Howdy folks!

You were thinking that I’d disappeared again, but never fear…

I am here.

I’m hanging in there although I have indeed slipped down into the “is it time for a nap even though I just dragged my a## out of bed” mode.

I’m sticking with the plan though and have kept the dining room table cleared off and used it’s available surface to lay out the baby quilt that I need to get busy on for my first grandchild due in August.

The hallway area and the living room are in the process of being sorted, de-cluttered, organized and cleaned.  Not working as fast as I’d like but I don’t live in “perfect” so I’ll do the best that I can.

The desk is cleared and all of the bills are stacked and waiting for my lottery win to be taken care of.  I don’t play the lottery, so it’s unlikely that I will win, but if a miracle occurs, I’m ready.

Of note, a good thing  happened this week, or a bad thing didn’t happen…

I guess it depends on if you are a glass half full of water or half empty type of thinker.

My husband, daughter and I returned home from our cleaning job at dusk on Thursday.

My husband stopped the car at the end of the driveway and let my daughter out to grab the trash can and pull it up to the house.

As he pulled up in the driveway we heard her cry out.

And then she yelled, “Get the gun!”

She was less than a foot away from a three foot long rattlesnake.

My husband took it’s head off with the first shot.

There is no picture to share and no need to say thank you…you are welcome.

It’s the first one we’ve ever seen out here since we moved in 12 years ago. They’ve been spotted elsewhere in the neighborhood and we’ve seen plenty of other snakes, but not a rattler.

We’re pretty much a live and let live type of country dweller.

We’ve killed a couple of rat snakes and a raccoon that become persistently fond of our chicken eggs and chickens.

Possums and armadillos are welcome to dwell and forage.  I just fill the holes back in and replant the plants.

Vermin are left undisturbed as long as they live outdoors and don’t take up residence in my pantry.

I try to be tolerant of scorpions and fire ants as long as they keep their distance and don’t mess with me.  That means that they maintain a healthy perimeter away from my residence.  If they become threatening, I bring out the diatomaceous earth for the ants and the black light flashlight for the scorpions and level the playing field.

Deer are given free reign over the vegetation.

BUT, I draw the line at rattlesnakes.  There is no negotiation or tolerance.

Dead. Dead. Dead.

I don’t care about their importance in the whole cycle of life thing.

A foot away from my daughter!  If I had gotten out of the car to get the trash can, I wouldn’t have been able to spot it in the dim light.  It never rattled.  Scary stuff.

We are going to consider this a great week.

Small accomplishments.

Depression and anxiety are manageable with a bit of intention.

An unharmed daughter

Life is going okay.

Peace.