The Great end of a Very Good Week

This last week has been full of wonderful things and today was the cherry on top. First, there was the buildup to Thursday. Thursday was my official one year anniversary of spinning! A year ago I made one of the best decisions for myself that I've ever made. I met Cleo Gallinger that day and she taught me to make things with my hands that I never imagined I would be capable of. Spinning and the people who were brought into my life because of spinning changed my life for the better forever. I've grown as a person, I've learned new and wonderful skills and I've made great strides spiritually as well. Last year I remember being in a spiritual crisis of sorts. Now I'm not saying that today everything is resolved and perfect, but the journey started last year and I'm growing. What more could I ask?

Then Friday was the year anniversary of my friendship with Carol Dunn and the purchase of my first fiber animal - an angora rabbit named Neema. A gentler, sweeter bunny you couldn't find. Here she is sleeping on her back in my lap the day I brought her home. :)
My lesson to myself here is this I guess. There is A LOT of sadness in life. The world is full of it. Grief and sorrow knock on everyone's door eventually and demand an entrance. But there is also healing to be found. It doesn't all come at once and sometimes you aren't even aware that it's happening until you look backward and realize the vast difference that stands between the you who exists now and the you who existed then. The last year has held that for me. Healing. I have moments of actual joy now. There were days when I doubted I would ever feel that again. And yet here I am.
Friday was also my Quaker parrot Buttons' hatch day. Here she is just after giving herself a bath in her water bowl and looking at me as though it's my fault she got water in her nose.

Buttons turned 6 years old and I've had her since she was just a year and a half old. I remember thinking when I was researching what parrot I wanted after getting my cockatiel that I would NEVER want a Quaker parrot. They were noisy and not very pretty in my eyes. Then I met cranky, mistreated Buttons who was cage aggressive bit me every chance she got. I fell in love. And we've been learning to love each other better every day since then. Even as I brought other parrots into the house, Buttons and I have always had a special relationship.
 And now, thanks to her stellar example of parrot awesomeness, I am the proud owner of FOUR Quakers. FOUR? Yes, you read that right. On Thursday I would have said THREE. But Friday changed everything. I went into Parrots N Stuff in Boise to buy some bird food and pellets for the crew and lingered to play with some of the babies Melody has in the store. Just before checking out and leaving with the food, I heard that Melody had a blue Quaker in the back. I had to see it. I've always wanted a blue Quaker. The moment I met "Bo", I was in love. Of course. Bo had her doubts at first. She came out of the cage readily enough but proceeded to show me she wanted to boss me around by biting and fluffing up and throwing her weight around. 45 minutes later she was giving me kisses, rubbing her head on my face and mumbling in my ear. I called my husband and ended up bringing that girl home. She's a 5 year old Quaker who's had a multiple household past but I will be her 3rd and last home. She's found a forever home here with us. The honeymoon period may wear off and she may bite and act like a normal Quaker in a few weeks. But it won't matter one bit. She belongs here. I changed her name to Ellie and have been taking pictures and video like a maniac. Here she is.

Today I left Ellie at home with Jeff and my friend Susie and I went to Shelly's Birds owned by Shelley Reedy and visited baby Quakers and baby caiques. Susie did all the driving and I went along for the ride and got to know my sweet friend a bit better. She's a pretty amazing lady. She got right into playing with the baby birds when we arrived. Shelley made us at home and we got to have fun with all the babies! What clowns! Here's Susie with both of the caique babies. One is facing forward on one shoulder and the other is backward on Susie's other shoulder.

While she played with them, I messed around with the Quaker mob. Even though I had a new one at home, it was hard to resist these little ones. I have a soft spot for Quakers, what can I say?

You can just see in their eyes that they're plotting mischief can't you? Shelley raises these babies in her home hand feeding and socializing them all the while. By the time they go to new homes they're healthy, well adjusted birds who are hand tame, good natured and very sweet if somewhat mischievous. :) I like a little mischief in my birds.
Finally our visit was over and it was time to head home to my crew here. By the time I got home my awesome husband had watered sheep and rabbits and he changed the birds' waters and swept the floor and wiped it down for me. When they're out all day my crew can really make a mess so it was nice to have that taken care of. Jeff is wonderful with the birds and very good to me.
I covered everyone up and we all said our nite nites and then it was off to La La Land for the birds. Now I'm here blogging and feeling a bit sleepy myself. I just couldn't let this week end and pass into history completely without recording the great things that I celebrated and the fun things I got to have a part in. Life can be good, God is always great, and I am truly blessed.