"I Matter, TOO, Don't I?"

With all the Hallelujahs over his six precious, darling owlets, we seem to have forgotten their progenitor: MEL! And that is so wrong. You know why, MODS? Because way back in the early days, before gag-shag, when there was only "SHAG'N" and Syd laid her eggs (and still there was Shag'n!) we didn't expect so much from our young Romeo, did we? Like, when he saw Syd's first egg, and kicked it around to see it roll as if he was warming up for his first FIFA World Cup! And then there were two eggs and he treated the second one with equal respect, testing it's capacity to score goals by kicking it into the owlbox wall! We watched and waited while compassionate, kind, understanding MODS put us naysayers in our place by calmly reminding us that he and Syd were still such a young couple, teenagers, really, and we should not judge them in haste. Who was judging? I thought - no, some other MODS whose posts we were SHOCKED TO READ! - thought it was amusing, wondering at what point Syd was going to figure out that she was actually supposed to sit on those odd, roly-poly things she laid. And lay them she did: seven! (One non-viable.)

In retrospect, did we give Mel the respect he deserved? Now look at the brood: hopping & flappin' and jumping all over that owl box  - on the roof, no less!

Mel, on behalf of any of us who ever doubted your capacity for virile, competent fatherhood, we apologize and sincerely congratulate you on being the best darned father any owlet could hope for. (Oh, of course M&M were our first loves...) But Mel, we salute you: Job Well Done and continuing...got three out of the box, three wanting out of the box, and you and Syd have put on quite the Parenting Act! So, here's to Melvin*! Thank goodness we all got your name right! {SkatrPic}

(not his REAL name, see comments below)