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North Rawly and North Cackilacki, as seen by a SoCal exile
Posted: Wed Oct 26, 2022 5:21 pm
by John Thomas8
Foggy wrote: ↑Sat Sep 24, 2022 7:08 pm
Today on the 40 freeway at about 75 mph on a glorious September afternoon, the car next to me in the left lane suddenly swerved into my lane, coming so close to me that his passenger, an adult male, screamed in fear through his open window. Ol' Wifehorn heard this through my own driver's side window, which I had rolled down on a sunny and warm day, and she screamed too also, beginning just milliseconds after the dude in the other car screamed. So that was exciting. Everybody on both sides of me, yelling their fool heads off.
But I hit the brakes without swerving at all, and made the guy miss me by well over an inch, maybe 2 inches (5 centimeters, no more), and I never screamed even once, not even when I passed him later and had an opportunity to comment about his navigational skills, or lack thereof.
Ol' Wifehorn's comment, hours later, was simply that the incident was "terrifying," and I'm sure it was, in the passenger seat. But my California training kicked in and I reacted on autopilot. Besides, I told the cats that we'd be home before dinner, so I couldn't fit a major accident into my bizzy schedule.
I highly recommend getting some sort of dash cam. Completely eliminates he-said/he-said as to what happened. One crash not on your insurance will pay for the camera.
North Rawly and North Cackilacki, as seen by a SoCal exile
Posted: Wed Oct 26, 2022 5:36 pm
by pipistrelle
Foggy wrote: ↑Wed Oct 26, 2022 5:16 pm
Voted early today.
Short line, everybody being pleasant and friendly, I wore my "Birds Aren't Real" button (it's non-political), had a good response, and went home. With ol' Wifehorn, of course. I have done my civic booty and voted for good people right on down the line.
But
whose ol’ Wifehorn????
North Rawly and North Cackilacki, as seen by a SoCal exile
Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2022 10:24 am
by Foggy
There are so many acorns plopping on our roof and back porch, ol' Wifehorn said "It feels like we're under attack!"
Which means a bumper crop for our squirrelly friends this winter. Heck, if we were Native Americans there's definitely enough for some delicious and healthy acorn recipes.
North Rawly and North Cackilacki, as seen by a SoCal exile
Posted: Thu Dec 29, 2022 1:03 pm
by Foggy
We're HOOOOOOOMMMMME!
Almost 60° outdoors, I love Rolley!
North Rawly and North Cackilacki, as seen by a SoCal exile
Posted: Fri Apr 21, 2023 12:48 pm
by Foggy
I opened the door to the garage to let KittyBear spend some time out there hunting mice and small lizards, skinks, whatever sneaks into the garage.
This time there was a 4' long black racer snek, sitting on the top step, all ready to come in the house. Which ol' Wifehorn probably wouldn't appreciate, and heck, even KittyBear was like
KittyBear might never go in the garage again; she's spooked.
I spent a few minutes seeing if I could grab our new pet snek with my grabber, but she's tricky and keeps ducking into places I can't get her. So here's the plan:
Open both garage doors wide. There's no water in the garage, that's why she was trying to sneak in the house. She won't find any water all day, but meanwhile there's a creek not fifty meters from the house, she can have all the water down there. No food in the garage (KittyBear done cleaned up all the mousies).
Maybe if I sent all three cats to do battle.
But we haven't really done much small-squad guerilla training, and the cats are still limited to the weapons they was born with ...
More will be revealed!
Edit: I have a good supply of firecrackers, don't ask, I had boys. It doesn't get dark until 8 pm. I could make some serious noise about 4 and see if that gives our snek an incentive to vacate the premises.
Bringin' the boom.
North Rawly and North Cackilacki, as seen by a SoCal exile
Posted: Fri Apr 21, 2023 1:11 pm
by sugar magnolia
Black racer or black rat snake? Around here, the aggressive-as-fuck racer would have just come on in the house. Probably brought his suitcase, too.
North Rawly and North Cackilacki, as seen by a SoCal exile
Posted: Fri Apr 21, 2023 1:12 pm
by pipistrelle
I’d just bag it if possible and relocate it by the creek. Yeah, it’ll crap and stink. Or leave it alone.
(I know they’re fast.)
North Rawly and North Cackilacki, as seen by a SoCal exile
Posted: Fri Apr 21, 2023 1:35 pm
by Foggy
Black racers, they're really common around here, my Numbah Two Son was on a swim team called the Black Racers. I left a lawnmower outside once many years ago, and there was a big one sleeping beneath it the next day.
Moved the mower and ZOOM! Those suckers are
fast. They have, or at least had, a nest under the house. But they hunt rodents, not cats. They're mostly good neighbors. They don't bother me none.
You're right about the aggressive part, though. This one wants to come in the house, and has been a little pushy about it, like stretching her entire body along the bottom of the door, but I am nothing if not resolute, and I have shown her that she isn't invited. I'm treating her like a Tennessee Democrat in the state legislature.
