reptiles, leading cause of heart attacks?

i moved to NC 12 years ago.
a sun loving beach girl from the jersey shore my only requirement was that wherever we moved there needed to be a Target.

it took a while to get adjusted to the southern lifestyle.
i was ok with the occasional harmless snake that would slither through the yard
i freaked out the first year we owned our home when i saw my first palmetto bug.
(ok actually i panicked, i killed it slid it in a baggie and scanned it to my husbands uncle who is an entomologist and asked him if i need to move.)
i am ok with the mosquito's, the hornets, the fire ants...even the spiders (ok i am working on that one.)

however, yesterday as i was typing emails from my computer,
kicked back, shoes off
i felt something ever so lightly brush over my toes.
i didn't even look down it was so light, i just kinda rubbed my feet together and kept typing.
but a few seconds later i felt it again...

when i looked down this was on my foot!

i swear to you i lost 3.5 years of my life in that instant.
its not that he is scary, but holy crap i wasn't expecting a lizard to be on my foot.
the scream that emerged from me was probably heard within a 2 mile radius of my studio.

i dumped out the wipes from the box of baby wipes off of my work table, trapped him in the corner and called the only person that could help me in this situation, PAYTON.

payton loves bugs, and she loved the lizard.
i told her she could have him, but he would have to be her outside off our property pet.

she knew what i meant, LOL!

she took him outside to show her friends and let him slither away (thank god!).

i am wearing slippers and typing this post, lol!
here is to a lizard free thursday

Comments

[Debbie McIntyre]

BLAH!!! Payton is the hero of the day! She deserves cake. Into the kitchen Donna...today you bake. Thanks for the chuckle...Mac

[Sharon Peters]

When I saw the first piccie I thought that the lizard was huge!!! (But I would still have screamed too....) LOL. Your daughter is very brave - my 19 year old would have been hiding behind me!!!

[Cheryl Darrow]

When I was a little girl, I collected all sorts of bugs, lizards and crawly things and put them in glass jars with holes poked in the top. I kept them in my room and would feed them daily. Some of us are sissy girls and some of us are lovers of nature. My mom was a sissy girl. So's my daughter.
Cheryl

[Kitty]

We have several that live in the mulch in our front yard. They like to sit on the front porch while the dogs bark hysterically at this "major threat!" I wonder if they have ears......

[lisa in Ontario]

okay, so now my story about a Meadowlark flying around in my kitchen yesterday, pooping all over the floor & walls doesn't sound near as exciting!
The gecko/lizard looked cute, tho' I'd be freakin', too, if he'd been lickin MY toes!!!!

[Holly S]

I just moved to Leland, NC just outside of Wilmington (in January of this year) and the first time I saw a newt (green lizard) was in our garage and I did the same type of scream....we don't have 'them their' critters up north, do we? They are everywhere where we live and they drive the dog nuts!

[Jingle]

LOL! I would have done the same thing! It's funny how even if you aren't really afraid of things when they appear when you aren't expecting them...they can totally freak you the heck out! LOL!

[kelli]

From the first picture I thought he was big, like the size of your foot! Either way, I would die if he was on my foot.

[LoriHudson]

Don't move to Florida. They are everywhere. We kind of like them because they eat mosquitos. Kids will open their mouths and clip them to their ears like ear rings!

[Cara]

Ugh. Very timely. I just walked outside and saw a big fat lizard waiting for me by the door. It's just creepy the way they move!!

[Elaine]

I would have screamed too....I can't handle stuff like that! My daughter rescued me too - only it wasn't on my foot - it was on my lounge chair while sunning!! The lizard was only about 5" long but the thing had this flourescent BLUE and yellow tail! OMG - it was creepy! She snuck him home in her pocket and later I found a little shoe box in her bedroom with the name "Slimey" and...."He was a slippery little thing. May he rest in peace" She assured me that he did not slip out of her hands in the house. (she'd be dead if that were the case)

[Leslie F.]

That totally beats my centipede-across-the-keyboard story any day (although they both give me the shivers!). Good thing you've got a fearless daughter!

[susie l.]

