Comforts to be grateful for

This picture shows Daffy and my friend's husband Paul having a bonding moment. It was an apartment party here a few years ago...and Daffy came, of course. Everyone held Daffy. However, Paul and Daffy had a special connection. Amy, Paul's wife, jokes that Paul is "Mr. Ringneck" since he has a way with that bird species.
If Paul were a super hero...he would be "Ringneck Man."

Some days are just a little harder than others to be sincerely grateful. I need to remember small things that are a blessing...very small things...such as toothpaste, or ice. When I remember my years in Asia where ice and clean water were a luxury
it becomes much easier to be thankful for those creature comforts. In fact, when I got back from each outreach trip away from Hong Kong I would return with overwhelming gratitude for toilets and toilet seats.

At this moment I am grateful for the lamp beside my bed. I am grateful for easy crossword puzzles. I am grateful for the sheets and blankets on my bed. I am grateful for allergy-reducing pillow cases also.

GratefulJoy

Saying "When" with Lou Lou

This picture is of Lou Lou an African Grey Parrot. I fostered her for a few months for a friend of mine in the hope that I could heal her of her feather plucking habit. I discovered that I could only help Lou Lou with constant attention, constant holding her, constantly scratching her head, and tucking her in bed every night. Since I do have a life of my own and other birds to care for...I concluded that I could not devote my every waking moment to Lou Lou.
Lou Lou was a blessing while I had her. I learned that I am allergic to African Grey parrots. I learned that I cannot fix all birds. I learned to say "when".

I am grateful for the time Lou Lou lived with me. She was great.

Today I am grateful we didn't get that heatwave that was predicted. Instead it is cool and breezy.

I am grateful also for cozy pajamas.

GratefulJoy

Treasure deserves a break

This is a picture of Treasure, my first Painted Conure and the mommy of 21 babies so far. Last year was a disaster baby-wise but, hey, if Treasure wants a break from having babies then she deserves it!

I was thankful all day that my birds were more quiet than usual. It can sometimes sound like the Amazon Rain forest in here and there is no "OFF" switch. I cherish those quiet times when the birds are just content to look at each other without chatter.

I am also grateful for my microwave oven.

GratefulJoy

Ongoing quest for the perfect box

Here is a quick snapshot taken today after Zoey had her bath. Her favorite thing in the world is the towel wrap and cuddle after a bath. If I forget to scratch her head every few seconds...she tugs on my fingers until I get back to my job.

Right now I am grateful for good storage boxes.
I am a container enthusiast. I get containers to store my containers in.
Always on a quest for that perfect organization plan.

If I didn't keep birds or do bead art work or any of the other messy things I am always doing...wouldn't my life be tidy! However, life would be quite dull. I suppose the mess and challenge of keeping supplies accessible is the price I pay for being me. Being me is not really bad at all.

GratefulJoy

A bonus photo

I wanted to add this picture of another family when they came to pick up their Painted Conure baby named "Valentino."
This was a few years back. Robyn, the mommy in the photo, and I met when she bought one of my Pacific Parrotlets from a local pet store. She and her family came by to see what a baby Painted Conure looked like and decided they needed to have one.
Robyn has been my dear sweet friend ever since.

I am grateful for Robyn and her family.
GratefulJoy

That special first meeting of bird and new owner

Wednesday, May 26, 2010












This is a photo, taken at a Starbucks, of one of my baby birds meeting her new owner for the first time. As you can see here, the baby bird, which they named "Pixie" was not at all afraid of John (new owner in photo) and lay on her back with her feet in the air. A bird that is fearful would never never never have this vulnerable and trusting position. Why did the bird lay on her back? She just wanted to.

My favorite part of raising baby birds is seeing the joy on the new owner's face when human and bird make that special connection. When I can I take photos of the event. Sometimes I am sent email photos of the new owners with their birds if I had to ship (send by plane) a bird out of state. I feel a sense of "Well Done" when I know the bird is happy and the owner is happy. It also is nice when I get a few dollars back for the months I've invested in raising and loving the baby. I do, afterall, need to feed them and keep them happy. That isn't free.

The owner in the photo here and his wife Sharon were so delighted with their Pixie bird. They have pictures of Pixie on their facebook pages and consider her their baby.

I need to work harder on keeping regular sleep times. My body wants to do what it wants to do...but I need to find a way to live in real time. It causes conflict when I walk around in the middle of the night and the downstairs neighbors hear every step. It is also an issue when they lock the dumpster here around 8 pm. Sometimes I don't get my energy for the day until around that time. I've tried many things to regulate my sleep patterns but none of them have worked out. It's one of those things that God needs to fix because it is beyond my control.

