Sigh... It's that time of year again.

Yep, it's true. It is snake season again. In case you don't know this about me, I LOATHE, DETEST, HATE, and any other description you can think of to say about how much I don't like snakes.

I have lots of snake stories, more than any normal person should have. I'll just hit the highlights for you: senior year of high school and the snake guy assembly. He decides the chick who looks like she is about to puck and pass out should HOLD THE HEAD of a 20-foot python. Luckily, some girl I didn't even know spoke up and said "I think she has a really weak stomach". Bless her heart, I ended up holding it somewhere in the middle, thank goodness!

Fast forward to 2004, one early May morning I was meandering down the hallway of the house I lived in at the time, and see a snake slithering the other way! I shrieked and went running the other direction. (KK loves to do an imitation of this to this day!) After much hysterics, crying, calling, and more crying - the snake was found about 5 hours later and removed. I went straight to the Humane Society that day and adopted Sunshine. I figured at least if I had a kitty it would alert me to anything amiss! My handiest friend from the orchard where I worked at the time came with a big ol' can of spray foam insulation and did the place up right! We figured it must have come up by the furnace since there was a hole in the floor there.

Then we have this past January, and let me say just for the record - snakes usually aren't out here around in January, I was minding my own business working away at my little teller window at the bank. I notice the two other tellers standing behind me and one of them says "Hey Susie, what's this?" I turn around and she is pointing down - so I look. Welllllllll... I then screamed, jumped up on my stool, which broke and continued to scramble up onto the counter all the time banging up my legs something good! They thought it would be funny to see how I'd react to a STICK, that looked like a snake. hhhhrrrmmmmppphhhhh Not so funny. (Okay, maybe a little funny, but more for them and not me!)

And then we arrive at today - yep... it happened today. My first snake of the season, well if you don't count this one of from the Smith's Adventures (which I didn't actually see in person, just got a view from Mrs. Smith's cell phone). So, I came home around 3 pm today to bring poor Mimzy home from his big boy trip to the vet - if you get my drift, and what do I find next to my steps. Yep, a snake. I have never actually whacked a snake myself - although I have memories of my mom doing it on this very property I live on. My mother, was quite a woman and I sometimes wonder how she was so strong and did things I can only imagine to be strong enough to endure. But, I digress - so after some hysterics (no crying!) and a couple of phone calls - I decided, hey - I'm a grown up woman. A mother - I've endured childbirth of two 9 lb. babies, I can deal with a snake, right? So - the only weapon I have readily available - my snow shovel. Now I realize, probably not the best option because the blade isn't very sharp (not like a regular shovel or a hoe) so I start a whackin' it with the snow shovel. Guess what it does - it tries to BITE the snow shovel. I kid you not. So, I keepa whackin' until it quits a movin', shakin' in my high heel sandals the whole time.

I love where I live. I love being a part of a small community - I love having my girls grow up here, where I did. I love having my past, present, and future all right here.

I DO NOT LIKE SNAKES.