Beware of Urban Wildlife

First, let me explain the setting. Nate and I were walking through a nearby neighborhood in inner-city Orlando. It was the type of area where the front-yard monster trucks towered the roofs of trailer homes, and faded confederate flags peered through dusty windows. I knew of the area because last December the residents were notorious for using 3 inflatables, 5 plastic Santas and 15 stands of multi-colored Christmas lights to decorate 40-square-feet of land. The colorful displays made a humorous place to run last winter.

In the midst of our walk, Nate spotted a peacock in someone's yard. Odd, I thought. Then I saw 5 more. Six peacocks in one yard! Stranger still. Upon inspecting the neighbor's yard, I saw eight peacocks. As we continued walking, the numbers increased. We counted at least 50 peacocks within the space of 2 football fields. Some were perched on mailboxes. Others on roofs, trucks, porch swings, and swimming pool covers. I begin having flashbacks of the Alfred Hitchcock movie "The Birds." Small children were in the yards, playing in the midst of the fowl smelling animals, and teenage boys were scaring them off the road with their motor motor bikes. Yet the adults seemed to act like the peacock infestation on this particular street was perfectly normal.

Feeling like we were in a nightmarish dream, we walked quickly until we found another (more friendly looking) neighbor a couple miles down the road. According to her, wild peacocks have lived on that street for years, flocking in certain yards and terrorizing the residents with horrific squawking sounds. It was cute, she said, when there were four of them. But now people keep feeding the birds, and the population won't stop growing.

Of all the sights I've seen in Orlando, this one struck me as the most bizarre. I never knew wild peacocks thrived in inner-city Orlando, far from any parks, grassy lots, or farms. The street is only a mile from our condo, so I hope they don't wander over our direction. If any do, they will be unlucky birds. I just might serve "peacock stew" at this year's Thanksgiving dinner.

--Ivy

Wedding Day Memories

People tell you the wedding day is a blur, and true enough the day flies right on by. For example:

At our reception I picked up a piece of strawberry cake for Ivy and I to share, but then with pictures and goodbyes I put it down, never to pick it up again.

Here are some of my memories of the wedding day...

-Playing Ping Pong with David Bilodeau the morning of the wedding at 10am, while wearing black pants and a white shirt.

-Having Subway with my friends David, Chris, and Dave before the wedding at 1pm.

-Singing Opera at 8:30am, because I was so happy :)

-Being around friends that make you laugh, Dave Frost and David Bilodeau.

-Driving with Dave to the church and getting lost.

-Eating a wonderful breakfast of bacon, scrambled eggs, and toast.

-Trying diligently not to see Ivy before she came down the aisle.

-Seeing her beautiful reflection in the glass door at the back of the church.

-Watching her walk down the aisle and seeing how pretty she looked.

-Trying not to lock my knees during the ceremony.

-Seeing old friends who had gathered at the church.

-Hearing my dad say, "Grandma says her heart is here".

-Trying not to cry while reciting my vows.

-Thinking it was funny that the marriage license only required a SS Number and no signature.

-Putting my arm around Ivy's chair during the reception.

-Watching the "memories" DVD with friends and family gathered.

-Saying Goodbye to my friends Keith and Claudia.

-Having my picture taken with my co-workers from Orlando.

-Popping balloons from the van with Levi Ivy's brother.

-Eating homemade Ice cream at the Fisher's house.

-Being amazed at how much birdseed does hurt when thrown at you....finding it in my hair.

-Riding up and down the 4 blocks of Main St. Pitsburg honking the horn, having "just married" written in the back window, watching a small boy on a bike look at us in wonder.

Thank the Lord....who creates the mind and causes us to have many happy memories of our lives.