I am thanking God in advance for the solution to this sleep issue of mine.

I am grateful today for the laughs Daffy bird gave me. And, I am grateful my downstairs neighbors don't smoke indoors.

GratefulJoy

Too much sleep and then a movie with a friend

This picture was taken in 2005. It shows 3 of the 5 babies born that year to my pair named Treasure and Berry. It was my first time raising Painted Conure babies. These three cuties were alert and ready for anything.

My last few weeks have been spent mainly on sleep. Though I don't feel I need to sleep 13-17 hours daily...my body and brain seem to decide against me. Today was one of those sleep-excessive days, though a friend came by and watched a video with me. That was just the ticket I needed to make a "nothing day" into a "really good day." Thank God for my dear friend.

I am also grateful that I cleaned my toilet and sink just after my friend called to say she was coming over. The rest of the house was in chaos but I was not at all embarrassed by the bath room.

I am grateful for my friend, the movie, food to eat, a cleaner bath room...and also for this computer on which to blog. The computer died in late December but miraculously came back to life. Yes, I am grateful.

GratefulJoy

Family photo of Amazons and my gratitude for my broken tooth

This is a family portrait of Shasta, Franchesco, and their baby Marty in 2008. It is amazingly rare to see such a photo since it is almost unheard of to have a tame pair of pet Amazons breed in a rented Apartment. It is obvious by Shasta and Franchesco's posture that they are in full defensive mode around their son. This is great instinctive behavior and I am so proud of them. Hopefully they will make more babies one of these years.

Right now I am still thankful that the front bottom tooth that broke off last week does not hurt me at all. Oddly, the skin around the small back portion of the tooth that remains seems to be healing. I believe in God and I have seen many miracles in my life. I am praying that God will be my dentist for this tooth....and grow it back healthy and whole. Don't laugh! If God can part the Red Sea then what is this little tooth in comparison? Too selfish, you say? God cares about me and I care about my tooth. That's good enough.

I heard a famous actress on TV respond to questions regarding the importance of perfect teeth in show business. Her response was: "Teeth are over rated. I say 'take them out and put them in a jar'"
That made me laugh. That particular actress does have a gorgeous smile, but she is more well know for other prominent attributes as seen during her role in "Bay Watch" the TV series where she was constantly in a tiny swim suit.

I am grateful for the nice cool weather today.
I am also grateful for two good friends I spoke with on the phone this evening.
I am grateful that the little bird named "Lucky" is learning not to be afraid of me.

GratefulJoy

Accidentally getting Lilac Crowned Amazons

This picture shows Shasta and Franchesco, my Lilac Crowned Amazons, cuddling on top of their cage. They are really a LOVE COUPLE.

Several years ago I went with my friend Amy to look at some Painted Conure babies at a local bird breeder's home. He had so many birds in his house and yard! Some I had never heard of or seen before. It was amazing. In one cage were two Amazon Parrots...which Amy knew right away to be Lilac Crowned Amazons. I didn't know Amazons at all and had no interest in having one at the time.

I asked the bird man where he got those Amazons. He said he caught them flying around his yard and knew they were in the wrong part of the world. He caught them, several months apart, by putting bird food in a cage and trapping them. They were very wild and frightened. And, they didn't know or like each other.

"What are you going to do with them?", I asked him.
He said he doesn't particularly like Amazon Parrots and wasn't sure what he would be doing with these two. He wanted to find their owners and at least make sure they survive. His search for an owner turned up nothing.

Something inside of me said, "I'm not leaving here without those two birds!"
That was silly since I wasn't in the market for them and didn't have spare dollars for such a thing.

"Would you sell them to me?" I asked.

"Make me an offer."

I offered him the ridiculously low price of $75.

"Each?" he asked.

So we had a deal. It was hard to watch that guy pick up the wild Amazons and put them in a wooden carrier for me. The birds were terrified and biting his hands and drawing lots of blood. I had no hope of taming them. Still, I felt convinced I was supposed to take them home for whatever reason.

That evening I named them Shasta and Franchesco. I thought I may have a male and a female...though outward appearances wouldn't indicate that. Nor did I have a clue at their ages. What was I going to do with these wild birds?

