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NAVIGATION
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The Adventures of Cinders the Amazon parrot.
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thecindersbook
12/07/07
THE ADVENTURES OF CINDERS THE PARROT.
My name is Cinders, and I am a very special parrot indeed. I am 75 years old, and I hatched out of an egg in the year of 1931. This means I am probably much older than your parents, and even quite a lot older than your grandparents!
When I was first hatched, I lived in a nest, in a place many thousands of miles away, a place called South America.
One day, a man came along and lifted me out of my nest. If I could speak back then, my first words would have been ‘’Put me back! I am a wild bird! I am not meant to be a pet!’’ I was very frightened, but this man was kind to me, and he brought me to a place called England, where I lived with his family for over 49 years! I supplied many bites to many fingers during this time, and I was extremely proud of the ones that made people squeal in pain! I was a very fortunate parrot, because this family loved me and cared for me for all those years. Sadly, the daughter of the family became allergic to me. So, I had to be found a new home.
Once again, I was a bit frightened and confused, but the lady who took me soon made me feel safe and loved again. Her name was Marge, and what a spoilt and loved parrot I was at Marge’s house!
During my 25 years with Marge and her family, I continued to supply many people with many good bites. This was because deep down, I still kept the wildness in my heart that I was born with. However, Marge and her family still loved me very much, and accepted me and adored me, regardless of my wild ways and instincts. There was always a lot going on at Marge’s, and plenty of activity and noise for me to shriek, yell, and laugh along with. Life was great, and I’m sure I was the happiest parrot in captivity in the world! |
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One day, I heard people talking, and being a rather nosey parrot, I listened in carefully. It seemed that Marge had become poorly, and it was all to do with being allergic to my feathers and dust! This meant that a new home had to be found for me. I was very nervous, but I knew deep down that Marge and all my family would take great care finding me a new home. Then, one evening, this very strange human called Anne came to visit me. The first thing she did was poke her fingers straight into my cage to try and stroke me. So of course, I bit those fingers as hard as my beak would let me! I was rather surprised and extremely disappointed when this strange human didn’t run screaming from the room never to be seen again. But no! She managed to prise my beak from her hand and still stood there talking to me!
My cage was then taken outside onto the patio and I was left alone with this remarkably odd person. Anne stood and talked to me some more, then walked away just as I was getting interested, then sat on the floor, then came back and stole a piece of my apple from my cage! I couldn’t believe the cheek of it! If I’d been quick enough, she would have got another of my marvellous bites right there and then. However, Anne didn’t keep my apple, she broke a bit off and fed it to me through the bars of my cage. I just couldn’t figure her out. The next thing I knew, Anne was stroking my wing and my foot while still feeding me bits of my yummy apple. Somehow I knew, no matter how often, or how hard I bit this strange human, she was not going to run away. I had the feeling that she liked me very much, and nothing I did would change that. For some reason, I also liked Anne, and Marge and my family seemed to like her also. I knew then that Anne was the person I was going to spend the rest of my old life with, and that lots of happy times and new adventures awaited me.
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Well, I hadn’t been living with Anne very long when she took me to see a man called a VET. A vet is a doctor for animals, and this was a special vet. He was an AVIAN vet. This means he is especially good at looking after birds.
I was very good at the vets, but I wouldn’t let him touch me, I opened my beak in readiness to give him one of my famous bites if he so much as came near me! However, I did let Anne hold me, and show him my legs and my feet, and turn me onto my back so he could see my chest and tummy.
The vet told Anne that my leg had been badly broken at some time, and I wanted to laugh! I could have told HIM that! He said it was probably best left as it was, as it would be a very big operation to fix it. I was rather relieved that I didn’t need an operation.
Then the rude man said he didn’t like the look of my beak, and wicked Anne agreed with him! I was SO offended. The vet said he would give me something to send me to sleep, and that he would trim my beak, test my feathers and give me an x-ray. An x-ray is a wonderful thing that takes photographs of your bones!
A few days later I was taken back to the vet for my treatment. I was given an anaesthetic, this is the thing that made me go to sleep. I was a bit nervous, but it was fine! I just felt a bit sleepy, and then my eyes closed and I fell into a lovely sleep! It didn’t hurt at all!
While I was asleep, the vet trimmed my beak, x-rayed me, took some of my feathers and took a tiny bit of blood. By looking at my feathers, and examining the tiny drop of blood, the vet was able to tell if I had any diseases, but I hadn’t!
