How to lower your stress

[DeLarla 22]

Buy 4 new Cockatiels because 2 dogs, a cat, an 80-gallon aquarium, and a 9-year-old husband aren't quite messy enough. Yes, ladies, my husband built me a bird cage and was going to buy me parrots, but the selection was nil so we decided on a couple Cockatiels. Don't ask me how a couple turned into 4. **** shakes head side-to-side grumbling like Lurch from the Munsters********

I missed my boards today because we had out-of-town company, plus we have Chloe (Babs' 5-year old angel-monster.) She helped us pick out the 4 birds. Aye yaeh aye.

[La_madam 20]

4 birds should defiantely lower your stress, it's just 4 more mouths to feed and one more thing to clean. You can handle that can't you Lisa? With your 2nd job don't forget

[DeLarla 22]

Michelle, I didn't even mention how BIG this ridiculous cage is. It takes up an entire kitchen counter. I had one Cockateil, who was sadly killed. I miss him terribly, but I don't miss his tiny pigstye cage. Ugg... what's a girl to do. And I start my new job tomorrow! I'm working at The Avenue (plus size women's clothes.) Tomorrow, 10:30 - 2:30. I had to get a 2nd job to pay for my band... now I need a 3rd one to pay for my birds. FOUR. FOUR. Did I mention, we got FOUR? How the heck did we get FOUR? Oh, and one has special needs with a bad foot, who needs extra attention. I couldn't just leave the poor thing behind and wonder if anyone else would love him, could I?

Where's my Valium?

[donali 57]

Hey, DeLarla - how many birds did you get?

lol

Good luck on your first day on the job tomorrow!! I'll be thinking of you!!

[DeLarla 22]

Uh, Donali, that would be FOUR birds. Who the heck goes out and buys four birds? I'll be thinking of you tomorrow during my first 4 hour shift at The Avenue. Where should I apply for my 3rd job to feed those four noisy mess-makers?

Alhtough I do truly enjoy their singing. One is blowing full steam right now. I can't wait till they all feel at home so they'll all sing at the same time. Will surely drive Chris crazy. Wait till he wakes up in the morning and sees the mess that's already started. Shells and seeds all over the counter and floor. Nice.

[Alexandra 55]

I don't know anything about cockatiels, but I know my best friend's parrot is enough to make me run screaming from the room. How can anyone stand that NOISE??? I sure hope cockatiels have a different vocabulary.

Speaking of Avenue, Lisa, can you help me figure something out? I am so confused about clothing sizes. I've been wearing Avenue clothes mostly, so those are the sizes I use in my sig. I'm wearing size 18/20 tops, 20 jeans, and 18 in the "denim lite" shorts. All of the 22 pants I had are too large now.

So recently I went on Avenue's website, and looked at their fit charts. Using my measurements, those charts say I should be fitting comfortably into their size 22/24 on top and 26/28 on the bottom! Now, I can understand making the size numbers lower to flatter customers, but why not have size charts that accurately reflect the size of the clothes?!? Of course people are shaped differently, but I'd think one person's 44 waist is the same as another's.

I don't get it.

(This probably deserves its own thread in the Lounge, so I'll start one.)

[DeLarla 22]

Alex, though I'm not a fashion designer, I can answer questions based on personal experience. First, I have Avenue pants that fell off me at size 28. But I have other styles in 28 that still fit.

I personally think those size charts are full of Beans. Different fabrics have more "give", so you can buy a smaller size. I have a pair of Lane Bryant capri pants that are a comfy size 22. I have a size 22 pair of Lee Jeans that fit great. Yet my size 26 Avenue dress is skin tight. So, to answer your question, I have no answer, but I'll ask my new manager since I'm jumping in the shower to start my new job today. I'll keep you in mind when they pass out employee coupons! The said they have "family and friends" days where they give 50% coupons out!

