Roller Coaster

Well the last few days have been a huge emotional roller coaster. Katie's birds duly arrived; though they were not transported to their cage without a fright. As Katie was adjusting something in the cage, one got out! Lots of flapping and chasing later the bird is back with it's mate, though Katie is nursing a severely pecked hand! Katie did not mind though, she was just so happy she spent the rest of the day just watching her new birds.

The next day Lorii wins a new ceiling fan for the dining room on the internet. I take Katie with me to fetch it, after dropping Lorii off at a friends hotel. Lorii had become quite chatty with the seller of the ceiling fan, and had told him about Katies new birds. He took us around the back of his home to see his aviary, containing numerous finches including canaries. He also owned chipmunks, though we only saw one as the others were fast asleep. Katie was delighted, however, and was glad she had not stayed in the car while I collected the fan. Another surprise though came while chatting with Eddie, the fans owner, when it emerged through conversation that he was a good friend of George, Lorii's dad. They had both run businesses near Gyn Square, and often went drinking together. Eddie was really amazed that of all the people on the internet, who should buy his fan but the daughter of a good friend. A small world indeed.

When we got home Jacob was really agitated. He thrust the phone at me and told me I had to phone Lorii. I was instantly concerned, frightened even, that something terrible had happened to her. I asked Jacob what had happened and he confessed; he had accidentally released one of Katies birds. Not just from the cage, but from the house. The bird was gone. Forever. It turns out that once the rest of the family were out of the house Jacob had decided to play with Katies birds. Knowing full well that Katie would not let him near the birds while she was there he had decided to feed them; despite Katie having done so already. So although being present when Katie chased the bird around her bedroom, he opened the cage without first shutting the windows! I have never seen my daughter so upset, or been so angry with my son. As a parent I feel incredibly guilty that I did not prevent this from happening. I have felt for some time now that both my children were mature enough to be left unattended without risk of a major incident. For Jacob to display such a monumental streak of both selfishness and stupidity is totally gutting. It has taken Katie two days to come to terms with this. Jacob has further angered me by trying to play the victim card, sulking and playing the woe is me act as he suffers his punishments. Time (and Jacobs savings) will heal this. I only hope that Jacob has finally learnt not to touch other peoples possessions without asking.