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Saving one animal will not change the world but it will change the world for that animal.
Namaste
Happy Father’s Day to all you dads out there.
Sad week at Chez Tigre. As most of you know in addition to a houseful of tigers I also have a budgerigar, commonly known as a parakeet, named Lao Tzu. Predominantly white with some pale blue on his head and wings. He’s at least 10 years old. In addition to being a pleasure to watch he serenaded us every evening, particularly around 10-11 o’clock. Sometimes some beautiful birdsong, other times that crazy budgie chatter. Wednesday morning I fed him and changed his water as usual. A couple hours later I was walking out to the kitchen and didn’t see him on a perch. I went over to the cage and he was on the bottom. Rest In Peace, Lao Tzu. You’ve been a wonderful companion. See ya at the Bridge.
Crazy Horse. A situation that confronts not only the professional keepers of rescues but those of us at home as well.
Make sure your sound is up.
Janis’s kittehs in their enclosure
Da kitteh’s first leap
Soon
I’ll be in and out today. Got some things I want to do.
Share your tiger stories with us.
96 Comments
Afternoon, firekittehs
RIP sweet birdie.
Morning, Southern Dragon (and any lurking caturdenizens/firekittehs, etc.)
Adorable kittehs…good choice for the first one. Love that.
I’m going to check the links later; also got bunches of stuff to do, having gotten back from Houston about 7:30 yesterday. I managed to unpack the suitcase, feed the kittehs, etc., and then crashed on the sofa til bedtime. Slept longer than intended, as usual, but not as long as some mornings.
I slept really well on the hotel bed; wonder if that means I need a new mattress?
I didn’t quite accomplish everything intended…no schmoozing at all, really, didn’t win the iPad giveaway (though I did manage to be present at the drawing), was so tired both evenings I failed to get down to the hotel pool…but made it Saturday morning. Hot tub was loooovvely…
I might not feel too good about the money spent, but yesterday I did manage to find the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, and really, really enjoyed a couple of the special exhibitions, and some of the regular. Also a decent lunch at the Museum, so no searching for a place to eat before getting on the road.
Got lost trying to find the way back to the highway west, but that allowed me to see some of the neighborhood around the Museum District…and accidentally discover Rice University, too. Much more attractive area than the parts I’d seen from the freeways (ha).
South American gold and pottery and feather works, (regular collection), special exhibit: Rembrandt and contemporaries, then Joshua Reynolds and Thomas Gainsborough and contemporaries. All from the collection of a British Guinness heir. Then some pre-Impressionists, and Impressionists (regular collection, Ithink). Plus, on the way to the elevator up, some fabulous Greek and Roman sculpture. I couldn’t resist, I stopped and gazed at and walked around everything.
I would wager that the quietness without the bird is taking some getting used to once again…
Oh, and the kittehs? Well, they were hungry when I arrived, as the sitter came evenings, but glad enough to see me, I think. Pushy hung out with me through the evening, but Smokey and Squeaky seem to have taken up residence in the kitchen.
Sitter’s notes said no kitties were in evidence the first night; second night, spotted Squeaky in the kitchen window, but she “fled for her life when she saw me.” Heh.
New sitter…same one for years, but she left to have a baby. Oh well. They were kind of coming to know her…would come out and play if I was away long enough.
Smokey and Pushy are here on the desk beside me, though. Squeaky in the kitchen. Sigh.
You got that right. I’m so used to hearing him. Have been doing some research and they’ve really come up with a lot of info on budgies since I last looked, many moons ago. I think I’m gonna forgo getting another bird. Just have to get used to it I guess.
That sounds like so much fun. I love museums.
Abner has a new nickname via my nephew. Abadoodle. Teehee.
That’s nice to hear! I imagine the twenty-somethings in my office will exchange looks…Huh? Museum? Heh. I’ve always loved ‘em, too, at least as far back as I can remember. Parents got me started with a good (for the time) Children’s Museum in Indianapolis.
Sorry about the silence without Lao Tzu…you could probably get a recording of a budgie’s song, but it wouldn’t be Lao Tzu.