In no time at all, Anne came to collect me and take me back home. I was very glad to see her. She cuddled me lots and told me I was a very good, and very brave parrot.
The next day I felt a bit tired and sorry for myself. My beak was a bit sore and it was hard to eat my parrot food. Anne gave me some special medicine for birds that made me feel better, and went and bought me some Heinz baby food. It was lovely, it was nice and warm and it was soft, so it was easy to eat. I really enjoyed it, and I felt MUCH better after that! I was also rather proud of my beak, it was all trimmed and neat and much easier to use.
I know now that there is nothing to be afraid of at the vets, its just like you going to see your doctor, or going to hospital. You get looked after and spoilt, it’s GREAT!!!!!
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After a few days of living with my new friend Anne, she decided that I should have a new cage. This was because I had a badly malformed leg and foot. At some point in my extremely long life, I had badly broken my leg, and it had healed, but in an odd, twisted way. This meant that I was unable to use my foot properly for perching. I couldn’t grip my perch with that foot, and I often fell off my perch.
Anne decided that I would be safer in a long, low cage with platforms for me to sit on, rather than the perches that I had such difficulty with. It didn’t take Anne long to find the perfect cage for me, and she made all sorts of platforms and padded them, and also padded the floor of my cage. This meant that if I did tumble, I always had a nice soft landing, so I was never hurt or bruised. I liked my new cage very much, and Anne would place it on the floor every day so I could climb in and out as I pleased! I even had the luxury of a heat-pad! This was a bit like an electric under-blanket, and meant that I always had a nice warm area to rest on, and the heat gave my sometimes achy old bones so much comfort. I felt like a Queen in a posh new palace!
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Well, today I was a little bit naughty. I know I should be well-behaved and good, but I must admit that I had great fun!
Anne was sitting in the kitchen making clothes for some ridiculous dolls that she is collecting, and I felt very left out in the living room. So I started to cry, and of course, Anne came running to lift me from my cage and carry me to the kitchen. (She really is easy wrap around my toes!)
Anne put me on the floor in the kitchen and let me walk around exploring, I discovered lots of wonderful new things to bite and chew at, and Anne was up and down! THEN I discovered something wonderful!! A small gap under one of the kitchen units! Oh what fun I had sneaking under the kitchen unit! All I heard was Anne’s shriek of dismay as she saw my tail-feathers disappearing. I quickly scuttled under the cupboard and out of reach, it was MOST exciting under there! I know I shouldn’t laugh, but I couldn’t help giggling as Anne despaired how to get me out again.
Anyway, next thing I knew was Anne’s hand was reaching far under the cupboard, so me being me, I grabbed those fingers of hers in a good, firm bite. To my great shock and surprise, Anne didn’t pull her hand away! She held on to my beak and slowly but surely pulled me out from under the cupboard. Oh how cross I was that she had out-smarted me. I growled and grumbled as loud as I could but that silly Anne still picked me up and cuddled me. I would have enjoyed giving her another good bite for that, but even though I was very cross at her, I didn’t really want to hurt her, so I resisted the urge to peck her hard on the nose.
I did get my own back though! (no-one gets the better of me, Cinders-The-Most-Wonderful) Just as Anne went to put me back in my cage, I did a great big poop on her. All down the front of her clean top! I laughed and laughed when I heard her running upstairs to change and wash!
Yes, I’ve been a bit naughty today, but it was fun. I know Anne still loves me, and later on I snuggled under her chin like a good parrot, because to be honest, I was a bit sorry for being naughty! |
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Although I was not a friendly parrot, I did very much enjoy seeing new things, new people, and new places. I had what is called a ‘travel cage’, and Anne often used to put me in my travel cage and take me to the shops with her, or simply for a walk. I really loved my trips out! However, although the cage was quite small, with me in it, my food and water bowls, and a couple of toys, it did feel rather heavy after a while. So Anne bought me my very own push-chair, and converted it so my travel cage could fit securely and safely on it. I went on many more trips out then! I adored going to the market where there were always lots of people stopping to talk to me and admire me. Of course, Anne warned them not to try and touch me because I was always eager to bite new fingers. (She could be a real spoilsport could Anne!)
