Getting a Little Snookie

So, it all started around 5:45 this morning, which for the record is way too early.  But before I tell you what happened today, I have to tell you what happened about 6 weeks ago...

It was a normal weekend, nothing much special.  My friend Wendy and I traded kids.  She took Abby for a sleepover with her daughter Carli, and I took her daughter,Lauren for a sleepover with Amy.  Everyone ate, watched movies, stayed up late, got up late and it was time for the trade-back.  So, we take Lauren home and, as is customary, Amy has to visit the pet snake, Snookie.  On this particular day, however, Snookie is not in her home!  She has escaped!  The girls look all over the rooms, upstairs, downstairs, wherever a snake might hide.  (Where is that exactly?)  No snake to be found.  They even checked the rat cage to make sure the rat was still alive.  He was, thank goodness!  But, we eventually had to give up on the search and come home.  

Fast forward to last Saturday.  Abby went over to Carli's for another sleepover.  Amy stayed home. Still no sign of Snookie.  We are all pretty sure, Snookie is gone forever.

Now, back to this morning, 5:45, remember?  Way to early for normal human beings.  Andy is up, letting out the dogs, eating breakfast, getting ready to leave for work.  He is usually pretty quiet since the girls and I are still sleeping.  But not this morning.  This morning he is talking to who knows what, and laughing and blabbering on and on about something.  He finally calls up to me to come down.  And guess what I find when I come down...

Now, clearly this is NOT snake that was in our house this morning.  But, my camera was not the first thing on my mind this morning.  It is important to know that Andy HATES snakes.  Not a little.  A LOT!  Even if we are watching T.V. and a snake makes an appearance on the screen, he will change the channel.  My husband may be big and strong and tough, but he DOES NOT LIKE snakes.

Anyway, I say to him, "That looks like Lauren's snake."  Now, how the heck would a snake that looks exactly like Lauren's snake that just happens to have been missing for the last 6 weeks turn up in our entryway?  I have no idea.  I have never seen a snake in our yard.  Never even happened to come upon a snake in nature.  And now I have a snake in my house, that just happens to look exactly like Snookie.

Weird.

Only because this is funny, I will tell you our conversation.

Me - "Well, pick up the snake and put it in a box."

Andy - "I AM NOT PICKING UP THAT SNAKE."

Me - "Well, of course get some gloves and pick up the snake and put it in a box.'

Andy - "I AM NOT PICKING UP THAT SNAKE."

Me- "Oh brother, that snake is more afraid of you than you are of it."

Andy - "I AM NOT PICKING UP THAT SNAKE."

Special note:  Notice I never volunteered to pick up the snake and put it in the box.  With or without gloves.  That is what husbands are for.  Dirty jobs, heavy lifting, reaching things on the top shelf, opening the pickle jar, and picking up snakes.  That is why we get married.

So, with shovel and broom in hand, Andy eventually scoops up the snake and puts him in the box.  The snake clearly was not happy with the way he was handled, but Andy says he should be happy to still be alive at this point.

The box is now taped together, but I am a little wary of how much of an escape artist this snake is and so  after Andy has left for work, I check to make sure that the snake is still in the box.  And then, I put the box in a bucket.  Just in case.

I call Wendy and ask her what she thinks the possibility of Snookie ending up in our house is.  We can't really believe it.  But, it doesn't make sense for this snake to pop up out of nowhere, especially when it looks just like the missing snake.  Wendy and Lauren came over after school today, and Lauren is sure that it is Snookie!  Thank goodness!  The snake has found its loving owner.

So, what happened?

Scenario 1 - 6 weeks ago, Snookie is a stow away in Lauren's backpack when she comes for her sleepover, and loves our home so much, it decides to stay.

Scenario 2 - Snookie gets out in the middle of the night and sneaks into Abby's backpack and comes home with Abby the next morning.  Now, the snake is stuck here whether it likes it or not.

Either way, I have had a snake hiding out in my house for the last 6 weeks!  Yikes!

Scenario 3 - The snake has been roaming around Wendy's house for the last six weeks and when Abby spent the night this weekend, it decided to make a run for it by hitching a ride with Abby.  It was just checking out its new digs this morning, when it was interrupted by a big, mean giant and his dumb slobbering dog.

I like the last one best.  It means I only had a snake living under the same roof for 3 days.  Still, Yikes!

Goodbye, Snookie!  So glad you are home!