
21.31 he' still on the lap-top, the sky out-side is dark... I'm off to ablutions... 20.50 MY LOVE, MY HEART-AND-SOUL IS ON THE TOP OF THE DOOR OF HIS HOUSE AND CALLING ME WITH THAT COO THAT SOUNDS LIKE "HEY YOU!" SO... we're closing today's entry and off to the night ahead... More tomorrow...

Wednesday 14 May:
Already 19.14! And after a day of "haze" and threats of showers (we didn't get to the yard again today, sad to say), the sun is trying to make a final appearance as it dips below the ridge of the Western mountains. Had we a more peaceful place, I'd be SO tempted to head out with my Little LOVE, especially since all the Yardies (including 6 mourning doves) are coming for their evening meal before tucking-in. But one day... one day...
For now though, putting together today's quick-jot notes...
Starting with last night's "tuck-in"... When I finally got back into the room from my ablutions, the Little Guy was still quite happily on the door of his house. I'll never understand how he can be so comfortable on that "wire", with his little toes wrapped round it so tightly but, even as I rolled his house to get get access to the windows, he stayed there until I closed the curtains. Apparently, that indicated "serious business" and he headed right over to his platform and waited for me to finish with the windows, put up the back-board and he headed to his platform to patiently await the ride home. And yes, I started singing the lullabies and we "floated home" for the night and yes, as he does, he took that casual step from platform to perch and we were done with the day.
We got through all of the night's lullabies again, last night, softly and slowly, and I could see the little silhouette over-head, all snuggled, comfortable for the warm night ahead.
The last light went off at 21.20... later than I'd thought we'd get to it, but apparently, this is the "new normal" hour for ending a day now. Well, can't blame him. The sun does set later, and were he out-side in the world into which he was born, his days would be longer there too. At least now, though, he gets to rest protected all through the night. I can give him that much, and, well, I've no reason to believe that he doesn't get good rest considering the hour he wakes...
And to that point... this morning, he woke me again! Morning call of a clear "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" came at... 5.40 (which appears to be our "current normal wake-up" time now). And I was quite tired (as I tend to be mornings of late... me... the "old man" here) so I replied with a "Good morning to you! I'm just going to take another couple of minutes and I'll be right there." BUT... I almost dozed-off for another 15 minutes! And all the while, the PRECIOUS LITTLE LOVE waited for me. When I looked at the clock the next time, it was already 5.55! And he must have seen that my eyes were open (at last) because he called "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" again, but this time, a bit louder and with a bit stronger sound of "resolve"! I was UP!
Ah, but when I opened the door to his house and leaned in for "Good morning" kisses... I got quite a few! So my tardiness was forgiven... thankfully. And the little bundle of LOVE was quite full of energy this morning too, ready to take the new day!
I got right to morning business, putting the kettle on for my morning coffee and getting to the fresh water for the pool, opening the curtains and blinds to a relatively clear, but "hazy" sort of day out-side. The room was still comfortably warm, but the furnace ran, briefly. Last night wasn't exactly "cold" but, at least we're maintaining warmth through the night and that, to me, is so important. I don't want my Little Heart-and-Soul needing to fluff feathers against a chill through the night. Just rest... that's all. Peace, warmth, protection, rest.
Poops, this morning, were "concerning" (to me). 8 in total, one was almost twice the size of the others, but all of them were really rather "dark". Not black, not "green", but an extremely almost-black brown. And the largest had been quite wet because there was another one of those notable "green halos" round it. I can't say that it was cause for "panic" but after so many mornings of absolutely "normal"... and I remembered that, last night, he DID get a good drink of water before I'd headed out to settle the rest of the house. (I watched, with extreme care, the rest of the day... the first poops of the morning were mostly water... but then again, he was drinking quite a bit right away... then too... with all the warmth and the higher temperatures of the room, I too, have been more thirsty so... The bottom line: poops during the course of the day were perfectly fine with 2 exceptions of "wet", and even then, that was after hefty drinks of water.)
This said... this morning's energy was AMAZING! By 8.30, he'd been out to the living-room and back into his room, then back out to the living-room with "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo's" a-plenty! And the sun did make quite an appearance ("false hope" in a hazy sky), and the temperature in the room rose to quite the warm 23°! (Rain in the forecast though... but no more "negative temperatures" in the forecast!) AND, as I put me together and tried to put the room in order before I had to head out for errands I've been putting-off for too long, I can only believe that he sensed my "trepidation" about leaving the house and he came FLYING over to my shoulder for tugs at the ear and cuddles, snuggles and kisses! It worked! He gave me the energy I needed and... I got me together and headed out!
30 minutes later, I was back and my Little LOVE was in his house, on his food perch, and gave me such a great look when he saw me at this door, and a hop down and out and over to the futon to Burdie-Birdie with a resounding "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo!" that sounded so much like "He's BACK! At last!"
I put the groceries up, got the rest of the house re-settled and got back to his room to attend to the "paper-work" for the house-hold AND to put in an order for food for the Yardies. (I want them to keep coming to the yard, especially since we'll be out there more now and I so enjoy seeing them come to visit with Yonah so... It's not so much to make sure they have healthy food now, since the warmer weather is providing them with so much variety now. Now, it's a matter of giving them a place where they KNOW they'll have good quality food... and soon, flowers to go with. So food on order! - And I have to mention: the account where we order our food from? It's YONAH'S! E-mail, delivery address, telephone number... the whole deal!)
By the time I got all that done... LUNCH TIME, and I was "called" with a reminder when there he was, at his door perch, staring right at me with a wing-snap and a "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo!" SO, yes, we stopped the work, grabbed his lap-top, put the news on, as we do and I put my lunch together and my Little LOVE hopped on over to the lap-top and waited until I came back with my food... and he headed up to HIS food... we lunched... TOGETHER!
Since the skies had grown a bit darker, I'd given up on the plans to get out to the yard today. We have seedlings starting in the house that will need planting in the garden soon and the rains will be welcome but, they're not ready and the nights are still a touch too cool so we settled for an after-noon in the house... I got me to the futon for a lie-down... a 30-minute lie-down... BUT...
NO SOONER HAD I GOTTEN MY HEAD ON THE PILLOW WHEN THIS LITTLE CHARACTER CAME SWOOSHING DOWN TO THE PILLOW... RIGHT AT MY HEAD... TO PLAY, TO PECK ON MY FORE-HEAD! So much for the "snooze". HE WANTED TO PLAY AND SO... WHEN YONAH WANTS TO PLAY... WE PLAY! SO... 20.11 alerady and time to wrap... and my LOVE, my LIFE, my little HEART-AND-SOUL is beside me on his lap-top, tapping at the news. The sun out-side is setting. We had the doors and window open all day so things are clear in the house. I have to get to ablutions, so I'm looking forward to seeing how "tuck-in" will go tonight.
SO disappointing that we didn't get out today but...
20.30 I closed the house and went into the room to close the windows for the night and as soone as he saw me heading for the windows he came rushing up to his food... night snack! I got the windows done and now to ablutions. He's eating very well! So time for a drink as I "ablute" (attend to my ablutions) and.. tuck-in!
20.48... HE'S ON HIS NIGHT ROOST! Now to see what surprises, if any, lie in waiting... To be continued tomorrow...

Thursday 15 May:
It's already rolling into the night ahead as I get to sit and jot some notes on the day here... to be "put together" as I've been doing of recent days. Seems we get up and the day rolls and one thing runs into another. Oh, "people business". When compared to the time "Nature" intends, I just wonder why "people" really bother with trying to keep "things" in such "order". Really! What I wouldn't give to just take Yonah and head out into the "wilderness" where we could BOTH just "be" the way it ought to roll. Find a little place "away from it all", and just go on about the "time" we have in this Creation. But... for now... this is what we have. And my responsibility is to make certain that he has a safe, secure, healthy place to call "HIS". Roof, walls, floor to protect him from elements and predators! So...
Here we have a new day and last night the Little LOVE actually stayed on his night roost! No "ride home"! I kept him up entirely too late... obviously. And yes, I am ashamed. But...
Morning call? This morning, the "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo", nice and clear, at 5.55. He woke me! I was so comfy on the futon. I'd woken earlier but decided to stay and wait. But as soon as I heard, I was up and over to open his house for the day ahead.
Kisses? Well... there were a few but this morning, they were more almost "obligatory". Strange. There's a VERY noticeable difference between "GOOD MORNING!" kisses and "Oh, OK. Right. Good morning." I wondered until I checked the poops...
POOPS THIS MORNING: "CONCERNING". There were 9 in total, ALL of them larger than "normal" and one of them TWICE THE SIZE OF ALL THE OTHERS! ALL OF THEM WERE "DARK". NOT "DARK GREEN", CERTAINLY NOT "BLACK" (THANKFULLY), BUT A SORT OF "DARK GREENISH-BROWN". THE UREA WAS AS WHITE AS COULD BE, AND EACH LITTLE POOP HAD A PROPER "DOT". NONE WERE "WET" OR "RUNNY" AND NONE WERE "ROPEY". SO VERY STRANGE, ODD.
BUT... as soon as I headed out to the kitchen to put things ready for the morning coffee and water run, HE WAS UP AND OUT AND TOOK A QUICK FLIGHT TO THE LIVING-ROOM AND CAME RIGHT BACK! THAT was a little re-assuring after looking at the poops. But... looks like time to place another order for our "100% natural and pure" Milk Thistle. He hasn't had any in quite a while, and I've seen where it really isn't a good idea to add it to his diet unless there's cause. Looks like there might be "cause". I have some "brand" that I've been taking, but our "special order" seems better. So... SHOPPING TIME! The sooner we get to it, the better. And I'd rather not get into "ACV - Apple Cider Vinegar". It DOES make the world of difference, but I worry that the Little One doesn't drink enough water when it's in there. Although, if tomorrow, poops are anything like this morning... well... we'll do what we can. Right now, it's a careful watch of daily poops.
Out-side this morning, the sky was clear and the temperature "cool". Neither warm nor cold. And the room was comfortable.
Once the place got settled, OH MY! But did we ever become "vociferous"! it made me wonder if he wasn't trying to tell me that he wasn't feeling well. Again, the "superior species" in the house here. Yonah seems to sense when I'm anxious or not feeling well... Me? I can only speculate. And it actually PAINS me that I just can't "KNOW" with certainty! I did my best to keep up with the conversation though, hoping to hear a difference in his coo's or something. I can't say that I'd be rushing him to a veterinarian in a situation like this... if we could do such a thing. No sense in adding stress. So... it was just "watching" and "listening" all through the day.
Something got into one of the air purifiers in the room at some point. The little "red light" went on. It's time to change the filters anyway. But the monitor indicated that the "quality" was "good", all in the "green". (I noticed that when the indicators are "yellow" that means "normal", so, for the most part, according to the readings, Yonah's room is usually better than "normal"! I wonder when it will simply reach "normal"... I suspect that, come Winter, when doors and windows are close... I can just HOPE it NEVER gets to the red! But we do keep the windows open, slightly, at the top, all through Winter too so...
Mean-while, we were able to open doors and windows during the day to circulate the air in the house and let in the out-side air for a while. Between poops and air quality... this house is shredding my last vestiges of patience. I look SO forward to getting out of and away from here.
I noted, today, an interesting little find: CO2 levels normally tend to rise at night because of the "concentration" with cooler temperatures at night. Instead of "mixing" with the "ambient" air in a room because of sun's warmth, the cooler air "compresses" the CO2 and forces it "down-ward". AND house-plants stop absorbing it at night (no light) so it increases. A relief to me since now I know it happens always... when the monitor rises from "400s" to "500s", and "400" is "normal out-side air". Wondering though, about the time waking, for both of us.
But this morning, there was SUN-SHINE POURING IN THROUGH THE WINDOWS AND...
Fresh food mixed, the pool got flushed twice (because, of course, fresh food, clean food shelf and we HAD to, IMMEDIATELY, toss!) and when I came back into the room, after re-settling the kitchen... I couldn't find him at all! I looked at ALL the places he usually goes, and I called for him! Clever Little Guy. Sometimes he'll "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" when I call him but not always and this morning... he DIDN'T!
FINALLY, AS I WAS GOING INTO "PANIC"... THERE HE WAS...
HE'D MADE HIS WAY ONTO THE WINDOW SILL WHERE THE WINDOW WAS OPEN, IN THE SUN-SHINE AND THE WARM BREEZE! He figured how to get from the shelving under his house onto the window sill and, some-what amazingly, found his way BACK onto the shelving and over to the futon! What a "boogaliebschen"! (my "new" term of endearment. He likes "boogaloo" for some reason but I like putting the "Leibeschen" in there because, well... HE IS!)
So by 10.00 THAT much was complete and we were off... today... cleaning air filters and purifiers. Time to "made ready" for the warmer weather ahead... should we get any. One never knows in The North Country. And the forecast is for 30% rain today... hopefully we'll get some after-noon "out-side time" today. Looks like he could use some. I know I could.
WELL THEN... to my surprise... this morning, we got house-hold business together and...
I tried for a 20-minute snooze after early lunch today but OH NO! PLAY TIME! But I laid on the futon and my Little LOVE came over to my leg and, I did manage to close my eyes... and played. AND, as he does, minutes before my alarm... up to the pillow and pecks on the forehead!
I was up and fetched the window fan for his room! We needed to clean it up from last year and replace the "carbon filter" that I put on it so that what-ever air is drawn into the room is as "clean" as possible. Road dust, pollen, and fumes from passing traffic filtered out! I'll have NONE of THAT being drawn into the room!
And sooooo...
17.00 Sat to get some notes typed here and he came over to the desk shelf... to stare at me. It's SUPPER TIME! (I've kept SO busy all day... and the Yardies' food arrived today! YAY! So that took time. And then... HOOVER THE HOUSE!) HE KNOWS the schedule better than I do and he pays more attention to "familiar". That's why I call him my "Supervisor"! He IS! He DOES! GENIUS!
Supper together with my PRECIOUS COMPANION BESIDE ME on his lap-top! And the fan in the window, drawing the evening air into the room (with the other window open from the bottom) keeping it all so fresh. PEACE... THIS is what EVERY moment of EVERY day SHOULD be.
It's 20.27 and my evening ablutions are done. MY LOVE was with me on his lap-top all evening but he's already brought himself home ! Time to close the day!
20.37 He's on his roof-top coo'ing at me.... but he doesn't really seem ready for tucking-in.Oh we'll see...
At least the rest of the day was wonderful and all seems to be back to "normal" and healthy.
Right now, night music is on and the house is settled... Time to get the room settled and both of us tucked-in for seepie-nigh-night...

Friday 16 May:
9.10 and we've been on the move from since... 5.35 this morning, when the "call to order" was "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo'ed". Strange: last night, before putting the last light off (at 21.05!) I said "We have laundry to get done tomorrow morning so you'll have to make sure I'm up and awake earlier." and sure enough, this morning was earlier than recent mornings. (OK. "Coincidence"? Maybe... but we'll never really know for certain... but I have reason and cause to doubt that.) AND WOW! DID I EVER GET KISSES THIS MORNING! (As though I was being told "See? You said you wanted to get up early and I woke up early to make sure you did! See?" And I wouldn't, for even a split second, doubt that's what was being said.) And right after the opening of the windows, changing the water in the pool, we've finally changed the linens on the futon... No more "plaid flannel" of "Winter"... we're back to our "new" cotton, and "sage green" (as it's called). POOR PRECIOUS LITTLE GUY! So much activity first thing of a morning!
BUT... the sun is in the sky out there, and the air is comfortably warm, though there's a bit of humidity to deal with already. And last night, with the fan in the window, we were both quite comfortable... and no "house furnace"! 'tis the season, at last! "May" is being "May"!
Last night was another "smoo-oo-ooth" ride home from the roof-top. I'd jotted the last note on yesterday's entry, shut the rest of the house down and come into the room expecting all sorts of "surprises" but there he was, my LOVE, standing on his roof-top, at the front, waiting for me. I put the futon together for me for the night and he "supervised", waiting so patiently and as soon as I started singing "Autumn Leaves" he turned and strolled over to the little platform... ready to go "home for the night"! I finished my little "last task" and when I went over to his house, he gave me a little look, started his last-minute preening and we "took off", into the air. Of course, on the way, I managed to sneak in a little kiss and when we arrived at the night roost, another one of those "casual steps" from one to the other and...
I got me to the futon, finished our evening repertoire and... as I've noted... last light off at 21.05. We're getting later... the days are getting longer.
That said, this morning's POOPS REPORT: 9 TOTALLY PERFECT LITTLE POOPS! I wonder if it was the fresh food mix. Was there something in the food in his dish? What have I done differently? What did he eat? Was there something in the food in his dish? I really have no way to know exactly what these companies put into "mixes" and I've come to learn that Yonah does NOT like "Harrison's" pellets. They're supposed to be the "TOP" of ALL foods for birds. But hey... And there are some pellets in the mixes and I do add some extras. I don't know and probably never will, but this morning was exactly what I needed to see!
Ah, dear me though. At 9.35 I HAD to have a lie-down Between getting up early and making a wash and putting the room together I was exhausted! As I put my head to the pillow on the futon, my PRECIOUS COMPANION was in his house, on his food shelf, nest-coo'ing! BUT he noticed the "oddity" of me having a "lie-down" before lunch and came RUSHING over to the futon, hopped onto my leg, toddled a bit up and down and then... he nestled him-self so comfortably in the folds of my jeans. For me, it was just THE MOST RELAXING AND COMFORTING thing in Creation! To think, this Little One came, of his own choosing, over to me, to have his own "snooze", TOGETHER... The LOVE, THE TRUST, the BOND... WE ARE "THE FLOCK" and we were together, doing what I'm to understand birds do when they're together: relaxing of a morning... and I dozed off... in Heaven.
As it turned out, I'd set an alarm for only 30 minutes, but when it sounded, I turned it off and could feel the Little Guy, still there, on my leg. I looked down and sure enough, little eyes closed, he was still snoozing, so... I wasn't in any particular rush to get to any more "tasks", I dozed back off and we snoozed together, for an hour!
So, it's already 19.51 and the day? Well, in general, it could have been better. I just couldn't seem to get "me" together during the day. Fatigue. I waited for the rain that was forecast but didn't come and when, this after-noon, the sky cleared enough, I SO wanted to get us both out to the yard, in the air and sun-shine that managed to clear the clouds but, our "dear neighbour " (not in the least) decided to run her clothes dryer and FLOOD THE AIR with "dryer sheets chemicals"! "THICK". "HEAVY". How I wonder hwo the Yardies are affected by all these toxins. And knowing that the local authorities, charged with the responsibility to monitor and address such, simply refuse... well, it gives me all the more incentive to get Yonah and I out of and away from here. How my heart is heavy, "sick", really, thinking of the Little Ones who come to eat and rest here. When Yonah and I have departed, I most seriously doubt that any "person" will think of the Little Ones who will come, in our absence, looking for nourishment. And, I've no doubt, the little yard will no longer be protected and the gardenette will be returned to "lawn". They'll be exposed again... "Humans"... what a horrid species. When I look to the news and see the state of turmoil of the world, I can't but help think: Your sufferings are so well deserved. "And God gave man dominion over all..." What a crock of utter nonsense. A statement contrived by "man", spoken and written by "man"... and the only species "dim" enough to believe it to be true? "Man". So? Again, we closed that side of the house and made the best of the rest of the day, together. Fans ran, and his windows were open. And the sun POURED in through his windows.
We had so much sun, in fact, that the Little Guy actually had a bit of a "swim" today! Oh yes, it might have been a "hazy" sort of sun-shine, but it gave enough light and warmth and there he was, soaking in his own little pool... and my consolation: he was safe and secure and had an equally secure place, on his "beach", to bask in the warmth as his feathers dried. I can't give him the world he was born into, but I can, and do my best, to provide him with the comforts he'd enjoy out there... but in safety from predators.
So as of now... I've managed to squeeze in a bit of a shower for me, but other-wise, I have to say that the day was (for me), disappointing. I just wasn't the best of company. We were together, but... at least there are new linens on the futon and the house is clean and that's quiet important - that the house is clean. I SO worry about "things" on the floor that Yonah could "pick-up" and ingest. And of course, there's always that lingering "threat of mould". We kept the air quality in the house as good as we possibly could. His water in his pool is clean, fresh, healthy, and so too, his food. And as I type here, he's eating! THAT is ALWAYS the BEST thing to see. I always remember the advice of the veterinarian when "Mimou", the "barn cat" was in such Hellish condition with the abscess on his face: "As long as he's eating, he'll be OK." And OH! How this Little LOVE here is eating! He's "OK"... and since he is, so too, am I.
We're off to settling the house for the night... hopefully a peaceful, calm, restful night.
20.39 already. The Little Guy had been on his night roost for about 40 minutes but when I went to close the windows for the night, he headed down to the desk to his lap-top. The "news" was still on, he gave a few pecks to the screen as he does, as I went about the task of "closing house"... But... it's time to wrap all of this up... Again, hoping for a restful night ahead...

