Budwiser Take 2

This was taken September. Like it? I thought so. I'm cool like that!

Mr. Personality

MR. P E R S O N A L I T Y. That's my middle name. What have I not done this past year? Whom have I not met? All the ladies in the neighbourhood know my name. They may not know Mom or Dad's but they know mine. Cause I'm cool. Don't believe me? I think this picture says it all. It's doesn't get any cooler than this!

Happy Thanksgiving

A whole summer gone by and I know, you heard not a peep from me. Well, sorry folks, you know how the summer is. I've been so busy and it's more fun living it than constantly blogging it. So I give you this, me in all my full Thanksgiving from. This year I am thankful for my wonderful family who spoil me so. They're the best. I'm also thankful for this wonderful warm weather we've been having. Makes things so much more enjoyable. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

My other ride

Ok so here's me with my other ride...you like? This is me on my other friend, German boy #2. I'm almost as old as he is. Almost! He's a little over three years and he's so cute and so much fun. See how tight I'm holding on? It's not because I'm scared, it's because I don't want anyone to yank me off the helmet. I like it up here, especially when the boys are riding their bicycles. I told you the feeling of the wind in my feathers is fantastic.

I am missing the boys because they're on a holiday for the next three weeks. But I do have another friend visiting. Yeah that's right, Krishna's in town and man are the boys missing out, big time.

Bicycle days

It's been soo long. Did you miss me? I've made new friends. They've come from Germany to live in Toronto and Mom & Dad have been housing them for the past month. The two boys are seven and three and they are fun. They let me out of the cage when Mom, Dad & Newt are out at work. I get to hang out with them all day. And the evenings...oh let me tell you. I get a bicycle ride every evening. Every evening! Here's me on Boy #1's shoulder as he's ready to take off. Sometimes I sit on their helmet and just don't want to come down. Dad & Mom try to take me away when they think playtime is over, but no sirree, I know better. I know I have five more minutes. I am happy where I am. I bet Krishna would be jealous. I wonder if he's ever been on a bicycle ride. The wind in my feathers feels so good. The smell of the park. The kids passing by in a blur. And now that I'm out all the time, all the kids know me and wanna get a piece of me. Fun times. I love summer.

My new friend

I have been super busy with my new friend - his name is Krishna and he's about a month old. I've been showing him the ropes, telling him all about the family, taking him upstairs to where Mom's working, taking him downstairs to the basement to join Dad as he watches TV. We've also been hanging out with Newt as soon as he's home. Here we are...that's me making sure he behaves. So, it's been a full house this week and I've had to share everything with him, but I don't really mind. Well at least he came with his bed cause there was no way I was about to share mine. I draw the line at that. Krishna told me he likes his Mom best out of the rest of the family, too. I totally get what he means. I think he's going home today, but he doesn't know it yet and I don't have the heart to break it to the kid. No big deal, I'm sure we'll be hanging out again soon.

Gimme Kiiiiiss

I love Mom. She's so good to me. Not that Dad and Newt aren't, but Mom's the one that's been spending so much time with me now that she's working from home. Sure Dad takes me out for a ride everyday but he also 'grounds' me when I've misbehaved, and really who wants that? My life span is not long enough to be grounded. I mean what's 40 years? It's peanuts, I tell you!

So, whenever mom says to me, 'Tito, Gimme Kiss' I tell her 'Gimme Kiiiiiss' right back and then do so. But I only say it to her in return and to no one else. Dad's not too happy about that and has tried to get me to say it like I do for mom, but oh no Siree Bob...Mom just laughs with glee, super satisfied that I like her best. You know what though, Valentine's Day is coming up and it's kisses all around for everyone! Line 'em up!

The climb up

This is me, climbing up MsCutePants' pants, during her Christmas visit. Sometimes she feels sorry for me and picks me up from the floor and puts me straight onto her shoulder. Sometimes she just lets me make my way up to her shoulder, when she's busy with something. They all tend to do that actually - Dad, Mom, Newt. And so sometimes I have to get creative. With all that climbing you'd think I'd be able to tackle Mount Everest or something. It helps that I can now fly from point A to point B, especially since Dad doesn't clip my wings too much. I think they feel sorry for me. Walking everywhere for a bird can be exhausting. Climbing too. Flying is the way to go!

