Flag Counter
free counters

Saturday, May 15, 2010

Medicine Men

We're on a medical insurance plan which, sadly, get's us little bang for our buck, but it's considered the higher rated ones. So I take off the first two weeks of May for some serious doctors' appointments, and then a bronchoscopy. Let's just say that when they released me from the hospital that day, I didn't eat too well. Fast forward on ahead about two weeks, where it's my dad's turn in the hot seat. he has several procedures done to him, all falling into the major surgery category. The doctor said it would take 4-6 days for dad to heal enough to go home. It took 4 days just to get him out of the ICU safely.* He was in a lot of pain. His complete trip in the whole hospital last just about 2 wks. and he never wants to see Jello again, because that's one of the things they feed you on a soft diet after any kind of surgery.
We've definately been busy, medically speaking, but now it's winding down...FOR NOW...

*Due to a seperate incident.

Monday, May 3, 2010

See You Later

R.I.P
Pipper Jones
? - 5/3/10

How many times have I had to write these epitaphs up now for my pets; must've been more than a decade, but I've known and felt everyone that tip-toed through my hands or sat on my shoulder. Even the dozen or so wild chicks we tried to nurse back to health each have had their own personalities and hits me right where I live when they pass on. The bird that died today was the last female in a group of male Cockatiels (inbetween a parakeet and a cockatoo.) We kept them all as pets, and had as many as eight at one time. Now, we have only four.

The story of Pipper is interesting to start with. When we got her, we did not obtain her from a pet store. (You see, one of the originals mated with one of those which my grandparents obtained, and then decided to let go of after my grandmother's death. She was a female. So, we brought her home, and let Dude (the original)well, you know the rest.

Ok, So Dude and Reepicheep had 5 Chicks: PJ, Caspian, Firecracker, Mozart, and Cookie. (There's a great story behind each name!)

When PJ was about three, we got a call from some good family friends say a bird had flown into their garage. I wasn't especially surprised at this, but on hearing it was a cockatiel, and they were willing to give it to us, gratis, I pretty much insisted that we go pick her up. The little orphan's family did not know where she came from, but I had a boy that must've been around seven or eight that was really concerned for her, to make sure she found a good home. Well, she did. We decided on the name Pipper for her, and though she did not any chicks of her own, She made my bird, PJ, a good and caring mate. A little cagehappy, and though we could never break her wild spirit, she was one of the prettiest, and softest birds of the bunch, and will make a great addition to the Father's Natural Orchestra!