Balcony Life

The person who is going to miss our little yellow house more than anyone else is Jasmine the African Grey Parrot, who was schlepped all the way across the Atlantic, at great cost, but is in fact her fathers only daughter and much loved (not I have to say by me).

Anyhow, Jasmine is just about the happiest 9 year old parrot on the planet. She gets to swing around in her cage all day on a lovely, sunny balcony looking down on everything and surrounded by barking dogs, swaying banana trees. endless clucking chickens, Mimi the Cat, kids, adults watching 'pink hour', Rasta gardeners, weedeaters, yet more kids, a few visiting dogs and even more chickens. It is parrot heaven. 

African Greys really begin to start talking around 10 years of age and Jasmine is cranking up.  She's got Tyler's battered old Nissan reverse-squeeling up the driveway down pat, various cellphones, UPS's, dishwashers and any domestic appliance that beeps, on a loop. She can imitate the yappy Yorkies from a few houses away, the neighbouring Pitbull and best of all is her Mimi Standup Routine which goes along the lines of:

" Mimi? Mimi? Meouw! (snide cat imitation)
Mimi? MEEEOOUUUWWWWW!!!
Hahahahhahaha (demented laughter as finds imitation hilarious whilst the cat studiously ignores her)
MeeeeeeMmmmmeeeeeee?????
Mimi?
MIMI!! EAT YOUR BREAKFAST NOW!!!!!!"
(Cat walks off).

We also have verbatum conversations: Phone rings  - "Hi, Tyler speaking...well thanks and you....oh hahhhaha... uhmm...uhmmm... yes no problem...ohh hehheeheh, that's fine too" etc. We get the entire conversation every time the phone rings. Everytime. Plus the phone ring too.

A couple of weeks ago - during an interminably long weekend of Tyler away working - I got tired of her screeching (she has the gaul -after screeching her head off to mutter "Jasmine stop screeching. No more screeching" and then laughs - hahahhahahahahah) she said - very quietly -  "bugger off" after I had yelled at her.
Well, we all stopped dead in our tracks, and I even said to the boys "what did she just say" and George piped up "She said Bugger Off, Mummy" and so for good measure, because we all laughed and Jasmine likes nothing more than an appreciative audience - she bellowed out "BUGGER OFF MIMI"  (cat looked a bit startled on this one).

 Maybe you will understand my New Years resolution a bit more now. It's not just the kids.

Carrot Bay House also has a lovely balcony but no chickens or dogs (thank goodness) only the  sound of the sea and waving palm trees. It is however very villagey and islandy, so can't wait for Jasmine to start speaking West Indian.