Trust in Me, Just in Me*

I haven't written about snakes for nearly two months. It's about time, don't you think?

Thursday morning I got up bright and early so that I could have some quality Skype time with Tom. A few minutes later, Timothy walked in. As any of you with teenage boys know, this was a rare occurrence. The sun has to be high in the sky before my boy gets out of bed willingly.

Sure enough, he said he'd been woken by a staff member reporting there was a python in the rabbit hutch. Tom spoke up from the Skype screen and said he didn't believe it. Finding a python alive is pretty rare. Timmy insisted it was a python and Tom demanded proof. 

Bless the makers of the digital camera, the laptop,  the internet and Skype. By using all these mediums, a seventeen year old boy gained some pride and confidence that morning. Sure enough, it was a python. Below is the picture that proved it.

Tom was so jealous. I told him he was welcome to fly back and come see it for himself. He declined this invitation. Something about needing to fulfill his speaking obligations, yada yada.

The next several minutes were spent discussing the best way to catch such a large and powerful snake and also, how and where to keep it until Tom returns.

Once Timmy had received his marching orders, he suited up by wearing work gloves and a long sleeve shirt. He also grabbed a 10 inch hunting knife in case the snake wrapped around him--he'd be able to stab it and force it to let him go. He insisted, however, that he was perfectly fine being barefoot. Huh! 

By the time we got to the rabbit hutch (yes, we!--I was drafted as the photographer) the snake had moved. 

Timmy and Enock (our gardener) positioned the metal drum just so and began poking gently but firmly at the snake with sticks and the snake grabber. Tom had been very specific about moving slowly and not angering the snake.

After doing this for a while and seeing no progress, Timmy said, "Gentleness be hanged, I'm gonna get me a snake" (or something like that--I may be paraphrasing), and he grabbed onto the snake's head with the snake grabber and pulled it into the drum. 

That was one unhappy snake. The lid was placed on the drum and taped and tied down. There is a breathing hole at the top and Mr. Python has since been fed a large rat. He may not be a happy snake but he'll be well fed.

"Thank you for saving us!"
You're so welcome, little bunny!

*In case you didn't get the reference, Kaa (a python) sang this song on Disney's Jungle Book.

More snake posts, in case you're into that kinda thing: 

Snakes and Klingons, Comments Regurgitated (second half), My Life Flashed

Exactly One Year Ago: Weekend Update with Amy....

Pretty, Happy, Funny, Real

Pretty

My kids captured a picture of this bird in the field next to our house.

I have no idea what it is? Do you? 

Happy

I'm sorry to do this again, I know I already posted about it, but this picture just makes me so happy! Eight years ago, baking cakes for my kids' parties would give me anxiety attacks. Look at me now!

Funny

Can that pouty lower lip get any bigger? Peter didn't want to be in the playground with the other children. He wanted to come up to our house. Have you ever seen a more pitiful sight?

Real

Troy was playing with the dogs on Monday and fell right on his hand. One of my fears in living in the bush is broken bones because there are no competent orthopedists out here. We'd have to travel by bus for 17 hours to get to a hospital that I'd trust to set a broken bone. Thankfully, it was just a badly sprained wrist and seems to be healing up just fine.

Something's Bugging Me

I promise, I'm not really complaining. 

I'm more just stating a fact.

These past couple weeks I've been completely bugged.

I'm being completely literal.

The other day I went into the clinic and found it covered with termites. We cleaned it all up and yet the next morning....

They were all back. We figured out they were coming from below the floor and a little cement fixed up the problem.

Then, a couple days later I saw the laundry lady leaving for her lunch break and asked her what was in her hand. I was not prepared for her answer or what she showed me!

 

This was going in her cooking pot. I screamed, "Why, oh why?!?" I know they're high in protein and fat. I'd just rather eat peanut butter.

Just before Tom left on his trip, we found a little critter hanging out on out on our front porch. Literally, hanging.

Tom and I spent several minutes taking pictures with our respective cameras; trying to get the best shots. I was quite impressed with myself and how far I've come in my quest for courage.

And yet, yesterday, as I worked on the computer, I felt something tickling my neck. I thought it might be my shirt's tag or perhaps my hair stuck in my necklace. I reached up to fix whatever it might be, when to my horror, I discovered it was a huge stink bug. 

I confess that I shouted a few things I shouldn't have and jumped around my room a bit. I guess I haven't gotten far enough on that courage thing.