Donna, I think it's a skink---some of them have beautiful blue tails and if they get pulled off they regenerate a new one. They like to live under things like rocks, logs, folded up lawn furniture. I have a love hate relationship with one in our backyard--we just both run in opposite direction now when we see each other (it must've gotten tired of my screams!) I hope Payton enjoys him.

[Patricia]

You don't want to know what I would have done to that thing. OMG I'd have freaked out. *shivers*

[Debra Abel]

Oh I would rather a lizard than anything else, especially centipedes (YUK). They eat bugs so hey I would be very okay with them. I once put on a shirt I had ironed and left hanging. I felt a pinching on my back. I took off the shirt only to find I had been bitten three times by a big spider. I hate crawly things like bugs. Mice and lizards not so much

[misti]

Don't move to Florida! The palmetto bugs are bigger! Plus, lizards are a daily occurrence (they are cute to me!). There was one in my bathtub the other day. Sometimes the cats find them....!

[linda d]

Thanks, your story gave me a much needed chuckle. He sure is a cute little bugger.

[gitz]

In a million freaking years I would never go barefoot again!!!!

[Jennifer L]

Tee hee hee. I'm not trying to be insensitive, but your story put a smile on my face. We've got all kinds of little critters around here. And if anything ever brushed across my bare feet I'd be jumping up to make sure it wasn't a scorpion and if I were to find a lizard instead I'd be very thankful.

One day I was taking a shower and looked down to see a scorpion running in circles around my feet. I let out a scream that brought my husband, MIL and FIL running. Once I saw them I almost decided to jump back into the shower with the scorpion.

Sorry for your little heart attack moment.

[Alaina]

Reminds me of our trip last year to Costa Rica. We were at the best resort in the country as a part of my husband's President's club trip at work. Three iguanas in the room. First time my mom was alone with my daughter and she had me get someone to come and get it. Mario was the guy that came to our rescue. It was hilarious at the time. Three of us up on the bed while I took pictures. He told me "otra iguana. . .call Mario." Yeah I called him another time. That was even funnier because he was trying to figure out my husband and why he didn't get it. Mario was the happiest guy and loved to pose for pictures. Even better was to see his pictures right away.

[yvonne]

OMG, that story was exactly what i needed, not making fun, just laughing with you. I live in FL and bugs are an everyday thing, still don't like it, but have learned to live with them (from a distance!)

[Sherri]

You totally made me laugh out loud! Cause I would have done the exact same thing!

Nothing against the little lizard but he looks much better from a distance...preferably outside!

[Becky M]

Wow! I live in FL and can't stand lizards. Let me tell you, it's not the place to live if you do not like lizards. : )

That lizards toes are so long and creepy...I'd still be screaming. haha.

[Tammy Friedberg]

I am RIGHT there with you girl!!! I HATE anything that resembles reptile! I was hanging xmas stuff outside one year and a snake made its way under my ladder....You've never seen someone crawl onto a roof so fast nor heard them scream so loud!Needless to say my hubby got it...it was a mere 7 inches long...lol ;) I still haven't heard the end of the jokes on that one ;)

[LizT]

HA... that's hysterical... I feel your pain. I however should be used to that sorts of stuff, being I was born and raised in NC. But, after dealing with jumping spiders in my mailbox anually and finding a damn frog in my sink (please tell me HOW a frog gets into a kitchen sink?) I was equally unprepared for this moment... LOL Check it out if you have the time!

http://reallifedetails.blogspot.com/2009/04/aghhhhhhhh.html

[Rachel]

Rachel From NewZealand says.........

He he Donna I can't believe you could be ok with SNAKES!!!!! and not a harmless lizard and a tiny one at that he he.
Payton you go girl!! You will be able to scare a few boys with that to I bet!

[Lisa Hodge]

Donna,
How funny! Sorry for your near death experience. We were spreading mulch the other day (me and my 8 year old)and one of those VARMINTS came charging out of the bag, didn't take Dakota too long to decide his place was IN THE HOUSE! He left me to fend for myself! We have them EVERYWHERE here in Arkansas! They live near my little pond in the back yard, in the big flower beds out front, everywhere I tell ya! Don't like them, but they are just part of the scenery here :)
Thanks for a good laugh!
Lisa H. in Arkansas

[Mary W]

HOLY CRAP girl! I would have been the same way!!! Yea, we have the same creatures here in Charleston. Just saw a 4'-5' gator sitting on the bank of one of the ponds in the neighborhood. CRAZY creatures!!

