# Been awhile....Happy and sad updates



## maryjane (Jul 15, 2006)

Hi everyone, I've been so busy lately with a new job, school, and the critters, (and sleeping!) I haven't had any time it seems but to check in here a few minutes a day. I've missed it a lot and will try to make more time. 

It's been a crazy couple of weeks....the Satinette baby grew up to look just like his mom (Silver Bells, a blue-bar? from NY), with no Sat features at all.  He is a big cutie and dad Henry is still feeding him sometimes, though he is bigger than his little Sat dad now. 

We got a lot of rain last week, and I had some damp and unhappy pigeons, let me tell you. By the end of last week it was spring cleaning time, and the day was spent scrubbing down all their furniture, perches, boxes, etc. Fresh shavings and nest boxes and some sunshine, and they were feeling like a million bucks. I was feeling like taking a nap.  

And that same day Clarence, one of my original ten pijies, had a big day out last week. I was scooping out old shavings and heard a flap behind me and turned to see Clarence go up into the tree above the tent. He refused to come down (though he was hungry, I always feed them AFTER I clean the tent, just in case) and so spent the afternoon in the tree while I ran around town trying (in vain) to find a long-handled fishing net. Then the crows came. And suddenly Clarence wasn't so keen on being out anymore. So with a little help from the dollar store, I was able to rig a "net" and got him on the first try. Mom one, Clarence 0! 

http://picasaweb.google.com/awrats3333/ClarenceSDayOut

Rumplestiltskin and little Thumbelina made a lot of progress along the way. Rump moved out into the tent about ten days ago, and another youngster out there came in to keep Thumb company. She immediately began following Thumb around, trying to be fed, and imitating all of her moves. I started calling her Shadow. You can see in the link all of the fun times they spent together, always side by side. Thumb's feathers finally came in too. 

This past Saturday night I was coming home from work at 10:30 pm, and there was a little Corgi mix running down a dark, fairly busy road. I of course stopped and picked her up. She had no collar and that night and the next day I posted 150 fliers to find her owner, as well as ads online and with the shelters. I was able to keep her at my house Saturday night, then the next morning she went to my friends', where they aren't allowed dogs but we didn't want to take this sweet little lapdog to the pound, and wanted to give her owner a chance to find her. Monday afternoon my friends had an apartment inspection for maintenance and I took her back to my house, put her in one section of my room with a three-foot puppy gate, and then double-wrapped the pigeon cage with quilts and made sure it was latched. I came home from work four hours later to absolute heartbreak. The poor little dog, meaning well and not knowing any better, had somehow jumped the three foot fence (a little Corgi mix dog), dug completely through both quilts, somehow unlatched the cage, and killed both Thumbelina and Shadow. I have had many sad things happen in my life with animals but this is one of the absolute hardest. It feels like you're damned if you do, and you're damned if you don't. I didn't want that little dog to be hit by a car or spend cold nights in the uncaring shelter. But if someone had told me ahead of time it would mean sacrificing my little babies, I know I would have done something different. They were the most precious little things, always running around my room and following me from the bathroom to the computer and all over, peeping the whole time. It breaks my heart to have this happen, and I just feel so terrible. I never imagined for a moment anything like this would have happened or I would have put them in another room. That day I took the dog to a 24 vet I know and they agreed to keep her for a few days. This morning her owner saw one of my posts and called and she was able to be reunited with her little dog. She had just adopted Maggie May and her sister a few months before, and her sister had passed away from bone cancer last week, so Maggie was very upset and ran away. Her owner was so happy to have her back, she was crying and just so grateful. I'm so glad we were able to find her. I really wish it hadn't been at the expense of my special little girls. Thanks for listening everyone, sorry to have sad news like this! At least Thumbelina and Shadow had the very best lives they could, though they were much too short. 

http://picasaweb.google.com/awrats3333/3207


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## Reti (Jul 20, 2003)

This is so terrible, my goodness, I think I would have gone nuts. I can only imagine how you feel. I am all teary now.
I am so sorry. 

Reti


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## JGregg (Jul 28, 2003)

That tent you have your birds in isn't the safest thing for them. You might want to consider building an aviary.


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## Happy (Dec 19, 2004)

Hi Maryjane, It seems that a lot of times there "Are More Questions than Answers"

I'm so Sorry for your loss..... Happy


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

I'm so sorry for the loss of your beloved birds, MJ. Thank you for saving the little dog though. I know you are devastated.

Terry


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## Whitefeather (Sep 2, 2002)

Your story has literally left me speechless Maryjane. 
I am so sorry to hear about Thumbelina and Shadow.  

Bless you for saving Maggie May.  

