Category: Ollie

Invisible Birthdays

6/24/2014

4 years ago today, daddy brought home a green and yellow parakeet with a talent for song that became our beloved baby brother, Oliver. We thought we'd have at least 15 years with him. We had three and a half.

Well, that just sucks!

Still, we choose to celebrate Ollie's birthday today. He was a wonderful brother and we'll never forget the joy that he brought into our lives. So even though he went over the rainbow bridge and celebrates this birthday in Heaven, we still celebrate him today. And so ...

Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday dear Oliver
Happy birthday to you!

Yes Ollie, you're still very much alive in our hearts. We love you. And here's you're favorite song to celebrate!

So pals, raise a toast to Ollie. It may be an invisible birthday, but we can still celebrate the joy he brought this world.

That's all today. Thanks for being fantastic friends. Zack and I are still here, and still committed to bringing you sunshine and cheer, a tweet (and blog post) at a time.

Luv,

Chloe

My Side of the Story

4/10/2014

In response to Zack’s blog entry, I’d like to say that I’m not afraid of Ollie’s old toys. And to prove it, I broke one of them. Mommy checked them well and made sure they’re suitable for mid size parrots too, and they’re all in new condition because Ollie never played with them. I’m sorry he never had a chance, but I have no problem with picking them to toothpicks. I may not do it as fast as Zack does, but I can get the job done.

I have been playing more lately. They’re good toys, and the longer days and warmer weather have me and Zack feeling more energetic. It’s nice to have more hours of daylight, and we have more bird friends hanging out at the feeders and in the trees outside. We’re glad to see our outdoor friends are back from their winter migrations! Plus, mommy talked to her parents and her daddy is planting a garden this year – the first in several years! So we may get some good, fresh veggies (or peanuts, maybe?) this summer. That would be nice. I just hope the feral cats don’t pee all over his plants once they start growing. That’s disgusting. Maybe he should plant some nice “go away” species around the border, like cacti or Venus fly traps, to keep wildlife from pillaging it. Or plant catnip across the yard from it so they’ll be too distracted to find the garden in the first place. Basic psychology. Look here so you don’t look there.

It is encouraging to see spring. Mommy’s roses are out of dormancy, the trees are filling out, the grass is turning green again, and the pollen is flying in a yellow/green haze. Ahh, spring! Welcome! The winter was too long, and we’re glad it’s gone. It’s sunshine time – hooray!

That’s all today. Take care. Have a Happy Friday tomorrow and a great weekend.

Luv,

Chloe

Haunted Toys?

4/8/2014

Hi everybody! Sorry we didn’t do a weekend blog entry. The tendinitis in mommy’s wrist flared up late last week, so she was off the computer over the weekend. She’s better now, thankfully, because she’s the only typist Chloe and I have!

Actually, I did get a little mad at her recently. I found out that she kept some of Ollie’s toys and gave them to Chloe! She said I have plenty of toys and Chloe really needed more. She also pointed out that I got all of the chew kabobs and frankly, my destruction of those items made her fear that I would destroy the other toys too fast as well. Chloe is more modest with her toys and doesn’t go through them as quickly as I do. At first I cried foul, but really it does make sense. I can turn a toy to toothpicks, sometimes in a matter of hours. And I do have more than she does. So it’s ok. I can be generous. My sister needs them. And I got a pretty sweet deal with those kabobs.

Of course, I think it freaked Chloe out a little. Mommy had to reassure her that Ollie would be ok with her playing with his toys a lot before Chloe would go near them. I think she feared a budgie ghost would come after her! Oh, please. Mommy wears her grandmommy’s jewelry a lot, and we also have furniture from her grandparents and daddy’s grandparents. They doesn’t seem possessed or haunted or anything. Ok, Mommy has her weird moments, but I’m pretty sure that’s a combination of being a writer and too many sci-fi and fantasy books and movies. Maybe they’ll find a name for that problem some day. Or not.

Really, they’re toys that the parronts got Ollie for Christmas, or while he was sick and didn’t play with them. All of the toys Chloe got from Ollie’s stash have been in mint condition – right from the store or Santa’s workshop new! Chloe got a good deal, if you ask me. The only raw part of it is that it’s taken nearly 6 weeks for the parronts to put them up. Good grief, humans and their complex emotions. We miss Ollie too, but toys are toys and they aren’t gonna make us grieve! It would give me a headache, if I got headaches. But I don’t, because I’m a bird, and I’m happy. I may be the happiest bird in the world. Mommy says I am.

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

Luv,

Zack

Plugging Along

3/1/2014

Hi everybody! I want to start by thanking all of you for your overwhelming support and words of kindness over the past few days. It's been tough losing our baby brother, but you have really helped. Now I understand what they mean when they say "blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted." You certainly have comforted us, and it warms our hearts to have such wonderful, kind, compassionate friends. We're so thankful for the Internet and social media. It really made us feel less alone these past days.

