ask grandma j

FRIDAY MATINEE
....has been temporarily canceled

I was having a hard time deciding which movie I wanted to see today. Nothing really reached out and grabbed me. I did see Iron Man on Mother's Day with my daughter and her family. Since it wasn't on my official Friday Matinee review schedule, I didn't rate it. But since you asked, I will tell you. I loved it! I don't think it can be cubby-holed into an age-appropriate category because we all loved it....all three generations and both genders.

So this morning I was all, should I go see something? A random pick? While I was pondering, I went to warm up my millionth cup of coffee. As I walked by the glass paneled door to my back porch, I peeked out the louvers on the mini-blinds to check on my bird parents-to be. I don't ever open the door because there are eggs in the nest and I don't want to rock the cradle so to speak. But I do chirp and whistle a bit when I peek out. They both look at me the whole time I'm making a fool of myself....but the thing is, they are getting used to me (as long as I stay on my side of the glass panes), and don't get all jittery. I look up at the nest, waiting for a sign that the chicks have hatched, and this is what I saw........
My heart leaped right out of my chest! What happen to the nest? Had the eggs hatched and the whole family flew the coop? That isn't the way it happens. They chirp loudly, the mom and dad take turns feeding them and helping them grow strong enough, then teach them to fly by yelling at them chirping loudly, "move, move...now flap those baby wings and fly". I glanced down through the louvers towards the concrete porch floor, only to see this........

I quickly got out of my nightgown, threw some clothes on and walked down to the office. You see, they have a whole set of policies about birds. I wasn't aware of them, no one told me about them. I found out after the fact. Back when my honeymooners where first building their nest, I told you how excited I was, about the feeder and seed I bought, how I had every bird north of the Rio Grande on my porch..... except the two that lived there, because I had scared them away, you remember? That's when I found out about the policy about discouraging birds to nest on the property. But they came back, and finished their nest.

Back to today...So I expressed my rage to the leasing manager because I suspected fowl play (no pun intended). She explained that the maintenance men routinely try to prevent nesting by destroying them before the birds lay any eggs. Well, we had eggs! I asked her if someone could come over and clean up the mess. She said she would send someone over. The same guy who knocked the nest down.

Now it looks like mommy bird is back.....
I wish I could read her mind. I will feel much better if I see her mate back with her.....soon, so maybe they can start over. If it's not too late. Oh, and yes....I let the manager know that in the event they rebuild their nest, I will....um yeah, well let's just say, she got the message.