Our new baby!

Didn't know we were expecting, did you?!? Neither did we!
But we are now the proud parents of a baby sugar glider - a little boy, 37 grams.

How cute is he!?!
He was found in a tree that had been cut down. His mom and siblings probably moved on after the tree was cut down, and he was left behind. He will be released eventually, so our job now is to get him to that stage. He's on 5 feeds a day: 6am, 10am, 2pm, 6pm, and 10pm. Other than that, he pretty much hangs out in his pouch.
And he still needs a name, so suggestions are welcome!

Ani's Birthday

Happy 7th birthday to Ani!!

Being the loving parents that we are, it took us about 3 months before we got around to celebrating it. And we still made her do the humiliating birthday photo with a tempting treat sitting right under her nose. But she didn't seem to mind when she got a whole meat pie - this year's "human treat" birthday present. Notice those flashy new bowls that she got for her birthday, too! (The dog she stayed with when we went to the States ate her old recycled tupperware bowls.)

Her technique was pretty amusing - she took off the top and ate it, first, then licked out all the filling, then ate the bottom crust.

She seemed pretty satisfied with her birthday present.

Spring!!!

Today, spring sprung! :) Sunny, amazing blue skies, and 27 degrees (that's 81 in US-speak)!! It was so sudden and so perfect. I love warm weather. Some people blame their moods on hormones - for me, it's all about the weather (which still probably gets back to the hormones, but that's OK). I didn't have to wear gloves or a hat on my bike ride to work (and could have gone without a fleece), I almost put on a dress to walk Ani this evening (but then got lazy), I didn't have to turn on the heat at all. And it was capped off with an incredible sunset that just kept going and going. I'm sitting outside at 10pm, completely comfortable. Happy girl.

Dear Mr. Magpie

Dear Mr. Magpie,

Despite what you might think, the more you dive bomb my head, the more I want to hurt you. You are not doing yourself any favours by snapping your beak as loud as you can in my ear, striking my helmet with your big ol' beak, or thumping your chest against the back of my head. I call myself an ecologist, and I understand your motivations, but I promise I don't want your chicks. And why don't you attack the walkers right next to me? What did bikers ever do to you? I appreciate a good obstacle course, but this is getting to be a little much.

So in the interest of yourself and your loved ones, BACK OFF!!!

Sincerely,
An intrepid bike rider

PS - If less that 9% of you are vicious attackers, why are there THREE of you along my 15 minute commute??

PPS - Why did you have to teach your bad habits to the wood duck along the bike path, too?? Seriously, what duck charges a bike??