Animal Star Struck!

I often visit The Alex Foundation website because if you buy their items for sale, it supports the foundation that is studying African Greys. (see Sammie The Parrot!)

I emailed about a necklace they'd had on the site, which sold, so the gal in the lab said she'd have another one made for me. She emailed me a picture of it before I bought it.

Now, I should explain that there is a very famous African Grey named Alex. He's been studied for years and can count, identify colors and shapes and they're currently working on teaching him to read. For real! So, if you know anything about African Grey's you know about Alex.

So, when she sent me a picture of the necklace, she had Alex pose next to it! How stupid to be enamored of a famous bird...but I am! I saved the picture to my file. Me and Alex, we're really close.

How does our sweet Sammie feel about this attachment you feel towards Alex? And by the way shouldn't she be the one in love with a bird and not you? I am getting worried here!!

Oh, you should be worried! I think my sexual preferences have changed...not!

Sammie is just tooooo funny! She was talking a mile a minute this morning and I think she's saying to my dog, "Go on the pee pad!" I've said that to the dog who refuses to go outside into the cold weather. Or windy, or wet, or snowy...the dog refuses to be house broken!

Sammie not only calls my name now...Dianne! but after calling my name, she whistles like she's calling a dog. Is there a message there?

When I leave the room, as I have now, she talks up a storm. She's going through her entire vocabulary. I have to laugh. I laugh out loud. She's so entertaining. I think all of you Boomer Women should have an African Grey!

Put me down for one of Sammies first eggs....what, she doesn't lay eggs? Well then how can we get baby Greys? I keep hoping someone will ask me to foster a Grey and guess what, I'm keeping it. But alas no one asks, guess no one ever lets one get away and I can certainly understand why. If I wasn't as old as I am I would buy one but I figure if I out live Reeta and Rosee thats all for me, I don' want to have to worry about what will happen to my pet when I'm gone....I hope to be like my mom 84 1/2 and going strong but one never knows.

Keep your eyes open for ads in the paper. People buy Greys, not knowing how much time they require and want to sell them cheap. I've seen them in the paper but another Grey...uh, I don't think so. I have to go outside to talk on the phone now because Sammie starts having her own phone conversation and I can't hear! If I laugh, she laughs. It's hard to carry on a conversation when the crazy bird is mocking you! Still love her tho.

I've been taking her into my bathroom when I get ready in the morning. She walks around on the counter and knocks on the mirror with her beak, at that other bird in the reflection. She seems to enjoy it. She does try to lean over and bite on the drawers, a big no-no. That beak could eat a drawer in a short amount of time!

I did visit the site you sent us too and read all about Alex. I thought it was sooo interesting. I too would love to have a Grey, but Trixie would think it was a meal...eeek!

Some day maybe. What a cool idea to look in the want ads though. That never crossed my mind.

Now, about this bird fettish you have now...hm....

JJ

Hey, it's better than some of the other fettishes I've had!

Last night my ex came by to drop off The Magic Bullet he bought for me for Christmas and one for my sons family. Did he ask how I was, NO. Did he ask how my son or his family is, NO. Did he even ask what time to be over here to go there for dinner on Christmas, NO. So what did he ask, you ask! "Say, has Sammie done anything cool lately," he says they were asking him in the lunchroom that day at work. That cracks me up Dianne, how famous your precious bird is way out here. Do I talk about her alot, YES I guess I do. My ex especially still laughs every time he thinks of her walking down the hall saying, "I want (or need) a kiss. The sight you have in your mind thinkng of that is hilarious, this little bird walking down the hall. God, I love her....and you for sharing!!

This is just tooooo funny! I told Sammie that she's famous in Vegas, has her own fan club. She seemed pleased with that.

She has been saying something and I couldn't understand her but finally realized she's saying, "Go on the pee pad." I know when my dog gets up in the morning because Sammie starts talking to her before I see her. "Good morning, Diz. Wanna go outside and go pee-pee? Give me a kiss...smack! I love you."

I had a friend over doing screenplay readings and Sammie was mumbling in the background and my friend looked around strangely...said he thought a radio was on. She was imitating our conversation. She misses NOTHING so you have to be careful what you say. She's downstairs as I write this, talking up a storm. When she sees my husband she says, "Hi Bird." Must think that's his name because he always says it to her. Never a dull moment around here.

Dianne, I swear to God that one day I am going to jump into my car, bag packed and come down to Nashville just to stop by and see you and Sammie. I adore this bird and have never even seen her. I will bring my video camera and see if she'll do her stuff. So many folks here have said why don't you take her to that program on The Animal Channel about talented pets? If I could locate George Jones after all these years maybe we could get her on the Grand Old Opera, what a hoot that would be. Picture this,
"SAMMIE the Wonder Bird and her sidekick, George Jones." Notice who gets top billing, he he!!

You're so funny. Come on over to TN.

If Sammie gets in front of people she doesn't know, she pinpoints them (stares) and won't talk for a while. You almost have to leave the room before she'll start talking. I'd have to hide my camcorder from her to tape her. They, by instinct, are very aware of something new in their environment.

I was watching America's Funniest Videos and a woman with an AG won the $10,000 prize! Her cats were standing outside, looking in the window at her bird and the crazy bird was tapping on the window with it's beak saying, "Come In!"

I get a kick out of us sharing these stories with our spouses and friends.