Btw, just petted Smoodgie a bit, up on the wall. She came to the door to eat this morning, after I spotted her up on the wall and invited her. Big Boy followed shortly after.
Big Boy was lounging in the middle of the front yard when I drove up yesterday! Of course, he got up to run, til I rolled down my window and called to him. He was still confused, but hung around.
Smoodgie turned up…on the wall, a little while later, but she looked so sad, and didn’t want to come down, so I fed her up there. She dove in with her usual enthusiasm. Still looking a bit askance at me…hey, it was only two days, guys! Well, I did wash her neck this morning, trying to get the dried blood off her fur. Perhaps I went too far. *g*
Hey, ysp! Bet Abner won’t answer to such an undignified nickname. Heh.
How are things? Thought of you a couple times…drinking coffee…it was free with a free full breakfast at the motel. Hot eggs—cheese stuffed omelets Fri., scrambled yesterday, plus cinnamon rolls and muffins and bacon… Bacon! Like most trips, I ate more bacon than normally would in 6 mos….One of those On-vacation! things.
((Smoodgie)). Give special Scritches from me if she allows it. Poor dear.
When I was a kid I’d ride with my dad into DC on Saturday mornings and head straight for the Museum of Natural History and the Smithsonian, right across the mall. Spend most of the day there, catch a flick and ride the bus home or if dad had an early gig I’d go there and come home with him. Sometimes that would entail a trip to the Texas Chili Parlor with the band. They made chili that would give you breath that could melt paint off walls.
Aw, thanks, I will. She usually allows scritches. She dozed on my lap, being scritched and rubbed, shortly before I loaded up and left on Thursday. She likes that.
Sigh. Can’t give into temptation to hang out here at Caturday right now; too many things to do…groceries, allergy meds, pick up paycheck from my office (I hope), do more laundry, do some work prep, maybe, etc., etc.
BBL. Good to be home!
Things are fine here other than Mr. Shooting a nail through his thumb yesterday. Second weekend in a row at the emergency room.
Abner will *not* respond to such an undignified name, naturally. I’ve noticed a huge loss of sheen in his fur since we switched to IAMS from science diet. Aaarrrgh. Was hoping IAMS would be better.
Oh, heck..DC! When I go there, I’m all about the museums! Spent whole days there every visit when I was younger. Pretty much never have done anything else while there (for fun, sometimes I was there for a job interview or something). Looove the DC Museums, all of them.
Although walking from one to another down the Mall in the summertime always made me feel like I was in the desert, seeing mirages…my destination sooooo far away! They’re all so monumental!
But fabulous inside.
I remember being so excited when the “new” wing of the Fine Art Museum was built, and the cafe…eating in front of the waterfall outside it.
Oh, dear. I’ve been debating a new food, too; couldn’t make up my mind last time so brought home the same SciDi. They have always done well on it, but I worry about contamination.
That may be due to the switch in foods and should come back.
Sounds like Mr needs to be a mite more careful with power tools. Don’t know that I’d let him near a Skil saw.
Why, dakine, I just looked at your pic, and see you have a bird on your head! Not sure what kind…..don’t know birds that well. Does that one still live with you?
Dang, didn’t I say I was leaving? Clock creeping forward, better be getting up RIGHT NOW!!!
IIRC it’s a cockatiel.
Oh, good. I’ll stick with the IAMS a little longer. Yeah, been telling Mr. What a dumbass he is. I envy his mad construction skillz to be honest. Not the nail gun accidents though.
Exit polls showing conservative New Democracy slightly ahead of Syriza in Greece, via exit polls. Damn.
They still make good hammers and nails in the US. Lot cheaper, too.
It may take a while but their system will adjust to the Iams.
Yes it is a cockatiel but it wasn’t mine. The pic was taken Thanksgiving ’97 at a first cousin’s in Albany, GA. He had gotten “Fred” for his wife since their sons were grown and moved out then his wife had some serious surgery and the sons all moved back in. I’ve been told Fred finally passed away a couple of years ago.
Huh. Now seeing tweets claiming exit polls favor Syriza.