We're plugging along. It's still strange not to have Ollie around, but we're getting through. Zack and I have been hanging out with mommy and daddy a lot, trying to comfort them. I'm sure we'll get used to it being just the 4 of us. It's going to take some time. Today has been better for all of us. Mommy and daddy went out to lunch and did some shopping today, and I think it did them a lot of good. They're supposed to help with the church services in March too, and I think doing that will be very good for them too.

As for Zack and I, we still have each other. We're being kinder to one another, too. And in case you're wondering - yes, mommy has been asked the "are you getting another parakeet" question, and the answer is no. For now and the foreseeable future, it's just the 4 of us. She wrote more about this in her blog today.

So we're plugging along. You just have to take these things a day at a time. And we are.

Thanks again for being great friends and for your kindness and support! I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Luv,

Chloe

P.S. - here's a video in honor of Ollie.

Oliver

2/27/2014

Hi everybody, it's Sherri (mommy) here. I'm very sorry and sad to tell you that Oliver went over the rainbow bridge today. He had a spinal tumor that was shutting down his leg and wing functions, and it was starting to strain his lung function. The vet said there was nothing more that could be done for him.

The tumor really caught us by surprise, because Ollie was only between three and a half and four years old. While we knew it was a possibility, even the vet thought it was remote due to his young age. I can't blame the vets, though. They did all they knew to do without further traumatizing him.

Rick is the good one that stayed with Ollie to the end. I'm so ashamed. Here I am, the big, bad mystery and sci-fi writer that can kill off 3 people in 4 chapters, and I just couldn't do it. I sat in the waiting room and bawled. I've never had to do this before. My previous parakeets all died of natural causes.

It's hard. We rescued Ollie and had high hopes for him having a long, happy life with us, so this is a shock. But I'd do it all over again, even if I knew from the start that we'd only have him for a little while. He was such a joy, with his songs and bright, green feathers. He will certainly be missed.

Zack and Chloe are taking it alright. Frankly, I think they "sensed" that Ollie was terminally ill even before Rick and I realized it. At least, that's what the vet said. His exact words were "they'll take it better than you do." I figured Chloe would take in in stride - coming from an aviary, I'm sure she experienced this many times over. It's Zack that I'm concerned about. And me and Rick.

I want to thank all of you for your prayers, comfort, words of encouragement, and support through Ollie's illness. It means a lot to know that so many people care and understand, and I know it helps me to feel less alone. Thank you so much. You guys really are the best.

That's all today. Take care. Have a Happy Friday tomorrow and a great weekend.

Luv,

Rick, Sherri, Zack and Chloe

It's Gonna Snow!

1/26/2014

Yes, that's right - it might snow here Tuesday - Wednesday! They won't know for sure until tomorrow, but we're already under a Winter Weather Advisory for that time frame.

What to do, what to do? We aren't used to snow here in SC. Mommy went to the grocery store today and said the milk, eggs, and bread are already running low. People are already going crazy!

We aren't. We're nice, cozy and comfy right here with our parronts. We know they're going to keep us fed and well cared for. They love us. And we love them right back. Our humans are great! And no doubt, Mommy will have her NOAA Weather Radio on a lot. The nice man's computer voice will keep us up to date. Well, unless they make a typo and he says "tomorrow's forecast: qwerty." That's not helpful.

Our only concern with this cold is that Ollie's nerve inflammation tends to bother him more when it's cold. He was definitely more chipper today when it warmed up a bit. I tell you, it's amazing how the weather can affect you. Mommy said her old injuries give her aches and pains sometimes when it gets cold too. So she understands.

We'll keep you posted on our winter weather adventures, which it could be. Or it could be a whole lot of nothing. We shall see.

That's all today. Take care, stay cozy, and have a good week.

Luv,

Chloe

Ollie Recovery Update

12/27/2013

Frankly, it's going much slower than I like, but it is going. I had a rough weekend - didn't eat much, and frankly I looked like I was at death's door, but I did perk up Tuesday and Wednesday. Mommy reconfigured my cage (again) to put my perches lower and to make it easier for me to get to my food and water. She and daddy got me a high protein food mix yesterday, and I really like it. My energy has been up and I'm more alert than I have been in a while.

It's going to be a long road. Nerve injury in one leg and a strained muscle in the other adds up to a whole lot of suck, but mommy and daddy are helping me through. It's going to take several months to recover, but we aren't giving up. We have a goal for me to be back in my big cage and getting around by the summer (hopefully), and focusing on that helps. In fact, mommy's collecting her notes so she can write something to help others that have 'keets suffering leg injuries. There's very little out there. After 4 trips to the vet and 2 rounds of antibiotics, my diagnosis was to keep me comfortable. Translation: they don't have a friggin clue. There's not much online to help either. But mommy's preparing to get something out there that will be helpful. Of course, she needs for me to be fully healed and to have a healthy 'keet to show for these efforts before she puts it out there. So there's more motivation for me to recover. I'll be a star! I'll be a miracle! I can help others with my tale of recovery. Hooray!

Yes, it will take a while, but I'm not giving up. I'll get better. I'll be back in that big cage, singing and playing and chasing Zack and Chloe around, someday. I will. Just you wait and see. I'm a strong 'keet and I can defeat this!

