Hark! Back! Is a look back at blogs that appeared in a now defunct blogging site before I started with blogger in September of 2008. They are in no particular order.
March 24, 2008
The Cockatiel "Pearl"
One day I was at a garage sale, there was a bird for sale, so I purchased her cage and all. She was a female cockatiel, we named her "Pearl". Well as it turned out she hated me, even though I kept telling her "Pearl I rescued you, you should adore me, and worship the ground I walk on."
She had a love affair with Far Guy...it was sickening. When he would get home from work she would coo and make little throaty noises until he talked to her. After supper he would take her out of her cage and she would sit on his shoulder and groom his moustache, sideburns and ear hairs. If he had a toothpick in his mouth she would take it from his mouth ever so gently and then turn around and give it back to him. If I came anywhere near this exchange she would squawk at me and act like I was going to kill her or something. I can't lie...sometimes I thought I should wring her neck.
During the daytime when I was home alone I liked to catch forty winks on the sofa in the afternoon. Pearl would wait for me to go to sleep and then she would go ballistic, flapping her wings and squawking. This in turn would wake up the four Shelties that were napping near me and they would bark and bark. The cats would yawn and stretch..it was a zoo.
The cats loved to perch above the cage and stalk poor Pearl. We had one really fat cat "Shadow" who needed a little help getting above the cage, so I would give him a boost...great entertainment during the day.
Pearl never did like me, even if I was the only one that cleaned her cage and brought her food and fresh water everyday. Occasionally I would give her wet lettuce leaves to bathe on...none of this mattered to her. Sometimes she would peck my arm so hard it would bleed.
This evil bird was always transformed quite magically every evening at 6:15 when her best friend in the whole world came home from work. I guess she must have been a one man bird:)
Pearl with Caramel looking on!
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Update
Every time I see a box of Chicken in a Biskit crackers at the grocery store I think of Pearl as that was her favorite treat.
Pearl lived with us for about ten years. When Far Guy retired we put everything in storage and bought a camper we found a home for her with a nice old lady who she loved...and she lived a good long life.
Far Side
That is hilarious! I cannot believe it took you that long to find a new home for her.
ReplyDeleteFascinating that Pearl didn't like you even though you were the one feeding her. I enjoyed the flash back!!
ReplyDeleteWhat a delightful story. I loved reading about Pearl and her 'love affair' with your husband. haha
ReplyDeleteThat bird was definitely not friendly to females. I had a plain jane bird once upon a time in the 80s, when my kids were little and they did enjoy talking to it. Mostly I kept it clean and fed, until one day it just died...no reason for it that I would ever figure out. We didn't take it to a vet to find out, but I suspect it was lonely and probably needed a bird friend.
ReplyDeleteI loved that you had a really cool bird! It's interesting how animals pick their person. Sorta like us, I guess, picking an animal.
ReplyDelete(I do think that bird saw you has a threat to her man) Just say'n
ReplyDeleteInteresting story. On the bright side, I think all dogs like you. They are better to cuddle with than a bird.
ReplyDeletePearl had you pegged as the “other woman” from day one. Her devotion to Far Guy is hilarious. I can just picture the chaos with the dogs, cats, and one very opinionated bird. Thanks for sharing this memory.
ReplyDeleteOh how this made me laugh....I can just see you trying to get a little shut eye and Pearl watching you to make sure your eyes were closed. I love stories like this!! I sure hope Pearl was favored at her next home... this was a fun post..
ReplyDeleteFun story. I guess Pearl knew you were a dog and cat person.
ReplyDeleteThat is hilarious. We had a white cockatiel named Bobbie that Dennis taught the Mayberry RFD theme song to. Every time Bobbie saw him she started whistle that song. It was really cute. We re-homed her when we moved cross-country because we were worried she wouldn't survive a cross-country move mid-winter.
ReplyDeleteBlessings and hugs,
Betsy
That is too funny! Who knew that birds are so opinionated!
ReplyDeleteI burst out laughing! That's a funny story for sure! It's so strange why animals seem to like one person over another but they do! What a very unthankful pearl!
ReplyDeleteHow nice to read and 'all's well that ends well' story. We name our cockatiel "Cockatilla the Hun'. She was mean at first. Looking back she was probably just scared. Then she turned into a real honey of a bird. Thanks for letting me go back on a magical memory tour!
ReplyDeleteWhat a story, lol. What a crazy bird, biting the hand that fed her.
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness, she was a meanie, for all those years? wow. Good for you for not wringing her neck ha. :)
ReplyDeleteIt's frustrating when a critter takes a dislike to you. They are hard to persuade otherwise.
ReplyDeleteWow. Talk about biting the hand that feeds you. How interesting! I. Glad you found her a good home.
ReplyDeleteFunny tale about the most opinionated bird ever. I don't think I would have put up with her for long.
ReplyDeleteI liked this, they do at times bite the hand that feeds them
ReplyDeleteSounds like my dog...I love her, take care of her, but husband is her 'go to'.
ReplyDeleteLD...My one last cockatiel still starts singing when my wife goes down to see him. She took care of him years ago every morning while I was at school.
ReplyDeleteThis is a funny story! I know nothing about birds but this sure was an interesting one :)
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