Posted this last week but somewhat late and nobody commented so maybe noboby saw it. Anyway, I thought they were cute and touching, so…
http://www.mnn.com/family/pets/videos/klepto-kitty-the-cat-burglar
Klepto kitty the cat burglar
and
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/06/dog-nurses-tiger-cubs-photo_n_1574598.html?ref=green
BTW, love the picture of the “melting” cat. In spite of the fact that it’s laying in a gutter, doesn’t it look like it has great silky fur? And a lovable expression.
At this point we’ve spent nearly as much on medical treatment as on the project.
I saw that. Cute. It’s been around a while.
*snort*
GREAT pics…;) Thanks.
Good memories….esp for Father’s Day.
OMG. That cat can carry unwieldy stuff. Cute.
SouthernDragon–
Sorry to hear about your budgie–they are great little birds. Our “Bubba” was one of the most vibrant colored blue parakeets that I’ve ever seen, and so sweet. (We weren’t going to get another bird, either, but in time, broke down and got a White-Faced Cockatiel. After you’ve had time to grieve, you might want to consider one of them. Their personalities are similar to that of Budgies, but they have considerably longer life spans, approx 30-35 years, on average.)
Blue
Not only that, but how about prodigious production? Up to 11 items a night, 600 items total! Did you catch the size and number of all those bags the cat’s hoomin mother had collected and sorted?!
Heh, I’m 68 and ain’t about to get an animal who’s gonna outlive me.
But another budgie, never say never.
Sorry about Lao Tzu. When I was a child, we had, (among other pets), a budgie, a cat and a boa constrictor. The budgie lived in a cage in the living room, the cat lived wherever, indoors or out, my room or one of my siblings’, wherever. The snake was fed in it’s cage but it went pretty much anywhere to find an out of the way spot to sleep. One evening my dad and I were alone in the house. He was on the sofa and I was on the floor, watching a movie. The budgie made one of it’s escape attempts and flew out of the cage and across the floor at about three feet of altitude. The cat grabbed the bird in her mouth and simultaneously the snake lunged from under the sofa and missed the bird but latched onto the cat’s neck and threw a coil around her torso. Then I grabbed the mass of struggling predator/prey and managed to free both the cat and the bird, receiving bites from all three for my trouble. I don’t remember my dad ever laughing so hard in his life. He would have helped me of course but the whole thing lasted maybe two seconds.
I have a friend with a yellow headed parrot that I once took into my home to care for as a favor….35 years ago! The parrot, (Mai Tai), is still going strong and he’s willed to their son.
Hi People of the Cat. Can just stay a minute, but wanted to share a little book that I ordered for The Lentil.
Catwings by Ursula K. Le Guin.
It is the first of 4 little (5 X 7 inch paperback, 48 pages, probably half illustrations) books about a litter of kittens born with wings. It is for early readers, grades about 2-4, but it will be a good book to read aloud for little ones.
Had never heard of these, but after reading this one I’ve ordered the other 3.
Hope everyone is having a good day. Happy Father’s Day to everyone who has or has nurtured children or pets. Hats off to you, especially, SD.
See you later,
ohmmmm
*shudder*. You had a snake slithering around your house? *shudder*
So what was the ending?……..LOL
Yep. Cat, bird, snake and hamsters inside with tortoises, terrapins, bunnies, dogs and etc. outside… A real menagerie, which is just what my mom called it.
Nope, I don’t want constrictors in my home, with or without cats. No fuckin’ way.
Oh not much of an ending really. The bird went back into it’s cage, the cat became even more wary of the snake and the snake wasn’t allowed out unsupervised anymore, (the Budgie belonged to my mom!). Oh, and I got painted with tincture of methiolate.
SouthernDragon–
That’s an excellent point. Petey is nineteen years old, now, and since Mr. Blue and I are both sixty, we’ve had to arrange for a “guardian” for him, just in case (along with the dogs).
Anyway, have a good Father’s Day.
Blue
No fuckin way is a huge understatement.
A bit of Ophidiophobia, eh? ;)
Margaret, didn’t see your post until after I replied to SD. But as I mentioned to him, it does pose (or potentially does) a dilemma when you have a pet with such a long life expectancy.