Sometimes, we went to an outdoor café. I liked that a lot, because I always got a piece of yummy toast and some fresh orange juice to drink; and naturally, I gained even more fans and admirers! Then we would have a walk round the charity shops, because Anne liked to look for new toys for me. I was always shouting ‘’HELLOOO HELLOOOO!!!’’ and laughing out loud in glee. People would turn to me, expecting to see a human child in the pram. When they saw me, Cinders, the most beautiful and special parrot in the world, I gained even MORE fans and admirers! Anne always took these opportunities to talk to people about parrots, and to explain how really, we should all be flying free in the wild. People seemed to like listening to Anne and asked her lots of questions. I liked it best of course, when Anne spoke about me, and told people how very old I was, and about my injured leg, and how I was now unable to fly because of my grand old age. They seemed to understand then why Anne took me out in my pram.
Sometimes, Anne would take me to the pub! Now that really was a wonderful trip out! There was lots of noise and chatter, and there was this machine called a ‘juke box’. When people put money in the juke box, loud and lively music came from it. Oh how I loved it when that happened! I would shriek and laugh and yell so loudly, and sing along at the top of my voice. It was truly wonderful, and sometimes people put their money in the juke box especially for ME. I think my new pram was perhaps the best present I ever had in my life!!!!
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Cinders Favourite recipes
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It isn’t very often I praise anyone else but my glorious self, because generally, no-one but me deserves praise. However, I am a very fair parrot, so I think I should mention how useful Anne can be in the kitchen. Every morning without fail, Anne gets up early and steams fresh vegetables for me to eat. I even have my very own steamer! (I do have to mention here that I was slightly disappointed that Anne bought me a Tesco steamer, and not a Tefal, but never mind, it did the job).
Below are some of my favourite meals that Anne provides for me, and of course I have to mention some of her disasters!
I thoroughly enjoy the Ainsley Harriet spicy couscous that she cooks for me. Sometimes, Anne adds bits of grated apple and carrot to it, or even chopped boiled egg. I like it served warm, it’s yummy!
Marge told Anne that I enjoyed a bit of Shepherds pie, so Anne bought me a Shepherds pie. It was horrible! Of all the cheek, she had bought me a cheap economy one! I turned my beak up in annoyance and would not even LOOK at the disgusting thing. She learned her lesson though, and the next Shepherds pie I got was a Marks and Spencer’s finest. Now that was MUCH nicer, and I showed my approval by eating it all up!
Of course, I have a steady supply of fruit as well. We parrots need our fruit and vegetables in order to stay healthy. In the wild we eat lots of fruit and vegetation. My favourite fruit is pomegranate, I love that! Sometimes Anne will mix the pomegranate seeds in with a baby rice pudding or egg custard, and serve it to me warm, that’s delicious.
I really enjoy my rice and pasta too! I like to eat lots of wild rice, and usually Anne will mix broccoli and crushed hazelnuts in with it to make it nice and crunchy.
I love popcorn, a bit of cooked chicken, wholemeal toast. I also LOVE chips, a spare rib bone to chew on, and oooooh! Pepperami sausage pizza! To be honest, I don’t know what I have to do to get more pizza around here, I really don’t get enough. Anne says too many chips or spare ribs or pizzas are bad for me. I think not having enough of those delicious things is much worse for me!
Anne tried to bake me a ‘birdy-cake’ once. It was supposed to be very healthy, full of nuts and fruit and oatmeal, and I was very much looking forward to my cake. It turned out to be one of her disasters though, no matter how long she baked it for it just sat in the bottom of the cake tin like a big sloppy mess. It ended up turning black and so firmly glued to the tin that the whole lot went in the bin. I was a bit disappointed, but I have to say that even my wonderful beak could not have chewed through that awful mess!
I also really enjoy washed dandelions from the garden, rose petals and pro-biotic yoghurt poured over chopped up banana and apple. In fact, whenever Anne goes shopping, I seem to get more bought for me than the rest of the family put together, and of course, that’s exactly how it should be!
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One day I was feeling rather grumpy and fed up. My leg, the one that I had broken so many years ago, was hurting me. I wondered how I could tell Anne that I was in pain, but I couldn’t seem to find the words. However, I needn’t have worried. Anne had noticed that I was limping a bit more than usual, and that I was holding my foot up more than usual as well. She lifted me from my cage, and lay me on my back on her lap so she could examine my sore leg and foot. I growled and growled at her, but somehow I knew she only wanted to help me, so even though I felt cross and grumpy enough to bite her, I didn’t. Anne checked each one of my toes, checked my foot, and checked my leg. She said my leg looked rather red and a bit swollen. I must admit, it was hurting me. Anne gave me some medicine that she keeps in for when we parrots are in pain, and I did feel a bit better after having some of that, even though it did taste very nasty indeed!
