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Ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww! Another Day in the Neighborhood!

By
Home Stager with 1st Stage Property Transformations

So today started out like any other normal day UNTIL I decided to take the trash out.  Yup....someone has to do it!

As I opened the side garage door I nearly jumped out of my skin when I almost stepped on a RATTLE SNAKE!!!  Yup....you read correctly...a "RATTLA" as my husband would call them!  Let's back up a little....no coffee yet and after this no coffee needed!

Oh my gosh...what am I going to do?  Hubby is out of town......so he can't come to my rescue.  My Yorkshire Terror, I mean Terrier, is begging to go outside to my rescue and I am feeling trapped in my own home.  So what do I do.....I decide to GRAB MY CAMERA!  OK I called a neighbor first but I am always thinking about AR and Blogging!  Can you say ADDICTED!

Rattle Snake TailI find my camera and head around to the front of the garage only to see he MOVED!!!

HE IS NOW HEADING INTO MY OPEN GARAGE!!! 

Yes, I am yelling.....how many times has my husband told me not to leave the garage door open. 

So I take a wide running loop around the snake into the garage and hit the garage button and I watch what seemed like an eternity for the door to close.  Hoping it landed on the snake like a guillotine....but no such luck!                             <----------Look at the SIZE of the RATTLE!!!!

Now I come out the front door to witness this intruder heading back towards my BACKYARD!  Where is my neighbor...my HERO???

Living in Murrieta  CA near the Santa Rosa Plateau we have witnessed lots of wild life....besides snakes, coyotes, owls, red-tailed hawks, bobcats etc.... So you would think I would be use to this.  Nope!

Here is my Hero Mark.  My Hero MarkThe first thing he said was "Wow...that's a Big One!" 

After poking it a couple of times with a shovel (Kids....Don't do this at home!) the snake  decided to hide and crawled up under my beautiful italian cyprus tree. 

Mark decided he needed a better tool/weapon so he asked me to keep an eye on it and he would be right back! 

No problem I can handle that!  Me and the snake weren't going anywhere!

Mark returned promptly with a pvc pipe with tape wrapped around it and a rope down the middle of the pipe.  "That's a cool tool" I said.  "I just made it" he said. 

 Ok this guy means business!!!! :)

Believe it or not....Mark didn't kill the snake.  Actually I think he was trying to but the darn guy wouldn't give up!  So he told me he was going to throw it into the back of his truck and take it to HIS HOUSE to show it to his boys!  Fine by me!  Who am I to say not to take "my" snake!!!   

Here are some more action shots for your viewing pleasure.

The Snake removal tool"Ok I know he's in there somewhere!!!!"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Neighbor Captured Rattle SnackNow he's got em'! I know he may look small but he is really really huge! :)

And if you've never heard a Rattle Snake RATTLE....I have to tell you it is really LOUD and sounds really really SCARY!!! 

Close up of Captured Rattle SnackSnake attached to the snake tool leaving with Mark

 Good Bye Rattla...Don't come back soon!!!!

 The moral of this story......you tell me? 

 

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Blog posted by Janice Sutton, Murrieta Temecula Home Stager.  Home staging & marketing homes for the Inland Empire/Riverside County & San Diego County.

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Comments (21)

Kathleen Lordbock
Keller Williams Realty Professionals - Baxter, MN
Keller Williams Realty Professionals

Moral #1 Always obey your husband

Moral #2 Always keep your camera handy

Moral #3 Crazy neighbors are OK

Moral #4 Snakes are our friends, not food  (sorry wrong story)

Sep 10, 2008 03:07 PM
Janice Sutton
1st Stage Property Transformations - Murrieta, CA
Home Stager - Temecula Murrieta

Chris- I'm with you...I am not afraid of snakes..just poisonous ones.  I was very thankful my neighbor was around also....he saved the day! :)

Kathleen- Haha!  Thanks for the great list.  My husband is going to love Moral #1! I look forward to your "Snakes are our friends" blog!

Sep 11, 2008 07:42 AM
Bill Gassett
RE/MAX Executive Realty - Hopkinton, MA
Metrowest Massachusetts Real Estate

Janice you mean to tell me you are not still running:)???

Sep 11, 2008 09:13 AM
Cynthia Tilghman, Realtor® Onslow County NC Home Specialist
Kingsbridge Realty, Inc - Hubert, NC

Janice,
What a way to start your day!  As my uncle used to say, "there are only 2 kinds of snakes I'm afraid of--live ones and dead ones". 
Personally, I'm very impressed you had the presence of mind to take photos. 

Sep 11, 2008 01:27 PM
Fernando Rosado
West Palm Beach, FL
561-906-0050 or 561-840-8950

I WOULD RUN FROM THE EAST COAST ALL THE WAY TO THE WEST COAST FASTER THAN Then U CAN SAY RATTLE !!!!! YIKES!  what is the phobia for snakes called "Rattlephopia?

Sep 12, 2008 07:22 AM
Janice Sutton
1st Stage Property Transformations - Murrieta, CA
Home Stager - Temecula Murrieta

Bill - Ha ha!  Running takes too much energy!

Cynthia - Your uncle is one smart man!  Ha ha my "hero" thought I was crazy to take pictures.  I am bummed I couldn't get a better up close shot.  But since I was standing about 30 feet away and using my zoom I can't complain!  :)

Fernando - You are too funny! Yikes is right!  I had such an adrenaline rush after this snake encounter.  When I now tell the story the snake seems to be getting Big and BIGGER!    