Saturday 17 May:
WELL! It's already 15.30 and my PRECIOUS LITTLE LOVE is on his door perch after an after-noon of lounging in the loft... as the rains have come and gone and come and gone. And once again, out-side, it's as dark as it would be at "tuck-in" hour. The most recent deluge is passed and yes, the electric went out momentarily so the house went truly dark and silent.
We've even had a bit of thunder today too! And yes, it was obvious that there was a bit of "concern" caused by the rumbling and crackling, but a little "snuggling and cuddling" at the door perch calmed it all. (Times like this, I wonder about the Little Ones "out there". What do they make of the noise? Where are they as the rains pound-down from the skies? The were here this morning for a while, and now, the only ones brave enough to confront the storm: humming-birds... the tiniest of them all. They're just SO amazing!)
But the doors have been open during the day so the air in the house is "good" and that's so important to me.
Sadly though, we didn't get out to the yard today. I'd hoped for a little time in some sun-shine but I'm just as glad we didn't get out there only to have to come right back in... before the thunder and rain.
Meanwhile... let me say, in the time we have here now...
Last night was another one of those "odd" evenings. As I noted, the Little Guy was so comfy on his lap-top on the desk and before I stepped out for my evening ablutions, I'd closed the windows (blinds and curtains) for the night and he didn't budge. No interest in the "common routine". But when he saw me come back in to put the futon ready for me for the night, he headed right up to his night roost and waited there for me.
I started our evening lullabies as I put the bed-clothes ready and when done, went over to his house to place the roof-board and I popped my head in for some "Good night" kisses and OH! DID I EVER GET KISSES! SO MANY KISSES... ACROSS THE FORE-HEAD AND NOSE AND ALL! I've gotten "Good night" kisses before but not as many as last night! Makes me wonder. Although, I had to admit, when there are none, I wonder then too. But WHAT A MAGNIFICENT close to a day that was!
And he let me get through the entire repertoire of lullabies... softly and slowly until 21.10 when the last light was finally turned off for the night.
We both must have had a "reasonably restful" night last night from the looks of the poops (BUT THERE WERE SO MANY OF THEM THIS MORNING: SIXTEEN - 16 - IN TOTAL, THANKFULLY ALL OF THEM JUST SO PERFECT IN SIZE AND COMPOSITION AND MOST UNDER THE NIGHT ROOST), and from the clarity of the "morning call"... at 5.35. (Me? I took another 10 minutes to get me together enough to answer when the second "call" came... "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo!", as if given a "grace period". I DO believe the Little Guy knows that these mornings, of late, I need a little extra time to get up and about with all these "old aches" I'm experiencing of late.)
When, at last, I got up and went over to his house, in the dim morning light (so over-cast, left-overs fro last night's rains), there he was, SO PATIENTLY waiting for "the old man" and after opening his door, placing the door perch, I leaned in for what I thought would be a few quick kisses but... like last night...
KISSES, KISSES, KISSES! AND MORE SO MANY KISSES! If I'd been able, I would have climbed right in beside him on his perch and just settled there for the remainder of the day! These are the moments when I so wish there was a way I could just hold him so close, hug him with such affection, and just stay that way for how-ever long we'd have. But, in the first place, "kisses" are OK and a cuddle on the door perch is OK but there's a "too much" point and he makes that quite obvious: birds might light the kissing but cuddling is something completely different. Understandable. I mean, who's ever seen birds "hugging"? Really?
Well and so, we were up, and I was about and I hurried to put the kettle on for me for the morning and came right back to open the curtains and blinds to let some of the little bit of light in from out-side. We had "things" to attend this morning and the forecast wasn't too promising for a day out in the yard but, these are the days when we get to stay in, together, listen to some radio and just do what the Little Ones out-side might do of a day: just "roost". And, it being Saturday... that was perfect fine!
At about 9.45... the sky went "late-evening dark", the winds picked up and a clap of thunder rolled! The threatened "storm" had made it over the Western mountains and here we were, in the midst of it! But it didn't last too very long. The rains continued but not as heavily. Enough to keep us where we were... in the room, together. I could tell though, that the sound caused a bit of "notice" because that CHERISHED little head rose right up and my Little LOVE looked about, from his loft, until I got up from the desk and went over to him, leaned in and put my face close to him. He hopped down to his door perch and I got to hold him with little strokes on the neck and kisses on the head. And yes, he was consoled. It touches such a deep part of my being to know that he understands that I'm here to keep him protected and safe. After all, that's what I did from the very beginning...
So often I question what he must have thought of that entire ordeal: those human hands reaching down to pick him up and out from under those stairs, and then carrying him into this old house where it was, on that dreary, drizzly October morning, even darker than it was out-side. And then, putting him into a cardboard box whilst I constructed that now-horrific "mesh box" and put him into it with little plastic caps of food and water, but on a layer of white kitchen roll. (I'd also made a bit of a "nest" for him, from an old, extremely soft pillow case, and I remember he DID snuggle into it, but how strange it all must have been.) Then the days of being "confined" in that "box", and in a "room" in a human house. WHAT must he have been thinking?
Now? These years later, after he took the chance to trust me, he knows:
I've NEVER meant him ANY harm and I'm here to protect him to the very best of my human capabilities. And seeing that he knows that is ALL the world to me.
As for the rest of the morning, I have to admit, we had a "somnolent" sort of day. I snoozed, twice. Oh sure, there were "things" that I should have done, but the rain, the dark, the coolness just made snoozing so much easier. And it was rather "cute": we BOTH snoozed for most of the morning. There were no trips to the living-room, save one, brief "visit", but for the most part, my Little LOVE lounged in his loft and I lounged on the futon. It was a perfect "day of rest" for both of us, and well-deserved, I have to say.
(It's already 16.22 and time to get evening meals together and as I type, the radio playing, the sun is making a momentary appearance out-side and the little "Contractor" is bringing twigs up to his loft.)
At mid-day, of course, we "took lunch" together and after, that's when I snuck my second snooze in. So that much was "normal" for the day. But wow... "time", how it takes away so much from us. And because of the "darkness" of the day, well... we'll set out sights on tomorrow which is supposed to be, for the most part, similar to today, but if possible, there's a bit of planting I'd like to get to if the rains are drizzle and I'm thinking that, if we have the opportunity, I can set my Little Guy up in his old house, on the back gallery, under the protection of the roof and maybe we can get out of the house and into the "open air". The "air monitor" today tells that the quality in here is "good", all readings quite "OK", but it's not "open" AND the change of scenery will be, no doubt, most welcome. (Looking forward to Deborah's return next week. Still planning on getting into the truck and taking a roll down to her place where I can get new perches and twigs in the woods round her place and hoping the Little Guy will enjoy a completely different change in the scenery. How he'll react to that is anybody's guess. I'm so stupid in these matters. The best I can hope for is that it'll be appreciated and not cause "stress". We shall see when we see.)
This said (recorded), he's bouncing about his house, it's 24° in the room with 62% humidity (which for him, is likely comfortable, but it makes me worry about "mould" to follow at some point - though we made it through last year with-out and the "monitor", as I say, is all "normal"... my worries) and it's time for me to "throw something together" for evening meal. Today has passed so quickly!
20.07 already and the my Little LOVE has been beside me for the past almost 2 hours. We DID change the water in the pool and now... we're going to get ready to tuck in! The rains are quiet for now, and the evening is due to chill tonight (10°) but in spite of 20's for the days ahead, we're heading back down to single-digit nights! So... Sweeter Heater might be coming back for a while. Right now, 23° in the room though so...
Tomorrow? There may be troubles ahead, but for tonight we face the music and... SCHLAF! (I hope).
20.25 I went in and started to close the windows for the night and he hopped right up from the desk to his food and had his night snack! Now tell me again: not cognizant.
20.37 "Babe's on the night roost... and I'm making quick work of closing house! Our Saturday is coming to a close...

Sunday 18 May:
(8.00) Straight to "close" last night. The MOST PRECIOUS Little Guy was on his night roost, all settled for the night and obviously just waiting for me to get the room settled. I have to wonder, on these nights, if he wouldn't have been happier had we "closed the day" earlier, but the truth of the matter is: he never seems to actually want to tuck-in at the end of the day. Honestly, both of us probably wouldn't ever get any sleep through a night... if either of us could tolerate never sleeping again. But, there was no "resistance" and no "flights about the room" as I closed the windows, made-up the futon for me for the night. Though, I DO have to say that he did watch me, from his roost... maybe making sure I did everything properly and expeditiously? My Little "Supervisor".
We did make it all through the lullabies again, slowly, no rushing, really, since it was still before 21.00 (which is the very latest I'm comfortable with, where getting the room settled is concerned). And, by 21.10, the last light in the house was turned off. And there was no "accompaniment" to the singing.
This morning... oddly enough, I woke at about 4.45 and was almost ready to get up and on with the day but since the forecast is for more rain, there's no "going out" (save for my little errand, for which there's no particular rush), what-ever else needs to be done will get done in due course, and since there was no "morning call", I decided to have a "snooze" until the "call" came. By 5.20 though, I decided I'd get up and on with the morning... No sooner had I made it to the door of Yonah's room and stepped out when, from behind came:
"woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo"
He'd been awake? Or did the movement in the room wake him? I'll never know for certain, but I waited a moment to see if there'd be a "follow-up" coo... on the off chance that this one had just been a "preliminary good morning" and sure enough... "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo"... "WE" were awake, up and ready for the morning ahead so... I put the kettle on and went back into the dark room to check on the little silhouette on the perch in the house by the window.
Poops this morning are "concerning" again. 7 in total, all of them quite "dark green" and all of them slightly larger than "normal" or "regular". 2 "groups" of 3 each and one off to the side, as it were. One "group" of 3 were "dry", no halos, but the other group of 3 were obviously soft and quite wet, with a considerable "halo" of green. I didn't happen to notice if the Little LOVE had had anything to drink just before settling for the night last night, so that's why I'm "concerned". It doesn't appear that he had a "restless" night, and I actually slept through the night, to the best of my own recollection, so I didn't disturb him. There wasn't any thunder that I recall hearing. Likely, he had a peaceful night's rest. But something... something caused wet poops and I don't like the "shade of green" again. These are the moments when I SO WISH we had a "doctor", or I had the equipment to analyse what's in the stools. Looking it up tells me so little, really. Some sources say that "green" is "normal" and to be expected. Others claim all sorts of "liver damage". Then there are the "experienced" folks who advise not to take "morning poops" too seriously because birds will, often, drop the strangest poops first thing and then all will return to "normal" during the day. My MAJOR concern is (always) that I don't want THIS Little Guy to be uncomfortable, ever! NO suffering of ANY sort, at ANY time! He's already been through such a living Hell, and even though I can honestly justify having brought him in (perhaps interfering with "Nature", if I think of it that way), I can't help but wonder if I actually did him any kindness by "saving" him... if he's only going to suffer from any... ANY sort of ailment. Little did I realise, at the time, how difficult it would be to make sure that he always has the best medical attention. Then too, having social media access has been "supportive" when I see how many others have the same or similar experiences. (I posted, not long ago: do any of you ever worry about being around to keep supporting your Little Ones, and who will, if need, give them the same Love and Caring and Respect? Teillady replied: "Always". And SHE has cared for a Diamond Dove and a Starling, parrots and others. So? No, we're not "alone", but my heart still aches to think that Yonah is, in any way, uncomfortable.
(9.26) I HAD to take a snooze this morning... so I got a 30-minute of "shut-eye" on the futon (and he's on my shoulder again as I type this... one of "those days", this) with an "on and off" visit. Dreary sort of day again.
Well then, 16.35 already and another dreary day passes. BUT, we DID have quite the bit of FUN and PLAY on the futon and every time I got up and moved round the room, THERE HE WAS, MY LOVE, MY LIFE, ON MY SHOULDER! THAT kind of LOVE is exactly what's needed to keep warmth in the heart and soul on what's been a spate of grey skies, drizzle and chills in the air. Although, in the room, we've been keeping the warmth and when I look out to see the Yardies grabbing snacks between drizzles, it comforts me to know that THIS Little LOVE has the comfort and protection of his own house, his little loft (where he's lounging as my dinner is on the hob).
But all said, I've probably been the worst "companion" for most of the day, being "under the drear".
This morning though, I DID make the DASH to necessary errands (took me all of about 30 minutes) and made it back just in time for lunch! As I was getting ready to rush out the door this morning, the Little Guy came RUSHING to the living-room to his tree. I swear he knows when I'm getting ready to step out of and away from the house. (I've no doubt he senses my trepidation, because I'm a wreck when I have to leave him alone in the house. Between the traffic that passes with loud exhausts and the occasional "thumps and bumps" in this old house... I worry about him being startled and careening round the house to escape and the possibility of crashes. Over our years together, I've seen him look about at some of the noises and, well, even though he has the entire house, and he obviously KNOWS it well, there's just no telling what his response would be if he was alone in the house. Call me the "doting parent" but, I don't call him my "Heart-and-Soul lightly.) That said, I gave MANY kisses and assurances that I'd be right back and it seemed to suffice. He took to preening and I took to the door.
When I got back, he was in his house, in his loft, by his windows and the very second I got to the door of his room, he came hopping to the door perch, WING-SNAP! We were together again! AND, as I brought the groceries into the kitchen, he came out, toddling about the kitchen floor. His house-hold was complete again, the "flock" united as it should be. And, that he "toddles" about on the floor is such a GREAT comfort to me. He's comfortable in his surroundings. He knows he's safe. And that he feels safe with me around is the GREATEST compliment I could ever even think of! It's actually what I live every moment for
OK... 19.40. My Heart-and-Soul has spent most of his day in his loft and I've been a horrid companion, being so "groggy" most of the day. But we had dinner together this evening and I made haste to get washing-up done and then, got in a little "housing research" in (always looking for safer, calmer and more space for both of us). But at 19.15, I got up from the desk and headed into the evening change of his pool water (as we do of an evening) and the moment I did, he got up and came down to "supervise" the activities and is now on his lap-top beside me, at the desk.
Out-side, the rains have subsided and the breezes are turning into out-right WINDS! The only "Yardies" out there are the humming-birds! HOW they manage to navigate in such winds is a never-ceasing amazement to me but they're just SO inspiring. (AND so "gutsy"! Friday, when I changed the nectar in the feeder, one Little Fellow came right to my hand as I was hanging it and this after-noon, as I stood on the front porch of the house, one came right over to me! And now, I watch as they beat the winds, and there are no other birds in the yard... I don't know what to think other than admiration and AWE.)
But other-wise, the evening "news" is on the old lap-top and my PRECIOUS LITTLE HEART-AND-SOUL has snuggled-down on the cover over the key-board, his little eyes are closed. He's just SO comfortable and calm. In a world of so much turmoil, THIS Little LOVE is my inspiration, comfort, consolation, my reason and excuse for taking another breath. (He's my sole reason for bothering to take meals, to be honest. I've such little appetite any more and never really had much interest in eating, but knowing that I have to keep my health and stamina up to be here for him, I make sure to take the very best care possible.)
I was considering putting his "Sweeter Heater" back on tonight because the temperatures are expected to drop back to single-digits again, but with the house furnace on over-night, even now, it's been on for only about 30 minutes and the temperature in the room is 25° (and even with all the rain we've had for the past week, the humidity is 41% which is comforting and comfortable). Tomorrow's "high" is expected to be only 10° and tomorrow night... a low of merely 5°. And to think: the window fan is in already because, for a couple of nights just last week, it had been hot enough. Well, the house furnace has more than enough oil to keep up warm, and having the one window open at the top with the fan installed at the bottom, it gives us "air". Oh, and today, I did a little "test" of the window fan. There's a cover of "activated charcoal fabric" on the out side of it so that air drawn into the room is filtered against dust and pollen. Well, I put the "air monitor" closer to it today and watched the "particulate" count. Single digits! So the filter is working very well indeed! I know I can't clean the air of every-thing and that most of what I "worry" about is actually harmless. Not to mention... THIS Little LOVE isn't a "common house-hold" bird. But I see no sense in tempting "Fate". (Bad enough we have a neighbour who runs a clothes dryer and must use multiple dryer sheets because it can be noticed even round the opposite side of the house and it comes into the room unless I close the doors and windows on the one side of the house. I spent time today researching to see if that doesn't present a threat to THIS Little Guy and over-all, after much "digging", the common thought is that the scent in the air is harmless. As one person posted: birds in the wild are subjected to SO MUCH in the air - and indeed, not all of that is "natural" - and it there have been no reports of numbers decreasing because of dryer sheets. So... I hope... and we look for a place where such things won't be a concern anyway.)
So now... 20.00 the news is off, a bird video is on, the house is quiet, the winds are blowing out-side, the day-light (what little we've had of it) is dimming, the Little LOVE is pecking at the screen (thankfully, at the plexi-glass cover... what a great idea it was to put that up) and it's time for me to attend my evening ablutions and get us tucked-in.
Another day... another week-end... gone by entirely too quickly! And the week coming? Well, weather-wise, more rains so, if we're to get out-side at all... I don't know. Temperatures are falling back more toward "Autumnal". Too chilly to plant our gardenette seedlings, but what comes will come. I've come to learn that from the Little Expert on such things: Yonah has gotten through his Hell and "moved on". We take the moments as they arrive. This, I can only imagine, is why "Creation" sent him to me:
A "Life" to care for and about, to give my own existence a meaning, a cause, a reason, and a place to put ALL the LOVE I could possibly hold in this old heart... surrounding Yonah... always.
20.30 and he's on the desk shelf. The windows still have to be closed, but the "night music" is on and the house is settled for the night so... Let's see if there's "FUN" to come. Right now... closing "shoppe" for the day.

