I AM WOMAN....hear me ROAR (whimper)

OK, so it was more of a whimper.  An inside of myself whimper, shaking like a leaf whimper.

But, and it's a big BUT....

I did hold it together this morning when I found the snake in the yard.

The pygmy rattler that Kujo and I almost stepped on!

No, I did not get a picture of the snake.  Actually, I went to where I discarded him to take a picture of his lifeless, limp body, but couldn't find it.

No it was really, truly, good and dead.  Really! 

I wouldn't have picked it up, even with the shovel had it not been dead!

It was about a foot from us when I saw it.  

Right in front of the steps to the pool.

Just laying there, as though it had nothing to do other than sun and give me a freaking near heart attack.

But I digress,

So, Kujo and I gave it a W I D E berth, and went about our merry business

of him sniffing everything in sight and hunting the perfect place to do his business.

Luckily, I had him on the leash this morning for some weird reason.  I don't usually.

Finally, he was ready to go back inside, and his MAMA, (read me) was good and truly freaked out thinking,

"I've got to find that snake" & "If there is one, there are others"

and totally convincing myself that the back yard was one big snake pit.

Once he was back inside, I took off my flip flops, and put on the rain boots.  I know, not much protection

but more than flip flops.

Went back outside to the shed, passing by the last known location of the perp, once again, giving it a 

W I D E berth to get the shovel, hoe or whatever I could find that was handy and did not require me to 

dig around in the shed.  (Again a perfect place for snakes)

When I finally had the shovel, I went back and started looking for the snake, he had not moved!

Then the fight was on,  not much of a fight actually.

My behemoth was only about 18" long.

Nothing like this monster...

Here are pictures from the scene of the crime:

Hope everyone has had a little less excitement than I had for this fine Monday!

BTW, I think I know why I had a snake in the yard, this evening I saw a fat, furry mouse type creature in one of my flowerbeds next to my house!  Seriously, I think it is someone's escaped gerbil!