I’m not that knowledgeable about parrots (just think that there’re beautiful), but I know that many of them live a REALLY long time. Much longer than Cockatiels. Glad your friends have a son that will care for him. They’ll need to, with a parrot.
(BTW, excellent reply to Rep Grayson. You articulated what I would like to have said).
Blue
I was discouraged by the utter lack of courtesy he was shone by some of our community. There’s no need for people to assault the guy out of the gate. I don’t understand why some people think that calling people who they are trying to persuade bad names is in any way helpful.
“shown” of course. I hate typing standing up!
People are angry and they vent their anger by striking out at anyone who they think represents what they’re angry about. Courteous discourse is now considered something for wimps and those not fervently anti-something enough. Disappointing. I guess it makes some feel good about themselves but it doesn’t accomplish anything else.
Yes. The snake as pet thing doesn’t work for me. At all.
Margaret hit a good balance of deference and challenge at the salon yesterday. I thought everyone was well behaved, considering.
BTW, since you’ve hosted a book salon, any chance we could get David Graeber for one?
Or prof Wolff?
Actually, particularly bad feelings are thrown at Rep. Grayson, and his posts get a lot of razzing – and I am under the impression that there are commenters trying to run him off, having nothing to do with what his posts address. Guest commenters, imho, are to be encouraged rather than treated like punching bags.
Forgive my own bad manners; thanks, SD, for hosting.
There’s a back story to this Book Saloon that I won’t go into but I think I was a choice of last resort and fairly late at that. I don’t have any influence with the Saloon editors. They get a lot of books from publicists, etc but I have no idea how they’re chosen for the Saloon.
There’s a lot to do to prepare for one of those things. Ya gotta read the book, write an intro and have a bunch o’ questions ready. All before it opens up.
Would I do it again? Dunno.
Margaret–
I couldn’t agree more. I certainly took pains to be respectful in my tone and words. And felt badly that he was treated very disrespectfully (and hatefully, in some instances) by other commenters.
Now, his answer to me–implementing a more progressive tax structure and a public jobs program, while great–won’t come close to offseting the damage and havoc, that passing Bowles-Simpson will impose. OTOH, had I been at the computer while he was being attacked, I would have tried to mitigate the attacks, as best I could. I fear that he’ll never be willing to “talk to us” again, and frankly, I can’t say that I’d blame him.
I’ve already decided to vote third party for President, but I supported “a handful” of Dems down ticket (and I do mean, “handful”), until I finally threw up my hands, about a year ago. Heck, I’ve contributed money to Grayson 3 times, in the past. He disappointed me greatly when he folded on the public option, etc., BUT his willingness to speak truth to power as much as he did, was fairly impressive.
Anyway, I thought that the way you articulated what the progressive community needs from Washington, was very effective. And I thank you for doing so.
Blue
Yep. Immediately gratifying but ultimately self destructive.
Thank you and you’re welcome.
Snakes as pets are unconventional of course and shouldn’t be taken on if there is ophidiophobia in the home and if the owner isn’t entirely committed to their care. We were country folks and there were farm animals and livestock everywhere with a lot of native wildlife thrown in.
Hey, all. Been lurking and reading, but couldn’t pass this one up. SD, you were probably chosen because you have a large following of your own of mostly sane folks, and I’m pretty sure the PTB have noticed that you brook no nasty disruptions nor unsavory rudeness thrown in just for good measure. I say you were a good choice for those reasons alone, altho I missed most of the salon and I’m sure hassling Grayson would have gotten the best of my better nature. Or hadn’t you noticed that your column brings in the numbers pretty much on a daily basis!
I don’t know that I would do it once. I try to read a little every day but I find my time more and more limited.
Thank you. I’ve wondered about that but have no idea how to check it out. With the Saloon the mods have to do all the dirty work.
On edit: hmmmm, I need to learn how to play with the site meter
:~) !
