Wasn't that a party?

IE and his lovely wife YE are Russian. Well, she's Russian and he's Ukranian. And they have a daughter who has just returned from a year of study abroad in Japan. So we had a Russian, Japanese dinner which was quite delicious and absolutely sabatoged my weight-watcher's plan. Potato boats - discs of potato with "sails" of bacon speared on a tooth pick, baked in the oven - oh yum! And Japanese curry over rice. And Russian Goulash. and little sausages wrapped in crescent rolls. And a Kiev cake. Oh, WHAT a cake that was! Discs of crispy meringue sandwwiched together with hazlenuts and buttercream. And they blended their own tea with a touch of hibiscus, some ceylon and some oolong - deelicious!

I knew they have a couple of birds, so when we arrived and I heard calls from upstairs, I remarked on it. IE went upstairs and brought down an adorable little green conure. He was just like a three-year-old. First he was all shy and hid his face against IE's neck and refused to even look at us. Then, when we ignored him for a bit, he got interested. For my early birthday gift, the Es gave me a lovely pearl necklace which I immediately put on. Oh, my but the parrot was fascinated by those shiny things! And I had on a pair of dangly enamel earrings that were equally intriguing. YE was showing us photos of her trip to Japan to visit their daughter when suddenly this little green bird marched across her shoulders, hopped over to my shoulder, and tried to eat a pearl. He was scolded and put in time out in a little open basket with food and toys on the far side of the room. His wings have been clipped, so he can't fly. Every time I glanced over his direction he would bob his head enticingly, dance and hop and flap his wings, clearly saying, "Hey, look at me! Come over and play with the bird! Play with the bird!" DH finally renented and went over to the basket, picked the bird up, and carried him back to the party. DH wears glasses. Bird was fascinated by the glasses. Wound up clinging to the earpiece with both feet and the beak, little tongue working like mad trying to get something loose. Then I gave DH an earring which he hung from the earpiece. Parrot sat and muttered and worked and cursed quietly, trying to get that tempting bit of shiney stuff to come loose.

And then - without a sign of warning, he vaulted from DH's shoulder to mine and went for the pearls. I slapped my left hand over the necklace. Ooooo, shiny wedding ring! He got his beak completely under the ring and made a darn good effort at biting it off. I blew in his face. He rared back and fluffed up like a duster. I laughed at him so hard I almost choked. What a dear, engaging little scamp he is. I can see why the E family is so fond of their birds. SUCH personality!

The cockatiel stayed upstairs because he doesn't like people.

I fold early. I'm usually up and about around 5 AM. We had such fun with IE and YE that we stayed till 9. Cake and pearls and photos and bird company and deelicious dinner . . What a treat! Now to write a nice thank-you note.