Cindy


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## pigeonmama (Jan 9, 2005)

MJ,
read about Thumbelina and Shadow and had to put my head down for a good cry. I am so sorry, I can only imagine your pain and grief. Life (and death) sure sucks sometimes.
Daryl


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## Pete Jasinski (Jan 2, 2005)

pigeonmama said:


> Life (and death) sure sucks sometimes.


My thoughts exactly, I'm so very sorry you lost your little girls


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## maryjane (Jul 15, 2006)

Sorry, I really considered not posting at all since I didn't want to make everyone sad about it.  It is part of life I guess, the losses too. 

As for my tent, as most members on here are aware, I have had it for a year and a half now and have had no problems whatsoever. We have a very protected yard and large dogs that discourage any predators. But thank you for your concern. I have also had several "real" aviaries that have never worked as well as the tent, for the birds especially.

Thanks to everyone for your kind thoughts and words. Please don't be sad, sometimes things happen for a reason that we may never understand. At least I was lucky enough to know my girls for the time we had together. And Maggie May is safely home and has eased her owner's grief. There is some kind of balance at work here, somehow.


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## Feather (Dec 8, 2005)

Maryjane,

I am so sorry that you had to go through this. I know your pain. I wish I could take it away.

Feather


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

What amazing forgiveness and depth of spirit on your part. I don't know that I could be so forgiving. I'm truely sorry you are are experiencing this tragic loss.


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## Victor (Dec 18, 2004)

There will be better days forthcoming MJ, Do not despair. It is good that you were able to talk about it.


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

Maryjane,

I, too, join in at this sad time to say how sorry I am to hear the news!

Maggie May was very lucky to get rescued,but the price was so high.

I know only time will help heal the sadness you feel now. I hope that sending you LOVE and HUGS will help ease...

Shi


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## alvin (May 10, 2006)

They'll never be lonely. Gertrude, Garye and Mortimer are looking after them.
Trust me.


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

What a terrible thing to come home to. I am so sorry. 

I am glad that you didn't blame the Maggie May, in her doggie mind she must have thought that she was protecting or helping her rescuer.

Cynthia


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

I'm so sorry to hear about the loss of your girls. I know this had to be devistating, even though the dog did end up back with it's owners.

My heart goes out to you, and I'm sending a big hug your way.

Thank you for sharing with us.


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## Larry_Cologne (Jul 6, 2004)

*Thumbelina and Shadow*

Maryjane,

So sorry to read about Shadow and Thumbelina. I can understand that you are devastated. They were such cute birds, and you took nice photos of them. It is so wonderful that you can keep so many pigeons and other animals. MaggieMay is back where she belongs, and that is good news also. 

Larry


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## feralpigeon (Feb 14, 2005)

Maryjane,

I'm sorry that helping MaggieMay came with such a heavy price for you & the birds, and am sorry for your loss.

fp


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## maryjane (Jul 15, 2006)

Thank you so much everyone, it really makes me feel so much better to hear your kind words and thoughts. And thank you Alvin, for reminding me that Thumbelina and Shadow are well watched-over by Gertrude, Garye, Mortimer, and all of our other beloved pets who have already crossed the Rainbow Bridge.  I am blessed with all of my other animals who are healthy and happy, and they also bring a lot of peace to my heart right now especially.


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## kittypaws (Sep 18, 2005)

Maryjane,

What a sad, sad thing to happen - I am so sorry - you are such a lovely person, that does so much for the birds and animals and this awful thing happens. 

I know and you know we can't blame the dog - she did what comes naturally to a dog ( kinda of) - she was probably confused because she was in a strange house and as you say hasn't been with her owner that long either so probably pretty stressed - but.....to lose your two precious babies - oh that's so hard to bear  - you were doing a good turn and this was how it was repaid - 

Sometimes its hard to think there is a god or that fate made this happen - Sometimes there are just no answers.

Again so sorry for your loss.

Tania x


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## Maggie-NC (Jun 22, 2005)

Maryjane, about 3 days ago I meant to PM you to see how things were going because I had missed you. I am so very sorry about your babies but I think you're right, sometimes things balance out and you had done everything possible to protect them.

I hope you'll be able to come on more often.


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## Lin Hansen (Jan 9, 2004)

Mary Jane,

I'm so sorry such a terrible thing happened especially when you were trying to do something good...it's just not fair sometimes.

Take care,
Linda


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## Hillybean (Oct 30, 2005)

MJ,
talk about making my eyes water  !

Your such s great person MJ, thank you so very much for helping that Wuppy Dog. I am so very sorry for your lose though. Most people would have threw the dog out after that, but you didn't.

Please remember as long as they're in your *heart* and *memory*, then they're _never _really gone.... 

Again, your great and I'm so very sorry for your lose.
-hilly


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