I have already shared my encounter with a snake while gardening this year. Was that not enough for one year? Well I guess not, for I had my second encounter recently. This one was a little too close for comfort. Not that comfort would ever be a word I would use when talking about snakes.
So this time, I had just come home from a shopping trip and parked my car in the garage. I got out and opened up the back hatch and took out my bags. As I was starting to shut the hatch, I looked down and AT MY FEET was a SNAKE!!!!!!!!!!!!! Need I say that the hatch did not get shut. I ran around to the back of the house with all sorts of thoughts running through my head. I peared in the window and found my husband sitting down to lunch. He let me in the back and then went out to check on the snake. Brave man! I did not want the snake in the car with the hatch left open or in our garage.
The snake was still there and not moving. Did I run it over? Was it dead? No, it was not flat or anything, just very still. This part I was told by my husband. I was not about to go out to see for myself.
So my husband checked out what type of snake it was that he was about to confront. It was a gopher snake. Since it was not poisonous, he moved it slightly with a stick to encourage it to go elsewhere. Apparently, it stuck its tongue out before heading down the driveway. EEKK!
I, as one might imagine, did not leave the house for the rest of the day. But afterwards, I had to wonder, was the snake there all along and I almost stepped on it or did it creep up on me? Yikes!
If anyone noticed, Another Day With Julie did not post on Friday. Why? Well, Friday was not just another day with Julie. But regardless, it was quite a day!
I was having quite a lovely morning. Went outside to tackle some weeds. I was almost finished and decided to spray a few weeds with vinegar out back, near the garden shed. That’s when I saw something move to my left, right by the shed. A long, slithery, striped green and yellow thing. EEK!!!! I ran shrieking into the garage, shut the door and entered the house, never looking back. I do NOT like snakes (or mice for that matter)!
Now, feeling quite safe, I went about my business inside. I decided a bit later to watch an episode of This is Us that I had missed when it aired earlier. So, I sat down to watch it and then after a bit got thirsty and went to get an iced coffee. When I came back into the room, I saw something looking at me in front of the sliding glass door. Oh great! There is a lizard in my house!
This is not good. Living in Southern California, we are used to lizards. However, I do not like them in my house. We have had them in the house before and they are VERY hard to get out. They are tricky little guys. They are fast and not only can they run, they can climb. So if you corner them, they will just climb up the wall. They can also get injured pretty easily if one tries to place a container over them.
Since we are all home due to the Covid-19 restrictions, I have helpers. And I need help. This is not a one person job by any means. However, two of my potential helpers are in phone/internet meetings. Luckily, my son (while doing homework) was available.
I backed slowly out of the room so as not to scare the lizard. If it got away, who knows if we would ever find it. I then ran into the kitchen and got an empty yogurt container. Luckily, I had just washed one out, saving it for some practical use. This was it. Then I ran to my son’s room and gathered him. He was none too excited but was my hero and came to help.
The plan was to chase the lizard out the sliding door. First however, the door had to be opened without freaking out the lizard. Then it would have to be chased out the door. Easy enough or so one would think.
My son was armed with the yogurt container in one hand and a piece of paper in the other. My job was to go outside and move the screen door out of the way and then when given the signal open the sliding door and close it after my son chased the lizard out. One may think I had the easy job. Ok. Remember the snake? He was still out there somewhere now wasn’t he?
So, I make my way cautiously to the sliding door which is not so far from the garden shed. I open the doors and all is going to plan. My son chases the lizard. I start to shut the door. The lizard gets spooked and back in he goes. So, I too head back into the house through the other entrance and help the troops fight the battle from inside.
The sliding door is open. When I was outside I saw a lizard crawling on the side of the house. I am praying he doesn’t decide to come in as well. But back to the lizard on hand. My son and I talk strategy. I grab a large drawing board and position it so the lizard can’t get through my side or into a pile of boxes in front of the door. My son tries to get the lizard to go out. It is now in the corner. One turn and it could be free but it starts to climb the wall. My son stops him and we start making noise. Doesn’t work. The lizard is playing dead. Finally he moves ever so slightly. My son is able to scoop him up into the yogurt container and the lizard, container and all are tossed out the door. The door is slamed shut and locked. We have won the battle!
Lizard on side of house. Not the guy who got inside.
The whole episode took an extremely long time. I was exhausted. Apparently, we were a bit loud in our capture. Both husband and daughter heard our ruckus and wondered what on earth we had been up to.
After all that, I finally did get to finish my show. However, I just couldn’t be in that room anymore. So, I moved the laptop to the living room and watched from there. I have returned to the room now and as I am writing this, I am wondering if the lizard might have followed me inside when I ran in from the snake. Hmmmm…..
(above image of Bette Davis taken from Hush… Hush, Sweet Charlotte)
Another Day with Julie 