On apples, human perches, and visitors from the future

Thomas had Tuesday off, so we went out to lunch. While driving back to work, I saw this motorcyclist who looked like he was from the future. This picture does not do him justice. He was very shiny and sparkly -- almost like a cartoon character. He also drove very fast and was (quite unsafely) darting in and out of traffic.

Tuesday evening, we were all in the kitchen, preparing dinner, when I suddenly heard the unmistakable sound of someone quickly eating an apple. When I had last seen Stella, she was hanging out in her favorite spot:
Somehow, she managed to silently fly over to the island where we keep the fruit we don't need to refrigerate. She helped herself to an apple. In this picture, I was trying to get capture her with the damage she'd done to the apple, but she decided to help herself to some more.
Therefore, everyone got some apple as an unexpected pre-dinner snack -- we couldn't let it go to waste! Too bad this is an heirloom variety that we can't find in the stores, as it is a favorite in our house of the human and avian inhabitants.

Rocky saw Thomas eating this apple, and quickly climbed up on the table, fake eating to show he wanted some, and attempting to help himself. Thomas eventually did give him a bite.
I was cooking dinner, but that was being regularly interrupted because Stella kept flying to the floor and I needed to pick her up and put her on a perch. Finally, I found a perch where she'd stay for a few minutes -- she wanted a human perch.
And she's not the only one who'd prefer to be on a person! Here's Rocky, after dinner, getting some quality time with his favorite person.
Last night was Thomas's final shift overnight at the hospital for two months! We are all very excited about that.

The greys are able to share different levels of a stand for several minutes without fighting -- that's progress. Usually one will get too close for the other's comfort and they end up flying away -- Max heads for the fridge and Stella for the stove. What do they have with my kitchen appliances?

Since Thomas was gone, I spent the evening making lime bars (he had requested something with coconut in it). I also made a tomato cobbler that is best if you make it a day ahead of time -- pictures tomorrow!

The morning after Thomas spends the night at the hospital, the parrots are particularly needy. That was the case this morning. But first, some exciting news!

I have been offering Max apple pretty much every day for years. I think there may have been one other time when she ate some, but she usually will investigate it and then walk away. In fact, I no longer cut her a piece. Today, she shocked me by eating the apple! This isn't the best picture, but she has apple in her beak and her right foot!
As I was about to put the birds in their cages before leaving for work, I felt a bit like the Pied Piper this morning. Max was insistent on stepping up, then Beeps came over and wanted to step up also. He was so happy he got his wish that he started dancing while perched on me -- something he rarely does (it's one of my favorite things he does, though, so I was very happy!) Stella flew over and started begging to be picked up, even after I explained that I only had two hands. Calypso was also begging, not yet confident enough to fly over. Daphne was chirping for me, and Rocky was in the living room calling my name. It was really hard to pull myself away from them and head into work this morning!

I'm glad Thomas will be home tonight -- and for the next two months -- to take some of the pressure off.