First, my friend's bird, Darwin, died the other day. He was a Crimson Rosella - a beautiful boy - bright red and periwinkle blue. I took care of him often when she was away, and I grew very attached to him. He had a neat
ersonality. I had to wear gloves the first couple times I fed him, but we came to a civilized agreement, and he would take seeds from my palm. He called out "Hello Baby! What are you doin?" when I greeted him, and he made kissing and clapping noises, as well as whistle a particular tune that I could not duplicate to save my life (he sounded very annoyed when he had to repeat it to me constantly). He loved to eat fresh veggies, especially the seeds from inside a pepper.
Yesterday afternoon two sets of friends had to help their beloved dogs to the Bridge. One was a Springer Spaniel named Sebastian. He was an old friend of Tonka's -- we met at the dog park over 8 years ago. We were all transplants to Oregon from the East coast, and we spent lots of time together until a job transfer took them back East last year. Sebastian fell ill suddenly over the weekend; they think he had advanced cancer.
Also yesterday afternoon, our friends had to say goodbye to their Basset Hound, Zoie. I posted about her a while back -- she's struggled with digestive and immune issues all her life, and was diagnosed with lymphangiectasia this spring. She never lost her spirit or sweetness, even as she suffered with constant diarrhea, malabsorption, dehydration, effects of lots of steroids and other drugs. She was a newer friend of Tonka's - she was only 3, and she came to the neighborhood just about the same time we did. Without question, she was Tonka's favorite girl in recent years, and in days when they both felt healthy, they would strain their leashes running to meet each other. They both had the softest ears, the most gentle eyes and the sweetest dispositions - a very special pair for sure.
It hurts to know so many friends are facing this heartbreak, and I feel so sad that I didn't get to say goodbye to any of my special friends. I'll try to comfort myself with the images of Tonka being overwhelmed with joy at the sight of his two friends arriving, with a bird he never met but would most definitely be fascinated with. Darwin will perch on Tonka's back (unless clipped birds regain the ability to fly at the Bridge), and Sebastian will help him look after the harem of females he watches over -- Zoie will join LuLu, Ariel, Libby, and Lucy (and all the i-dog girls that may have found him recently). He'll keep them safe and well-fed (he loves food and knows that Zoie has a hearty appetite, too). They'll have access to the yummiest things like ice cream and chicken, as well as the biggest vegetable garden ever - where they can enjoy lots of crunchy things, and Darwin can have his daily pepper.
Godspeed Darwin, Sebastian, and Zoie. I'm blessed to have known all of you, and I'm grateful you will keep my beloved boy company now.