Conure Corner - Niblet's Blog

So Much For Clean Bill of Health

3/15/2019

Hi all, sorry we've been MIA for so long. So much for a clean bill of health. Mommy and daddy both got knocked flat out with viral conjunctivitis just after the last entry. It's been vicious. Daddy had to have pseudo-membranes removed from his eyes several times, and mommy went into another, second virus that knocked her out. It's been vicious. They've had a long, hard road with this. Daddy got cleared on Tuesday and is healed, but mommy is still on the mend. We would appreciate your prayers for healing and restoration. Pink eye sounds like kids stuff, but let's just say we see why people fear it. They got a bad, vicious version. They'[ll fear this virus for the rest of their lives.

So that's where it's been at. We definitely spoke too soon in that last entry. Here's hoping that healing is finally coming to our home.

Happy Friday to you all, and I hope you have a great weekend. Thanks for being great friends.

Luv,

Bubbles

Clean Bill of Health

2/19/2019

I’m happy to report that mommy and daddy both have a clean bill of health. They’ve both been proclaimed healed, and are good to go again. No more excuses now for being tired, being slow, or not being on top of their game. Yay!
In know they’re glad, and it’s just in time. This wacky weather has nature not knowing what to do. There’s pollen out there already! The outside birds are crowding the feeders, and daddy had to put a board at the bottom of the workshop because he caught a cat under it stalking the birds last week. They’re going to work in sweaters one day and short sleeved shirts the next. Goodness, we don’t know if it’s winter or spring anymore!

Mommy said she’s going by the fact that Easter is late this year, so she’s not making bets on spring stuff just yet. She wants to plant more rose bushes, but is waiting until later in March because, as she put it, “I’ve killed enough plants.” True that. Grandmommy had to give us a new bamboo cutting for the house plant after mommy accidentally overpruned ours last year. My bamboo! I remember it as a young twig in our old house, sitting beside my cage. I’m glad grandmommy could save it. I’m also glad that mommy is giving gardening another shot. She was so discouraged last year when the rose bushes died right after losing Chloe. It’s good to see that determination and emotional resilience coming out of her again.

She’s also planning to release another book in April. It’s the last book in her Earthside series, and she’s excited to have it almost done. She’s a little sad too, because she’s been working on this series for five years. But she already has ideas for a new project that she hopes to start in the summer or fall, after taking a brief break to rest, work on short stories (as if that ever works out for her), and do some research to “give the project direction.” Writers are so weird. But it’s good to see her happy, motivated, and embracing life. And it’s great to see both her and daddy well again.

So that’s life in our corner of the world. I hope you’re doing well. Take care, and have a great week.

Luv,

Zack

The Yuks, Part 2

2/10/2019

We're trying this healing thing with the humans one more time. As you saw in the last post, the parronts got sick with some mystery sinus virus that knocked them out for a week. It turns out that something is going around this area. It's not a cold or, as Bubbs said, that thing that rhymes with BLUE, but it has many of the same symptoms, and it hits fast and hard. Such was certainly the case with the parronts. Then daddy had to have an emergency endoscopy last Monday, and the doctor discovered that he has an infection in his esophagus.

Well, darn!

So two sickly parents, and this is an "again" for both of them. Mommy had a sinus infection the week before Christmas, and daddy has an infection in his esophagus a year ago. The problem is, both of them are so busy at work that they couldn't take off (except when daddy had the endoscopy Monday, and they both heard about that in full, surround sound stereo on Tuesday). Well, they heard about it until people started catching the "mystery virus" from them. They tried to warn people, but nobody listened until their own sinuses started to swell shut. Yep, it wasn't an exaggeration or being dramatic folks, it was all too real. Viruses don't mess around. Neither does mucus. Boom, there it is.

Sometimes you try to help people, and they just won't listen. That's what mommy says, and I think she's right. Add that to my list of reasons why I'm glad I'm a bird.

Bubbs and I are being super sweet and trying to help the parronts heal. It isn't easy when they have to keep going despite needing the rest, but we do what we can. Mommy at least is getting better. She's spent the weekend cleaning and stocking the house, and trying to get things back in order. Daddy just finished his medication, so we hope he'll be on the path to recovery soon. Keep them in prayer. The 'yuks' seem to be stuck on them lately!

