The Phoenix

Two years ago one of Christmas presents from Danielle and Rudy was this weird gold bird statue...something we have now come to call "The Phoenix". Not being a member of the Audubon society, the bird may very well be a replica of a phoenix....who knows? Anyways, I suppose this gift was supposed to be the beginning of a family tradition...that the receipients were supposed to take it everywhere they went for the coming year. And then it was to be passed along to someone else.

So we're coming up now on the first anniversary and this bird has done nothing more than sit on our fireplace mantle. (See above...it's that ugly....oh, s'cuse me....the fabulous looking gold statue on the right hand side of the mantle). Before I tell and show you where it has now been, let me mention some of the more important events it was supposed to have attended this year. These are in no particular order:

• A nephew's wedding in Cape May, New Jersey back in June.
• The subsequent trip to Bethany Beach and Washington DC (Said he gets car sick!)
• To Mexico with the entire family back in March (how do you explain something like this in your suitcase to the Customs agent?)
• Rudy's graduation and family gathering held in Athens only a few weeks ago (Phoenix respectfully sent his regrets!)
• The Harrahs NC Cherokee Reservation... Phoenix declined because they have hawks in them-there woods.
• Las Vegas to a wedding in March (He was too scared to go because The Mandalay Bay restaurants might have wanted him there for other reasons....you know those Chinese places have alot of receipes on their menu that featured birds!)

With all of that setting the stage we wanted to let y'all know that Phoenix did have one prior outing....to a Japanese Restaurant several weeks ago. There was no mention of any aviary-type entrees mentioned on their menus so the setting was another safe one aside from our mantle!

But, by far, the most memorable outing to date happened only last evening. Not to be outdone by the arrival of Gabriel Josiah, Phoenix demanded to experience the Birthing Shrine and made that visit last evening.

So to all of those who thought that we were NOT great caretakers of The Phoenix, think again. Here's the most recent sighting and proof....He does still live and he loved recreating the "Babe" scene in the Birthing Shrine... even if it was only for a moment!