The Strangers in a Stange Land posted on Feb 08, 2008 by Ginga Cool Cat in category [Bird Blog]

K-Bird has a high level of interest in Admiral and Akbarr, The Hub's two long lived gold fish. Their tank sits catty-corner (or is that kitty-corner?) to her cage, so she has a pretty good view of them. They have...

Parakeet Dreams posted on Feb 03, 2008 by Ginga Cool Cat in category [Bird Blog]

This is a dream I can tell you. A weird dream, but a good dream. One of those "wish fullfilment dreams". I dreamed there was a new parakeet cage in the space where the old parakeet cage was. So I...

Life Without Tweeters posted on Jan 21, 2008 by Ginga Cool Cat in category [Bird Blog]

This is a really hard adjustment to make in our house. No tweeters. It's too quiet in here....and I'm a fan of quiet. Really, I am. I've never been one of those people to have the t.v. on all the...

A Bird Cage Shaped Hole in Our Heart posted on Jan 19, 2008 by Ginga Cool Cat in category [Bird Blog]

Bad news. The Pair-a-Tweeters have both died. It was really awful. Yesterday, for no apparent reason, Blondie began to seem very lethargic. He puffed up in the classic "little feathered pine cone" look, and became unsteady on the perch. Just...

Parrot See, Parrot Do posted on Jan 06, 2008 by Ginga Cool Cat in category [Bird Blog]

The Hub says that the K-Bird is really getting into the construction project. He says that, as he's banging on the new kitchen, she's re-arranging stuff in her cage. She's destroyed the destroy toy she got for Christmas. So there...

....And to All a "Night Night" posted on Dec 27, 2007 by Ginga Cool Cat in category [Bird Blog]

Kendi's Christmas present to us this year - NO it was NOT a really big plopper! - is an attempt to add to her vocabulary. I think she has a tremendous vocabulary for a parrot who has just turned two,...

Counting the Crows posted on Dec 20, 2007 by Ginga Cool Cat in category [Bird Blog]

The flock of crows that lives near my house is back. Well, at least 3 of them are. I haven't seen the other 2. I wonder what happened? Maybe the other two got married....that's why the rest of the flock...

Tis the Time to Flock Together posted on Dec 12, 2007 by Ginga Cool Cat in category [Bird Blog]

I think the flock of crows who lives near my exit on 795 - they like it because there's, er, plenty to eat by the side of the road there - are having company for the holidays. When I went...

Hatch Day posted on Nov 30, 2007 by Ginga Cool Cat in category [Bird Blog]

Happy Hatch Day To You! Happy Hatch Day To You! Happy Hatch Day Dear K-Bird! Happy Hatch Day To You! Yep, our parrot is 2 years old today....

'Bye Kiah! posted on Sep 03, 2007 by Ginga Cool Cat in category [Bird Blog]

K-bird has been making 'teil sounds all day...I think hoping that Kiah will come back, but Donna and Geren picked her up last night. Our parrot isn't the only one who misses her. Now it's too quiet in here. Even...

Welcome Kiah! posted on Aug 25, 2007 by Ginga Cool Cat in category [Bird Blog]

Yep, we're hosting Donna and Geren's cockatiel, Kiah, while they're away on vacation. The Hub was sure that Kendi, our Senegal, was going to go mad with jealousy, but so far she's just been very curious. Actually, I think she's...

Sometimes..... posted on Aug 23, 2007 by Ginga Cool Cat in category [Bird Blog]

....no matter how good your intentions are, how carefully you carry them out, how much you will and wish for a good outcome the odds are too great to overcome. Poor BB didn't make it. I can't say that I'm...

Wild Wildlife posted on Aug 22, 2007 by Ginga Cool Cat in category [Bird Blog]

Man, what a day! It started out with me having to explain what house martins (purple martins) are to the uber-boss, because when she saw them flying around outside the building she thought they were bats! She was really convinced...

...And So Now I Feel Abandoned. posted on Aug 17, 2007 by Ginga Cool Cat in category [Bird Blog]

The big black birds have left. They've been gone for three days. I don't know whether they were really freaked out by me making crow noises at them out the window (did they think I was making fun of them?...

