“What do you mean, I’m moving!” Stormed Josie. “You never asked me it I wanted a new place to live!”

People, just because they are bigger than me doesn’t make them smarter. I was perfectly
happy in my old cage, sure it needed work, but it was mine.

Now I have to move into a new home, I don’t even like the place, I didn’t choose it.

Josie went on and on about her new home, there was nothing wrong with it. But Josie was like that, she had to have everything her way.

“Mommy is taking my old home apart, all my toys, dishes all gone. I have no where to go!” cried Josie. She can be very melodramatic at times, and this was one of those times.

In came the new cage with all her things in it, quite a nice cage, but of course Josie won’t even look at it.

“I don’t want it, take it away!” she stormed. “I won’t use it, you can’t make me!”

Of course, mommy put a stop to that, she calmly took Josie and gently put her in her
new home. “You’ll get use to it, so calm down, eat your dinner and just explore it, can’t hurt to try at least.”

Josie finally likes her new home; it was the principal of the thing of course. She wanted to make the choice herself.

So now we waited to see what will happen next, of course with Josie, you never know what to expect.

©  Ceol

I want something nice to show off my beautiful feathers, thought Josie.

Mommy has some very nice things, very shiny and bright. I wonder if
she would give me some, just to make me look more special.

So began Josie’s fight to get her own jewellery. She tried nibbling mommy’s ear, the gold earring was just the right thing, very shiny and LARGE! Just what she wanted, Josie tried very hard to get that earring, she nibbled, she pulled real hard and still it wouldn’t come out.

Rats!!! I wanted it so much, maybe a nice bracelet would do, So she started nibbling and pulling on a gold bracelet. No luck.

This has gone on and on for years, Josie still can’t get anything shiny to match her lovely feathers, what she doesn’t know is that she is beautiful just as she is.

It is what is inside her that counts not want she thinks she needs, Josie is a smart, happy, cheeky budgie. All the rest is just for show. Some day she might understand but then she is only 5 years old.

©  Ceol

“I really did it this time,” said Josie. “Must lose some weight and learn how to land properly.”

I thought I was doing OK until my Mommy’s nose got in the way. Kiko-san had cut me off in mid flight, quite rude of him. Tried to brake, then it happened, back winged as fast as I could and landed on mommy’s nose. You think she would have got out the way faster.

I dug in my nails and flapped my wings really hard. I had to keep my balance of course.

Mommy picked me off and did I get away in a hurry. She just stood there seeing if there was any blood.  Excuse me I just had the fright of my life besides ruffling my beautiful yellow feathers. All she cared about was that nose.

Kiko-san said “You’re in trouble now.”

“Wait a minute it was all your fault for getting in my way!” Stormed Josie. “I was doing just fine up to then!”

“Not my problem you can’t fly” replied Kiko-san.

“Oh be quiet that was my best landing yet. I will be famous as the only budgie to land on a human nose.” preened Josie.

“Famous, my tail feathers that was the worst landing yet,” retorted Kiko-san.

“No that wasn’t, that was the BEST worst landing yet!” yelled Josie, stamping her little pink feet. “I am very proud of myself, I am the best.”

Kiko-san finally got the last word. “Yeah right, in your dreams.”

©  Ceol

Josie was still upset about the cat that came to Christmas and New Years.

“I wonder it that thing did leave,” she said.

“We didn’t see it go,” said Kiko-san. “Maybe it’s still here hiding under something.”

Mommy had told them the cat was gone, but Josie had to see for her self and now
she finally got her chance. Mommy wasn’t paying any attention to her. Off she flew one
way and Kiko-san went the other.

Josie wasn’t the best flyer and certainly her landings were something else, but she finally
got down behind the sofa and started to look around. She was a bit afraid, after all cats do have claws and sharp teeth, and she didn’t want to become a snack.

She poked her beak very carefully into all the spaces a cat could hide, nothing. By now the search party was looking for her, mommy was calling and calling her name.

“I won’t answer.” muttered Josie. “I am on a mission and nothing is going to stop me.”

So far so good but maybe I should go home now, I will be in real trouble soon and the safest place to be is home. Besides which I can blame Kiko-san for getting me off course.

There was one problem though, lift off was a bit more that she could handle. “I really must cut back on that millet, I am getting a bit too heavy for this,” she said to herself.

A flutter of feathers, some of which fell out (she was moulting again, nothing like leaving
a trail behind me), I will get back to that cage, maybe she won’t see me.

Too late, mommy saw her; I am in trouble now for sure. She will look me over, kiss me
and tell me that I am a bad budgie.

When all the fuss had calmed down, Josie turned to Kiko-san and whispered

“That cat is finally gone.”

©  Ceol

That cat came back for New Year’s dinner. We were not happy at all.

“I have a plan,” said Josie. “We don’t have to take this.”

“What are you going to do?” asked Kiko-san.

“Not what I am going to do, what we are going to do.” replied Josie.

Out came Miss Harley from that dratted box, wandering all over our house;
looking at us as though we were the main course for supper.

So we came up with a plan, we would just keep talking, about everything, scolding her,
and keeping her off guard. Only problem was that the more we talked the more interested she was in us.

