This Dog.



First Sunset for Two.



Birds of a Feather

Blu is just over a year old and though he is super sweet, we saw it was not good for him to be alone, so....

Meet Bertie Bott.



Blu was thrilled to finally have another bird to talk to, and they've really taken a shine to one another. 

It's fun to hear them sing back and forth.

The cats couldn't be happier.

Lazy Sunday.

We had a rare Sunday all to ourselves today. 

With all day long and nothing to do, there was a lot of this

and some of this

and some games

and there was a Downton marathon as well.

The complete third season was released on DVD this week, and finishing it left me, well, traumatized.  I needed to give the whole thing another go-through.  I didn't quite get through them all, but will soon.

Now it's the Super Bowl, of course, and today has been good.



Golden Boy.



Nine on the 9th: Happy Birthday Bebo.

A birthday hat we had not; one of these leftovers will do.

You're a little older, a little mellower, but still the best watchdog and a very sweet friend.

Maybe we'll get you a haircut for your birthday.  Maybe.

Stay in Bed Saturday.



Enough.



I am thankful for a little house that is just enough.  We fill it, we make the best of it, we make it dirty then clean again; every square inch gets used.

Just Blu.



Not only is our parakeet a sweetheart, he's also a very lovely singer.  It's a tough call in a pet store; choosing a good-natured bird who hopefully will be nice company and sociable without being obnoxious, needy, and loud.

Blu's partial to violins (he listens to a lot of MPR) and also to whistling.  The kids would love for him to start talking.  I know that's fun but honestly a talking parakeet can be really annoying to listen to on repeat (for people like me whose ears can't tune anything out.) 

He loves "The Whistling Caruso" so much that I've started leaving it on repeat for him while he's exercising in the school room. 

Pets Love Books.



Down the Rabbit Hole.

Running with terriers goes a little something like...

Run!!!

Run!

Run!!!!!!

Wait a minute!?!?!

STOP!!!

In the Dark.



Bacon, our 8 year old pug- who had just one eye to start with- has lost his sight.  It came on slowly over several years and this year it grew much worse.  He is now completely in the dark.

He has used his sense of smell to get around for a very long time and now it seems even that is waning.  He needs help finding his way around the yard, help finding his food in the morning, help getting on the bed. 

Whenever we used to sit down, he would instantly be on our lap, snuggling in to his favorite spot underneath our arms.  We thought this was cute and also so annoying.  Now he doesn't see us sit.  He walks into things, into people; now when we sit we like to go find him and help him find his way to that spot again.

But the sunny spots- he finds those.

It's Complicated.

A surprising number of friends have asked me about the status of our bird's health- meaning- is he dead yet?

No, he is not.

Actually, the cats and the bird have a very affectionate relationship.  Blu loves to nibble their whiskers, and gets a kick out of singing, chirping, and swinging for the cats; he can tell they are wild for it.

And the cats, like I said, are wild for him.  Especially Penney.  Bellatrix plays it cool.  They don't plot to snatch him.  I don't think they think of him that way.  They are, after all, entirely domesticated felines who don't even eat occasional people food, much less wild prey. 

The worst they do is squeeeeeze their noses and impotent de-clawed paws between the bars to get just a little closer.  As I said, Blu loves that. 

Sometimes they'll sit on top of the cage (when Blu isn't hanging up high.)  Penney has pulled out a couple of his tail feathers, but she was provoked.  Blu didn't seem to mind.

No, we never allow Blu to be outside of the cage with the cats (or the dogs.)  They are cats, after all.  We respect the food chain and clearly Blu is at the bottom.

Essentially, they have a very "Edward and Bella" relationship. 

They love each other and desperately want to be together but, let's face it, as long as that bird is alive there is a chance something can go terribly wrong.

With Rapt Attention.



Always Right There.



Bird Watching.



Penny's Hideout.



Meet Blu.