The other day, my friend Amy and her little boy Niall came for a visit. Niall brought with him a baby bluetongued lizard he'd caught in his grandparents' garden. Bluetongues are relatively common here in Sydney, and they are harmless to humans--in fact, many people like to have them in their yards, as they eat lots of bugs. YUM!
The boys loved it! I was amazed at how comfortable Nate and his other little buddy Gabe were with holding the lizard.
And here's Niall, with the longsuffering creature:
Here's a closeup. And yes, that's my hand holding him. I did that for you. Because I care. (See paragraph 1, re: giving help, hope, etc.)They can grow to be a couple feet long.
Did you hang on for the Epilogue?
Well. Amy and Niall have come to stay with us for a couple weeks while she looks for a new apartment. Last night at dinner, Amy informed us that, unbeknownst to her at the time, Niall brought the lizard into the house and lo and behold, the lizard seems to have gotten loose. Isn't that wonderful? I was so very excited to hear that. Yup.
Jason was very cavalier about it all, saying that it's no big deal and he's probably gotten back outside anyway. He's harmless and just a baby, we need to get used to these things cause we have a little boy, too. Amy was agreeing with him. I was looking and them both and was all--Yeah. We're gonna need to look for this lizard now. I said it lovingly, of course, as usual.
So I made Jason take a flashlight and look around the house last night, but no luck!! That's the best part. We might have a baby bluetongued lizard in the house but we're not sure!! So it's like a fun surprise that's waiting for me!!!!! I'm going to add some more exclamation points now so I'll be excited!!!!!!!
I don't do well with wildlife in the house. Perhaps I'm not as assimilated to the culture as I thought. Have a great day, everyone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Here's the advice you didn't ask for from Dad. Send Jason outside to catch whatever monstrosity of nature passes for a cricket in Australia. Tether that thing with a piece of strong thread or fishing line. Stake it out in the middle of the room and then lie in wait with a fish landing net. When the reptile makes his appearance to consume the insect-beast, simply net it and your problem is solved. OR You check in to a first rate hotel overlooking Darling Harbor and tell Jason that you'll come home when he presents evidence of a caught lizard. He'll figure it out pretty quickly.
ReplyDeleteI'm here for ya, Babe.
Well, it's one thing to hold a lizard in your and hand and admire it and quite another to have a large lizard loose in your house. Especially with the knowledge that it may grow to be two feet long! I have to laugh at that image. I think I'd step easily when first getting up in the morning.I'm not much help, huh ?
ReplyDeleteOh my, I am soooo excited for you!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Are the exclamation points working?)
ReplyDeleteHere's hoping the lizard makes an appearance soon. Or maybe try the cricket plan.
Dad you're the man. Do you think that will work? Cause I will totally go out and get some crickets. Spiders sound good, too. (I mean, as bait.)
ReplyDeleteMaybe the hotel is the way to go. I'll work that angle!
Okay, when we lived in the ghetto in Dallas, like the Melody Lane area, we had a lizard that lived in our dishwasher. I am not kidding. We'd see lots of little chameleon-type lizards just a couple inches long in random places in the house. But one time, I opened up the dishwasher and saw a HUGE- like 6-15 inch- lizard scurry away into a secret unknown lizard hideout.
ReplyDeleteSo, here's my take on your situation. 1. You probably had some lizards living at your house in Texas, too. 2. Pray that your blue-tongue thing isn't female. Cuz, you could have a bigger problem on your hands,than just one lizard. :)
oh my goodness, your nate is the cutest little guy i've ever seen and his little smile is just so precious. ok, now that i've gotten that out, OMGoodness, i've always been terrified of lizards in the house. i think they're going to eat me, really, i really think they will. jody is so right, and funny. maybe you should check the dishwasher! keep us posted.
ReplyDeleteAMy,
ReplyDeleteI just finished 10 days worth of blogs and you are a ..
"funny machine". You may be the best blogger in the world.
Damon
Oh, you'll be fine Amy, they are harmless!!!
ReplyDeletebtw, this is Rosemary...My pic didn't show up on that last comment I left, so in case it doesn't this time, I am the mysterious "joyfulmum":)
oops...not sure how that happened, actually yea, I just figured it out!
ReplyDeleteI really didn't mean to blog as Every Nation...seeing that you are my pastor and all....please believe me! I'm not sure what happened so let's try again...
Rosemary, welcome to the blogosphere! :) You are awesome.
ReplyDeleteAnd Damon--thanks!! Glad to have you with us.
Ok girls, I DID think about the dishwasher today as I was loading it, but no lizard so far. Thanks for that creepy story, Jody! ;) Ha--you shoulda seen me going into the pantry this morning to get cereal. Hopefully she (if its a she) is too little to be impregnated yet, cause dear Lord, we got trouble if that happens.
I know it's not cool. But that thing is SO COOL!
ReplyDeleteSara, you are clearly an outdoorswoman, and all-around tougher than me! I salute you! I think you'd be well suited to life here. :)
ReplyDelete