I Hate It When That Happens posted on Aug 15, 2007 by Ginga Cool Cat in category [Bird Blog]

Tonight when I went to Petsmart, I realized that between dog food, dog treats, bird food and bird treats and "wild bird food" (though whether the songbirds are, in fact "wilder" than Kendi and the pair-a-tweeters is debatable) I'd spent...

The Crow Story posted on Aug 13, 2007 by Ginga Cool Cat in category [Bird Blog]

Okay. You want the other crow story I mentioned in yesterdays post? I'm warning you that it's very sad. No really, I'm not kidding. It's a sad story. Years ago, before The Hub and I were married and I was...

The More You Know About the Crow.... posted on Aug 12, 2007 by Ginga Cool Cat in category [Bird Blog]

Ever since before The Hub and I were married, it seems like I've had crows all around me. It started on the parking lot outside of Beneficial. That's another story for another time. It's hard to tell the difference between...

Imaginary Friend? posted on Aug 04, 2007 by Ginga Cool Cat in category [Bird Blog]

I wonder if it's possible to have a schizophrenic parrot? I mean, I guess anything is possible. K-bird was having quite a time on top of her cage this evening. She seemed like she was having a fight with an...

Mission Accomplished posted on Jul 26, 2007 by Ginga Cool Cat in category [Bird Blog]

"No! No Kendi!" I yelled as the bird leapt on to the keyboard "No bidding on e-Bay!" Jeeze. I wouldn't be a bit surprised to come home and find a carton on gourmet parrot food and a delux playstand waiting...

"Hi! I'm Flighted!" posted on Jul 16, 2007 by Ginga Cool Cat in category [Bird Blog]

That darn K-Bird has really gotten used to flying around...and now I don't have the heart to trim her wings too much. She can even turn in the air, which is pretty fun to watch. Now, though, I'm really glad...

"But Wait! I Didn't Pick Up The Salt Water Taffy!" posted on Jul 15, 2007 by Ginga Cool Cat in category [Bird Blog]

Here's a good story with a happy ending - though a real reminder of why you ought to trim your birds wings or put him in a travel cage if you're going outside. This blue and gold macaw decided she...

"My Bird Walks All Over Me" posted on Jul 05, 2007 by Ginga Cool Cat in category [Bird Blog]

K-Bird has discovered toast and jam - the all natural kind of course. Like most mothers, I'm into natural food. So what if my kid has feathers? Anyway, she looks really cute with jam on her beak. I don't look...

Ya Know.... posted on Jun 08, 2007 by Ginga Cool Cat in category [Bird Blog]

while you have to work at it, it's very possible to teach a parrot to talk. Teaching a parrot to be quiet....not so much....

Nature Red in Beak and Claw! posted on May 18, 2007 by Ginga Cool Cat in category [Bird Blog]

(Sorry if you've heard this one before. This disability thing makes it hard to get out and find new stuff to talk about) The other day I cleaned out the pair-a-tweeter cage. Generally speaking, this is not a big deal....

Heads Under Wings.... posted on Apr 11, 2007 by Ginga Cool Cat in category [Bird Blog]

Birds talk in their sleep. At least the pair-a-tweeters do. I wonder if that means they have a sleep disorder? Probably not. It probably only means they don't sleep very deeply. After all, when stuff is out there trying to...

Sympathy for the K-Bird posted on Apr 06, 2007 by Ginga Cool Cat in category [Bird Blog]

Last night the K-Bird was in a bad mood. And let me tell you, when the parrot ain't happy, nobody's happy. She squeaked and squawked to be let out of her cage and when I got her out she was...

Even the Bird Has Allergies? posted on Apr 03, 2007 by Ginga Cool Cat in category [Bird Blog]

The Hub and I have both had pretty bad allergies this season. Pollen was so bad that it made the news in many areas of the country - not much rain. So we've both been running around the house sneezing...

"I Believe I Can Fly!" posted on Mar 12, 2007 by Ginga Cool Cat in category [Bird Blog]

Meanwhile, back at the rancher, K-bird continues to learn new things. She’s also gotten bigger. While some Senegals experience a period of fearfulness or nervousness as they get closer to their 2nd hatch day, self confidence has never been Kendi’s...

How Kendi Sees Herself posted on Feb 15, 2007 by Ginga Cool Cat in category [Bird Blog]

I'm pretty sure that this is how Kendi sees herself....almost a year of parrot ownership - that would be me being owned by a parrot - has taught me that the Chinese nickname "feathered dragon" is very apt. Of course,...

