a monkey with feathers

"Ray" stayed with us for the first time even though I've spent time visiting him in his own home.
Ray is a black headed caique.
They originate from the amazon. They are labelled as the 'clowns' of the bird world because of their acrobats. And for a small parrot, they pack a very loud squawk.
And of course the day Ray came to our house I was really really sick with a nasty killer migraine. Ray was in a unfamilar place and proceeded to 'call".
 It was like someone firing a nail gun through my head.
OMFG....
Birds "call" for a couple of reasons: boredom, nervousness, bedtime, hunger, mating season, and for attention.
Caiques are high energy birds.They are kind of like a hyper active three year old on "Jolt" cola. I figured if I had something to entertain him then this would distract him from screaming.
I threaded chinese finger pulls (paper toys) through his cage bars so he could rip them apart. I had a 'foraging toy" of a cardboard box filled with nutriberries and millet so he could spend time exploring and ripping that apart as well ,plus tissues rolled up with berries.
Thankfully that did the trick.
I found that he loves strawberries and raspberries. When he is finished playing with them the cage looked like it was hit by a serial killer. Red stuff was EVERYWHERE!
I have to spend more time keeping him (and the cage)cleaned and entertained.
He is very smart and knows how to undo the locks on the cage. He also knows when it's time to go back to the cage and hides behind my head so I can not retrieve him.
He was more like a monkey than a bird.he loves to climb and swing from things. I definitely have to keep an eye on him because he can easily get into trouble with his curiosity and need to chew things.
Wow!

scootin' along

* I just put this photo of Button here because she is just so darn cute!
I am able to do most of my house work now. I can't stand a stinky dirty house. I still have bird customers coming in for boarding so I am very particular in making sure the house and environment is clean. I am grateful for this progression in the healing process.
Stairs remain a 'challenge' to me. I am unstable. So  walking with a "boot cast" is awkward and uneven.
Also trying to get a good night's sleep is an issue. I've been waking up with screaming migraines just about every night at about 2:00am..
So I am trying to figure out how to stop this.I found my old "neck' pillow so I am using this to hold my head straight. This so far has been helpful in keeping me still and straight so I can elevate my foot at night.
My foot still looks awful and it is sore to the touch.It still looks a freak show. Cool water soaks are pure heaven.
It bums me out that I won't be able to wear "nice civilized" shoes for a while.I'll be lucky enough to be able to wear (ugly ass)sneakers when this cast comes off.
As always the birds keep me busy.
Teddy the dove is something else. Who would've thought a "bird of peace' could be an aggressive dominant male trouble-maker? He'll go after anything to try to "dominant it" including my bird candle holders.
Charlie is a sweet-heart. He loves his one-on-one special attention and training sessions at night. Patches likes to investigate our interactions. Patches and Charlie are best buds. They have a"bro-mance" going on. They are two guys hanging out together ripping up newspaper. It's a "guy project" in which Patches initiates and obliges Charlie's help.
We've had a senegal parrot stay with us for a few days. I place a small towel on top of his cage just in case any of my birds land on top of the cage. Senegals can be pretty nippy so this offers protection. He's not real keen on me cleaning his cage and wiping his perch. Perhaps he is just scared being in a different environment. He seemed to at least enjoy all the birdy interactions.I thought it was kind of funny the sounds he makes. Some were of smoke alarm noises, doors opening and whistles, but mostly fart noises.
Next week we will have a caique parrot stay with us. They are considered the 'clowns' of the parrot world.
Stay tuned.

the wild pigeons of Salisbury beach part 95

*funny photo of gulls taking refuge under beach umbrellas to escape the heat!

