Give 'em the bird!

It was my dear French friend Francoise' birthday

recently and, as it's such a faff trying to exchange gifts

by post. we tend to go instead for "interesting" cards.

Francoise is heavily into her birds as anyone who has ever

driven past her gaff will testify.  Clouds of them flit in and

out of her hedges, flocks of them roam her enormous garden

and, at times, it's difficult to see the water in her small lake

for the sheer number of water birds floating on it.

Hard hats are strongly recommended for anyone attempting

to approach her backdoor for fear of nutting themselves

on one of the multitude of bird feeders which festoon

both sides of the pathway up to the porch.

Goldfinch

  

This year I chose one of a goldfinch from the RSPB range of

musical cards.  Pricey but it fitted the bill, or should that be beak?

There are literally hundreds of these little buggers around at the

time of her anniversary and they always remind me of her.

What I had failed to take into the equation was dear old Ulysse

her beautiful African grey parrot.  I love that bird - he once

bit my husband!

The boy Ulysse as opposed to Hylas, boy Hylas but that's
another story.

The moment Ulysse heard the birdsong as the card was opened

he became transformed and has apparently been strutting

his stuff in an amorous way ever since.

He is also a marvellous mimic and the sound of fake and incessant

goldfinch song from morn till night is beginning, I gather,

to wear a little thin.  Who's a pretty boy then?

The burning question now is what should I do about the

card I bought at the same time for her husband Jean-Pierre who's

birthday is in a couple of weeks time?

It could well put a strain on Anglo-French relations for a while

if Ulysses gets so much as a sniff of it.

Known to the French as "le cuckoo"

Cuckoo, cuckoo, cuckoo!
What the hell - I'll send it anyway.