"In The Daytime, I'm Mr. Natural..." posted on Jan 18, 2007 by Ginga Cool Cat in category [Bird Blog]

You want to know the difference between high grade parrot food and diet people food?.......

Happy Hatchday Kendi! posted on Dec 01, 2006 by Ginga Cool Cat in category [Bird Blog]

Kendi plays with the ribbon on her "hatch day" present - a shreddable pinata filled with dried fruit. Yesterday, November 30th she turned a year old. I know almost no one remembers being born...but I wonder if birds remember...

Who Said That? posted on Nov 14, 2006 by Ginga Cool Cat in category [Bird Blog]

…So anyway, this is what I was trying to tell you happened when I was making the chili. The Hub was downstairs doing laundry. The dog was at his regular station lying down between the birdcages with a sight line...

The Little Green Drama Queen posted on Nov 07, 2006 by Ginga Cool Cat in category [Bird Blog]

On Sunday, Friend Will and Jenne came up to have supper with us. They hadn't met Kendi yet, but didn't seem surprised that our house has been taken over by a 9 inch long parrot. As for Kendi, she was...

Alex Makes Newsweek! posted on Nov 06, 2006 by Ginga Cool Cat in category [Bird Blog]

One of my favorite people...er...birds made it into Newsweek Magazine lately. Well, okay, I think both Alex and Dr. Pepperberg are pretty cool, but I've always thought Alex might be more fun at a party. You can read a quick...

Maybe It Wasn't a Fable.... posted on Nov 01, 2006 by Ginga Cool Cat in category [Bird Blog]

Remember Aesop's fable The Crow and the Pitcher? The one where the poor thirsty crow, seeing water in the bottom of a long necked pitcher, carries stone after stone and drops them in to raise the water level.....Maybe it wasn't...

Clickin' With the K-Bird posted on Oct 20, 2006 by Ginga Cool Cat in category [Bird Blog]

“Good morning” one of the directors said to me in the ladies room this morning. “Goood Morning!” I sang back loudly. Not surprisingly, she looked a little startled. “Excuse me,” I said, “ I realize that was a little loud....

Polly Wanna Plane Ticket posted on Oct 18, 2006 by Ginga Cool Cat in category [Bird Blog]

I'm glad this lost pet story has a happy ending...but it makes me determined to get Kendi used to her harness, because it's just too scary to take her out doors without it. And I think she's getting bored sitting...

Newly Discovered Winged Creature posted on Oct 10, 2006 by Ginga Cool Cat in category [Bird Blog]

Check it out! This is a previously undiscovered (by Western science) bird from the cloud forest of the Andes Mountains. Isn't it good to know that there's something new, or at least new to us, under the sun?...

I Was Right The First Time... posted on Oct 02, 2006 by Ginga Cool Cat in category [Bird Blog]

Those lusty pair-a-tweeters were at it again! This time during supper. I mean, I don't think I'm a prude or anything - but I have to admit to being a little surprised to look up in the middle of my...

Just Hanging Around posted on Sep 08, 2006 by Ginga Cool Cat in category [Bird Blog]

I got one of those battery operated tooth brushes for $8. Listen, this is a major purchase for a tightwad like me, okay? And then the battery quit working and I can't figure out how to take it out and...

Kendi - At Last! posted on Sep 03, 2006 by Ginga Cool Cat in category [Bird Blog]

Finally! I was able to upload this picture of Kendi, my senegal parrot, onto my site. And, I must say, this is a typical senegal pose....she spends large parts of her days swinging off of something or hanging upside...

Why You Shouldn't Get a Manicure From a Parrot posted on Aug 30, 2006 by Ginga Cool Cat in category [Bird Blog]

Kendi was happy to see me when I got back from Philadelphia. I was really glad that she didn’t seem too traumatized by both of us being away over night. She had to spend the night in her daytime cage....

More of What Passes For Conversation in Our House... posted on Aug 21, 2006 by Ginga Cool Cat in category [Bird Blog]

The Hub: "I took that rotisserie chicken out of the refrigerator...." Me: "Oh no! Kendi! Don't look!"...