North Rawly and North Cackilacki, as seen by a SoCal exile
Posted: Fri Apr 21, 2023 3:28 pm
by Foggy
sugar magnolia wrote: ↑Fri Apr 21, 2023 1:11 pm
Black racer or black rat snake? Around here, the aggressive-as-fuck racer would have just come on in the house. Probably brought his suitcase, too.
I read this to ol' Wifehorn and she is making reservations at a local hotel until I can guarantee that won't happen.
And I set off half a dozen small firecrackers in various places around the garage, including a couple right on that top step (the steps from the garage to the kitchen are brick) so Ms. Snek can smell for herself that we use explosives at the entrance to the manse.
And we'll have to see ...
North Rawly and North Cackilacki, as seen by a SoCal exile
Posted: Fri Apr 21, 2023 4:41 pm
by tek
if you were a Trump voter, you'd just set the garage on fire.
North Rawly and North Cackilacki, as seen by a SoCal exile
Posted: Fri Apr 21, 2023 4:46 pm
by Frater I*I
tek wrote: ↑Fri Apr 21, 2023 4:41 pm
if you were a Trump voter, you'd just set the garage on fire.
It's the only way to be sure....
North Rawly and North Cackilacki, as seen by a SoCal exile
Posted: Fri Apr 21, 2023 4:52 pm
by RTH10260
... that no highly confidential and Top Secret documents survive
North Rawly and North Cackilacki, as seen by a SoCal exile
Posted: Fri Apr 21, 2023 5:14 pm
by Foggy
Yeah, well, I shall release the
Kraken Kittehs bright and early in the morning.
I have three large, well-fed, healthy American house cats, and I have given them all links to a few YouTubes that can teach them a little CQB (which is 'close quarters battle' techniques), plus some
hand-to-hand mouth-to-snek fighting lessons and a few about small-squad coordination tactics, those can come in handy. I have assplained that I won't have a frown thrown down on them ganging up on her (the snek). I even allowed blows below the belt.
Three cats enter, one snek leaves.
Or I hope she leaves, but ol' Wifehorn is never going in the garage again anyway.
I would give them kittehs links to Krav Maga lessons, but maga.
North Rawly and North Cackilacki, as seen by a SoCal exile
Posted: Sat Apr 22, 2023 12:45 am
by keith
Foggy wrote: ↑Fri Apr 21, 2023 12:48 pm
I opened the door to the garage to let KittyBear spend some time out there hunting mice and small lizards, skinks, whatever sneaks into the garage.
This time there was a 4' long black racer snek, sitting on the top step, all ready to come in the house. Which ol' Wifehorn probably wouldn't appreciate, and heck, even KittyBear was like
KittyBear might never go in the garage again; she's spooked.
I spent a few minutes seeing if I could grab our new pet snek with my grabber, but she's tricky and keeps ducking into places I can't get her. So here's the plan:
Open both garage doors wide. There's no water in the garage, that's why she was trying to sneak in the house. She won't find any water all day, but meanwhile there's a creek not fifty meters from the house, she can have all the water down there. No food in the garage (KittyBear done cleaned up all the mousies).
Maybe if I sent all three cats to do battle.
But we haven't really done much small-squad guerilla training, and the cats are still limited to the weapons they was born with ...
More will be revealed!
Edit: I have a good supply of firecrackers, don't ask, I had boys. It doesn't get dark until 8 pm. I could make some serious noise about 4 and see if that gives our snek an incentive to vacate the premises.
Bringin' the boom.
Uh, sneks don't have ears
North Rawly and North Cackilacki, as seen by a SoCal exile
Posted: Sat Apr 22, 2023 12:53 am
by much ado
keith wrote: ↑Sat Apr 22, 2023 12:45 am
Foggy wrote: ↑Fri Apr 21, 2023 12:48 pm
I opened the door to the garage to let KittyBear spend some time out there hunting mice and small lizards, skinks, whatever sneaks into the garage.
This time there was a 4' long black racer snek, sitting on the top step, all ready to come in the house. Which ol' Wifehorn probably wouldn't appreciate, and heck, even KittyBear was like
KittyBear might never go in the garage again; she's spooked.
I spent a few minutes seeing if I could grab our new pet snek with my grabber, but she's tricky and keeps ducking into places I can't get her. So here's the plan:
Open both garage doors wide. There's no water in the garage, that's why she was trying to sneak in the house. She won't find any water all day, but meanwhile there's a creek not fifty meters from the house, she can have all the water down there. No food in the garage (KittyBear done cleaned up all the mousies).
Maybe if I sent all three cats to do battle.
But we haven't really done much small-squad guerilla training, and the cats are still limited to the weapons they was born with ...
More will be revealed!
Edit: I have a good supply of firecrackers, don't ask, I had boys. It doesn't get dark until 8 pm. I could make some serious noise about 4 and see if that gives our snek an incentive to vacate the premises.
Bringin' the boom.
Uh, sneks don't have ears
Do Snakes Have Ears? And Other Sensational Serpent Questions
Do snakes have ears? How do they hear?
Snakes do not have an external ear, but they do have all the parts of the inner ear that we do. Their stapes—called a “columella”—is slightly different from ours in that it connects to the jawbone, enabling them to sense vibrations. However, they can only hear a portion of the sounds we hear. Snakes can detect vibrations between 50 and 1,000 Hertz, whereas humans can hear between 20 and 20,000 Hertz.
