Michael & Liz are Bloggable

That's the most pathetic blog post title I've ever had... but it's true.

By the way, the other two birds hatched yesterday so they are all alive and well inside the house.

Yesterday during our Harry Potter Marathon some may have noticed that I'm a little too obsessive over the safety of our birds in the backyard. Part of it is that I enjoy seeing them grow up and care about them but it's mostly because I wouldn't be able to take the fact that if the Mom, Dad, or baby bluebirds were killed it would be 100% my fault. If that were to happen I don't know what I'd do. I set this birdhouse out and I couldn't help but feel responsible if something hurt them. I might take the house down or who knows, it may solidify my resolve to keep them safe. So needless to say, I feel like I have some sort of responsibility toward the birds.


Yesterday during the marathon a male House Sparrow(pictured above) landed on the house and I freaked out. I threw up my arms and ran out the door and scared it away. Now granted the Mom and Dad were both there to scare it away as well so they were doing their jobs, but House Sparrows are the #1 predator for Bluebirds. I was surprised because I have a "Sparrow Spooker" installed on the house. Obviously it's not working and it concerns me. But if they got into the house, they would kill the Mom, Dad, and babies, and then lay eggs in the birdhouse on top of their carcasses, and use their dead bodies to feed their own babies. This cannot happen.

Last night I woke up at 2:30 AM in a sweat after a dream/nightmare in which I opened the birdhouse and this exact scenario had played out. I was sweating, my heart racing and as ridiculous as I know it is, I spent the next two hours mulling over what to do about it. It was the middle of the night so obviously I wasn't thinking clearly, but I considered going down and checking on them. I realized that they were probably safe, so I then thought "Should I go down and watch the house and make sure nothing hurts them?" So if the Sparrow Spooker isn't working, what do I need to put on the house to stop the predators?!?! All really stupid thoughts, but I lost two hours of sleep thinking about it.

Maybe the answer is to do nothing and let nature take it's course. I hate that answer.

I just opened the house and the baby birds are OK... but on a related note, I may be going insane. I'll keep you updated :)

So two new pieces of news today... Two of the little birdies hatched this morning and hopefully tomorrow morning the other two will hatch. It's so freaking awesome to watch these little birds. I discovered that if you open the door and whistle, then the birds will throw their heads up wanting food. I have seen the Mom and Dad bluebirds coming and going all day with food for their young. The parents don't seem to care that I open the door. Maybe they don't see me as a threat? If only they knew I'm here to help and not to hurt them. Here is a picture I took (with the old camera) after whistling at the babies.

Pretty awesome right? We're super double excited. Building that birdhouse has got to be the best decision I've made all year.

Speaking of birdhouses, I have 100% finished the 10 birdhouses I've been building. They are all sitting in the garage ready to be sold. I sent an email to our neighborhood listserv this afternoon but haven't yet gotten even a nibble on them. In fact I received a response that was entirely the opposite of a nibble... criticism. That's not what I need right now. Should I stop trying to build things to sell and just do what I want to do? Or keep trying? My confidence has been slightly dashed.

I'll update if there is any progress on that.

Annie asked me to review the show, and although I am ashamed that I watch it, I will do a review.

Let me first say that it really bothers me that Jillian cannot see what is going on in the house. She should have a hidden camera in most rooms that she can watch and hear all... or at least have someone like a producer just show her the important stuff that she really needs to see like David being a meat-head, or the guys playing practical jokes. Sometimes the hidden camera can be a positive thing too and I think she should see it all. I guess they don't do that though because this isn't a relationship show, it's a love gameshow and the more drama and twists and turns, the better.

Review of people still on the show:

Jillian
She needs to grow a backbone. She tries to act tough by asking "tough questions" but really you can see that she's OK with being stepped on a lot. I also think for the most part she has no idea what she wants. She comes up with reasons off the top of her head to eliminate people when really I think she eliminates them because their names are not Ed or Kiptyn. She is fun-loving and adventurous and has a lot of good qualities about her but being the star of The Bachelorette doesn't mean you're perfect. If I were in the house I would have quit the game during the western movie group-date when she kissed everyone on the planet. That episode had her go from Sweet Jillian to Easy Jillian. She said to David "I'm not that kind of girl"... umm yes you are, because you were. But what do you expect, it's TV and not the time to be a quaint good ole girl. I am really going to become uncomfortable and despise the show when the guys start having overnight stays with her. I wonder what a night with Easy Jillian would be like?

Reid
Reid who? I actually just looked up the show online to verify the final 4 and realized that it was Reid and not Jesse. I also would have asked 'Jesse who?' Reid is a boy in a man's game and maybe that's a good thing? Aren't you a bartender? Yeah, love doesn't have a job but Jillian didn't become The Bachelorette to marry a bartender. That's like going on Survivor for a thousand dollars. That money won't last long and neither will the love that was developed on a TV show. He's different in that he isn't pushy or the center of attention which has also made him forgettable as a contestant. Unless Jillian has been hiding her feelings, I think Reid is going to place 3rd on the gameshow.

Wes
I hate him. I hated him from episode one. I want him gone and have yelled "NOOOOOOOO KELLY CLARKSON!!!" every time she gives him a rose. If she chooses him, just like every eliminated contestant has said, she will not find happiness and she will get hurt. Wes is a bad bad man and he is the reason for my comment that Jillian should see the drama in the house. Also, as if his personality wasn't wretched enough, his songs are terrible and he will not be famous.

Ed/Kiptyn
Lets be honest, this is a two horse race. I was thrilled Ed came back because it all of a sudden it pulled Jillian off of Kiptyn's pinky finger. Kiptyn was in the bag as the winner and now I have no idea. They both have great jobs, are very intelligent, funny, and apparently there is romantic connections. I tend to think couples look alike and Ed and Jillian are sooooo similar looking. They make a really good couple. Kiptyn on the other hand has a face like he was born in Whoville. So maybe Ed is the front runner but I think she'd be happy with either one. They both are there for the right reasons and it's clear that Ed certainly is otherwise he wouldn't have come back. If I had to choose a winner of the show, I'd flip a coin. Ed just won my coin toss.

Honorable Mention: Michael
The guy is awesome and you saw why directly after he got eliminated. He's hilarious and goofy and quotes "Anchorman", but he also has a deep side and really cared about Jillian. "I straight up loved that girl" he said. If I were to choose the next Bachelor, it would be Michael, but unfortunately I don't think he's hunky enough for ABC to choose him but it would be entertaining. It will probably end up being Jake or the loser between Ed and Kiptyn. If Kiptyn loses, I think ABC will be thrilled because they would like nothing more than to have a show called "The Bachelor" and the star is named, of all things, "Kiptyn". But to me, Michael was the star of this season. Every elimination, I was sending vibes to Jillian to say "Michael" and give him a rose and I loved his reactions to being saved every time. He carried his feelings on his sleeve and I think that's why I liked him so much. It was tough to see him go.

So there ya go. It's probably Ed because my coin said so... but Kiptyn is right there as well.