SNAKE!!! TAKE THREE!!!

SUSAN: Why is it that when Nigel goes away for a Rugby weekend ... everything on the farm goes awry. BIG Thanks to Jimmy for talking me through the snake experience from his vacation in Chatanooga. And BIGGER Thanks to Josh, the "snake whisperer" who came at 10:00 pm with head lamp, gloves, and a special snake bucket to remove the snake from the coop. Unfortunately, the snake had already departed the coop before Josh arrived.

Here's the story .... (FYI, I've named this snake "Slim Shady" or just "Slim" for short). I came home on Friday afternoon and Slim was just lying underneath the laying boxes. I get a huge case of the hibby-jibbies. I walk over to my neighbor, Dan's, house, but he doesn't answer (perhaps Dan is NOT a snake whisperer). Then, I just gave in and decided that I had to remove Slim Shady from the coop. Well, this was easier said that done. I got the Magic Broom, crawled up on the laying boxes, and then had to contort my arms to get the Magic Broom in position underneath the laying boxes to push him out. Well, after eating an egg (or two), Mr. Slim Shady was pretty fat & happy and not interested in leaving the coop. HE DIDN'T MOVE! So, I had to use BOTH HANDS and the STRAW-SIDE of the broom to PUSH HIM OUT of the coop. He slowly moved along and down through the chicken wire to his lair. SUCCESS! I am snake charmer!

That night, about 9 pm, I went down to put the girls to bed, as usual, & Slim Shady was BACK! This time he was in the top two laying boxes all nestled into the pine shavings. Very big hibby-jibbies from me! I quickly ran upstairs and started calling Nigel (who suggested I pick Slim Shady up & put him in a bag and carry him across the street - yeah, right) and then my neighbors (starting with Jimmy and then Josh). You can imagine the things that I was saying to Josh at this point ....

"Nigel had a chance to get Slim Shady out a week ago; but, he just let him go back underneath the coop."

"I am definitely not the type of girl who picks up a snake. I'm just faking this farm thing."

"Nigel could have gotten Slim Shady out of the coop but he got scared."

Josh is definitely a Snake Whisperer -- so much so that Slim Shady has not returned to the coop since Josh visited. YEAH, JOSH! My New Hero!!!