THE BIRDS!!!

Alfred Hitchcock did a wonderful job, terrifying us with the most commonplace things. "The Birds" was a slow, steady, increasingly uncomfortable ride to sheer fear! I remember watching it as a kid and wondering what would happen if all the birds in town got together? Yikes!!!

While Hitchcock was indeed a master, it turns out the birds can be even more sinister than he imagined. I say this based on my torment by these same creatures although there is no attacking or pecking involved. It is the early morning that causes such dread in my heart.

My alarm is set for 6:00 a.m. Monday through Friday. This allows me time to stretch before beginning my walk about 7:00 a.m. I would like to hear my alarm go off... but that is apparently not going to happen. Even more so, I would like to SLEEP IN on Saturday and Sunday, the days of rest around here. None of this is to be.

There are substantial foundation plantings around the house I am in. Most of them are quite old and have grown to very large proportions, offering up the best possible bird habitat. If you think the birds ignore these due to their proximity to the house, you are wrong. The little feathered pals just LOVE these shrubs. I am a bird-lover... most of the time... and would likely enjoy viewing the little darlings from my windows if it weren't for one small problem. THEY CRANK UP ABOUT 5:30 a.m. AND CONTINUE UNTIL THE SUN IS SUFFICIENTLY UP TO MAKE THEM HAPPY!!! If you think I am just being cranky and should enjoy the lovely soft peeps from God's little winged critters, you need to understand the ones outside my window sound like a cross between a pterodactyl screeching and a lion roaring!!! This is not a gentle awakening, friends. This is a "jump-out-of-bed-yanking-the-sheets-with-you-and-smacking-your-toes-on-the-nightstand" kinda' sound. There is no need for smoke detectors in this house. As long as the smoke arrives just before dawn, it is guaranteed at least two bedrooms will have very awake guests!

I look forward to a return to Texas where the birds have enough consideration to wait until the sun is at least showing before beginning their daily serenades. It is indeed the little things.

Until it's time for another...