Saturday, May 23, 2009

One Step Closer.

This is my "trip" knitting. It's what I do when I'm in a setting to kill time but can't lose myself in a book. I knitted on it yesterday when Ian drove us to Carson City to sign our retirement papers. I wrote the biggest check I have ever written in my life. I had to pay back the six years I worked for the State. I withdrew my retirement upon severance - short sighted of me. It took two lines to get all the figures in. They took my check, our signatures are notarized and we are officially retired as of June 22nd. Our last days at work are sooner than that even.
This morning was yard work, in between loads of laundry. One of the things I look forward to it not having to do all the laundry in one day, because it does take a whole day. We have planted shrubs in lieu of lawn. Eddie found a bed in the midst of these shrubs and is feeling a little guilty, as you can see.

The Rocky Mountain Penstamon, on both sides of Eddie, has volunteered more than is welcome. I pulled up five tubs for a co-workers and a bag for a neighbor and there's so much more to go - for another day.
Ian called to me to come see what he had just taken out of the garage. Using a lawn rake, he relocated this 2' gopher snake to the bank above our garage. I've gotten over my hysteria of snakes. They are beneficial to our rodent problem, and truth be told, I'm a heck of lot more scared of chickens. There. I've said it.
I was reading on the front porch this afternoon when I saw movement out of the corner of my eye. Our friend, the gopher snake had returned. Ian once again relocated him, albeit with much angry hissing. The snake, not Ian.
And then a third time, this poor snake came back. Ian asked me if I wanted him to move him and I said no - let's just put the dogs in the house. I followed him - I like to know where they go. It's an "just in case" thing for me. He laboriously worked his way around our house until he found the woodpile, for which he made a bee line.

We realize now that when Ian was stacking wood this morning, he startled our little mouse eater out of the woodpile and through the open garage door. I spent my whole day doing laundry. He spend his whole day trying to get home.

10 comments:

~~Sittin.n.Spinnin said...

I dont understand; you had to pay what back?
Very cool pics of the snake :)

inspiration said...

good day....
thanks

Wool Enough said...

Awww, poor little snakie. He's not very big. Perhaps just a baby. I've seen snakes that naturalists have assured me were gopher snakes, and they were tons larger -- about five feet long and quite thick in the middle. Maybe they were older than your little guy; or perhaps a different variety.

Hilary said...

It is beautiful where you live, but I am not sure I could ever feel comfortable without lots of Adirondack green....guess it is whatever you get used to.
And you are very brave about the snake, I would have freaked.
Guess what, my 12 year old pit bull is Eddie!!!

Life Looms Large said...

Snakes are pretty scary to me...especially when I visit places where there are poisonous snakes. Thanks for the snake pictures (I think!)

Congrats on getting ever-closer to retirement!! I predict there will be a lot of things that you'll love about it!!

Sue

PS: Funny that your dog likes to lie like a frog too!!!

vlb5757 said...

I with ``Sittin.n.Spinnin-why on earth did you have to pay back six years of working. I am happy that you get to retire. Now you will have more time to chase snakes. That snake was pretty smart!

Robin said...

Snakes give me the shivers! I like the color of your trip knitting yarn.

bspinner said...

Nice pictures of the snakes but I'm gald they are at your house and not mine. At our last home we had both rattle and copperhead snakes.

I'm also curious why you had to pay back the State. June 22nd isn't that far away.

Theresa said...

Great pictures and I like snakes, frogs and other creepy crawlies. I especially like snakes that don't rattle.;-) I'm sure you must have that variety around and nice that a non-venomous has taken up residence instead.

Leigh said...

I don't get the paying back part either. But that was really interesting about the snake. Funny what a strong sense of home it had.