To begin with I am taking the liberty of writing an introduction for Debbie and Joe as I feel that would be appropriate for anyone that might be interested. Without going into too long a dissertation, suffice is to say that they are good Canadian people and have had to work their "buns" off like everyone else ... that is who are willing to. They owned and operated a rather nice "night club" on the edge of town for several years but when our "goody two-shoe" idiots raised so much hell over the smokers and the government got on the bandwagon as well and passed Draconian laws against it, Deb and Joe had to close their thriving business because of it! (As I've always said regarding our government and their stupid laws.... "Seig Heil !!") After getting themselves together from this slap in the face by our government, they decided to open a pet shop in part of the building and they've now been open about a year. I dropped in one day and began taking an interest in a cockatiel so Debbie got me one and "hand trained" it for me. The "little rascal" is now the "boss of our house" to say the least .... but we love him to pieces just the same. I'll drop a picture of him (Tiki) somewhere in here later.

Just to let you see what their place looks like from the front, I took a picture of it to put in here. It's just on the west end of Port Colborne, Ontario, Canada (about twenty miles from Buffalo, New York and the Peace Bridge) We are on the north shore of Lake Erie and right at the beginning of the great Welland Canal and Seaway system that runs from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario and on down the Seaway to the Atlantic Ocean. The picture to the above left is the front of their establisment and that pleasant "lil gal waving is Debbie herself!

Although I personally am not familiar with the names of different tropical fish, etc., I am taking the liberty of inserting a few pictures of just a few that Debbie has in her shop. I will post them in here now and when she sees them she can supply some of the names of the different ones that are visible in the tanks. For now though, above are some of them.

Although I realize that "Tiki" is probably the most photographed bird in the country, I have been remiss in filing them all properly so here is one where he was about five months old and being absolutely spoiled by my wife and I. Here he is showing off to us just how pretty he is, which he generally does for us when we first come into the room. I have to tell you that if it hadn't been for Debbie having him the first week, I'm sure he wouldn't have progressed so quickly.

As I write this, I have to tell you that Tiki, being where he usually is ... on my shoulder is somewhat of a "mischief-maker" in his own way by "testing" everything with his tongue and beak which is of course is natural but in his case he is completely "hung up" on certain items and one of them is the mouse wheel on my cordless! He got at it earlier on and I thought he couldn't do it any harm until I found that his sharp little beak had made it so the wheel doesn't move as freely as it did. I now have a terrible time with him when I'm on here and especially when I'm doing graphics as any movement or interference puts an immediate end to whatever I'm working on!

I can shew him away as much as I like but ... like a bad weed ..... he always comes back to it. I've even threatened to "have him for lunch" or "take him off my Christmas list" but .... to no avail. As I write this .... he is doing his damndest to usurp my work and has a go at the mouse wheel the second I turn my eyes away from it. (Anyone want a mischievous, hard-headed, cute little Cockatiel?)

You can get in touch with Debbie either by calling her telephone number above or e-mailing her. Just click this button.