Gossip girls

Would you believe the white stuff everywhere? It snowed a LOT in Toronto this weekend and while it looks pretty outside, it's cold. You know me, I hide under Dad or Mom's jacket the nano second I'm outside. Heck, sometimes I don't even wait for us to get outside.

The other day, I heard Mom on the phone upstairs talking to the daughter, MsCutePants about me. Telling her all about how I've learned to say GO TO SLEEP when I'm sleepy and when I want them to stop talking and let me sleep. I ran up to hear what else she was saying about me. Mom saw me running towards her and started laughing, telling the daughter how I know when someone's talking about me. Hmmmph Do they have to laugh at me though?

Apparently, I'm going to receive a handmade Christmas gift this year. That's a little something extra I heard them talk about, but I couldn't make out what exactly it was going to be.

Guess I'll have to wait.

Shake shake shake

One of my favourite places to hang out is in the basement on the family's fire extinguisher. There are two reasons why I love hanging out here. First of all, it's nice and warm since the heating vent is directly above me which makes for a perfect spot to nap. The other is because I literally have a bird's eye view of the bottom most floor of the house. And if I want to leave I just hop over onto the steps & make my way either up or down depending on what interests me. And so here I am, last December, giving my paw out for a hand shake. It's looks eerie because of the lighting brought on by the flash and the shadow of my foot doesn't really help either, but I'm lovable really.

Hey Cuz!

It snowed this past weekend in Toronto. It's also been cold. Not the kind of weather I like, seeing where I originate from and all, but hey, I can't exactly up and leave! Besides I am liking it a bit too much here in my Toronto home. This weekend Dad went to help one of his co-workers get a Green Cheek Conure like me from where ever it was he got me. I can't quite remember where that is but I'm pretty sure I was born in Toronto. Heh! You can say I'm Canadian born & bred. Eh!

Well, I wonder who the new bird on the block is because its new owners took it out in this freezing weather and of course now the poor newbie's sneezing and has come down with a cold. See if I go out in the cold, I know to get in Dad's, Mom's or Newt's coat. I mean when I was a baby (last year) my family was super careful with me. Hello!!! Earth to new owners. We're not meant for the Canadian winter. We come from South America, where it's HOT all the time. How does that make us want to play in the Canadian snow, no matter how tempting it looks? Oh the injustice! I am so mad. If I ever meet these guys, I am gonna give them a piece of my mind! I mean that kid could be my cousin for all I know. I gotta look out for my own. You know it.Get well soon kiddo!

Mall Rat

Dad took me out a couple of days ago. Of course it was freezing cold and so I huddled in his jacket and didn't want to come out. I had no idea where we were off to and had no idea where we were when we got there. After a little coaxing and feeling the warmth rush through my bones, I decided to come out. And boy was I excited. I was at my old diggs, at the mall! It had been ages and ages since I'd made a trip to the mall and boy was I happy. Looked a bit different though. They had these decorations all over the place. Trees with lights on them (where have I seen this before?), round trees with glittery things, a big fat man in a red suit (what's that about?). Anyway, off we went to my regular hangout! The Fido kiosk. Oh! my friends were so glad to see me. They missed me so. And of course, I was showing off all the new things I've learned. Ahhh let the good times roll!

Tickle me Tito

This child's not afraid of me, so don't you be! Relax, Max. Of course I'm not biting her. I'm just tickling her ear. See the smile on her face? Well! half her face. Besides, I NEVER bite children. And that's a fact, Max!

