Facing my Fears

1. BEARS

2. MORE BEARS

3. LIGHTNING

4. SNAKES

This is what I've had to face this week:

1.Remember my post about going to the mountains for Memorial Day weekend?  It was only tainted by one thing ... bears.  In all the years we've been going to the mountains, we've never really had to worry about bears.  Until now.  We were notified that there was a large black bear lurking in the neighborhood.  There had been evidence of them eating trash, birdseed and prints on our neighbor's deck.  Their DECK!!!  That's right up against the house!  We sleep with the windows open up there!  

Great.  Looks like I'll be suffocating this summer on vacation.

2. The day we returned home from the mountains we had an alert on the local news that there were bears in the area.  WHAT?!  Here?!  We've lived here for 30 years and have NEVER heard of bears in the area.  Now they have been spotted near our rural neighborhood.  A video clip showed them walking down a street with houses, picket fences and mailboxes!  That's not allowed!

3. Saturday night we had a BBQ at our house.  We had about 45 people over to eat.  We were able to have dinner outside, but before dessert was served, a huge storm hit.  No problem.  We just moved the party indoors.  The kids (about 25) were playing upstairs when we heard a deafening crack of lightning.  Our largest twin poplar had been struck 20 feet from the house.

Wow!  The power was amazing!  It blew off 4' chunks of bark and ripped a hole in the ground. 

Oh.  Did I mention what was in that hole?  Our brand new underground dog fence. 

 It ran through the wire and blew the transmitter off the wall in our detached garage.  The outlets were blown out of the wall.  The garage door opener was melted.

The guys are coming today to take down the trees.  My husband will replace the door opener.  *We're not telling the dog that his collar is just for show now.  

4. Last night the five of us and my parents went to get some dinner (Salsaritas, LOVE it!).

When we got home, we were all headed inside together to catch up on my parents' latest travels.  As my dad headed up the stairs in the garage I looked up and there, on the wall, parallel to the angle of the steps, AT EYE LEVEL, was a huge black snake!  I was the only one who saw it.  I screamed, apparently (in the shock of the trauma, I don't remember screaming, but my family claims I did).  Unfortunately, the word snake escaped from my vocabulary.  All I could say was Get back!  Get back!  Get in the car! oh, oh OH!

My children, sensing my fear, started screaming and shook with fear.  Yes, I failed that mom test.  You know, the one where we are supposed to protect our children from our fears.  Big fat 'F' on that test.  By the way, this is the 3rd snake we've had in the garage in the past 6 years!  Really, there should be a limit, doncha think?!

So.... now that I have had to face my top 3 fears in less that a week, here is what I've learned:

1. Bears do not just prowl in deep dark forests.

2. Bear spray is a reasonable investment.

3. Lightning really does like tall stuff.

4. Trees are expensive to have taken down.

5. Houses are even more expensive if said tree falls on it.

6. Always check your surroundings for large slithery things.

7. Snake-Away is a reasonable investment.

This is what I am thankful for:

1. I did not have a snake and a bear in my garage last night.

2. Only our detached garage was hit, not the one that I keep my car in.

3. All of our home appliances work.

4. Our dog does not have curly hair from the jolt.

5. My children have a healthy (okay, maybe not so healthy) fear of snakes.

6. Weatherstripping around doors.

7. GOD'S PROTECTION