Three: The Surgery – A Photo Essay

My childhood best friend, Kristie and her

family were in town over the 4th of July.

Because I know how much she LOVES animals, I arranged

a special surprise for her in our very own front yard.

Note: The events depicted in the following photographs

took place the evening of July, 3, 2010.

Some of these photographs you are about

to see are dramatic recreation of actual events.

Kristie & Holly hear something strange coming from the tip top of the tree in our front yard.

They both wonder, "What in the world was that?"

Kristie calls out for Jeff and the rest of us to come investigate.

Jeff looks up in the tree and Kristie spots an 18" blue macaw.

Neither of them can believe what they have just seen.

Kristie & Jeff try to lure it down with their best parrot call.

Very bad picture of said Macaw.

Important to Note: Had Kristie and her family not been in town that weekend, the story would pretty much be the same up to this point. However, I can confidently say that had Jeff and I been alone, we would have probably just said, “weird…a parrot in our tree”…and moved on.

But since Kristie was our guest we had to show her the true animal loving people we REALLY are, we called the non-emergency police line and the fire-department at her suggestion. Finally we were routed to Animal Control Services.

Animal Control Services Guy shows up with a 50 foot pole and asks if it is our bird up in the tree.

We mistakenly answer no.

Animal Guy informs us that the bird in our tree is worth $2,500 as he heads to his truck to fetch another extension to his pole.

Jeff suddenly remembers that we do own a bird and I concurrently boot up the craigslist mobile app on my phone. (I kid, I kid).

Animal Guy returns to inform us that we should all scoot back because the birds beak has 2500 pounds of pressure and can snap a finger.

Jeff leans over and whispers that the bird also has 2500 feathers.

We all laugh.

Animal Guy casually says that there is only about a 10% chance that he will be able to capture the bird.

Mark videos the action unfold.

Our kids continue to play without giving so much as a second look to the parrot and man with the 50 foot pole because... parrots? in our trees? Happens ALL THE TIME!

Animal Guy lifts up pole and Blue Macaw walks right into the net.

Animal Guy asks if he can borrow a pair of scissors.

Jeff runs into fetch them.

Jeff returns with the scissors under the mistaken assumption that they were going to be used for cutting the net away from the parrot.

Animal Guy asks if Jeff can give him a hand CLIPPING the birds WINGS.

Jeff is taken off guard and agrees.

My kids continue to obliviously play, because their accountant-father performs veterinary surgeries ALL THE TIME.

Animal Guy instructs Jeff on exactly which feathers to cut, using his nose to point since both hands are tied up holding a bird with 2500 POUNDS OF PRESSURE IN HIS BEAK.

Wings are successfully cut.

Animal Guy holds up bird for a photo op.

Animal Guy *supposedly* takes bird back to a nature reserve area in Plano, but more than likely leaves $2,500 richer.

Kristie poses with feathers. Her souvenir from the Dallas portion of the trip.