Peek-A-Bird posted on Aug 15, 2006 by Ginga Cool Cat in category [Bird Blog]

Senegal parrots aren’t able to talk as young as Kendi is (9 months) but she doesn’t know that, so she’s trying. We keep trying to figure out what her first word or words might be. I thought she might say...

Who Are You Calling a Bird Brain? posted on Aug 14, 2006 by Ginga Cool Cat in category [Bird Blog]

Check out the latest accomplishment of Alex, an African Grey parrot who has been moving forward interspecies communication for years......

My Ass in a Sling, Again posted on Jul 26, 2006 by Ginga Cool Cat in category [Bird Blog]

Well, I’m back to Dr. Backcracker again. I had been having a lot of pain in my hip – that’s a new place to have pain, and it was really bugging me because it hurts both when I stand and...

"I Really Don't Want to Hatch In Here..." posted on Jul 17, 2006 by Ginga Cool Cat in category [Bird Blog]

Nobody is safe from crime these days - even birds that haven't even hatched yet! Of course, talk about an embarrassing moment - imagine how this guy must have felt when his "contraband" was discovered between his legs! Can you...

Separation Anxiety posted on Jul 07, 2006 by Ginga Cool Cat in category [Bird Blog]

Next week, I'm going with my family on vacation to Avalon thanks to the gracious invitation of my sister-in-laws parents. The Hub, who has work lined up, is staying home. He also took in a "canine client". He's a full...

Kendi-gram posted on Jun 21, 2006 by Ginga Cool Cat in category [Bird Blog]

Kendi’s molting. This is her first molt, so I don’t think she knows what’s going on. Except that she itches…or something. I imagine it itches, or certainly feels weird to get a lot of new feathers in all at once....

The Difference Between Knowing and Understanding posted on Jun 15, 2006 by Ginga Cool Cat in category [Bird Blog]

Okay. What we need here are bird toys. Lots and lots of bird toys. I don’t mean a bell on a stick either. I’m thinking something more along the lines of say, a LeapPad, only with modifications made for beaks...

Fly Away Home posted on Jun 14, 2006 by Ginga Cool Cat in category [Bird Blog]

Early this morning, The Hub’s client for whom he was supposed to work today cancelled, so he went up with me to Pennsylvania to get the new bird. While I’m sorry that he lost the work, I was really glad...

Just Waiting For My Baby.... posted on Jun 13, 2006 by Ginga Cool Cat in category [Bird Blog]

…bird. The Senegal. I still don’t know what I’m going to name it, but other than that, everything is all set up. I have an appropriate sized cage out of the high traffic area of the living room. Light comes...

Winged in America posted on Jun 09, 2006 by Ginga Cool Cat in category [Bird Blog]

“How did you get to be so interested in birds?” my mother asked, after I had dragged her out to go look at a Senegal parrot at a pet shop in Hanover It’s a good question. I’m thinking of buying...

Reach Out and Touch Someone...Or Not posted on Jun 07, 2006 by Ginga Cool Cat in category [Bird Blog]

The County isn’t really a bad place to live. And sometimes it’s downright funny – at least it is to me. Last night I called the Humane Society after their regular business hours because I filled out an application to...

Sticky Parakeet Feet posted on May 10, 2006 by Ginga Cool Cat in category [Bird Blog]

Poor Dagwood. He’s such a terrible flyer, and yet he’s constantly trying to keep up with Blondie. Yesterday, she took off from the top of the cage to land on the kitchen curtain. I guess she wanted to look out...

Shreddin' and Squalkin' posted on May 04, 2006 by Ginga Cool Cat in category [Bird Blog]

In other news, the pair of Canada geese that hang out at the office have a gosling. Just one, which makes me think something bad happened to others. Geese usually have more than one offspring. Anyway, the office parking lot...

The Return of Cyrano D'Bird posted on Apr 21, 2006 by Ginga Cool Cat in category [Bird Blog]

"Look up and to your right." I told The Hub as he came into the carport at the old house. He was getting ready to cut the grass. "That's the new robin's nest. Do you think that's Birda?" He looked...

Check for Feathers posted on Apr 13, 2006 by Ginga Cool Cat in category [Bird Blog]

Yep. Definitely spending too much time by myself at work. Last night, as I came back from the ladies room I heard the unmistakable call of a hoot owl. Who-who-who-who! It sounded, really and truly, like it was in the...

