I’ve picked up the keys to my new flat. It’s a short term got-to-get-out-and-take-control-of-my-life rental choice, so it’s bright, warm and clean. Those were the minimum requirements for enabling me to enjoy my life enough to feel confident about getting out and chasing down contracts, or potentially a new job. The bedrooms are small, but I’ll use one only for sleep and the other as a study so that’s not really an issue. The kitchen is big enough. There’s room for a small dining table and a full theatre in the living room. Of course, all of that is currently locked up in storage but I’m only days away from having my old life back.
The big selling point on the place, wasn’t on my list of requirements. When I walked in, I looked straight to the balcony and saw a pair of Rainbow Lorikeets on the railing. Yesterday, when I went back to start moving in, there were two pairs huddling out of the rain. I don’t have a bird tray in storage, but it will be the first thing I buy.
Have you got your bird tray yet? When I lived in Canberra I used my carport roof to put out seed for the birds. The roof would sometimes be covered with sulpher crested cockatoos> I also had galahas and top notch pigeons as well as a couple of types of rosella. The King Parrots used to eat the pomegranates off the tree. Since moving to Sydney I have seen mostly pigeons but there are some lorikeets around that I am trying to cultivate. Just remember that as well as eating the birds will also poop which is not so bad in a garden but can be a bit messy on a balcony
No. The sad news is that just after I moved in, the agent that looks after the whole building sent letters to all occupants passing on complaints and reinforcing rules. One of them was that we’re not allowed to feed the birds on our balconies. I wish they’d told me that before I signed the papers, but I probably would have chosen this flat anyway.