Just when I thought I had a good day...

[Abbey]

I just finished 1/2 of a party for the National Oganization for Albinism and Hypopigmention. (another DJ is doing the rest.)

What a great group of people. They were mostly teens. All blinds had to be shut, but they had a great time. Most were blind, but I taught them many dances. One girl said she'd email me when she puts in on Youtube. I was amazed at their ability to dance, not hit into each other, and not fall off the dance floor. The volunteer in charge said it's so sad as they are picked on in their daily life. It was nice to see them bond and be happy.

husband calls me on my 45 minute ride home and has all 3 parrots outside. He's loving Wisconsin, the birds are loving outdoors. I reminded him that they NEED to have their wings clipped. He won't do it. He wants them to be natural.

Then...the ball drops.

husband just called again, crying. This is a man that has cried twice in 17 years. Blackjack flew away. All the neighbors are trying to find him.

He's a stubborn guy, so he might survive. I'm not so sure about husband.

Abbey

 

[flutterbee]

Oh no! I hope Blackjack finds his way back home!

 

[Andy]

Oh No!!! Come Back Blackjack!!!

Hopefully he will return soon. If I lost one of your birds, I would cry too. It is scary enough to have a pet fly off in a neighborhood you are used to but in a new home where will Blackjack fly to?

 

[Abbey]

husband just called again. They can't find him. He said it's windy there and he had full flight. He could be miles away by now, and scared. I told husband to immediately put flyers everywhere. It's a small town. I think people would recognize an unusual bird that cusses.

I'm sick about this. We've nurtured this bird through many bloody hands, but he's such a cutie and acrobat.

He doesn't know 'home.' They've only been there a few days. And, it's getting dark.

Oh, my.

Abbey

 

[KateM]

Oh, Abby, I'm sorry to hear this!

I think the fliers are an excellent idea. If possible, they should be in color, a good close-up of Blackjack. We've just had an elderly neighbor recover her dog with a color flyer. I hope it works quickly for your pet, too!

 

[Andy]

Can there be calls made to anyone? How about an animal shelter, local newspaper, I don't know!!

Maybe someone who sees Blackjack will call the newspaper with the story?

I don't think most police would be interested in helping with normal animals, but if they are a people friendly department, maybe a call can be put out for them to keep their eyes open?

Notices to area vets also incase Blackjack is taken in to a vet?

 

[Hound dog]

OH, MY!!!

husband must be nearly hysterical! And no doubt you too.

Since it's a small town, maybe he could call the sheriff and the police so they could call him if someone calls it in or if one of them spots him while on patrol.

I hope husband gets those flyers out immediately. Have him call the local radio station. Maybe they'll do a Lost Ad for Black Jack. (thinking it will reach a wider range of people in the area) I'm sure you've got him putting calls into the other routine places.

Our beloved basset Holly did that to us only days after we moved to this small town. The kids had come home from school, Holly was overjoyed to see them since everything was so unfamiliar, they held the door open too long and poof! She was gone.

I was nearlly hesterical because I knew she would be unable to find her way "home". Nichole was hysterical. So I started walking up and down the block calling her with the special call I had for her at the top of my lungs for 20 mins. I had a sobbing 7 yr old standing next to me. (Holly was her dog)

Just when I was ready to give up and was dragging Nichole inside so I could get the car and search, a motorcycle comes down the street and I hear the oddest sound.......... Toenails clicking on the pavement. So I started screaming her name as loud as possible so she could follow my voice. A few mins later we had her in our arms. Holly had followed the sound of my voice to find her way home.

Now that I've thought of that........Do you have a special call for the birds?? Maybe husband should call while they're looking.

(((((hugs))))) I'm sooo sorry. I'll be praying for Black Jack's safe return.

 

[flutterbee]

Get the flyer to all the vet clinics, animal shelter and wildlife places. Also, put them up in places where people stop - at the check out counter at gas stations, grocery stores, etc. Put up signs next to stop signs, traffic lights, etc.

When you're just sitting there waiting is where people look at those things. I never see the ones on the doors to stores, but if it's posted somewhere I stop I always do.

Giving a heads up to the sheriff's office is a good idea, too.

 

[Abbey]

Just talked to husband with all the suggestions. I appreciate them. He's on his bike going around the neighborhoods doing their typical calls.

These guys don't usually have flight, so when they do...it's very short as their wing strength is not good. What they do, though, is climb as high as they can in a tree and stay silent because they're scared.

I'm scared for Blackjack, but more scared for husband. He is not handling this well. Just got off the phone with his mom (lives 2 doors down) who is equally scared for husband.

Abbey

 

[Lothlorien]

That is heartbreaking. I hope he finds him.

 

[Abbey]

husband just called...they FOUND HIM!! He was about 5 blocks away high in a tree. husband did our usual calling and he reponded. I swear, they had half of Oshkosh looking for him. Little bugger.

Big sigh for me and everyone else. I think husband learned his lesson.

Abbey

 

[KateM]

YES! Great news! I love happy endings!

 

[TerryJ2]

OMG, you had me on an emotional rollercoaster!!!! What a day!!!

I hope your husband cut Blackjack's wings the instant he was in the car. I would have used a nailclipper from my purse!!

Whew.

Your albinism dance event sounded wonderful. I was a bridesmaid in a wedding many yrs ago, for a woman who was very fair and blue-eyed. Her mother and aunt and cousin, who were also in the wedding party, were albino. When the pictures came back, boy did I look like a fish out of water!
Glad it went well.
And I'm SO glad Blackjack is back.

 

[WhymeMom?]

Glad he was found......now husband knows better too.......hard way to learn a lesson.

 

[Steely]

Wow, I almost cried right along with husband until I came to your last post where you found BlackJack.
Thank God.
I hope husband will clip his wings ASAP.

How is your book coming along?

 

[ML]

What a relief! I'm so happy he was found. We lost a cockatiel when someone left the garage door open and we had gone too long without clipping. Those birds are amazing. So social and interactive. Her name was PB for pretty bird. I'm just glad to hear bj came back

 

[flutterbee]

 

[Hound dog]

What a huge relief!!!! Thank goodness the calling worked, and Black Jack wasn't too frightened to answer!

I hope this helps you to convince him to get their wings clipped for their own safety.

Hugs

 

[Abbey]

Small update. That little bugger...I could wring his neck.

Yes, found 5 blocks away. Was he in stress? Heck no. He was happily chewing on a crabapple tree. husband said his beak was all red from the apples. When he said, "Got ya boo?" (Translation...got your bone?) He flew right down to him.

A neighbor said he heard some weird bird sounds. (Hope it wasn't the cussing.) So when husband rode by on his bike he waved him down and he happily took the bike ride home.

Now...if I can find someone to jump start my car, my day off would be complete. Such drama. (Not really a day off.)

Steely...book is going well. It will be awhile, though. I just haven't had time. The publisher is pushing and pushing, but you can't make these old people give it up on my time schedule. I'm probably going to have to ship many boxes of stuff they've given me at the end of the month.

Terry...it's events like this that make me feel good. What a great group of people. We all took our shoes off and just danced a ton. Sometimes you need to step back and look at others. They are albino and blind. I don't have to deal with that, but they seem quite confident and happy. I'm impressed.

With that, I'm going to read the board a bit and hopefully get a snooze...then go to work tomorrow.

I'm glad Blackjack is back.

Abbey

 

[amazeofgrace]

whew, I was reading through all he pages, hoping you'd found him, I guess he won't be hungry for awhile, LOL, praises you found him safe and sound