That's all today. Take care, and have a great week.

Luv,

Zack

What Rhymes With Blue?

1/30/2019

Mommy and daddy have been sick with a mystery sinus aliment the past week. They aren’t sure what it is. At first, they thought it was a bad cold, but it was more severe than that. Then mommy wondered if it wasn’t the cold’s evil cousin that we don’t mention for fear of a panic outbreak, but rhymes with the color that I am. But then it cleared up quicker than that would, but they had the vaccine so maybe it could clear up that fast? Mommy knows you can still get that thing that rhymes with BLUE even with the shot because it's happened to her before. All we know is that they were awfully sick, but they seem to be on the road to recovery now. I sure hope nobody catches it from them. That would be a shame.

I’m sure the extreme cold hasn’t helped. It isn’t as bad here as it has been in the Midwest, but it’s been colder than usual. And, of course, extremes of weather aren’t good for anything. We’re praying for our friends in the path of these winter blasts, and hope things get back to normal soon. Winter sure does suck!

So Zack and I have been healing parrots once again, but we pray they get well and stay well this time. Goodness knows they need it. When it comes to humans being sick, enough is enough!

That’s all today. Take care, and have a great rest of the week.

Luv,

Bubbles

Winter Blahs

1/23/2019

As you could probably tell, the hens were a wee bit cranky last week. Actually, the whole flock was cranky. Mommy and daddy have been quite busy at work. Mommy also has been busy working on edits with her novel that she plans to publish this spring. She’s been trying to get her beta and proofreads done on it now, before everybody gets busy when the weather warms up and reading takes a “back seat” to spring activities. And Bubbles was molting.

Thankfully, this week is better. Work is still busy for the parronts, but they’re getting a better handle on it. Bubbs molt is over too. She’s in the itchy pin feather stage now, but she’s plugging along in her usual feisty nature. None of us like getting up while it’s still dark for the parronts to head to work, but we’re managing.

My solution is to just play and keep it going in my usual good conure-nature. Winter is always kind of “blah,” but we always make it and spring always comes. I was encouraged over the weekend when mommy said she decided to try again with growing her roses. All but one of her bushes died last year, and she debated whether to keep on with it. She decided that she loves roses and isn’t ready to give up on it yet. Plants die sometimes, and she was in a funky mental state last year after Chloe passed. I think she’s ready to take another crack at life again, even if it’s just a couple of plants. One step at a time. That’s how you take life sometimes.

That’s all today. Dealing with the winter ‘blahs’ but we’re rolling along. I hope you’re doing well. Take care, and have a great rest of the week.

Luv,

Zack

Same Old Song

1/16/2019

Boring. A normal schedule is boring, and it's the same old song every January. How could we forget that? The parronts go to work all day, and come home tired. January is always a busy time for both of them, because people are all revved up after the holidays and are doing things they should have done months ago. So it's 'catch up' time. Fun time is over. Time to work. New year, new you! Let's make 2019 great by achieving every frigging thing RIGHT NOW! Do it before you give up! Do it before you get tired and realize that it's a lot of work and effort! Do it before the diet makes you cranky! Do it before workout makes you sick, sore, and gassy! Do it before you realize that staying organized means you have to pick up your crap EVERY SINGLE DAY and the cleaning has to be done again! Do it before the bills come due and you realize saving money means you have to give up stuff you don't want to give up! Do it before the motivation and discipline die!

Well, at least you get that motivation and self discipline are wavering things. If all else fails, at least TV shows will be back from their mid-season break soon. Game of Thrones will be back for their final season on April 14. And the same people who are on the new year/new you thing now will be kvetching about what a horrible year it was, and how they're going to totally rock 2020.

Alrighty, then. Same old song, verse - however old the world is. Gosh, I'm glad I'm a Quaker.

That's all today. Take care, and have a great rest of the week.

Luv,

Bubbles

What's A "Normal Schedule?"

1/6/2019

Hi everybody, and Happy New Year 2019! I hope 2019 is off to a great start for you. It has been for our flock. I had a great birthday. Thanks to all for the fantastic birthday wishes on Twitter and Facebook. It made the day extra-special. Mommy has recovered from her sinus infection, and we finally got a rest after the marathon of Christmas activities. It's been great having the parronts home for the holidays, and we had a lot of fun. But mommy says we go back to "normal schedule" tomorrow.

