R.I.P. SAM

It's been quite an upsetting day today.  My dad came home to find his beloved Sam dead in his cage. 
Dad was absolutely heart broken.  Sam has been Mum and Dad's companion now for 11 years and was just the most beautiful and affectionate bird.  He bought so much joy to their lives.  He chatted to them all day long,  mimicked phone calls, whistled Jesus loves me, and always ended the day with a "Goodnight Margaret", "Goodnight Allan".

Sam

 When we first lost Mum, we thought that Sam's evening goodnights could be quite hard for Dad, but in a way he took comfort in them also, so he was quite devastated this morning to find that his beloved Sam had passed away.    Some crows had got to his cage. 

Dad was the only person he would allow to pat him. 

Sam has been good company for Dad in the last five months since Mum passed away,  and there was a special bond between Dad and this beautiful bird.  Dad was the only person Sam would allow to pat him.  If any of the rest of us tried to pet him, he would nip us, but not Dad , when ever Dad came over to his cage, his little head would come out for a rub or pat. 

It broke my heart this morning when Dad rang me to tell me his bird at died,  he was so upset and I felt so helpless, so far away,  it is really times like this when I really wished we lived closer and I could visit him each week.    I thought this loss would get a little easier as time went on..... it has jut been so hard to loose Mum and then watch my Dad broken and so lonely.    It sucks getting old....