TWO VERY SMILEY FACED PEOPLE.. THE SPECIALIST AND HER.

How about that.. 

SHE tried to call people as soon as SHE was out of hospital.. But guess SHE was in shock because as soon as SHE gave results to Caroline, it really hit HER and SHE started to cry.. no point trying to talk whilst blubbing, SHE caught bus home via Waitrose..

Oh.. yes, results of all those hidously invasive tests.

SHE has NO Cancer! NO Tumours! Nothing 'beastly' at all.. 

What SHE does have is a weakness in the walls of HER blood vessels*, they 'sort of spring a leak now and again' and then stop.. scary but not nearly SO Minky-Mouse scary as ANY of those other alternatives are!!

*Hence major Keyhole Surgery that Mr. Alun Davies did for HER four years ago last month.. that was HER right Artery 'breaking' below the knee.

Whoosh.. I realise now how tense WE have been.. but it is over. 

The Specialist wants HER to have Colonoscopies twice a year and to take a high dosage Iron tablet every day and, IF, SHE ever has a BAD bleed aka haemorrhage again, SHE is to call an ambulance and ring hospital emergency line to say SHE is coming in and to give operator HER Hospital Number.

The good guys.. let's hear it for HER GREAT Doctors who have been SO thorough and so kind.. 

Parasite & Worm Specialist Dr. Moore at Hospital of Tropical Diseases.

Gastroenterologist Dr. Geoff Smith at Charing Cross.

Nice men.. Great Doctors. "Thank you's" will be HAND written and posted tomorrow to both of these lovely men.

AND to YOU.. HER very lovely friends who have supported HER.. both verbally and by mail.. not in alphabetical order..

Sam Hill NYC, Tom Lampson NYC, Bob Dundas NYC, 
Stephane Meyrat Moscow, LuLu aka Lesley Logan NYC,
Diane Meyrat Dallas, Patsy Murphy San Luis Obisco, BiBi Evans London, Jareta Coyle Washington DC, Caroline Blackburn Exeter,
Charlotte Colchester, Rosamund Zeigert Berlin, 
Faith Martin Salisbury (or near to), cousin Bruce Isle of Man,
Mary-Lou Mellon and Pegeen Soare both from Illinois.

And last but most certainly NOT least, Leigh Oswald Kew, whose compassion, friendship and verbal support right from the start all those years ago has been amaazing.. 

SHE and I would not be sane if WE had not had experienced your gift of kindness.. "THANK YOU"..

GeeGee Parrot.
September 4th, 2012.

THIS SWEET SEPTEMBER DAY..

Do YOU have days like this Dear Reader.. when YOU awake fresh and the day looks good?  

Today was one of those days for HER, SHE went to Apple Store in Covent Garden and met a charming man called Wylie, he is one of the instructor for Apple trainees.. so he was happy to show HER and the 'babies' about photos etc.. 

SHE downloaded an App called 'DropBox'.. did YOU know that if YOU put your photos onto Picasa, YOU are giving them full 'Reproduction Rights' .. infact, they 'legally' own YOUR photos!  

Read the small print, SHE did and it is quite startling!

SHE stopped off in Chinatown for a late lunch, then walked to Fortnum & Mason.. and went upstairs to Perfumery Department on 2nd floor.. how very neglected and sad the building is looking, there are places where stair carpet is threadbare and beautiful wooden banister has not seen a proper wax polish for years, the wood is dry and pale.

But before SHE got as far as Fortnums, SHE saw a window full of delicious food.. there was a sign saying "This is not a shop, this is what we serve in our restaurant".. there was a huge pile of Lemons*.

And, suddenly, SHE smelt a distant memory of the most glorious 'Lemon Risotto' which an elderly Italian friend used to make for HER in the 70's. 

His family lived just outside Amalfi and grew these HUGE Lemons, they were twice / three times the size of a normal Lemon and once a month he received a box of these glorious things.

SHE went in and asked a pretty blonde - her name is Elena* - if they had any of these Lemons.. Elena was very intrigued to hear of such a thing and said "I will ask for you, what do you use them for? A Risotto? But how wonderful, bring me the recipe, I will badger chef to get some for us"..

