Pass the Child, please...

The death of an icon. I am speechles. Sabayon will never be the same. Bechamelle will be forgotten. In honor of Ms. Child, I will slather my vegetables, meat and minerals in rich, raw cream butter.

I salute (sauté) her...

Sterling's Story

Abused, neglected and disabled, Sterling cowered despondently in the darkest corner. Shunned by his mates and deemed unfit to breed, Sterling was at the end of his rope. Luckily, a North Texas agency became interested in Sterling's story, but it would have to be someone very dedicated to relieve this poor fellow of his anxieties.

The rest is his-story...

Weekend Update

Ever been kissed by a large, friendly Blue & Gold Macaw? Well, let me tell you, it is not an experience you will soon forget.

Here's how the story goes:

Remember that on Saturday I was approached by my birdy friends to rescue a lovely blue Indian ringneck in Lubbock. The bird was not accompanied by any accessories, so I asked Jeff, a fellow bird lover and rescuer, if he had a cage I could borrow. And, of course, he did. I slip over to the units' house for some grub and movie while waiting for the call to come get the cage.

Oh, this is where it gets good...

Get the call from Jeff just as Mom is telling Joey exactly how to insert the DVD, if ya know what I mean. I pop over to Jeff's and arrive to find Jeff and Tommy getting ready to feed and having a relaxing conversation outside. Tommy is sporting BeBe, a large Blue & Gold Macaw on his shoulder. BeBe is a beautiful and friendly large bird and I am just brimming with excitement to hold her. Tommy assures me no prob and she swiftly climbs to my arm. I am admiring her beautiful head, amazingly strong feet and sweet demeanor. In fact, I am caught off guard as she strains and leans in for a big birdy smooch.

OK, now it gets REALLY good!

I am no stranger to parrot spit and am delighted that she is taking to me so quickly. So I, too, lean in for a big, wet, sloppy one and everything is just ducky. UNTIL, she decides that my bottom lip needs a little "plumping." She swiftly grabs said labia twixt pointy upper and flat, sharp lower beaks, gives a good hard pinch and then shrugs off with a sly look. I am stunned and think this is not too bad for my first macaw bite (these birds pack a whopping 900 PSI in those beaks - enough to sever a finger like butter). Tommy asks if she has bitten and I reply it was just a love bite. He gently admonishes her while I stand there beginning to feel the pain. I want to be "cool" so I ignore the bite and continue nattering on with Tommy. As I blather away I notice a curious look on Tommy's face and he suddenly asks if I would like a paper-towel. Meanwhile, I have the sensation that my lip is approaching Angelina Jolie size. Jeff brings me something to dab with and I realize that as I was blithering on, blood was crazily creeping down my chin. PRETTY!

Oh, the humiliation!

With swift goodbyes and apologies all around, I head home leaving my pride somewhere in the gutter. Arriving home, I am pleased to see that the movie is playing and the room is dark. I slip into my seat and watch the quite lovely British film, "Calendar Girls." Movie finishes, lights go up and to my chagrin ol' Mom has already figured out the state of my lower lip. Joey is delighted to see a hugely swollen lip sporting two neat little pinch marks.

Ok, now I want to crawl away.

We all laugh about it. I go home ecstatic about my first parrot on the morrow and I photograph the evidence.

The "J" Report, Episode 1/2 Dozen

I went on and on about J's big decision and as destiny would have it, I will have to make this decision for him. Here's the deal...

Once you domesticate a wild animal, it is very difficult to release them back into their natural habitat and have confidence that they will survive for any length of time. Strict evolutionists would say that I commited my biggest crime by taking J in at all. Nature, left to it's own devices would have either saved J of her own accord, or he would have lain on the ground and starved to death, thus following the sometimes seemingly random harsh dictums of evolutionary selection. In effect, I snubbed my nose at Mother Nature and took on the role myself. And, according to chaos theory I may have stared something that will be felt as a monsoon in Asia.

Either way, now I have this beautiful bird and friend who cannot return to his natural habitat. Let back into nature he would surely not be afraid of people who want to harm, animals ready to pounce, and unkind meteoroligical events. After much cogitation and discussion with those who have been through this heart-breaking yet rewarding process, I feel I have two options - J can go to the zoo where he will have a semblance of nature or he can remain a pet.

You vote...

Feather Brain

I'm getting a new bird tomorrow (sing, sing...lalalalalala). My new friend Jeff called me this morning and pleasantly asked me, "Do you want a bird?" I was stunned, shocked...mouth-gaping, breath-stopping, butt-clenching shock. "Whoa," I thought, "what kind of bird? Am I ready for this? Holy, great Googlymoogly!" So, my mouth says yes before my brain clicks on and now I am off tomorrow to Lubbock to collect one lonely and abused blue ringneck parrot missing a couple of toes and a good loving mom (pictorial documentation on return). I am so thrilled, excited, ecstatic I can hardly wait to get there and collect my prize.

Here's how this happens...

Mom receives Orange Wing Amazon in transaction with client.
I start talking to Mom again after 4 year estrangement.
I learn to LOVE Ecco, the parrot.
Struggling to find my bliss and make money doing so, I create India Pet Organics.
Mom hooks me up with local bird lady.

In a fit of insanity, I accept the responsibility of hand-feeding, -raising and socializing hundreds of conures, cockatiels and parrots.

I find my bliss.
Bird Lady becomes Crazy Bird Lady and goes tits up.
I go bonkers.
Mom goes to the mat for me and tells Crazy Bird Lady to "Shove your birds up your ass, you Bitch!"
I hang on to my bliss for the sake of my sanity.
Mom encourages.
I join Dallas and Fort Worth bird societies.
I meet Jeff, my new birdy friend.
I meet Jeff's extended and extensive family of loved ones - parrots, dogs, cats, chickens, and a big hairy thing called Tommy! (heehee, Jeffrey)
I rescue first parrot!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The door just opened and I am by the gods stepping through it. No one can stop me now!

