not for sissies

Living in the desert of Arizona is not for sissies. I have to be on the lookout, night and day, for creepy, ugly, slimy creatures that invade my being. In some ways it has become almost (I put emphasis on that word for a reason) comical to see what the next gem will be to show it's little beady eyes.

Earlier this week I turned the corner after leaving our driveway and I saw a welcome sight. A familiar pair of eyes and antler[s] to this Colorado homegirl. A young deer was standing in the middle of some cactus. It had only one antler and was looking straight at me. I quickly took out my "always-close-at-hand camera" and slowly rolled down the window. The noise of the window was enough to scare it away. Before I had a chance to get its picture it had bounded off around the back of the house.

Deer=smart animal that runs away when a human is near.

Snakes, bobcats and javelina=not so smart animals that stare at humans, laughing to themselves because of the sissified look of fear they generate on the face of said human.

Now that the temperatures have finally cooled down enough at night, we have been leaving the sliding glass door open in our bedroom to enjoy some of the coolish night air while we sleep. However, I'm finding that I have to get use to the night sounds of the desert. Coyotes, owls, crickets...which reminds me of the cute(?) little machine my sister brought with her to Albuquerque. A noise machine that she dialed to the "cricket chirping" mode. She said it helps her sleep. Helen, you would sleep REALLY well in my bedroom!

So, monday night I was suddenly awakened out of my nice peaceful, cricket-filled sleep by a new sound. You know the sound a dog makes when you have just given him a brand new raw-hide bone to chew? That loud grating teeth on bone sound? That is what I was listening to. My imagination went wild. Is it here in our room? Under the bed? Is it a coyote on the patio feasting on the leg of a rabbit? A javelina chewing its way through the screen door? Reptile Wrangler was quietly making his own noise, so I knew he was sound asleep, oblivious to my frightful state and the annoying noise that was going on outside our screen door. Bravely I slipped out of bed, testing my step, ready at any moment to leap to the safety of the bed if I came into contact with anything other than soft carpet. The grating and crunching led me to the door as I felt for the light switch. I quickly flipped it on, prepared to see some large beady eyes and sharp bloody fangs facing me. Nothing. I scanned the perimeter of the patio and saw nothing. Also, heard nothing. The noise had stopped. So, feeling assured that whatever it was... was safely on the other side of the fence. I checked the lock on the screen door to be sure it was secure, turned out the light and quickly got comfortable back in my bed. The organic noise machine was dialed to "chirping-cricket mode" once again. And the grating chewing started again too. Back out of bed. Patio light back on. Noise stops. Nothing to see. This time I left the light on. Closed the sliding door. Locked it just in case. Pulled the room darkening shade to block the patio light and headed back to bed. I listened to the quietness and happily went back to sleep.

The next night...same scenario.

Wednesday morning I went into the bathroom. I opened the window a little wider and looked towards the corner where the chewing was coming from. There on the rocks, staring right at me with...yes, large beady eyes... was the biggest, fattest RAT I have ever seen. Really. Sitting back on it's haunches, wiggling it's nose, wringing it's little hands back and forth as if to say..."I'll get you my pretty." (name the movie that line is from). I said, "Holy Ratfink Batman, it's time for Reptile Wrangler to go on duty!"

We have had two quiet nights of sleep since then. A feast of special formula rat food may have contributed to our good sleep. Or, the threat of Reptile Wrangler just lurking around the area may have scared him off. Either way...I commented that I don't know what I will ever do if I see one of those inside the house. I was somewhat use to little bitty field mice in Colorado, but a rat the size of a small rabbit?

No thanks. Not in my house. No rats or mice.

That is what I reminded myself about after I bought these yesterday.

Yep, I paid money to bring rubber mice into my house!

This weekend is homecoming. Leah is having a group of friends over for a pizza party before the dance on Saturday night. They do homecoming a bit differently here. It is casual dress and they have a theme. This year the theme is Scooby Do and the Haunted Halloween. I know, like I said... different. So, I'm going with a Haunted Halloween theme for the dining room decorations. I'm getting started on it today. There will be a few surprises...

we might as well make it memorable.

I wonder if Reptile Wrangler will enjoy wearing the rubber snake around his neck?