We had a surprise guest at our backyard cookout - an escaped parrot! At first we thought it was one of the wild parrots you see in the park every now and then, but it flew down from the telephone wire and right into our party. It landed first on my neighbor's mom's head, then my neighbor Jack, my neighbor Meema, then me, and then finally on my neighbor's stepdad, where it stayed. It was clearly a lost pet - it had a band on one leg and was obviously used to being around people. It didn't speak, but was very affectionate.

We posted on the local Yahoo group that there was a lost parrot and gave my cell #, and when we didn't get an answer after about an hour and a half we called a local animal rescue who got there in about 5 minutes and took the bird away in a cage. I really hope the owner finds it!

[eta - Surprise party guest!]

You remember Chicken Soup with Rice, don't you? "In January it's so nice, while slipping on the sliding ice ..."

Vaguely. And Alligators All Around. But Pierre I've got a whole chunk of the lyrics!

Wow, Jess! That would only be better if the owners had called.

Aw! What a sweetie! I hope his people find him.

The animal rescue guy said that if the owners don't claim him, he has a waiting list for birds a mile long so it won't be difficult finding him a new home.

Hahah, Cass. I was all, hmph, no one is watching. Well, I bet Cass is, anyway. And of course you were.

I'm a sure thing.

It was a good race! Even though it ended under caution; that last wreck was spectacular, as those things go.

It actually was a really good race. I was Cranky Cass because Paul Tracy didn't make the race and I sulked for several days until I remembered that I actually do like other drivers.

I was pretty freaked at Conway's wreck. Especially when they failed to identify the car for so long. Because *I* knew it was Conway so I was worried they just weren't saying because he wasn't moving in the car or something. I hate the wrecks. Especially big ones.

And I thought Dan had enough to take him at the end there if not for the yellow.

I thought it might be *real* interesting at the end there. And I love both Dario and Danny, so I was a happy girl watching.

Now the Charlotte race where I try not to pout because my parents are actually there.

Memorial Day may be the very best holiday. It'd be better if someone grilled some food for me, but I'll take three big races.

I read somewhere that Indianapolis doesn't get the race live on TV because they have trouble selling tickets and don't want to give people more reason not to go. That's cold, man.

That's cold, man.

That's just wrong. You don't make it harder for people to be fans.

Going to the race is like the Battan Death March with beer coolers. I'd much rather watch it in the comfort of my own home.

Oh, yeah, that`s totally true. All my hardcore Indy fans listen on the radio every year, with the newspaper so you can fill it out with lead changes and stuff. Well, most of them go, of course, but eveyone listens...and then you rewatch later when it comes on. We actually invited my father-in-law out to Kansas one year so he could watch it live on tv. Hee. Where we used to live was near Speedway so the race team folks used to stay in our apartment complex during May.
 
Yeah, it was a scary crash, and I thought the same thing you did about why they weren`t saying who it was.