Piczo

DAY to DAY

OK, I've been really lazy about updating this site lately. I do have a bunch of new photos of the birds on my camera & some day, hopefully soon, I'll get around to uploading them.

I've been busy keeping up with other bird enthusiasts on several of the bird forums I frequent. Doesn't seem to be a whole lot of traffic on any of them right now tho.

I've also been busy lately ordering things on line for the birds. Ah! the wonderful convenience of PayPal, huh? I think it's the greatest invention since bread!
So now I'm impatiently waiting for the mail person everyday. We didn't have any mail delivery today, as it seems half the city is off work for Presidents Day. But I hope tomorrow I'll get at least one of my orders.
I'm waiting for a really neat new shower perch I've ordered from e-bay. It's the kind that hangs over the shower door, rather than sticking to the wall with suction cups. I currently have the suction cup type, but it's not strong enough to hold Manu, even tho it has 3 large suctuion cups & is supposed to be "macaw sized". The one I've ordered is made out of PVC & has ridges on the perch part so it's not so slippery. I can't WAIT to try it out! Kewi has taken to showering with me & loves it! She seems to have a riot! I've got a couple of pics of her in the shower that I'll post soon.
I've also ordered an atom, or orbiter, from THE PERCH STORE that was on special. They frequently have good specials.
And then I found a really great store on e-bay with lots of toys at very reasonable prices. I'm not sure if she would want me to mention her name on the web, so I wont, but the wonderful woman who operates the FOR BIRDS SAKE store was SO nice & such a help to me when I was ordering, & excercised a lot of patience with my in-experience with using PayPay. She offers free shipping on orders of over $50, so I stocked up on toys for the fids & I'm SO anxious to get them! I don't usually buy so much at one time, but have to take advantage of the specials & free shipping when I can!

I just returned home after spending another week in San Diego with hubby & his family.
Very sadly, he lost his brother after a 6 year battle with multiple myeloma. Hubby & his sister flew out there earlier & were blessed with a couple of good days with Jeff before he slipped into a state of unconsciousness.
He passed away on Jan 20th, just months shy of his 54th birthday.

We've put together a nice little MEMORIAL SITE for him if you'd care to view it.

Thank you so much for the lovely Valentine graphic below Birdiemama!

All is going well with everyone here. Nothing new to write about.
I've been pretty busy since returning home from our trip, but not too busy to spend a lot of time with the birds!

I returned from our family Christmas vacation in Florida on the 28th, & while I had a great time, I can't tell you how happy I am to be home with my birds, cats & George! I missed them a lot, & even tho I know they were well taken care of, of course I did worry about them while I was away for so long.

Kewi is now officially done with her quarantine period & I've moved her cage into the bird room. It's going OK so far. But she is quite a good flyer & does not stay on her cage or playstand, but rather she flies to me wherever I am. I've never had to deal with that kind of situation before as my other birds are not good fliers & don't have enough control to land on me, LoL!
For now I just patiently keep taking her back & setting her onto her cage or playstand in hopes that when she becomes more used to the new surroundings & settled in more she'll tire of that routine.

Tomorrow begins a whole new year & hopefully some new beginnings.
My New Year resolutions are:

* to take better care of myself with diet & excersize (in other words - lose weight!)
* deep clean my house
* get a part time job
* & as always - to be a better person

HOPE ALL MY FRIENDS HAVE A

WONDERFUL 2008!!

The holidays are nearly upon us!

Normally I'm very busy at this time of year, preparing for a wonderful Christmas at home with my large family, but this year is going to be even more CRAZY than normal it seems ...

Hubby & I have made last minute plans to fly to San Diego, CA tomorrow morning to visit his brother & his family, we'll be flying back home on Sun the 16th. My daughter will come by to care for my birds & cats, & we are taking George to my sons house to stay while we're away.
When we return I'll have barely enough time to pack & be ready for our trip to Florida on the 20th. We're spending the week of Christmas there with my Mom, my sisters & brother & their families, my daughter & her 2 kids. We'll be coming home from there on 12/28!

YIKES!! That's a LOT of traveling for this home body!!
Needless to say I'm going to be very busy from here on out & not on line much, but before I go, I'd like to wish all of my visitors a

very

Good day with the birds today.
We woke up to a couple inches of snow on the ground & it came down pretty heavy until late afternoon. I was afraid that Jennie would be pretty freaked out by it, but she didn't seem at all bothered with it, thank God!

