Basement Pigeons

Same Old
We enjoyed a quiet week this week. Winter, it seems, can be easily associated with steady, mildly suffocating routine. While we all love our jobs very much, they are still our jobs. And having had little outdoor activity in the last few months, we do feel a bit restricted sometimes. However, the weekend brought some very unique spice to our lives. It's funny that just when you think you can predict your life, a long comes a basement pigeon.

Basement Pigeons
Saturday morning, Heather woke up and announced that there was something in our basement. And whatever the "something" was, its flapping had been loud enough to wake her up in the night. Uncertain of what we would be facing, the three of us and a friend, Clay, donned the best wildlife gear we could find: rubber gloves, a stick, paper bags and a flashlight. We gingerly descended the stairs, prepared for an epic battle. We discovered the "something" sitting nonchalantly on the floor of our basement: a pigeon. Two of his less vivacious friends lay beside him, having flapped their last. Clay, bound and determined to release this lovely creature (about which he first inquired, "What is that?! A pheasant?!) back into its urban
wilderness, pursued the animal with grace and gentility. And when that didn't work, he ran from one end of our basement to the other, trying to trap the now frantic bird. The three of us, wildlife experts that we are, contributed to the pigeon catch and release cause by crouching on the floor and emitting occasional screeches as it flew and darted around us. Miracle of miracles, Clay actually managed to catch the bird by its foot as it flew by, thus subduing the "pheasant." With the wonder and beauty of a wilderness calendar, Clay released the bird into the warm February air and watched as it flew off, probably taking with it a new found respect for freedom

Just When You Think
The rest of the weekend flew by in whirlwind of friends, church, a Science Center outing, and young adult Bible study. It was a good weekend but inevitably sprinkled with "basement pigeons." You don't see them coming, they seem kind of ridiculous and they offer a challenge. But that's the beauty. Just when it seems like life will just go on, one regular day after another, a pigeon gets in your basement. It's not exactly a welcome guest, something you want to deal with, but it brings excitement and keeps us on our toes. And if you're armed with the best kind of friends and the right sized stick, basement pigeons are easily taken care of.

~A Word From Heather~

My last days of MVS are wrapping up with only 3 days of work left at the Peace Center. This past year has been such a rewarding and fulfilling experience. I have loved every minute of working with the adorable kids at Columbia Elementary and watching their excitement towards working in the garden grow as the year progressed. I have learned a tremendous amount about peace building and community development during the past year and have appreciated all the different opportunities I have encountered. I will miss the Peace Center and the people I have met, but I will always remember the amazing experiences.