we had a real nightmare here the other night.
I had taken my grand-mouslings, (see my avatar). over to mom's because she had bought them some groceries. They have been vacationing with me. They live 8 miles away, LOL!
It was about 11:45 when we got back to my house.
I knew the house phone wasn't working when I left.
We get very, very poor reception for our cell phones in our yard too.
I had backed the car up to the gate to get the groceries out of the trunk and unlocked the doors.
Usually C is the first one out of the car but thank God not this time.
I had opened A door, right behind driver's seat and unbuckled her.
All of a sudden I heard something and turned and looked toward the steps.
There was a huge rattle snake all coiled up at the foot of the steps and one of my cats, B.C., was on the poor rail.
I slammed A's door and yelled, "Everybody stay in the car!"
I locked their doors and grabbed my purse for my cell phone.
I was shaking so bad I had trouble finding it.
I knew if my husband, who is deaf, came out to see why we weren't coming in, he would sail right down those steps without knowing, because he can't hear.
I cranked the car and turned it around and put the lights right on the steps.
I tried over and over to call him on both phones but couldn't get through. He has almost no hearing, but hearing aids, so it was worth a try.
My plan was to see if I could tell him what was going on.
I honked the horn till I thought the coast guard would come, but I knew he couldn't hear me.
I even flashed the lights several times, but with the porch lights on and the lights in the house, he wasn't going to see anything coming from the end of the house.
In the mean time I had my door open and was standing up so I could try to wave my arms and scream at him if he came out.
I tried calling my dd at the library. They have Wi-Fi there, but she was in a dead spot.
I called kid's mom and dad and got them on the phone and explained.
They went to the library to get dd.
I called 9-1-1 and this lady said "There is nobody in your area. If I did call somebody to go out there, they aren't animal control."
I shrieked into the phone, "They won't kill it?
"
I had sat down because I was tired and then I saw hubbyy coming out the front door
.
I still had the lady on 9-1-1 and I started screaming hysterically and waving my arms and hands, "No! No! No! No! at my husband!"
He was looking at me and kept on coming towards the steps and then all of a sudden he realized that I didn't want him to keep coming and he looked around and then he saw the snake on the cement.
He immediately turned to go get his shotgun.
I told the lady on the phone and hung up.
If our cat hadn't stayed on the porch rail, the R.snake probably would have taken off.
Hubby got back pretty quick and he was able to put the rifle barrel over the railing and got a solid shot from about five feet.
It blew it to smithereens!
It was six foot long.
Then everybody drove up.
I had been warning dd about walking around in the yard in the dark but she kind of brushed me off.
First thing she said was, "We gotta do something. I'm always walking around out here."
We need more motion lights like we have on my wash shed.
It's really bright.
Yesterday they fixed the house phone and hubby cut the grass super short and trimmed the bridal wreath bush way back. (It's right beside the steps.
I haven't been out after dark since and I had been going to dd's some.She lives on our property.
I slept with the kids all night and we all had dreams, but none too bad.
I can't believe 911 wasn't too interested in helping in such a situation!
Phone repairman and my hubs agree that the s-s-s-s was probably interested in a kitty snack, but my kitty was keeping guard and he did fantastic!!! The other kitties watched from the car like I did. They knew their limits and weren't going any closer. BC is now our hero! I love dogs, but I'll always have a cat or two around. Yay BC!!!