I put them in a cage in my living room and just let them get to know each other a bit. Remember, they didn't like each other. I went on with regular life and left the cage door open so they could venture out when they became trusting enough of me. Very quickly Shasta began coming out of the cage and climbing all over the sofa and trying to get a bite of anything I was eating while sitting on the sofa. I smiled at her courage. She would have a taste and then scurry back to the safety of the cage. Franchesco took much longer to become trusting of me.

Within a month I was able to get Shasta to "Step Up" onto my hand. She learned a few tricks withing just an hour or so. So Smart! Franchesco stayed cautious but watched.

Now, about 10 years later, both Shasta and Franchesco are as tame as any Amazon pets I've ever seen. They are very much bonded to each other and had the one baby boy named Marty in 2008. They also go into their cage when I tell them to climb down and go inside. That's something none of my other birds have caught on to yet.

I adore Shasta and Franchesco. They are funny and add so much joy to my life. They were one of those "God things" that I wouldn't have planned but got anyway.

So much of my life is a surprise adventure. I really like to plan ahead and follow my own course. I like being in control of my life. God, however, seems to take the wheel frequently and steer me in directions that were not on my map. This is hard and wonderful all at once.

Today I am thankful for Shasta and Franchesco.
I am also thankful for hot showers and shampoo.

GratefulJoy

Remembering the Good

This photo shows Shasta and her baby boy Marty in 2008. Marty was about 11 weeks old and could eat on his own mostly....yet he still begged for his mommy to feed him, which she did. Here they are in my kitchen while Shasta gave Marty a snack.

Watching the birds nurture their babies is fascinating to me. It's an incredible amount of work for parent birds to sit on the eggs for 20 or more days and then have them hatch one by one every couple of days. Then they need to feed the little guys pretty much every hour around the clock the first week and gradually reduce times between feedings. When I hand feed babies I become quickly sleep deprived and get a little bit crazy feeling from the constant need of the little mouth all day and night. It's most definitely not a profitable venture...just a labor of love.

Many of my friends have been to counselling of some sort, as have I, to overcome the challenges of childhood and adulthood. Why life is so complicated I could not guess. The thing that often comes out in our discussions is the fact that if we didn't get what we needed as infants or children then we get stuck emotionally in that need through adulthood. The only remedy is the love of God and the steps needed to learn to nurture ourselves. It also requires friends that are committed to be "community" around us. Community means that we cry when the other cries, laugh when the other laughs, rejoice in each other's successes and so on.
I am grateful for my little community here in my life. It is a privilege to be that friend to others as well.

I really adored my parents. They did many things very well...though having 12 kids and limited education and difficult upbringings of their own, there was only so much they had to give us kids. I will always be grateful for those priceless good memories my parents gave us. My mom and dad's idea of happiness was a station wagon full of kids. They were honest and hard working. They were invested in volunteering like nobody else. I thank God for the strong values I learned from my mom and dad.

Right now Zoey bird is sitting on my shoulder and making a huge tangle of my hair. It's time to put her down or I will end up bald. So, finally tonight, I am grateful for friends, for good parent memories, and for the hope of tomorrow.

GratefulJoy

Pepper bird

I took the picture of the Painted Conure bird here last year so that I could email it to his future buyer. A local guy bought him and named him "Pepper" because of his fiesty personality...which is obvious by his raised neck feathers in the picture. From what I hear, Pepper is happily settled in his new home with his many other flock mates.

I always feel happy when I know the babies born and raised here go to good happy homes. It's fun too when the new owners send updates and photos of them with their birds. When I was in college I never dreamed I would have a bunch of birds and be raising babies. It's sort of a dream.

I am grateful for all of the gorgeous birds I've had the privilege of raising and settling into good homes. My prayer is that this will be a good bird year here. Last year was sort of a nightmare in the baby bird area. May God bless this year in a way that makes up for the losses of last year. I am grateful that I can pray this and know God hears my prayers and cares for my needs. The ultimate answers are up to Him... I am confident the good Lord has my best in mind.

I am grateful still that my broken tooth does not hurt.
I am also grateful for the comfortable weather here in San Diego these days...not too hot and not too cold. I am blessed.

GratefulJoy

OH! The teeth!

It's the time of year when some of my birds remember "The Birds and the bees."
Shasta, seen in the photo above, is checking out her old nest box in which Marty baby was born a few years ago. I still think Shasta and Franchesco have absolutely no idea how they got Marty....it must have been some sort of accidental collision. I am hoping and praying for more Lilac Crowned Amazon babies since one is nice but I want MORE! Besides, I owe one male Lilac Crown baby to the family who gave me Picasso and Missie last year. Gotta repay those bird debts I owe. So go ahead birdies, just let me know whether to play Sinatra or Barry White.

