auntbijou: (Default)
You know how it is, when you finally get to bed, you're so very tired, and your head hits the pillow? You pull the quilts up over your shoulder, snuggle into your warm, significant other, and just dive into sleep? It's wonderful, actually.

However...

There I was, drifting into one of those truly puzzling dreams I sometimes have, where this lady from the local feed store kept squawking, "Ye'gotta put yer hand up the chicken's cloacha (she pronounced it loudly, "clo-WACK-uh") and feel your way to the omnibus..."

Omnibus???

And THEN... there was this resounding BANG!! CRASH!! CLAAAANG!!! from the living room. I thought, damn, did the cats knock the cookie sheets off the counter?? Then I thought, no, they knocked the stereo off the bookcase, dammit. Then, I heard the frantic squawking, and sat up to shake the Husbandly One awake. "They knocked the bird cage down again!!"

He didn't want to get up. I can't blame him, really.

So I got up and went into the living room, turning on lights, fully expecting to see a slightly dismembered, though apparently still alive, parakeet hanging from either Muta or Calcifer's mouth. The cage (which is huge by the way) was on the floor, top off (because the cats have figured out how to take it off), there was bird seed, bird poop, and water everywhere, as well as potting soil, DVD's, and inexplicably, my kids' soccer shoes. The bird was behind the entertainment center, scolding the cats furiously, who were all stalking her, and I swear they all had that same smirk on their face that the Grinch gets when he's plotting something evil!! I grabbed the Instrument of Cat Discipline and started squirting like mad while shouting, "Honey, the cage is down, the bird is out, the cats know it... HELP ME, DAMMIT!!!"

It was not fun. Have I mentioned that this bird is psycho?? At one point, I had her in the kitchen, and almost got her to perch on my hand. Almost. At the last second, she flew shrieking at my face. I ducked, she flew into the dining room, the hall, and into the bathroom. As I followed, I discovered the dog had left me a nice, squishy, smelly, and still warm present in front of the bathroom door. It was not my night, was it?

The Husbandly One corraled Miss Stinky Anti-social Parakeet by taking the top part of the cage and slipping it over her in the bathroom. She flew up to escape, and thus became convinced she was trapped in her cage again. Apparently, thinking up diabolical plots to dismember us all with her beak takes up all her teeny, tiny brain power, and therefore, she was incapable of thinking, "Hey, all I gotta do is fly down and I'm outta here!!"

Stupid bird.

We got the cage put back together and she's back on her high spot. My morning will be occupied with removing bird seed and other... things... from the living room floor, the couch, the fish tank, the window sills, the ceiling fan, and probably a whole lot of other places I'll discover as I clean.

Did I mention how much I hate this bird?

*grabs broom, dustpan, bucket, sponges, and other cleaning supplies, muttering imprecations under her breath as she departs for the living room*
auntbijou: (Default)
WHAT IS IT WITH ME AND MOCKINGBIRDS????


Okay, I've got, like, the Migraine from Hell.  Omg, I want to crawl into a dark closet, curl up in a ball, and just... I dunno... DIE or something.  And there isn't a lot I can take for it, because, well, I'm resistant to a lot of medications.  

And yet, I can't crawl into the closet, because I have to take the Impossible Son to the doctor, because he's got a major ear ache and is running 101.  Fine.  So, I bundle him up, and load him in the car to take the Impertinent Daughter to school.  Everything is peachy-keen and hunky-dory, yada, yada, yada, we talk... okay, well, SHE talked while I just sat there, driving, and listening, and trying to have something other than a pained grimace on my face (why does she always seem to be extra-bright and cheerful when an elephant is tap-dancing on my skull in spike-heeled shoes??).  I drop her off at school, we come home while the Impossible Son tries to chatter listlessly, and I try to make out what he's saying through his drone.  So you know I was thoroughly irritated when we got home.  I get out of the car, open the door and help Mr. Manzie out of his seat, thinking, well, here's someone who is just as miserable as I am, and I was giving him a hug.  The only warning I had was his body suddenly stiffening, and his startled gasp, and then something slammed into the back of my head and my shoulder.  And all I could think was..."OW!!!"

It was two of them.  They're ganging up on me.

The Impossible Son was waving his arms over my head and shoulder.  "Go away, you bad birds!!  Stupid birds!!  You stop hurting my mama!!"

I would have laughed if I could.  Two mockingbirds, sitting in our little maple tree, eyeing me with malice in their little hearts.   I have to tell you, I felt like I should be looking for Alfred Hitchcock.  Bird-thugs, I swear.  They should have been wearing little leather jackets and had tiny cigarettes hanging off their beaks.  

As long as we were still, the birds left us alone.  But every time we moved, we became a threat, and they'd start attacking again.  It was driving me nuts.  Little Man couldn't get out of the car at all.  Finally, I said, "Okay, here's the plan.  I'll stay between you and the birds.  You run for the house, and I'll keep their attention focused on me."

"Right," he said.  He was thrilled.  It was just like a ninja mission or something, as far as he was concerned.  "Are you ready, Mama?"

No, I wanted to say.  After all, the way I'm feeling, I'm only slightly faster than a drunk snail.  But hey, anything's better than having a small, fierce bird pounding your skull, right?

It worked.  He got out of the van, I closed the door, we started moving and as soon as the birds started hitting me (ow, ow, ow, ow!) he raced for the porch.  Only one problem.  The door was locked.  So he ended up plastered against the door while I shielded him  and unlocked it, and we both fell in.  I had a sudden horror of mockingbirds IN MY HOUSE and managed to kick the door shut in their indignant faces.  

You know what?  I'm beginning to really, really hate mockingbirds.  Really.

Damn, I just realized.  We have to go to the doctor, and those damn birds are STILL OUT THERE!!!!

