Pet Bird Magazine, Ezine June 2000 Magazine

---

A TYPICAL DAY IN MY LIFE

Jasmine An Umbrella Cockatoo

by Colleen Mattison

5:10 The alarm goes off.

I awake in my mom's arms. Each night we sleep together on the couch. Mom bought some wood floor pieces to put by the couch for me to poop on. After I pooped on the carpet a few times, she wisened up. A few times during the evening when she is turning over, she'll hold me off the couch, so I can hit the wood instead of causing any mess on the couch.

5:20 Mom hits the snooze again.

I won't complain. Even though it's early, this snooze thing gives us more time to cuddle together under the blankets.

5:30 Yes! One more time to snooze.

5:40 This time we get up.

I now go into the shower with her and sit on my perch. Then I sit on the perch on the toilet lid while she puts her makeup on. I usually get a nice warm cup of milk in my little espresso cup. Occasionally, when she is in a hurry, I have to be happy with a warm cup of water. She has learned that a cold cup of milk or water will definitely not be accepted. After my milk, I rip apart a Q-Tip or maybe a few squares of toilet paper.

6:15 Time for the hair dryer.

Mom dries her hair in the bedroom while I play with some toys on top of one of my cages. I always enjoy a few shots of the warm air in my mouth.

6:45 It has to happen sooner or later. I am back in my cage.

Mom goes off to meet her boyfriend, Roger, for coffee. Roger is my Dad. He is the one who brought me from my birthplace and gave me to my Mom. On the way home the evening he picked me up, I shared caramel corn with him and then slept on his chest. The next day, on Christmas, he gave me to my Mom.

8:10 Wow! Mom is back home.

She must have decided to work at home. Great! I get out of the cage and can be on my play stand. But, I'd rather be with Mom, so I climb down and run over to the couch.

9:30 I guess Mom has some serious work to do.

I tried to help by perching on the laptop screen and chasing the mouse on the screen with my beak. She doesn't always appreciate my assistance. So, I am back in my cage again. Oh well, I'll just go to work on ripping apart this ribbon. She isn't the only one with serious tasks to accomplish.

11:30 Mom is in the kitchen!!

Do I hear the microwave? Now she is coming to my cage with a bowl of sweet smelling oatmeal. Mmmm Mmmm. She adds just the right amount of brown sugar and milk. This is sooo delicious!

1:45 Time to go to Dad's!!

Everyday, we spend a few hours at Dad's. Mom works out with him, while I get to play with my brothers and sisters. There is Angel, a Moluccan cockatoo. Gangrene is a yellow naped amazon. And then there's the big guys, Tara and Sadam, who are hyacinth macaws. My favorite is Angel. Since I'm only a year old, she has taught me a lot about being a cockatoo. We have the best time with our yelling contests. If we do it just right, with volume and excitement, we can make Dad come running up from the basement to check on us. After Dad sees no harm is occurring, he joins in the fun and yells with us. He is such a great guy.

5:00 Workout time is over.

Now, Mom & I usually run some errands. We usually stop in some stores. Since, it is winter, I first climb into her jacket and she zips it up. It is so nice and warm, I sometimes fall asleep. The next thing I know, I hear some voice say 'Hi'. Of course, I can't be rude, so I offer up a 'Hi' in my most angelic voice from within the jacket. This helps draw some attention to me and I am let out of the jacket. A few 'Oh, isn't she cute', 'Awwww' and 'Hi Jasmine's can be heard. Most people ask to hold me and I get passed around and adored. Life is sooo rough. Sometimes the faces are new and very young and little. Their tiny fingers nervously reach out and pet my feathers. Then I get to see their wonderful smiles. My favorite trips are to Dad's work, the video store, pharmacy, nail salon, and flower shop.

8:00 The doorbell rings.

Who could be coming to see us? It is Mom's friend, Carol Ann. Carol Ann always pays special attention to me during her visits. She gives good birdy rubs and if I drop my toys, she pick them up for me. Mom and Carol Ann watch a movie while I have the run of my house. I play for a while on the play stand, then climb down and run over to see what's in the kitchen. I have several toys on the floor in there or I can always bite at the hot air coming out of the vent. If, I get bored with that I search through my toy box and see what treasures capture my interest.

10:00 Time for bed.

Mom gathers me and we lay down on the couch. She tells me how beautiful I am and how much she loves me. I cluck back the same to her. The only time, we don't sleep together is if Dad comes over. But on those nights, she'll get me out of the cage in the morning and I get to sleep with both of them in the big bed. But tonight, we are on the couch and she rubs my back until I melt onto the pillow by her and fall asleep. I wait for another day.

Winged Wisdom Note: Colleen Mattison lives in Michigan with her pet cockatoo, Jasmine. Her friends and neighbors are looking forward to Jasmine's second birthday party.