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10. Oh! Look at Me Now

On May 21st we adopted 3 baby birds. One of them was a baby robin that only needed a safe place overnight and then I reunited it with its nest mates. I didn’t even get a picture of this robin. The other two are cardinals.

So cute and fuzzy!

Unfortunately, one of those baby birds refused to eat. You can probably guess which one, even from that picture there. We did everything we could really, but that doesn’t make it less sad.

Bird Watching

Even Morgan liked hanging out with the bird, affectionately known as ‘PEEPACHEEP!’, Peep for short. I’m pretty sure Morgan doesn’t realize this visitor is a bird. All she knows is Peep peeps a lot, and loudly. However, nowhere near as loudly as the conure parrot The Boy has back at his parents’ house.

By May 26 you could really see a change in Peep. At that point we still referred to it as him simply to avoid confusion with Morgan being a she. Peep started getting some real feathers and loosing some baby fluffy feathers.

Strutting for the Camera

I woke up early one morning about a week ago. Peep was awake but not yet peeping for food, but I opened her cage anyway and she jumped over to the bed and nestled in with me. There I am, cat curled up on one side and baby bird nestled into my neck on the other. Peep had enough after a few minutes and jumped back over to the window, but missed. She managed to mangle her one wing and break it. It was limp and she dragged it. I felt and still feel like the worst bird mama in the world.

We’ve babied her, more than we probably would have. We’ve definitely kept her longer. If she hadn’t broken a wing we would have been able to let her go already. She’s been eating baby food (beef in broth and chicken in gravy – yes I get the irony) and more recently meal worms. It’s so cool to watch her hunt them!

She hung out with me all this evening and even started jump/flying around a bit. Small leaps from one level to another. Then when The Boy came home she was all dancey for him. She lurves to tap dance on the mini cookie sheet we have for the toaster oven. So he put water in it, just enough to cover the bottom. She went nuts! It was great! After her bath she jumped up on top of the toaster oven and start preening, spreading all her feathers. For modesty’s sake I didn’t take a picture of that. I’ll just say she is definitely a she!

Bath Time

I’m just looking at the differences in Peep now. Her beak has changed, not only colors, but in strength. She also lurves to nibble on everything, ears, earrings, noses, lips, you get it. She’s tested every cables on both of our desks and reports back that none of them are in fact worms. Something I’m happy about but she’s probably pretty disappointed.

Another thing; worms are WAY more expensive than baby food!

Psst! More pics on Flickr.

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9. Now and Again

I’ve been wanting to go camping for.ever. Also, I have legs. If you’re like me with the camping and the legs you should consider joining our team for The American Cancer Society Relay for Life. aPSUmama has set up a team and we need more walkers. The goal is to have one person on the track walking, at all times, for 24 hours.

This event runs from July 17 at 10am until July 18 at 10am. So, yeah come walk with us. Please? Don’t make me beg. It’s not pretty. GIVE US YOUR LEGS, ahem, please.

Sign up here: One Feet, Two Feet, Red Feet, Blue Feet

(Come one, you have to sign up now, we have the most awesome name for this!)

UPDATE: I realize this overlaps with the Bucco Tweetup on the afternoon of July 17, but if we can borrow your legs for an hour sometime before or after that… plskthx.

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8. Not Now

I’ve been battling something. I wake with a sore throat, but nothing else. As the day progresses I feel better and better. Like I can tackle the world and I’m ready to go. And, then it’s bedtime. The last few nights I’ve taken a Nyquil, but that’s left me groggy and still with a sore throat when I wake. So. Not. Cool.

This evening started with the congestion. Just one side of my face though. At least everything is, um, clear… in color I mean. Yeah, gross I know. I just know that it’s not an infection. Tomorrow I try allergy pills. Oh, my life is so fun sometimes!

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7. Now Playing

This evening I went to a community meeting in Regent Square about a treehouse. Kate and Peter’s Treehouse. The meeting went well I think. It was nice to see the overall plans the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy has. I like that they are planning well blended environmental education centers that will take advantage of the areas they are placed in.

Walking into the room I was so happy to see so many green shirts!

I was disappointed in the general “Not in my backyard” attitude many of the neighbors had. That being said it was important for everyone to be heard. I think there was a balance in what was said; some for, some against this location, but no one outwardly said the treehouse shouldn’t be built. I understand there will be an increase in traffic, but I believe that will happen anyway. Many of the people I spoke to after the meeting ended said they walk to the parks. Many ideas, alternates, and anecdotes were presented and there is still much to consider.

It was nice to hear the people remembering Kate and Peter, which is who the treehouse is for. It seemed a lot of people lost track of that.

What I walked away with was that people are in general happy with the treehouse idea and it’s very important that we all work together to find the right place for this so that many many generations of children can benefit from it. In all I think that Kate and Peter would be most happy with that.