The very next morning she rang the vet and asked if he would see me that morning, as I was in pain. Sure enough, an hour later I was growling and complaining as loud as I could at that man in the white coat! However, Anne held me in such a way that it was just impossible for me to bite his fingers good and hard as he examined my leg and foot. As you can imagine, that made me crosser than ever! The vet said the best thing to use on my leg was an ointment called ‘Preparation-H’. He said it would quickly soothe the inflammation (that’s tender, hot, red area on my leg and foot) and that it would heal the sore skin very quickly. He said it was the best thing to use. I was very pleased to hear this as I knew that Anne would get me some of this magic ointment straight away, and that I would then feel much happier. THEN I heard Anne and the vet talking about my ointment, and to my great shock and surprise, I realised that it was in fact an ointment for sore bottoms!! I was very puzzled by this, as I know for certain that my feet look nothing like my bottom! I suddenly found the thought of this ointment for sore bottoms very funny indeed, and I threw back my head and laughed and laughed! That set Anne and the vet off laughing as well, and I was very proud of being such a funny parrot!
When I arrived home again, the first thing Anne did was rub some of this sore bottom cream onto my leg and foot, and it really did feel soothing! I had to take the nasty tasting medicine for a couple more days, but I didn’t mind because it really helped. The ointment was to be gently rubbed into my foot and every day forever after that, but I didn’t mind that ether, because it was always followed by playtime and lots of cuddles! Anne said I was the bravest, best behaved parrot in the world, and that she was very proud of me. I had to agree with her, because I was very, very proud of myself!
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Cinders Journey to Rainbow Bridge
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As you know, I was a very old parrot, and by the time I was half way through writing about my adventures, I was 76 years of age! Everyone who knew me, even my vets, said it was wonderful that I had reached such a grand age!
I was a very happy parrot, so many people loved me, and I was warm, and well fed, and got lots and lots of attention and treats and fun times. However, I was very old.
I started to feel rather tired, and often, when I slept, I dreamed of this wonderful place called ‘Rainbow Bridge’. Rainbow Bridge is a very special Heaven, especially for parrots and birds! I suppose it is a bit like the Heaven that people go to, but it is extra special because it is full of us wonderful birds. I began to wonder when it would be MY turn to go to Rainbow Bridge, as I was getting so tired, and I knew it was the most wonderful place in the world. I waited patiently and happily for it to be my turn to be called.
That wonderful day finally came! Anne had been taken me back to see my vet because she knew how very much I wanted to go on this very special journey. Anne and the vet talked for a while, and to my joy, I heard Anne say that if I wanted to go, she would let me. I was so glad! I snuggled up in Anne’s arms happily, and closed my eyes. I felt so content and so safe, and I knew that my special dreams were about to come true! It was wonderful. The next thing I knew, I opened my beautiful wings, and I could fly! I flew and I flew! During my journey, I soared through brilliant blue skies, through deep, enchanting midnight skies. I would pause, and glide, and hover whilst twinkling silvery stardust sprinkled over each and every one of my feathers. Moonbeams stroked my head and my back, and warm bright rays of sunshine tickled my face and my beak and my wings. It was the most beautiful journey you could possibly imagine! Then, there it was before me, Rainbow Bridge! The place I had been dreaming about, and hoping with all my heart that I could go to. I swooped forward joyfully towards the glorious colours, the warm, bright sunshine, and glistening rain drops that shone and reflected the wonderful colours of my feathers. I was finally there, and that’s where I am now. I can still look down from the magical clouds and sky, and still see all the people I loved, and all the people who loved me. If you look carefully, you will be able to see me too! I will tell you how. Whenever you see a rainbow, look closely at the highest part of that rainbow, and if you concentrate, you will see me, Cinders, joyfully flying all around that rainbow! You may even see some of my friends flying with me, because, you see, I am not alone here. Never forget to blow me a kiss, I will always catch it, and I shall send you a kiss straight back.
So you see, I will never really be far away, I am simply just over that wonderful, magical rainbow!
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Anne Kenyons Precious-wings©2006
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