update from Rebecca and Valentino

[noblemacaw]

Valentino and I are doing well. I just finished up a five week contract with a company downtown. This kept me pretty busy and mostly off the computer so I have not been on the form much of late. It was a huge adjustment working a full time job and juggling everything else. Valentino eventually got use to me being away from the house from 6am to 4:30pm. At first he didn't like it at all. Every morning since we had gotten Valentino when Lupe left for work in the morning she would tell him "Good by, no birdie girls, be good." Every morning she said this to him and not once had he said good by back to her. On the second day of my leaving for work as I was in the mud room putting on my shoes Valentino told me "good by." Every day after that he always told me "good by".

One morning Valentino told me good by in a plaintive voice. I stopped what I was doing (gathering up my things to leave) and looked over at him. I told him I would be back later and that I loved him. Clinging to the side of the cage closest to me he then tells me "Don't go." I could not respond as I just stared at him not moving at all. Finally I did tell him I loved him and I was sorry I had to go to work. I have to say he really pulled at my heart strings with that request. It was hard for me to leave the house that day and I almost called in. I knew I could not and HAD to leave to go to work. I did think about him a lot that day.

Last Saturday with my first paycheck I did upgrade my cell to a smart phone. The phone I liked dropped to $100 and I could actually justify that cost verses $250 to $300. It was the cheapest I was going to see for a really nice smart phone so I took advantage of it. I have been practicing taking pictures of Valentino with it and have some nice once. I need to download them to the hard drive so I can upload them to photobucket and include them in the form.

Now that the contract if finished it is back to the drawing board with the intense job search. I can say that there are a lot more good jobs I am qualified to do which has kept me busy with applying and interviewing. I am still with the company I contract for but because I am in between contracts I continue to look for full time permanent work.

So for Valentino and I things are moving along in the right direction. We both are doing well.

 

[Sterling1113]

So glad to see things are moving in the right direction for you. When you said that Valentino asked you "Don't go" it brought tears to my eyes. I understand how hard it is to leave someone(or somebirdie) who really wants you to stay.. but you're doing the right thing.

Hope things keep improving for you, keeping you and Valentino in my thoughts.

 

[SilverSage]

Ok, I have to say I jumped in my seat a little, because I thought you had rehomed Valentino due to strenuous changes in life. I am SOOOO glad to find I was wrong! What a sweet boy, and how hard that must have been to walk out the door! But 30 years from now when you are snuggled up with him, you will look back on this time when you were busting your butt just to keep food on the table (and in the cage) and be glad you made it work. God for you, and keep pushing forward!

 

[MrsKay]

That is a sad story... with a sweet ending so glad for you.

 

[Phlox]

I'm so glad the two of you are still together!

 

[thekarens]

Glad to hear things are improving for you.

 

[Kiwibird]

So glad you and Valentino are doing well and that you did end up keeping him I'm sure it's been an adjustment, but he's a young bird and while it may be hard in the short term, in the long term it is best for him to be where he is always loved. Hope to see some pics soon!

 

[Ducatimom]

So happy things are looking up for you two! Hope it continues!

 

[Abigal7]

I am happy to see you two are doing fine. I have no doubt it is hard to leave him when you go to work. Valentino telling you to not go is sad but I think it is great he is staying with you since you love him so.

 

[noblemacaw]

Thank you everyone for the kind words. I have committed to Valentino to keep him with me and work really hard to be able to take care of him. I believe once Lupe does move out the stress levels between us all will lessen and it is my hope some of the negative chatter Valentino says will eventually go away.

I am looking at work out of state. If called for an interview I am going to go for it. Of course this means I will have to relocate with Valentino. I wonder how to handle relocating out of state with a RFM. What would be the least stress on him. I was thinking of fostering him to my friends, get settled and in a few weeks come and get him once I have a home set up for him or just going bust and take him with me right away. I need to take him for car rides more often. He does begin to scream in the carrier after being in it for a bit. At this time envisioning driving 5 hours with him screaming the whole way is not a pretty picture. Out of all my boys Valentino is the only one that screams in the carrier. I need to figure a way to help him understand it is alright and nothing will come to harm to him or is he just insisting to be let out of the carrier so he can crawl all over me. Of course if I am going to drive 5 hours with him I would use the aluminum Kings traveler cage instead of the crate he came in.

I am putting the cart before the horse. First I need to gain a interview and successfully get though that process. I applied for the same job in Iowa City IA and Gilbert AZ. For now I play the waiting game and continue to find local jobs and apply apply and apply. Each application process can take me up to two hours to get though each stage. The job hunt rules have changed drastically but on the up side is when going though the application process being so complicated I have more success with communication than just sending out a crap load of resumes and never hearing a thing.

I remember being told a long time ago "the more advanced in your career you are and the more skilled you are the longer it is going to take to land the good job." I don't expect to gain employment overnight but I do work very hard with finding jobs in my field to apply for and getting though the intense application process.

 

[Kiwibird]

If you get a job out of state and have to move, I would just bring Valentino with you. Either way, he's going to have to be in the car for x-amount of hours and is still going to have to adjust. He might as well be with you for all of it, instead of being left with a friend, somewhat adjusting to that and being uprooted again and having to readjust a second time in a very short period of time. If you do feel moving out of state is a real possibility, you may want to start acclimating him to the car while you have time

I was beyond paranoid when we moved last fall for Kiwi's well being and how he would take it. I was so stressed and worried. We drove 3 straight days with Kiwi in a uHaul, and he did just fine. He was antsy from being cooped up in a travel cage, but once his cage was set up in the new place, he didn't even seem to notice we no longer lived where we did before. I was gobsmacked, there was no adjustment period at all for him. He woke up the first morning and was happy as a parrot can be. I think as long as they have things that are familiar, and the person/people they know, parrots are often more adaptable than people give them credit for.