The Life of a Boiled Egg

Today is Girl’s Day (Hina Matsuri) here in Japan.  I was all set to write about some of the history of the festival and how people celebrate…

… and once again, life threw a curve ball.

One of my friend’s pets (a parakeet, to be exact) died today.

It would be a sad thing if she had called me up to tell me the news, but the fact of the matter is, I’m taking care of her pets for her.  And this is the third parakeet to pass.  😦

My friend and her husband are WAY up north in Hokkaido right now.  She’s originally from that area and both of her parents are in the hospital right now.  Before they left on the 9th of January, they asked if I could take care of their three cats and eight birds.  No problem!  (Had done that for them in the past when her husband was admitted into the hospital and she was having to be there with him most of the day and night.)

It was about a month ago, I guess.  One morning, I went into the room where the birds are and noticed that I couldn’t see the birds in one of the cages.  (The cages are all hanging from the ceiling.)  I stepped up on my step-ladder and looked inside… one bird (later found out it was the mother bird) was lying completely still and the other one (the child) was standing nearby, looking at her.  My heart sank and I took the cage down to take the one bird out.  I put my hand in and the other parakeet hopped into my hand… as I spoke to it, saying I was sorry about the loss of the other, the bird snuggled low in my hand, started shivering and became still.  It had died in my hand.

I sent my friend a text message right away and she called me back, saying not to worry… that the two birds had had health problems in the past.

That was tough enough and now this.  I know all things which have life must pass some day… I just wish my friends’ pets would stay alive at least while they’re at my house… 😦