Last night was fun with Patty. However, just before I went to bed I found that a tooth that has been seriously damaged for several years is increasingly so. In fact, this morning the thing broke off under the gum line. I felt a little bit sick to my stomach...not sure if from the physical issue or the distress I have at my dental situation in general.

I had a few phone prayer calls with friends today but mainly stayed in bed. Fortunately for me I am not in pain. I cannot eat on that side of my mouth but I am not experiencing what one would expect with a wide open tooth root. So I can wait until Monday to seek out help.

The challenge is finding a dentist which I can afford (most likely Tijuana, Mexico) that I feel comfortable with doing the surgery required to extract the below the gum disaster here. I had a couple of teeth removed two years ago in Mexico and found it just a bit frightening that all of the dentists were trained in Mexico City and spoke no English. It was also a little bizarre that there is a dinner buffet about 20 feet from the dental office.

I need someone to be there to help me after the anesthesia since I have trouble getting alert after any sort of pain killers or anesthesia. It's several hours by car to get back into the United States...sitting in a long line of cars. Last time I had someone to drive me but I was in so much pain and agony that it was almost unbearable. I would like to avoid that situation again, particularly since my car's A.C. is broken...and it can get really hot in that old car. My idea is to have a friend stay overnight with me at the hotel in which the dental office sits.

I am not sure what the solution to my dental thing will look like. The one broken tooth is just a drop in the bucket compared to the whole mouth thing. I suppose it didn't help that every chance I got as a child I ate candy. In fact, a lot of my adulthood was invested in eating as much candy as humanly possible.

Prayers are welcome for my teeth.
I know I will need some sort of partial denture since the recent break is one of my front bottom teeth. It didn't bother me so much about the back teeth since nobody could see they are missing.

My preference would of course be to go to a proper American dentist and Oral surgeon. However the cost would be about quadruple for all dental services if done locally. What a dilemma!
No...my preference would be to have a third set of teeth grow in overnight.

Also, my friends mostly have jobs and families or other reasons they would not be able to accompany me to the dentist in Mexico. The one friend who may be an option does not actually drive and speaks no Spanish. I do not speak Spanish either.

So...in my anguish, I decide to be grateful. I am grateful that I've had my teeth for all of these years when a birth defect made it look as if I would not have adult teeth at all. I never needed braces...so that's another good thing. I read an online article today about a father in the United States who's wife suffered some sort of horrible infection just after the birth of her 3rd child...and he had to make the heart wrenching decision to have his wife's arms and legs all amputated (along with a good part of her insides) while she lay in a coma. When she awoke from her coma she was glad to be alive so she could finally see the face of her newborn baby and be there for her other kids too.
My dental and financial issues are small potatoes in comparison.

I am grateful I am not in bad mouth pain right now (MIRACLE!).
I am grateful I have the option to head south of the border for help since it isn't a possibility in California due to costs. I am grateful for my anticipated financial miracles that will come from God to pay for all the things I need regarding teeth and associated hired help.

I told a friend the other day that I was afraid I'd used up all of my miracle bail-outs from heaven. She reminded me that God is far more gracious and good than that. He also has solutions to my needs that I have not thought up yet.

GratefulJoy

Friday night at Patty's place

This photo is of my friend Patty. Yes, that is Patty...wearing the paper bag mask she made during one of her parties. The flesh and blood Patty under the paper also has red hair and a lovely smile.

I had dinner with Patty at her place Friday night. We began with Japanese food that included terrific salads (yummie!). Then we watched one of my favorite videos on her TV, "What about Bob." That movie always make me laugh my head off. Fortunately I was able to reattach my head before I drove home.

I am grateful for Patty and her gift of hospitality. I am grateful for the way she sees "genius" in me...while I sometimes wonder if I'm not closer to "mentally challenged."

GratefulJoy

Tom Kah Soup with a friend

Here is a picture of Jelly (Plumhead Parakeet, baby at the time) and Waldo (Cockatiel) playing tug-o-war with my bath robe. I still have Jelly, but I had to give Waldo to a neighbor since I was allergic to his dander. Most of my birds still say "Where's Waldo?"...except for my Plumhead named Baby Girl, who says "Where's Wald."

