The best of birthday presents

[debih]

It was my dads birthday earlier this month and, as usual we were all stuck as to what to get him. He was hard enough to buy for when he had sight but now he is impossible.

He has always liked birds (both the feathered and female varieties LOL) and when we were kids he kept pigeons and budgies. Then when he took early retirement he had a dove cote in the garden and kept Tumblers in it (some sort of dove like bird that flies up really high and then sort of tumbles back down).

Then we came up with the idea of getting him a canary. I bought the cage on Amazon and we put it together when it arrived a couple of weeks before his birthday and put it in one of the spare rooms (its opposite the bathroom, door was wide open to the bedroom with the cage on full view with a big note on it saying "don't mention it to Jim". He of course couldn't see it when he went backwards and forwards to the bathroom. My mum bought food and bits and pieces for it each time she went into town.

We struggled a little to find a canary until someone mentioned the local garden centre. My mum and dad went out for lunch with my inlaws the day before his birthday and called in at the garden centre. Whilst FIL pushed dad round the plants mum and MIL went and got a canary. There were 3 of them altogether and they chose the cock bird (the one that sings). Mum said that all the way home she was waiting for it to start whistling but as it was in a dark box it stayed quiet. They gave him the cage when they got home - he had to feel it and guess what it was. Then they gave him the bird and told him the story of the two of them standing for ages listening to the three birds in their cage at the garden centre trying to work out which one was singing. He was over the moon but then about an hour later asked my mum if she would go back and get another one so he had a pair.

Their neighbour took her straight up and she ended up coming back with the two remaining birds - she said she couldn't just leave one behind.

My dad is absolutely over the moon. He has called them all Jimmy (he says he can't see them so it doesn't matter which one is which) and the cage, which has its own stand, is light enough to move around the house so it goes in either the conservatory or the lounge, depending on where they are. Dad sits talking to them and whistling to them and the cock bird sings its little heart out. It seems to have really perked him up - amazing what three little feathered things can do.

[Kaz]

Oh I have a big lump in my throat, that's absolutely lovely

What a fabulous idea, something for your dad to focus on - an interest he had whilst he still had his sight, but in a way he can still manage

[Diflower]

Oh I have a big lump in my throat, that's absolutely lovely

What a fabulous idea, something for your dad to focus on - an interest he had whilst he still had his sight, but in a way he can still manage

So do I
That's really lovely Debih, what a brilliant idea, and so glad it's worked out so well too

[tonicha]

A really lovely idea xx

And so glad your dad likes the birds.

[saundra]

That's just magic iv a huge lump in my throat

[Ally]

I‘m a bit jibbery at the moment and my eyes leaked reading this Debih.

How lovely that you‘re dad is really happy with his present. xx

[Aggers]

What a brilliant idea to buy him a cage bird.

I only said the other day that if I was left on my own I would get a canary or a budgie.
so that I had someone to talk too.

So glad your dad is pleased with it.

Well done!

[Osc]

How lovely, Debih, all the planning must have been fun and then to have him love his gift so completely, it's sure to give him a big lift.

[molly]

That is really lovely Debih. An ideal present.

[Lozzles]

x