Saturday, January 7, 2023

Frustrations abounding

What a week it's been! I guess you could say it's not been the most auspicious start to a new year.

My car, which wouldn't crank on New Year's Eve, had to be towed half a mile to the Toyota dealership for repair. This couldn't happen until Monday because of the holiday, so I took a personal day off work (the first day after the break) to deal with it. We thought it seemed like a dead battery, but we own an electric charger, and it showed the battery as being fully functional. That wasn't the case, though. Apparently, a battery can be so dead that it won't show as being bad on a meter and it can't be jumped off. Or so says one of the mechanics, anyway. After the towing fee and a new battery, I was out $350--but at least I'm back on the road again. 

I decided last month that I was going to attempt to eat better, walk a whole lot more, and give up alcohol entirely from now until my birthday in late March. I know I need to take better care of my health, and I definitely need to lose weight, so (as is my wont when I make up my mind about something) I jumped in whole heartedly last Sunday. Well, I haven't missed the alcohol, but the sudden change in my eating habits has been difficult. I'm afraid of developing diabetes; my mom did about 10 years ago, and it's been hard on her. With that in mind, I decided to cut way back on empty carbs devoid of fiber, vitamins, and minerals. No chips, sweets, wine, sodas, or meals heavy on pasta, bread, or white rice. I'm not doing the super low carb/keto thing; I think those diets are dangerous and not for me, but I'm still eating way fewer carbs than ever before. The first few days have been rough. Mild depression/flat mood, difficulty falling and staying asleep, vivid (and unsettling) dreams, and worst of all...bouts of painful diarrhea the past three mornings. (Sorry if that's tmi). I've been eating well but the changes to my diet have been so drastic that I guess it's been a shock to my digestive system....and all my other systems, too. Today seems a little better, fingers crossed that my body is starting to adjust. I want to feel better, not worse!

I've been looking forward to telling you about this next thing. Everybody seems to love my bird Marco, and I'll admit he's a real character. Everyone loves a good Marco story! Well, here's one for you.

Thursday afternoon I was on my way home from my weekly allergy shot, and I got a text from Gregg. 

Let me show you that picture close up. 



I was horrified, because I knew that meant that Marco had somehow escaped his cage while we were at work.* That's only happened once before since we've had him, and he'd gone on a rampage. I knew it was going to be bad. 

He'd started in the pantry. He tore into the bag of walnuts (his favorite) and made a mess all over with them. He also chewed holes in the bread bag and an oatmeal cream pie wrapper. At some point he hurled the chewed-on oatmeal pie, a can of salt, and some spices to the floor.

If the damage had ended there, we'd have considered ourselves lucky, but no. He moved on to the dining room. That's where he really did some damage.

Behold my (former) best orchid, the one that had a long stalk of flowers getting ready to open.


That was heartbreaking. That orchid was my pride and joy.

For his final trick, Marco had flown over to a floor lamp and knocked the shade askew. That actually turned out to be a good thing, because when Gregg went over to straighten it, it shot sparks straight up in the air. It was an old lamp and there must have been a short in the wiring, because the shade getting knocked around couldn't have caused that. Thank goodness it didn't start a fire**, or electrocute Marco, or both. At least something good came of Marco's adventures, but despite that Gregg and I were both pretty pissed off in the moment. 

So that's how 2023 has started for me. 

*Just like last time, the latch on the front door of Marco's cage hadn't been firmly closed, and he was able to push the door right open.

**Our second recent brush with faulty wiring that could have started a fire (last month it was the pre-lit Christmas tree). Could this be a sign?

33 comments:

  1. From what I've read and seen, parrots are extremely intelligent, which is now obvious since he left the raisin bran and corn checks alone. 😎😎😎

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    1. Ha! Yes, he doesn't care about cereal. Too much like his pelleted bird food, I guess. No, he wants expensive nuts and candy and cookies (if he can find those things) and anything else that will annoy the sh*t out of us! And if it makes a big mess, all the better!

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  2. I can't lie, I was laughing the whole time with the Marco story!!!!! He knows what he wants and that's it!!!! It's funny that a bird can be that mischievous. Parrots and Ravens are highly intelligent.

    Let's hope the rest of the first month goes better for you.

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    1. I knew everyone would get a kick out of his latest antics! You're right, he knows exactly what he wants. I'm sure the coveted walnuts were his very first stop on his path of destruction that day!

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  3. Oh, Marco. Really? Well, at least he alerted you to the possible electrical hazard. But still...
    I can understand your frustration for that as well as for the car.
    I am extremely proud of your efforts to improve your health. Hard to do, especially when your body says, "WTF?" in such a disturbing way. Everything will level out and you will feel much better soon. Or at least that's what I'm predicting.
    Take care, Jennifer. I wish all the best for you.

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  4. Hope you have gotten all of your bad luck for the year over with in the first week! I hope it will be smooth sailing for you for the rest of 2023!

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  5. Hope that this is the end of the bad stuff happening. I can just see Marco strutting around. What a cheeky little devil.

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  6. Marco can thank his lucky stars that he did not electrocute himself, or start a house fire! Of course he knows when you are angry with him; does he try to get back into your good books?
    I am sure your body will adjust to the new regime, but the change was a little sudden and radical, wasn‘t it. I remember that you were doing really well losing weight before, and you‘ll do it again this time.

