Note: This is another blog based on my weekly emails to my family on the mainland. Since much of my news these days relates to trying to age gracefully, this series might be called The Geezer Gazette.]
5/24/25
Aloha Ohana!
I'm finally on the down side of my cold symptoms, just a nagging cough that brings up goo-balls from my chest, and I still don't have much energy. The cloudy wet weather we've still having has been very conducive to naps because it gives me a great excuse to snooze since I can't work outside. This past week we got about 2 inches of rain in almost daily installments. By covering the pool at night we've managed to keep the water temperature in the low 80's, so the few times we've been able to take a dip between rain showers haven't been too bad.
One focus of my week was taking care of our neighbor's two exotic birds, a rose cockatoo and an African grey parrot. The neighbors went to Oahu for a couple of days.so he could have an ablation procedure to
treat his Afib. Bird-sitting is pretty easy compared to dogs. There's no walking and poop bags involved, for instance. It was just a matter of giving them special food a couple of times a day and cleaning up the bottoms of their cages. We've known the birds for years and they seem to know us, too. Both are in their 30's, raised by our neighbors. Both are very friendly, but they have very different personalities. The cockatoo doesn't talk but loves to dance. The African grey is very talkative, and tends to be a real show-off. Anyway, my duty was extended to most of the week when my neighbor had complications and wound up having to have a pacemaker installed yesterday. In addition, the African grey became ill and my neighbor's wife flew home then returned to Oahu with the bird to get treatment from a special bird veterinarian there. BTW, flying with a bird is not a simple matter. Most airlines no longer allow them in the cabin, and only a limited number of cargo hold slots are available. Also, the bird has to be inspected and cleared by USDA. If all goes well the neighbors and the bird will return late this afternoon. Talk about a stressful week for them!
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| Cockatoo |
treat his Afib. Bird-sitting is pretty easy compared to dogs. There's no walking and poop bags involved, for instance. It was just a matter of giving them special food a couple of times a day and cleaning up the bottoms of their cages. We've known the birds for years and they seem to know us, too. Both are in their 30's, raised by our neighbors. Both are very friendly, but they have very different personalities. The cockatoo doesn't talk but loves to dance. The African grey is very talkative, and tends to be a real show-off. Anyway, my duty was extended to most of the week when my neighbor had complications and wound up having to have a pacemaker installed yesterday. In addition, the African grey became ill and my neighbor's wife flew home then returned to Oahu with the bird to get treatment from a special bird veterinarian there. BTW, flying with a bird is not a simple matter. Most airlines no longer allow them in the cabin, and only a limited number of cargo hold slots are available. Also, the bird has to be inspected and cleared by USDA. If all goes well the neighbors and the bird will return late this afternoon. Talk about a stressful week for them!
In stark contrast to my neighbors' whirlwind week, I'm in a "hurry up and wait" mode with several pending issues. For one thing, we're waiting on parts to fix the transmission in Karen's 22 year-old Miata. The problem has been diagnosed and the mechanic is standing by to do the work as soon as the parts arrive, ordered two weeks ago. Also, I'm still waiting to see an endontist about my broken tooth. That should happen week after next. And Im waiting to take the stress test my cardiologist wants in order to clear me for hernia surgery in June. It's not uncommon here to have to wait for a resolution to some problem, of course. But I seldom have this many important things hanging at once. Patience, Grasshopper....time is but an illusion.
Ok, off to market and a beach breakfast picnic.Take care, enjoy your Spring.
2 comments:
Ah, the Miata! I sure miss my Miata, but what a pain in the backside it became. Probably cause it didn't fit me. Hope Karen's Miata is back to purring along soon. Mine was running fantastically the day I got rid of it after just 14 years of fun driving!
Glad you are getting better, and in your last missive that your eyes are working ok. It is very tough to have so many things hanging at once, with. little control over their progress. Drives me crazy, so my sympathies.
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