I am Michelle D. Carter

We must be on a roll finding animals. First it was the frog/toad, and then it was a turtle. Last Friday we found another turtle while we were out walking. This one must be a full grown adult because it was BIG! The kids convinced me to bring it home. Our next door neighbor’s daughter, Whitney, lost her pet turtle about a year ago. The kids thought this one might be Whitney’s so they were going to return it to her. I knew by the size it wasn’t the same turtle, but it was sweet they remembered. Needless to say, we brought it home.

Andy took this picture with his camera, a Fisher-Price camera:

It didn’t take long and they were asking if they could keep it. I told them that I didn’t know. We’d have to talk to Daddy and I doubt he would want to keep it (see the Big WUSS blog). Alyssa said, “We can talk him into it.” She already knows her Dad is a big pushover if you really want something. Deep down, I didn’t want to keep it either so I made Tim the heavy. I tend to do that.

We decided we would keep it a couple days and see what happens. Whitney’s Dad, Tony, shared some sage advice on dealing with kids and “found” pets. He would tell his kids that the animal had a family, just like them, who missed them and wanted them to come home. Thanks Tony!

On the way home from the local festival, we told the kids about the turtle’s family and how it would only be visiting a short time before returning home. When we got home, the turtle could not be found. We didn’t think it would be able to get underneath the fence because of its size. The following morning our other next door neighbors told us how they found the turtle caught in their soccer net. They had to cut it out to set it free.

A few hours after being turtle-free, I was trimming the bushes, when out slithers a little snake. I don’t know what kind of snake it is but here in the mid-West, I doubt it’s poisonous. In fairness to the Big WUSS, I have to admit that I am one too when it comes to snakes. I know they have a purpose but they freak me out. Since I had my gloves on, I decided to confront my fears and pick it up. It was a fast little rascal. Tim has paused long enough on The Animal Planet for me to know you are supposed to pick them up by the head but that little sucker kept darting around, so I picked it up by the tail. I’ve got a grip on the south end and instantly the north end took an aggressive move towards the cause of the problem, me. I screamed like a little school girl. Ken and Jennifer, our neighbors with the turtle-trapping soccer net, were out working in the yard too, heard my screams of girlish terror and start laughing at me. After a little practice, I honed my snake wrangling skills and got a grip on the wiggling reptile.

It’s time to let it go. I’ve made great strides in overcoming my snake phobia, but the kids are not keeping a snake as a pet. I asked Tim where we should release our latest catch and he said, “Rhonda’s van.” Rhonda is Tony’s wife and Whitney’s mother. Her van was sitting in their driveway with the windows open. As tempting as that was, we let it go on the side of the house. Go eat all those spiders before they make it in the house and frighten Alex, a.k.a. WUSS Jr.

I confronted a fear, I am stronger!

1. Mom Says:
   June 11th, 2008 at 11:52 am

   Since I share your not so fondness of snakes, I looked it up, it is a great plains rat snake. Thank goodness it is not harmful. Look forward to all other “pets” and creatures.



2. Michelle Says:
   June 11th, 2008 at 12:27 pm

   Thanks Mom!