So for YOU, Dear Readers, here is that recipe.. carefully 'typed' for HER all those years ago by HER old friends' secretary.

Ingredients.
2 Tablespoons of butter.                     1 lb of Carnaroli Rice
1 cup of dry White Wine.                   3/4 of a cup of lemon juice.
Grated zest of about six lemons.         
 2 teaspoonfuls of seasalt - ground or crumbled very finely.
1/4 teaspoonfuls of WHITE pepper, freshly ground.
1/2 to 3/4 cup of double cream.           Grated Parmesan cheese.
Water.

Method.
Melt butter in a large saucepan with a heavy bottom.
Add rice and stir for about 2 minutes, add the wine, it should bubble instantly. Stir and cook until the wine has almost evaporated / been absorbed, less than 2 minutes usually.
Add lemon juice and zest, about 1 cup of water, add salt and pepper, stir well, reduce heat to simmer until the water is reduced to just under the top level of rice.
Add approx 3/4 cup more water until rice is just again covered, stir, continue to add more water and stirring and simmering for a period of 18 minutes. 
The rice should be tender but still firm in the centre.
Stir in 1/2 cup of cream, if necessary add a little extra water to make sure the mix is creamy, taste for salt and pspper, if the taste is too lemony for your liking, add a little extra cream.
Just before serving, grate and sprinkle the Parmesan.

OH.. jurst writing that recipe reminds HER of funny evenings with that family..  Mama was a Scrabble Fanatic and would play in FOUR different languages - NOT, SHE hastens to say - all at the same time!

Autumn is here.. it might have been a very hot and sunny day but it was an 'Autumnal Sun'.. low in the sky.. but a beautiful day none the less.

"Thank you Caroline and Lesley for your emails".. thank God for these and other actively supportive friends.

SHE went into St.James's on Piccadilly, that very beautiful church built by Sir Christopher Wren, SHE looked at the Font where so many of HER ancestors have been Baptised and taking a candle, SHE lit it and dropped a little wax on the back of a 'Prayer note'.. 

SHE wrote that "SHE be given courage and strength to deal with whatever the Specialist tells HER tomorrow at 3.15 of the clock".

GeeGee Parrot.
September 3rd, 2012.
*Carlo CICCHETTI, 215 Piccadilly, London W1.

FAVOURITE PARISIEN RESTAURANT

SHE used to go to Paris a lot.. but after HER elder brothers' divorce and several friends moving out of the city.. HER visits stopped.. 

That was until SHE went to meet an old friend, Michel Burdin, it was first time they had met and that SHE had been back to the city SHE had known and lurved.. for THIRTY years.. 

It was, I think YOU will all agree, a very long time! It was also where they had originally met.. in 1972.. Forty years ago this past spring..

Yes, the same Michel who used to send HER those Muguet des Bois..

What a funny time they had.. how do you cram talking about all those years into three days? 

Paris had changed so much and yet, not at all.. bizarre.. they ate, talked, walked.. visited lovely things, one of the most lovely was.. Musee du quai Branly.. collection of treasures from Africa, Asia, Oceanian, and American civilisations.. go and see it. it is a MUST! 

Pont de l'Alma is nearest Metro stop.

Michel left before HER, SHE stayed on for an extra two days and on Tuesday, walked over to 59. rue Dantzig in the 15eme and squeeezed herself in for dinner that night, they close on Sundays and Mondays.

"What is so special about this place, what is it called?".. We hear YOU, don't worry.. more details coming.

Their speciality is Duck.. the name is Restaurant du Marche..

And because SHE is here and not there.. WE are giving YOU one of HER favourite recipes for Duck Breast.. which is mouth wateringly scrummydumptious.

(Our lubbly-jubbly butcher, Dickinsons, sell pairs of Duck Breast and Legs.. SHE tends to prefer Duck Breast for this recipe).

Serves two.. 

1. Duck Breast.
30 Fresh Cherries - preferably the big Black ones - pitted.
100 gms of Broad Beans.
120 gms of salad leaves with some Rocket or Watercress.
BIG Handful of fresh Mint leaves - torn into pieces.
Olive Oil and Butter.
Lime Juice - Freshly squeezed + some Zest.
Honey - runny type, 1 tablespoon.
Salt and Pepper to taste.

