Sunshine loved Tim Janis music and he had a crush on the bears and horses in the music videos, but he loved his snowman best of all. His snowman was his girlfriend, his cuddlebuddy, his punching bag, his partner day in and day out. His obsession with his snowman gave us many laughs. Sunshine always greeted Steve with a stretch and Batman wing displays everyday and me with kisses on my lips and "I love yous" in my ear. At night, Sunshine and I would say goodnight from different rooms back and forth until we were settled in bed.
Sunshine loved to serenade people, the snowman and himself in the mirror. He knew the sound of my car pulling in the driveway after work everyday and he would call for me the moment I pulled up. Everyday I felt his love and how much he missed me while I was working. He gave lip smacking kisses, said "Hello Dickie" and "I'm a good boy". He sang the PC Richards tune and some clever arrangements he created himself. Singing was his pastime and way to express his happiness. He knew how to make us feel special. Even though he was considered "old" these last few years, he always behaved like a spring chicken with so much life and spunk. Grooming was so important to him and he always spent a large part of his day arranging his feathers and keeping them clean and in place.
Sunshine was not a biter. He was a lover. If you didn't pet him long enough, he let you know with a grumble and a series of love pecks on your hand for more. And when his snowman wasn't behaving to his satisfaction, he would rip it apart aggressively and swing it around while telling it off pretty extensively. That's the extent of his ferocity and it was adorable.
Sunshine was lucky to hardly get sick, but he was not without health issues. We think he's had a seizure disorder most of his life and it was only in the recent years that it started to show more. We made altercations to his diet to try to alleviate it with flax seed oil drops added to a cheerio once in a while (His favorite treat). Sunshine was so picky when it came to food that we tried our hardest to feed him a healthy diet but he was very rigid in his food selection. He loved brown crunchy foods the most. We were amazed we were able to get him to eat the flax oil!
Sunshine was amazing at navigating his cage. He slid down the front of his cage like a pro firefighter on the pole. He jumped down to his ladder with ease and precision. He loved to create art with his ladder by chewing the rungs of the ladder to shreds. If you replaced the ladder, it was like you were removing his masterpiece!
Speaking of taking things from his cage..Sunshine was very protective of his home and when we cleaned it, he would watch from afar with concern and caution. When he went back into a clean home, he was so grateful and would sing so happily in thanks! He couldn't wait to poop in it and throw his food around to make it a mess all over again!
Sunshine loved to dunk his face in his water and run to his food dish and bury his face in his seeds. He loved getting a dirty face smushed with wet seed. He also loved to drop his seeds in his water dish and watch them float around. He found it very amusing.
Sunshine was there for me every time I was ill and through all my autoimmune battles. If I cried, he would whimper and try to cheer me up with his song. He always knew when I wasn't feeling well just like I would know when something was off with him. He was a protector and healer as much as he was a lover.
I dont think any being will ever love us to the depths that Sunshine loved us. Sunshine would be over the moon any time we were with him and even if we were only gone a few minutes and returned, his love and excitement was so apparent and endearing. He made us feel so special and loved every moment of his existence. He had the purest unconditional love.
There is no one who could compete with the tender tunes Sunshine sang to us. He was like Frank Sinatra in bird form. The sweetest serenades filled our home and hearts everyday.
Sunshine loved his routines and stuck to them diligently.
Sunshine was also stubborn and independent. He did things on his own terms. In his younger days, he would put up a big fight when it was time to go back in the cage. This is the only real similarity he shared with Daisy (the cockatiel I grew up with). He would fly to the highest places in the house to avoid going home just like a kid who runs back on the playground equipment when it's time to leave the park. He would run on the floor with the pitter patter of his large feet echoing in the house. Finally, when he exhausted himself, he would willingly return. In his later years, he would return himself when he was ready with agility. He was so intelligent.
Yesterday was the first time I wasn't greeted by Sunshine in almost 20 years. Grief is the price we pay for love so I shall embrace this grief because I would never take back the 20 years of love we shared. It was all worth it. It was the gift of a lifetime.
I lost my father, my grandmother, both grandfathers, 2 cats-Missy and Callie, my other cockatiel Daisy, my hamster Snoopy and my gerbil Pokey, my catfish Jack and my snail Sheldon. It doesn't ever get easier to lose someone you love. Sunshine's time to fly over the rainbow bridge came pretty suddenly and unexpected. But he lived a full happy energetic life until his last day. He even left us a message that he is fine now and for us not to worry and begin to move on. He left us a heart puddle with wings on my kitchen floor. Thank you for that, my sweet chicken, my little dickie, my Sunny boy, my Sunshine. Your bright spirit will always follow me. We will honor your life and all the lessons you taught us by continuing to do good in this world.
Sunshine was the forever optimist....everyday was a beautiful day to him and he let us know how much he loved life and our company every day. I hope Sunshine knows that everything we've always done has been out of love and care and I hope he forgives us for any mistakes we may have made. Sunshine was probably over 20 years old because when I found him, he was possibly 6 months to a year old or more. Sunshine chose me and Steve that day to be his family and I know we gave him the best years any bird could ask for. Fly free my beautiful Son, Sunny! We will meet again! 🕊💔
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