It's Spring! And a Young Bird's Fancy Turns To.... posted on Apr 11, 2006 by Ginga Cool Cat in category [Bird Blog]

Well somebody was clearly on top of somebody in the parakeet cage the other day. We found another egg, unfortunately, broken. Since parakeets usually lay more than one egg at a time, I quickly took most of the kleenex out...

Mamma said there'd be days like these..... posted on Mar 30, 2006 by Ginga Cool Cat in category [Bird Blog]

It was 8:30 a.m. this morning. The sun shone through the stained glass piece The Hub has in the back window. It was fairly quiet. The Hub was moving around in the kitchen, making coffee, but he was trying not...

Mastiffs, Tweeters, and Cabbage posted on Mar 28, 2006 by Ginga Cool Cat in category [Bird Blog]

Sorry about the lack of content lately. My back has really been acting up and, well, that's no fun. But I did have a good day Saturday. Theresa and Rob came up. Theresa is a very talented photographer, and she...

The Perfect Place to Live posted on Mar 07, 2006 by Ginga Cool Cat in category [All Things Housing:Bird Blog]

I came across this Chinese proverb today: "A bird does not sing because it has an answer. It sings because it has a song." It doesn't seem real relevant to my problems of frying driers, unhappy automobiles, and the seemingly...

Quoth the Ravens "Let Us Out!" posted on Feb 22, 2006 by Ginga Cool Cat in category [Bird Blog]

It's pretty depressing, being a Winged Creature, with all this talk about bird flu going on. Seeing pictures of guys in bio-suits picking up dead swans is both heart breaking and creepy. It's hard to sort out the news from...

Meanwhile, Back at the Rancher... posted on Jan 31, 2006 by Ginga Cool Cat in category [Bird Blog]

When I haven't been out getting in trouble with the law, I have been working, slowly but steadily, on getting the house into some kind of order and establishing a routine. One of the things I have been working on...

...Then Again, Maybe Not posted on Jan 09, 2006 by Ginga Cool Cat in category [Bird Blog]

It's been really interesting having the pair-a-tweeters in the dining room of the new house. They really like their new location, since my mom left all of her plants there, and so now pair-a-tweeter manor is set among much hanging...

Walk the Perch posted on Dec 29, 2005 by Ginga Cool Cat in category [Bird Blog]

This just in....According to The Hub, the newly rechristened parakeets Blondie (Buckbeak) and Dagwood (Dorothy) are very fond of The Hub's new Johnny Cash C.D. Also, The Hub feels that Blondie is looking "kinda round", and Petco has nesting boxes...

A Gender Confused Christmas posted on Dec 27, 2005 by Ginga Cool Cat in category [Bird Blog]

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas this year, and that my Jewish friends are enjoying Hanukah. If you celebrated something else, I hope you enjoyed that too! The holidays at our house....well....you know how things are at my house....

NOT a Blueberry posted on Dec 12, 2005 by Ginga Cool Cat in category [Bird Blog]

We had a very active weekend with a lot of stuff going on. On Saturday I went over to Rob and Theresa's. Rob offered the use of his kitchen so I could do some of my holiday baking since ours...

What Birds Know in their Little Bird Brains posted on Dec 02, 2005 by Ginga Cool Cat in category [Bird Blog]

It DID snow! It wasn't forecast, but, when I got home last night it was snowing and snowing quite hard. The back bird feeder was cleaned out and they started on the one on the back porch, though I don't...

Frenzy at the Feeder and Talking to Animals posted on Nov 30, 2005 by Ginga Cool Cat in category [Bird Blog]

Because things are looking up a little bit for us financially since I got my new job, we naturally decided to share the wealth. We started to put bird seed in the feeders again, and this time, I opted for...

I'm With the Animal Rights Camp on This One... posted on Nov 19, 2005 by Ginga Cool Cat in category [Bird Blog]

Couldn't somebody have just gotten a net? And, even if they did, how hard could they have tried to catch this frightened sparrow? Birds are not real, real, hard to catch - take it from me. Buckbeak and Dortothy love...

Some Winged Creature vs. Eight Wild Geese posted on Nov 16, 2005 by Ginga Cool Cat in category [Bird Blog]

This just in from the "Things that only happen to me files...." I had to get a new tire. That happens to everybody, every once in awhile, though it couldn't have happened at a worse time - I don't get...

