Smokey the Parrot Opens Christmas Presents Under the Tree/Parrot meets Robot Parrot

Smokey the African Grey loves Lilacs

Smokey and the lilacs

Smokey gets a special treat this time of year; fresh cut lilacs.  She absolutely loves shredding them, along with the branches, and they are a wonderful bird safe treat for her.

Smokey and lilacs

Here she is enjoying her fragrant bounty.

Smokey the bird

And here she is looking at me through her rings.  She's such a smart, clever girl.

Smokey the bird, and Noel the bird.

Smokey the bird with her foraging toy.

Smokey is such a smart bird.  Last month, the vet suggested I buy her a foraging toy to keep her occupied and help her stop egg laying.  I told him she already had loads of toys, but he said a foraging toy will take her a long time to figure out, and will keep her from being bored.  I bought one, and Smokey immediately figured it out, lol.  In fact, she can get the treats out faster than I can put them in.
Each pie shaped compartment has one opening, and they all have to be lined up in order to get treats in, or out.   After the food is dropped into the top pie, all of the pies are twisted and turned so the holes no longer line up.  In theory, it should take Smokey quite awhile to turn them again so the holes line up, allowing the food to drop from the top compartment to the bottom.  Yah right, lol.  She twists them and is eating before I can close the cage door, lol.  Here she is, looking very proud of herself.

Smokey the bird.

Here's Noel, the bird, Smokey's friend, watching Smokey play with her new toy.

Noel has new toys too, but he'd rather watch Smokey play with hers, lol.  Smokey taught Noel to talk, and this is what I hear very day:  "Are you a bird?"  "No, you're the bird!"  "You're the bird!"  "I'm Smokey the bird!  Noel, are you a bird?"...and on and on, lol.
Then Smokey will yell, "Kathy, Kathy!  Are you a bird!"  After all of these years, she knows what I'll say.  "I'm a human being. You're the bird."  Smokey says, "Are you a dog?"  I tell her no.  She cracks up laughing, then asks, "ARe you a pretty, pretty girl?"  I tell her thank you, and reassure her that she's the pretty girl, lol.  Sometimes she barks, and I tell her she's not a dog, she's a bird.  Then she quacks, meows, etc.  She's a cool bird. 
Noel's vocab isn't as big as Smokey's, but he can say "Hi, hello, thank you, are you a bird, you're the bird".
Smokey's vocab is about the same as a 4 or 5 year old child's.

More Photos from our trip to Guelp

My Dad and I went for a nice walk while Mac was in surgery.  Mac only had a 70 % chance, so I was terrified.  I prayed, and visualized him walking with me, healthy and strong and happy, as I walked by the river.  After our walk, we went downtown for lunch.  Dad saw a sign for the Vienna Restaurant, and we had to eat there, since he's from a small town just outside of Vienna.  He was very pleased with the meal, and the waitress liked him so much she gave us our drinks for free.  The cook made the Wiener Schnitzel especially for Dad.

Dad's special lunch at the Vienna Restaurant in Guelph, Ontario.

Dad outside the Vienna Restaurant, in Guelph, Ontario.

Best name for a  pub ever, Frank and Steins!

Downtown Guelph, Ontario.

Dad, walking downtown in Guelph, Ontario.

Me on the covered bridge in Guelph.

View from the covered bridge.

Me, hiding behind a tree.

River in Guelph.

Dad on covered bridge, Guelph Ontario.

Dad smiling..miracle!

Pretty river in Guelph.

Dad.

Cute little mall in Guelph, Ontario.

"Outdoor cafe" inside cute little mall in Guelph.

Gorgeous church in distance.

Me feeding the birds outside the room.  Smokey said hello to each and every bird,
and was disappointed when I told her they couldn't talk, lol.

Cute squirrel begging for more food.  He came every day.

We came back to the room after lunch, and called the veterinary clinic, to find out that Mac had made it through the surgery, responded well, and there were no complications, thank God.  He was walking better the next day, eating, and getting stronger.  On Friday they released him.  Smokey was very happy to see him again, and greeted him with, "How ya doin, dog?"  I was worried about the 10 hour drive home with a dog only 2 days post op (he has a huge line of stitches down his throat and neck...like someone installed a zipper, poor guy).  He was good on the way home, except he refused his dog food.  He had to have his pills on a full stomach, so I had to stop and buy him a burger the first time, and a chicken wrap the second time.  He loved it, and took his pills with no problem (hidden in peanut butter).

Smokey in her travel crate on the 10 hour drive home.  She LOVES car rides. That's part of
Mac's huge crate next to Smokey's.  On the way to Guelph, she was up higher , and could see above the bumper pads. 

On the way to Guelph, I had Smokey's cage up higher, up past the bumper pads.  When Mac sat up they were face to face.  Smokey didn't like that, lol.  She said, "Kathy, help me!"  When I looked I saw she was looking directly into Mac's mouth, which was wide open because he was panting.  She's not afraid of him, but didn't seem to like the look of those big fangs, lol.  She told him to "Go lie down!"  and he did.  She's so funny.  On the way home, I put her cage lower, so she couldn't see over the bumper pads. Mac only got up a few times, so I needn't have bothered; she would have been fine up higher.  She was still high enough to see out the side window, and she really enjoyed the drive. She's been asking to go for a car ride again, lol.