Snake!

In the last 24 hours Tropical Storm Grace has deluged Southeast Texas with torrential rainfall. At my house it has been raining - with a few minor interruptions - since before dawn yesterday, and the ground is beyond saturated. Once again water is backed up to the edge of my front porch, and little streams flow along the sides of my yard.

I worked 60 hours this past week, mostly getting the store ready for its grand opening on Friday. I had to stay with a floor crew until 4:30am on Wednesday, and until 12am on Thursday. On Friday the Store Manager had me go out and clean up all the debris and garbage that the contractors had left in our parking lot. It was miserably hot and humid, the work was filthy and smelly, and by the time I was done my clothes were drenched in sweat. I think I hit a new low point in my Walgreens career that day.

I had Sunday off. Slept in until about noon, then went out and got sopping wet a couple of times. Sunday evening I found a small snake at my front door, the first one that I've seen here. I took pictures for later identification, but I've tentatively got it pegged as a Blotched Water Snake, Natrix erythrogaster transversa. The rising water may have pushed it out of its normal haunts. When I got too close it turned aggressive, raising up and striking at me.

I've been reading a book titled "Party Of One: The Loner's Manifesto," by Anneli Rufus (possibly a pen name?). It's well written, often funny, and I see myself in many passages. Well I'm basically a loner - most of my choices seem to point in that direction anyway. I live alone in a swamp. Like Yoda.

"Mostly I stare out my window these days, watching my dog chase her ball, I'll do my job here whatever it pays, I'm just happy to be here at all" - Todd Snider.