Have you checked on the BS thread from yesterday? I was so amazed at the post that insulted me, but then…something about the conversation made people crazy and needing to rant. The only one in recent memory that deteriorated so much was something also in the lesser or 2 evils topic….I am still amazed at yesterday. Just wow…SD, I know the dust up was not your fault…;)
At least it didn’t get really nasty until after the Saloon was over.
Right…It was just not clear to me what got folks so riled, including the one who insulted me. The writer can never answer all the questions or satisfy everyone with responses. Maybe that was shades of the coming election…There are times when I think the questioner should write the desired response…;)
See my #52. It’s gonna get worse.
Yesterday there was mention of the non-violent communication program/method. We may need a bit of practice…GW was in the conversation, but Ive forgotten anyone else.
A/C went out. The coils were a solid block of ice. Had to defrost.
By the way, you did a fabulous job yesterday. Thank you so much!
You’ve got mail cat man.
Wasn’t that a great job? I like how Mr. Jones seemed to believe that SD hadn’t read the book and our Dragon let him know, gently but authoritatively that he had, in fact, read it. A model of how to conduct yourself in such a situation.
*whew* Starting to cool back down in this oven.
The book salon today seems really depressing…I maybe thru…or not.
Glad you got the fix, Peg…
Hello again folks. Hey, why aren ‘t you cheering yourselves up with kitteh (or any pet) talk? Plenty of threads to bring us down; this one is for talkin’ ’bout pets ‘n fun stuff.
Speaking of, guess why I ‘m typing on my Kindle? One guess, now: it ‘s because there is a cat on my lap so I can ‘t get up. Kindle was handy, laptop across the room.
Smokey and Squeaky are still ensconced on the kitchen counter. Sigh.
Glad you got the ac going…not a good day to be without. (Fanning self, just came in from errands).
Not much going on with Neko this afternoon. She was very interested in getting into the space where the A/C and water heater are but now she’s just napping..
Rudimentary knowledge of physics can be useful and good. :)
Hey, If you check back…How was your conference? And were there any Immigration programs?
Hey. Conference not bad..missed the few immig classes. Missed most of the ones I most wanted bc yhey were on Thursday and I missed the whole day. Just too tired on Wed. And Thursday a.m. stomach was upset…finally got there about 6:30 pm Thus. Ztoo late for anything. Stayed Fri night cause obvious I couldn ‘t drive 4hrs at end of the day. Trßffic is pretty terrible, even tho I missdd the worst of it. Would not eant to drive like that every dsy, twice a day.
See up at 2 or 3 or so where I talked about my museum visit. Best part. Food was very good.
; )
O dear. Sorry you were ill…But glad the museum outing was good; sounded nice. Thanks.
Know what ‘s pit iful? I wasn ‘t really sick ; just had been eating junk, and it paid me back. IOW my own fault. Oh well.
Can only stop in quickly right now. So sorry about the little birdie, SD. I know that they can be as much family as any furry. My mother has had a few that she misses after many years.
Been a slow day. That’s okay, I could use a break anyhoo.
It has been slow but as I can’t really sit in my chair for any length of time anyway, it’s all good. Neko and I just shared a small bowl of Cheerios. No, she doesn’t eat the cereal, she just insists on sticking her face into it to make sure I’m not hiding tuna or something from her.
I’m gonna call it a day.
Thanks, everybody for visiting today.
Be good to yourselves, and all other living things
Namaste
Does she drink the milk?
She takes a taste usually but I won’t let her drink much, nor does she seem to want to.
Funny. Hidi g tina in the cereal boel.
Smokey waits patiently foe “his ” milk at tje bottom of the bowl, but the other two dont much care.
btw, Smoodgie is on the wal, where I took her dinner. She came to the door for breakfast, and eats eagerly, although her neck looks ugly today. Whdn she doesn ‘t care yo est anymore, I ‘ll see what ‘s next. Sorts like Vrszy Horse the Bobcat. At least he lived a long life e and didn’t become a coat. (Gaaah…how csn people wesr fur?)
Thanks for another caturday caturfolk.
Er,
hiding,bowl, not boel…trouble with virtual keyboards..
Good night, Peggy, Southern Dragon, everybody out there. Next week, same time, same place