Saturday, March 3, 2007

Watching my cats watch birds


I can't stand it. I think I have to buy birdseed. We buy food for our cats, that's still allowed, so why do I have to deprive the birds, who although they are not my domestic pets, have come to count on me for food? I have not bought bird seed since we started not spending.


I am such an old lady about the birds. Marvin Gardens bought me a bird feeder before I even moved here, when he found us an apartment with a balcony. It was so much fun to watch my cats on the other side of that glass, obsessing over the birds. Our lovely cat Ruby was just a kitten then, and sometimes she would leap the height of the hanging feeder, as though if she just jumped high enough she could get to the birds, glass be damned.


Now we have a bird feeder outside the living room window. Wait, I have a cute picture of Winston and you can see said window... Well, okay, all you can really see out the window is my car, but trust me, there is a bird feeder right out there.


Anyway, I saw two birds discussing whether to build a nest on our back porch the other day. One had a piece of string or hay or something in its beak, and they were all up under our rafters, tweeping at each other and looking around. I wish I could send a press release or something.


"FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June Cutoff Cash reported today that she is willing to house a bird nest in and around her Southern California rental home. 'I will make sure my cats don't eat you!' Cash was reported to exclaim..."


Anyway, I am just saying, it is still food. I'm buying it. Sue me.


In other exciting news, tomorrow is MARATHON DAY!!!!!!!! Yes, it is true, seven years ago, I ran a marathon in a whip-fast six hours, forty-three minutes and ten seconds. Okay, Kenyan I am not, but still I did it. On marathon day, I take treats (ibuprofen, licorice, chips) and hand them out to marathoners. I also cheer like an idiot. If someone has their name on their shirt, it is all over for me. "You go, Jill! Whoooo, Jill! Lookin' good, Jill! You can eat whatever you want after this, Jill! Jill, Jill, Fo-Fill, Fe Fi Fo-Fill. Jiiiiiill!"


Marvin Gardens no longer attends marathon day with me.


I have several friends actually running this year -- shout out to Natalie, Kista and Rebecca. Woooooooo! Kis Kis Kista, Fe Fi Fo Fis...okay, whatever with me. But for years I have been doing this, staying very late to cheer on my people, the slow runners, and it never occurred to me that other than buying the tub of licorice from Staples, it is absolutely free, day-long entertainment. So there ya go.

2 comments:

O'Brien said...

Don't buy the bird food. If they get hungry they hve plenty of rodents to go after.

Anonymous said...

If I were running a marathon past you, I may have to stop and...pound..you..senseless. Or maybe I would like you yelling at me but who's to know, since I cannot see myself running a marathon.