"Just Sick and Wrong"

So... my eldest son's favorite expression lately is "that is just sick and wrong."

This morning.... he said it six times.

Let me back up.

I got a call yesterday - agent wanted to show our house today between 12 and 1... okay.. I go home and clean like a fiend.  I like 24 hours notice.

My husband left for work for a week on Tuesday night.

He has two white rat snakes that are about 2-3 feet long.  They are in a large aquarium/cage on the lanai/back covered porch. 

He takes care of them. They eat LIVE MICE.  (it gets worse).

So, I am sweeping the lanai last night to prepare the house for the showing today, and I see...

...a mouse... in one of those exercise balls you get for a gerbil that has air holes.  Apparently my dear hubby fed the snakes before he left for work.. and had one left over.

So I remove the mouse from its plastic prision, put him in a small aquarium with some paper towels, water crackers and cat food for food. 

Poor little Stuart (OH NO I NAMED HIM)

As I am setting this on top of a table, I look into the large aquarium with the rat snakes in it and what do I see?

Did YOU know that snakes can THROW UP?

(I told you it got worse).

There are two half digested mice in the bottom of the snake cage.

And they stink.

And our house has a showing.

So I have to get them out.

I don't want to put my hand in that cage.

I don't want to be anywhere near it.

I gag. Then I gag again.

Now,  I have to say that when I went to Maine in February, my husband cleaned the catbox for me.

But honestly, this TRUMPS that by 50 days of catbox cleaning.

Don't you agree?

So, my mother in law, who is there visiting, God bless her, holds a baggie.  

I grab a spatula used for the snakes only OF COURSE. Lift the top off the aquarium, and (GAGGING THE WHOLE TIME) remove the nasty blobs from the snake cage and slide them into the awating baggie.  She seals it up.

I run away into the corner of the porch AWAY from the smell.... and gag some more. 

We triple bag it and toss it in the trash.

Then I spray the porch with air freshener.


I don't think I will eat much today.