Mary W
Chas., SC

[Miss M!]

Better a little lizard on your foot than a palmetto bug. *shudder*

[Huyen]

I feel your pain. I would be calling my oldest to handle the situation. She is only 4.

[Kate]

Haha! I had a lizard fall on me from the rafters of a hut in Jamaica...while I was in bed. I screamed so loud I think it shook the Earth. Thanks for the memories!

[Jill]

For me, better the lizard than snakes. Can't even look at them without shivers running through me. Of course, I'd never be as brave as Payton and, like, TOUCH it!! EWWW!

[Amber Zimmerman]

Oh my gosh!! What a great story and I needed that laughter right now. =D As cute as the little guy is, I would freak if one was on my foot in my house too! LOL!

[KathleenLoughran]

I am glad you are okay and it wasn't a poisonous sci-fi variety creature. But I appreciate the out loud belly laugh this gave me. My short stint as a "southern belle" did not endear me to the larger variety of God's creatures either.

[Misty]

I could deal with lizards anyday over spiders or crawly bugs - they eat spiders and bugs! I HATE spiders!

[kat-in-texas]

Hahahahahaha XD !!! I would have a heart attack too!!!
My son thinks it's some kind of Skink...whatever that is...But keep them around--they eat all kinds of bugs!!! I've never seen a palmetto bug in my house!!!
Yeccccccck!!!

[Nancy C. from Wilmington, NC]

Donna, dear Donna, I'm at the other end of NC in Wilmington and you'd have lost more than those 3.5 imaginary years if you'd been in a couple of our neighborhoods recently.We have been having an alligator problem. They seem to be visiting in neighborhoods they do not usually visit. And I'm not talking about little cute things. I'm talking about 8' long gators, strolling through your yard! I can't believe you've not been visited by little lizards like that before. I teach school and they are all over the place there. The kids catch them at recess. One teacher I know keeps a terrarium in her room just for them! Not my cup of tea, but it's better than a gator!

[judy in carefree]

Had one in my house yesterday. It was about an inch long..a baby...but was quickly stepped on and flushed. I don't like lizards!

[Michelle]

Yep, we just moved to Matthews, NC, and I saw one crawling up my house the other day. It's called a blue tailed Skink. The tail is only blue for a short time while they're young. According to Wiki, they can bite, but only when provoked and it just hurts a little. . . .

[Karen Greenfield]

Isn't amazing how these little children become our "saviors???" I always I might have given birth to two possible friends but I never realised how things/situations/crawlies they were going to save me from!! We are so lucky as moms, huh?!

[Rachel]

Sorry, but I had a chuckle at your expense :-) He's got pretty cool colours. The ones we've seen scampering around our house in Malaysia are all a light tan colour. Did it bring back memories of the fish foot spa in Singapore? LOL

[angie]

YUCK. Yes, they are all in my yard and on my porch. Milo likes to chase them (my dog). One came in the house one day & Milo alerted me. I stomped & killed it with my Crocs! HA

[Sonya from Alberta, Canada]

Oh MY...Oh MY....got goosebumps as I was reading your post. Slippers are a good thing!!

3 yrs ago when we were in West Africa there were geckos running up and down the walls....I didn't sleep much...still to this day at night I often think there is something in the bedroom...besides my hubby.

[Kelly Rell]

I lived in St. Thomas for a summer and lizards in the house was an everyday occurance. What really freaked me out was when the dog brought me one as a prize!

[Julia/Scrappiola]

OMGoodness - thank you for sharing...glad to see that there are other wusses around!! :-)

P.S. - How's the nose ring working out for you?

[Catherine Scanlon]

The first picture made him look huge, and I laughed out loud when I saw how tiny he is...ha ha ha. We have salamanders that are about that size here, my dog used to eat them!