*thunk*
auntbijou: (Default)

Okay, so there I was, minding my own business, doin' my laps around the track.  And yes, Alex, I went earlier than yesterday so I would avoid Mr. Annoyingly Oblivious Talkative Guy, and successfully missed him.  Darn, I'm sooooo disappointed (can you hear the sarcasm dripping off my voice?).

Anyway, I was doing my laps, and was into the second one, and coming up to a curve next to the highway where there is a half grown oak tree.  I had my iPod on, listening to this really good song by a group called Goldroom that I've taken a liking to when all of a sudden, something slams into my hat.  I looked up, didn't see anything, looked down, didn't see anything, so I kept moving.  It didn't hurt so much as it just startled me.  So, I'm humming along, come around for my third lap, get to the turn, and it happens again.  This time, I heard an angry squawk along with the hit.  I looked up and got a sudden understanding what an anti-aircraft gunner feels like when a plane is screaming down at him, because a mockingbird was diving at me, and I was literally staring right up into its gullet, because it had its mouth wide open, screaming a challenge at me.  No, I didn't stick around, I got busy and got moving.  As soon as I was out of range, it stopped diving at me.  This was a surprise, because I didn't think it was time to for the mockingbirds to start selecting nesting sites yet, though I dunno, maybe this bird just wants to get ahead of the others and find a really good spot.  

He or she is bound to be frustrated, because that's a public track, and lots of people use it at all hours of the day, all the way up until late evening.  

I did three more laps, and found myself hurrying around that corner, because as soon as I made the curve, that damn bird would start squawking and diving at me, pecking at me and grabbing my hair.  OUCH!!!!  The last time, it hit me so hard, I nearly star-fished on the track, and only caught myself just before I hit the gravel, managing to scramble away before it could do any damage.    

Well, I was only going to do six laps anyway.  

When I walked to my car, I saw Mr. Annoyingly Oblivious Talkative Guy stretching and getting ready for his run, and in the interests of being neighborly, I stopped by him and said, "Be careful around that far turn where the oak tree is.  There's a very defensive mockingbird there, and he's divebombing to protect his tree."

He looked up, then looked toward the tree.  "I don't see a mockingbird."

"Trust me, there's a mockingbird there." 

"I don't think it'll be a problem.  Birds are generally scared of people."

I nodded and said, "Whatever," and went to my car.  And yes, I didn't leave right away.  I stretched, drank my water, and waited.  And sure enough, when Mr. Annoying got to that corner, that bird went for him with a vengeance!!!  It could not have been any more impressive, not if that damn bird had had like... a spear and magic helmet!!  It knocked his hat off, and it sent his hair flying, and he started yelling and waving his arms over his head, crouching down, and I sat in my car and laughed myself silly.  Yes, there is divine justice in this world!

Thing is, what do I do about tomorrow?  Carry an umbrella?  A red cape?  Flamethrower?  Any suggestions, Vicki?  After all, from Mr. Killer Psycho Mockingbird's point of view, I'M the intruder.

Guess the flamethrower would get me frowned on in this town, huh?

auntbijou: (Default)

Nothing gets the morning going like getting in your car, opening the windows, turning to check if your daughter has buckled her seat-belt... and having a mockingbird fly right into your car.

(pause for effect)

So, there I was, mindin' my own business, and this stupid BIRD flies into my car and promptly starts freaking out.  Squeals and screams started in the car, and I began to bellow, "CALM DOWN!!!" except I managed the first part before my voice departed, so it was more like, "CALM DO*squeak*!!"  The kids were freaking out, the bird was freaking out... *sigh*  The Impossible Son, being in the back, was not in the line of fire, so to speak, so he was basically freaking out on his sister's behalf, but the Impertinent Daughter was flailing in the seat while the bird was flapping frantically and squawking and doing its bird thing.  I shouted, as best I could, "OPEN THE DOOR AND GET OUT OF THE CAR!!!"

My words finally registered, and she bailed, while I bailed out the other side and immediately slid open the back door to free my son, who was buckled into a booster seat (we are all very small people in this family).  He could unbuckle himself, but he had his face covered with his arms (a smart thing to do in the circumstances) and was busy shouting, 'You bad bird!  You leave my sister alone!  Get out!! Get out!! You stinkin' bird!!"

I was reaching across to unbuckle him when I saw Miss Priss, who was totally terrified at this point (omg, I can see the therapy bills now) about to CLOSE HER DOOR!!  "NO!!" I rasped.  "Don't close the door!! Leave it open so it can get out!!"

This drew the bird's attention to me, and the next thing I knew, it was divebombing me in the limited space of the car.  Fortunately, the Impertinent Daughter recovered her wits and opened the back door on HER side of the car, dragging her shrieking brother out, who was trying to cover me with his hands and bat at the bird (very brave of him, really).  Once they were out, I slithered out and we all stood back breathlessly while we waited for the bird to figure out it was alone.  It did and perched defiantly on the back of my seat, fussing angrily at us and probably cussing us out bird-fashion.  I was beginning to think we were going to have to WALK to school when the mockingbird (and I DO mean that in EVERY sense of the word "mocking") decided it had done and said everything it had come to do and say, and flew out the Impertinent Daughter's door and back to the sycamore tree it has been inhabiting since July.  We all got back IN the car, and YES, I closed the damn windows!!!  I did NOT want another episode with Mr. Psycho State Bird Who Is Most Fortunate To Be Protected By State Law Or His Little Neck Would Be Wrung.

And that, Mrs. Eley, and Mrs. SnareNose (which is the Impossible Son's pronunciation of "Cisneros"), is why my children were late to school this morning.

Signed, a very bedraggled and battered,

Auntie
 

May 2020

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