The whole truth

Word on the street is that there have been doubts about my speaking ablilites. People are doubting that I can speak. English! Oh you doubting Thomases. What does a bird have to do to prove it's telling the truth? Not like I can tape myself. I mean I could, but then there are all those non believers out there. They'll think someone else is behind that too. Just to let you know, I am camera shy. I don't think I was born to do any kind of show business. I'm no Lassie. I think I'm more of a Broadway type! Maybe if you visit me, I'll be on my best behaviour and put on a show. FYI! I love apples and roasted corn. Bread will also do. So....
♫ Come on-a my house, my house a come on ♫

Bedtime's calling

It's been a while since you've heard from me. I've been super busy! Learning this and that and I've had loads of company. Now that Mom's working from home most days, I've been hanging around her a lot! She's a doll really. Besides it beats having to be in my cage during the day, all by meself.

I'm so smart that I can now tell the folks when I'm sleepy. Oh yeah. I can't stay up past 10:00pm and that's when I start telling them: GO TO SLEEP! Yeah, that's right! I actually say that, WHEN I want to sleep. Not at just some random moment! No siree. I say it when I mean it! How many birds do you know that can actually tell you when it's time for some shut eye? Seriously!

Mr. Independent

Now that I am older I have to fend for myself. Not only that but I also eat a lot more too. Because I'm so active, I burn through a lot of food. Before the family had to force me to get back in the cage to eat, when I've been roaming through the house all day. But now...it's a whole different story. Mom is mighty pleased that I go downstairs when I'm hungry & help myself. She doesn't have to babysit me anymore. Sometimes they look for me wondering where I've run off to & then they hear the crunching of sunflower seeds & they know it's lunchtime or dinnertime. Yeah I know, I'm pretty independent, eh?

Watch your step

You know what I hate? Being short! You know what I love? Heights! I love being perched up on the curtain railings to watch all the comings & goings. Sort of like me checking out the lay of the land! It's fun until I want to get down & get in on the action.

But I hate having to walk on the ground, especially when the family is walking around with me. Not that they'd step on me or anything. They're much too careful. I just hate having to 'follow' them around. And so I've learned to adapt & anticipate where I think they're going to go & just plain walk ahead of them. I am so fast going down the steps & they get confused when I overtake them! Yeah I sure do. Hopping sure does some in handy.

Crowd pleaser

So, remember that Dubai/UAE picnic I was talking about attending last month. Well, here's a shot of me making good use of my time. I was so busy that day, I hardly had time to eat! See the kids flocking around me? I was just as popular with the adults. I was so tired, I was out like a light on the ride home. But I could still hear Mom & Dad talking about me.

When I'm mad...

I've been giving Mom a hard time lately. It's not her fault really...Dad's been coming home later than usual & so has Newt. Mom's been the one coming home first to let me out of my cage. Of course by then I am very upset that I've been in there for so long & I take it out on her, but only for about 5 minutes. Now, I don't bite anymore but what I do is go over to her precious potted plants & unearth the soil from all the pots. And then I watch her or Dad (when he comes home) clean it up! It's my way of teaching them a lesson.

And then this weekend Mom wanted to take a nap...And what does she do? She leaves me right outside her door. I was so angry. I kept muttering, 'I beat you' (that's code for when someone's been bad). And I could hear mom laughing about it too! Hmmph! I wasn't pouting for too long cause Dad & later Newt took me along to hang out with them.

But I made it up to her later. While they were reading/watching TV on Sunday night I hopped from Dad's shoulder onto hers & said GIMME KISS & then gave her a kiss. Then I hopped back onto Dad's shoulder. It's true! I am not making this up. Mom was super surprised & happy too! She knows I love her. She's the only one I let scratch my belly!

I know you may find all of this hard to believe but I've learned to associate certian words with certian behaviour. I truly am just that smart! And what's more I'm clean. No muss, no fuss!

Me & the Bud

This was me last year. I know what you're thinking...I'm kinda wondering the same thing myself...

Kids: Don't try this at home!

Shoulder hopping

While kids go bar hopping, I do what any other outgoing bird would...I've go shoulder hopping! Dad took me to the annual church bbq a couple of weekends ago & boy was I the life of the party. Everyone wanted a piece of me. Loads of pictures were taken. Even the priest wanted me on his shoulder for a picture opp. So of course I made sure I didn't upset anyone by dropping a little somethin somethin. I was at my best, made many many friends & delighted everyone with my small talk.