North Rawly and North Cackilacki, as seen by a SoCal exile
Posted: Sat Apr 22, 2023 1:07 am
by Kriselda Gray
Have you called animal control to see if they can send someone out to get rid of it?
North Rawly and North Cackilacki, as seen by a SoCal exile
Posted: Sat Apr 22, 2023 7:14 am
by Foggy
1. Even if sneks don't have ears, they can detect changes in air pressure. They can detect the residue of the explosive on the step where the snek was originally found. They are also intelligent enough to figure out that there's no water, and instead there is gunpowder.
2. No, I haven't called vector control. I deal with these issues on my own, and what's the worst thing that can happen? We might have a non-venomous reptile in the garage for a few days. Big whup. I like sneks, but they can't live in the garage.
3. Ol' Wifehorn loved the "firecrackers and leave the doors open" plan. She wants me to do it again today. I might do some exploring, too also.
4. For the first time in history, KittyBear has no interest whatsoever in going in the garage. She's all done with the garage.
North Rawly and North Cackilacki, as seen by a SoCal exile
Posted: Sat Apr 22, 2023 8:41 am
by John Thomas8
Well, with a non-poisonous snek in the garage you're just about guaranteed to have 0.0 mickey rodents out there.
North Rawly and North Cackilacki, as seen by a SoCal exile
Posted: Sat Apr 22, 2023 8:45 am
by Slim Cognito
I love my little black snake Snakey, who lives in my rock garden. The days I see her sticking her little head out of the rocks make me smile. Also, when she think she’s hiding from me, but there’s a good 12 inches of tail sticking out from under a bush. But when she gets to be a big black snake, I’ll probably give her a lot more personal space.
North Rawly and North Cackilacki, as seen by a SoCal exile
Posted: Sat Apr 22, 2023 9:01 am
by Foggy
John Thomas8 wrote: ↑Sat Apr 22, 2023 8:41 am
Well, with a non-poisonous snek in the garage you're just about guaranteed to have 0.0 mickey rodents out there.
Well, we've had black racers under the house for the whole time we've lived here, more than 20 years now, and we still find dead mice in the garage, because KittyBear. She is a badass killer kitteh.
But yes, those sneks are valuable and no trouble at all, and I would gladly share my garage with her, except she might fight with the cats, who really do enjoy spending time in the garage. And ol' Wifehorn is not a fan of sneks. I like them and treat them with as much respect as possible, but she is not going in the garage for a few years, because snek.
Today I shall do some exploring, see if she has evacuated yet.
North Rawly and North Cackilacki, as seen by a SoCal exile
Posted: Sat Apr 22, 2023 9:45 am
by Tiredretiredlawyer
RTH10260 wrote: ↑Fri Apr 21, 2023 4:52 pm
... that no highly confidential and Top Secret documents survive
North Rawly and North Cackilacki, as seen by a SoCal exile
Posted: Sat Apr 22, 2023 9:46 am
by Tiredretiredlawyer
Frater I*I wrote: ↑Fri Apr 21, 2023 4:46 pm
tek wrote: ↑Fri Apr 21, 2023 4:41 pm
if you were a Trump voter, you'd just set the garage on fire.
It's the only way to be sure....
North Rawly and North Cackilacki, as seen by a SoCal exile
Posted: Sat Apr 22, 2023 12:12 pm
by Foggy
Ms. Snek has left the building, imho. I serenaded her with the vibrations and crescendos of an air compressor that needed a little bit of usage anyway. That thing is loud and obnoxious, definitely a useful addition to a toxic work environment. You can't even think when the thing is running.
Oh, wait. Maybe sneks can't think. Maybe they like vibrations. That's why I got all this vibranium.
North Rawly and North Cackilacki, as seen by a SoCal exile
Posted: Sun Apr 23, 2023 7:20 am
by Foggy
I let KittyBear out in the garage for an hour and a half this morning.
She reports that the snek has left the building.
North Rawly and North Cackilacki, as seen by a SoCal exile
Posted: Sun Apr 23, 2023 7:58 am
by Kriselda Gray
Foggy wrote: ↑Sat Apr 22, 2023 9:01 am
And ol' Wifehorn is not a fan of sneks. I like them and treat them with as much respect as possible, but she is not going in the garage for a few years, because snek.
I'm with ol" Wifehorn on this one. It's weird. I used to love snakes. I'd go to one of the local parks and play with the baby snakes there, letting then crawl all over me. One day we had a 6' black snake show up in our garden and I followed the thing around taking pictures of it for a couple hours. Then, for reasons I have NEVER known, I got horribly phobic of them. I still get a bit creeped out seeing pictures of them, but not as bad as I used to. When I was doing college radio, I was reading from a page in a magazine, and when I turned to the next one, there was a pic of snake, I actually shouted "AH!!" and dropped the page. Fortunately, I was on air with a partner who covered for me, but he had to read the rest of the story because I couldn't handle the snake image. So, I've improved quite a bit, but I'm still really don't like them at all.