Monday 19 May: It's already 19.50 and I'm only just getting to sit and put together the notes I've jotted through the day. It was another dreary day and another one of those where I would have much liked to just stay on the futon. And if not for this Little LIFE here, in this house, MY "LIFE", I certainly would have done.
But I didn't and here we go, re-capping, recounting and recording...
As for last night's tuck-in, the Little Guy waited patiently, on his roof-top for me to come to him to give him the "lift" home to the night roost. And when I did, he went directly to the platform and we "floated" along, and when we arrived at our destination, he hopped, as he does, right over to his night roost. We were running a little on the "late" side... it was time for seepie-nigh-night!
I'd started the lullabies with the closing of the windows so that we wouldn't be up too late, and sang all through as I settled the room, the futon and me. We went through the whole repertoire, soft and smooth and... at 21.05, the last light was turned off. Yes, a little later than I'd have liked, but days are getting longer, the Yardies are tucking-in later... we're following the sun... to the best of our ability... well, my ability anyway.
This morning, the "call to order" was at 5.40. I was still on the futon and for some reason, so tired. As I say, if not for Yonah, there's no telling when (if) I would have gotten up this morning. BUT... there was a new day ahead, and the Little Guy was awake, the Yardies were coming in for breakfast... there were reasons to get up and so, I dragged me off the futon, and.. went directly over to open his door for "Good morning" kisses. Yes, I got kisses... not "many" but they weren't simple pecks on the nose. I can tell, so obviously, when they're "kisses" and when they're simply "protocol". This morning... "kisses". They woke me and gave me the impetus I needed this morning to get on with the tasks ahead... and there were many.
House opened, windows open to the dreary day out-side, I headed right to the kitchen, put the kettle on for my morning coffee and as I did, we got set-up and into the morning water run!
Poops, this morning, were equally encouraging. 14 in total... YES, 14! But ALL of them just perfectly healthy and under the night roost so the Little Guy was in good health and had had a restful night. That too, gave me a little "boost" and encouragement to get on with the "necessities" of the day.
As soon as the bird-songs were playing, the radio on, low volume, for the sounds of music and voices in the house, I hit the kitchen... I had cooking to do and some laundry to wash and wanted to get it all out of the way before the day slipped by.
AND AS I BUSIED IN THE KITCHEN, MY LITTLE SU-BIRD-VISOR CAME TODDLING OUT OF HIS ROOM AND THROUGH THE KITCHEN! IT TRULY WAS AS THOUGH HE WAS COMING TO CHECK ON MY "PRODUCTIVITY" AND PROGRESS! I can't put into words, the ELATION, THE JOY, THE DELIGHT seeing him just casually strolling along. I could tell that he was looking for and at me, but his little pace is such that, it just seems that my presence and such is just "normal". (It's one of the MAIN reasons I KNOW that putting him out into the world would be his demise. He's not fond of other people, and not exactly comfortable when other people are around, but "people"... me in particular... are simply a part of his "normal world" now. All the more reason for me to make certain that I am with him and by him for HIS duration. He IS my literal "Heart-and-Soul, my heart-beats, my breaths.)
By 10.15 I had a 20 minute "lie-down stretch" on the futon. I SO needed just a "shut-eye" and my Little Companion headed up to his loft as I did. No company this time. But I didn't take more than the 20 minutes anyway. We had a day and I wasn't going to let is pass with me on the futon even though it was dark, dreary. The only "good" was that it was warm enough to open the doors so we had nice air circulation, which is always good and "refreshing". 'tis becoming the season for open doors and windows again... at last!
And now, sadly, too soon, another day comes to a close... another rather dreary, windy and chilly day too. And another day where, for the most part, I was, again, a terrible "companion".
We did have our lunch together at mid-day but I was "blah" really, for the most part.
BUT... before dinner, I looked in on the fountain and noticed a little "build-up" on it...so... after MUCH PLAYING TOGETHER ON THE FUTON WITH BURDIE (I made SURE to get SOME play time in today... TOGETHER time), I ate quickly and... WE TOOK THE POOL AND FOUNTAIN OUT FOR A CLEANING! AFTER DINNER! That's usually a "first thing in the morning" deal! And we changed the sands under it too. OH !THAT REALLY set the evening! I got visits to the shoulder and across the back! There was SO much attention paid to every little thing I did in his house! And he flew all over the room as I worked. "Motion".. after an entire day on the loft! But it was SO OBVIOUS that he was SO INTRIGUED by the change in routine and the tasks being done when we SHOULD have been settling for the night ahead!
A NOTE OF CONCERN TODAY THOUGH: poops... there weren't many at all during the day because he didn't come out of the loft and the 3 on the "Burdie Pillow" were quite wet and a bit large and still dark. I ordered more milk thistle for both of us today. (Yonah won't take very much, and he can't really have very much and he doesn't like it anyway, so it's for "us"... Hey! It's good for me too so... we share. And as I always say: If it isn't safe for me I won't give it to him... which is why he gets the seeds he gets... fresh and natural.)To be quite honest, I'd have NO reservations about mixing ANY of his mix into the likes of breads or biscuits... and if I could chew them, I'd snack on them. Indeed, if the food isn't safe for me, a "pampered human"... Yonah doesn't get it... unless it's specific for birds' health.)
Yes, my heart aches to think that my LOVE might be in any discomfort. And that I'm so weary of late and a horrible companion. I can't blame it ALL on the weather but... I'm SO SO SO looking forward to getting us both out of this house and into the yard, but the forecast is for more chilly weather... we can hope it's wrong
. 20.30 I got caught up here with the day and my Little LOVE is in his loft. It's time to close windows and get us tucked in! Time... never enough... NEVER enough.
But... as I got up to close the house... I looked in on him and spoke and he just stared at me no response! He did get up when I closed the curtains and he went to the night roost! I've looked at his poops from this aftern-oon and a fresh one using 3 pairs of glasses to magnify them, and the Exacto blade to "sort through"... They're green but nothing out of the ordinary... I've cried... and been sick with the thought of him not being "here". I do this when-ever something "strange", "odd" happens, and that he was almost non-responsive and then simply scuttled across the perch from loft to night roost... My heart is shattering!
Tomorrow... I've nothing "planned" but a day TOGETHER, WITH MY LITTLE LOVE, and perhaps trying to get milk thistle of some kind as soon as possible... it's all i can think he might need. I usually get the "PURE" powder in a nice capsule that I open and sprinkle the contents onto his food. I won't be able to get our regular brand but hopefully I'll find some "all natural" and no additives at the local pharmacy. I doubt it but... I HAVE to try!
I'm feeling useless again tonight! and afraid... i don't want him to suffer! But... no Yonah... I don't care about this house, the truck, my medical... it's done... He's the ONLY reason I "am" at all... and these are the days and moments...
I've looked it up: To perform a DIY fecal flotation test, collect about 4-5 grams of fresh feces and mix it with a flotation solution, such as a sugar or salt solution with a specific gravity greater than 1.2. Strain the mixture, centrifuge it if possible, and then let it sit with a cover-slip on top to allow parasite eggs to float to the surface for examination under a microscope.
Recipe for Solution: 12oz water 1lb sugar Heat water to almost a boil in a double boiler remove from heat add sugar and stir til dissolved let cool completely before using Will make close to 24oz, keep in an air tight container.
It's 21.15 LATE LATE and he's still on the night roost. He had 3 poops on the futon earlier and they were FINE. So now I don't understand, but have a recipe for "flotation fecal test"... must get more sugar and give this a try. Wish I had a microscope... might order on the card tomorrow morning. I NEED one! And I NEED to learn what to look for! THEN... I NEED to find SOMEBODY who will make available, what's needed if there are parasites! I'm feeling "ALONE" again... SO ALONE... AND FRIGHTENED!
But now... for now... to tuck in... and hope for the night.

Tuesday 20 May: 9.00 ALREADY! And we got up and into yet, another dreary, grey, rather chilly (7°) morning. But THIS morning, I'm determined that WE are going to have MORE time for "entertainment" and interactions! And the Little Guy s FULL of energy this morning. In fact, he was out in the living-room already for about an hour, on the roof of his old house out there and he's been "bouncing" about his room too! AND we've had some snuggles on the door perch. So, no matter the weather, it's going to be a good day for both of us.
Last night though, we didn't turn the last light off until 21.30! We did make it through all the lullabies, though at a bit of a "quicker tempo". No "woo-HOO's" as I sang and I kept careful watch of the little silhouette there, on the night roost. He appeared to be comfortable (but today, I fear, we're going to put the Sweeter Heater on again because the room temperature dropped to 20° during the night and there's no reason for him to be even slightly "chilled" so... Ah... "May"... and to think, only a week ago, we put the window fan in to cool the place). That said here, I'm just looking for the day when we can get out into the yard! Get out of this room, get the little yard together so we can sit, together, in some sun-shine and hopefully, in the company of the Yardies!
I figured we'd likely "sleep in" this morning and I was up at 4.00 but after tucking-in so late last night, I made NO effort at getting up and decided to follow Yonah's clock: we'd get up when HE got up. And, at 5.55... a hearty "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo"... soft, but clear. I can't say just how relieved I was to hear that little call this morning. I fell asleep, last night, from exhaustion because as I laid on the futon, in the dark, my heart was SO heavy, wondering about the "dark, green, wet" poops of yesterday and what a miserable "companion" I've been these days. Boredom is such a threat to any-body and any-birdie's well-being and my being so sedentary is of no help to either of us. But, by the second "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" I was feeling MUCH better and determined to make the very best possible of our day ahead here.
Before I even got the chance to get up, the "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo's" changed to "woo-HOO!" (And since I happened-upon another web-site with more info on the "patterns" of mourning dove coo's, my thoughts have been corroborated, to a point; there IS a noticeable difference in the "tone", the "volume", duration and other characteristics. What might sound, at first, to be a "nest-coo" can mean much more, depending on all the "intricacies". That little "woo-HOO" can mean "Hello. I'm over here." or "I've got a house ready to share." And, it can mean "HEADS UP!" as a warning, or even "HEY YOU!" This morning's "woo-HOO's" were definitely "HEY YOU! It's time to get up and on with this day here!" AND... he repeated the same coo, several times until...
In moments, I was up and over to his house in the morning dimness, and popping my head in for "Good morning" kisses well... there were several, just enough to reassure that "things" were "OK". At the very least, he didn't scuttle away, as he'll do if he's not pleased with me for any reason. And as I headed, quickly, out to the kitchen to put the kettle on, the "morning singing", "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo's" continued. The house was FULL of that warm, beautiful melody. The Little Guy was rested and from the sound of it, feeling quite well this morning.
I rushed back to check this morning's poops because I'd just glanced at them as I opened his door. I noticed there were quite a few and they were just slightly "scattered", but that was mostly because they were DRY! NO HUGE, SOFT, WET POOPS THIS MORNING! AND... TOTAL: 12! ALL OF THEM THE REGULAR SIZE, AND THIS MORNING, ALL OF THEM DARK *BROWN*... *NOT GREEN* !!! THE UREA (WHITE) WAS WHITE! AND ONLY THE SLIGHTEST BIT OF "HALO"... ON ONLY 3 OF THEM. AND THE HALOS WERE PALE GREEN... "NORMAL"! REGULAR! What-ever it was that disturbed his digestion yesterday seems to have passed! Oh, I admit; who amongst us hasn't had a "passing bug"? But with my little Heart-and-Soul, the slightest "change" just gets me worried. I know I have to acquiesce to my "human imperfections" and that birds too, as with all things "alive", there will be "moments". But my own heart just needs to know that THIS Little One is well, and because he depends on me, and I've nobody to depend on for medical help, other than the internet, it makes it all the more difficult for me. Still, I do my best and when these things pass, it sets my life back on course... until the next "event". Oh! I prayed to take his sufferings from the very beginning... if only I could take all of them... for as long as he lives. (Yeah, OK. I AM just THAT insane about this Little Guy. Shamelessly.)
AND, BUT, WOW! As I'm typing all of this, THERE'S QUITE THE COMMOTION IN HIS HOUSE! HE'S UP AND DOWN AND BACK AND FORTH IN THERE, SORTING THROUGH THE TWIGS ON THE FLOOR OF HIS HOUSE AND BRINGING THE CHOSEN UP TO HIS LOFT AND ARRANGING THEM! THAT ALWAYS MAKES THE DAY ALL THE BETTER! He still has that ability to make a "nest"... though, a "nest" for Mourning Doves really is more like a collection of twigs and such. Still, it does my heart so much good to see AND it reminds me: who would have thought to put twigs in his house for him - along with a pool with moving water and going out to cut tree branches for perches and... well... I suppose I AM doing pretty well. After all... "they" gave up on him... I didn't... and here we are, going for 5 years later.
OK... 10.00. The room is at 23°, it's a touch on the "chilly" side out-side and sadly, clouds are gathering, but my Little Guy in nestled in his loft with his "new" twigs and we're about to settle into our day. Much to do... TOGETHER! And "together" is all that matters. Let the world do what the world will...
20.16 already and what a day it was... in spite of or because of the clouds and drear and chills.
This morning, I got right to the "house-hold tasks and chores" and kept busy as "people" usually will, with all sorts of papers and the likes.
At mid-day, we grabbed our lunches, put the "news" on and then... I headed to the futon for the usual "snooze". But today, the 30 minutes became 45 minutes and all of them... solo. No company, no Companion. Then too, he'd modified his loft and was likely quite comfy up there on such a dreary day. I thought of how comforting it is to see that he's not out in some tree, fending against the chills and dampness of the day, nor under some roof gable some-where where he'd have to be alert, watching for predators. He was in HIS house, in HIS loft, safe, dry, warm, protected.
And me? I was back up and back into the "people nonsense" of the rest of the day.
Our Amy called this after-noon and we were on the phone for the LONGEST while! But I was in the room, talking, and although I was pre-occupied with Amy, at the very least, there wasn't the usual "silence" we have of a day. I had to wonder if Yonah didn't think I was talking to him. After all, I was talking and we were the only ones there. A "telephone" means nothing to him. Maybe he had some comfort in knowing that he wasn't alone and there was a "familiar voice". I felt a horrible "companion" to him though, not playing with him and constantly yammering away. Still, what he heard wasn't the radio... "we" were talking.
At 17.00 it was time for dinner and the chat with Amy was still going. I had to turn the "news" off on the lap-top but because of the talking, the Little Guy had his dinner as I grabbed bites between talking.
At 18.00 this evening, Deborah dropped by for a brief while too! What a day! Me yammering all the while and then Deborah! "People". Voices. And a "different" voice in the house! (I still can't understand though: Something about Deborah's voice un-settles Yonah. Maybe it's because he doesn't hear it often and so, it's strange to him. She loves him so very much and, in a bind, I'm quite certain that, if it ever came to where we'd need her, she'd be there to take almost as good care of him as I do. In fact, she always says: You have the keys to the house so if you need, bring Yonah, we can set a room up for him here too. But because he tends to get "anxious" when she comes into his room, she avoids it. She's so afraid he'll injure him-self in his little "panic". I still don't want him "too comfortable" with "people" because, well, it's his nature and most people, I dare say, wouldn't give him the respect and consideration and love he SO deserves. Still, we'll have to come up with a way to get him and Deborah on more comfortable terms. A little "challenge" for the future.)
Deborah didn't stay long and the chat with Amy was done... Dinners done and the house returned to the way it is... with the two of us, for the rest of the evening.
And now? It's already time to settle the house for the night ahead. The Little Guy is on his door perch, beside me, having his evening preening... OOPS! I just stood up to go to the kitchen for last-minute "must do" AND BOOM! WE'VE JUST HAD ONE OF THOSE "MYSTERY BURSTS OF ENERGY"! HE'S UP AND ABOUT, TODDLING IN HIS HOUSE, UP TO THE FOOD SHELF, OVER TO THE LOFT, DOWN TO THE FLOOR OF HIS HOUSE! Oh, these are the reminders that there's never really KNOWING just what to expect and when. But HEY! Energy and motion and... at least this Little One is healthy! Now to see what tuck-in will be like!
Maybe it's that last "energy" that needs to be used. It was a "sedate" sort of day, with all the dreariness. And the forecast for the next few days is more of the same. "Spring" is coming... "April showers" and all that sort of thing. I want, so much, for us to get time in the sun-shine! AND... I want to see about bringing Yonah to Deborah's... to get some new perches and twigs for him! Oh... we have "plans". Let's see how they turn out.
For how, let's see how "tucking-in" for the night goes... enough to today... off to tonight... and more tomorrow...

Wednesday 21 May:
(14.33) WHAT A WAKE-UP THIS MORNING! SO UNUSUAL AND SO PRECIOUS !!!
But, before that, LAST NIGHT WAS UNUSUAL TOO! We were off to a really late tuck-in again because of the "busy-ness" of the after-noon but what pushed it even later was that, at the last moments, THIS Little Character decided that, after the blinds and curtains were closed and I'd done my evening ablutions, it was time for him and a sudden burst of energy to head on over to the futon to be with Burdie-Birdie! SO, when I got back into the room, thinking (silly me) that we'd get the room together and the Little Guy would get to his rest (even though it had been such a "lethargic" day for both of us), there he was, preening and hopping about and round Burdie-Birdie!
I thought (again, silly me) that if I started the lullabies, he'd "take the hint" and head up to either his roof-top and wait for a lift home to the night-roost or, considering the hour, maybe directly to the roost. HAH! on me! He was quite happy being out of his house (and, as I say, it had been a day of "lounging" for both of us - these dreary days taking a toll on general ambition and energy... for BOTH of us, obviously) and quite comfy being on the futon with his Burdie.
I started signing "Autumn Leaves" and instead of it being the "cue" to closing the day, Little LOVE here just went into more preening and then pecking at Burdie! So, I sat down beside him, and decided we'd get a little play time in... again, expecting it to be brief. Oh no...
To my absolute surprise (and, I have to admit, delight), I sang, we played all the while AND I decided to see if I could get a little video of the affair (expecting that the Little Character would take off once he saw the camera coming). Yes indeed... not only did I get a video on ONE song, I managed to get THREE! And all the while, little Herr Taube hopped about, pecked at and preened his little pal (Burdie) as if I hadn't been there! I managed to get "Autumn Leaves", "I Wish You Love" and "I Think It's Going To Rain" with accompanying videos of my Precious Companion. (Sadly, my voice wasn't all that great, but, I'm just SO happy that I got the videos of Yonah! And I can't help but remember back to MY child-hood days when just having a camera was quite the luxury! Never mind, a "movie" camera.) Last night, I just sat there, camera recording and being completely ignored! It was WONDERFUL! BUT....
The clock was passing the minutes and moments and I was concerned about "rest time". The later the hour got the more I thought of the Little Guy getting enough proper rest. (Granted, most of the day, "rest" is what both of us seemed to have gotten so much of. These grey, dreary days... I look to the Yardies and wonder what they do in weather like this. And then, I ponder how they have to get up from their roosts to go searching for food and water and, to some extent, I take comfort in knowing that THIS Little One doesn't have to fly against the heavier winds that have blown, and he doesn't have to get soaked in the down-pours we've been having and he doesn't have to fend against the chills. Still, I can only hope that he's not bored. I FEAR that, to be honest. Boredom can be SO detrimental.)
I can't even recall what time it was when I finally stopped the recording, but it was after I'd finished "Think It's Going To Rain" and as I sang "Turtle Dove" this little Turtle Dove had finally toddled away from his Birdie and so, I took that opportunity to put Burdie into his little nook in the book-case and picked up the Precious Little Bundle of LOVE on the futon and brought him home to his night roost, and when we got there... he hopped over to the night roost and snuggled-in. I went on with setting the futon for me for the night and singing along with the rest of the lullabies.
By the time we were tucked-in and lullabies were finished... it was 21.30! The last light of the day was turned off. My little Heart-and-Soul was snuggled-down on his night roost where he'd been through all my nonsense in the room.
Through the night, for reasons I can't say, I was up again, every 2 hours. Not really "restful" for me but I got to check on my LOVE, in the darkness. Every time I looked, he was still right where he'd settled, the house was quiet. All was well... and then...
This morning, I happened to wake again, looked at the clock....
6.32!
When I saw the time, of course, as I do (always, admittedly), I was in a bit of a panic! This was considerably later than our usual hour, so I sat right up and looked for the little silhouette on the perch. I could see the little tail, on the night roost, so I knew my Heart-and-Soul was there, calm, but I couldn't see the rest of him so I sat up, moved to the end of the futon where I could look in and see ALL of him and as I did, from the roost came the loudest little
HOO!
It didn't sound "panicked". It didn't sound "frightened". It actually sounded like "HEY!" I was SO relieved when the little head turned toward me and the "HOO!" was followed by a "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo!" and even THAT sounded like something along the lines of "I've been waiting for you to finally get up!"
I got up quickly, went over, opened the door to Yonah's house and poked my face in for "Good morning" kisses and he lifted his head, brought it back, then forward for KISSES! HOO! indeed! And we exchanged quite a few kisses before I went off to get into this morning's "regular routine". And as I put the kettle on in the kitchen, "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" FILLED the house! Healthy, clear coo's! Well, neither of us got the "10-14 hours" of rest that Yonah supposedly is supposed to get of a night, but from the greeting this morning, and the kisses, what we got was obviously "OK" for him... so it was OK for me too.
When I got back into the room I opened the curtains and blinds and he waited, quite patiently, for me to roll his house back to the windows. Out-side... again... this morning... grey, grey and more grey. And there was enough chill in the air for the house furnace to run. Not "cold" but certainly not what a "late May morning" should be, temperature-wise. For me, it's terrible for several reasons (like the seedlings that we have to put into the garden and yard for us for a Summer out-side), the worst being the continued absence of sun-shine for Yonah! I put the UV light on today. It's not "sun-shine", not "bright" and the best I can do is HOPE that it's good enough for the vitamin D he needs. It's getting to where I'm starting to look into "supplements" for vitamins D, A, E and B. (According to the lists of ingredients on the different seed mixes that go into his diet, there's enough of all of the necessary vitamins and minerals in there, but... Air, sun-shine, change of scene, getting together with the Yardies... these are the moments when I seriously question "Nature" and "Creation" in general. I do NOT want my little Heart-and-Soul suffering in ANY way, and as I say, "boredom" is one of my major concerns and fears. "Shelter", "protection", food and water and the rest of the house available for flights is one thing, but this drear... it weighs heavily on my general mood.
Poops: 12 total and all of them quite "healthy" though 8 of them were a little "larger" than "normal". But no halos and NOT dark any more, and the white perfectly white. And under the roost so he did have a calm night last night. I SO needed to see that this morning. Happy tummy and restful night. A grand start to a new day.
This Little Character DID take a bit of a "stroll" this morning... a toddle. As I was in the kitchen doing some washing-up at the basin, he came "wooshing" out of his room and into the living-room and the next thing I saw was this little bundle of feathers... toddling through the kitchen. He stopped, gave me a glance and continued on his way back to his room and up to his loft again... for the rest of the day. Looks like all this dreary weather is getting to both of us! Pained me, I have to say, that it's so dark and boring for him. I'm just grateful that he has the whole house to "wander". It isn't much, but at least he's not "confined". And the different rooms give some break from the room. And, as always, I think of the Little Ones out-side... in the cold and damp, needing to travel for food and water and searching for an escape from all the elements. At the very least, THIS Little LOVE doesn't have all that to worry about and bother with. It isn't "perfect" but then again, compared to "out there", I have to think it's a little better. Shelter, protection, food and water... and a boring "Companion".
I did manage to catch a bit of a snooze after we took our mid-day "lunch" break... but again, today... alone. My little Heart-and-Soul had taken to his loft... for the day. I can't say that I blame him. Truth is, I was rather tempted to do the very same. Truth is, were it not for him, I would have done. (Of course, THE Truth is... if not for Yonah... I'd take to the futon - or bed - and just wouldn't bother with anything at all.) But, I might not be the most energetic thing in the house, I want to be "there" for him, to let him know that he's not "alone". And I know that he knows that if he wants Companionship, to play or... he knows he can always come over and of course, if/when he wants, there are cuddles, snuggles, kisses and play-time. But I leave that up to him. He calls the shots, as it were, in the house. This is HIS house above ALL. And what happens in it is HIS choice. That's how we roll in this place! Daily agenda, timing on activities... what-ever happens, I don't impose. I'll never see this Little One as "domestic" in any way. No matter how much he adapts to being in this house, with "his human", in my esteem, opinion, view, he will FOREVER be "wild"... born of and into the "world out there". He was born to live his life on his terms, free... much more so than any human being. So, we run the clock according to HIS time, we take meals and breaks according to HIS schedule and (we try to) tuck-in and wake up on HIS schedule. This is my little Heart-and-Soul OK. 19.51 and my LOVE is having a snack! Fresh food and a fantastic appetite! We have the window fan on, bringing in some fresh air too. 22° in the room but we'll be turning the fan off for the night. But what a relief to see him up and about and EATING! and PICKING AT THE GRASS ON THE FLOOR OF HIS HOUSE! He's not crazy about this "Timothy grass". Most of it ends up on the floor of his room. I need to find something in the way of "foraging" to get for him.
We're about to close house for the night now though. I'm off to ablutions so we'll see how the trip home goes... (I see he's having a drink of water as I type so, must remember to check the poops tomorrow... and remember the drink... in case of "halos" and such.)
OH... At about 18.00 THIS EVENING, HE CAME OUT OF HIS HOUSE AND ONTO MY SHOULDER TO PLAY! WE PLAYED WITH BURDIE ON THE FUTON AND THEN IN HIS HOUSE AND ON THE DESK SHELF! AND... AT ABOUT 18.40 I STARTED SET UP FOR THE WATER AND HE CAME OUT TO THE KITCHEN WITH ME ON MY SHOULDER UNTIL HE OBVIOUSLY GOT BORED AND HEADED BACK TO HIS HOUSE TO PLAY WITH THE TIMOTHY GRASS THAT I PUT IN THERE FOR HIM! AND THEN WE PLAYED AND KISSED AS I RAN THE WATER CHANGE! WHAT A CLOSE TO A DAY!
20.38 All's done. Windows and house all settled and the Little Guy is already on his night roost! So... now to see how "tucking-in" goes this evening... One NEVER actually knows what sort of night this Little Character has in mind but, we shall, indeed, see... For now, closing until tomorrow...

