I have just looked back to discover that tomorrow will mark the third anniversary of this blog. The reason I was looking back was because I want to find, in amongst all of the bird stuff, everything I have written about Anthony and Parkinson’s disease and how he, Ming and I have coped. I thought it might be useful to compile these entries into one document and see if it works as a whole, maybe as a book. Apart from the wonder of all the friendships wrought via blogging, it has also been wonderful to find that I have a record of these past three years because I don’t think I would have remembered otherwise, except as a kind of blurry fog of joys and sorrows – mostly joys.
The birds, and the wings idea, have punctuated the last three years in real and metaphorical ways. Many have now been lost to fox attacks, I have given the emus away, and all three of the original caged birds have been set free. We now have a dozen peafowl, nine guinneafowl, five geese and one duck. The casualties have been heartbreaking and I have decided not to acquire any more due to their vulnerability to fox attacks. Gutsy9 is still thriving and one of the two peachicks hatched last year has survived and I think there will be more chicks soon. I have stopped interfering in the way natural selection works. All of the birds still take bread out of my hand and give me enormous joy (except Godfrey, the gander who likes to bite me!)
But everything changes and now that most of my daytime hours are spent in the nursing home, the birds and I don’t commune as much. Hence, when they hear my voice, they come running AT me with a mixture of love and greed (for wheat) that it is hilarious to watch. And even the birds who are gone continue to live on via Anthony’s hallucinations. Almost every day he points them out through his nursing home window. The outdoor tables and chairs become turkeys; the lawn is speckled with chooks and guinneafowl; and the flowerbeds are parrots. I can see them too.
It seems a rather peculiar blog in its higgledy-piggledyness and some of my entries make me cringe, but hopefully I will be able to draw out enough of the love story to compile a coherent record that might be helpful to others who live with Parkinson’s disease.
Here is a picture of the nearly grown up peachick, still very much attached to his mother (in foreground)!
jmgoyder 
I love your blog Julie!!
Diana xo
Ditto Diana!
What a journey it has been. I am grateful that I blogged Vic’s journey. I know I should be blogging my grief but I seem to just repeat the same words, pain…. I am grateful we met Julie. Your love story must be put into book form. It is worthy of it. Thank you for your friendship and support. Much love dear friend.
It has been a joy to get to know you and Vic.
Hi Julie, I haven’t commented in a while. Challenges of my own. However, your blog has been a help to me in understanding PD and other dementias when working so its been valuable . life does change and sometimes quite unexpectedly.
You are an inspiration to me!
That sounds like a very good idea, helpful to you coping with this strange way of life and most useful to others who may be in the same predicament.
Now I just have to figure out how to copy/paste the bits and pieces into one document – argh!
Congratulations on your third year Julie. I’ve been following your blog for quite a while now and I find it very helpful on how you cope with PD. I have a close friend who lives just across the street who has PD too so I am quite familiar with it. Be blessed always!
Following you now Arlene!
I’ve really enjoyed reading your book over the last three years, and it’s been wonderful to read how you (and the family) have coped with everything.
It’s sad that you have lost some of the birds, but I’m so glad Gutsy9 still survives!
I suppose I should have also admitted that some of the bird casualties were due to our dogs alas.
i think this is wonderful idea jules, and shows it all, just as it happened, for better or worse. a slice of real life. you’re right, there’s no way to have remembered all of these details,and then to begin to write them down. how invaluable this would be. to you and your family, as well as to others.
I think this is gonna be a big job, but at least the words are already there!
I think I will have been blogging three years next March. I wonder how I come up with so much to write about
You are prolific!
Thank you. You better be in bed sleeping!!! LOL
I love your blog Jules, I don’t even think of it as a blog but rather like a pen pal series because that is how we became friends. 😀 Gutsy-9 is so beautiful! Hugs Jules 😀 xox
Love this comment so much, pen pal!
😀
Definitely a book. Why do I say this, let me count the ways. Your talent. Your heart. Your writing skills. The way it helps us out here. It’s something you’ve lived and there’s no better place to write from that can help others. Definitely a book. And, when it’s done, I’m in line for a read/review. Love your blog and wishing you a very Happy Three Years with many more to be viewed. love, Paulette
Oh thank you so much for this encouragement Paulette!
I think it’s great that you have a journal of your ‘journey’ ….I’m sorry you’ve lost so many of your birds to the foxes… I’m so glad Gutsy9 is still okay
I’ve printed off a lot of my blogs to keep but now we can’t print them (at least the last time I tried ) but I copy and paste them into a document…..Diane
Sorry if this is a stupid question but do you copy/paste from draft version or final version – I am having a bit of trouble with my old computer!
It’s not stupid .. I tried it both ways WordPress has made changes… in the draft version it will only partially highlight .. whatever is showing .. so it would have to be done in two or three parts depending on how long the post is… I do it from the final version. When I started keeping copies I used to be able to just print from the final version, but WP made changed there too, and now can’t do it. … Diane
Amidst the many preoccupations of your life it is good to see the birds once in a while. Thank you.
Maybe that is why they run at me with such determination, almost as if they are saying ‘take my photo!”
My dear Julie – LIFE is higgledy piggledy ….. and that is what makes it amazing in all it’s various forms.
Also wanted to let you know my son’s court situation left him with a year of opportunity to gain wellness and healing to the extent that he can with his bipolar disorder – and best of all, he is at home with me during this healing time.
I think putting bits and pieces of your blog into one document is a wonderful idea. I’ve found every bit of your journey to be inspiring. I think higgledy piggeledy is a good thing. It reflects the way life really is.
Peculiar…………..me thinks not………….cool and great……………sounds more like it
Great idea about putting the blog-posts altogether!
I will be the first buyer of the book 🙂
i so love your bird pics! i have no idea where you will find the time but i absolutely applaud you for even considering putting together a book. you are such a generous spirit and i admire you so!
Takes one to know one!
Your blog is like life…changing, growing, laughing, crying, mourning, celebrating…life. It’s imperfect perfection and I love it. xo