Kewi is turning out to be such a little LOVE! She just snuggles up & gives me hugs & kisses & is so sweet! I'm just eating it all up!
She does well with my hubby too. I was a bit concerned about that at first, especially given that Jennies such a ONE person bird, but she's content to sit on his arm, or leg in the eve while he's sitting down in front of the TV & that makes me very happy to see! Bless hubby's heart, he's really putting a lot of effort into it!

I've been planning & buying the birds some toys to help keep them occupied while I'm away on our week long Christmas trip to Florida.
My step duaghter will be coming by to care for the birds & the cats while I'm gone, but they'll spend more time than they ever have in their cages.
I ordered a couple of things for each of them from Drs Foster & Smith this evening. Ive already recieved the stainless steel "box of bolts" for Manu from Windy City Parrots, but am waiting to give it to him a few days before I leave, so it will be fairly new to him while I'm gone. I think he'll really love it, as he'll spend hours trying to take things apart!

Nothing much new going on at the homestead. Things are blessedly peaceful & going smoothly at the moment. I think I'm adjusting to the rountine of having a 4 fid family now, instead of 3. It was more of an adjustment than I thought it would be.

Manu has FINALLY quieted down after he went thru a phase of about a week or 2 of being unusually loud for long periods of time!
I don't if he gets like that periodically becuz he's in a mating mood, or what, but I suppose that could be the reason.

Jennie has been a real sweetie lover lately & Kewi is doing wonderfully!

Jeeez! I don't get done with bird showering & cleaning cages until well after 1 PM anymore! It sure makes for a busy morning!
During the cold weather months I only shower the birds 3 times a week as a rule. During nice weather I love taking them outside for daily showers & they always seem to love that too, but it's so much harder when I have to do it indoors. I generally flood the place!
All 4 of the birds seem to really enjoy their misting showers, most of the times. There are times however, when 1 or the other of them just doesn't seem in the mood. Such was the case with Kewi & Manu this morning. Always make me worry a bit ...

Wanted to mention Kewi's previous parront, as she certainly deserves mention.
She's contacted me a couple times to enquire how Kewi's doing. I've given her a link to this site so she can keep tabs on her that way too.
I have to commend her the great job she has done with Kewi in the past! I firmly believe that, like with kids, our fids personalities are composed of part nature, & a large part nurture & from what I've seen in the past 2 1/2 weeks that Kewi's been with me, she got the best of both nature & nurture!
Cindy obviously cared for & loved Kewi very much & it was obvious that having to give her up was very hard.
I only hope that I can continue giving Kewi the love, care & attention she is accustomed to!

Kewi is just such a sweet natured, loving & funny bird! She really seems to be attaching herself to me. Maybe a bit too much ... as I've seen her beak at hubby if he tries to have her step up if I'm anywhere in her sight. If I'm not in sight tho, she goes right up. I really don't want her to become a one person only bird, the way Jennie has!
I learn something new about her personality almost everyday. I've noticed that you can't approach her if she's eating something yummy, she gets very possesive or territorial of it! Like you see in a lot of dogs. I've just never seen that kind of behaviour in a bird before! That's fine with me tho, I can respect her feelings, just as long as the behaviour eventually doesn't extend to other things.

Manu contiues to be more loud & demanding of attention than he has been in the past.
He was such a very good boy when it was just him at the cabin this past week-end, without the other birds there. I think he either feels stressed about having a new feathered family member in the house, or it could be a hormonal thing at his age. Probably a combination of both.
I'll continue to spend some good one on one time with him in the eves when things are settled down here & I'm relaxing in front of the TV. He really seems to love that time & is so relaxed! He loves camping out right on hubby's out stretched leg, with me sitting close by.

Jennie's been a little sweetie too.

Kewi was a good girl today. She sure is a good eater! I notice her eating her pellets quite a bit throughout the days & she leterally attacks her warm meals!!

All in all, it was a good day with the birds, other than Manu being SO loud throughout most of the day.

Thought I'd try keeping a bit of a journal here. Just to kind of jot down day to day happenings.

I took Manu up to the cabin with hubby & I & stayed Fri & Sat nites. I just felt that I've been so caught up with Kewi lately & wanted to spend some 1 on 1 bonding time with him.
He was so good the entire week-end!
Even tho I spend all day, nearly everday, with him - tending to him, talking to him, playing with him a bit, stopping for the ocaisional head scritches, I do need to just take the time to spend some extra special quiet, quality time with him each day, preferably in the evening, he just loves that. I've found it's very easy to take him for granted & I know I shouldn't do that.

Thanksgiving was anything BUT peaceful at our house, LoL! We had kids & grandkids here for a big traditional dinner & with that many people in our small house, things tend to get a bit chaotic, especially with birds that feel the need to be HEARD above all else!!
Oh what a RIOT!!