"...I thought garter snakes were green."

Friday, Sept. 7, 1990

     Today was a long day.  Mrs. Gibbs & the new girl on the other side of us woke me up at 7:45 to tell me there was a snake on the porch.  It was over by the garden hose but Mrs. Gibbs said it had been at the other end by her porch when she left to take her daughter to school.  The girl said she thought they should warn me so I'd be careful to watch for it when I came out.  I didn't tell them I wasn't planning to go out at all today.  I just said I guessed that was my snake for the summer cause I usually see one snake every summer.  I didn't remember til later that one I saw in the back yard that spring.  The girl said she hadn't seen any since she'd been here but she'd be watching for them now.  When I came in (I didn't go out, I just had the door open) I let Chieft out & back in then looked out the kitchen window to see if it was still there.  It was crawling off the porch into the bushes.  Mrs. Gibbs was standing in the yard watching it and asked the garbage man that was getting the girls garbage if they knew anything about snakes.  He came over & she showed it to him & he said it was just a garter snake - it wasn't poisonous but you still wouldn't want to get bitten by it.  Mrs. Gibbs just stood there for a few seconds after the garbage man left.  I didn't look for it any more cause I couldn't see it once it got in the mulch.  And since I didn't plan on going out, it didn't bother me.  I told Guy about it when he called & told him I thought garter snakes were green.  He said that's garden snakes.  Anyway, he said he didn't see it when he got home, but that was after 8:30 so it was already dark.  Hopefully it's long gone & there won't be any more.
     I went ahead and fed Chief and ate then came back to bed.  First I watched the tape of my story from yesterday then slept for a little over an hour.  I take that back.  I didn't have to feed Chief cause Guy fed him before he left.  I think I did my medicine first when I came back up.  Anyway I got up a little before 11, took a shower and spent the rest of the day downstairs.  Chief was out of his room most of the day.  Except for awhile after he peed on the carpet.  I couldn't believe he did it - it's been a couple of weeks since he's done that.  He'd been chewing on some of his stuff and had gone to get another piece, brought it & laid it down & just started peeing.  I hollered at him & he ran to his room & I followed him and gave him a spanking and a lecture.  I don't know why he didn't let me know he needed to go.  He did for the rest of the day.
     Guy had duty & thought he'd be able to get off at 6:00 but didn't get off til 8:00.  So I had supper about ready when he got home.  After eating he took the meat off the chicken I'd put in the crock pot.  He did Chief's eyedrops & medicine and played with him for a couple of minutes before we came up.  He has the 4-8 watch in the morning & has to be there at 3:30 so he's planning to get up at 2:00.  I'm watching TV while I'm writing this.  I've got it down low & it doesn't seem to be bothering him.  Hopefully he'll be able to come home in the morning.  There may be a reservist coming in.  If she doesn't show up by 9:00 he can come home.  If she does come in he'll have to stay til 3:30.  Same story Sunday except for the watch.  I hope she doesn't show up.
     I did a little work on the word processor this afternoon, updating some stuff and starting to think about all the things we need to turn over to Mark & Linda.  In case I haven't written about it before, we told the deacon over us, in May, that we wanted to stop sponsoring the Singles Group in October.  We figured that would be plenty of time for them to quietly find a couple to replace us.  The elders started asking around so word got out but the only person that said anything to me about it was Dianna.  She said she tried to talk Charlie into doing it but he doesn't want to.  But Linda Pugh told Guy they were thinking about doing it.  I think it's almost "official" that they'll be doing it.  The fellowship this month will be at our house so we can 'announce' it and tie up any loose ends.  I need to write something for them to put in Young Light.  It'll come out on the 30th so that'll work out just right.