Peeper's last peep
I never thought a person could be attached to a bird, but it's true, because I was attached once to a little finch. His name was Peeper. The first year Brian and I was married and expecting, living up in the mountains in the woods got very lonely and I was so happy when Brian's parents gave us Peeper. Let me tell you about this little finch. It was about ten years old, it first belonged to Brian's brother, he joined the Navy and gave it to his parents. They took the bird and cared for it for several years, then the bird was given to us in hopes we would be responsible.
As I was expecting, my motherly insticts kicked in and I remember really wanting to nurture this bird. In the morning, I would take the covers off Peeper's cage and say sweet things to the bird...crazy...right?
"Good morning little Peep Peep, how are you doing this fine day?" I would say. I would then get a response back...peep peep peep, guess that is how he got that cute name b/c he would peep. There were some days I would take Peeper outside for a little sunshine, fresh water, clean his cage, this bird was so pampered.
The ridiculous part is that I would even take the bird with me to the basement when we were in a tornado warning or thunderstorm, which seem to happen more frequent than not during this season of my life. The bird pretty much kept me company. It was almost like Snow White. I lived in the woods and was surrounded by animals, the deers would congregate in our yard, a bear here and there at times, the coyotes, squirels, the humongous turkies and especially little peeper.
When Isaac arrives, I am indundated being a mother and my days became quickly filled with holding a precious newborn baby, singing lullabys and feeding and caring for my son. Peeper was still well cared for during this time, we kept him in our room and I remember every night I would make sure to tuck the bird in with a little whistle and song, cover his cage with a blanket, he was apart of our little family.
The bird was treated almost borderline overboard. His delectable nature created a special warmth in our home.
Speaking of warmth, our cast iron stove was going down the tubes and had to be replaced. We had two ways to heat our home at the time, instead of a fire place, our home was built with a wood burning stove which took me a while getting use too. One day, we had to make the drive down the Northern Tool and buy ourselves a brand new stove, it was the first upgrade to our home and an energy saver. We had a wood plitter that my husband had rebuilt. We had wood, a new stove and lots of warmth.
One morning I wake up and I notice something was unusually odd in our little home. I was sitting on the sofa and this time, Peeper's cage was in the living room, and I didn't hear any peeping. To my shocking horror, the bird was lying over dead. My husband forgot to move him away from our new stove and the heat had overtaken him.
I was sooo upset. I could barely talk. I was so upset over this bird, and the worse part was I had to tell my mother-in-law that the bird is dead.
"Brian, how could you forget to move Peeper last night!!" I cried. "He...is...dead! No more peeps, Brian, no more tucking in, the bird is gone."
"Melissa, I am sorry about this, really I am, looking me in the eyes"
Crying to my husband, I burst out laughing. He is looking at me like I have lost my marbles but the humor struck me when I didn't even expect it.
It was a little ridiculous how I treated the bird, it was super messy all the time, looking on the brighter side of the situation, I wouldn't have to clean out his cage and all the bird doo which was narley.
Thinking outloud, "Maybe that is why your parents gave him too us, he was a peepin pain, laughing even more. Still yet, I was sad over the bird and I gave that bird all that I had that you can possibly give a bird and that is all I can say about the situation." My husband is looking at me like I am a basket case.
"One minute you are crying your eyes out over the bird, now you are laughing that he is dead." he said.
"Yes, maybe it is a coping mechanism, laughter is the best medicine????"
Brian, you need to call your mom and tell her what happened, and make sure you tell her that YOU did it and not me!!!" I said.
"Oh Melissa, quit worrying about it. You are making this a bigger deal than it is. Hand me the phone and I will call." he spoke.
The phone rings a few times, "Hello" my mother -in-law says in delight. "How are you guys doing, we haven't heard from you in a while, how is the baby? We can't wait to come up and see you all and little Peeper."
"Well mom," caught off guard, "Isaac is fine and we are doing fantastic, however, we kind of need to talk to you about Peeper. Are you sitting down?" Brian said.
"Yes dear, I am, is everything allright?" unsuspectful of anything different.
"Not exactly" he said. At this point, I motion to my husband, "speaker phone", I wanted to listen too.
"Okay.....she said.....what is going on?" very concerned
I motion to Brian, "Just tell her the truth, make sure you tell her the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help you God."
"There is no easy way to say this Mom and Dad, but Peeper is no longer with us. He didn't make it through the night, the heat killed him from the new stove, it is my fault, Melissa is totally innocent, she is really upset over this" as my husband speaks very apologetic, and I hear silence on the other end of line...they are speechless.
"Oh boy, whispering to my husband, this is not going well. The bird was going to die sooner or later, how old is he again...like eleven or twelve years old." Brian shaking his head in agreement with his finger over his mouth motioning for me to be quiet.
"Mom...are you still there." he said.
"Yes, I am, okay, thanks for letting us know, I have to go." she says sobbing.