Thursday 22 May:
OH MY! A straight tuck-in last night! POOR SWEET LITTLE HEART-AND-SOUL! He obviously was tired! He'd taken him-self to the night roost even before I started to settle the house, and he was so quiet. Maybe it's the change in temperature. Maybe it's the weather. But what-ever it is, there was no running about the room and no coaxing. And we had lullabies, not rushed, and I could see him drifting off into sleep for the night. AND, we managed to get the last light turned off at 21.10. Not too late!
This morning, I woke at 5.41 (though I'd been up at 4.30 but decided to stay on the futon) and got up to head to the kitchen and as I did... the house filled with "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo"! I always wonder if the Little Guy wasn't awake already and was just waiting for me to move, and I hope that I don't wake him when I get up. But this morning, it was close to a "regular" hour that he'd be waking so...
I answered with a "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo-to-you-too" but took my time putting the kettle on and getting the kitchen ready for the rest of the morning routine just to make sure that he really was awake and ready to "roll"... There was no reply. BUT... when I went back into the room to check on him, the very second I stepped in... "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo". When I went over to his house, sure enough, there he was, on the night roost, looking toward the door to his house. So I opened it, stuck my head in for a "Good morning" kiss... and got a few sweet pecks on the nose. I put his door perch on, removed the roof board and opened one of his windows (curtain and blind) to let in a bit of the morning, and headed back out to the kitchen to make my coffee.
When done, I went right back to the room to finished opening the other window... to another dreary morning of more rain!
Not only is it becoming annoying, all this rain and dark skies and dampness and chill, I worry about my Little LOVE... No sun-light? Sure, we have the UV lamp, but nothing compares to natural sun-light. And I keep in mind that the sun-light that comes through the windows is filtered... glass blocks some of the UV that, well, we both need. I worry about Yonah's general health and well-being. Not to mention, "mood". I'd like to know what the Yardies (the Little Ones in the wild) make of all of this "weather". And even if they don't really care one way or another, I wonder if it has any affect on their health, mating, raising a little family.. nesting. It can't be all that good. But then, I keep in mind: birds are about the only life that managed to survive "The Great Extinction" that took the dinosaurs. They were clever enough to "travel the world", avoiding the worst of all the changes, and they managed not only to survive, they managed to "evolve" into all the different species, the colourations, the songs, diets, nesting habits, diets! Resilient little beings, these birds. (And don't I know that... from these years together with my little Heart-and-Soul!) But well... neither of us has any control over the weather so... we make of it what we must... and this morning, the GREATEST aspect of it all: WE are still together... and Yonah is safe and warm and protected and has food, water, shelter and a safe place to just "be". AND, right after I finished with the morning water run... he was UP and OUT of his house and up to his roof-top! SO... he was healthy and rested enough to have that energy... first thingh in the morning.
When I'd done with all the running in and out of his room, I went back in and sat on the futon for a few moments and we had a little "chat"... exchanging comments and "woo-hoo's". It REALLY was SO AMAZING! WE ACTUALLY HELD A "DIALOGUE"! (Now, if only I knew what he was saying to me... me... the "human"... the "superior" species in the room. I can't say that Yonah understands everything I say to him but I CAN and WILL say that there are words and phrases that he "recognises"... and mean-while, all I know is "woo-HOO", "woo-HOOooo" and "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo". Yeah, right, well.)
When we were done with our chat (I waited for him to stop it)...
Poop check-report: 9 in total this morning and all were noticeably larger than "normal". Not massively larger, bit noticeably. And they were all "very dark green". Not "black-green" but almost. And even at 7.50, they were still quite "moist" so there was a lot of "water/urine" in them. But the halos around them were slight. And the urea was as white as ought to be... and all were well-formed. Cause to keep watch, but over-all, aside from the "cumulative quantity" which was about "normal" for an over-night, they didn't look "worrisome". I'll have to watch what comes during the rest of the day though.
At the moment (7.55) he's in the living-room and I'm relieved to see him flying about. The UV light is on in his room (to combat the absence of it from out-side). It's not much brighter in the living-room. This drear is bothering me terribly.
(10.00) I grabbed a "20-minute" snooze at about 9.00 (another one of those days where I was just SO tired... weather, "aging"... what-ever excuse I can find will do any more) and he was in the living-room all the while and... Well... 2 minutes before the alarm... there he was, on my leg! 2 minutes before the alarm, again... it STILL just AMAZES me more than I can say... and he was in the living-room when I'd laid down! I stopped the alarm and laid there, because, well, when he's with me, the time is his and there's nothing more important than our time TOGETHER. But he stayed for only about 2 minutes and then... up and onto the futon when he saw that I was awake. Now? In his loft... and the rains are falling out-side... of course they are. But we're together and awake and there are "things" to attend to this morning, and although I don't like this drear, I don't like the absence of sun-shine and light for my little Heart-and-Soul, we're together and he's sheltered from the wet and wind and chills. And there's plenty of good food and fresh water and he has space to fly about in (though it's not much, in the house - still better than being confined to a "cage", indeed). AND WE'RE TOGETHER! We're doing well.. considering.
OK. It's already 16.45. I can't believe how quickly these days just run away from us! And how un-fair it really is (especially with me being so fatigued so often... it aggravates me so much, and there doesn't appear to be any "tangible" cause... or so say the "experts). But, to be honest, all day we were both lethargic, my Little LOVE in his loft too, just passing the time. And me, at the desk doing my best to keep up and awake and getting something of some "value" (as if) accomplished. But at about 16.00 my "Supervisor" came rushing over to my shoulder! Time to put dinner on the hob! BUT before dinner, we played, for a few moments, with Burdie... on the futon. He took a flight to the living-room, came back, had a snack and headed back to the loft. I was up and about preparing my dinner so the "routine of the day" was "normal" and so it seems, I was doing what I was expected to do at the hour. His "job" was complete.
That said... This morning I did manage to run out of the house for abut 20 minutes... house-errand. When I got back, the Little Guy was in his loft. I have to wonder if I hadn't managed to make it out and back with-out my absence being noticed. (But of course, I do know better: NOTHING goes "un-noticed" in this house.. no matter where I am or what I'm doing. And if I LEAVE? I've NO doubt it's "sensed" at the very least.)
We had our lunch break at mid-day and after, I managed to sneak in a 45-minute snooze! Sadly... alone. My Little LOVE did his own snoozing in his loft. When he doesn't come over to snooze together, I have to wonder why that is. And for me, although I might manage to doze, it's just not "right" with-out him. I can't even think of a time when he's not there... here... with me. But I can say... that time won't be very long... to be sure.
OK! Talk about time passing too quickly... 20.24 and it's time to get this place together and settled and get us to "seepie-nigh-night".
After a "sedentary" sort of day ("lethargic" is almost more to the point) with me working with papers and computers at the desk, radio playing for some "variations in sounds" round the place, at 20.00 (almost on the mark too) this little bundle found his "ON/POWER" switch and came to such LIFE! Flying all over the room as if on a mission! It struck me as discharging a day's-worth of energy not yet used! And he wanted to play! And now, as I'm "wrapping things up" he's on the desk beside me... giving me the old "WOO-HOO!" Not a "nest-coo" and more than a simple "Hey you!" I'm not sure if it's "HEY! IT'S TIME TO GET TO TUCK-IN HERE!" or "THE DAY IS CLOSING! LET'S ROCK ONE MORE TIME!"
"There may be troubles ahead, but while there's moon-light and music and love and romance...
before the fiddlers have fled, before they ask us to pay the bill...
let's face the music and... DANCE!"
"Tuck-in" is obviously going to be interesting tonight... more on it tomorrow. I must RUN...

Friday 23 May: So... by the time I made it back to the room, there he was on his roof-top... repeating that "woo-HOO!", as if to say that the time was passing and I needed to get to settling the room! And, well, so I did, closing curtains and putting the futon together for me. And when I went over to him, singing "Autumn Leaves", he really didn't seem to be so ready to tuck-in. There was a bit of a pause before he headed over to the little platform to a-wait the ride home. But once he did... it was all quite "back to normal"... I could see that he was prepared and expecting the "flight" to the night roost and away we went.
Once arrived, a quick hop to the perch and immediately, he started to "settle" for the night. Poor Little Guy... such a lethargic day all of Thursday and after that, just getting back to the night. I felt terrible that we didn't have more time together. (I'm feeling miserable for not having the energy of late, and I'm SO hoping that this miserable, dark, cloudy, wet, rainy, chilly spell will pass SOON... it can't be good for either of us.)
8.31 and he's just come over to my shoulder as I sit at the desk typing. I often wonder if he doesn't some-how "know" that I'm thinking of him as I type because, there are hours that will pass when I'm involved with something else and he'll be in his loft or on the wall shelves - as he just was - but the very moment I get to something that makes me think of him... that's when he comes over. It all goes back to the fact that animals can obviously communicate with one-another and never make a sound. I don't doubt they actually CAN "read minds"... even if thoughts aren't in the same "language". After all, birds know about dogs and cats, dogs can obviously "know" what cats are thinking, and in the wild, well, all sorts of animals "know", so it's obvious, how to communicate with other animals. There's no reason why this Little Guy can't "know" what I'm thinking... especially when I'm thinking of him.
Meanwhile... I continued with the lullabies, nice and soft and slow since it appeared we were about to get tucked-in at a "civil" hour, for a change and put the house and room in order for the night.
21.00, on the mark, the last light was turned off for the night. Thursday was closed.
This morning, cold and dark as it might be, again... I was just waking and pondering whether or not I ought to get up and on with what-ever Friday had in store and wondering what time it was, when I'd hear the "morning call to order" when... in the stillness - broken only by the infernal tapping of rain out-side, yet again, this morning - came...
"woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo"
Not very too loud, but comfortingly clear. And when I "woo-hoo'd" in reply... another "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" followed.
Ah, but then, when I answered, in kind, 'twas an immediate "woo-HOO!" of "OK! Let's get up. We're both awake and there's a day ahead, even if it is another one of these dreary sorts." and so... I sat up and looked across to the little silhouette there, on the night roost. And I could see the little head raise and turn toward me, with a couple little "HOOs". Not "surprise", just more of "acknowledgements" that I was seen. And getting up, opening the door to his house and popping in, as I do of a morning, for "Good morning" kisses, I got a few, then a glorious wing-stretch and... Good morning Friday, indeed. We were ready to roll (as we do with his house of a time when I have to get to the windows to open curtains and blinds).
I got his windows open to the drear out-side and headed into the kitchen to put the kettle on and get things in order for this morning's water change all whilst being serenaded with a house full of "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo"... WooHoo...
OK... Poops, this morning, especially considering the quick drink of water before tucking-in last night:
10 in total... all of them slightly larger than what I've come to see as "normal" but surely NOT too much larger. All, for the most, under the night roost, though, because they weren't wet, they'd bounced about a bit. But still, close enough to indicate a restful night. Colour? Surely not as dark as some have been of late, and this morning, more back to the "brown" and away from the "green" and THAT is a comfort to me! So, all said, it appears the nightly digestion was healthy and the rest... calm. Encouraging.
And it didn't take too long before the Little One was up, out of his house, to the wall shelves, then to the desk shelf, making with the softer "nest coo" AND a quick visit to the living-room where, sadly, as with the world in general these weeks... it was still rather dark and so, the trip back to his room, his house and...
Friday arrived... and all seemed quite well, indeed...
20.23 and quick time for some catching-up with another day here.
And so the day rolled on and past us both. And at noon, I grabbed a quick lunch but no "snooze" today. Today was "hoover day" so there was the commotion and noise of me going about the place. I still can't get over how the sound of the Hoover doesn't phase this Little Guy! Cats and dogs... well, I've seen cats RUN from it and dogs attack, but THIS Little Guy just stands there, usually on his door perch, and watches me. I wonder what he must be wondering, this human "playing" with that contraption, back and forth across the floor. But that it doesn't disturb him at all is, to me, fascinating.
During the day, he took a couple of brief flights out to the living-room but didn't stay for very long. Not sure why, but I'm just so consoled that he has free flight of the rest of the house and he isn't confined to one room... AND NOT TO SOME "CAGE"! it isn't ANY-WHERE NEAR being out in the open spaces of the whole world but, it IS a LOT better than most Little Guys get in other houses. (Though, from social media, I see that most others allow their Little Ones free flight around their houses so we're not "unusual". Shame we can't get out to the yard yet. This is becoming another one of those "chilly Springs". Hopefully it won't be another one of those "one-week Summers". WE NEED TO GET OUT!)
Funny, but after all the house-working was complete and we (I thought) were getting to sit for dinner... WOW! WHAT A BURST OF ENERGY! HE WAS ALL OVER THE PLACE... FLYING HERE, THERE, IN HIS ROOM, OUT AND BACK! At first, I thought something had startled him and because there'd been no noise, it didn't make any sense. But he was playful too. Just a day's worth of energy... let loose all at once! WHAT A SCENE! WHAT AN EXPERIENCE TO SEE! And what was more fascinating... as soon as it started, it stopped. He landed back at "home" and it looked as though he staring at me... in disbelief! WHAT A JOY! WHAT A DELIGHT! WHAT A BLESSING HE IS!
Well then... the house put together, I decided there was just enough time to take a quick shower and so, I headed out and off to the showers... and ALL the while... over the running water, I could hear the "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" coming from Yonah's room. I'll never know why but he seems to have so much to say when I'm in the shower. (I do, sometimes wonder, if he isn't calling to make sure I'm still in the house. But then too, I wonder what he does when I have to run errands... One of these days it might be worth investing in a little "camera"... something that will record the house for a while. I've seen where it's possible to set up a mobile phone to do that. Will have look into that.)
OK... 20.00 Showering done and the house is settled and now... the Little Character is on the desk shelf making with the "nest coo's". It's time for us to close the day and get to seepie-nigh-night. Have to close the windows and let's see how "ride home" and tuck-in will roll tonight.
Shame, really, how dreary it was all day and how wet again. We need some time out of the house and in some sun-shine! (Oh, to have a nice aviary... One day... one day... we can dream.) But OH! DID WE GET SNUGGLES AND KISSES AND CUDDLES ON THE DOOR PERCH THIS EVENING! A MOST PERFECT close to a day... and a week....
"Shabbat Shalom", to be sure.

