Good bye concrete, hello snakey.

Last weekend we got the last of the concrete out of our backyard. (Thank you Jimmy!) It already looks so much better. I'm very happy with it. What I'm NOT happy about is the family of snakes we have found living under our patio. Let me reiterate NOT HAPPY.

A couple weeks ago Joby's parents came to visit and Joby and his dad worked on some projects outside. The next day Joby brought me lunch at work and said "Oh, I forgot to tell you. Go outside and look under our bedroom window. There is something I want you to see." (isn't he sweet?) So, curiosity piqued, I carry Brandon outside and walk up to the edge of the patio and discover the five foot long snake skin. I completely freak out because it's so close to my house and run back inside. Later that day I see all the cats on the back porch doing a little GI Joe type action, trying to catch a glimpse of something. And I know what they are looking at. Sure enough, the BIG, LONG, black snake slithers across the patio, across the yard and under the pile of concrete that was awaiting pickup. That night Joby went outside and picked up the skin and examined it. I was talking to my sister on the phone at the time and almost got sick. I loathe snakes.

Fast forward a week and picture Joby, Jimmy and I cleaning up the last of the concrete. I mention the snake skin to Jimmy (and ask Joby to put it in the woods so I don't have to see it anymore) and Jimmy goes to investigate. In the process of walking over to the skin Jimmy steps on the snake. He does a jig to get out of the way, I scream, Joby laughs, and the snake makes a beeline for the hole under the patio. That means I was standing directly over the snake. Not happy.

The next day I'm out shopping with Vivien and Joby calls. He says "I have good news and bad news. The bad news is that Brandon hasn't napped yet. The good news is that we have at least three snakes. They were all sunning themselves on the patio just now." I asked him how that was the good news. NOT happy!

The silver lining (for me) is that we have two hawks nested in the woods behind our house. We had seen them almost every day but have been absent for a few weeks. My hope (HOPE) is that they will return and make some meals out of the slithery, scaly, beady eyed buggers inhabiting my backyard!