[Jane Smith]

I can totally relate. It's not that I am so scared or grossed out by insects, spiders, reptiles, the sorts, it's just... one never expects them to be there! And when they are there... darn they're scary!

[Alison Shearer]

You need to come and live in Australia (or maybe not LOL!) - land of the venemous snakes, spiders, lizards and sundry other creepies and crawlies. Red back spiders (poisonous)live in my garage and while I wouldn't like one on me - if they leave me alone I leave them alone...I guess it's what you get used to. I hope the little guysd learn to stay outdoors where they belong.

Alison

[caren]

God bless our children for not being afraid of little things!!! I would have shrieked!!!

[Karen C.]

oh my goodness, too funny!

[LisaAnn]

hahaha! brought back memories of our trip to Disney a few years back. We were climbing our way up to some ride at Blizzard Beach and the stairs were steep! I felt something "ever so slightly" on the top of my hand - thought it was just a bug landing - looked down and scared everyone around me with my scream! One of those THINGS was just sitting on top of my hand. Now, I am much larger that IT was, but you would have thought my life was in danger! Thanks for the memories...

[candice]

Oh my gosh! that is funny! We moved here 12 years ago too - and I will NEVER get used to the over abundance of nature that finds its way into my house! Apparently, we've scared a couple of the lizards (I think they are skinks) as much as they scared us - when they are scared, they 'lose/drop/leave behind' their tails! And then it lays there and twitches which fascinates my boys but REALLY freaks me and the girls out! I met you a couple of years ago at CKC in Charlotte - I was the one who has 8 kids - 7 of them play soccer. You probably don't remember me, but I've been 'following' you since then - and I've gotta say CONGRATULATIONS on the weight loss and healthifying your life!! You are such an inspiration to me! And one of these years when 'inspired' isn't on a state cup soccer weekend, I will be the first to sign up!!

[Yaritza]

I'm not a house person. I've been living in an apartment since the minute I moved out of my parents house. Somehow my husband thought that since we're having our third child that it was time to move on and get a home. I reluctantly aggreed as one of the bartering points he made was having my own craft room. We moved during the winter so the amount of bugs was down to a minimum. Now Summer is approaching, the yard is filling up with all sorts of vegetations, yuck, and all sorts of little animals are coming out. One of those being that little lizard that you felt tickeling your toes. Now mind you I also have 2 dogs and a cat. Those little buggers can squeeze in through the tiniest little hole as I have been having my husband fix every single little hole or crack that I see anywhere in the house. I especially enjoy when I'm walking through the house and the kids are yelling that there is a dead lizard somewhere, and much to my amaze that also means that the tail is missing and I have to hunt down where it is the cat took it off at or the dogs,who knows. I never seem to catch anybody in the act so that I can and get one of the kids to save that poor little creature.

[karine]

I have been living in eastern Africa four 4 years now and insects are HUGE here... lizards are big too... I still have them but I try to control my freaking fears so my better half does not make fun at me!

[Tina]

That's funny :) We actually have lizards as pets and they are so fun to watch!

[Cameron]

Oh, Payton is a girl after my own heart! My aunt and I still take photos of weird bugs and reptiles when we're on vacation and send them to each other... "Look at this cool guy, he's iridescent green and purple!" "Check out this dude, he's got huge pincers!" Ha ha!

[Melissa]

What a cute little guy. We have lots of little green anoles around here. The cats like to hunt them. I'm glad Payton's got you coverd for lizard and bug duty. In our house, that's my job.

[Laurie]

Actually it's a she, not a he. It's a skink and we have a 'pair' living around our garage. The male is bigger and is bronze/copper colored. No matter, if I found it crawling around on my legs I would have FREAKED!

[Account Deleted]

CREEPY!

[Crafty Mom]

OMG!!!! I would have totally lost it, too! I don't do reptiles or rodents! When we moved to a new house we had a problem with mice and I didn't sleep well for months!

[La gachette - means the trigger]

Oh my GODDDDDDDDDDDDDD I would have died right there! I know samll bugs don't eat big bugs, but geee I just don't like them. lol

[Lucy]

I recently came accross your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment. I dont know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog. I will keep visiting this blog very often.

Lucy

http://smallpet.info