Saturday 24 May:
It's already 15.15 on, dare I say it? Another "dreary" day here. And as I sit at the desk, with the lights in the room on (again), the Little LOVE is nestled in his loft after QUITE THE BURST of energy and playfulness! I'm going to say it again: there are SO many moments in a waking day when I could just go right back to the futon, pull the covers up and let the world go on with-out me. BUT... with this Little LIFE here, I've got MORE inspiration to take on what-ever comes our way than I could possibly document! He IS my HEART-AND-SOUL and the sole reason I bother to take a next breath.
HOW I wish we could get a break from all of this rain and cloud though! It's time for BOTH of us to get out of this house, into the yard, get the seedlings and seeds planted, AIR, and to be with the Yardies! But, from the looks of the weather forecasts and satellite images, we've got quite a while yet before that comes our way. I can only HOPE, with my ALL, that all of this being locked in this old box (some call a "house") that it doesn't "depress" him. Admittedly, not only does it "depress" me to think of it, I'm reaching a point where it angers me too. Sadly, there isn't anything I can do about the weather. But it does take a toll...
Meanwhile, he's up there, with the essentials of fresh food and water, and he doesn't have to be out in the winds, rains and, most important, he doesn't have to be concerned about finding food, water or protection from the raptors that manage to make their way into the skies. (Thankfully, the food for the Yardies is protected from them too. We do the best we can with what we have... And I do the best possible a mere human can do.)
MEAN-WHILE...
Getting back to our "tuck-in" from last night, it was another "ride home", like the "old usual". As I was getting the rest of the house closed for the day, there was much "nest-coo'ing" going on... MUCH. When I looked into the room, the Little Bundle of Love was on the desk shelf, up by the radio, tail in the air, all a-flutter. BUT, when I'd done and returned to his room, thinking I'd likely carry him home, there he was, on his roof-top, as if waiting for his "bus" (or taxi). I SO HAD to smile! It was "time to get home for the night" and he was ready!
I got to closing the blinds and curtains and he waited, so patiently, no interest in playing about. Indeed, it was time to stop with all the frivolities of the day. And I moved his house from the windows, closed them up, put it back and still, he waited. So I moved on to putting the futon together for me and then... turning to him, I started our nightly repertoire of lullabies... No sooner had I started "Autumn Leaves", he headed over to the little platform and got to the "last minute preening" and looked at me as if to say: "OK. Let's get to a night's rest here."
I reached up, as we do, with my fingers, from under the platform and moved him closer to the front of his house and as I lifted it up, with my little Passenger there-upon, he gave me the sternest glance and I managed to sneak a kiss on the trip! He wasn't interested in kisses, he wanted to get home! And when he arrived at the perch, he quickly hopped on and proceeded to get him-self all situated. (I tried for another kiss... no such thing; he turned his back to me! He does that some-times so I know we need to hurry on with closing the room and house and getting to sleep!)
Well then... I kept on with the lullabies, slowly and softly, as I put all things together and turned the desk lamps off... the moon lights on.
As I sang, from the futon, I could see the little silhouette above, on the night roost, all "tucked-in and away" there. And it struck me, last night, that I can actually see that how I sing his lullabies makes quite the difference in how he settles. The slower and softer, the quickly he actually "nestles" and the calmer... no "preening" or "scratching". Last night, he was "in for the night" and appeared to be as comfortable as he could possibly be! So, I continued, slowly, all through all of the lullabies and, at 21.00, we were all done and the last light was turned off for the night. Friday, closed...
This morning? I woke at about 4.00 but looking at the clock decided that I was NOT about to get up and disturb the morning calm. My Little LOVE was still on his night roost, and I could tell by the dull, dim light coming in through the curtains, the day "out there" was just another of the same that we've had for what seems at least a month now: grey, over-cast, damp, drizzly. Today being Saturday, there was no excuse for getting up so, I half-dozed until...
"woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo"
Not "too loud" but quite clear... the morning "call to order" or... "Excuse me? Anybody out there?"
5.20! Closer to the "Summer hour" for waking. And I was relieved when I thought: well, about 8 hours. I always think of the "documented" "12-14 hours" that the "experts" claim, mourning doves require for a night's rest. But then, there's nothing that wakes THIS Little Guy in the morning; he gets to sleep for as long as HE wants and it appears that, for the most part, 8 hours is sufficient. (Besides, I've come to know, for certain, that, if he needs a "snooze" during the day, he'll take what he needs or wants, and HEY! In his own house and "shelter", he CAN, with NO worries about being disturbed or threatened. At the very least, I can and do provide that much. No more "attacks", and a safe place to actually "sleep" through the night.
Anyway, when I heard "the call" I softly replied "You're awake? Early? You got enough snooze?" and immediately came the "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" in reply. But, I just needed an extra "5 minutes" to get my old body together to get up and so I said "Can you give me another 5 minutes?"
The softest "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" (so to me, it sounded like "OK. 5 minutes.") came. I took the 5 minutes and at 5.25, I was up. And as I sat up on the futon, that tiny "hoo!" There couldn't be a sweeter start to a new day! I was up, my Little LOVE was up... and no matter the weather, we were together and he was rested and we had another day together ahead of us!
I got up, opened the door to his house and there, on the night roost, my LOVE, with a glorious early-morning wing-stretch! We were ready to ROLL!
And "roll" we did. I placed the door perch, removed the roof-board and put the platform up and headed, quickly, to the kitchen, to put my kettle on for my morning coffee.
When I got back into the room I popped my head in for "Good morning" kisses... Not so many of those this morning. Nothing that seemed "obligatory" but apparently there was a bit of a rush to get on with things and so, I got to opening the curtains and blinds on... yes... another drizzly, dreary morning. But as disappointed as I was, it didn't seem to bring the Little Guy down at all. He was awake and making ready to attack the day! So I got his room together and went back to the kitchen... with the sweet melody of "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo's" filling the house!
AH... BUT... as I put "affairs" together in the kitchen I heard, behind me, the sound of WINGS! This Little Guy was TRULY AT THIS SATURDAY MORNING AND OFF TO THE LIVING-ROOM ALREADY! MORE inspiration for me, to be sure! The temperature out-side was a mere 6°, his room was a comfy 23° and thankfully, the humidity was about 36% which was better than the 16% of the Winter months, nicely below the "mould mark" (of 50%) but comfortable for both of us... obviously. And I have to note that the cloud cover, this morning, was a bit lighter than it's been in the longest while. There was actually SOME "sun-light" trying to pierce the drear. (And, for the VERY BRIEFEST MOMENT, I happened to see just a tiny bit of actual sun-light, just enough to create actual "shadows" through the leaves on the trees... but, sadly, as quickly as it appeared, it vanished... and... that was the end of "sun-light for the day".) Mean-while... the house furnace was running again... "May"... almost June and the furnace running. But, just as we did through the Winter, I'm doing the best-possible to maintain warmth in the house. We don't have the Sweeter Heater on these days and nights so, the house furnace can run. Besides, it controls the humidity and I'm pretty sure it's helping a lot these rainy, wet days. Keeps the place "healthy", for both of us.
Off and moving, the Little Guy went flying back to his room and to the desk shelf from where he supervised this morning's water runnings and waited for me to finally stop the "people nonsense" of a morning.
When, FINALLY, all was settled and I'd changed from "sleep-wear" to "day clothes", I went back into his room to put all in order and there he was... up on the curtain over the little alcove in his room! He's come to like it up there, for some reason and I have to admit, it's quite the sight to see. The rod is wide enough for his little feet and body, and with the canvass curtain, it must be comfy enough for him. But that he seems to prefer it so much of late is quite the notion. He does get a great view of his room from there though. It's a great vantage point; he doesn't miss a thing! And I have to say that it's really a "comfort" to me because I'm able to simply look up and there he is... looking down and watching me... looking at him. And when I leave and enter the room, I can reach up and give him a little stroke to the breast and play with him up there.
And POOPS Report this morning: 9 IN TOTAL ALL OF THEM ACTUALLY BROWN. A "HEALTHY" SHADE OF BROWN, WHAT WOULD BE EXPECTED FROM A DIET OF "SEEDS". AND ONLY THE "STAINS" ON THE "POOPIE RUG", NO "HALOS", NO "GREEN". As for size? Well, only the slightest bit larger than often before, but again, HEALTHY! BRILLIANT!
Over all, in spite of the oppressive grey, the constant sound of even more rain falling out-side, it was a BEAUTIFUL morning. So much "nest-coo'ing" and I even got a little visit to my shoulder, momentarily, with a little ear-tug! But truly, the sound of the Little Guy coo'ing is heart-warming and mood-lifting. Despite the absence of sun-shine (and we didn't have the UV on today because there was SOME "light" coming through the clouds and I don't really like the artificial lighting; if I could get away with not using the desk lamps I'd leave them off too, but in this darkness the house and the room would be just "too dark") this Little LOVE finds some cause to SING! And as he does, I too, find a cause to SING... especially in my heart... and soul.
One "oddity" though: When everything got settled and we got on with our day, I noticed... he'd taken a liking to being under the bottom shelf of the desk, behind the little mirror at the end of the desk that I'd put there so that he'd have the reflection (another dove). But it's dark under there and he spent quite a while, in hiding, nest-coo'ing there. It SO saddens me to think he's "broody" and well... we've been through all the "mate/companion" thoughts so many times. I just SO wish there was something I could do to make his life better in this respect. But it's "us", we have one-another, and I'm not even close to being a "passable mate" and the only way we'd get another dove is if another one was in need of being part of this house-hold and I do NOT want THAT to EVER happen! (I still harbour a LOT of anger that Yonah had to suffer through that living Hell. I'm not sure how I'd handle a repeat.)
18.35 and, need I bother saying: the rains are falling out-side the windows. Another dreary day is coming to a close and it's time for the water change and... sadly, working our way toward "tuck-in". My heart is heavy, thinking of my Little Guy... all this darkness and dampness and chills. I know that I'm looking forward to getting out into the air out-side. I can imagine he is too. The "consolation" (if there is any)? I look out to the yard and see the Little Ones out there, in this chill and damp and darkness and then I look at THIS Little LOVE and I think how he doesn't have to fly about in the down-pours, looking for food and water. And at day's end, he doesn't have to fly about looking for safe shelter for the night. He's warm, dry and food and water are close... and he knows right where they all are.
I'm likely not the best of company, always doing something around this place, and when not, snoozing on the futon, but I do the best I can to make sure he's comfortable and safe. "I'm only human"... and that's not exactly the best thing to be... by any stretch of any imagination.
OK... 20.30 and indeed... the house is settled and dark. Dinners are done. Washing-up is done. And all is relatively settled for the night. Tuck-in to follow.
What another "blah" sort of day. All this dark and drear. I did manage to get some "people nonsense" accomplished AND WE GOT A COPY OF A REALLY LONG VIDEO OF MOURNING DOVES! (Which is why I'm running late... leave it to me to find something to grab at the last few moments of a day.) I keep looking for these video to play on his lap-top so that there are "other doves" in the room and, so far, for the most part, he appears to enjoy them. The only draw-back? Most of them are web-cam recordings at feeders and he tries to "share" the food on the screen. (Which is why we have that little sheet of plexi over it. I still don't know what happened to the old screen but I'm pretty sure all the pecking didn't do it any good. Thankfully, the plexi doesn't distort the image to the point where he can't see what's going on. And yes, from time-to-time he'll coo at the dove/doves on the screen. And as soon as I put on a video and he sees it playing, he comes rushing over. It's not the best "companion" and I wonder if he doesn't wonder why the other doves don't notice him. But at least there's motion, movement in the room and he DOES recognise that that the images are doves... or, at the very least, other birds and that might help... at least I hope it does.) So getting the video was (almost) worth the later hour.
And now, as I jot this little entry to the Journal, my Little LOVE is on the roof of his house, waiting for me to stop the nonsense and get on with settling us both in for the night ahead and I still need to get the windows closed up and on to my own evening ablutions. The "night music" has been on for about 20 minutes now so he's likely wondering WHAT I could possibly be doing here. And I need to stop it. He's just SO patient with me! I'm TRULY BLESSED, HONOURED AND HUMBLED!
20.45 and all things in the house are settled and the windows are closed and we're TUCKING-IN! And I'm getting the "woo-HOO!" and it's not a "nest coo"... Off we go! Today is "CLOSED".

Sunday 25 May:
Well then, notes taken and it's 16.15 of the after-noon of yet, sadly, another day with-out sun-shine. No rain though, and the relative humidity in the room stayed at about 35% which is promising for us. Not "too low" nor "too high". And temperature? Well, it's been warm enough to put the fan on for a little while, to bring in some "filtered" out-side air and to cool it to about 24°. I did put the UV light on though. Today, for both of us. Hey, a little "UV" is good for people too.
As for the day? Well, "tuck-in" last night was "telling". My Little LOVE took him-self home! I stepped out of the room for my evening ablutions and he was on his roof-top, "nest-coo's" a-plenty. But when I came back in, prepared to give him a "lift", he was already in his house... in his loft! Little wings a-flutter, coo'ing along. And when I reached in to give him a little neck rub, he got up and moved right over to his night roost. It was another one of those nights when I was SO sorry... it was SO LATE! And he was obviously looking forward to closing the day. These are the moments when I can't even try to make excuses, especially since most of the "tardiness" turned out to be for naught. I was so hoping to get a new video of mourning doves to play on his lap-top for those times when we have nothing to "watch" and I'm just "occupied" with "people stuff". But after waiting for the computer to do what it does, trying to combine smaller videos, it just didn't really work. But, there is one video that, alone, runs for about 10 hours. What MORE did I really want or need? 10 hours! Imagine. Anyway, needless to say, I tried my best to make short work of putting the room settled for us and all the while, got to the evening lullabies... soft and slow again, since it DOES make an obvious difference in how calm my Little Guy is when I sing slower. I'd considered cutting the repertoire short but, I'm not sure if he actually knows the "normal" progression of songs and I didn't want anything else to be "wrong". Bad enough we were late.
He didn't seem to mind though. I could see the little silhouette settling on the night roost, all cosy, as I sang. I kept careful watch to see if he was agitated at all and, nope... he was as comfy as could be and so... the last moon light was turned off at 21.10, which wasn't all too bad.
Now, this morning, after sleeping through the night, I woke at 4.00, for no obvious reason, and oddly, I felt rather well-rested. But I didn't want to get up and risk disturbing my little Heart-and-Soul, so I laid there and fell back off to sleep until...
5.30 came the "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" of the "morning call". Oddly, I was quite tired when I heard the call, and, the truth of the matter is: Even though I say I sleep through a night, I don't, really. All through a night, even in "sleep", I'm "aware" of every-thing around the house, from the slightest "thump" (even with this old place settling, which it's been doing of late, with all the water falling from the skies), whether it be the house itself or some movement in the flat adjoining. And the "dull thuds" that tend to rumble through along the "connecting timbers" as they are, tend to startle my Little LOVE more than about any other sound. So, I'm always "listening" for the flutter of wings in the darkness. (Interestingly enough, thunder doesn't seem to phase him at all... "Natural" sound, I'll suppose.) So, when I hear the "morning call", there's an assurance that he's alright, safe and secure, and, from the sound of his coo, I can tell that he's rested and healthy and that's when I tend to be able to settle... and want to get the sleep I probably didn't get during the night.
SO... I answered the "call" and begged for a few minutes longer (again), to just lay on the futon. And when I said "Good morning to YOU! Give me a moment more? I'll be right there." there was an immediate reply, "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo". So I repeated "Only a moment or so. I promise." and to that, the reply was a soft "woo-HOOooo". As it turned out, I didn't get up until almost 5.55! But then, as soon as I got up and headed over to the house by the windows, I could see the wing-stretch! It was as if I was being told "It's about time. Now let's get on with this here."
In the dull morning light (another dreary day on the other side of the curtains), I opened the door, placed the door perch and leaned in for "Good morning" kisses. What I got was another wing-stretch and a few, rather hasty pecks on the nose and a scuttle-away. OK. He'd been patient with me and my laziness, I deserved that. I made haste to put the kettle on in the kitchen and all the while, from the still-dark room came the morning symphony of coo's, clear and strong. THAT was a glorious relief and comfort. The Little Guy was obviously well-rested and feeling quite well this morning! It's just what's so needed these days when we're going through all of this drear, rain, dimness.
When I got back to the room, I got right to opening the curtains and blinds and this morning, though no blue skies, the cloud cover was such that there was actual "day-light" coming in! Nothing to "rave" about, but much better than the almost-evening light of every other morning before this. And, as soon as the light came into the room, MORE wing-stretches and a quick "shake"... Herr Taube was up and ready to roll!
Poop check: 8 in total. All of them are, again, slightly larger than the small ones that I've come to think of as "normal". But the smaller are usually greater in number so, the cumulative is likely the same as say, 10 or so. The good news: they're not black, nor dark green, and there's no "halos". They are "brown" and the composition is "normal". Not sure why they're larger. But they're not so large as to cause concern.
And THEN, as I put things at the ready for the morning water run... a brief flight up, off and out to the living-room! SO! Could there me more any-body (or any-birdie) want? Honestly, it's that energy that he has so early of a day that inspires me to keep going, even on my own "worst" mornings when, were it not for Yonah, I surely would simply stay on the futon and let the world go by.
He didn't stay out there for very long, but I managed to get his room together and settled for the rest of the day before he came back. And by 8.00 this morning, we were together, I found some nice "American Standards" to play on our "radio" (which is internet on an old mobile phone with a speaker attached) and we settled-in for another damp and dreary Sunday.
Out in the yard, the mourning doves came round for breakfast with the blue jays, and the humming-birds came along too. How I'm looking forward to Yonah and I being able to get out of this box and into the open space of the yard, to be with the Yardies! It's been a terribly long "Winter" and "Spring" is now almost done and, with all the rain and clouds, and cool temperatures, it may as well be useless. But, we have seedling to get into the soil, and more seeds to plant and the hope that all survive and we'll have some weeks of just being out in the yard, together. I can surely say that we BOTH are in need of some good old natural sun-shine!
Well... As a day must have (because of our "routine" and my energy levels being what they are as I "age") at noon, we took our "break" from what-ever it is we "do" of a morning, and grabbed a lunch together with a little of the day's "news" and then.... a little "snooze" TOGETHER today! Not for very long though. Probably about 20 minutes, all told, because in one respect, I DO snooze better when he's with me (if only he could sleep with me through the night too...) but I'm so happy and "amused" as he toddles about, up and down my legs, looking for that "one spot" where he can get comfortable; I tend to stay awake until he settles. Still, as I saw, "mid-day snoozes" are very much a part of our "familiar" day so a snooze we took.
Made another little "toy". I'm looking for something that might give him some sort of "entertainment" in these days while we're "confined to the house". It isn't easy because I'm looking for something made domestically. Looked into making something from all the "packing papers" we get when we order his food. From what I see, it's safe. I want no chemicals and nothing that presents ANY threats to his health. Sadly, so much I find is "assembled domestically" but made of materials from questionable sources. BUT, we've had the dried corn leaves in a pot in his room, and they came from the corn grown here, in the yard so I know their origin. So, little strips of those, tied with cotton string, he's got a little "pom-pom" suspended from one of his perches, beside the little maple-cuttings. (Sad to say... no interest... yet. But it took a while before he showed much interest in the maple-twigs. I'll wait.)
Looking SO forward to clear weather so I can get to the woods and get more twigs and new perches! (And I've noticed that, during the day, he's been tossing the twigs he'd put in his loft. They're all over the floor of his house now, until the next time he's "in the mood" and goes about bringing them back up. Maybe I'll be able to find more things in the woods for him. We probably both miss all the mosses. But with the relatively warm Winter we had again this year and now all of this rain, I'm not comfortable with bringing more of that in. No telling what's managed to "take residence" in it. It's more than enough that I worry about moulds, especially "aspergillus". I've seen what THAT does to a bird's respiratory system - and a human's as well, for that matter - and how it can take hold in their mouths, causing the inability to eat... and then, breathe. Sure, in the "wild" this Little Guy was born into, he'd be exposed to such things as a matter of "natural order", but, he's been here, with me, for almost 5 years now and though he does still have a lot of his natural instincts and "wild" attributes, I don't know about his immune system and I don't doubt most of what he'd naturally not be affected by might well cause him trouble. I'm surely not going to test or tempt Fate now. I won't have him taking ill. AND, with the scarcity of proper avian veterinarians about and other issues, proper medical attention remains, as it's been for almost 5 years, up to me and I'm not an expert. We've made it this far on "gut", my "instincts" and what I've managed to learn along the way and we've done well, thus far. Still, I'm not taking any chances. So, no mosses and no "odd paints" and "colourations".
Hopefully this little bundle of dried leaves will provide some sort of distraction from being in this house.
I was reading on various forums that other doves enjoy little toys with bells. Of course, those doves are "domestic". There's no telling what THIS Little Guy would find "amusing". (And again, "bells"... zinc, lead... we have to be careful about that too.) Yeah, I'm probably just over-doing and over-thinking, but, THIS Little LOVE has been through Hell. My responsibility is to make sure that every moment of the rest of his life-time is as comfortable, healthy and safe as is possible in Creation. And what presents a real "challenge" is that, all the information that I look for, answers to questions, only partially apply to this Little LOVE, keeping in mind that the information and advice found any-where is, primarily, with regard to "domestic" Little Ones. Their "instincts", their over-all responses, likes, tolerances aren't necessarily the same as Yonah's. Even though he's been with me for almost 5 years, he's not from generations of "human-raised" doves. And even after all these years, he still has his basic "wildness" about him in so many ways. Sure, in the "wild" he'd be eating all sorts of things that have been exposed to all sorts of "things" in the air. And there's always the thought in my mind of other birds drinking water in road-side puddles, and NO telling WHAT's in there! But, THIS Little Guy doesn't have to be exposed to all of that, and for our time together, he hasn't been. His food is from the best, cleanest and purest I can find. And though the tap water he's been drinking and bathing in is likely "suspicious" to an extent, it's the same I've been drinking and bathing in. If there was anything un-healthy in there, we're both "exposed" to it. Still, if I can avoid ANY "threats" to his health... As I used to "pray" in our earliest days together:
What-ever might be wrong with him, may it come to me because I can find treatment to ailments of mine quicker and easier than I can for him. Terrible as it is, it's true. Finding a trust-worthy veterinarian has always been my curse. Not knowing what to do for this Little Guy has been my burden. But I do my bet with what I have...
Well... that said and done... the rest of the day was "slow and cumbersome", really. This grey, wet, drear just weighs on mood and energy. And it's obvious in both of us. And honestly, were it not for Yonah, I'd just as soon have stayed on the futon. But just knowing that he's here, in this house, that's what keeps me up and going. I know I've been a miserable "companion" for a while, and all I can do is hope that being together is "good enough" for now. The Little Guy had bursts of energy, on and off, now and then, and he'd take to the air, flying about the room. There were little visits to my shoulder as I sat at his desk, occupied with "people nonsense".
One thing I'm noticing is that his "flights" are a bit "odd" of recent times. He's flying in "circuitous" patterns from place to place. For example: instead of flying from his door-perch to his roof-top in a some-what direct pattern, he's flying farther out from his house, almost circling back to get to the roof-top. And he's flying slower, if that makes any sense. Seems there's less "energy" in his flying. I'm hoping it's just the grey, darkness and general "drear" of these weeks and not a deficiency of vitamins and such. He's eating well. Poops? Well, I've been keeping careful watch of those and other than the odd irregularities (that happen to all of us, really, from time-to-time), they appear to be healthy. His eyes and "nares" are clear and clean. Even his beak has been looking good... no "over-growth". (He COULD use a bit of a "pedicure", especially on the rear, right "claw"... I'm so tempted but even today as I looked at it, I'm just so un-sure of how much I could trim with-out causing any bleeding... and it's not so much the "bleeding", as important as that is, as it is the "pain" I might inflict! Even if it's "discomfort", my body aches at the very thought of being responsible for ANY discomfort I might cause him. I'm just worried: he broke on of those claws some time ago... in fact, it appeared that he'd pulled one out completely, and I SO TOO CLEARLY recall all the bleeding from that! Oh! That day! Filling a bowl with unbleached flour and trying to hold him in it and trying to pack it round the toe! Sure, it worked to stop the bleeding, but WHAT TRAUMA! Imagine: being held in a bowl of flour and not understanding why. And the truth of the matter: Even if we were to go to a veterinarian to have this attended... the ride to there, and being handled by a strange human... not to mention another un-forgettable experience when that ONE veterinarian trimmed his beak and "fractured" it... then she tried to claim that it was like that when we'd come in... that blood-stained towel she'd wrapped my Little Heart-and-Soul in and the lethargy after. "Oh there's something wrong with him. Birds usually rebound much quicker than this." Yeah? You terrorised the poor thing! No, we'll not go through that again! I've trimmed his toes before... it's just a matter of getting "the guts" again... and hoping for the best... One of these days... then too, not now. Better to have "sunnier days" for such a thing, I suppose. Bad enough being "under the weather", no need to compound it with "attacks to the toes".)
Anyway, the flying is making me wonder what's going on here. And with the pain I'm having with my left shoulder and arm, "rotator cuff injury", say the "doctors" - and I've seen the x-rays and honestly, I don't know what I'm looking at but I know that the pain is constant in that arm... the "oddity" of it is that my trouble is the left shoulder and arm... the same side as was Yonah's worst injuries that 13th October 2020. And I DID pray, every night, back then, as I laid in the bed in the room adjacent to "his": give ME his injuries and pains. I wonder, today, if my old shoulder and arm aren't just "aging" and I wonder if there isn't something similar to "arthritis" happening with Yonah! He flies about "well-enough" but as time passes, it's only natural that injuries will heal but then cause discomfort or even pain. Injuries "heal", but as we age, they give us "reminders". Is all of this dampness playing havoc with my Little LOVE? And, I can't help but recall the "stats" on mourning doves and their life-time.
In the wild (of course), average life-span is 18 months. Some will live to the age of 2 years. In a "perfect scenario" they've been known to live for 5 years. So, considering we're approaching that "5-year" mark and, if calculations were correct, this Little LOVE was all of about 2 months of age when he was attacked so that would mean he's approaching 5 years of age... and "old man" by mourning dove standards. Oh... "aging"... it's just so un-fair... for all concerned.
The most I can do is to hope that my "prayer" was answered then and my "bum shoulder" is his "bum wing", that he has NO discomfort and I have it all. (Whether or not I "do" anything about my pain isn't important. That HE has NONE is what matters to me.)
SO then, this said... this evening, at 17.00, I settled at the desk for dinner together with my BEST PRECIOUS little Companion and OFF AND AWAY he went, out to the living-room! So, no "company" as I ate. But the front door was open for some air and the light of day was brighter at the front of the house so... He stayed out there for a couple of hours and I certainly didn't mind. He goes where he's comfortable. I'm just SO glad that he has the house to fly about it. It's nothing even close to the entire world out-side, but it surely beats being in some kind of "cage". (His cage - a word I'm still SO NOT comfortable with - is more his "bed-room"... he's in there with the door closed only through the night... to keep him safe through the night.) Sure, I feel a bit "lonely" when he's "away". But y'know? I often thing that, for both of us, just knowing we're in the same place is a comfort. We might not be WITH one-another, but we're still very much together. And we both know that we ARE together.
So then, there and here we are... 20.23. Another day comes to a close... and grows late. Waters are fresh in the pool, I still have my little "evening ablutions" to get to and my Little LOVE is on his door perch, patiently waiting for me to stop the "people nonsense" of the day. And, sadly, after a bit of "day-light" today (not really "sun-shine" but... it's raining again! "Broken windows, empty hall-ways, pale dead moon on a sky streaked with grey. Human-kindness is over-flowing and I think it's going to rain - AGAIN - this evening." Time for me to get this place settled!
20.38... my "Time-Keeper" is n his desk shelf, patiently awaiting the close of the day. And as I was brushing my teeth this evening... OH! the calling! "woo-HOO!"... as if telling me "HURRY UP!" So now, at last, off we go to tucking-in and settling-down for the night...

