The Rattlesnakes are coming

[venusonstilts]

Last night my husband and I implemented date night for the first time in our almost five year marriage.  We drove 45 minutes into town, dropped the kids off at a babysitter and went out to eat at the local historic hotel and ate a very nice dinner by an outdoor fountain.  We had two great hours of peace and quiet, picked up the kids and drove home 45 minutes and watched a lovely sunset.  I had to get out and open 4 sets of gates in the mud which wasn't very glamorous and for that story I'll have to write another journal post called 'why my neighbor on the next ranch is really starting to piss me off."  My husband and I remarked that it was almost miraculous that we had not seen more rattlesnakes by now.  At the end of summer last year we had killed a combined seventy five rattlers.  I contributed to four. :)  As soon as the words left my mouth I regretted them.

When we arrived home we let the kids run around for a bit outside so they could enjoy the cool evening and play with the puppy and the kittens.  I went around the front of the house to feed the dogs.  My fifteen year old blind, deaf, toothless overweight aussie soon ran in front of me.  I was stopped cold in my tracks by the overwhelmingly loud noise of a rattlesnake.  It sounded like it was 200 pounds.  I totally overreacted by screaming and running faster than I thought my fat, pregnant self capable and yelled for my husband and began the search for my children.  We found it on the front porch in a really bad humor. 

I know this is what I signed up for by living here and don't get me wrong, I wouldn't trade it for a thing.  Perhaps I'm just a wee bit paranoid because I'm pregnant and I have 2 toddlers, but I went to bed last night feeling that my life hangs in frail balance with the creatures around me.  It would take five minutes for the joy of my life to be wiped out.  I know there are women out there living in the ghetto who have to worry about their children being shot in bed as they sleep by drive by shooters and women in other countries who live in fear of their children starving and I guess for a few years, for a few months out of the year I will live in fear of my children's lives as well.   

The cat patrol in case your wondering was nowhere to be found.   

 

[PTBAAMom]

Jul. 18, 2008 at 3:35 PM THat would freak me out!

[laughter07]

Jul. 18, 2008 at 3:58 PM bless your heart!! I HATE SNAKES!!!

[GrannyLew]

Jul. 18, 2008 at 10:17 PM

Oh, just the idea makes me jump!  My husband grew up on Crow Flat outside of Dell City, TX.  Their ranch land ran up to the base of the Guadalupe's.  He hates rattlers!  During their time growing up, they had dogs, cats and cattle bit by snakes.  He's also seen a cat corner a rattler, though.  So they're usually pretty good at keeping them away from the house.  His Dad was bit , Grandmother had to walk a mile to get a horse.  Then they had to ride horseback somewhere else to get a vehicle.  It was 12 hours by the time they got to the doctor.   His niece was also bit when she was just a little girl.  By that time, though, they had ambulance service in DC and she was taken on to El Paso.   That was a hard life growing up there.  My husband's parents moved into Carlsbad when he was 18 and both died in their mid-sixty's.  Sweet, sweet people.

[TomboyDivas]

Jul. 23, 2008 at 11:14 AM

I'm right there with you!  My girls run wild when we go to the ranch, and I spend all my time worrying about rattlesnakes.  The worse part is that my 8-year-old is a firm believer that all God's creatures have a purpose on this earth, and that we should not be killing them.  She also honestly thinks that she'll be able to CHARM a rattlesnake if she ever runs into one.  :)