Prepare cherries by de-pipping and halving them. Pour any juice into dressing jar. 

In dressing jar, mix Lime Juice + the zest with Honey, pepper, salt to taste.

Allow the meat at least* 30 minutes out of fridge, whilst it is de-chilling, rub meat with a little oil and pepper.

Heat butter and oil together in frying pan, when pan is hot, place meat into pan skin side down, turn over after 4 minutes, turn down heat slightly and cook the other side for a further 3 minutes.

Remove meat from pan and allow to 'rest'.

Cook fresh Beans in boiling water for no more than 2minutes.
4 to 5 minutes if Beans were frozen.
Strain Beans and pour on cold water to stop Beans cooking.

In serving bowl mix Beans, Cherries and salad ingredients.

Slice Duck diagonally on a plate. Pour juice from meat into the dressing jar with the Lime Juice etc. Shake very well.

Mix sliced Duck into salad and finish off by pouring dressing over top and mixing gently.

No.. it is not one of 'their' recipes.. but at least it will keep YOU going until the next time YOU go to Paris.. SHE hasn't been for four years..

GeeGee Parrot.
September 3rd, 2012.
*VITAL!

NEW YORK CITY.. WASHINGTON DC.. WHOOPEE..

Dearie ME, how to keep gurl home on ranch in deepest Knightbridge? 

The answer, if I am wise, is I don't! I let HER fly away, secure in the knowledge that SHE will come home and collect ME from Aviary.

Life has been 'not so amusing' for HER for four, yes, FOUR years and on Tuesday, HER Consultant will give HER those test results.

SHE had to admit to being VERY shocked earlier today when an acquaintance sent her a text saying 'So, I presume YOU have Cancer".. whoa.. a litle bit of 'diplomacy' goes a loong way".

Anyway, bear with US.. WE are going to be a 'bit' dotty until SHE gets those results.. when SHE has them, then, of course, WE will know what WE are dealing with, but until then.. well.. no excuses but WE .. well.. 

WE are going to goof off and play fool.. like Tom Fool.. and sing songs like 'The bare necessities of life'.. YOU don't know the words? 

"Those simple 'bear' necessities".. go immediately, if not sooner, and read the original score.. Baloo sang this song in film 'The Jungle Book'.. play on words.. BARE meaning base or naked.. BEAR being Animal.. 

But now.. WE are going to going to bed.. SHE is going to Apple Store at Covent Garden in the morning.

GeeGee Parrot.
September 2nd, 2012. 

POOR CHARLOTTE.. MUST BE HARD DEALING WITH AN IDIOT!..

Yes.. dear and very, very old friend Charlotte sent HER an email saying that she could and would teach HER how to add photos to MY Blog.

Dear Readers.. HER excitement could hardly be contained, the only problem was SHE was on a 319 bus coming back from Streatham High Street!

The journey took forever but, eventually, it pulled to a stop and SHE disembarked with all of our requisites from that HEAVENLY Polish food shop in Streatham High.

Ladden with bags, SHE waddled home.. 'why SHE does not take ole Wicker on these 'smash-n-grab' sorties, I have NO idea, everybody knows bottles of special oils and breads are heavy.

SHE telephoned HER old friend.. how very nice to catch up and find out how her family are doing, Charlotte's sister has one child now nineteen, where have those years gone?  

On reflection, SHE can actually recall each year.. from 1992 until SHE got 'side-swiped' by HER leg in 2008, SHE worked hard and enjoyed 'almost' every single minute of every day. 

Only two clients 'let' HER down.. the rest were nice people and great to work for.

Back to 'Telephone lesson on how to add photos to Blog', oh dear, there seems to be problem with norty iPad. SHE is going to Apple Store in Covent Garden tomorrow. But SHE'll read THEIR recipe book!

GeeGee Parrot.
September 2nd, 2012.

WOW.. THIS IS LOYALTY.. THERE ARE THREE ITALIAN DEAR READERS!.. on iPhones!

