Istanbul's blog

**Posted:** Sun Jan 21, 2007 12:18 am

Gus goes ovarian.

It has snowed so much I am at my wits end. Gus is not here if that is what you were thinking.

I am leery about driving in snow and icy conditions as I am a reborn Protestant who was literally and retro-actively reborn around this time of the year. That makes me an Aquarius by the Zodiac sign. I guess I will have to hoof it down to the welfare office under my own steam. I have always prided myself for being able to make these independent lifestyle decisions, unshackled by the pressures busy bodies tend to apply on people.

I can't recall when I first started carrying some water around with me. Lately I have had to adjust my flight travels.
Last year I was denied entry to the security area at gate 51 Vancouver International Airport.
"No liquids allowed past this point" the Security Guard informed me.
"But Sir, I am a water carrier so it is OK, sort of universally recognized Zodiac folklore" I replied.
"You cannot pass through with the liquid, Orange alert you know?"
"How much do you want to bet a dollar?" I said. Little did he know that the positive traits of Aquarians included: Self absorption, rude and without tact, prone to eccentricity, unwilling to share beers or fight for SSM, voyeuristic curiosity about virgins.

Aquarius have a difficult relationship with: Taurus, Leo and Scorpio.
They have a turbulent relationship with: Virgo!

To make it short I advised him not to give adverse advice just because he was a Virgo Intacta Virgin, or vice-versa, a Virgin Intacta Virgo. He lunged for my water, I feinted, he zigged, I zagged, withdrew behind a lady in a wheelchair and drank the water, then gave him the empty and boarded my air-miles flight to Abottsford Int airport.

I just noted the typo in the title. It should be "Gus goes Avarian" not "Ovarian".
What was I thinking?
Anyway Gus left a note on the fridge door. He knows where I am at 5 or 6 times a day, 7 or 8 times a night. Gus is going to Aussie to study birds native to that country. He will email some pictures when he has time.

Being snowbound I thought I would educate myself on what types of birds he would be photographing. I checked on the Birds of Paradise because that's likely where he is working. Gus is a workaholic when he gets to work on birds in Paradise.
A quick look into the 'Origin & Species' said the bird of paradise is a large tropical herb that is a member of the banana family? A bloody Virgo must have written this! The scientific name is Strelitzia Reginae.
Can you imagine Strelitzia Reginae growing in Charlotte Amalie?

Jumping josephat! It also says if started from seed it takes five to seven years for blossoming to begin. There it was, in black and white. Poor Charlotte.

To regain my composure I mixed and matched all the veggies in the fridge's crisper. I even keep the canned veggies there so they do not spoil so quick.
Just look at the Bird of Paradise. It has no resemblance to a banana or a bird.
Also it has no scent.
EmmyLou's sniffer may not agree with that observation. I would be willing to wager Emmylou's nose against a bloodhound's any day. Not at night though as she has so much face creams and tropical oils on her body my own nose is immobilized.
I wonder if there is a connection between the nose and ......?
No won't go there, perish the thought.

So back to Gus the Avarian.

Lord mercy. Now what?

The Avarians are an avian/humanoid race that have evolved in the Thunder Peaks of
western Ithria. An avarian appears to be a perfect blend of bird and human. An Avarian stands about five feet tall. Their thin body structures and hollow bones make them exceptionally light. Most Avarians weigh under 100 pounds. The skin of an Avarian is covered with downy fuzz and feathers. Many subraces exist, but these only vary in size and color of plumage.

The defining physical characteristics of the avarians is their wing. Each avarian has two large, feathered wings. These wings are partially mounted on the back, but are also extensions of the arm. They consist of a flap of skin between the arm and body, but also extend out beyond the hand with an cartilage spine branching of from the elbow.

The basic framework of the wing involves a large flap of skin on each side of the body that extends from the knee to the elbow, much like a bat or flying squirrel. This flap of skin is supported by several spines of cartilage that extend from the elbow and shoulders. A series of muscles along the arms, back and pelvis work in unison to flap the wing. Since the whole body is a sheath of muscle designed around this function, the avarian is a strong flyer.This odd fusion of avian and bat wing structure is not a true wing, nor completely independent of the arms, but somewhere in between. An avarian in flight is able to manipulate objects with his hands and has some limited arm movement.

Hhhmmm that can't be Gus, the aviary birddog. That's it! Aviary not Avarian. My zinc and blood sugar levels must be low. A few senile moments sure can cause confusion.
To get it straight here is a bird in a aviary.

Now all we have to do is wait for Gus's bird pictures.
Stay tuned.