If this is what the church bbq was like, man I can't wait to go to the UAE picnic, a couple of weekends from now. Oh it's gonna be so good. Get your camera out folks! No flash photography please...or there's a possibility I'd go blind.

Antics

I am really liking this Summer season. Last year I was a bit too young to understand it all & had no idea Winter was around the corner. But now that I am a year old, I get it. The family says I've learned a heck of a lot in just one year. The daughter says it's because I am interacting with everyone for the most part of the day, which is stimulating my mind, causing me to learn things faster. I shock the pants of them all with new things I've been picking up. I love repeating what they say when they're in a conversation with each other. It makes them stop & look at me. Yeah that's right, I'm here too!

Here I am upto one of my antics, my acrobatic one! Mom says, with all my antics, I'm like a little person in the house. In response Newt says: Well duh! He has his own blog.
Yeah that's right, so don't you forget it. I can write about any of you at anytime. There will be no more skeletons in this family's closet. Of course, they could toss me arse out the door, if I start blabbing too much.

I get mad when they're late from work & haven't taken me out for my usual run around the house. But they make it up to me & before long I've forgotten that I'm supposed to stay upset. In a few weekends, they're going to this huge yearly picnic where they meet all their friends from when they lived in Dubai & rumour has it that they're taking me! Little 'ol me! Yay, I cannot wait. That is going to be one fun filled day. I will keep you posted!

I've been abandoned

So, a few days ago I nicked off one of the keys from Mom's work laptop & took it with me half way across the room. She didn't know where it was & spent quite a while trying to look at it. Of course she blames Dad cause he was using her laptop & I was with him at the time. He must have not been watching me. Newt, however, is more vigilant. He shoos me back up his arm when I get too close to the keyboard. Sometimes I like to sit on his hand as he types. But I did manage to nick a piece off the scroller on the mouse. Why do they call it a mouse anyway?

Well, now Dad's got a laptop of his own & wouldn't you know, he does not let me anywhere near it! How's that for a double standard? says Mom.

I'm special

Ok so here's my thing: I am really really getting used to strangers now. Because Dad takes me out everyday, total strangers come up to us & want to hold me & play with me. So, of course I don't bite anymore. Well, how can I? They're like adoring fans & they make me feel like a star. They even pose with me & take pictures. Really! I kid you not. How can anyone NOT love that? Everyone knows I am all about the attention. Now, if only I could learn how to sing the verse from that Pretenders' song, I'd have a true permanent following.
SING IT:
♫ Cause I'm gonna make you see
There's nobody else here,
No one like me
I'm special, so special.
I gotta have some of your ATTENTION!
Give it to me! ♫

Out & about

It's finally hot in the T (dot). And boy have I been going places. Mom & Dad took for a drive to Little India this weekend. I could not help but take it all in. Oh the colours, the sights, the sounds. It's nice to finally be out & about. Here I am hanging on to Dad's collar for dear life. Well not really! I do know how to fly if I loose my grip.

When Dad gets home he takes me out for a walk in the park. It's nice to feel the sun. But then later when Newt's home, he takes me out for a walk again (feeling sorry for me being cooped up at home all day not knowing that Dad took me out just a little while earlier). Well, I ain't about to let the cat out of the bag. Hey, did someone say Cat? I gotta watch out for those. They're nothing but trouble for me.

Small talk

I talk a lot. I can say a whole bunch of things. Like 'Hello', 'Whatcha doing?', 'Tito come here' (yeah I know, I call out to myself) & 'Gimme Kiss' (seriously, I'm a Ladies' man).

And I'm learning more everyday. Dad talks to me a lot & also teaches me to call out to Newt. He apparently doesn't like it & tells Dad not to teach me his name. Newt also doesn't like it when the daughter talks to me in one of the many other languages they all know. But she does it anyway. I heard Newt say does not want me to become bilingual. Is he kidding me? I wanna be bilingual, whatever that is.

