Which is a pretty big concern because Kyle, our anti-social parakeet, just decided that it’s really fun to fly around the house to explore and bang into things.

All of this and not an ounce of chocolate in the entire house. Crap.

Kind of like that scene from ET, isn’t it? Try to ignore the freaky plastic bunny.

Needless to say he is on lockdown until we do a little trimming of the flight feathers. We’ve been waiting for him to realize that birds around here don’t have to live behind locked doors, so it’s a very happy day to see him begin to accept his new environment. Finally. Like everything, time is the answer. And a bit of kindheartedness and patience goes quite a ways of course. We almost ended up rescuing a Macaw too but thankfully there is someone who is an even bigger softie than the people who live in this house. Whew.

We have once again reaffirmed our decision hold out for an African Grey and the little guy will find us when the time is right.

Anyhoo, I have the tutorial ready for “How to Make a Simple Apron from a Repurposed Skirt” that will be posted bright and early tomorrow morning.

Learn how you too can resemble Madonna, circa 1983, in this lovely apron.

For now I have dosed the boy with some of this very orange, very berry flavored magic potion:

and I’m putting my Material Girl Apron on to make some of these little babies, which were obviously created for days like this:

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Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

1 cup cocoa (ok, I found some chocolate in the house)

1/2 cup safflower oil (I used butter)

2 cups sugar

4 eggs

2 cups flour

2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp salt

Cream sugar and oil, mix in cocoa. Blend in eggs, one at a time. Add flour, baking powder, vanilla, and salt. Chill dough for a couple of hours. Spoon onto cookie sheet, press into disks, and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Bake at 350 degrees for six minutes, rotate pan and bake for an additional 4 minutes.

(Watch the baking time on these–we’re at high altitude and use a convection oven.)

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Kind of like a brownie did it with a cookie. All I know is that if there is a heaven these are there in abundance.

Oh yeah, and I’ve decided to give away one of the baby carriers that is made during the Fourteen Days of Madness. I’ll post some details later after I’ve had some cookies. And maybe a beer.