Monday 26 May:
It's 7.00 and... THERE'S A BLUE SKY OUT-SIDE OUR WINDOWS THIS MORNING! HOPE... FOR A DAY WHEN WE CAN GET OUT OF THIS BOX AND INTO SOME NATURAL LIGHT! AND we've been up from since 5.32! (Well, I've been up from since 5.00 but WE woke at 5.32 with a resounding "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo!" AND, "we've" been out to the living-room for some play-time on the roof-top of the old house out there and are now back in the room, on the futon, staring at me from beside Burdie-Birdie. Let's see how this day progresses. We're off to a wonderful, energy-filled start.)
And Poops Report of the morning: 9 quite rather PERFECT IN EVERY WAY little "normal" poops on the rug, under the night roost. Brown, not green. Not "halos". HOPE... WHAT a start to a Monday!
Last night was a bit "late" for last light off at 21.10, but not "too late", considering. And indeed, a "ride home" from the roof-top. Lullabies, soft and slow. There was a bit more rain, of course, but the "choreography" went right along.
This morning, as I say, I got up at 5.00. I woke and though I was tempted to stay on the futon and wait for the "call", decided to get the morning on the roll. I was in the bed-room, changing from sleep- to day-wear, just as the morning light started to brighten the house when the "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo" came round to fill the house. And out-side, the humming-birds and first mourning doves had already arrived fro breakfast. When I got into Yonah's room, he was waiting, so patiently, on his night roost, and as soon as I opened the door to his house... a WONDERFUL WING-STRETCH AND SEVERAL MORE "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo's". And I don't doubt it came as a bit of a surprise when I opened the curtains and blinds and we actually had DAY-LIGHT rushing in through the windows. If nothing else, it was as encouraging to him as it was to me because, in the time it took me to get the containers for the morning water change to the kitchen, he was UP, OUT, and onto the desk!
8.40 and the presence of sun-shine is obvious... WHAT an ACTIVE morning, this! The Little Guy has been flying all over the place this morning! AND... when I stopped by to his house, he was on his "night roost" perch and when I leaned in for a quick kiss... OH WOW! THE KISSES! And as I was in the living-room a the front door, looking out across to the West, into the clearest blue sky, he came flying out to his tree and then to my shoulder! More KISSES! (Shame, really, that the house furnace is still running though. Yes, there's sun-shine but the temperature hasn't quite "caught-up" yet. And in the back yard, the sun hasn't risen high enough to shine there. The Yardies are still having breakfast in the shade and it would appear that both my Little LOVE and I are both looking forward to getting out and into the "natural air"! We have plans though: time out in the yard, a little planting in the gardenette and getting some REAL sun-shine! "Hope" of the morning. And with all the energy in this little bundle of LIFE - who is on my shoulder as I type here at his desk - I have so much inspiration to actually "DO" with this day. There's so much on this Journal that needs attending. I've been using the cloudy days as an "excuse" to have at it, but every day, the "drear" has just weighed so heavily and I've been so "snoozey"... and now, with the sun-shine, well, an "excuse" to be distracted again. But HEY! We'll get the yard together and then we'll be able to "set-up" out there and I can get to this whilst the Little Guy gets his sun-shine, vitamin D and commune with his "peers".
It's been entirely too long that we've been hidden in this old box (house). And each moment of each day that passes is that much less for our "tomorrows". We've got "time" to make up here! "Time"... how I used to dislike it because, before Yonah, it was worthless. Now? It's all so precious. AND, we're approaching "5 years"! Not so long for "people" but... we're talking "Life-times" now... Yonah's and mine because HIS is mine too and days like this are a little reminder of that fact.
OK! So it's 17.40 and dinner is done, washing-up is done, kitchen is settled and my LITTLE LOVE-BIRD is on his roof-top, "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo'ing". WE GOT A DAY OUT IN THE YARD!
I made a quick errand this morning and when I got back, we got into the day... At 11.00, I grabbed a quick lunch and the SUN WAS STILL SHINING, THE SKY WAS AS CLEAR AS COULD BE SO... I put his little old house together for a "DAY OUT"! And as I put the fresh kitchen roll on the floor of his old house, in the living-room, he came out, went to his tree until he realised what I was doing and he came FLYING over to my shoulder, then a dash back to his room until I'd done and I went in for him. It didn't take much to get him out and to his house as soon as I said "We're going out to the yard." No fuss. It was as though he understood "Out" and wanted to get out there to the yard!
By 11.30 WE WERE OUT, IN THE YARD, IN THE SUN-SHINE AND OPEN AIR! AT LONG LAST! Oddly, he paced quite a lot at first. No Yardies were around. Probably out foraging for fresh foods some place, now that there wasn't any rain to drench them. And I didn't bring any music or "news" today. Just the two of us, together.
One REALLY "interesting" note though; a VERY YOUNG "ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK" came into the yard and didn't seem the slightest bit concerned about my presence! I say he was "very young" because of his size, and the colours in his feathers. The "breast" was brilliant red, but the rest of his feathers just appeared to be "juvenile"... not the brilliant white and black, in fact, they were a little "brown"... I have to wonder if the Little One hadn't gotten caught in one of the all-too-many down-pours as he tried to fledge. But he came over to the food that was on the walk and didn't seem at all concerned that I was right beside him, though on the other side of the fencing between the walk and garden. He was SO hungry, and I was SO glad that there was so much food there for him. I did wonder if he was able to fly properly, because he really didn't make any attempt to "escape" when I was there, but, sure enough, he had something to eat and, away he went, up into the maples.
These are the moments when I can't help but think that Yonah has some way of letting the Yardies know that he's OK and that they're safe with me being around. Although, at one point, for a briefest moment, ONE mourning dove came flying into the yard, landed on Yonah's old house but then, took off, up to the roof, had a look down and headed away.
Fact is though, even when there was a little "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" coming from a maple tree, that dove "chatted" with me as I coo'ed back to his calls, but Yonah? Absolutely silent and didn't seem to even take any notice of the other mourning dove.
Well, all told... I planted some seedlings and seeds in the garden, and then clipped "our" little "lawn" inside the fencing (with the hand sheers) and... we were out there for THREE HOURS TODAY!
Oddly enough, I expected Yonah to "splay", as he does, in the sun-shine, but today, in the 3 hours, he only did so for a couple of moments. For the most part, he stayed in the "shade" under his towel. But no problem. Even the indirect sun-light and being out of the "box" (house) in the open air made quite a favourable difference, I'm sure. Hopefully though, 3 hours after so long being in the house... it wasn't too much too soon.
Ah... at 17.45, as I was at the desk typing today's notes here, my Little LOVE took off from his roof and headed out to the living-room. The sun is POURING in at the front of the house at this hour so I'm rather glad he's out there. His room tends to get a bit on the "dark" side in the evening so, if he can get more light... the better. (And I'm about to get ready to start our evening water run and get me to the shower... an "early tuck-in" to follow tonight. I'm pretty sure we BOTH could appreciate that. It's been quite the day!)
OK. The clock is telling me that the hour is 20.22 and I'm just out of the shower. All the while I was in there, my Little Supervisor ("Time-Keeper", as he is sometimes) was on his desk, coo'ing all the while. I wonder why he does that: coo'ing when I'm in the shower. Does he not sense me being in the house when I'm in there? Does he hear the water running and does he see it as "raining" and I'm not in the room so I must be stuck in "the rain"? OH! What I wouldn't give (as always) to be able to ask him directly and know, with any certainty. (I also wonder if the neighbours, next door, can hear him... he is rather "loud" when he calls when I'm in the shower. (Not, mind, that I can really say, with any honesty, that I care. His coo'ing is a thing of BEAUTY, and then too... he's been here MUCH longer than they have... and from the sounds that come from over there at times, I don't see that they're much concerned about what WE hear over here. Although, Yonah's coo'ing is one of the MAJOR considerations for our "house-hunting". How I would SO enjoy being in a little "cabin-of-sorts" with no "connected neighbours" where my little Heart-and-Soul can coo to his delight. We hope... and yes, I pray.)
Mean-while, when I got out of the shower and went into his room to close the windows, he BOLTED for his roof-top, to the little platform, and he started preening! He SO KNOWS the hour, the closing of windows, the preparations for tucking-in and he's got his little routine now! WHAT A LITTLE GENIUS!
Right now, I have my "evening ablutions" to complete and although there's still considerable "day-light" out there, it's been quite a day for both of us and now it's time to tuck-in and close this day... For now, more tomorrow. I'm tired and I don't doubt the Little Guy is too.

Tuesday 27 May:
8.07 The sky is CLEAR again, this morning, and "things" have gotten done around the house. But last night was quite AMAZING!
When I'd done settling everything and came back into the room, ready for evening lullabies and our "usual ride home", there he was... my PRECIOUS LITTLE HEART-AND-SOUL, on his night roost! What struck me was the hour. It wasn't as late as some other nights of recently, but it was MOST obvious: he was TIRED and more than ready to settle for the night. All that time out in the yard? The sun-shine? (Of course, I worried that he might have gotten too much sun. I've come to learn that birds CAN get "sun-burn" and considering how long we've both been in this house, stuck in the drear and rain... I couldn't help but think of that. He didn't appear to be in discomfort, but he WAS tired.) And, all the while I sang the lullabies and put the futon together, he stayed right where he was, comfy, on his night roost. And when I'd gotten the room settled for both of us for the night, I leaned in, as I do, for a couple of "Good night" kisses. There weren't very many, but the few that I was given were soft, gentle and seemed so "affectionate". It was as if I was being told:
"We had a great day today. It was so good to be out of here for a change and I'm just so tired now. So let's just get settled for the night and get some rest."
It didn't take but moments and yes, we were both settled, very comfy and cosy, for the night. And I sang all the slower and softer (since the hour was still "civil"). The little silhouette rested so still, all "tucked", little head between those little wings, as I looked up as I sang. And, by 20.55, we'd made it through the entire repertoire... Monday was done, closed, finished. It was "seepie-nigh-night" time...
Then came this morning... 4.48 on the clock and the first "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" of a new day! 4.48! SO EARLY! My first reaction was to listen for any sort of noise that would have awakened the Little Guy so early, but all was still, calm, silent. Last night, when the lights were turned off, there was the slightest trace of "day-light" coming into the room from the rest of the house. 'tis the season when "darkness" comes a bit later, and yes, "morning light" comes earlier, but THIS early? Did he REALLY get enough sleep last night? (I surely didn't. I was still good for another hour's snooze.) I asked:
"Are you all rested already? Goodness! Can I have another 10 minutes though? I'm still snoozey here."
"woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" came the reply. It DID sound as though he WAS ready to get up and on with the day already.
"Just another couple of minutes. I'll be right there. I just have to work into this, if that's OK with you?"
"woo-HOOooooo" (Sounded like "OK" so I did, I took a little more time.)
BUT... the next "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" came... I'd dozed-off and when I looked at the clock, it was already 5.20! I guessed THIS "call" was "THE" call and so, up I sat, looked into the little house by the windows... morning light was definitely filling the house... it was time to get up and moving!
Opening the door to his house, I got such a wonderful wing-stretch and a clear, "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo", another wing-stretch and a "morning fluffing".
"Morning tidy here already? So anxious to get up? Well, at least there's no tapping of rain out there. Let's see what it looks like."
"woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo!"
Sure enough, I rolled his house from the window, removed the night boards, opened the curtains and blinds to a clear, morning sky. (Although, the house furnace was running. I'd turned it back on before we tucked-in last night since the forecast threatened a mere 7° for the over-night and, according to the thermometer on the desk shelf, the room did get down to 21° - a little on the "chilly side" of things so I'm relieved that I put the house furnace on over-night.
It didn't take very long this morning, before my little bundle of energy was up, out of his house and off to the futon. But as I started the morning water run, he came right back to supervise. And THEN... off to the living-room! These are the days when I understand why I'm alive... and if not for Yonah...
So we got the house together, got the room together, and the sun rose, the place brightened right up!
I went out to the living-room to check the weather out there and he came flying out, to his tree and then to my shoulder when I went over for more kisses.
When I went back to his room to settle me there for a while, to get this morning's note jotted, he came over to my shoulder again! A "together" sort of morning.
10.14 and MORE has been done this morning than I expected. And the Little Guy is in his house, toddling about, the "local radio" is playing. I'm just in from a quick mowing of part of the property (leaving the rest to grow a while longer).
I was "encouraged" to get on with the day this morning when I "swayed off to the social media". There's an errand to be run but I wanted to check the forecast (because... sadly, there's more rain coming at the end of the week... looks like we'll be heading out to the yard for a while again today... to grab what sun-shine we can) and as I "meandered around the internet" a quick "visit to the shoulder" and a few tugs on the ear! I was being told "You've got things to do and this isn't getting any of them done." Honestly! I'll say it again: were it not for this Little LOVE... my truly, actual, factual Heart-and-Soul it would be back to the futon for me most days. And as we're both "aging" I look to and at him and remember the Hell he's been through, all the absolute apathy we received from others and, together? here we are, 5 years later. Pffftttt! on the WORLD!
He always reminds me of the lyrics from the song by "Snowpatrol" titled "Chasing Cars":
We'll do it all - Everything - On our own - We don't need - Anything or any one.
I need your grace - To remind me - To find my own.
All that I am - All that I ever was - Is here in your perfect eyes, - They're all I can see.
Just know that these things will never change for us at all.
If I lay here - If I just lay here - Would you lie with me and just forget the world.
From the earliest days together, it's the way I felt. I asked for "help" and got none. They were very "heavy", "dark", "lonely" days and nights. And even today, all these years later, I still remember, I look at where we've come, together, alone and as far as I'm concerned, I've been here for him, for all I'm worth, and "these things will never change for us at all". POOPS REPORT: 8 and again this morning, slightly larger than "normal". BUT very little halo around only one, and ALL of them... "brown"... no green, no dark green. Healthy. AND... ALL OF THEM CLOSE TOGETHER UNDER THE NIGHT ROOST! That ALWAYS gives me so much comfort to see in the morning, a sign that the night was calm and restful.
19.00 already and the day? Well, I did make that errand this morning. I almost had to sneak out of the house because I was being "watched". Honestly, I know this Little Guy knows when I'm about to leave for errands. Then too, I'm always in such a frame of mind even thinking about it. "Anxious", for so many reasons, and I'm convinced that he senses my trepidation. So what I end up doing is just, almost blindly, gather what I need and head directly for the door. This morning, he flew round his room and then to the living-room and waited on his tree. I left, did what was needed and 20 minutes later, came back into the house to find him in his loft. But, as soon as he heard me in the kitchen, he flew through and into the living-room again. I was "consoled" though. The doors were open today so there was air flowing through and the living-room is larger and a change of scenery for him.
I got everything settled and because it was still early enough, and part of the property really did need a bit of a mowing, I ventured out to the garage with the notion of checking the mower (first run of the new season) and if it started, I'd do the quickest run. Well, it did start right up and I did do the little mowing. And when I mowed out-side his windows, I could hear the "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" from in-side! (The grass out-side his window was such that it kicked-up quite a bit or "road dust" so I was glad to have his window fan on "exhaust". And with the grass being shorter, the next rains will wash the Winter dust away once and for all. I'll keep the "activated charcoal" fabric filter on the fan anyway... we have pollen season coming soon and with all the rain, I've no doubt it will be another "heavy" season. Between the air purifiers in his room and the new "air quality monitor" we should be set. The only concern: mould. But we already have the "arsenal" against that started as well. I've been watching the "humidity" in his room and thankfully, it's managed to stay below the 50% mark which, my investigations show, it what mould needs to start. And THAT frightens me more than much of anything else because it's almost impossible to stop - the claim is that every building... *every* building has some mould in it. This old place seems to have much more than its fair share. And although the Little Ones out in the wild are constantly exposed to it - including "aspergillus", which is a killer - I see no reason why my Little LOVE should be exposed to it. I can only "do" so much against it, but it's really the "aspergillus" that frightens me. It can be lethal to humans but MORE-SO to birds! So... we remain prepared. Filter on the fan, monitor the humidity, which has, no doubt, been held low with the help of the house furnace and purifiers. The air isn't "perfectly pure" but we'll have no "threats".
And so, when, at last, I came back into the house, there he was, the Little BEAUTIFUL Guy... in his house, on his "beach", basking in the sun-shine that managed to make its way in through his windows. It was "lunch time" already too. I'd hoped to get lunch and then head out to the yard for a little while, at the very least. Clouds were gathering but there was enough sun-shine to make an hour well worth the time. So, to keep our "routine", I threw my lunch together as I made meals for the coming days (as I do... cook one day a week for the rest of the week) and we got to sit together with the after-noon news by about 12.15.
SADLY... as we enjoyed our lunch break, MORE clouds gathered in the sky! It didn't get "dark" but it looked "threatening" and a quick check of the forecast told of a possibility of... rain - AGAIN! So, instead of getting lunch and heading out to the yard... we took a SNOOZE! (Hey! That's very much a part of our daily routine anyway so...) I'd set an alarm for 30 minutes and the very moment my Little LOVE saw me heading for the futon, he was RIGHT THERE with me! A little toddling from my chest up to the pillow by my head where he started to get settled, but no sooner had I settled, he headed down to my legs, did a little toddling up and down, leg-to-leg and then...
30 minutes later (I dozed) the alarm sounded and when I looked up to turn it off, there he was, still on my legs, just as cosy as he could be. Needless to say, we took another 15 minutes whilst I waited for him to decide we should get up. And... the clouds out-side had darkened. All plans for making a dash to the yard... stopped. But we were comfy, the fan kept the room cool and there was plenty for us to "do" together for the remainder of the day so, I got up, my Little LOVE got up and I have to admit that for the rest of the after-noon, we played a bit with Burdie-Birdie on the futon and other-wise, he flew round the room whilst I tried to get a few things attended-to at the desk.
Not really an "exciting" sort of day, but then, with the uncertainty of the weather and, after yesterday's 3 hours in the sun-shine, I took this as Nature's way of keeping us both out of the sun-shine. (Tomorrow's forecast is for clear weather and I've no errands or chores on the agenda, the gardenette is planted so maybe we'll get to just go out and "sit quietly"... and MAYBE the Yardies will come round to visit too! I know it's still "early in the season" but it just feels that the Winter lingered entirely too long and a bit of sun-shine would do BOTH of us some good.)
OK... 19.44 and the Little Guy is just coming back to this lap-top where a "mourning dove" video compilation has been playing. He was beside me for about an hour as I typed and then headed up for his evening snack. Water is fresh and clean, the house is settled for the night. The only thing left now... my "ablutions" and tucking-in. It being almost June though, like last night, there's still quite a bit of day-light out-side our windows. But it seems (to me) that it isn't the "day-light" that matters... it's the actual "hour of the day" and so... we'll see about tucking-in for the night... in a little while.
OH! THIS EVENING, AS WE WERE FINISHING WITH DINNER, A MOURNING DOVE CAME TO THE BACK GALLERY BY THE BACK DOOR AND GAVE A HEARTY "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" AND WHEN YONAH HEARD IT, HE RAISED HIS LITTLE HEAD AND CALLED BACK WITH HIS OWN HEARTY "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo"! FOR SEVERAL MOMENTS, THE TWO DOVES HAD QUITE A LITTLE CHAT. BUT YONAH STAYED ON HIS ROOF-TOP SO I WENT TO PUT HIS DOOR-SHELF UP (that I'd made last year so that he could have a place by the door to "chat" with the Yardies) AND THE OTHER DOVE, OF COURSE, TOOK OFF. I brought Yonah over to the door shelf but, just as he was last year, he's not "fond" of the shelf so he spent a moment there, and went right back to his house. But I have a tray of food just out-side the back door, on the gallery, for the Little Ones out there so.... I'm hoping they'll come back... soon. For that little while, it was (for me, anyway) quite EXCITING!
I DO SO wonder what Yonah tells the other mourning doves though. And I wish they'd come to trust me as much as he does. But at least, for the most part, the Yardies don't RUSH away in a panic when they see me in out there. They don't stay, but when they see me coming, they don't appear to be "frightened"... it's more a "response"... "GOTTA GO!" Maybe, one of these days...
It's already 20.39! My evening ablutions done, night music on. My LOVE is at the corner of the desk shelf and calling "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo"... I'm being paged. the HOO is pronounced so... it's "seepie-nigh-night" time! Although, whether or not we get right to it is yet to be seen. "Evening tuck-in suspense"... WHAT a Character! More tomorrow then....