I am grateful for the scrumptious dinner I had tonight with my friend Cindy at a little Thai restaurant. We had our favorite soup called Tom Kah. It is coconut milk based and has lemon grass and hot red pepper spices and chicken. It is the sort of soup that makes everything in life seem perfect and beautiful. I am still smiling.

Thanks to Cindy for coming and driving me and taking me to Sala Thai restaurant and sharing this fantastic dinner with me. It forced me to bathe, which, is a blessing to those around me.

GratefulJoy

Daffy rescues Lucky

Here is a photo of Daffy on a bad hair day. That, or, he was experimenting with styling gel.

Tonight the little parakeet named Lucky was sitting on a perch in the living room with Daffy. That's good because it teaches Lucky that he can just watch what is happening and not get stressed out. He learns this through Daffy's behavior.

Unexpectedly Zoey (a more aggressive bird) flew to the perch too and there was a lot of wing flapping going on until Daffy ended up back on the small perch and Lucky and Zoey were on top of Zoey's cage together. Zoey looked as if she were going to injure little Lucky and Daffy let out a scream. Zoey halted and I swooped in to put Lucky back on the safe perch with Daffy.

I was amazed that Daffy showed that sort of protectiveness toward Lucky. I was surprised his scream stopped a near disaster. I don't think Lucky learned anything...he seems a little dim.
Anyway, I was very proud of Daffy.

I am grateful for Daffy. I had no idea I would come to love him so much. He is one of the favorite birds that attends my bird meetings and gives his breed (Indian Ringneck Parakeet) a good name.

GratefulJoy

If I go to bed...then I will need to get up again

This picture shows my bird Jelly and her sister named "Baby Girl".
I won Jelly on a raffle table at a bird club meeting about 6 years ago and then won her baby sister 3 years later. Both are Plumhead Parakeets. Jelly has her plum color head and the baby got her colors when she turned 2 years old.

What I like about this photo is how it shows Jelly's fascination for the baby bird. Jelly followed her around for two days and copied everything the baby did.

Anyway,I am still awake and it is 2:30 am here is Southern California. I am tired and am dreading going to bed. Other folks who are always ill will understand this dilemma. I hurt now and know that I will still hurt when I wake up. In fact, today was sort of a drag and tomorrow has potential to be worse still.

It takes a conscious effort for me to be happy or thankful or have the will to face another day. I could not do this without the help of my Lord and God who gives me strength for each and every thing. My job is to remember His goodness and kindness to me and not get angry over the lack of things I want in my life.

This morning I was praying for someone to call me one the telephone because I needed help to get my brain awake. Then the phone rang and it was my friend Amy! She knows what it is to be sick for years and years on end. I am so grateful for Amy's call to me. I am glad she encouraged me and told me that even when I feel trapped in my apartment and sometimes in my own skin....my life still has value to others. She told me she likes my blog. She told me some things that I actually taught her! Fancy that! I taught someone something!

I need to be reminded often that I have value. Don't we all need that?
When we finally see God face to face I doubt he will want a copy of our resume. No, God looks at the heart attitude. God looks at how we treated the people around us.

God, please help me to be kind when I am tempted to be short-tempered. Help me to share even if I don't know how I will have enough. Give me eyes to see my life from Your perspective and have an idea of what my purpose here in this life and this body might be.

I am grateful for the affirmation of my friend Amy and her phone call that got me out of bed today. I am also grateful for the delicious cold watermelon I had for lunch.

GratefulJoy

I am loved

This photo shows my dear friends DeLynn and Joanne. They are holding Daffy (just a baby at the time) who is the yellow bird holding the red ring, and Jelly (also just a little baby at the time).

I am ever so grateful that I have good friends. Everyone needs family...but sometimes the one you are born into doesn't step up to that role...so, God gives us substitutes. I can say that I am loved by my honorary family of friends. No offense to my relatives meant. Family dynamics are just very strange.

Yesterday DeLynn called to wish me a "Happy Mother's Day" and asked how all my "children" were doing. Of course she meant the feathered sort. I told her they are all well...and how is her four pawed furry child named Whisper doing? She told me he is fine as well. While a little sad for us middle aged women to resort to considering our pets our children...I am still delighted to have good friends that love me enough that my childless state isn't unbearable. I love them, they love me, we're a happy family....hey, isn't that a "Barney" song?

I am indeed grateful for the beautiful people who have graced my life. Without them I would never have survived thus far. I am also grateful for whatever the life God and I make together will look like. It is an artwork in progress.

GratefulJoy

Revisions to today's blog

Here is a photo of Daffy and Lucky from this morning.

