NOTE: All of the posts in August 2012 on Paul Sofranko Dot Net will be reposts from an earlier attempt at a general writing blog. New material will start appearing in September. These first few days are just “moving in” and “setting up”. However, this particular post on the robin I almost didn’t bother carrying over as it is dated (it was originally posted in March 2012). But I changed my mind as it’s funny. UPDATE: the robin in question never really bothered Rose again. There ended up being 3 nests about the house, and the various robin families raised at least 3 broods.)

I am outdoors. It is near 11AM and I am sitting on a patio chair situated outside our bedroom window. I am doing this because my wife Rose had insomnia last night, and just after she had gotten to sleep at 7AM she was awakened by a robin hurtling itself constantly at our bedroom window. And so I am out here, in the great outdoors, defending my wife and home against a wild robin.

Rose has a history with robins. In 2010 she placed a ladder up against the side of the house right near one of their nests so she can take photos of their newborn. The robins took issue with this and dive-bombed her. They haven’t forgotten as they have maintained this attitude towards her ever since. I am not making this up, they do seem to be rather attitudinal when she is about outside and this morning is no different (in spite of the fact that our bedroom is inside the house, as is traditional for humans).

They have apparently discovered behind which window we sleep, and are escalating their vendetta against my lovely bride. (It focuses its attack on the window overlooking Rose’s side of the bed.)

It will be an interesting Spring/Summer.

As a side note, I do love the fact that I can just go outside and blather away online on my MacBook. The novelty of portable computing is still with me. I don’t care if that sounds archaic in this mobile society with smartphones everywhere and laptops and tablets taking over from the desktop. This is freakin’ kewl. To be outside in the trees with a laptop, the contrast between nature and technology is nice. Reminds me of MSNBC in the 1990’s, with their high-tech computers everywhere on wood (probably oak) desks.

All I need now is for a robin to poop on my MacBook.

UPDATE: The robin attacked again this morning. (Thursday the 8th) I never noticed as I slept through it. It also helped that the attack did not last long. Rose placed a stuffed bear in the window. The robin fled. So, our bedroom is guarded by a bear. 🙂

UPDATE 2: It is now Monday, and no robin has disturbed us since Saturday. There are 2 stuffed teddy bears, and a flattened aluminum turkey roaster thing duct-taped to the window. Apparently it is enough to convince the idiot robin to not try and attack the window.

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