Talking a sparrow off a ledge

Getting groceries on saturday is the worst way to spend what could be a lovely day off. But we did it anyway. To soften the blow the universe send us someone who gave us their cart at Aldi without needing a quarter in return and wished us happy holidays - so naturally we paid it forward as well. Then this really energetic, funny woman started talking to us at the cash register and at one point asked if I was Canadian. It's funny how my accent has progressed from 'obviously foreign' to 'there's something about the way you talk that I can't place' - I think being considered Canadian is a nice compliment. As it turned out this woman worked with Dutch people in the past - but they didn't sound anything like me.

On the way home the light looked really pretty over Maple Lake, so we made a short stop at the bridge to the island - and as I was walking around a bit, this little sparrow flew underneath the truck, right in front of one of the back tyres. And there it sat.
A million things were going through my head; if it was hurt, how was I going to get it home. Just in my hands? Should I feed it first? How lucky we had just bought bird food! What if it was a suicidal sparrow planning to have himself ran over?
As I walked closer it was clear this bird wasn't going anywhere any time soon. It looked healthy enough; no feathers sticking out, no dazed look - maybe it just wanted some shelter from the cold?

I was on my hands and knees almost under the car while the Beloved was in it, on the phone, oblivious to all the goings on.
The sparrow looked at me. I explained that while I could understand his need to rest , doing so in front of a massive truck tyre might not be the best idea. Maybe he should fly somewhere a little safer? Staying where he was would lead to certain death - and was that really what he wanted?

It didn't seem it worked at all at first - so I just took a few more photos, and then suddenly he decided he'd had enough and flew off.
Phew.


And now the Beloved gets to talk me off a ledge because I somehow managed to lose a massive amount of edited photos in Picasa just by a quick swish of my mouse. All my exported photos - gone. No idea what I did and where they went.
I still have my originals - thankfully, but CRAP! :'(