Okay, I got the tree. Cost me $125. Nice people. The guy said he used to teach a class on exotic birds... but he also said he let his African Grey eat off his tongue and that his African Grey had the same cage that Sammy does--a flight cage whose bar wire is like the width of a large paperclip's wire! Hm... okay. I also got the "congratulations on being a smart person and clipping your birds wings" which I always love because I didn't clip them--he came clipped, and I prefer flighted birds, but I did as I always do and smiled and nodded and said thank you. (There are three conversations I do not start with people: whether you should clip wings, what US political party is the best, and whether or not
Breaking Bad is a good show. They never turn out well.)
Sammy actually made me SUPER proud, though! He was totally interested right from the start (and absolutely FASCINATED with the woman--I was a little jealous), and he started bobbing his head and sticking out his neck and using his whole vocabulary, kissing and saying peekaboo and I love you and pretty bird and step up and hello and everything else except "stop it," which he apparently reserves for the dogs! He turned in a circle on cue and flew to me when I said "Sammy come here." What a little showoff! He never acts so awesome around people I actually KNOW, lol.
But back on topic, the tree... I scrubbed it down with water mixed with vinegar and baking soda then took a hair dryer, set it to the highest heat setting, and dried the entire tree with it right up against the wood. I then scrubbed it down with the vinegar/baking soda mix again and am allowing it to air dry. Hopefully this cleans it up pretty well, as I don't have a steam cleaner. It's a gorgeous tree, however, and I a MAJOR steal at $125!!! I think Sammy and my little Rosie to be will love it. And, in return for my kindness, Sammy ripped a key off my keyboard and snapped it in half. Thanks, buddy!