It's been really really hot. Thank God for central air. My husband takes me to the beach every morning to at least to feed the pigeons.
 I am hopeful, at least at the end of the summer (whimper) I'll be able to go in the water-even if that means I have to wear sneakers in the water for support and to protect my feet.
I hate the summer passing me by.
We've been keeping tabs on the pigeon activity. Summer time means more food for the pigeons. (pizza crust, fried doe and french fries)but it also means more people, dogs, cats and seagulls. This includes more trash, cars and poisonous substances.All are a danger to the pigeons.
A few days ago I spotted a youngster trying like mad to fly back up to the nesting zone.He must have fell out of the nest or was pushed out too early. He looked to be about four weeks-maybe 5 weeks old. He was small and really dirty. The best thing would be to place him back on the ledge.
I, of course, was panicking. because I couldn't do anything.. I looked around and spotted chairs stacked to the side of a bar. I had my husband place them near the nesting site in order for him to put the little bird back. on the ledge.
Success!
I was so grateful that he did this. The poor little thing looked lost and would for sure would not have made it.
However, his survival still remains iffy. Two days later he was still up on the ledge. Hopefully one of the parents is still feeding him and not neglecting him in order to make way for the new babies. I know that. the mother has a new batch of babies because I found a freshly discarded egg shell under the ledge.
Meanwhile, my pigeon follows me around everywhere. I have to be super careful where I step and most recently, scooting around with the computer chair.
As I was backing out of the bathroom in the chair I did not see the pigeon run up to the door. (The last I saw him he was busy in the bird room doing something) .His feathers got caught under a wheel and I heard him roar.
 I felt awful!
 A bunch of feathers got pulled out. Thank God he was not injured..I held him for the rest of the afternoon.He is back to his old self again but I am extra careful now of his whereabouts.

cast off

Friday, I had a doctor's appointment to check the progress of my foot healing.
The permanent cast on my foot was finally removed. I was counting the minutes for this thing to be taken off. It was like some nasty archaeological find similar to unwrapping a mummy. It was pretty gross.
My foot was completely purple and still obscenely huge. My calf looked like a prickly stick with a saggy flaccid bag hanging from it. I was shocked at how much my calf had atrophied in such a short period of time. I still have a cast now but it is removable and I am urged to walk on it.
The first thing I did when I got home was stick my bare foot in a cool basin of water.It is amazing how such a simple thing like this was pure heaven.
 I tried walking with the help of  crutches to balance me when I got home. It was like learning to walk all over again. The next day was better I could walk using just one crutch as stability. I walked around more to build up strength.
The next day, with the help of a crutch, I walked around with my husband in a grocery store. Needless, to say, I felt like a ran a marathon. I was exhausted and my back leg muscles were sore. I have to say, I was appalled at how obnoxious and inconsiderate people were in the grocery store. I can't tell you how many times women eyes glued on their cell-phones rushing around almost crashed into me. Unfuckingbelievable.
Walking around is getting better. I cleaned the bird cages this morning without help. It takes a lot longer but I feel emotionally better doing my normal routine.I find myself really appreciating all those simple things you take for granted. I want to get back to my old life and comfortable routines. It is so nice to be able to wash my hair in the bathroom shower rather than standing one legged over the kitchen sink.
At this stage I still have stability issues going up and down stairs. I do my morning exercises to keep fit.
My husband still helps me around with the other chores and he still takes me in the morning to see the pigeons.
One day at a time,I tell myself.
At least my foot is healing, and so far, no need for surgery. I'll still have to wear this walking cast until mid-August.
I look forward to wearing 'real shoes" in a few months as well, not this ugly-ass sneaker I've been wearing on my 'good' foot.The doctor told me close to six months before my foot will be "normal".

bad luck woodchuck

Here is the culprit (above) who had been digging at the back of the house. Yes, I am going to blame this woodchuck for why I fell over the wall. Perhaps if I had not been distracted by seeing a big hole at the side of the house I might not be sitting here in a cast.
Yesterday, I caught the little booger sitting on my sun chair. I grabbed my cell-phone (camera) to take a photo of him to show my husband. There he sits underneath it for now.
My cousin came over yesterday to keep me company. We played spanish music. It reminded me of when we were teens just hanging out and  listening to "Emerson, lake and Palmer".
We also listened to some beginner spanish instructional videos. But being the brats-who-never-matured-past-adolescence I had 'fun" with the videos. Me llamo.....(fill in the blank)...... senos grandes. (big boobs)
And of course, it went down hill from there.
I was a bit over tired last night, lost my footing and fell in the bathroom. I'm a bit banged up.My foot was really swollen too. I just can't seem to just do nothing and relax.
Well today I'm going to just rest and put my foot up. ugh....

