My daughter Shirley posted a picture of a black snake on her blog the other day. She and her children had come across it.
I am NOT a snake fan but nevetheless was taken by my mind back to that quaint village, Triangle, where we spent a few years of our lives during the Rhodesian war.
We had a couple of incidences ourselves concerning these creatures I would prefer to be far from, like another planet.
The first that comes to mind was a day I had had a procedure done at the local hospital so was sleeping off the anaesthetic.
The maid had taken the children on a "picnic". Translation of picnic during those times : An enjoyable outdoor exercise where one lays a blanket on the ground, takes a basket of yummy treats and juice, and enjoys the outdoor air. Picnics ONLY took place within the safety of ones own garden as to venture further would be dangerous and leave one open to hostile attack by terrorists. I'm very serious.
After the picnic, the blanket had been shaken out, folded and returned to its cupboard.
That evening my husband casually called me out of my stupor, summoning me to GET OUT OF BED (he has lost his mind I thought to myself), does he not remember I am on a serious trip right now and my mind is befuddled with left over anaesthetic.
I followed the voice, using the walls as support, and ....EEEEEEKKKKKK..... He was holding the cupboard door closed, and protruding from it was a snake. The snake had obviously been wrapped up in the blanket and deposited in the cupboard. He was probably casing the joint to find his way out and get his bearings as the last he remembered he was in the garden! We returned him to the garden. He was not very big.
The second incident was during lunch one day and we were all sitting aroung the dining room table. We had a large tree growing outside the dining room window. We all watched in silence as the thickest and longest python we had ever seen slowly slithered down the tree. I could almost read his thoughts "don't mess with me" and as I had no intention of one of my small children becoming his dinner, we phoned the local police. They dispatched a man with a rifle.
By now we were all at the kitchen door as "monty python" slid past. The policeman took aim and fired - missed. Lisa was 2, this was sport for her, she threw her arms in the air and yelled "YAY!" Undeterred the cop fired a second time, missed. (Glad my life did not depend upon him for protection). Lisa once again repeated her little performance of cheering and "YAY'! (like people do when their favourite rugby side scores a try). I still see her standing there in her training pants with "if it's sticky I'll have it" printed on the back, and her long blond hair almost to her waist.
Third shot hits its mark. We were told to be careful as they have partners and that his may come looking for him. Sure enough, 2 days later his partner was found run over in the road outside our property.
I was always sorry that it was necessary to take the action we did, but he was a danger to my small children and we had no way of knowing where he lived and there were no snake catchers around.
I love animals and small creatures, but I really can't do snakes.
I am NOT a snake fan but nevetheless was taken by my mind back to that quaint village, Triangle, where we spent a few years of our lives during the Rhodesian war.
We had a couple of incidences ourselves concerning these creatures I would prefer to be far from, like another planet.
The first that comes to mind was a day I had had a procedure done at the local hospital so was sleeping off the anaesthetic.
The maid had taken the children on a "picnic". Translation of picnic during those times : An enjoyable outdoor exercise where one lays a blanket on the ground, takes a basket of yummy treats and juice, and enjoys the outdoor air. Picnics ONLY took place within the safety of ones own garden as to venture further would be dangerous and leave one open to hostile attack by terrorists. I'm very serious.
After the picnic, the blanket had been shaken out, folded and returned to its cupboard.
That evening my husband casually called me out of my stupor, summoning me to GET OUT OF BED (he has lost his mind I thought to myself), does he not remember I am on a serious trip right now and my mind is befuddled with left over anaesthetic.
I followed the voice, using the walls as support, and ....EEEEEEKKKKKK..... He was holding the cupboard door closed, and protruding from it was a snake. The snake had obviously been wrapped up in the blanket and deposited in the cupboard. He was probably casing the joint to find his way out and get his bearings as the last he remembered he was in the garden! We returned him to the garden. He was not very big.
The second incident was during lunch one day and we were all sitting aroung the dining room table. We had a large tree growing outside the dining room window. We all watched in silence as the thickest and longest python we had ever seen slowly slithered down the tree. I could almost read his thoughts "don't mess with me" and as I had no intention of one of my small children becoming his dinner, we phoned the local police. They dispatched a man with a rifle.
By now we were all at the kitchen door as "monty python" slid past. The policeman took aim and fired - missed. Lisa was 2, this was sport for her, she threw her arms in the air and yelled "YAY!" Undeterred the cop fired a second time, missed. (Glad my life did not depend upon him for protection). Lisa once again repeated her little performance of cheering and "YAY'! (like people do when their favourite rugby side scores a try). I still see her standing there in her training pants with "if it's sticky I'll have it" printed on the back, and her long blond hair almost to her waist.
Third shot hits its mark. We were told to be careful as they have partners and that his may come looking for him. Sure enough, 2 days later his partner was found run over in the road outside our property.
I was always sorry that it was necessary to take the action we did, but he was a danger to my small children and we had no way of knowing where he lived and there were no snake catchers around.
I love animals and small creatures, but I really can't do snakes.
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