Sunday, December 18, 2011

I'll miss you, Sweet Tess

 Tess

 When we rescued Tess 10-12 years ago, she came to us bald, except for her head -- she looked more like a lizard than a parrot. She had a broken claw and wing. She had been abandoned in an apartment when her owner skipped out on the rent. I don't know how long she was without food or heat before the landlord found her. She was one tough old bird to survive the horrible things that were done to her. 
It was almost two years before she let us hold her and then, when she finally realized that we really could be trusted, she turned into a big ole snuggle baby. She loved nothing more than crawling up under my husbands sweatshirt and cuddling him while she got her rubbins'.  She loved chicken and veggies and apples and bananas and chewing up the wooden playpen that my husband rebuilt for her every few weeks. She did great sound effects and said hello in both of our voices and make kissy noises and whistled the chicken song. She always gave a thank-you clicking sound when she got treats. She often shared the table with us at meal time and had to taste everyone's food to make sure she wasn't missing anything.
This morning I shared an orange and a cookie with her and she was happy, as usual. This evening, I came home and she was at the bottom of her cage, with no strength to stand.  I held her and tried to give her some warmth and nourishment and in a short time I felt her very last heart beat on the palm of my hand and then she was gone.

 Waiting for belly rubbins' from her favorite guy

 With her comrades, Biscuit and Coco

Birds must go to heaven, right? 
I mean...you always see them hovering around with angels in art...