At a Christmas party with my husband. It’s a sit-down dinner with cheesy disco music blaring in the background. Lots of drinks. Maybe some dancing later.

The subject: pigeons. More specifically: Our pet pigeons!

Five minutes into the conversation I realise how crazy we both sound. Richard is showing the people at the table Elmo fast asleep at home as seen from the webcam via Richard’s phone. … We’re proud as new parents, showing off our “babies”.

Somehow I doubt we’ve come across as sane, reasonable people. “Hippie” and “crazy” come to mind.

Oh well. Return home late to a very happy pigeon dancing around our feet and greeting us with enthusiasm. We were only gone for about 4 hours but Elmo’s acting like he hasn’t seen us all day.

We didn’t disturb Georgie. She was fast asleep in her cage.

* * * * * * *

On another subject, here’s Georgie hard at work:

And now time to rest:

We haven’t got a breakfast table nor a dining table. Upon moving to our current flat, we had to make a choice between keeping the breakfast table or my bookcases. … Now, nobody comes between me and my books. The table was swiftly taken to a charity shop and my books are in prime position.

So what am I getting at, you ask? Well, since we haven’t got a table we have to eat on the sofa (I wince as I write this. This is no way to eat dinner!). And since the sofa is really the pigeons territory, you can imagine the attention we get when we try to eat.

Georgie is the worst. At least Elmo can be told to go to his nest to coo and head bob. Georgie on the other hand insists on sitting on my lap – which isn’t possible since the food tray is there. So I spend the whole time gently pushing her away while she gets annoyed with me and continues her mission to sit on my lap. She’ll hop onto my knee then onto the tray. She’ll climb onto my shoulder then try to jump down to my lap. It’s relentless. The only other option is to put her on the floor – in which case I feel guilty as Georgie sulks in the corner.

One day soon we’ll rearrange the furniture (I actually need new bookcases since I’ve got too many books to fit in the current ones), buy a drop-leaf table and fold-away chairs, and be able to sit in peace as we have lunch and dinner. Ah, what luxury that will be!

Dora immediately pounces on the bread roll, with Georgie edging closer.

Dora didn't like Georgie, so poor Georgie has to wait her turn.

Elmo wants pizza!