Manic Monday - SPIKE

The very first thing I thought of when I heard the word Morgen chose for today - SPIKE - was
our cockatiel. I thought I was being very clever when I chose his name. Not that every other cockatiel on the face of the earth has the same plumage on the top of their head that forms the same shape, a spike...oh no, of course not. When a cockatiel is relaxed their topnotch is, too. When they're alert, their topnot will stand at attention.

The name "Spike," conjures up a bully, maybe a punk kid with piercings wherever one can possibly be pierced, hanging out on the corner waiting to jump somebody; or in the cartoons, "Spike" was the old cranky bulldog with the spiked collar. Well, our Spike is going to break the image of someone tough and cranky. He's a real loverboy.

He was my birthday present in 1992 but he chose to bond with my husband! Even though I was the one who spent an hour every day with him cradled to my chest, crooning to him and trying my best to be a good birdy mom. My husband didn't do anything except walk by and say, "Hello, Spike!" and he got all the affection. During football season, hubman and Spike go to the bedroom and watch the Cowboys and eat chips.

When hubman is not around, Spike is okay with me now, he even gives me popcorn scented kisses. He loves to sit on my shoulder and go out to get the mail (he's clipped!). Since I've been home he's gotten comfortable enough with me to raise his wings and let me tickle his "wing-pits," and give him head rubs. He talks and whistles all the time and loves to dance, but he's very much a caucasian bird. He's like Steve Martin in the movie, "The Jerk." He just can't seem to get the rhythm right, unlike our parrot, who keeps rhythm perfectly!

He imitates sounds such as the electric toothbrush, the dishwasher, my husband blowing his nose (a real hoot!), gargling, and other household noises. He makes one noise that sounds like "pervert," and we have no idea what that is! One day, he climbed down the cage (we have to be real careful!!!) and was walking down the hall to be with us and our shih tzu sneaked up behind him. He turned around quickly and said, "Hello!!!" It's as though he knows what to say and when. I used the picture of Spike and Katie before but it shows their relationship so well I just had to use it again. They really like each other! Cockatiels are referred to as clowns and this guy has really lived up to the title.