Blowhole at the waterfront of Xcaret Park near Playa del Carmen, Mexico.
Where are Kevin and Ruth now? Playa del Carmen, Mexico.

Where are Kevin and Ruth going next? Toluca on December 24th!

Thursday, June 25, 2015

I just about jumped out of my skin!

We have a few snakes slithering around here at the park, and especially now that things have warmed up a little bit they have come out of hiding and are enjoying the sunshine. They're just bull snakes, and they're not poisonous but they can grow up to eight feet in length.

And I don't mind snakes, but when they surprise you, it's still a bit of a shock!

So I was walking around the building looking at the progress (or lack thereof) on our washroom renovation. As I rounded the corner, I noticed that the ground was wet and that one of the outdoor faucets was dripping. So, I reached for the faucet handle and turned it off.

As I did so, I noticed the big snake about 6 inches from my hand.

Yikes!

It's strange how I didn't even see it. But at the time, it was a little higher up and I had been looking from the ground up to the faucet. Still, I just about jumped out of my skin. By the time I came back with the camera it had started to slither down.

About four feet long.

Went into town yesterday and did groceries. Deal of the day was a box of gluten free Rice Krispies that had been on the shelf priced at $2.88, but when we looked at our receipt it had rung through at $4.98. I went to Walmart's customer service desk and their policy is to give it to you free if there's a pricing discrepancy.

Good deal!

Speaking of Walmart, I found a cheap "Proscan" brand tablet computer on Walmart's Canadian website priced at $19. They're normally around $75. I ordered one, but got an email last night saying that they were out of stock, even though it showed as being in stock when I ordered it. Sure, it's just a cheap tablet, but it comes with a case and keyboard, and a worse case scenario is that it's junk and I simply return it. But, I think it will give us a good idea if a tablet is worthwhile, and so maybe we'll buy a more expensive Samsung tablet if we like the cheap one.

Yet to be seen if we receive one though, so it may have all been for nothing.

A cropduster doing his thing over the mustard field.

I had never heard of it before, but apparently the very latest high tech home electronics device is now available...the Amazon Echo...


It sure does get good reviews. 90% of all reviews give it four to five stars. Pretty high tech stuff for your wireless home!

And here in Canada, a great deal on a digital bathroom scale...



24 comments:

  1. Yep! That sucker would startle even a hard core snake lover! Glad you don't have poisonous ones there. I love seeing the canola and flax fields in bloom when we lived in ND. Gorgeous!

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    1. It sure would! We have no problem with snakes as long as we see them first. There are rattle snakes in Saskatchewan but none that have been seen in this area...yet!

      They grow lots of canola further north of here because it is has a quick growing season, down this way it is more mustard, wheat, lentils and few other crops.

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  2. Ick, I know they are harmless but I would have been running away. We had a visit from a racoon this morning, weird since any large trees are 1/2 km away and I live on a keyhole street in a newer neighborhood. It was GARBAGE day, however. Time to keep the dog in.

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    1. We love watching them, and it's even better when you know they aren't poisonous.

      I know raccoons can be pests but they are just so darn cute!

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  3. Thats a big snake no wonder you jumped !

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    1. Especially when you aren't expecting one to be there!

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  4. looks a little like Cuddles...haha

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    1. I have a feeling that Cuddles would be friendlier! ;-)

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  5. We had happen to us in S.Dakota ,this guy was crawling up the sewer line up to the trailer,but was run of by a BIRD...she had a nest close by and did what any mother would do..

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    1. We have no problems with snakes but certainly wouldn't want it in our house or our motorhome. It is amazing how fierce a mother bird can be it they need to be, glad she scared it away!

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  6. Glad I hadn't made any plans to visit you!!!!!

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    1. You wouldn't have to worry, they aren't in the house and really we don't see them too often unless you really want to go looking for them. :-)

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  7. If I would have seen that snake, I would have ran as fast as my old legs could take me screaming all the way.

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    1. Ha, too funny! We think they are pretty interesting at a distance, of course. Our student worker Kevin will pick them up!

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  8. Add me to the not fond of snakes list. Of course, in FL we have quite a few kinds of poisonous ones. I am behind again, as I have not heard of the echo:(

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    1. I always feel better about snakes if I know that we don't have to worry about poisonous ones!

      We hadn't heard of an Echo, either! They sound pretty cool though!

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  9. Replies
    1. While Kevin went back to get the camera, I stood there and watched it! ;-)

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  10. I'm just speechless at that sight! :cO

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  11. What you ID as mustard may well be rape seed, pressed for oil.
    Made the same mistake recently in Ireland and was politely corrected.
    Dayton

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    1. Yes...or canola! I admit that I am not a farmer...lol...

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  12. Yikes! I'm not afraid of snakes, but in a scenario like yours, I'd jump, too! Big sucker, huh!

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    1. That is both of us exactly and yes we both jumped, just because it wasn't something that we were expecting.

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