Sunshine in the park

So, this past weekend was f-a-b-u-l-o-u-s! Yeah, that's right. I can spell too! Anyway, the weather was hot. Yeah, that's right. I said hot. In the T (dot). The best part of all, I went for a nice ride with the family, a long one too. Dad, Mom & Newt all of us out in the same car & that's quite rare! We went downtown & Dad took me to the park while Mom & Newt had some work to attend to.

I gotta tell you I am liking this park thing. Oh, the sights & sounds. The ladies & kids flocking to check me out. This is the life! The life of being admired, fed & being able to poop in the park. No need for Dad to scoop the poop! After all, I'm not a dog am I?

Have a drink!

I do have this habit wanting to eat or drink anything that's around. Hey I'm curious by nature & I love food. I've tried to get a taste of tea when Mom & Dad have their afternoon cup on the weekends but they are too fast for me. But sometimes Dad lets me take a sip. The daughter, when she's visiting, lets me drink some of her orange juice. Mmmm tastes good. She knows I somehow can't be bothered to eat an orange. Too much work to get the juice out of the pulp.

About a month ago, it was the daughter's birthday & since she was visiting with her husband she wanted to have a party. There were a lot of people around. Some I've met before & some entirely new. Of course I was let out to join & mingle around. I was on my best behaviour. Then I had something to drink. I don't know what it was but it gave me a warm fuzzy feeling. Then came on the buzz. I am not sure how long it lasted but it seemed funny to everyone. All I could think was: Hey what kind of drink is this & who spiked it???

Apparently, it was whiskey. All I had was a couple of drops. Sheesh! I didn't know it could have that effect on me. Whiskey is now on my list of things to look out for to drink when someone's got a glass in their hand. But oh the daughter was mad at Dad after everyone left, saying that I should not be given alcohol. Then Mom piped in too! Something about it not being good for me & something about wanting me to live to my full potential of 40+ years & if I am given all this junk my lifespan is going to be a lot shorter. It's ok Mom & daughter, it's cool. I won't turn into an alcoholic. I promise! But a bird's gotta live a little on the wild side right? Besides don't they say a little alcohol is good for the tummy, it kills all the worms.

5 more minutes

For the past few months I've been sleeping in Mom & dad's room. Told you I was spoiled & now you're getting to see the extent of it. They've got a makeshift area for me complete with covers. Covers? you say. Well, I have to say it's the coziest in there because I love sleeping in my 'bed' all bundled up under the covers. Yeah I know, I'm a bird. But don't laugh until you've tried it.

I have to say, I've become incredibly lazy. Before the change, I'd mozy on down when the family was up, walk around them while they were getting ready for work, play knock knock who's there, that sort of thing. Many times Newt is the last to leave & while he's in the bathroom I wait outside the door knocking on it for him to hurry the heck up!

Since yesterday, I can't be bothered. As spring is taking forever to arrive it's still a bit cool in the mornings. So when Mom wakes up, I don't bother to get down like I used too. She was telling the daughter how I just went straight back to bed yesterday. I did not want to get out of bed, lemme tell you. But that was short lived! She came to get me once she was ready to head out the door. Sigh!

I find I'm sleeping earlier & earlier now on the weekends. Well, everyone's home on the weekends & it's so exciting, that I really can't catch any much needed winks. So I am pooped by the time it's 9:00pm & I'm in bed without a fuss. Maybe I'm getting older. But isn't it a fact that the older you get the less sleep you tend to have? Hey, what do I know? I'm just a bird!

Watch out

I love things that people wear. Zippers on jackets, earrings & necklaces on women, things of that sort. I am so adept at taking off mom's earrings & I can do it without her knowing as well. But once I've got the earring off I just let it drop where ever. I think she's gotten wind of what I do so she makes sure she's not wearing any earrings when I'm on her shoulder. Bummer!

And so for a while I turned my attention to dad's watches. I got pretty good at unscrewing the winder. Well, it was not appreciated, I can tell you that. Dad was not so upset but I hear him grumble that it's a pain to get it fixed. So he's more careful when I'm around watches. And he's even spread the word to others at home. Double bummer!

The list of gadgets for me to play with is vanishing by the second. Sigh! Maybe a car ride is in order. Now if only summer would arrive!