What's that?

It's always like that this time of year. I think it's been a bit more shocking because mommy was home sick the week before Christmas, then work places closed and they were home the past couple of weeks. She did have to go in a couple of days Christmas week, and daddy had to work Friday. But tomorrow it all goes back to whatever "normal" was before the holiday blitz hit.

Honestly, I'm sure Bubbs and I will fall right back in the old routine quickly. It's like screaming at the parronts when they take the Christmas decorations down. Of course we understand that the holiday has come and gone and the house needs cleaning, but we'll give them a hard time anyway because we love Christmas and hate that it's over. They'll understand by the time they come stumbling back in from work. They've been spoiled! It's going to be hard for them to get back to it, especially after being home so much. But at least mommy is recovered from her infection, and we had a great holiday to restore and rejuvenate us. 2019 is also off to a great start, so there's some good momentum to get the first full week of the new year going. And we still have the rest of today to enjoy before it's back to the grind for them.

That's all today. Take care, and have a great week.

Luv,

Zack

Happy Birthday, Zack!

12/31/2018

Happy birthday to you!

Happy birthday to you!

Happy birthday dear Zacchaeus!

Happy birthday to you!

And many more! You better have many more!

Happy birthday to Zack, who's 19 today! We love you, sunshine! You've brought more joy that we could have ever imagined to our lives! You truly are the bombastic Mr. Fantastic. Have a great day, birdy buddy and forever friend!

Love,

Daddy, Mommy, and Bubbles!

Celebrations

12/26/2018

Whew, Christmas is one festive and active time! We celebrated for 4 days. It was nice to see family and have fun with presents and meals, but it was also tiring to be off our routine. Add that mommy was sick last week, and we were worn out a few times. You humans have a lot going on for Christmas!

The good news is that Santa was very good to us. We got chew toys, popcorn, Goldfish snack crackers, and an entire jar of cashews. Mommy and daddy also gave us chew toys. We got to listen to lots of Christmas songs, and watched many Christmas movies. All in all, it was fun, even if you humans don't know when it's time for a nap.

But we're not completely done, because Zack's birthday is coming up! He'll be 19 on December 31, so be sure to drop by @wazzupzack on Twitter to wish him a Happy Birthday. Don't worry, mommy and I will remind you.

I hope all of you had a safe, fun, and very Merry Christmas. Bless you for being great friends, and I look forward to our adventures in 2019!

Luv,

Bubbles

Sick Days (and Merry Christmas!)

12/20/2018

We got an unexpected surprise this week: mommy's home! That's the good news. The bad news is that she's home sick with a sinus infection, and her doctor took her out of work Tuesday - Thursday of this week. She relapsed with that cold/sinus mess that she had after Thanksgiving, and it hit her with a vengeance. Bubbles and I have been watching her intently these days to make sure she takes her medicine and rests. She's been good about that, mostly because she's been too miserable to peel herself out of the recliner. We chatter or squawk at her when she falls asleep just to make sure she's still ok.

The good news is that she's recovering, albeit slowly. She's not as stuffy today, and seems to have a bit more energy. The doctor said she'll be good to go tomorrow and should feel fine for the weekend and Christmas, which is good news. But she's still a bit slow, which is understandable. We're just glad she did the right thing, went to the doctor, and is recovering. I was really worried about her earlier this week! I preened her until it tickled, and gave her big conure eyes to encourage her to do the right thing. It worked. Nobody can resist a conure cutie!

She's on the right track to recovery, and it's almost Christmas. I'm so excited. She said she got a message from Santa and he said our good behavior this week has earned us the Big Box of Christmas Goodies! Hooray! We can't wait to dive into that box of popcorn/peanut/toy goodies! Maybe there will be cashews in there, too. So we've been healing birdies this week, but next week we celebrate. And then it's my birthday! I'll be 19 on December 31! I'm mommy and daddy's millennium birdy!

I want to thank all of you for being great friends to us. You're great, and we're glad to have you as our anipals. I hope you and your flock/families all have a safe, happy, blessed, and very Merry Christmas. May the love, peace, and joy of Christ be with you always.

Luv,

Zack