Wednesday 28 May:
Oh dear... last night... I was running later than I'd hoped to be settling-down for the day and... my little Heart-and-Soul took him-self to the night roost and waited for me to come in and get the room settled. As much as I appreciate that he knows where he's going to be for the night and he obviously knows that that's where he ought to be at the close of the day, I have to admit that I miss being able to bring him "home". (It's as if I'm the "designated flyer". He's my "Friend" and I owe it to him to make sure he gets home at the end of the day.) But we managed to make quick business of the whole "end of day" and I got to sing our "lullabies" as I got things together and me to the futon and we managed to get the last light off by 21.15 so that wasn't "too" late. And, I do have to say that between 21.00 and 21.30 seems to be the time frame now for tucking-in. After all, there's still considerable day-light out there in the sky even that late. It's not like the Winter months where, by 16.30, the sun is well-set behind the Western mountains. And even the Yardies are still out there at 20.30 now. (Especially one mourning dove who seems to be there when we wake in the morning and is the last to leave at night... I wonder, so much, about that one. Always solo. It's a little male, I believe. Maybe he's a "youth". But it tears at my heart-strings to see him alone. I don't know if he's been here through the Winter. I don't know if he's a "returnee" from previous year(s). I've read that the doves of the current year aren't usually the same from the year before, though some stay through the Winter and some will return but, for the most part, it's new flocks each year. And this Little One is my strongest curiosity. It's another time when I wish I could "chat" with them... and understand them. Oh, the questions I'd have.) Anyway... we here, tucked-in, after lullabies and all was quiet.
This morning? 5.15 came the "morning call to order". Nice and clear and strong. Some-birdie was well-rested. I figured that, if HE got enough rest last night, I did too, so I got up to open his house and windows for the morning and when I leaned in for "Good morning" kisses, there were many to be shared!
Poops though... 7 in total and one rather "large" and rather "wet". I hoped that that one was the first of the morning this morning. Advice, over-all, from all that I've read over the years, is to not pay too much attention to the first poop of a day because they tend to be "odd" and can some-times look very "concerning". Since the other 6 were "OK"... AND the ENERGY LEVEL THIS MORNING... SO MUCH ENERGY! FLYING ABOUT IN HIS HOUSE AS I OPENED THE WINDOWS. AND EVEN AS I RAN THE MORNING WATERS... ALL THE FLYING ABOUT THE ROOM AND OUT THROUGH THE KITCHEN TO THE LIVING-ROOM AND ALL THE COO'ING! If there was anything "wrong", there was no evidence of it. (OK. Birds tend to be EXPERTS at keeping their suffering hidden. The accounts I read in the studies for certification for the "First Aid/Rescue" were horrific! The injuries sustained and still, the birds NEVER made ANY indication that they were even "uncomfortable"... even the birds that had to be... "euthanised" - a word I've come to detest but understand now. So when Yonah gets hyper-energetic, I'm amazed... and simultaneously worried to my core thinking he's hiding some-thing terrible. And having no way of knowing with any certainty...) But this morning? It all appeared that he was well. (And subsequent poops were quite normal so there was that consolation....
20.15...WE DID IT! MADE IT TO THE YARD FOR 2 HOURS THIS AFTER-NOON! THERE WAS PLENTY OF SUN-SHINE AND THOUGH I DIDN'T HAVE ANY GARDENING TO GET DONE, I DID MANAGE TO, FINALLY, STRAIGHTEN THE BACK GALLERY OUT! THE LITTLE GUY WAS IN HIS OLD HOUSE ON THE BACK WALK, HALF OF IT COVERED WITH HIS TOWEL, FOR SHADE AGAINST THE DIRECT SUN. AND HE WASN'T EXACTLY "CALM" TODAY, BUT HE WASN'T ALL TOO AGITATED. HE DIDN'T REALLY "BASK" EITHER, SAVE FOR TWO MOMENTS WHEN HE SPREAD A WING... A MOMENT EACH WING. BUT THEN, I WAS ON A CONSTANT MOVE TOO, MOVING THINGS ABOUT ON THE GALLERY.
AND TODAY... A DISCOVERY; HE DOES NOT LIKE BICYCLE WHEELS. I DON'T KNOW WHY BUT THERE ARE TWO OF THEM ON THE GALLERY (they were supposed to be put on the garden cart but... that was an idea that didn't work at all and now I'm stuck with them until we get to the skip and get rid of them) AND EVERY TIME I PICKED ONE UP TO PUT IT OUT OF MY WAY, MY LITTLE GUY WENT INTO A FLYING PANIC IN HIS HOUSE! AT THE FIRST TIME I THOUGHT IT WAS JUST SOMETHING HE SENSED IN THE AIR, BUT AS SOON AS I PUT THE WHEEL DOWN, HE WAS FINE. WHEN I HAD TO PICK THEM UP TO MOVE THEM AGAIN, AGAIN, MUCH FLYING ABOUT! SO IT TRIED TO TEST IT ALL OUT, MOVING THE WHEELS ABOUT THE YARD AND NO MATTER WHAT, EVERY TIME I LIFTED THEM OR ONE, IT WAS THE SAME REACTION. NOW I DO WONDER WHAT IT IS ABOUT THE WHEELS... BUT I NOW KNOW THEY'RE GOING AWAY! HEY... LIVE AND LEARN... as has been all of our time together.
AND NO YARDIES AT ALL! AND MY LITTLE LOVE WAS, OVER-ALL THE WHILE, RATHER NERVOUS AND "EDGY". SOMETHING IN THE AIR THAT I COULDN'T SEE (OR SENSE... "SUPERIOR HUMAN") THAT I'LL NEVER CLAIM TO BE). BUT IT WAS GOOD TO GET OUT OF THE HOUSE, INTO THE SUN-SHINE, THE REAL SUN-SHINE. AND EVEN INDIRECT IS BETTER THAN NONE. SO WE BOTH GOT OUT TODAY... AND FOR TWO HOURS! AT LAST!
I managed to get the back gallery straightened out and cleaned and all the while, we listened to our "Schalager" on the "radio" so there was that familiarity... the music and language from his room. BUT HE WAS OBVIOUSLY SO HAPPY TO GET BACK INTO THE HOUSE AND BACK INTO HIS ROOM WHEN WE CAME IN! There MUST have been something out there some-where that I never got to see, between his agitation and the absence of Yardies... Well, he was safe and they would have been too. And there will be other days coming and we'll head back out and see what happens. At least, today... 2 hours out of this box (house).
AND, when we came back in, I managed to sneak in a 30-minute snooze and as I did, my little Heart-and-Soul grabbed one too... on his old lap-top (which wasn't even turned on... he just likes it there so...)
And now... I'm out of a needed shower with all sorts of "accompaniment"... with the usual "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo's" and this evening a rather definitive "woo-HOO!" which wasn't a "nest coo"... but more along the lines of "HEY! It's late here."
It truly is something how, as evening approaches, this Little Guy has SO MUCH to coo about! Especially after an afternoon of being almost "lethargic" when we came in from the yard. And yes, the Little Guy was almost somnolent when we got back in. And yes, I was concerned... wondering why. What was there out there that kept him so alert and "restless"? The sky was clear enough and I didn't see anything but "they know" SO MUCH MORE THAN WE DO...
But now, water changed in the pool, he's had a snack and a drink. We changed the kitchen roll trays in his house so his house is cleaner and the day is coming to a close.
New "worry" for me: for some reason the front trays are 'tighter" than they've been. Is his house shifting on the rack? I looks to be as secure as ever. But there's a new house on the list for August this year... his 5th bird-day! And next week is mid-year complete house-cleaning. I'll get to see better then. That house has been on that rolling rack for years now... hopefully it's just a matter of settling from all the rolling. It appears to be as sturdy as ever, it doesn't show any signs of "bending" or moving. But it IS time to get a new one (and I've even been thinking of going the next size up... not, mind, that my Little LOVE spends all that much time in there, and he's never "locked in", save over-night when he's not flying about any way. But a little change. I just have to figure the logistics of size and location and mobility. Still, no matter what, we'll be getting a new one.)
For now, it's late... time to get to tucking in. He's on his roof, to the front, preening... let's see how "tuck in" goes. I still have ablutions.
20.42 another late night... I got caught in stuff.. but music on... now off to windows and tuck in. He's still on his roof top... quiet. We're (I'm) running so late again and yet, my little Heart-and-Soul is so patient with me. How I long, though, for a place where we can "follow the sun"... up when it rises, and to "roost" when it sets. Once upon a time we managed, but then, those days were, for me, quite the "heavy" times, and I would settle him in for the night, leave him in his room and I'd be out in the kitchen for hours later. I slept in the bed-room then. We sleep together now... and I have to work time back to HIS time.

Thursday 29 May:
Oh, SO late to "night roost", last night and yes, I was feeling guilty and I DO believe my little Heart-and-Soul could sense it. It was SO sweet though... he waited so quietly and patiently on his roof-top whilst I rushed about his room, causing all sorts of commotion with the windows and setting the futon for me. But I sang as I went about the chaos. And when, at LONG last, I went over to him there and reached up to move his platform closer to bring it down and "home", he stood there, knowing that he was, at long, LONG last, going "home for the night". I tried to sneak in a little kiss on the way but, well, no, I didn't really deserve any kisses and I could see that he was anxious to get to rest. (I did manage to get a little one in though, when he hopped onto the night roost, just before he started to "tuck-in".) We did make it through the lullabies though, and I tried to sing as softly as possible, to make for a "smooth" night of it and I watched the little silhouette, tucked-in, comfy and cosy.
Last light off at 21.20. Not "too" late, but still, I'd hoped the Little Guy would take his time, getting all the rest he needs. He does get in his snoozes during the day. And I take a bit of comfort in knowing that he can do that, when and where he wants, no worries about finding a safe place and not having to worry about predators. Still, snoozes aren't a proper night's rest and I don't want him being tired.
This morning, I don't know why, but I was up at 4.41! I woke, looked at the clock, considered getting up but decided that, since we didn't tuck in until so late last night, I didn't want to risk disturbing my Little LOVE so I managed to doze back off until...
5.40... came the "morning call", softly, "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo". I've said before and I'll say it again, I can wake at any hour of the morning, and it might seem that I actually "sleep" during the night, but even in "sleep", I "listen" for ANY "disturbance" through the night and when, in the morning, I hear that beautiful "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo", and I know that my Heart-and-Soul is well, THAT'S when I can actually relax and that's what makes mornings difficult because THAT'S when I know that I can actually sleep. That said, I was SO tired when he called! I begged for just a few moments longer, thinking I'd just lay on the futon, in the early morning darkness. The house and room were so quiet and calm, and it was comfortably warm... and I could tell that out-side was just as grey as it's ever been of late, it made it all the easier to just lay there, with my Little LOVE close by and sounding well...
The next "call" came at 6.00, and this time, it wasn't quite as soft. This time it was an actual "Time to get up!" so, up, I got and went directly over to his house. Looking in, I could see the little silhouette there, on the night roost and when he saw me, he gave such a wing-stretch! BUT... when I opened his door and leaned in for "Good morning" kisses I got ONE quick peck on the nose. Obviously, he was NOT pleased with me. Hey! I kept him up until late last night, and then, this morning, I had the audacity to make him wait until I got me up from the futon. That I even got a peck on the nose was, well, never let it be said that THIS PRECIOUS Little Guy doesn't have "class". "Protocol"... imagine THAT!
OH! But as soon as the curtains and blinds were open and I rolled his house back into position by the windows (dreary as it was this morning), HE WAS UP, ON THE WING, OUT AND ABOUT! Over to the futon to say "Good morning" to Burdie-Birdie and then over to the desk. And he just all but ignored me as I went about this morning's water change. (I felt HORRID! to be honest. But at the same time, amazed at how this Little One CAN make his feelings known... and obviously-so.)
Poops report for this morning: 9 on the dark side and slightly "moist". Slight "stains". But not "concerning". Only just ever-so-slightly larger than "normal" and ALL of them directly under the night roost. At the very least, it was a calm night, last night.
Another dreary sort of day and it took me a while before I got up and about and all the while, my Little LOVE took to his loft and waited for me to have my morning coffee and clear the night's "fog". After the "bolt" from his house, seeing him in his loft just made my own sense of "guilt" that much heavier. But after a little while, I managed to get some house-hold tasks attended before lunch and right after, ran a quick errand. He was obviously not happy about me leaving, flying about the room and house rather a bit often. When I went to the living-room to get ready to leave for the errand, he came rushing out to his little tree there and gave a rowdy (loud and clear) "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo!" as if to say:
"Keep me up late last night. Then take your time getting up this morning. And NOW you're heading out the door?"
I wasn't gone but about 20 minutes though and when I got back he was back in his loft.
One thing that's really got me concerned and on the verge of "worry" is that his "flight" seems "abnormal". There seems to be a lot of "wing-work" in his flights these days. And this after-noon, I noticed that left wing is laying a bit lower again. It's always laid lower than the right wing. Even Amy had noticed and commented on it in the past. (If there was any doubt that he couldn't avoid being attacked again, at least that much is obvious to anybody paying any attention.) And it HAS, at different times in the past, been more obvious than most times, but lately, it's just that much more obvious and watching him fly through the house, I can tell there's something "off"... though it doesn't stop him from taking to the air. And I DO, from time-to-time, wonder what I'll do if a time comes when he truly can't fly about. I've seen, on our social media, other birds who've lost their ability to fly. I remember "Teillady's" "Sweet Pete" after his stroke. She carried him about the house, which is something I certainly will do, should we need. But I just dread the thought of THIS LOVE not being able to get around when and where he wants. Oh... "aging" and the damage that's been done to him! These are the moments that strengthen my distaste for "Creation". I remember mother saying "Life isn't 'fair'." but for the Little Ones... "fair"? THEY, of ALL, should have NO worries or cares. And the worst thing for me is the very thought of him suffering, AGAIN, for ANY reason! But I'm here for him... no matter what. We've come this far... we'll battle what-ever we must, no matter what.
The strangest aspect? It's his left wing, the one that was so damaged when he was attacked, and, coincidentally, I'm going about with my left shoulder in a brace because, according to medics, I damaged the "rotator cuff". I know that I've been in quite some pain for the past several weeks and now, looking at Yonah, I have to wonder if HE'S not in some pain too. He doesn't seem to "want" to fly about much, but he does. And seeing that wing, against his little body, but "lower"... I have to wonder... and HOPE that he's NOT in "pain".
The most amazing little "event" of the day: the little shelf I made for the back door.
At abut 15.30, as is a daily routine, the mourning doves came to the back yard for their evening meal and one gave a hearty "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" and Yonah was on the roof-top of his house and raised his head, as if looking for the source of the voice so, I brought the door shelf over, "installed" it on the screen door and brought him over so that he could see the mourning doves in the yard. He didn't stay, at first, for very long, but came right up and onto my shoulder! The doves in the yard had, of course, flown away when they saw us coming to the door, but we stood there for about 20 minutes, waiting for them to return. AND ALL THE WHILE, MY LITTLE HEART-AND-SOUL NESTLED ON MY SHOULDER, RIGHT NEXT TO MY FACE, AS COMFORTABLE AS HE COULD BE!
Well, at one point he took off and headed back to his room. It was boring, I suppose, until the doves came back and I thought to take Bustelo-Birdie over to the shelf to see what his reaction would be and then brought him back to the door...
WELL! TO MY AMAZEMENT, WITH BUSTELO-BIRDIE THERE HE GOT QUITE "OK"! AND THE DOVES IN THE YARD, ON THE BACK PAVEMENT, CAME BACK TO CONTINUE THEIR SNACKS AND THEN...
SO MUCH EXCHANGING OF COO'S! THE CONVERSATIONS THAT WERE TAKING PLACE WAS SO BEAUTIFUL! AND IT WAS SO GOOD, COMFORTING, TO KNOW THAT, INSTEAD OF THE REPETITIVE RECORDING THAT PLAYS ALL THROUGH THE DAY, THERE WERE "REAL" COO'S, FROM REAL DOVES AND THE TONES, VOLUMES, PATTERNS WERE DIFFERENT. "CONVERSATIONS" FOR MY PRECIOUS LITTLE LOVE!
HE WAS THERE FOR ALMOST AN HOUR, COOING OUT THE BACK DOOR! SO WONDERFUL! HE GETS TO SEE THE OTHERS! Granted, they're more focused on eating out there, and, to be honest, they didn't appear to be giving him much attention, but they were there and he could see them. (I wonder if they saw him at all.) And he stayed there as I moved about the kitchen putting my dinner together, coo'ing to the doves in the yard until he saw me heading to the desk to eat. He came into the room, had a quick little snack and...
THEN... AS I SAT AT THE DESK TO HAVE MY DINNER, THINKING WE'D DINE TOGETHER... HE CAME OVER TO THE DESK, TODDLED ACROSS IN FRONT OF ME AND...
HE HEADED BACK TO THE DOOR SHELF !!!!!
AND... HE STAYED THERE FOR OVER AN HOUR! COO'ING! AND THE DOVES OUT-SIDE COO'ED BACK! THEY WERE HAVING QUITE THE CONVERSATION! IT DOES MY HEART SO MUCH GOOD TO HEAR HIM "CHATTING WITH OTHER DOVES!
When I'd done with dinner and the washing-up, I came back to the desk to jot a few more notes on his Journal, he came flying back into the room, to his roof-top and had SO MUCH to say to ME! I've done GOOD with that little shelf. (Although, we've had it for about 2 years and he never really showed any interest in it. But now... it's going to be interesting to see how much of the Summer he spends at the door.
Next task: to figure out how to get the doves in the yard to come to the door. Food? Yes. But at Yonah's eye-level. We shall see. (Though, a better situation would be "not here", but some place where we could have a nice set-up for him, out-side. A little "aviary" where we could both sit together and he could fly freely about, and the other doves could come to "commune". I live in HOPE... SOON...)
Well... it's 20.44 and we're running a touch late but there's still quite a bit of day-light out-side our windows. Still, it's not so much the day-light that I'm concerned with... it's the hours of rest the Little Guy will get. And now, I'm ready to set the room for us for the night, the curtains are closed and he's on the door to his house after SO MUCH COO'ING this evening! Tuck-in will be "interesting", I've no doubt.
But we had an other-wise un-eventful day (I'm relieved to say), and we had a bit of a sun-shower earlier. Rainbow and all! How I WISH I could have brought him out for that. I'm seriously thinking about trying a "harness". My one major trepidation: how he'll adapt to the "tether". But, we'll see. I still have to hunt for the materials. I've seen pigeons with. But this Little Guy is smaller so... THEN maybe we can actually get OUT and about.
For now... the night music is on, time for lullabies and closing this day. (Thursday... another week, and the 29th... another month! "Time" is NOT a friend.)