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    1. Does he try to get back into my good books?

      HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

      No, he does not. Marco doesn't give a flying fig for our good books! :)

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  7. Wow. It looks and sounds like Marco had a really good time. Party!!!

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    1. That's exactly what he did--have a party! Thank goodness Poppy didn't hurt him (she's so young and impulsive that we try to keep a close eye on her when he's out of his cage) and he didn't do any more mischief than he did! He's a born terrorist!

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  8. I have friends with two Marcos - I can't wait to show them this!

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  9. I gave up alcohol for temporary challenge six years ago - and have never had a drink since. One of the best health changes and decisions I ever made. I'm not anti-alcohol, but once you've gone 3 months you may (as I did) just say - why restart.. really why?

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    1. I enjoy wine and cocktails, and will probably not quit altogether and forever. But as I told Melinda (below) I want drinks to be the occasional indulgence, and NOT a daily habit. And for someone trying to lose weight (and keep it off) I thought at least a few months without it would be a good idea! I really haven't missed it except once the other night, I found myself wishing I had a glass of wine while I cooked our dinner. But the feeling soon passed.

      Thanks for stopping by!

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  10. The description and visual evidence of Marco's rampage was hilarious. He's a bird who knows how to have fun.
    Good for you that you're eating better and drinking less. Breaking old habits can be ridiculously hard. I used to enjoy a glass of wine with my evening meal and quite honestly, an after dinner glass often followed. I cut that out almost a year ago. I still enjoy a glass of wine or beer when my husband and I go out but I've made the house a "mostly" dry zone. I still eat way too many carbs though. Maybe that will be my next challenge.

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    1. I started drinking more during the pandemic, being stuck at home and bored, and it got to be a daily habit. I know excess alcohol is hard on the body, and it can derail even the best eating habits. Plus, it's expensive. I think a few months off will be a good thing, and afterwards I'll treat alcohol more as the occasional treat and not a daily numbing agent. Thank you Melinda!

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  11. Oh, Marco! It's easy as a blog-reader to be mildly amused, but I have to admit I'd be mad as hell if I came home and found that mess. You probably already know this, but don't throw away the orchid -- it will recover over time. As long as the crown of the plant is intact (and it looks like it is) the damaged leaves will die off and new ones will grow. You may get flowers again next year.

    Bravo on the healthier eating. If you continue feeling side effects maybe talk to a dietician? My philosophy tends to be "moderation in all things," but I fortunately don't like much junk food (chips, soda) or fast food, so avoiding it hasn't been hard.

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    1. I haven't even moved the orchid at this point, but yes, I think it could recover. I suppose I should cut off the chewed leaves? I sure hope it lives to bloom again, it normally happens around Christmas time or in January. I could have cried when I saw the stalk with the big fat flower buds lying on the floor. :(

      The eating plan is getting easier by the day. I'm careful to eat good, nutrient-rich foods and I log them into an app so I can see how balanced everything is. As you say, moderation is a big part of eating better. We got a Krispy Kreme gift card for Christmas--I'm saving it for a special occasion (like Valentine's Day) and by then, it will be a real treat! :)


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  12. Shaking my head over Marco. He does know how to get attention.
    As for the electrical stuff...you might consider having an electrician check the wall plugs around the house (the interior socket). They can/do deteriorate over time. Discovered this one year when one of the wall sockets I used for vacuuming the living room seemed to get hot. Took off the cover and discovered the socket was already black and ready to set fire. Might be a good idea to take some electrical covers off and see if there are sockets that need replacing. Just a cautionary tale.

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    1. Thank you so much for this comment! We're going to take your advice and take the socket covers off and have a look. That would have never occurred to me, so thank you again!

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  13. Thank you for sharing this. I couldn't help but laugh even though you had to deal with a mess. Marco is a character.

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    1. He's just worse and worse, the older he gets. And we're probably stuck with him the rest of our lives! He's only 15 and has a human lifespan....which of course might be cut short if he ever succeeds in destroying something electrical or eats something toxic! But he's a tough little bugger so probably not.

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  14. Oh my gosh. What a stinker that Marco is! Question: was the lamp plugged into the same outlet as your tree was?

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    1. Breaker boxes should prevent power surges large enough to damage appliances and wiring. I'm all out of answers. I'll creep back to my hidey hole.

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  15. Oh that Marco! He's a cheeky little chappie isn't he? I wonder if he has been watching the inevitable "discussion" between his keepers...
    "It wasn't me who failed to close his door properly!"
    "Well it certainly wasn't me!"
    "You were the last in!"
    "No! You were the last in!"
    "Fancy barbecued parrot for dinner?"
    "Yeah! Why not?... Oh, Marco!"

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  16. I'm glad no one came home to an electrocuted Marco. That would be worse than the mess he made. I've started cutting back on carbs, too. I only have alcohol (a margarita) about once a month. I've also cut back on my beloved Diet Pepsi. I've gone from 2 - 4 cans per day to 1. That's a huge change for me. I applaud your efforts to make a change.

    Love,
    Janie

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  17. I loved this..part of me finds it funny..the other part would have ben plucking some birds ass free of some feathers.

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  18. Oh the horror. Yes it was sad and funny too as is what life is - or parrots I suppose.

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