Stats are showing there are THREE Dear Readers reading MY Blog on their IPhones in Italy..

"Dear Readers. Salve. Buongiorno to the three of YOU"

GeeGee Parrot.
September 2nd, 2012.

A KISS ON THE BEAK MIGHT BE QUITE CONTINENTAL..

"But Diamonds are a gurls best friend.. a kiss may be grand but it won't pay the rental on that Pea-nut Shack or help YOU at laundromat!"

"Please sing it to the original tune.. what'ta YOU mean.. YOU don't know da original tune! How old are YOU, does your mama know YOU read deese d'ings on de web?"

Well, it is quite obvious - even to ME - that Ole Wind is under HER tail today!  SHE has been very busy interfering with MY person, kissing MY tumtum and scratching MY nape, fiddling with toes and generally behaving in very cheeky fashion.. but hey, it is Sunday.. have to allow ole dear some 'time out' occasionally, all work and no play makes for far too sober folk.. and WE don't want that, do WE?

OK.. true to MY words last night.. I said I would tell YOU all about that lurvely surprise SHE received yesterday.. 

Cousin Bruce telephoned from Isle of Man to ask her if certain dates were free? "Why did he do that?".. I hear YOU ask

Because his brother, also HER cousin.. "hey YOU, at the back there.. keep up with all the rest of Dear Readers please".. but called Steve, is a'getting married and would SHE join rest of family at Wedderburn Castle, in Scotland, to celebrate this?

Would SHE go? Is MY bum red? Do I fly? SHE's a'goin.. I am not, I will go to stay at Aviary but that's ok.. SHE will take that chuff-chuff to Berwick-on-Tweed, then car to Duns.

Ooooh, SHE hasn't been to a 'supa-dupa-bash aka hoolie' like this since Shannon Tolar married Chalva Tchkotoua on the West Coast of Ireland in 2000.. 

SHE remembers the day SHE introduced them.. June 16th, 1996.. location.. Casey & Tom Tolar's apartment in NYC.. SHE was staying in very swish apartment on Fifth Avenue belonging to Olivia Thompson of Fairchild Publications.

Chalva had jurst come for a cup of tea on his way back from working out at gym.. was in shorts and tea shirt.. a bit reluctant to come to the Tolars but SHE 'bullied' him.. Look on Shannon's face when SHE introduced her to him will forever be remembered by HER and Tom Tolar.. they have two sons..

Bruce told HER to pack gum-boots.. apparently 'Highland Games' are to be played morning of wedding.. note to HER.. pack Arnica Gel and Rescue Remedy (large bottle)..

Yee-Harr.. no.. that's Rodeo talk.. oh, but it is so exciting, let us hope SHE gets that norty wiggle on and learns how to post photos onto MY Blog before too long.. "Go to Apple", I keep saying.. but all SHE does is pull out another Recipe Book.. YOU 'see' what I have to put up with.. sigh.

GeeGee Parrot.
September 2nd, 2012.

MEMOIRS or DREAMS mais en francais?

I sincerely hope that YOU read MY previous Post, which I am pleased to say, has generated a large amount of emails filled with disgust and horror that CITES have closed their books after receiving 35,000 comments about a shocking decision to allow Cameroon Government license to trap and export 3,000 of MY breed.

MY breed of Parrot, the African Grey, comes from Central Africa.. Cameroons, Chad, Gabon, Ivory Coast. 

These countries were under French Colonial Rule for many years but even before then, African Greys travelled world wide as Pirates Mates but WE were also to be found at some pretty 'fancy' places.. such as Versailles, Hampton Court Palace and Vienna.

In French, WE are called Gabon Gris.. Grey Gabon.. do YOU remember Tale of how I got MY name even before I was born, it was given to HER by Prince Dimitri Tchkotoua.. Go back to April Posts..

Recently, I have been dreaming of 'ancient times' and in these dreams, I dream in French but as I don't speak it, I can only surmise that I am experiencing either a Past Life Regression or that I am recalling an Ancestors' Memoirs.. for truly, are they not windows of the mind?

