Life in the Cuckoo's Nest

You’ve probably read the book or seen the movie, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. If you haven’t, have no fear. Come and visit us and you’ll feel like you’re IN the cuckoo’s nest!

Our parakeet Charlie used to make an airborne trip around the house a couple of times a day, then land on his playpen in the window to watch the outside birds, then sit in his cage for the remainder of the day. When he was almost four years old, we bought him a playmate, Chip. Chip is young, energetic, and full of life.

Now, Charlie is kept busy from morning til night as the two of them make fifty trips a day flying from the living room to the kitchen and back. You’d better duck if you’re in their flight pattern! It looks like they’re racing to see who can make the flight in the shortest time. Then they land on the playpen and plot their next round of mischief by leaning into each other and chatting a mile a minute.

Since he was raised in a pet store cage, it’s been a riot watching Chip at home learn to fly, and navigate, and land. For the first week or so, he reminded me of a terrorist that only learned to fly a plane, not land it. Chip would fly from the cage to the playpen, no problem, then crash land on the window blinds. Then he would go back to the cage and try again. Each time landing closer to the playpen until he finally set his feet on the playpen perch. Ah, success.

One minute the two of them are rubbing beaks in an oh so tender moment, the next they’re chasing each other around the cage while the chasee tells the chaser to “Bug off and leave me alone.” They’re never quiet except when it gets dark and they retreat to their cage for the night.

Stewart and I don’t need television with these two around. They provide us with a boat load of enjoyment that keeps us laughing. And I hear that laughing keeps us young!

I’m waiting for the bluebirds to come back next month, but for now there’s a beautiful goldfinch hanging around outside that puts a smile on my face and a song in my heart. For Christmas, Cyndi and Bill gave us a clock that sings a different bird song on each hour. As a sign in our kitchen says, THIS PLACE IS FOR THE BIRDS. No truer words were ever spoken.

 

Quote of the day: Birds are a miracle because they prove to us there is a finer, simpler state of being which we may strive to attain.  Douglas Coupland