Last week I brought home from the Refuge a large box of toys and toy pieces that had been rescued from the garbage over the last few weeks. And almost every day I put a dishwasher load of toys and/or parts through the sanitize cycle. Some I had to soak in a bleach solution as well, then put through the dishwasher again. Then as everything dried I took them upstairs to the TV room. While I watched TV I repaired and rebuilt toys. So, when I went back to the Refuge today I took everything that was finished. I also told one of the managers that if I actually caught a staff member tossing a toy in the garbage I'd break his or her neck. She said they'd best take out life insurance on everyone just in case. She looked very tired today. But maybe I'm projecting. That's how I felt.
The Refuge has a Thrift Shop. People donate clothes, appliances, furniture and what not. The Refuge sells what they can. Some stuff has to be thrown out because it doesn't work, is worn out or is very dirty. As soon as I got to the Refuge today, three of us loaded the van with boxes of small appliances to be taken to the Recycling Depot. I have to drive right past it on my way home, so I agreed to drop it all off. That done, I started in on the dishes. I was late getting to the Refuge today so most of the staff had washed their own water dishes, leaving me a little free time to wash down one shelf and the washer and dryer. One of the tasks that each staff member has in his/her area of responsibility, is to salvage whole nuts and peanuts that have fallen to the floor but are still edible. I don't know exactly how much money is spent on the nuts, peanuts and seed; I do know it's a lot. So everyone is asked to do his/her part in saving money where possible. Today, a lot of whole peanuts had been discarded and I was asked if I'd go through a box of sweepings and salvage what I could. Done. Then I went back to work sorting through the recyclable pop cans, beer cans and bottles both plastic and glass. By then I was ready to quit and I still had not done my visiting.
I got my little stool, spray bottle, treats and protective gear (a towel) and headed out into the large room outside the kitchen area. I just managed to get my behind down on my stool before little Mango flew to my left shoulder, Lucy to my right shoulder a Sulphur-crested Cockatoo tried to climb my leg and big Mango started campaigning for skritches. You'll remember Mango from the medical room who would fly at me for attention. Today, he was on the floor, circling my legs only stopping if I put my hand down to give him skritches. With so much going on it's really difficult to concentrate on just one individual...like Mango. So, having ignored him for a few seconds, he bit my outer thigh just above the seat of my stool. I yelped and staff came running. Today, Mango learned that if he bites Pat, staff will run to him, talk to him and cuddle him all the way to a cage. Sigh.
I just love Lucy, the young Hyacinth Macaw. She is sooooo smart and devilish to boot. Several weeks ago, I was giving out sunflower seeds from my treat pouch, which I have on a belt around my waist. Lucy kept trying to help herself to the seeds. I think she was just interested in the pouch and what all was in it. I finally had to put the pouch under my shirt. Well on Friday, Lucy flew to my shoulder and made her way down to my knee. She proceeded to gently nudge my waist with her beak, all the way around until she found what she had been looking for, my pouch. So, I gave her a few sunflower seeds after which she was very content to sit on my knee and preen and nudge my hand for skritches. Little Mango too, wasn't to be ignored either. He sat on my shoulder talking in my ear, preening my eyebrows and hair and rubbing his head on my jaw.
Then I was off to see Bertie and Chris in the medical room. Chris was in a cage this time; she'd been picked on. I didn't stay long with them; my energy was about gone and I wanted to see Babe. When I got to Babe's enclosure, she was up high on the wire separating her enclosure from another. She started down to me but an Amazon on the other side started up toward her. I got a bit nervous about Babe's toes. So, I reached as high as I could, above the Amazon encouraging Babe to come a bit lower. Well, she immediately held onto the wire with one foot and her beak and put her other foot out for me to take her. She just wasn't low enough. We tried again, only this time I got my hand too close to the wire and that Amazon got my little finger. I didn't even bother to look at it because Babe was inching her way down to me. We did, indeed, have a good visit although I didn't cuddle her much for fear of getting blood all over those beautiful feathers. And Lina I do believe that Babe has a raft of new down on her chest. I need to set aside some time just to take photos.
Anyway, that was Friday at the Refuge. I managed to wrap my finger with kleenex, drop off the appliances at the recycling depot and get home in one piece, albeit feeling a bit battered. Last night I knew I had caught a cold, the first in a few years. So, all in all, I'm feeling downright sorry for myself. So, I'll say goodnight for now.
Love Pat
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