Friday 30 May:
(8.00) So... yes, indeed, a little ride home from the roof-top last night. And because of the late hour, it was just a "one thing after the other", with, of course, lullabies. But, of note (for me, anyway), the Little Guy was on the door of his house when I started putting the futon together for me and as soon as I started singing "Autumn Leaves", he headed directly to the platform on his roof. Oh, I don't know, for certain, but I can say from observation, he recognises the melody and THAT is our old "seepie-nigh-night I LOVE you". I used to "chirp" that ("falsetto") and he'd head for a night perch, but because of the lullabies, there's a "re-association". And the "experts" insist that mourning doves aren't brilliant.
One thing that I wish I could figure is a "cue" for him to come to me. In these days of "politics", following all of the reports of these "Dee E. Sea" megalomaniacs breaking into peoples' homes, tearing their Little Ones from them only to destroy them (the Little Ones and their Care-Givers) under some guise of effort to "protect", I do, I must admit, live every moment of every day (yes, even through the late hours of a night and early hours of a day) in absolute dread that, one day, they'll appear at the door here. It's been that way for almost 5 years. And our Amy has said, numerous times "If only you could give him a signal to come to you." Yes, "if only". But being the independent Little Bit that he is, "our Yonah" comes only when it's to his convenience and liking.
It would be nice too, if we could come to agree on a "call" when he's out-side. Some-thing that would bring him "back", should he ever "take flight out there". It's another one of those thoughts that sends my entire being into a state of "terror": thinking of him being out-side and some-how taking flight. As it's been said in our "webinars", once out, birds have the ability to head for the trees (as they will do) and once there, out of reach, there's nothing we, people, can do other than hope they'll return to us. With Yonah, it's not only the flight up into the trees that causes me such horrors, but here, we have the likes of eagles and hawks, both of whom, surely, would welcome the "gift of a snack"... and Yonah... even though he does "fly", there's no telling how quickly, how far he's able to soar in open space. And of late, with his left wing obviously not at "100%", even this morning I can still hear the difference in the rapidity and number of "wing flaps" as he flies round the room - it's a sickening terror, just allowing the passing thought of him being "snatched", likely mid-air and me, being absolutely helpless to save him.
Tuck-in lullabies are one thing... beckoning calls are quite another item. But who knows? Maybe, one day... I just have to work on a little harness and with that, hope for the day when we can get out into the "open", together, safely.
That said, I think, again, this morning, of bringing him to "Aunt Deborah's" some day, and I wonder if he'd actually enjoy that. I've doubts. He's not really pleased when his "environment" and "surroundings" change even with-in the house. We'd be together, for the most part, at Deborah's. I'm thinking of still needing to get him some fresh perches and contemplating bringing him with. He could be in his old house (familiar), and in the truck (protected). But the surroundings would be completely different from what he's accustomed to. I don't want to cause him ANY stress. Oh, it's just that much more that I need to learn, and the only way I have to do that is to try. But that won't be for a while again... more rain in the forecast so...
OK. All that said, we made the little "flight" to the night roost and on arrival, it was another quick hop from platform to roost. And we made it all through the repertoire of lullabies, again, soft and slow (despite the hour). But 21.30... last light off, and there was still traces of the day-light out-side our windows. Still, it's more the "hour" than the "light" and 21.30? Considering the hour he wakes, well, it's still not the 12-14 hours of rest (according to the "experts") but...
Poor Little LOVE... this morning the first call: "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo"... 5.15. But I was SO tired (again) that I just SO NEEDED a little extra time. So I answered the call and begged for a little while longer. There was a little "discussion" back and forth on the matter and, as it turned out, I did get another 30 minutes. I didn't go back to sleep, but the "lie-down" was most welcome. At 5.45 though, I could hear the difference in the tone of the coo'ing: it was time to get up and get on with the day, there was a certain "demanding nuance" in the "timbre" and volume. So, I had no choice in the matter... I got up and as I did, another "coo" told me "It's about time."
I've said as much to others, that, if one takes the time and interest, there really IS a "certain difference" in the coo's this Little Character makes. It's taken me almost 5 years to figure it out, but there it is. From the "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo" pattern and length to the "woo-HOO!" and the "woo-HOOooo". That last one is more "I'm tired and it's time to stop all of your nonsense for the day." Anyway, yes, this morning was another lesson. (If only I could figure out truly what, exactly, it all means... I could put another "language on my résumé"!)
Needless to say, there was more to be said when I got to the door of his house and wing-stretches in preparation for "take-off". And I got some kisses but not many. Still, better "some" kisses than none. And when I get none, it's usually because he side-steps away from me when I lean into his house in the morning.
Poops-check this morning: 10 ALL COMPLETELY "NORMAL", size, colour and composition, and ALL of the under the night roost! So, indeed, the Little Guy was well-rested this morning and ready to HIT THE DAY!
Sadly... as it's been for all too long now, it was another over-cast morning. We've had so little time out in the yard and I'm looking forward to getting out to the garden and for both of us to get some "out-side air" and actual sun-shine! I can imagine this must take a toll on this Little Guy too. When we DID manage to get out for a while, he was obviously happier during the rest of the day. But, days in the house are days together with him and there's always something to get done... with the BESTEST COMPANION anybody could ever hope for so... off we went, into Friday! And OH... did he ever "get into the day"... almost immediately, he was up and on the wing, over to the futon and flying about the room as I went about putting the kettle on for my coffee and getting his room settled for the day ahead. ENERGY in the morning is always an inspiration for me... and it seems to dispel my usual morning "drag".
OK... it's 20.35 already! This has been another one of those "non-stop" days where there's been something to do or something to distract. And I'm out of a quick shower, my Little LOVE is on the wall shelf as I try to get the particulars of the day in here...
The day? AFFECTIONS AFFECTIONS AND MORE AFFECTIONS! No matter how much I tried to sit at the desk and attend to the house-hold tasks and tried to get notes typed (thinking I'd just sit and type more for the Journal here... silly me... "thinking"), OH! but the visits! And the flying all over the room and the house! The stares from the desk shelf as I tried to concentrate on book-keeping and accounting and... generally anything. That little face is IRRESISTIBLE! AND... if I didn't pay enough attention soon enough, there were wing-snaps! I was being "told"... "HEY YOU! I'M HERE! If you think you're going to ignore me, I've got a bit of news for you!" Looking up at that little face is... well... no matter what I'm doing, it demands attention... AND AFFECTION! These are the moments when I so wish I could just cuddle with this Little Guy! (But not only is he not large enough, he'll have NONE of it. We can "hold" for a while, I can hold him close to my face for a moment but shortly, it's "AWAY!" and that's more than enough.) We DID take time though, and of course, it pushed what-ever I was doing longer than I expected.
At noon, of course, we "followed protocol" and took a break for lunch with the after-noon news (something mindless, as it's become any more, and something that makes me all the more BLESSED with the ULTIMATE COMPANION in Creation here). And, as soon as lunch was done, I grabbed a 30-minute lie-down... alone though today. Apparently there was something "better"... "else-where". Naps really aren't "relaxing" alone any more. And they make me ponder nights together... if only I could leave the door to his house open through the night... but I don't dare. I'm not taking ANY chances of him "bolting" across the dark room, and worse, out into the house in the dark! I still remember our earliest days together before this Little One "adjusted" to "walls" and "windows". (Though, I'll never understand how he came to understand "glass" and to avoid "windows". Yeah, the "experts" claiming that mourning doves aren't considered "intelligent". What-ever. "Experts" judging on their "time with"... try every day, all day and night for 4 years.)
THEN... of course, today being Friday, it was "house-keeping" round this old box. Out came the Hoover! But what SO PLEASED me and gave me all the incentive I needed to get on with things, my Little Supervisor came riding along, on my shoulder, as I put the kitchen in order and prepared to set things up for hoovering! He'd done that quite a bit during the day today: riding along on my shoulder. THAT'S always such a delight! I'd read, in our earlier days, that "doves", in general, will take such an interest in all that goes on in "their" house, but NEVER, did I EVER even imagine that THIS one would do such a thing! After all, he wasn't born into "people" and being in a "house" isn't in his "family lineage". But here he is and here he does and it DOES me SO MUCH GOOD! He actually WANTS to be with me! I don't know what I've ever done to be so deserving of such a BLESSING, but WHAT A PRIVILEGE!
of course, as soon as I get into what-ever it is I'm about to do... he's off, on the wing. And so... I hit the hoover and had at it today. (With all this rain and humidity, and temperatures being above freezing these days, my absolute panic is... mould!)
To MY amazement (and delight) as I hoovered in his room, he took his place on his door perch and watched with such focus. Makes me wonder what he makes of what's going on. I know that he doesn't understand the working of the Hoover. It must be quite the enigma to him (if he's even wondering at all). This human pushing and pulling that "tubing" and such. And, when I have to get down on the floor to get under his shelving or the futon, he SO enjoys hopping onto my back!
Between Yonah and the Yardies, one of the most obvious things is how they, un-like the likes of cats and dogs, the sound of the Hoover doesn't phase them in the least. Yonah simply watches and even though the back door is usually open, and I know the doves in the yard can hear it, there isn't even an acknowledgement! (Let's discuss "intelligence"?)
So that was our day today... the "big event" being the house-keeping and, of course, for me, the riding along on my shoulder. No matter how dreary Creation wants to make our time... this LOVE conquers all.
And now? 'tis time to tuck-in. The Little LOVE is still on the wall shelf but I've yet to get to the windows. Our "night music" (instrumental meditation new-age what-ever it is) is playing and the house is quite settled. And the "suspense" of tuck-in begins...
All told... another GRAND DAY (as is EVERY day really... with my little Heart-and-Soul).

Saturday 31 May
(20.17 already! ANOTHER DAY... ANOTHER MONTH... I've grown to intensely dislike "time". Yes, I'm pleased with all of the "time" that's passed, these almost 5 years, against the odds, but I'm ever-aware of the fact that the more "yesterdays" we have, the fewer "tomorrows" lie ahead. OH! But to be able to simply stop it, "time", from passing. But then, what would that bring us? Unless we could "improve" as the moments go by us. Just recently, I pondered that theory of "a new 'us' every so often, how cells replace with new, but, how completely nonsensical in that, instead of "fresh" and clean and "better" each replacement is inferior. So much for the "perfection of Creation". Then too, I recall why I came to be here, where I am: I had NO thoughts of "being" much more than, perhaps 6 months, then. When I'd reached a year, I wasn't at all pleased. And then... a little dove... and so much changed. Well, here we are and...)
Imagine this... last night, yes, it was late of a day and it should come as no surprise, but the Little Guy brought him-self "home" for the night... right to the night roost. No fuss, no flights. He was ready to tuck-in and I felt terrible, having kept him up so late. Although, there are times when I believe that, if he were tired, he knows, by now, that he could simply go to the night roost when ready and simply dismiss me. Still, with me moving about, the un-natural lights on in the house - for the sake of the idiot human - no doubt, I present an inconvenience. Then too, for me, I always think: if we could both survive, imagine if we could just stay awake, together, not losing the time needed to "sleep"... It's part of the reason why, when I sing our lullabies, I keep thinking of "sleep" as a time of "parting ways", we both go "off into another place", it is rather like being parted from one-another. One of the most appropriate tunes sung is
Scheiden tut so weh" - Parting is so painful and for me, it truly is. So much can happen over the course of a night, and Morgen früh, wenn Gott will, Wirst du wieder geweckt... *wenn Gott will*, how those lyrics strike... every night as I sing them, looking up at that little silhouette. When we close all the lullabies, I change it a bit to "Wirst wir weider geweckt"... there's no guarantee that either of us... So much can happen over the course of a night... so much can change whilst we're un-aware. "Time"...
I started lullabies as we settled the room, windows closed against the dreary night out-side, the room settled, the house furnace is on over-night to keep the chills (and humidity) away and it was all so obvious that the time for "rest" was over-due. But I was allowed to run through the whole repertoire of lullabies, softly and calmly. These days, it's really for both of us. The general anxieties of this old house, wanting so much to be away from here, in some safer place for both of us, a place where we don't have to "close blinds and curtains" of a night, don't have to be concerned about the possibilities of "things that go thump in the night"... the lullabies calm me and so, because I KNOW, for a fact, that my Little LOVE senses when I'm bothered, singing softly likely fills the house with "calm" too. And so, I watch, as I sing, the little silhouette over-head, on the night roost... last night, it was all tucked-in, head between wings, and calm.
The last moon light was turned off at 21.05... which really wasn't all that late, but "time" isn't always about a "clock". And truly, both of us was more than ready to close the day. (The day-light lasting later is of no help either, and trying to co-ordinate a "clock" with the sun and trying to get both of us rested, well... I do my best, though that's not always as "time" ought to be.)
Then comes the dawn... at 5.15 this morning came the "morning call" of a hearty "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo". And this morning, again, I was SO comfortable on the futon, in the darkness and the relative warmth of the house. OH! "Saturday", and I could so easily have just stayed there, under the covers.
I don't know, for certain, but I don't believe I actually "sleep" through a night, though, often, I won't get up, I can't say that I "sleep". The body might appear "at rest" but I've ever aware of the house, the sounds, wary of a "thump" or some sort of sound... especially the fluttering of wings, through the entire night. When I hear the "morning call", I know that we've made it through another night and that my Little LOVE is "here", awake, and ready for a new day ahead and that seems to be when I actually relax and could sleep in comfort, so, this morning, my reply to the "call" was to beg a few more minutes on the futon... and the response was another, calm, "woo-HOO-hoo-hoo-hoo", and considering the tone and volume, I took that to be "OK.." I didn't get up from the futon until 5.30! And THEN... we were "on the roll"!
Out-side, yet another of the recent "typical" mornings: dreary, grey, over-cast, damp, chilly. May is coming to a close, June is mere hours away and still, the chills. The house furnace was running! But, my Little Guy was warm, safe, and fresh waters in his pool for drinking and bathing (should he want). Fresh, good, healthy food at the ready. And that's really all that mattered anyway.
And this morning's "poops report": 11 perfectly perfect little poops, and all of them under the night roost, no bouncing about, they were as "normal" as they could possibly be! We'd had a restful night, last night, and the little digestive system was in order. And no signs of any "ailments"! Never mind the weather, good health and proper rest. Nothing could be more important.
As for the rest of the day? WELL! WOW! There was SO MUCH ENERGY! AND SO MUCH AFFECTION! AND OH! SO VERY "BUSY"! It was another day of MUCH FLYING ABOUT THE ROOM AND THE HOUSE! More gathering of twigs from the floor of his house and what appears to be searching round the rest of the place for more! (I'm still waiting for the wood-lands to dry enough so that I can get out there and get more, fresher twigs, and to see what else I can bring in that he can sort through and add to the collection he has on his loft. The leaves all came by so quickly this year, but the rains! I worry about what the moisture is allowing to "grow" out there. Mosses would be a nice addition again, but I've come to learn that they're not always a good choice. Too many little "parasites" in there. And the VERY LAST thing I want is to have the likes of ticks and fleas, and little flies and so many other "un-identifiables" attacking my little Heart-and-Soul! Sure, in the wild, they'd all be out there and he'd be exposed to them. But out there, he'd have the entire world to roam about, escaping them. In here, well, they're in his house and although there are "treatments" to combat them, I'd truly rather NOT introduce "chemicals" - no more than we already have in this place, battling against the likes of moulds and such - and that's not to mention the need for "professional, avian interventions". That's rare to begin with and we've already been through too much of the "We don't deal with..." and that's not to mention the over-zealous "You can't have..." and the potential injuries - if not out-right murder that's always a potential. 5 years after hearing "Nobody will want to deal with..." and "Put it in a box with some paper..." I'm not taking any chances. Still, I'm rather sure that some new materials would be a welcome relief. Weather... it'll change and I'll get out there. And I'm already thinking of a "new house" come August, so, we'll see what we can arrange for that... along with other "home furnishings".)
But WHAT A DAY OF ACTIVITY! Even first thing this morning: I put a few items into the kitchen basin to wash and as I did, I happened to look up behind me and there, on the kitchen floor, a little bundle of feathered LOVE! He'd come out to visit with me! Toddled right along, and round-about the place. THAT does my entire heart and mood so much GREATNESS! It's a comfort, really, to see that he's so comfortable, not only in the house but being with me! In my moments of feeling so "insufficient", a slight assurance in knowing that I can and do provide this Little Guy with space where he can toddle about, safely, free of the concern about "attackers" (raptors and the likes), and that he's sheltered against the cold, winds, rains, snows of the "out-side", that he can take a little dip in his own pool when he wants and then bask, calmly, in the sun-shine... it isn't the world into which he was born, isn't the world that "Creation" intended for him, and I don't "KNOW" with any certainty, that what I provide is any-where close to "perfect", at the very least, that he obviously WANTS to be with me, and that he wasn't left to slowly fade and die, that his injuries have healed and this little LIFE continues... I can only suppose that I've done some-thing correct.
And as I say, seeing him there, with me, knowing that he came of his own choosing... I'm Blessed, Honoured, Humbled and SO Grateful!
Of recently, there have been "posts" to the social media where people have posted videos of humans intercepting the likes of rodents trying to steal food from or attacking nests of birds and inviting comments from the reader-ship. Most of the replies have been favourable, approving of the intervention and too, there are those who cry "Survival of the fittest" and "Nature's way", calling it "interference". I some-times catch my-self wondering if I'm not guilty of that in having brought Yonah into the house that morning of 13 October 2020. Admittedly, I HAD pondered whether or not I should have left "Nature" to do what "Nature" would have done... one way or another. Should I have left him there? Was his attack due to some inability to have the necessary sense to avoid the attack? The more I think, over the weeks, months and now years, the more I have to say:
It the intention of Nature was to "take this Little One out" for any reason, to keep him from producing off-spring, well... it would appear that I've managed to accomplish that much. He's got no descendants, and he's not likely to ever have any. And obviously, he wasn't intended, at the time, to be "nourishment" for any other creature. My suspicion remains stead-fast: he wasn't attacked by a raptor, he wasn't attacked as a "food source". This Little LIFE was brutally attacked by a cat who didn't belong in the yard in the first place and who attacked him simply because that's what cats do: murder. Call it "instinct" but "cats" in the wild, lions, tigers, &c. kill for sustenance. "Domestic cats" simply murder, seemingly for "amusement". It's not "killing"... it's simply, in human terms, "murder". So, my having "rescued" this Little Guy isn't interference in "Natural Order"... he wasn't intended to painfully suffer and die. I was there when I was there because I was supposed to be. And today, against our oppositions, here we are... kisses in the morning, play together during the day, meals together and TIME TOGETHER! (And, as I say, frequently: if there's anything "rescue" about all of this, it's "mutual". Two lives were saved that morning. Maybe neither of us should have been, but BOTH of us were brought together and today, BOTH of us survive, EACH of us taking care of the other.
All through the day today, since it was Saturday and supposed to be a "relaxing" day anyway, and the weather didn't allow us to do much of anything other, I managed to get some more "affairs of the house-hold" accomplished at the desk, and... AND... there were SO MANY little "visits"... in between the gatherings and arranging of "nesting" on the loft! I mean to say, it was a PARTICULARLY AFFECTIONATE day! Ear tugs! Check pecks! And wing-snaps! Play time, on the futon, on the desk shelf! It was truly one of those days when I wish I could have put a "recorder" on and "captured" it all. Like a "family" sort of "movie". Yonah did a little "house-work" of his own, took a break to come over to remind me that he was here, that WE were here, together, and then back to "business". THIS is why I take a next breath!
At noon, we took our regular lunch break and since the day was dreary and there was no chance of us going out to the yard, I managed to grab a 1-hour "snooze"... alone though. I was on the futon, and as I snoozed, my Little Companion snoozed in his loft! Rainy May days... snoozing. (And out-side, the Yardies came and went. Came to snack and then off again to where-ever they go to on days such as this. Again, I looked at them, out there in the wet and drear, then looked at THIS Little Guy and thought: at least he doesn't have to battle the elements to find shelter and food and water. And though I'm probably not the "perfect mate", he's not alone...)
At 17.00 we stopped the day for our "dinners" together. A little of the day's "news"... ah... the "world". I see how it is and I'm all the more grateful that here, in this old box ("house", as it might be), I'm reminded that not "ALL" is misery and strife. We might not have the most comfortable existence at all times, and "things" might not be as perhaps intended, but there's a serenity and two "old" Companions together. Sure, to some, it's likely "eccentric" (to be put politely), but we don't disturb the world and, as often as possible, we don't allow the world to disturb us.
I got all the washing-up done as we went along today so now... as the rains continue to drench the world out-side our window, the house furnace is running... to keep the place at a "comfortable" temperature for both of us and to keep the relative humidity in here down to where it's just not "healthy" for mould (which will, no doubt, start to rear its misery in a short while with all this rain). The "air monitor" has been "good" all the while... AND TODAY, we've ordered new filters for the purifiers AND one of those "mould test kits". The filters are due for a complete changing. I've kept-up with keeping them clean but it's time to "refresh". And for the longest while, I've wanted one of those "mould tests" to see what sort is blowing about in this old place. It's one thing to know it's here... another to know what "kind" it is. We're about to find out. (And the "arsenal" to fight it is being gathered already. I'm just waiting for another day out in the yard... Can't "have at it" unless Yonah's out of the way... and what better than to be out in the yard, in some sun-shine... when we ever get any again.)
Time now for my evening ablutions and, so too soon again, time to close this house for another day and get to some proper (hopefully) rest for the night. The one window in the room is still open from the top and the fan is still in the bottom. There's a bit of "coolness" coming into the room, but that's air from out-side. Oh sure, it can carry all sorts of "stuff" in, but at least it's "clean", proper ventilation, even with the blinds and curtains closed. And with the filtration of the heating, we're as good as can be for the while.
The Little Guy is on the door to his house. I always wonder how he manages to look so comfortable with his little toes wrapped round that wire, but, there he is. Just more that I'll never fully understand. (Now to see what's to come of "tucking-in" tonight... To the roost? A ride home? Flights to the ceiling? We never know...)
20.38 and he's been on the desk shelf, coo'ing along as I got me together for the night. So we shall see... It's WAY beyond "civil time" for a tuck-in. But WHAT A WONDERFUL DAY TOGETHER!
I can't believe the month of May is gone by already! "Time" can be such an enemy. But HEY! Thinking back... neither of us was expected to be... in 2025. I don't know why... but I'm BLESSED, HONOURED, HUMBLED... and off to tuck this Little Guy in for a night's rest!