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!

Shiver me timbers

Brrr it's too cold in Toronto. This winter weather is not letting up. Although I am home most of the time with central heating set up all through the house, I am sometimes taken outside for a ride. Oh to anywhere really, anywhere where Dad fancies taking me. Although Mom & the daughter yell that I should not be taken to the grocery store. Something about people who may get offended seeing a bird in a grocery store. I don't know what all the fuss is about. That's where the food is & that's where I want to be, but no dice.

So for now I am limited to the pet store & places like Walmart & that may soon be off the list cause they're starting to have food in there too! Sheesh! I can't wait for summer so I can chill out on the trellis in the front yard. But for some reason the daughter (when she's in town) yells at me when I nibble on her rose bush (I guess Newt caught me in the act). Man, I can't nibble on the plants inside or outside. But isn't that what birds are programmed to do? So confusing.

I need to have a blanket or something. Do you know how cold it is from the front door to the car. Brrr! Just a few seconds is all it takes to chill my bird bones. So I huddle in Dad's jacket, all snug & warm & don't even bother to come out until the car's warmed up with the heat turned on. Seriously, I'm from South America, and although I've never been there I am sure it's definitely not this cold. I know! A little birdie told me so!

Nature call

I get to do all kinds of things when I am out of my cage but I love hanging out on people's shoulders. Not just anyone though. If you're not part of the family I have to really really like you. And that does not happen very often. Sometimes I bite the family, but it's more like a nip & it's just to let them know I need to go eat or a nature call's coming.

Oh, yeah that's right, I am potty trained. I never do the doo on the family, if I can avoid it. Generally, I will work my way to the edge of their arm & try to let my business fall on the floor for an easy clean up. I've sometimes heard them say that they have never known any bird to do that but rumor has it that this is a unique trait that my kind harbours. Pretty neat, eh?

About me

Hey hey there. What's shakin? My name's Tito & my kind hails from Brazil & surrounding countries like Guyana & Venezuela. I am about a year old & live in Toronto with Dad, Mom & their son, Newt. Their daughter & her husband visits us sometimes but I don't think they live in Toronto. I tend to forget about them until they visit & so it takes me a couple of days to remember & get used to them.I am incredibly spoiled by all three members of my family. I'm only in my cage when no one's at home & that's the time I use to catch up on some serious sleep. Well, that's all I have time for today. Stay tuned for more. There's so much to tell....