Stripey

Having children, especially my two boys, does, on occasion transform you into Johnny Knoxville from Jackass.  They believe so fervently that you can do anything that they will ask you to do crazy stuff.  And when they ask, all of your inhibitions and fears fall away and you become a dare devil.  Or, at least, I do.

So when Isaac decided he wanted to catch a snake and keep it as a pet, I became Johnny Knoxville, dipping my toes in stinky snake-infested waters all in the hopes of seeing that smile of his.  The past three weekends we ventured to Coggshall, home of Turtle Cove and a clutch of Northern Water Snakes.  One such venture was almost successful.  The water has receded significantly, such that now, if I am careful, I can lower myself in to the mucky shoreline and down next to the water.  I did so one day and got very close to getting us a baby Northern Water Snake, but alas it was too quick and I was too limited in how I could move.  It got away and Isaac was crestfallen.  He didn't whine or cry, but I could tell he was sad.

Then, this weekend, we went to Barrett.  We brought the critter catching gear--a dip net and our little terrarium, but the lack of prior success made me less than hopeful.  We stalked around the lakeshore, with P-Pa, Mom, and Beethan in tow, and we found nothing, not even a frog.  Then we ventured up to the waterfall, which, thanks to the drought, is nothing more than a trickle, and stomped around there.  Just as I was about to give up hope, Bianca let out a clear but muffled scream.  I came running to find a nice two foot snake crawling in the rocks and mud.  It looked like a Garter snake, but given how much Isaac wanted it, unless it rattled I was going after it.  It was a quick but tense pursuit, he really did not want to be caught, but we were able to get him into the net and then into the terrarium.  

And just like that Isaac finally had his snake.

As we were walking out he turned to Bianca and said something that he undoubtedly got from me: "Mom, now that we have a pet snake are we weirdos?"  

After a vote, we named him Stripey Slither Sculimbrene.  He lives in the terrarium outside and we are going to do our effort best to keep him alive until October when Nanna comes.  

Also, I have no idea what I will do to further impress my sons.  Let's just hope it doesn't involve chainsaws and juggling, though I am sure there is a YouTube video that can show me the trick.