I had mentioned my intent to take Lucky the little parakeet in the picture to my bird club and find him a home. Also, my enthusiasm for a Mexican feast....
Well, I lost all steam around 6:30 pm and went to bed...only to awaken at 10:30 pm. So Lucky is still here and I am still sitting around in my underwear. Ho hum.

Such is my life. Great intentions and very little follow-through. Can I be grateful and have joy when my life is like this? I hope so. However it takes more imagination to find it.

Right now I am grateful for the 10 for $10 Banquet microwave dinner I just had. I am grateful for Daffy and his ability to help train new birds here.
Daffy may not always like his role of big brother yet he does a great job of hanging in there.

GratefulJoy

Look at Daffy's face here

This photo shows Daffy, Winnie, and Lucky sharing a perch. While not a great photo in and of itself, I am struck by the obvious annoyance Daffy shows at having to share this perch with these annoying little birds.

Tonight at my bird club meeting we celebrate Mother's Day and Cinco De Mayo. That means we feast on Carne Asada and other Mexican delights.

I will also take Lucky bird with me and find someone who will adopt him. I am still trying to get him to "step up" onto my finger and be content...though as of yet we have only gotten to "share a perch with another bird."

Friday night I was stuck in bed and literally had no clean laundry. My friend rescued me and drove me to the laundry and helped me load and unload and fold and such. I am ever so grateful for my dear friend who helped me with this tedious chore while I was unable to accomplish anything on my own. The need for community is obvious to me. Thank the good Lord that He has given me a bit of real community.

GratefulJoy

Photographic proof that Marty got cuter

This is baby Marty at 12 weeks old. The picture in today's first blog shows him at 3 weeks of age and he was less than handsome. I wanted to show what he blossomed into in only a few weeks. I adored that bird. I keep asking Shasta and Franchesco to make a whole bunch more just like him.

This is my one and only Lilac Crowned Amazon baby ever born to my pair named Shasta and Franchesco. He is three weeks old in this photo...and he only looks as if he can stand...I actually had to prop him up to get this picture. At this age he could not stand or eat on his own and his only job was to grow.
He became amazingly beautiful in the next 9 weeks until he was weaned and ready to move to his new home in Illinois. His name is now Marty.

Wow, today was another blank day. Very hard when I have several weeks on end of these sort of days. I know what I need to get done but it just doesn't happen no matter how I try to muster up the stuff. Not as easy to find things to be grateful for or live in joy when my life seems to pile up and get messier and messier.

I am reminded how St. Paul was ship wrecked and floating around in the sea for days on end, and he was imprisoned for no fault of his own, and, through these and many other difficul times he still managed to be grateful to God. In all things give thanks (at least that is what Paul said).

I am thankful to God for today even though I had a hard time. Grateful for one load of dishes washed. Glad I had dinner to eat. Now I am thankful for my bed that I will retire to as soon as I am finished with this blog.

GratefulJoy

Sunday

This is a picture of my 2006 batch of Painted Conure babies. I think this photo is funny because it shows how the babies huddle together when they are little. It also shows how un-bird-looking the babies are for the first few weeks.

Last year was a very heart breaking bird year for me since all of my baby birds
from my breeder pair were killed in the nestbox. I pray this year will be a blessed year will lots of babies from all possible pair here. It's a lot of work for very little money my way....though it would help a LOT. Please pray a blessing on my birds if you think of it.

I am grateful for Sundays.
GratefulJoy

This is a photo of my bird named Jelly. She is very sweet. Jelly was one of the birds that came with me to the girl scout meeting last week. She was a little shy but I knew she wouldn't bit any of the kids. Good Jelly!

I was reminded tonight that I should never go grocery shopping while I am famished. While at Von's market I was low blood sugar and ended up buying more sweets than actual food. I go a little brain dead if I go all day without eating...then try to function in the evening on empty. At least I did buy a bag of apples and a couple of oranges. Those are nutritious, eh?

Today wasn't a bad day, but also not a day worth bragging about. I would most likely have been embarrassed if anyone I know saw me at the grocery store this evening. I had that "just rolled out of bed" look. And, I was wearing stupid clothes since my dirty clothes are still in my car awaiting my attention.

Even though my day was drab and I bought (and ate) too many sweets...while wearing stupid clothing....I am grateful I had this day. I am grateful I had a car to drive and an apartment in which I feel safe. I am grateful for the ideas I am working on for the necklace part of my cranberry bead bag too.

GratefulJoy