Yeah so Jeff was out of town for a business trip again this week. You may remember how during his past business trips I’ve had issues with the indigenous wildlife. This week has been no different.
On Wednesday morning during our walk Jayce spotted a snake on the road in front of us. He pointed at it, saying, “snake, Mommy, snake,” all from the safety of his jogging stroller, surely in an effort to protect his snake-fearin’ Mama don’t you think? Anyway, upon closer inspection I discovered that it was indeed a snake. A rattler at that. A baby one even. I’ve heard those are the deadliest kind because they are not yet capable of controlling their venom.
Lovely.
This one in particular wasn’t what I’d call deadly. He was what I’d call dead.
Just the way I like ‘em.
Moving right along though…
So today I took Torri to an orthodontist appointment. After returning her to school I was taking the backroads home. And by backroads I mean dusty, deserted, cacti-infested roads. Really they could just as easily be referred to as front roads seeing as how they’re the ONLY roads that lead from our rural desert home to the school. Ah, but I digress.
So I’m driving along doing my best to keep Jayce from falling asleep in the car. I come to an intersection (if you can call it that) and as I make the turn I watch as a cattish animal crosses the road in front of me.
I think I can honestly say that since having moved to Arizona four years ago I’ve yet to have a cat cross the road in front of me. Cats aren’t really outside here much. I suppose the coyotes keep them at bay.
Anyway, this cat in particular was on the large side. More like a small dog. But it wasn’t a dog. Or a coyote. I’ve seen my fair share of those too.
When I reached the area of the road where the cattish animal had crossed I stopped the car right there in the middle of the road and peered into the desert. And wouldn’t you know it was staring right back at me, probably just as curious.
Upon closer inspection I confirmed that it was indeed a cat. Only not the domesticated kind. More like the bobcat variety.
So when I got home I googled an image of a baby bobcat. The pictures I found didn’t look like the cat that had crossed my path. It’s ears were certainly similar, but not quite right. And the animal I saw was slightly spotted, not striped.
Just for kicks I googled an image of a baby mountain lion.
You know what’s coming don’t you?
Yep. It was a baby mountain lion. And that, of course, begs the question: where’s his Mama?
Wherever she is I would rather not make her acquaintance.
And Jeff has always called me crazy when I tell him how I’m scared to go walking in the mornings for fear of being eaten by a mountain lion.
“There aren’t any mountain lions in our neighborhood. But you definitely want to be on the lookout because I think the sky is falling.”
Whatever.
And the kids? The kids find it hilarious that I keep a hammer in the basket of the stroller for just such emergencies.
Who’s crazy now huh?
*Editor’s note: This post is being filed under the “Times I Was Right” category for obvious reasons.
{ 14 comments… read them below or add one }
Well now. Maybe I AM glad to live in PA after all. The only wildlife I encounter are deer and fox. And the occasional possum. EW.
I just knew you were going to say it was a mountain lion! And what are snakes doing on the road in November? Don’t they know it’s almost winter?
When I would run in our desert neighborhood I would freak out over the tarantulas. Oh my they are nasty!
We have snakes too but I don’t think the poisonous kind. The craziest thing I think I’ve seen around here are deer and turtles. I know we’re so crazy here.
I’d make that a sledgehammer if I were you. I always worry about the wildlife when we got walking in the woods. My husband thinks I’m crazy, too, but I’d rather be crazy than dead. :)
Well, I am glad you were in the CAR for the “mountain lion incident”! I hope you NEVER see the mother! Have a great weekend.
Times I Was Right. Classic. Might have to “borrow” that. It would probably get a lot of use!
I STILL love your sense of humor….. more more more!!!
Well, now I’ve got to make a trip to Google to see this thing for myself.
Holy Crap! I’d probably be saying something worse than my typical “Friggin”. ;)
A mountain lion, Wow! I wouldn’t want to run across one of those. The strangest thing I run into up here on the back roads are the occasional moose. Big or little, from what I heard Bullwinkle is really not that friendly. They will stomp on ya like they are putting out a fire.
Um…seriously, you live in a place where you feel the need to pack a hammer in the stroller for security reasons? And you’re not looking to move???
PS) If I were being attacked by a mountain lion, I think I’d prefer to have a gun. Bludgeoning it to death with a hammer would get awfully messy.
OK, what was that you said about me moving there, my reaction times to danger have slowed considerably. I guess that is why you stay in the house!
I do not think you’re crazy. Bordering on genius maybe. A hammer in the stroller basket…now I know what to get my cousin and his wife. Their baby is due any moment.
I do think you’re brilliant.
you’ve just added to my list of ‘why not to live in Arizona’! Seriously! i don’t do snakes, i scream at the sight of the garden variety. dead or alive. loving the hammer, you are brilliant.
First, sooo very glad you were in your car. Our sons had to have indoor recess for a day when a bob cat had made its way into the city and was near their school – very scary!