trying to make the best of the situation

I was very very tempted to cut my cast off yesterday.
It's hot, smelly and suffocating.
 I long to stick my foot in cool water!Arrrrrgh!
My husband has been very kind to take me to the beach in the morning before it gets too unbearably crowded and hot .He knows how much I love the beach-even if I am just confined to a bench overlooking the Merrimack. I am at least out in the fresh air and the sun. We get there early so we can park at the bench area so I only have to hop a few steps to it.
(*this is my view from my seat)
People are out on their boats, the early birds are out fishing for stripers and the "Hampton beachers" are in the water.. The seagulls have figured out beach bags and plastic Shaw's bags mean chips and cheetos. A cooler means sandwiches.It's kind of fun to watch the gulls steal from the unsuspecting tourists.
 I can't wait to go in the water to feel that cool water on my feet!. I feel like I'm looking from the outside through a window at a party that I wasn't invited to.My bum hurts from sitting.My foot is still swollen and gross.Blah blah blah!
 I do my morning exercises routinely. My arm muscles are getting stronger and more defined. I have to admit my arms do look good, if nothing else.
We had a birdy visitor over the 4th. Her name was Jasmine. She is a green cheeked conure. She was scared when she first arrived. Once we had lunch she became more curious and interested in what we were eating. She definitely had a bratty side to her.
For a conure, she was relatively quiet. Oh yeah, she squealed but it is nothing like the noise sun conures make. A sun conure could break glass with their thrill 'call". She was a bit of a biter so I had to seriously monitor the other birds around her cage. I placed a small towel on top of her cage just in case any of my nosy birds landed on Jasmine's cage. Jasmine could easily bite off a toe. My husband did a great job cage cleaning and feeding Jasmine.Everything worked out well.
Well that is it for now. I need to elevate my foot now.

the pigeon waits for the bus

I was wondering where the pigeon was at dinner time. 

He is usually following me around.

I found him sitting in the bowl of greens that I had been soaking for dinner.

Needless to say, my husband had a fit when he saw the pigeon bathing in his collard greens.

Oh come on! A few feather bits and pigeon dingle-berries won't kill you!

Comfortable on my leg, ready to go to the next stop as I scoot around on the wheeled computer chair

He tries to find  a comfortable seat, on 'the bus".

He can't quite decide to sit on my pants or on my leg cast.

Soooo what are you waiting for? 

Let's go!

There he is waiting patiently at the "bus stop".

This is where I usually find him waiting for me to 'pick him up" to take him around and about the kitchen.

the corvette dodged a bullet

I'm trying to establish somewhat of a routine in able to cope with being incapacitated. I work out with hand weights, do leg lifts, sit ups etc.. for a good 30 minutes in the morning. I am sticking to a strict weight watchers format since, obviously, I can't go running in the morning. I must get some exercise by hopping around on one foot because at night-time I am exhausted.
I scoot around with the wheeled computer chairs to at least do some of the bird clean-ups and wheel over to the stove to cook dinner.
The pigeon likes this business of scooting around on the chair. He waits at the bottom of the stairs as if he is waiting for the bus so that I pick him up and put him on my lap so he can whisked around the kitchen.
The weather was weird yesterday with blasts of down pouring rain intermittently.It was really humid too. Thank God for central air.
About 3:00 pm, the phone rang from my long time friend telling me to turn the TV on.
 There was reports of a tornado sighting in the Essex county. The news was informing people to get in their basements and to wait.. In addition, I got a reverse 911 call from the police issuing a warning.
Oh what the F....!?!
Are you kidding me?
I was alone with my foot in a cast.
 I called my husband telling him to stay put at work and to turn on the news to watch the weather.
No way would I be able to go in the basement AND I wasn't going to leave my birds.
I have a small closet in the midsection of my house and if need be, I'd toss everything out of it, cram as many birds as I could in one cage and go in there.
 I think this would be the safest spot in the house because even the cellar has windows plus saws and other shit that could go projectile.
I kept the news on and thankfully, the tornados in our area turned out to be duds.
We did get some massive flooding in our area but my house was OK.
As we say on the boat, "we cheated death again".