Fancy Dancy

Look at me, look at me...I'm learning HTML. I have now added some photog galleries for your viewing pleasure. Soon I will be able to make the images work over my titles. Any help along those lines would be great. I created a super cool page in Front Page but when I cut/paste the HTML, it doesn't work right.

Grind, grind...I WILL conquer this!

New Jargon...and I LIKE it!

Last night over a hot fondue pot, and with a grand friend, I was introduced to some new dating terminology...Tadpoling.

I think I may have to try this...WooHoo!

Lost Languages

What girl doesn't like a healthy bouquet? It expresses so many things...thoughtfulness, love, atonement. But, like so many things in our world today, the actual language of flowers has been lost. As recently as the Victorian era, a strict social etiquette was required when courting or when comporting oneself in all manner of society. Along with "Floriography" we seem to have lost many of the social graces. When time is money, who can waste valuable days, weeks, even months on the uncertain pursuit of a woman or friend.

Shameful really??...

Happy, Happy...Joy, Joy

One might get the impression from my blog that I'm eternally disgusted, disillusioned, and downright bitchy. It's not really the case, though. I think of this as my personal forum to black & white my random thoughts and observations. It just so happens that lately, a spate of ugliness has settled around my family and I. However. lest you despair that you will find no joy in these pages, I submit...

A warm lick, a gentle peck, reckless tug-o-war and intemittent feedings are just some of the things that keep me joyful. We each struggle to find our "bliss" (as my Uncle Christopher so aptly calls it), our passion, the one thing that can fulfill us regardless of situational circumstances. Fairly obvious I would think for anyone visiting my posts, I would surely dry up and blow away if it weren't for animals. Of all kinds.

The absolute and unconditional shudder of joy that drifts through my body when J asks for food is sublime. I sleep barricaded in by two furry hineys stretched luxuriously by my side. When it's time for me to heal, to help , or to hope, I can count on my little friends to provide comic relief, a link to my more natural prehistoric past, and just the pleasure of being in company. As I write this, I find it incredbly difficult to actually say all of the things I want to and mean to. This passion/bliss runs so deeply in me that it is inexorably bound up with my essence. No separation. That may sound a little off kilter..but is it really?

J just landed on my shoulder and is asking for food...how miraculous is that? Huge smiles all around!

Sick, It makes me feel ill

Are we still so ignorant as to think that we can continue to pollute our waterways, nay our environs et. al., and continue to reap the rewards of an healthy earth? I am sickened by our inability as big-brained mammals to control our impulses; to distance our vision; to see the consequences. I am also made ill by my individual lack of contribution. How do I make a difference? How can I use the talents I have to make a dent? Perhaps I must be satisfied with my own small world in which I try to continue to educate myself, to practice solidarity with those who hold similar beliefs and to find employment that is conservation/education minded in outlook and practice.

This immense separation between capitalism and preservation is a gulf that widens daily. The chasmic rift between humanity and barbarity growns with each child brought into this inhospitable milieu. How to find compromise? I think we are past that. We are arrogant in our insistence that we can procreate, consume and denature our world without catatrophic effects that will cull our population remorselessly.

Earth will cleanse herself.

this is SO hard...

There is something amazing on the horizon... I am trying to teach myself HTML by practicing with Front Page. With any luck, and help from the gods, I will be able to change the complete fashion of my blog to reflect the more aquatic me.

Stay Tuned, Sports Fans

Scorpio is a WATER sign...go figure!

This is what one site says:

"Scorpio:
The sign of Scorpio is represented by a scorpion, snake or eagle. The scorpion and snake denote the primitive, instinctual sex drive that can be destructive if untamed but the eagle represents its higher attributes of mature paternal protectiveness and executive ability. This sign is the emotional urge to procreate. It's more than just the sex drive. It's the emotional drive to protect and perpetuate the family. Scorpios have natural executive ability. They inspire loyalty and are loyal and true to family, friends or employers they feel are their extended family. They can also be jealous and protective. They can keep a secret if necessary. They can be emotionally impulsive and be quick to anger. If a mistake was made, they will right the wrong done to others. Scorpios tend to marry someone like a family member or with a similar background. They are willing to compromise rather than breech their ties with their family. They need to be part of the family and they are protective of the family group. There can be intense infighting within the family but they will defend the family from the outside world. They generally have high energy and can get the job done. Sexuality is high on their priority list and is right below the veneer they show to the world. Scorpio is a Water sign, ruled by the planet Mars and associated with the sex organs, urethra and anus."

Maybe J is a Scorpio too

Soireé (sp?)

A party a couple of weeks ago with highschool friends. Can you tell we graduated in the 80's ??

It's just a "Phase"

By the end of last week, I felt driven, energized, stoned almost by a desire to move forward, to shed the old, to approach the Truth (as I conceive it), to begin anew. I wondered at that impetus and although I am not a big believer in astrological stuff, I do believe that we are affected by the turns of the worlds around us, this most assuredly includes the forceful moon.

Our second full moon in July, however not in the same astrological sign, once I realized that this weekend was potent with our rotund little orbiter, it was apparent why I felt compelled (at least in part). As with all things our lives, emotions, thoughts are "phasic," and the moon may just be a representation of that or it may have definite effect. Whatever the situation though, I take into consideration that I am indeed subject to my phases - both good and bad.

I certainly hope this next one is good...