That's all today. I hope you're all doing well. Have a Happy Friday and a great weekend.

Luv,

Ollie

Short Days Suck

12/15/2013

Mommy and I have a problem. The shortest days of the year have us down. With this nerve inflammation and leg injury, I'm stuck in my smaller cage, and the parronts let me sit in the window all day long. Problem is, they're at work most of those hours. Zack and Chloe seem to cope with artificial light ok, but for some reason, mommy and I are having a tougher time with it. She says she'd like to know what sunlight looks someplace other than the back parking lot at work. I know how she feels. We love the sun - and we've especially been cheated because it's rained the past 2 weekends! The sun came out a couple of hours ago, but it'll be dark in another hour or so. This sucks.

Mommy says the shortest day of the year is next Saturday, and then the days will start getting longer. She and daddy also have some time off for Christmas after this week, so hopefully that will help all of us. We'll be together, we'll see family for the holidays, and then we'll have some time here at home, with one another, and to do just whatever we like for a while. I think we all need that.

Oh well, we'll enjoy the sunlight while we have it. I think I'll sing a song along with the washer now. Take care and have a great week.

Luv,

Ollie

Dear Santa 2013

12/12/2013

Dear Santa,

Greetings to you during this merry and festive season! It’s Chloe here with our annual Christmas letter. We hope that you’ve had an outstanding 2013 and that preparation for the “big day” is going well in your workshop.

Zack, Ollie and I have been very good this year. We’ve been very sweet and supportative to our parronts and to each other (with the exception of that one ‘keet flinging incident I had on the playgym last summer – I’m so sorry for that!). We’ve been living in harmony and behaving well. We’re so sweet!

For Christmas this year, Zack would like chew toys. Shreddable ones are especially a favorite. He loves to tear them up. Snacks are also welcome. Zack and I both enjoy Lafabers treats, peanuts, and popcorn. Jiffy Pop is a real winner with all of us. We scream at mommy while she pops it.

I’d also like chew toys. I’ve become especially fond of wood chew toys this past year. I’ve been playing more like a good girl, but I am more conservative than Zack is with the wear and tear on my toys. Plus, my toys are getting some wear and tear on them. I started chewing my perches so yea, I could use more chew toys.

Ollie has been recovering from a kidney infection and nerve inflammation in his leg these past couple of months. He told me to ask you for a new leg, but mommy explained that you aren’t into stem cell therapy (otherwise, she would have asked you for new sinuses years ago). He is healing up, but the vet said he needs to put on some weight. Honey sticks or spray millet would be good for him. I think some parakeet toys would also be good for him, as he is trying to move about a bit more and use that foot on occasion. The toys may motivate him to keep trying to work that foot and get it going again.

Daddy isn’t too hard to please. He’s doesn’t eat a lot of sweets, but he does make an exception for Hershey’s Dark Chocolate. And hint hint: he really likes Breaking Bad.

Mommy isn’t hard to please either. She could use new pajamas because I’ve chewed holes in most of hers (sorry! Her pj’s are so nom nom!). She also needs new house slippers, because she’s already wearing out the ones she bought at Easter. Mommy doesn’t believe in walking around the house barefoot because she’s terribly clumsy and stubs her toes (and other parts) a lot. And hint hint: she likes Breaking Bad too.

That’s all for us. Give Mrs. Santa, the reindeer, and the elves our love. Travel safely this year!

Luv,

Chloe

An Ollie Update

12/8/2013

Hi everybody, thanks for your care and concern here of late. Yes, mommy did have to take me back to the vet on Thursday. I fell several times and was overall just icky. She took me to see a different vet from the one I saw before - you know, the one that blew her off when she called on Veteran's Day and now she's extremely pissed at. (She's shared a number of colorful adjectives to describe him these last few days). I am improving, with rest and medication. The medication is really a "preventative" measure, as the vet suspected that there might still be some bacteria from the kidney infection lurking around. I got a lot of rest this weekend, and perked up a lot. I was awake all day yesterday, and today I'm trying to work that foot and climb around my cage some. I'm eating better and more active now.

The foot still troubles me, and probably will for a long time. Nerve inflammation and damage takes a long time to heal, so I just have to wait it out. We're taking a day at a time. But I am doing better - MUCH better than I was on Thursday.

I would ask you one favor. Please keep mommy and daddy in your prayers. Daddy has to have a root canal redone Tuesday. Remember that infection he had in October? Well, it came back and turned out to be a dental problem rather than a sinus or tissue problem. They're going in Tuesday morning to clean that up and get him fixed up. And mommy is just overwhelmed. She's been super busy between the book release and her job going into it's "peak season" now. She's asked several people for help over the past week, and the answer is always "no." She said we'll probably be Santa's only stop this Christmas, the way people are acting. They aren't at their best. As daddy so eloquently put it, "if you want holiday cheer, get your head out of your rear."

That's all today. Just wanted to let you know myself that I'm OK and hanging in there. Thanks so much for your prayers, care, and concern. You're such outstanding friends, and we luv all of you.

Luv,

Ollie

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