well.. I am a vet assistant and used to work at our local shelter.. 3 years ago I met Lilly while she was being fostered by a friend of mine for her owner who was going through hard times.. My friend brought her to work everyday and she was always very nice...after 8 months, her owner got her back from my friend..
since then, we both have left the shelter and moved on, lost contact.. Thanks to Facebook, we found each other again, and she posted on her facebook, that Lilly was needing a new home.. I have always wanted a big bird, but I was not actively looking yet....
I messaged her and asked about Lilly.. She told me that the lady's (Lilly's owner) husband used to give Lilly all the attention she wanted and it ended up being too much..after it was not so convienient anymore for the husband to come home from work and pick Lilly up and cuddle with her for the rest of the evening, Lilly began to scream for the husbands attention..
The wife tried all she could to get Lilly's behavior to get better, but it only got worse with the husband, she was always perfect with the wife..it was only when the husband got home that Lilly would scream for him, because she missed what she got all her life (beggining of her life, anyway).
Well, Now the wife got a new job and was gone from the home in the weekends, exactly the same time the husband is home, and well.. the husband can't stand the noise anymore and gives the wife an ultimatum...If the wife doesnt find a home for the bird by the end of the month, he will take her to the shelter..
Lilly lived about 3 hours away from me, and my car was at the shop.. I called the lady and she asked me for $500 for Lilly, which is something i couldn't afford at this time, with the car in the shop, among other things, so I told her, if she really wanted a forever, experienced home for Lilly, I would be here, but I couldn't afford to pay for her..
less than 24 hours later, she called me and said she would let me have Lilly for no charge, with a contract, and monthly updates. She really loves Lilly, she has a family and a husband that are more important right now, and I dont mind at all the updates..
My friend who now lives by where Lilly lives, offered to bring her to me, as she wanted to come visit old friends anyway, and I thought to myself *BINGO*. I got my bird..
while bringing Lilly to me, my friend's tire blew out and she lost control of her truck and hit a semi truck on the freeway, her car was tottaled, and she had to go to the hospital, and called me, which I was at work, saying she was not going to be able to make it here and Lilly might have to go back to her old home..
I was so heartbroken, I told my boss the story, and she let me leave and I borrowed a car and drove 2 hours to get her. Mind you this car was tiny and a really old hatchback, we opened the trunk door, put the back seats down and slid the cage inside and couldn't close the trunk on my way home. Lilly stayed in her carrier, by my friend in the hospital for 4 hours, the nurses loved her, gave her a hospital gown to keep her warm, etc.. and then had to sit in her carrier again for another 2 hours, covered with a blanket so she wouldn't get cold...
we got home after 9 PM, I set up her cage, put her in it, and covered her for the night..
The next morning, I was off work, when I uncovered her, the first thing she said was "good morning Lilly Pie", and we have been best friends since, lol.
She loves to sing with me, to any song, she cant make the words so she sings lalala
she says I love you Lilly, Hi Lilly Pie, Look here, and a combination of those words... I love her so much..She also loves dancing, I have a video of her dancing on my facebook page.
She does NOT scream at all with us, we do not live in a large place, so she is always with us, if she is by herself, she is quiet almost all day, except during the dusk hours...between 5 and 7 PM, she will scream if she is left alone, but if someone is in the same room, she doesn't even need to be held, she is content with the company, which is VERY fine with me..
She loves some toys, but is not too keen of new things, which makes me surprised as she didn't take long at all to get used to us. If I put a new toy in her cage or on her cage, which is where she is at most of the time, she will take up to 5 days to even go investigate what it is... she is scared of new perches, she doesn't mind the vaccum cleaner, she is used to a premier bird harness, she is just the love of my life from now on..
sometimes we watch TV together on the couch and if I drift off and start napping, she will "poke" me, with her beak, and if I say "ouch" or "lilly, thats my ear" or my nose, she will answer with "I love you Lilly Pie", and I cant stay mad at her, lol.
I promised her she will be with me for the rest of my life, no matter what, no matter who...and I promised her I will make sure I find someone suitable to take her when I pass away, and I will do my best for that to happen.
My daughter is 18 years old now and wants Lilly right now, lol, so maybe when I die she might take her....
Lilly Pie is only 7 years old and will probably outlive me.
I work for vets in town, so vet care will never be a problem for Lilly. I dont take vacations, ever, period, dont ask me why. I like to stay home and watch movies, and if Im not at work, Im at home. I dont even go out at night with friends, im just not that social, I guess..
Lilly has been the center of my life since I got her 3 weeks ago, I look for new things for her, I take her with me to the pet stores, I walk around with her on my shoulder, i talk and sing with her, I have been making new toys for her, like human babies wood blocks, we play together on the floor with them, and drink straws, she loves to destroy those, lol. She also loves tooth brushes, but I dont let her keep them if I am not watching her, Im scared she will choke on the bristles..
well, I think my novel is done for now..
I think Lilly and I are meant to be BFFs, lol. and if it's up to me, thats how it will be from now on..
it was really nice to read how you came about lilly pie (uber cute name!)
