Don't! Don't!--------Mrs. Bluejay prompts to primp

It does seem odd not to have seen Mr. and Mrs. Robin lately. Last year the building was all aglow with their inlaws and friends congratulating them for their quiver’s hatch. It was interesting to see Mr. Robin struggle with his selfishness as the attention was so totally away from him and now that the young ones are grown and gone they have forgotten that they are parents’ and gone back to being friends and loves. The couples have spread out this season, and quite a few of them have decided to move north and get away from mother robin’s doting “butinskyism”. It was cute in the beginning, but now the couples need time to themselves.
I miss the family times that they had and I know that Mrs. Robin thinks that I am much better to have left me as she did. Last year, she checked on me everyday. I couldn’t dodge her for anything. This year we are on the outs, for many reasons. But I suppose that it is my own choosing. Some other birds have made my acquaintance. I have learned that they are experts at timing. They calmed me down when my NY timer was on the fritz and I was ready to ditch it all. Ms. Robin was sent to talk me off the wall again. I will always be grateful for her intervention. Even if she never talks to me again, I will never forget her consideration for me and wise interjections. I hope to hold onto them.

Mrs. Bluejay is always giving me show off tips.  You must start primping she bleeps.  She finds a mirror wherever she is to show me how often she checks her make up.  She feels that God’s paint needs help so she covers and tweeks and tweezes and does just about anything that she can, to make herself attractive.   Last night, she was showing off when we were on the road home from church.

She knows just when we are coming around the corner.   She said you know my timing is impeccable.   I knew that you were at it again.  I am afraid, that you haven’t learned how to toot your own horn.  You must toot it to the children especially or they will disregard you.   Mine don’t even come to visit me unless they bring with them three compliments for mother.   I was not surprised.  She has made her own separate nest from Mr. Bluejay in Charlotte.  He has to visit her in her nest to get any attention.  If he hasn’t any compliments he is out immediately.   She has no tolerance for anything less than complete and utter devotion.   She is extreme, but she has a very proud and pompous mate who would crush her under his own vanity.   She said matter of factly, I am sent to you to teach you the starter class in primping.  You need a face and long mirror.   Look, I make a mirror out of anything.  In fact I flew this way so that I could admire my reflection in the car.  I am vain.  But, it does me good to be vain.   I would hope that you would follow me and learn vanity and do what I do.

Vain birds have to have separate residences.  Don’t you think I am wonderful.  At that point, the light turned green and I had no time to answer her, just watch her beautiful feathers flapping in the breeze.  I couldn’t have complimented her better than she did herself, anyway.