In these dreams, MY human family are French and MY beloved is a young woman of a 'great' family recently married to the scion of another noble house.

WE have been together for many years, I was given to her by Grand-Mere for her seventh birthday. WE now live between Versailles and our 'proper' home in the country.. I much prefer the country home, because, although it is a new place for MY Mistress and I, WE are significantly freer than when WE are at Court, where LIFE is very regimented and extremely strict.

But because of Court Etiquette .. it is expected that the young couple spend a certain length of time at Versailles, however, it holds no 'terrors' for either of them as both sets of parents have been close confidants of the 'famille royale' for many years.. but.. oh, it is boring.

But today.. it has not been a day of dreaming 'a la Francaise', oh goodness ME, no! 

For today was a chopchop and squeezesqueeze day, finally.. SHE got around to doing the Beet and Onion Preserve.. Limes were juiced with magic Reamer, soft-necked Garlic, much smellier and stronger tasting than normal variety, Bay leaves, salt and lots of pepper were added.

She did two enormous baking trays full to the brim (top). It took many hours, during which time, the beets and onions have to be stirred and kept oiled..  labour of lurve, that is for sure!

So.. here WE are, MY mama, aka HER.. and I, at the end of a very pleasant day.. it was 'especially' pleasant as SHE has received MOST wonderful invitation.. so exciting and SHE was SO touched to be asked but it is now way past the time that WE should be in bed and fast asleep.. so no, YOU will have to wait to hear about it..

Here's a sniff to make your mouth water.. Castle.. Scotland.. Wedding.. Nope, heeheehee.. ole Beaky sealed.. 

I promise I will tell YOU tomorrow.. yawn, sleep well.

GeeGee Parrot.
September 1st, 2012.

BORN FREE.. THE SCANDALOUS DECISION BY CITES TO ALLOW THE CAMEROONS LICENSE TO TRAP 3,000 AFRICAN GREY PARROTS FOR EXPORT - EACH YEAR!

OK.. I am, theoretically, a 'captive' bird. I live in a home made of bricks and glass with a human who treats me well, however, I was not born in the wild. 

After Dagga-the- Parrot died, SHE wanted to find a hand reared baby Grey. SHE spoke with one of the worlds' foremost Avian Vets, Mike Sandford, who HIGHLY recommended MY Breeder.

She travelled to Shropshire to be interviewed by Rebecca and to see if SHE was suitable for one of Rebecca's babies. That was a very funny meeting, written about in a previous post.

Then SHE drove with a friend - another parrot lover - back up to Shropshire seven weeks later to collect ME (now aged 16 weeks) and all of MY luggage.. cage, toys, small perch, yum yum etc.

The percentage of African Grey Parrots that survive being trapped and sold on is never more than 50 %.. this means that, out of the 3,000 AFP trapped this coming year in The Camerouns, Central Africa.. FIFTEEN HUNDRED will die.

And this is "declared figure", as Will Travers put it, when coming out of the July Conference just after this shocking decision had been made by CITES.. 

Google CITES, JULY CONVENTION, AFRICAN GREY PARROTS and watch the video of Will speaking about this dreadfully shocking decision.

CITES stands for..

The CONVENTION of INTERNATIONAL TRADE in ENDANGERED SPECIES.

"There are thousands more that die from being damaged, seriously hurt and die of sheer fright even before they get to the transit area", he says.

Remember MY post last month about that scary thing?  Bless HER heart, SHE knows that I should keep ole Beaky in tip-top condition, so SHE kindly introduced a 'scratch' perch into MY sleeping area.. lordy, it WAS such a fearsome thing.. turquoise too..

Now, of course, I jurst scratch ole Beaky on it and give it not another thought.. but can YOU imagine the horror of having a net thrown over YOU, which is then pulled tight and dragged across the ground and thrown into the back of a lorry.. 

IF.. YOU are going to bring an African Grey into YOUR life. Please.. WE beg of YOU, do your research, are you able to have a 'child' in YOUR life for over forty or fifty or more years? 

A child that never grows up.. now, admittedly, WE don't go to school, or university, or learn how to drive, date unsuitable people or get pregnant or get a girl pregnant.. but WE do require a lot of attention, care, lurve and space.. 