Pair-A-Tweeter Manor posted on Sep 27, 2005 by Ginga Cool Cat in category [Bird Blog]

Seems like everybody is moving these days. Our parakeets, Buckbeak and Dorothy, are at least moving up in the world. Since Dorothy was sort of a suprise addition to our family ( after we found her on Main St.) the...

....But I'm Not Dead Yet posted on Sep 26, 2005 by Ginga Cool Cat in category [Bird Blog]

The night before last I saw something I had never seen before: an owl in flight. Now mind you, I've seen plenty of owls. I'm sure I've seen more owls than the average person sees in a lifetime. Owls are...

Over the Edge Now... posted on Sep 05, 2005 by Ginga Cool Cat in category [Bird Blog]

I always knew I was going to wind up as a dotty middle aged lady with a bird in her hat....only I didn't know it would be a real bird! Actually, yesterday, there were as many as three at...

The Unlucky or The Brave posted on Jul 23, 2005 by Ginga Cool Cat in category [Bird Blog]

You didn't forget about the hatchlings, did you? They left the nest about three weeks ago on a Saturday. This is a photograph of the first one out. His first stop was the roof of the jeep, and he...

"Learning to Fly" posted on Jul 03, 2005 by Ginga Cool Cat in category [Bird Blog]

"A fatal attraction holding me fast, how Can I escape this irresistible grasp? Can't keep my eyes from the circling skies Tongue-tied and twisted Just an earth-bound misfit, I" -Pink Floyd/ Learning to Fly / Momentary Lapse of Reason...

Birda and Company posted on Jul 01, 2005 by Ginga Cool Cat in category [Bird Blog]

Those hatchlings are almost ready to go! They've got their robin colors on, their heads poke up over the top of the nest and there's no room for Birda or Cyrano in there anymore. I thought there were only 3...

All Right! Don't Lay an Egg! posted on Jun 28, 2005 by Ginga Cool Cat in category [Bird Blog]

We decided to name the new parakeet "Dorothy". That comes from the name Dorathea which means "Gift from God" and also brings to mind the movie connection of getting blown by a storm into another world. And Dorothy probably really...

Buckbeak in Love! posted on Jun 26, 2005 by Ginga Cool Cat in category [Bird Blog]

Well, nobody has claimed the still nameless parakeet we found in the gutter on Main St. And, by now, I hope they don't....because Buckbeak, the parakeet we got from the pet store really, really likes.....HER! Yep, it's a girl. Okay,...

Whole Lotta Feathers - Update! posted on Jun 23, 2005 by Ginga Cool Cat in category [Bird Blog]

The parakeet we found in the gutter - we've been calling him "Gutter Guest", which I suppose isn't very polite - looks a TON better. Buckbeak helped him groom his bedraggled feathers, and seems very open to him. I know...

Pair of Tweeters posted on Jun 22, 2005 by Ginga Cool Cat in category [Bird Blog]

From the "This Could Only Happen to Me" files......The parakeet in the above photo clings to his rescuer - yours truly. The Hub and I were walking down the street talking about his latest client concern when he suddenly,...

Birda's Back - Again! posted on Jun 08, 2005 by Ginga Cool Cat in category [Bird Blog]

The Hub called me on my cell phone at quarter of twelve and left a message. "Guess what? Birda's back in the nest!" He said excitedly, "I just wanted to let you know." Birda is the female robin who successfully...

Bird Welfare posted on Jun 07, 2005 by Ginga Cool Cat in category [Bird Blog]

So Buckbeak, the parakeet, is in the office most of the time now, except when we let him out in the living room. Then he goes right into the ficus tree, and stays there, looking like the parakeet equivelent of...

What Makes a Parakeet Happy? posted on Jun 03, 2005 by Ginga Cool Cat in category [Bird Blog]

I'm worried about Buckbeak, the new parakeet. He's very quiet. He remains as gentle and calm as ever....but I'm worried he's a little too quiet. He's not making that "content bird noise" that parakeets make, a kind of "manamanamana" sound...

Another Winged Creature posted on May 29, 2005 by Ginga Cool Cat in category [Bird Blog]

Name that bird! Well, okay, almost everybody can tell it's a parakeet, although his colors are supposed to be "rare". He IS a very very light yellow, and he was my second choice from the local pet store. I...