Sep 12, 2008 09:17 AM
Debi Ernst
St. Charles County, Missouri - Prudential Alliance Realtors - O'Fallon, MO
GRI, e-PRO, Broker/Sales Associate

Janice - I'm not afraid of snakes, either...  However, rattlers are a different story!  What a nice, brave neighbor...  :)

Sep 12, 2008 03:53 PM
Kathy McGraw
CELLing Realty - White Water, CA
Riverside County CA Real Estate

Janice- thanks for the great laugh.  I was just telling Carole in Long Island that we have snakes.  This was last night, and to come here this morning.....well I got a big kick out of your story.  And I really identifies with the "wanted a better picture" comment LOL :)  Yep, that was a no coffee needed morning  :)

Sep 13, 2008 05:05 AM
Sherie Earley-Womack
Choice Real Estate - Monterey, TN

OH MY GOSH!!! I am so afraid of snakes!! I am getting ready to have to go walk several Wooded lots that I just listed. Thanks a lot for reminding me how afraid I am to go do this. I can't wait until fall so I don't have to worry about stepping on one of those critters. YIKES!!!!!! There is not enough room for me and a snake in one house. I would have to put that house on the market. I have a friend who was showing her first house and found a snake in a finished basement on a rug. She thought it was a kids toy but um NOOOO it was real. Needless to say she did not sell the house to those buyers.

Sep 13, 2008 06:07 AM
Debbie Summers
Charles Rutenberg Realty - New Smyrna Beach, FL

I HATE snakes...  I was in the garage of a vacant listing of mine and notice a 4' long snake skin, all I could think of is the snake that has to go with it.  You can never be too careful.

Sep 13, 2008 10:19 AM
Janice Sutton
1st Stage Property Transformations - Murrieta, CA
Home Stager - Temecula Murrieta

Kathy -  Glad I can make you laugh!  I was wide awake after seeing that guy! 

Debi- Yes, Ratla's are a DIFFERENT STORY!  I don't know what I would have done if my neighbor hadn't helped me.  Maybe I would have stayed in my PJ's all day till my husband got home! ;) 

Sherie- Yikes!  I feel/read your pain!  I would not like to walk through wooded lots either.  Be very very careful Girlfriend. 

The snake on the rug is crazy!  That would have totally freaked me out!!!  Another reason why you should always visit the showing before the potential buyer sees it.  You just never know what you might find. 

Debbie- Oh my gosh!!!!  Snake Skin....That is sooooo nasty!  Gives me the heebie geebies! 

Sep 13, 2008 11:05 AM
Chuck Willman
Chuck Willman - Alpine, UT
NewHouseUtah.com

Yikes. Though I'm OK with most snakes the rattlers are especially frightening.

Sep 14, 2008 05:42 AM
Howard Tennyson
Ace Home Inspection, LLC - Warner Robins, GA

Janice...good thing you didn't get hurt! When they get startled they A-T-T-A-C-K (see, I should have worked for "Animal Planet"!) My #1 on-the-job fear is running in to one of those buggers while crawling around in a confined crawlspace. So far it's just been spiders. I found a really nice Black Widow in the garage of my last inspection. Georgia has its share of creepy-crawlies so I'm always on the lookout.

Take care!

Sep 14, 2008 01:27 PM
Janice Sutton
1st Stage Property Transformations - Murrieta, CA
Home Stager - Temecula Murrieta

Chuck - I am right there with you!  This guy was scary!  Not one to mess with.  I sure was lucky my neighbor was there to tackle this one!

Howard- I was so lucky.  I almost stepped on him and I am sure he would have bite me!  Yikes!!!  If I had to do what you did I would be sure to wear metal armour!!!  Be safe my friend. :) 

Sep 15, 2008 05:14 AM
Marchel Peterson
Results Realty - Spring, TX
Spring TX Real Estate E-Pro

Janice, what a guy thing.  That so sounds like something my husband would do; well actually has done but with a copperhead. 

Thanks for your prayers for us during Ike.

Sep 15, 2008 03:53 PM
Janice Sutton
1st Stage Property Transformations - Murrieta, CA
Home Stager - Temecula Murrieta

Marchel - You are right about the guy thing.  As soon as my husband got back in town he was like.."show me the pictures you took of the snake"  Ha ha! 

My week was nothing compared to your week!  You are all still in my prayer's.  God Bless.

Sep 16, 2008 04:43 AM
Sidney Kutchuk - Realty Works Temecula Kutchuk - Realty Works Temecula
Realty Works Temecula - Temecula, CA
Realty Works Temecula

Janice,  We recently had scorpions, 2 of them here in Temecula....

Sep 18, 2008 11:41 AM
Janice Sutton
1st Stage Property Transformations - Murrieta, CA
Home Stager - Temecula Murrieta

Jane - SCORPIONS....YIKES!!!  Were they on your property?  They are pretty small so I can see them hiding and getting away easily.  I am not sure what I would do if I spotted a scorpion.  Maybe give the neighbor a call again! :)  

Sep 19, 2008 04:12 AM
Sun Lakes Realty Banning, CA
Sun Lakes Realty, Inc. - Banning, CA

First I'l like to say...what a great looking driveway you have!!!  I love that look. 

Second, thanks for sharing your snake story.  I had goosebumbs reading it.  I don't care for any kind of snake and have encountered them at my house too.  And I'm with you, if my husband wasn't home...I would have also gone straight to the neighbor.  Thank goodness for neighbors and this brings a whole new meaning to the term "love thy neighbor"!   Cheri

Feb 19, 2009 04:44 AM
Janice Sutton
1st Stage Property Transformations - Murrieta, CA
Home Stager - Temecula Murrieta

Cheri - Thanks for stopping by!  I have to give my husband credit on the driveway....he is really into hardscape!

Oh my gosh....I am not a big fan of snakes either.  Small ones I can handle.....this one was GIANTIC!!  My neighbor was my hero. I love my neighbors!!!!

Feb 20, 2009 11:46 PM