Jeepers, the woodland creatures are taking over. Yesterday afternoon the kids and I were sitting on the porch after school, just chilling, enjoying the Carolina blue sky and warm weather (finally!) when Boudreaux, out in the yard, started barking and barking. The new neighbors have a cat that likes to sit on the other side of the fence and taunt him (I know what he's thinking: heh, dumb dog. I can jump over this fence right now and claw your eyes out, you can't, nyah nyah!) so I thought the cat was back. I didn't pay much attention, but eventually got up to yell at him. Well, 'tweren't no cat, Boudreaux had a SNAKE backed up against a tree! The snake was all coiled up, head up, and striking at Boud. Boudreaux would back up when he struck, so thank goodness I don't think he was bitten. From one angle it looked like the snake had a hood, and my brain registered "COBRA" even though intellectually I knew we weren't in India and cobras don't live in this area (do they?) I screamed at the dog to come, and finally he did. We stood on the deck watching the FOUR FOOT LONG (at least) black (and not dangerous) snake slither into the woods. <SHUDDER> They probably eat the vermin that hang around the woods, and I was glad to see him, but I was also glad to see him go.
But he must have missed a rodent yesterday, because this morning ... as we're all sleepily trying to get coffee and cereal and bookbags packed, I see out of the corner of my eye a brown blur go by on the floor. Quickly, and MOUSILY. Yep, a mouse was in the house. I've apparently been watching too many Tom & Jerry cartoons, because without thinking, I jumped up onto a chair, Lisa screamed, "EEEEEK!" and ran into the bedroom calling for David, who is at this time in the midst of a deep REM sleep. He comes stumbling out of the room, armed with a swiffer mop, ready for battle. The darn thing ran to & fro, scared out of its wits, and ended up running under the dishwasher. Ugh ... the kids were completely freaked out and wouldn't go into the kitchen to get their breakfast.
Okay, Mr. Snake, you're fired. Dereliction of duty.
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