Goodbye Kiwi

This is not a fun fashion post, but a way of saying goodbye to my bird, Kiwi.

I adopted Kiwi in 1999 from my sweet friend Sommer. She had a condo full of animals, and a baby on the way, so one day Kiwi came home to live with me. Sommer and her husband loved him dearly, but they were quickly running out of room.

Kiwi was my companion for the next 12 years. He was with me through many moves, a few boyfriends, and all of life's ups and downs. He even lived with my mom for a period of time, and she grew to love him as well.

Kiwi was not a quiet birdy. He was an early riser, and made sure you were as well. He appeared to be a one person bird, but I would go out of town, he would grow fond of whoever was taking care of him when I was away. Faithful? Maybe not. But he was a sweetheart :)

He had a little song he would sing to me every morning, along with the kissy noises my mom taught him to make. He wanted me with him always, and would shriek if I left the room. 

Kiwi was a rambunctious bird, back and forth back and forth on his perch all day. Always excitable and always happy to see you. But his cage was his world, and he very rarely wanted to leave it.

Kiwi became sick last week. He grew quiet, and was sleeping all day, and I knew something was wrong. My friend Cristal took him to the vet for me Saturday (I am sick and could hardly move at the time). I gave him his medicine and prayed for the best, but he succumbed to pneumonia Saturday night. I can't believe he is gone.

I am still grieving for my bird, so this is not the most eloquent post. Douglas Copeland sums up my feelings best, in his book, Life After God:

"And on the TV were still more birds! Such lovely creatures and I thought we are so lucky to have the animals. What act of goodness did we as humans once commit to deserve such kindness from God?"

So goodbye my little Australian Red Rump Parakeet, my little Kiwi, my Weester. You will be loved, missed, and remembered. My sweet little bird.

Adrienne