I will tell you all about the first time both Jim and I and Amy and Salty met. We had chatted some on Parrotforums and originally, Jim and Amy were going to join in a Skype call with Gale and the RIckeybird to celebrate Salty's 1st birthday, Well Jim was a luddite (much like me) and he couldn't get the darn program to run. So we decided that we would have a play date with the fids. Jim was in Connecticut, I am on Long Island so the trip was like 2-1/2 hrs for him. He told me Amy was on his shoulder the whole way, even thru the toll booths. So he showed up at our door, this smiling face of a guy who shared nothing but a love for parrots and who immediately showed that he was a salt of the earth person (as most parrot lovers AND bikers are). Our parrots hit it off immediately too, Amy took Salty under his wing so to speak, as the picture shows. That was always Amy, treating Salty like his long lost young'un, every time we got together. I have to laugh a bit, because much as he loved Salty, he hated me and literally bit me, bad, every single time we got together! That first time we met, we spent a few hours out back on my deck, drinking beers, watching the 2 fids thru the big screen window, and enjoying a early dinner Geri had whipped up, for which Jim was most appreciative of. What did talk about? Aside from bikes and birds, I couldn't tell you, but it was obvious to us both that we enjoyed each others company a lot, a rare thing, even rarer when you start to get old. All too soon, it was getting late, and Jim and Amy said their goodbyes.
We had several more play dates, always alternating between our 2 homes. When I visited them the first time, I brought a custom made perch for Jim's car, so Amy wouldn't have to ride on his shoulder the whole time during trips, but he always said Amy would start on there but migrate to his daddy's shoulder, Amy's favorite place to view the world as it passed by. Jim would invariably bring some special treats for Salty, a honey stick or something. Jim would always want to go to the local petshop ( a family owned one), so Amy could visit the young'uns there and the shop was so pleased when he and Jim would stop by. He and Amy made it a regular part of their weekly 'road trips'; there and Starbucks. Every time we got together, time would just fly by, as it does when you spend it with people you really care about and mesh so well with. Jim and I were literally talking about the next play date, for he and Amy to come and visit us. His brother David's condition was really hard on him, he was so worried about David.
I'm 68 now. I'm at that age when friends and family start to go; you don't get used to it, but you take that in stride. Jim's passing has made it abundantly clear to me that we all need to tell the folks we care about how dear they are.
Jim, my dear friend, as I said earlier, you were much loved by more people than you know and you will be sorely missed. Geri and Salty and I will never forget you.
We had several more play dates, always alternating between our 2 homes. When I visited them the first time, I brought a custom made perch for Jim's car, so Amy wouldn't have to ride on his shoulder the whole time during trips, but he always said Amy would start on there but migrate to his daddy's shoulder, Amy's favorite place to view the world as it passed by. Jim would invariably bring some special treats for Salty, a honey stick or something. Jim would always want to go to the local petshop ( a family owned one), so Amy could visit the young'uns there and the shop was so pleased when he and Jim would stop by. He and Amy made it a regular part of their weekly 'road trips'; there and Starbucks. Every time we got together, time would just fly by, as it does when you spend it with people you really care about and mesh so well with. Jim and I were literally talking about the next play date, for he and Amy to come and visit us. His brother David's condition was really hard on him, he was so worried about David.
I'm 68 now. I'm at that age when friends and family start to go; you don't get used to it, but you take that in stride. Jim's passing has made it abundantly clear to me that we all need to tell the folks we care about how dear they are.
Jim, my dear friend, as I said earlier, you were much loved by more people than you know and you will be sorely missed. Geri and Salty and I will never forget you.
x