[hagerteresa 3]

Hi Lisa,

I was in bird 4-H years ago. Helped handraise many baby parrots. We have had several birds in our adult years too and here is what I think: THEY ARE MESSY (and it hurts when they bite!) I purchased a beautiful adult female Goffin Cockatoo several years ago and the witch fell in love with MY hubby! She would act all cute and sweet with me and then whammo! she would bite me to the bone! One time she bit my finger, leaped down and bit my TOE! She cornered me in the kitchen one day and I had to call for help. This bird was only the size of a football but she had me beat. LOL

Here was my most recent critter stress: Yesterday I was going to be good and take my dogs for a walk. Just out the door I noticed blood gushing from my Corgis foot and she was limping severely. She had pulled a nail completely out of her foot bone but it was still hanging on. We had to take her to the emergency vet. For some reason the vets didn't see this as serious as some other cases so everytime we were next in line, we would get bumped out by some other tragic critter coming in. Of course they didn't know that my poor little girl is terrified of even having her feet touched much less the thought of severe pain, so we were worried about shock and seizures this entire waiting period. She was shaking like a leaf. We got there at 8:30 PM and left at 1:30 AM and $175 less money. Ugh!!! They wanted to charge $250 but I talked them down. I am so sleepy today I can't stand it.

Good luck at your new job. Teresa

[donali 57]

Can't wait to hear how your first day went!!

They clapped after my solo in church today... lol Brought a tear to my eye, it did...

[New Hope 37]

Donali, And you sing too? Will you ever cease to amaze us?

[DeLarla 22]

Poor puppy's foot.. I'm a sucker for animals. Chloe named one birdie Daisy Sunshine. I have a real mean on on my shoulder now that I'm thinking of calling Captain Pharoah.

My first day at my part time job was fun, but I think I'm down a buck. I only made $24, so that's about $19 after taxes, but I picked up dinner for hungry husband at $18.00. Minus gas, I think it cost me to work.

Donali, sing louder so I can hear you hear! Miss you guys when I work my silly job!

[claraluz 2]

DeLarla, I don't think 4 cockatiels is very many at all. I met a guy through an online dating service who had 72 parrots. I'm an animal lover, but all the same, it was a deal breaker.

Nancy

[DeLarla 22]

Nancy, 4 Cockateils is huge for me, because I'm the kind of mom that has to give each one of my children individual attention. Right now the grey one with white cheeks is having quality time alone with me while I'm here posting. I still have to medicate my cat, feed my two dogs, monitor the fish tank, then make spend an hour each with the other 3 birds so they'll all be trained and amazing pets. But I gotta admit, I'm already loving them. Having 72 to me isn't right because you can't give them individual attention that way, so I guess I'm glad my husband stopped at 4.

[donali 57]

Donali, And you sing too? Will you ever cease to amaze us?

Oh, yeah, I'm just a bundle of surprises... lol

Teresa - so sorry about your Corgi's foot, and loved your cockatoo story! You use the past tense, though... ?

Nancy - 72 is definitely TOO MANY!!! lol You did the right thing...

I inherited two cockatiels from a friend who decided that the THOUGHT of owning a pair of cockatiels was better than the REALITY of owning a pair of cockatiels. lol Since I was kind of the instigator, he gave them to me when he couldn't take it anymore. So when I moved to NY, they went with me. I also had a green parakeet. My roomie thought the parakeet was cool, and when she discovered they came in so many different colors she decided we needed two of each. So we had two albinos, two lutinos, two blues and two greens. We built a giant cage that sat on top of her dresser. There was birdseed EVERYwhere!! In the underwear drawer, in the sock drawer, 5 inches deep behind the dresser, feathers galore... lol

When I moved to Texas she made me take all the birds with me. I gave them away piecemeal after I got my son, Max the black Pomeranian. He scented in the house, so in a way was messier than the birds, but he was much more loveable.

:D

[DeLarla 22]

Well, every minute that goes by has me loving the little cuties a little more. They're starting to be more comfy around me. I just stood by the cage and 3 of them walked to the corner. They act like my dogs with their jelly filled bellies. They actually snap at each other fighting over my attention. As far as the mess, I shoved Chris out of the house this morning and told him not to return with a top-of-the-line Dust Buster. It's plugged in now, right next to the messy bugers!