Forbidden Books

I’ve blogged in the past about how much I’ve enjoyed chewing my way through “Gone With the Wind.” It’s not a bad book, but sometimes a parrot wants a change. So, the other day I was hanging out on top of the reference books that my person keeps near her computer – and near my play area, too, I might add. So, anyhow, since I was there, I started nibbling on a dictionary. The first few nibbles tasted pretty good so I just kept right on going, having a grand old chew, until my person had to come along and spoil it all. As soon as she realized what I was doing, she got all mad and put me back in my play area. “Chew your own book!” she told me. Obviously she doesn’t get it that forbidden books taste so much better. Sigh.

Nests

There are lots of different kinds of outside birds. Not all of them are dumb robins. For example, there’s a pair of phoebes building a nest right above our kitchen door. My person and I watch them while we’re washing the dishes. OK, it’s my person who does the actual dish washing; I just sit on her shoulder and cheer her along. But still, we both watch the phoebes build their nest. They bring bits of moss and dirt and are building quite a sturdy-looking nest on a very narrow ledge. I have to admit that they’re very skilled. Still, I wonder at the method they choose. I mean, why bother spending all that time carrying around bits of moss and dirt when all you have to do is find a nice cozy hole in a tree and do a bit of chewing to get the shape and size just right. That’s how a parrot would do it. Since I’m an inside parrot, I make my nests by chewing up cardboard boxes or wooden boxes. We parrots know that chewing is a great nest-building method. No moss and dirt for us!

New Friend

My person brought home a big box today. That’s always exciting, though a little scary too, because you never know if there’s a predator inside or not. I always watch with a great deal of interest when my person opens a box or a bag. Today she pulled out a big, shiny thing. I wasn’t sure at first if I should be happy or scared, but as soon as she plugged it in, it let out several very friendly beeps. It was a new microwave oven! My old friend, the previous microwave oven, was apparently getting a bit tired out, so it’s gone off for a rest. I am so glad that the new one is just as friendly as the old one. I always enjoy beeping conversations with a microwave oven, and this one seems to be quite talkative. I’m also glad to have a new friend to entertain me because it’s been too cold these past few days to go outside in my carrier. The other day there was even snow on the ground! I thought it was winter again. Fortunately, the snow went away quickly, but it’s still cold out there. But at least I have my new microwave oven friend to talk to while I wait for the outside to warm up.

Friendly Time of Day

Breakfast is the friendliest time of day. The coffeepot is always very talkative then with its gurgling and slurping, and the microwave oven often joins in the conversation with a rumble and a beep. If the microwave oven is still sleeping, the toaster oven is probably awake, ticking and blinging away. The refrigerator usually has a rumble or two to add to the conversation. There’s always something interesting going on in the kitchen at breakfast time. It’s a great time of day, don’t you think?

It’s a Parrot’s Life

There’s not much new and exciting to report around here except, of course, that I have been outside in my carrier several times now and I am VERY happy about that. Other than that, I’m just doing the parrot thing—chewing, preening, squawking, eating, and always keeping an eye out for predators. My almost-daily outside walks have been enjoyable even though I do encounter a dog from time to time, especially that short little Sassy who lives around the corner. She thinks she’s got such a big yip, but I let her know who’s the boss in no uncertain terms. It’s very useful to have a loud squawk. Also, that gray parrot, Trouble, is visiting here this week, and that means more squawking for me—have to protect my territory. Well, that’s all the news from the parrot cage for now.