Nags Head Day Trip

"I still love things that you don't even need to pay for. Going to the beach and being around five of your friends and having a good time means so much more than going out and spending hundreds of dollars."--Maria Sharapova

What do you do on a nice weekend after moving to North Carolina when it’s super sunny and warm outside? You pack up the dog, the boyfriend and hop in the car to drive to Nags Head for a day of fun in the sun with my amazing tiny family. 

We take our dog everywhere we possibly can and the OBX is the perfect place to take your fluffy family. On the way, we looked up local restaurants where we could grab a bite to eat and also bring Atlas. At a glance, South Beach Grill looked pretty good. Turns out pretty good was actually amazing.

The Grill had two stories of inside and outdoor seating. We got to sit outside at picnic tables on the ground floor. The food was fresh and the ingredients were locally sourced. Will had a fish burger and I had a sandwich. What was more important and rare was the doggy menu. Most places don’t allow dogs much less have their own menus just for dogs. The service was spectacular and the waitress loved Atlas so much that she kept bringing him bowls of crushed ice (his favorite). We even had people come outside just to see Atlas and talk about how cute he is. I’ll never get sick of hearing that!

Great service, good prices, and happy bellies full of delicious food were a concoction for a fantastic day. We even found free parking in the middle of beach season! HECK YES. It was a short and pleasant walk to a public access beach since we were closer to the residential/private beaches. The beach was pretty deserted so it was easy to find a nice spot to ourselves. 

Atlas loves loves loves the beach and as soon as we hit the sand he was determined to get in the water. We put our towels down and ran to the water so he could play, dig in the wet sand, and hop around like the super happy boy he is. While he rested after an epic playtime, I went on the hunt for sea shells. I have my own tiny craft company and drift wood wind chimes are one of the things I make and I’m always needing more shells. I got a ton of them while enjoying the heck out of the beautiful day walking up and down the beach!

Our walk back to the car was interrupted by a quick stop for one of our favorite things…ice cream! We stopped at Scammel’s Corner Surf Shop and Ice Cream Parlor. They boast having authentic Hershey’s ice cream and they were not lying. There were tons and tons of flavors making it hard to choose just one. We made our choices and enjoyed delicious ice cream on the way back to the car. Don’t worry, Atlas got a few licks of vanilla in too. 

By the time we got back to the car we were all satisfied, full, and ready to make the trip back home. It was all in all a great day out and I would absolutely repeat the day trip again and again! On our way home, we stopped by a Seafood Market which had an amazing selection of fresh caught seafood. There were crab legs, frog legs, fish, oysters, clams, etc. It was a seafood lover's heaven! You should absolutely make a stop here if you're driving west from Nags Head!

"The three great elemental sounds in nature are the sound of rain, the sound of wind in a primeval wood, and the sound of outer ocean on a beach."--Henry Beston

Greenville Greenway

"Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better"--Albert Einstein

Greenville, NC is a large town in the middle of nowhere North Carolina. It is the home of the East Carolina Pirates and boasts a lot of school spirit and youthfulness. I attended ECU from 2007-2011 and loved my four years here. As much as I loved it, I never expected to be back, much less find a job here. There’s not much here in the way of jobs unless you’re a teacher, in the medical or criminal justice fields. I’ve discovered lots of new places and revisited old haunts. By far my absolute favorite find was a relatively new addition to the town that hadn’t existed when I lived here. What’s it called? The Greenville Greenway. 

Right now, it’s a series of paths, mostly paved, spanning throughout the town for walkers, bikers, runners, etc. It’s even dog friendly! Most of it runs by the river and, as the name would suggest, is very green and scenic. It’s my favorite part of Greenville, especially due to the fact that most of G-Vegas is either part of the college or consists of chain restaurants or just boring, old business buildings. It’s a patch of oasis in an otherwise concrete jungle. 

What’s so great about it besides the fact that it’s super green? There’s lots of places to put your kayaks or canoes in the water. Dogs and their owners get to walk along it and meet new people. It’s a much healthier, and not to mention prettier way to get around to certain parts of the town. I now bike to the grocery store, post office, and the local library. Why not? I love the exercise and being outside, plus it saves money! There are even places where I can let my dog hop around in the river and throw sticks for him. 