Are YOU, perhaps, better off with a smaller bird?

But, whatever bird you decide to have in YOUR life, PLEASE, make sure that it is a 'hand reared, locally bred bird' from a Licensed Breeder who runs a respected Aviary. And, that YOU register YOUR bird with an Avian Specialist Vet and have YOUR bird micro-chipped.

We, in the wild, live in flocks and WE mate for life, WE enjoy company, I go everywhere with HER, friends know that when they invite HER to stay that I come too.. And, MY favourite perch is HER head.

Are YOU prepared and ready for this responsibility and amount of TomFoolery! WE LIKE TO PLAY!

YOU may not recognise that man's name.. but YOU know his family.. oh, indeedy, YOU do.  Remember
Bill Travers and Virginia McKenna, YOU may even remember they were in a film once.

Well, meet their son, Will. SHE met his mother and him at The Royal Geographical Society several years ago. The work this man does on behalf of Animal Conservation is outstanding, not just for Parrots.

YOU may have forgotten name of that film, it was.. 'BORN FREE'. 

GeeGee Parrot.
September 1st, 2012.

AND.. THE NUMBERS ARE...

Yes, Dear Readers, WE have the winning numbers..
And they are. 

ONE (WE knew that, I can hear YOU cry, get on).. ZERO.. FOUR.. FIVE. One thousand and forty five.

What STARS YOU are.. how amaazing to see that final figure for month of August 2012.. this summer has been pretty spectacular.

Whoa.. Yubba-Dubba-Doo.. as HER Medical Tale started to twist and turn, MY readership started to grow.. YOU knew SHE was seriously under BIG black cloud as SHE did not post ONCE in June.

That was a 'strange' month, someone was very 'needy'. I know WE helped solve serious problems but sadly it transpired people 'talk the talk' but won't 'walk the walk'.

HER birthday July 7th, SHE got message from darling Granny-Jo to say that her grand-daughter, Marlowe, was born at 00.15 that morning, making it very easy to remember THAT baby!

July 29th, MY 8th birthday was pretty good, PLUS, that was day MY Blog started to grow.. first time over a HUNDRED Dear Readers came on line to read.. 

Dr. Geoff Smith came on board as Gastroenterologist and pushed BIG RED aka 'GO' button!

Every week since the beginning of end of July, SHE has been in hospital for a test.. last one was Nuclear Meckel Scan.. where SHE was injected with Radioactive dye.. 

Scary? Are YOU kidding ME? Of course it was VERY Minky-Mouse scary.. How do YOU think I feel when SHE goes off to have a test and I can't be there to sit on HER head? 

But, way WE are dealing with it is as follows:

WE write OUR Blog, I know it is MY Blog but can YOU see ME tapping a virtual keyboard with ole Beaky or a (now) nibbled claw.. NO.. I dictate, SHE taps.. Canterbury Technical College at least taught HER to type. (Leigh doesn't think so as she saw the hash SHE made of it using her computer last night!!).

SHE turns up on time for hospital appointments.

WE eat proper food, go to bed early, try to sleep at least 9 hours a night. SHE works out by gardening at garden.. Yesterday, SHE was too tired, that is what is happening now, SHE is tired pretty much all the time.

SHE has not discussed HER medical 'stuff' with all and sundry.

The only person with whom SHE has talked about it is Leigh. 

And these three other people. Lovely Caroline in Exeter, Angel Legion sending Debbie aka Goaty Mum and Blog Inspiring Sweet Joanna have seen the Web site information and have been beyond 'supportive'.. such an inadequate word to describe their kindnesses and love.

One person has been cruel. "Karma" is what I say.

Now, it is Saturday, September 1st. We have eggs in bowl, scrummydumptious Rye & Caraway Polish Artesian Baker bread. 

WE are going to get up and after MAJOR kiss-and-cuddle and tickle-tickle time, SHE and I will go to YumYum HQ and start our day.

Latest test results are through on September 4th.

Sky dark grey, rain a'falling. WE keep OUR Faith.

GeeGee Parrot.
September 1st, 2012.