Come to find out, my mother in law didn't take it very well about Peeper. Can you believe a little finch couls be loved soooo very much. It just made me smile, I knew that bird was special. We gave him a beautiful ceremony and buried him outside. The bird will forever be a beautiful memory in my life.
As I was expecting, my motherly insticts kicked in and I remember really wanting to nurture this bird. In the morning, I would take the covers off Peeper's cage and say sweet things to the bird...crazy...right?
"Good morning little Peep Peep, how are you doing this fine day?" I would say. I would then get a response back...peep peep peep, guess that is how he got that cute name b/c he would peep. There were some days I would take Peeper outside for a little sunshine, fresh water, clean his cage, this bird was so pampered.
The ridiculous part is that I would even take the bird with me to the basement when we were in a tornado warning or thunderstorm, which seem to happen more frequent than not during this season of my life. The bird pretty much kept me company. It was almost like Snow White. I lived in the woods and was surrounded by animals, the deers would congregate in our yard, a bear here and there at times, the coyotes, squirels, the humongous turkies and especially little peeper.
When Isaac arrives, I am indundated being a mother and my days became quickly filled with holding a precious newborn baby, singing lullabys and feeding and caring for my son. Peeper was still well cared for during this time, we kept him in our room and I remember every night I would make sure to tuck the bird in with a little whistle and song, cover his cage with a blanket, he was apart of our little family.
The bird was treated almost borderline overboard. His delectable nature created a special warmth in our home.
Speaking of warmth, our cast iron stove was going down the tubes and had to be replaced. We had two ways to heat our home at the time, instead of a fire place, our home was built with a wood burning stove which took me a while getting use too. One day, we had to make the drive down the Northern Tool and buy ourselves a brand new stove, it was the first upgrade to our home and an energy saver. We had a wood plitter that my husband had rebuilt. We had wood, a new stove and lots of warmth.
One morning I wake up and I notice something was unusually odd in our little home. I was sitting on the sofa and this time, Peeper's cage was in the living room, and I didn't hear any peeping. To my shocking horror, the bird was lying over dead. My husband forgot to move him away from our new stove and the heat had overtaken him.
I was sooo upset. I could barely talk. I was so upset over this bird, and the worse part was I had to tell my mother-in-law that the bird is dead.
"Brian, how could you forget to move Peeper last night!!" I cried. "He...is...dead! No more peeps, Brian, no more tucking in, the bird is gone."
"Melissa, I am sorry about this, really I am, looking me in the eyes"
Crying to my husband, I burst out laughing. He is looking at me like I have lost my marbles but the humor struck me when I didn't even expect it.
It was a little ridiculous how I treated the bird, it was super messy all the time, looking on the brighter side of the situation, I wouldn't have to clean out his cage and all the bird doo which was narley.
Thinking outloud, "Maybe that is why your parents gave him too us, he was a peepin pain, laughing even more. Still yet, I was sad over the bird and I gave that bird all that I had that you can possibly give a bird and that is all I can say about the situation." My husband is looking at me like I am a basket case.
"One minute you are crying your eyes out over the bird, now you are laughing that he is dead." he said.
"Yes, maybe it is a coping mechanism, laughter is the best medicine????"
Brian, you need to call your mom and tell her what happened, and make sure you tell her that YOU did it and not me!!!" I said.
"Oh Melissa, quit worrying about it. You are making this a bigger deal than it is. Hand me the phone and I will call." he spoke.
The phone rings a few times, "Hello" my mother -in-law says in delight. "How are you guys doing, we haven't heard from you in a while, how is the baby? We can't wait to come up and see you all and little Peeper."
"Well mom," caught off guard, "Isaac is fine and we are doing fantastic, however, we kind of need to talk to you about Peeper. Are you sitting down?" Brian said.
"Yes dear, I am, is everything allright?" unsuspectful of anything different.
"Not exactly" he said. At this point, I motion to my husband, "speaker phone", I wanted to listen too.
"Okay.....she said.....what is going on?" very concerned
I motion to Brian, "Just tell her the truth, make sure you tell her the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help you God."
"There is no easy way to say this Mom and Dad, but Peeper is no longer with us. He didn't make it through the night, the heat killed him from the new stove, it is my fault, Melissa is totally innocent, she is really upset over this" as my husband speaks very apologetic, and I hear silence on the other end of line...they are speechless.
"Oh boy, whispering to my husband, this is not going well. The bird was going to die sooner or later, how old is he again...like eleven or twelve years old." Brian shaking his head in agreement with his finger over his mouth motioning for me to be quiet.
"Mom...are you still there." he said.
"Yes, I am, okay, thanks for letting us know, I have to go." she says sobbing.
Come to find out, my mother in law didn't take it very well about Peeper. Can you believe a little finch couls be loved soooo very much. It just made me smile, I knew that bird was special. We gave him a beautiful ceremony and buried him outside. The bird will forever be a beautiful memory in my life.
Comments
Post a Comment