Since this was the first Hallowe'en that Taco and Kamara have had at my house, I tried to ensure that they wouldn't be spooked by my costume. I wore each piece until they were used to it, then gradually started wearing the whole ensemble. They did a good job of recognising me, so I was pretty happy.
However, the idea of wearing my old black wig didn't occur to me until this morning, and it looked so nice with my outfit that I went with it, since I had already finished with the fids' morning routine and they wouldn't see me in it.
But of course since I wore it all day, I eventually forgot I even had it on my head, and when I got home and went in to feed Kamara, she had no clue who I was.
I started talking to her in my pirate accent (aka Irish, lol) without thinking about it, and she practically EXPLODED with excitement. She scrambled to the door of her cage and clung to the bars, dancing and begging to be let out.
And for anyone who doesn't know Kamara, that is so far outside of the norm for her, she may have been an entirely different bird! I have never, ever seen her so psyched and...happy?
I opened the door for her and sat down in my chair, and she clambered down to the floor and started playing.
PLAYING.
I was enthralled, but after a while my neck started complaining at me for still having my wig and hat on, so I left to take off my costume and wash my face, and went back to Kamara.
Who instantly, as soon as she saw me, went back to her old self (ie growling, snarking and lunging). I fully expected it, but I'm still astounded.
I don't know if it was the hair, the makeup, the accent, or all of the above, but something struck a chord.
I've had Kamara meet other people before, to see whether she has a preference for others, but she's always been a grouch to everyone.
I've thought before that Miss Mara sounds like she may have an accent, but since she never says much, it's been hard to determine. Maybe, just maybe, there was someone she loved in the past who was Irish.
Whatever it was, though, I can't decide whether I'm happy or heartbroken. It's so exciting to know that there's a cheerful, playful grey under that bundle of grumpiness, but the thought of her desperately missing someone so badly is agonising. Especially considering where she came from.
Hopefully she'll be that happy again someday. Hopefully.
However, the idea of wearing my old black wig didn't occur to me until this morning, and it looked so nice with my outfit that I went with it, since I had already finished with the fids' morning routine and they wouldn't see me in it.
But of course since I wore it all day, I eventually forgot I even had it on my head, and when I got home and went in to feed Kamara, she had no clue who I was.
I started talking to her in my pirate accent (aka Irish, lol) without thinking about it, and she practically EXPLODED with excitement. She scrambled to the door of her cage and clung to the bars, dancing and begging to be let out.
And for anyone who doesn't know Kamara, that is so far outside of the norm for her, she may have been an entirely different bird! I have never, ever seen her so psyched and...happy?
I opened the door for her and sat down in my chair, and she clambered down to the floor and started playing.
PLAYING.
I was enthralled, but after a while my neck started complaining at me for still having my wig and hat on, so I left to take off my costume and wash my face, and went back to Kamara.
Who instantly, as soon as she saw me, went back to her old self (ie growling, snarking and lunging). I fully expected it, but I'm still astounded.
I don't know if it was the hair, the makeup, the accent, or all of the above, but something struck a chord.
I've had Kamara meet other people before, to see whether she has a preference for others, but she's always been a grouch to everyone.
I've thought before that Miss Mara sounds like she may have an accent, but since she never says much, it's been hard to determine. Maybe, just maybe, there was someone she loved in the past who was Irish.
Whatever it was, though, I can't decide whether I'm happy or heartbroken. It's so exciting to know that there's a cheerful, playful grey under that bundle of grumpiness, but the thought of her desperately missing someone so badly is agonising. Especially considering where she came from.
Hopefully she'll be that happy again someday. Hopefully.