Tupper returns!

If you haven't yet met Tupper, today is your big chance because I was happy to see her not one, not two, but three times yesterday.  I'll link up with Our World Tuesday to share that happy occasion and a few other ones as well. 

Bill and I met Tupper over a year ago.  I chose her name by putting together "T" (for tail) and "up" because she is the only seagull I know with a tail that points up.  We think she is a girl, but that isn't a sure thing, so we needed a name that could work for a girl or a boy. "Tupper" sounds better than "Tup" and there you have the way she earned her name.  

Yesterday morning, as I walked with Black Jack, a lady smiled as she walked towards me.  When I smiled back, she said, "You are being followed by a seagull."  I looked back to see "Tupper" and my heart was really, really happy because it had been seven days since our last visit. I turned around and laughed to see her "run" along the ground towards us.  

Tupper had been limping a couple of weeks before that, so it was wonderful to see her putting her weight on both legs and showing no limp at all.  I wonder where she goes when she disappears for several days.  Actually, I wonder where she goes whenever she isn't in our neighbourhood.  Does she have some babies?  Does she visit other people?  Where does she sleep at night?  Do the eagles or the crows bother her?  Does she have any seagull friends?  Or enemies?  So many questions, but yesterday, she could only answer the two most important ones.  She wasn't hurting and her appetite was just fine.

Feed me, please.  

I shared her story with the lady so Tupper now has a new fan.  Then, I fed her and rushed home to tell Bill the happy news.

Thank you!

A little later, I took Black Jack out and she rolled and rolled in the grass.

Aah!

  

  

Oh man, that feels SO good!

The tide was out so I let her have a little run but worried that the stones were hurting her feet.. 

so I invited her to sit on a rock in exchange for some treats.  Her little crooked legs make me smile, but she seems to walk and run just fine, so they do their job just as they should.

Then, we practiced "lie-down" for a few more treats.  That was the first time I've asked her to lie down on such a hard surface.  She was happy to oblige because she really wanted her treat but she didn't quite put her full weight on her belly.  Pretty clever, I thought.  

Then she had a little run along the path beside False Creek.  You can see the Granville Bridge in the background.  I love Black Jack's ears in this photo.

Some bloggers like ChrisJ and Leslie and Jim have been really kind in helping me identify plants.  Thank you to Fun60 for telling me about the gunnera.  Now, I'm wondering if someone could tell me what this is.  It was just along the path.. 

where Black Jack was having such a pleasant run.

Tupper arrived for her 2nd visit just as we were arriving home from that walk.  She happily accepted another generous helping of Black Jack's treats.

In the afternoon, we biked over the Burrard Bridge to see "Fading Gigolo" at  Fifth Avenue Theatre.  Bill and I were feeling exhilarated after our ride to the theatre.

  

The movie?  It won't go down on my list of favourites, but it inspired some smiles and some questions and some conversations with Bill, and I'm glad to have seen it.  Here's a shot of Woody Allen and John Turturro (writer, actor and director) in one of the scenes that I enjoyed.  The warm lighting and the characters' "bookishness" were charming and part of the reason the preposterous plot events were somehow acceptable.  If you are thinking of seeing the movie, this review will give you a good idea of what to expect.  I might add that..   

Hasidism has a strong presence in the plot.  I taught for a year at Beth Rivkah Academy in Montreal (as a non-Jewish person), and enjoyed the privilege of warm connections with both the staff and students at that school, so my thoughts about the portrayals of ultra-orthodox Jewish people in the film were mixed.  I enjoyed the scene below when Woody Allen's character tries to teach baseball to a young Hasidic boy but overall, I was uncomfortable with this aspect of the story.  As for the movie's conclusion, it left me cold.  Bill and I talked about the difficulty of writing the perfect conclusion.  It is never possible to keep everyone in your audience happy but I have to wonder if anyone at all found that ending satisfying .

Here's Bill after the movie, looking handsome and strong and fit and ready to ride home.

Although I had a problem with the expense of the new bike lanes over the Burrard Bridge, and I do feel some sympathy for motorists' frustration, I must say the lanes are spacious and safe, with smooth entrances and exits. Here, Bill stands just to the right of that beautiful new lane, checking out a rattle in my basket..

before he rides homeward.  I went ahead of him and looked back to catch this happy wave..

and great big smile as he rode towards me.

It was a perfect day and we loved our view over the bridge..

from pretty well every direction.. 

and angle.  And, a little note to my great-nephew, W.  See that big smile?  That one's for you because I love you.  Did you like meeting Tupper?  Would you believe she visited again..

after supper?  This time, she ate out of my hand and Bill took the photo.  He also took the one of my big smile.  You met him once but it was quite a long time ago.  He's a pretty special guy! I might add that he's getting really good with my camera.  It was tricky to catch Tupper at the exact moment when she touched the treat in my hand.

Bill looked after Black Jack while I took a few flying shots of Tupper.

There's Bill with his hat on backwards because the brim gets in the way of the camera.  

I tried to show the beautiful sunset here.  It's hard to see but there's a sort of star over the building in the middle.

Tupper kept following us..

and we finally had to..

stop giving her treats because we didn't want her to go too far from home. 

There's that star over the building, 

and there's my last shot of Tupper.  I hope she went home after that with a nice, full tummy.

Thanks for stopping by to share in our happy day.  If you have a little more time, the meme Our World Tuesday is a fun way to learn about people's stories in other parts of the world.