Speaking of dog friendly, there’s a dog park that is super well-maintained and almost everyone in town with a dog goes there to let their dogs have the time of their lives. It’s a great way to meet fellow dog lovers as well!

I love using the Greenway to run. I choose to do a 4 mile loop on the part that is right down the street from my house. There’s also a 2 mile loop for days when I’m a little more rushed. Atlas, my dog, also loves to have daily walkies on the Greenway to strut his stuff, sniff, and meet other dogs and humans. They have lots of benches along the way to look out over the water and several piers for fishing. They even have bins filled with plastic bags to ensure the pathways stay poo free. How cool is that?

For anyone of any age, the Greenville Greenway is the highlight of my time here and is sure to be a hit for anyone who enjoys being outside. I’ve never had any sort of problem on the Greenway and everyone I’ve met is always nice. What’s even better is that it never seems crowded. There’s never mobs of people, but you do see a steady flow of people without feeling like you’re losing your personal space. Most of the time I only see a few other people. It all depends on the weather!

The only downside is hurricane season. Greenville, NC is rarely affected in any major way, but every now and then, as was the case with hurricane Joaquin we suffered major flooding of the lower laying areas. The Greenway was one of those. Nothing was damaged, but it was under a little over a foot of water for about a week. I was so bummed that I couldn’t run my loop and get my daily fix of beautiful ponds, bridges, and river views in before heading to work! 

"We do not see nature with our eyes, but with our understandings and our hearts"--Williams Hazlitt

Knott Island Pet Sitting

"To err is human, to forgive, canine." --Anonymous



My boyfriend's dad and his wife, Carey own a beautiful house on Knott's Island in North Carolina. They have a fenced in backyard on about 1.5 acres of land. Will's dad works for the city as an electrician and Carey is a professional dog sitter who also works at a vet clinic. They have four fluffy children of their own, Leigh, Owen, Easton and Ramsey and watch anywhere from 1-7 dogs on top of that depending on the season. It is without a doubt doggy heaven.

Imagine your life as a furry, happy go lucky dog. You run in to this green yard, there's balls everywhere and someone to constantly throw them. There's other dogs who love to play and snuggle. There's even a pool they had built just for the dogs... not even kidding. Carey also makes sure they are super healthy, friendly with other dogs, gets their nails trimmed, etc. It's the bomb diggity.

We were set to move June 17th from Virginia Beach, VA to Greenville, NC. We gladly accepted their proposal of pet sitting for them from the 12th to the 15th. We didn't really want to pack anyway and who would pass up a whole 3-4 days of playing with dogs, lounging by a pool and just relaxing before a gigantic move? We were not one of those people to pass that up. We packed up some of the clothes we hadn't shoved in random suitcases already and made our way down to Knott's Island.


We were greeted by the furry brigade and 2 extras who were lucky enough to stay the weekend. We're down there enough that all the clients know who we are and their dogs know and love us as well. One of the things we were most excited about, besides the dogs of course, was the kitchen and grill set up they had. Will's family is Italian so cooking is in the genes. We both love to cook and grill so having an enormous, full stocked kitchen and grill was complete heaven for us.

Our first night there we had a few friends over to grill out with, have a couple of drinks, and just have fun playing with all the pups. It was an all around fun time seeing great friends, not thinking about packing everything we owned and transporting it only to have to unpack it all (UGH!), and just relax.

The next day was spent lounging by the pool, cooking, and playing with dogs constantly. We ended the day by cooking more and watching good movies on Netflix while all 6 dogs tried to snuggle us at once. Pure heaven.

Want to know something that's not heaven? Short story: taking a bath while 3 dogs stare into your soul THE ENTIRE BATH. Long story: Atlas loves to follow me in to the bathroom, except when I shower just in case that means he will have to have a bath as well. No matter what, if I'm just using the toilet he has to come in with me and stare at me. Turns out Easton, Ramsey and Atlas like to team up and marathon stare at whoever is in the bathroom and especially the bathtub. Easton is obsessed with anything water and will go nuts when he thinks he can get in a pool. Ramsey just likes being around people and Atlas follows me around constantly just because I'm mom.

This was my first bath in over 2 years and I was really looking forward to finishing my book and soaking in their giant jacuzzi tub. Little did I know I had an audience. The second I got in and couldn't get back out without soaking the floor the bathroom door flies open and in comes the creep brigade of Easton, Ramsey and Atlas. They didn't even lay down. I ended up just getting out early so they would stop staring at me. All I could see over the tub was 3 floating dog heads who seemed to be plotting how to best get in the tub without me noticing.