So, a big thank you to Amy and her family. Thank you to Ginny for letting us all know and reminding us about this meeting. Thank you to all the green shirts and in-spirit green shirts that came out in person or on twitter to support this project.


Photo by LadyGuinevere!

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6. Now is for You

Dear Tanner,

We’ve never met, but you’ve touched my life. Yesterday some friends and I ran a 5k just outside of Pittsburgh, PA in a beautiful, but very muddy, park called Hartwood Acres. It was pouring down rain. Everyone was drenched, even though we were all huddled under umbrellas or canopies. Despite the rain, lightning, and thunder – everyone had a big smile on their faces. Five hundred people registered for this race and four of us were wearing tutus. For you.

We thought of you while we were training. We thought of you while we were running the trail. And every single time a person came up to us and said, “Hey, I love the tutu. And that you guys are running this race in them is fantastic!” We thought of you and told them they were Tutus for Tanner.

This was my first ever race and I’m pretty sure I’ve caught this running bug. I’ll be wearing my tutu in the next race, and the next. And I will send you pictures. I just wanted to say thanks for inspiring me to live in the right now.

Thank you.

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5. Right Now

I’m drenched and running (okay walking mostly) a 5k at Hartwood Acres. In a tutu! Pictures soon, I promise!

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4. Now I Get It

Actually, no. No I don’t get it. I’m a planner and a worrier, so the whole “living-in-the-now”? Hard.

My plans are usually long term though. Like the school thing. That was an 8 year plan right there. I have little problem seeing myself in 5 or 10 years, though to be honest it’s hazy, changes a lot, and is a bit romanticized. I have no vision of myself beyond a week or so. I mean, I definitely have stuff in my calendar; yoga, tweetups, an awesome family reunion, etc. What I should see is me hanging out with awesome friends, laughing, having a good time. Let’s make that happen, k? Oh, and beer, with fruit. Sorry Uncle Crappy, my beer does need fruit :-P

Let’s also include hanging out with this guy some more! What a cutie!

I’m not sure how much more self-reflection I’ll be able to handle for a month straight. I might pseudo-cop out and start writing around the NaBloPoMo prompts. Just not today’s, that would be more like an epic novel.

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3. Apocalypse Now

Last night and today have sort of been a series of bad decisions and mishaps. I’m sure it’s not a dire as my title might suggest, but I’m trying to go with a theme here.

Yesterday late afternoon/evening Elle and I went running. Yes, in the rain. In the storm. Wow that was a crazy idea. My plan had been to wait for the rain to pass. I waited and the rain passed and I waited some more and some more rain came. We waited until almost dark prepping our tutus for the race on Saturday. For which we’ve met and exceeded our goal! You guys rock so hard!

My sensor for my Nike+ died and I was sad until we opened the front door and saw the buckets pouring down. Then I was thankful for leaving my iPod behind. We were drenched, but it was a really good run. For me at least. I’m slow and Elle is too nice to complain about anything, so she runs slow with me and walks with me when I still need to do that.

This morning the rescue bird leapt from my bed and missed the windowsill. I am worried that she may have broken her wing and I feel like the worst bird mama in the world today. We had been planning to take her to the Wildlife Rescue place, but I have to admit we were putting it off due to being totally in love with her. It’s likely to happen tonight now, as there’s nothing we can do for her if the wing is broken. Poor baby bird :-(

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2. Now and Then

A year ago today I never would have thought this is where I would be now. A year ago I was all about planning for when I finished school, and getting married, and starting a family. I will still do all these things, my plans are just slightly altered now.

Right now I’m sad, and a little angry. Doors I never even let myself see are standing wide open in front of me.

Right now I’m finding ways to be happy. Opportunities I didn’t think were available are slowly becoming real.

Right now I’d like to take a nap because I stayed up way to late last night working on homework.

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1. Now

Apparently, everyone is swiping this from Uncle Crappy. I’ve not been writing much and not for a lack of things happening but mostly due to not knowing how to put it all down.

So, now? Right now?

  • I’m adjusting to some pretty scary life changes. I’m just going to leave it at that for now. And no, I’m not pregnant.
  • We’re caring for a baby cardinal. Pretty sure she’s a she and um she’s loud! PEEPACHEEP!

    Peep-a-cheep!

  • I’m running, a 5k, Saturday, in a TUTU. You should really come out and cheer for me/us. Also, go clicky on the side and mebbe win something! No, really. Go.Clicky!
  • With the encouragement of a friend, I’m looking at you SecretAgentL, I’m working on paying of my not insignificant amount of credit card debt. (Click for article.)
  • I’m finishing work from my spring classes and taking two summer classes. All at the same time, because I’m crazy like that.

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