‘The feathery companion who has made living alone so much easier!’

I’d like to tell you about my mate, ‘Charlie’. Charlie is a pale orange canary, and is my only companion. (I’m not allowed to have a dog or a cat in the section of the complex where I live.)

Charlie is one spoilt canary; I can tell you. Each morning, he is given a cos lettuce leaf (his favourite), a piece of apple, and fresh bathwater (he loves his bath)! Two or three times a week, I let him out for a flit around my lounge and kitchen area. He’s a very adventurous little bird. There is not a place he hasn’t perched or pooped on.

As I write, he is perched above one of my lamps, warming his wee bottom. Then he flitted to rest on my computer screen.

The canary is not an affectionate bird in that they won’t sit on your shoulder or ‘give Mum a kiss’ as a parrot may do, but their song is something to behold. Male canaries sing to attract a mate (poor ‘Charlie’ has bugger all chance of that happening).

His song is most often ‘ear-piercing’ and when the weather is kind, he is put out on the verandah where he enjoys the sunshine and gives my ears a breather (not to mention anyone talking to me on the phone).

Charlie did have a predecessor — his name was ‘Simpson’. Simpson was much deeper orange in colour. One day the bottom of his cage detached itself and Simpson escaped, never to be seen again. I was devastated, so my sister bought me Charlie.

Where would we be without our pets? Large or small, especially while coronavirus continues to lurk.

My youngest son has a beautiful German Shepherd named Roman and although they also now have two children, aged eight and almost five months, Roman has proven himself to be the most loving, gentle animal. He’s a big dog. He adores me, and licks me to death anytime I go there. I wonder if he remembers how I used to ‘dog sit’ him when he was a puppy?

There have been many times when I’ve preferred animals to people. Love and take care of an animal, whether it be a dog, cat, bird or a bloody guinea pig (a goldfish, not so much) and it will love you back unconditionally. Love a human, well that’s not always the case is it?

Keen to share your thoughts with other 60-pluses? You can sign up as a contributor and submit your stories to Starts at 60. While you’re at it, why not join the Starts at 60 Bloggers Club to talk to other writers in the Starts at 60 community and learn more about how to write for Starts at 60. Community blogs published on the website go into the draw for some great weekly prizes.