Birdie's WebPage, Page 1

This webpage is in memory of Birdie, proper name Gazette. Birdie, a male blue budgie, lived with us of almost exactly 9 years. It was a delight to share our house with him. I have never meet a creature (man, beast, or bird) that enjoyed life more. Nor have I ever met anything that made his (or her delight) more obvious. He shrieked for joy when a member of the family entered his domain or when a missing bird toy was found and re-presented to him. We lost Birdie, April 9th 2001. The remainder of this website is in the present tense as it was originally constructed. I intend to add one more age discussing the loss of a great companion.	I would like to present his viewpoints on important world subjects but he doesn't speak English. The only budgies I've ever had the honor to share a house with that spoke English also shared a house with my sister. I know there is no correlation. This is not say he doesn't understand English. His vocabulary includes birdie, cutie, apple, shower and pocketbook (the latter two are long stories). He also has specific bird words for welcome, some specific toys, "carry me over to the big mirror", etc.
The two sides of Birdie.	The real reason I can't present any of Birdie's viewpoints is I don't understand them. For some, it is a wonderful thing to bang one's beak against a shinny thing!.. over and over again? What association or primal code exists with this activity? How can anything 3 or 4 " tall ignore size differential when standing next to something 5 or 6' tall? What does he jabber about, seemingly for hours, when perched on a bald head? It is reminiscent of CSPAN speeches but far more pleasant, rationale, and informative. I don't get it!!
The bird was purchased in March, 1992 by daughter Bonnie. Bonnie and Gazette co-habited for about 6 months before Bonnie, moved to college. Gazette was very much Bonnie's bird. Only she could get him out of the cage. Well, times have changed. No more Gazette. Now we have Birdie! Birdie has the keys to the executive cage. He exits and, on seemingly rare occasions, returns to his cage... when and only when he chooses. He leaves his cage more often than entering it. What do I know? The paper on the floor of our bedroom needs replacement more often then the paper in his cage.	The first 9 or so months of Birdie's life, he lived in Bonnie's bedroom. His cage was adjacent to the family hamster's cage. The bird was enthralled with his little neighbor and spent most of the day adjacent to the hamster's cage, chirping as loud as he could, attempting to wake the hamster. The bird, of course, is a day creature, Hamhead was a nocturnal animal. When the hamster was awake, during the day and moving about, the bird went berserk with joy.
	Eventually, the bird's cage was moved to our (or his) bedroom. He never forgot the hamster. Occasionally the hamster (in cage) was brought to Birdie's room for a visit. The bird would return to his berserk state climbing all over the cage and chirping at the hamster. This activity would and was intended to wake the poor hamster. Birdie always ignored when the hamster tried to chew his toes off. At that time, we had a very old and, fortunately for the bird, arthritic cat named Chubby. I've noted that the bird makes no allowance for size. Somehow one furry pointed eared 4 legged creature seemed as good as another. If it is great to bug the hamster, it must be great to bug the cat. They look the same. Boy did that "give the benefit of the doubt philosophy" puzzle Chubby and cause concern for us.
The bird has more money than I do.. but he doesn't have a job. So much for the end of welfare, as we know it. He is big on taking anything shinny. If you like it and can move it, it's yours. A socialist? This includes jewelry, coins, hardware, and watches. The heavier the better. He drags or carries objects many times his weight large distances. He isn't selfish. He loves to share his toys with the family. If one starts playing with "his" toys one is immediately joined by a bird expressing a shout of joy. Of course, the bird will drag the toy away if it can be moved.	The blue parakeet in his natural environment. In the picture on the left, we can see coins, keys, and a key chain. The picture is misleading in that only small light objects appear. Daily, he empties the top of my wife's dresser onto the floor and the contents of a medicine cabinet into the sink. On good day, he can throw something as far as the potty.
Another strange affliction is an an interest in zippers of any kind. Many inexpensive pocketbooks have zippers. Somehow, the bird that never leaves the house benefits from the largess of makeup sales ladies at large department stores. If one is wearing a sweater or sweatshirt with a zipper when entering the bedroom, one ends up wearing a bird, as well. Of course I have the same problem when putting on my watch.	This is either "For Whom the Bell Tolls," or a watch raid.

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Jerold H Feinstein saftyrma@yahoo.com
Copyright Jerold H. Feinstein, PE 1997-01 All rights reserved; contact for permission to use
This page was last updated on 07/30/01 and is located at http://geocities.datacellar.net/CapeCanaveral/Hangar/6056

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