It’s My Birthday & I’ll Be Sick If I Want To….

…..fuck, I’ll be sick even if I don’t want to — which is truly the case.

I started getting sick a couple of days ago but was holding out that maybe it was just crazy allergies.

Nope.

It’s a full-on head and sinus cold.  I didn’t sleep more than maybe 4 hours last night because of all the sneezing, blowing of the nose, and a tummy just done with the whole thing.

No sleep was had.

Today I’m cold and achy and just done with it all.

I would like to thank for child for the “birthday” present of her germs.  Next year, I would prefer if she opted for no-presents if the present is between none and some.

My one outing today was G taking me to the Audubon Society to meet their owls.  I guess each day they bring out their on-site birds as they clean the cages and such.  G called and asked when they brought their owls out – and they agreed to re-arrange the schedule so that the owls would be out when we could be there.

I met the two owls – Hazel – a NW Spotted Owl found hurt in the woods.  Hazel was found hurt but since they decided that she had more problems than just the injury. She had ill-formed flying feathers which made flying hard if not impossible.  And she had a genetic issue making her mostly white instead of small white spots.  And Julio – a Great Horned Owl they thought was a male until blood tests revealed he was female.  Julio was found in possession with people who had raised her from a baby and had him illegally.  Her illegal possession resulted in her forming into a smaller size – a size that is more male than female in the owl world.  The sad part too was the fact being treated like a baby caused her to continue to act like was 16 years later as she doesn’t hoot like an adult but squawks like a baby wanting food.

I loved Julio – but Hazel was pretty awesome.  She freaked out when the turkey vulture came out.  She shrunk and refused to let him leave her sight no matter how the handler moved.  She also ate a mouse in front of us which I caught on photographs.  It was kind of neat.

 

I have to give it to G.  It was a neat idea for a birthday present.  And it was awesome spending time within a few feet of these gorgeous birds.  I learned how they fly silently (the design of their feathers and the feathers on their feet).  I learned how their feet have 2 talons in the front and 2 talons in the back vs the 3 and 1.  I learned they eat their mice head first.  I learned they do not make nests but find spots in trees where they have their babies.  I learned their heads turn 270 degrees – and before they do it, they bring fresh blood into a reservoir in their head so that when they cut off their blood supply, their brains keep working.  I learn both birds only weighed 1.5 lbs even though they look like they weigh about 5 lbs.  I learned which owls are invading the space of the NW Spotted Owl – an owl from the east coast and canada which are chasing them away.  But I also learned that they require a lot of space for territory.  It was neat to see these amazing animals – see them react to those around them (birds and people)  – and just wishing I could pet them.  Both volunteers told me what I needed to do to get qualified to handle the owls (200 hrs of volunteer works and a class – the first birds you handle are the owls because they are so calm compared to the other birds).

It was definitely the highlight of my day.

Now if this fucking cold would go away….life would be better.

Sigh…

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