The mommies kept calling her back, and we just kept talking. Our mommy was getting quite annoyed with us. Miss Harley was getting more curious.

“May be we should shut up now.” said Kiko-san. “Mommy is not happy with any of us.”

“Maybe she will go home soon, “said Josie.

“Hope so.” Said Kiko-san

This continued all evening, finally we got ready for bed, but not before we forced Miss
Harley into her box and we got to fly around.

“You two are going to bed,” said Mommy. “That should put a stop to all this nonsense.

That is the last we saw of the New Year’s Cat, something tells us that won’t be the last
time, just wait until next year…

©  Ceol

Everyone said I would never fly or do anything a normal budgie could. I would always have to stay in a cage for the rest of my life.

I didn’t buy that and neither did my new mommy. You see I am a handicapped budgie. I can’t stand for very long and only one foot works right.

But I wanted to fly so bad and be like my friend Josie. I had been abused by my former family and got badly hurt escaping from them

My new mommy adopted me and gave me a new home.

I slowly got better and she let me out, I wasn’t very nice to her at first. I would scream and bite her; she just never gave up on me.

Slowly my wing feathers grew out and I started to fly. But I couldn’t land very well; in fact I crashed more than I landed.

Mommy just never gave up, she would pick me up and praise me, and Josie would ring her bell every time I got a new wing feather. It took two years, but I can climb, fly, land, talk and play like a normal budgie.

I learned one lesson, never give up, keep trying and don’t let anyone tell you; you can’t do anything.

Love goes a long way and I can so fly!!!!

©  Ceol

Christmas Day, Josie and Kiko-san were in for a big surprise.

“Here she comes! Here she comes!” yelled Josie.

“About time,” said Kiko. “We would like our present now.”

In came the company and one very large box, with fur sticking out and lots of  mutters coming from inside.

I don’t like the look of that, thought Josie. I think I will go and hide now; Kiko-san agreed to this, it did not look promising.

The two budgies finally got their millet, lovely red millet just for Christmas, but that box, what next?

Suddenly the case opened and out came, OH HORRORS!! A CAT!!!!!

Miss Harley came toward them; she paused with one paw raised. Just looking very calmly at the two very cross budgies.

“Who invited that to Christmas dinner!!!!?” shouted Kiko-san.

Three pairs of eyes stared at each other, one red, one black and one green. Miss Harley, a beautiful brown cat, one yellow budgie and one blue/white budgie, just watched to see what would happen. Josie and Kiko-san certainly didn’t intend to be the main course for dinner.

She looked at the budgies and just walked away; deciding they were not that interesting and she was not hungry yet.

This happened at least twice more, the respective mommies kept watch just in case.

Finally Miss Harley was ready to go home, back in her case, protesting all the way.

“Thank goodness that’s over and if you don’t think we like what just happened!” yelled the budgies “Just you wait!”

It took two days and a lot of millet to make amends. Their mommy explained that Harley had to come as she was a very ill cat.

Josie didn’t buy that and oh great, she’s coming back for New Year’s dinner……..

©  Ceol

Some people like milk and cookies
Some people like cups of tea

My mommy really likes ice cream
But millet is what pleases me

Some people like to run races
Some people like to walk real slow

My mommy likes to garden
And watch things that grow

But I found the best way to travel
And watch the world rush by

All you have to really do
Is spread your wings and fly

©  Coel

“I wonder if I can sneak out really quietly,” thought Joey. “Maybe she won’t see me.”

Joey liked to play tricks on his Mommy, the best one was flying. You see Mommy can’t fly she doesn’t have any wings, or a tail for that matter.

Almost there, the open door was so close. One more step, there I’m out. I look all around the room, so far so good.

One skip, one hop and I’m airborne, I can fly so high.

Oh, Oh! Here she comes; just you wait now I’m going to show off. I swoop down so low I almost touch my mommy’s head, and then I start to climb. Where will I go next?

“I know the curtains; she’ll never reach me there”, Joey thought. Higher and higher, he flies, pass the table, pass the lamp, almost there. Made it to the curtain rod, now for the best part, Joey drew a deep breath.

“Mommy can’t catch me! Mommy can’t catch me!” he yelled with all his might.

His mommy stood down below, and waited and waited for Joey to come down. “Isn’t she ever going to at least try to get me?” thought Joey.

He was getting a bit worried, it was almost dinnertime and he was quite hungry from all that flying. Maybe I had better get down myself.

So very carefully, he edged closer to the edge of the curtains, he leapt and beat his wings so fast, they were a blur. Down he came, faster and faster straight at his mommy. “I hope she can catch me,” he said to himself.

Almost there, a couple of more inches, Joey started landing mode. Steer with the tail, he said, flaps down, rudder engaged. Almost there, Joey gently landed on her shoulder.

“What a clever budgie you are, Joey,” said his mommy. “You are so smart.” Joey liked that part the best, all the love and praise he got.

“Now have you finished being a naughty boy, it is almost time for your dinner,” said mommy. “You must be very hungry after your flight.”

Joey chirped “yes”. You know the best part of it all.

Mommy Caught Me!

©  Ceol