Anyway, it was a mostly uneventful, relaxing weekend full of relaxing, pool time, puppy play time, snuggling, exercising and cooking with friends. They don't go away much, but we're hoping the next time they go out of town we get to house/pet sit again and have another few days in doggy paradise. They came back and noticed the house wasn't burned down, the dogs were all happy, and we even re-stocked their fridge with beer. Who could ask for better house/dog sitters than that?




Did I mention Knott's Island has some of the best sunsets I've seen?

"No matter how little money and how few possessions you own, having a dog makes you rich." --Louis Sabin

Tony and Scott Got Hitched!

"The real act of marriage takes place in the heart, not in the ballroom or church or synagogue. It's a choice you make- not just on your wedding day, but over and over again - and that choice is reflected in the way you treat your husband or wife." -- Barbara de Angelis

A few months ago (I know, I know I am VERY behind in blogging) two of our (me and my boyfriend, Will) favorite people tied the knot. Will had served with Tony, one of the grooms, on his boat, the USS Norfolk for a few years and became close friends. Tony is one of those people who light up any room he's in and his happiness and good nature are contagious. His now husband, Scott, is just as wonderful and we were deeply honored to share in their special day.

Will and I had been to quite a few weddings the past 2 years together, but this was our first attendance at a gay wedding and let me tell you it was our absolute favorite. The theme/dress was nautical casual. We had to google it, but ended up coming up with something we hoped would pass. We arrived at the property where the wedding was being held and were blown away. The house was a gorgeous 2 story home that was incredibly decorated, but the best part? It was situated on a river over looking their personal pier with a boat dock on a picturesque river with gardens lining the yard. The wedding itself was taking place near the pier and the reception under a white tent in the yard. Another neat part about the house was the owners. They were also a gay couple who were crucial getting legislation passed in Congress to legalize gay marriage. Being a part of something so special that wasn't yet legal throughout the US was touching to say the least.

That was only the beginning of the emotions. We arrived and everyone was already mingling and to our surprise alcohol was already being served! You could self serve ice cold beers from an ice filled boat in the yard or be served cocktails from the garage of the house that looked out on to the river. We were pretty blown away by that, and how extremely friendly every single person there was. We knew almost no one, but were welcomed like family. We met a lot of interesting, hilarious and all around good people that. We still talk about how nice everyone was; you just don't see that nowadays in our experience.

The wedding began as everyone took their seats and the groom (Scott) took his position and diligently waited for his groom. We were wondering where Tony was going to enter and to our shock we saw  a boat round the corner of the river as music began to play. Dressed in his Navy whites, Tony was standing attention at the bow of a small boat with his best man as they sailed in to the pier where we were all waiting patiently. The siblings of both grooms greeted Tony as he stepped off the boat and hugs were exchanged. I've always seen parents do this, but siblings are largely ignored most of the time. They really included the entire family before they even began their official ceremony. It was nothing short of beautiful. At this point, I'm getting slightly teary- eyed. I noticed my boyfriend's grip on my hand had been tighter than normal and I heard a slight sniff from his direction. I looked over and he was crying. I've never seen him cry before and to make that man cry... well... you know how amazing this wedding was.

Vows were exchanged, and the kiss that marked a new beginning was given to cheers and claps from a small, but boisterous crowd. After everything was said and done we got to line up to give our regards/well wishes and were ushered inside for the most mind blowing assortment of hors d'oeuvres you could imagine... crab cake balls, sliced peppers with hummus, fruit, veggies, sliders, BBQ, etc. What could top that? An oyster roast out on the pier with oysters from the owners' mini oyster farm growing by the pier. (HOW AM I EVER GOING TO TOP THIS?....without going bankrupt lol)

At previous weddings, I'm lucky to get 2 slow dances from Will without profuse amounts of complaining. Tony, knowing Will quite well, dragged him on to the dance floor, gave him more beer, and made him dance. From that moment on I could barely get him off the dance floor. Yes beer was involved in bribes, but it worked and he actually had a really great time. Pictures will prove that. We danced for close to a few hours in between dinner and meeting new people and socializing. There was a group of about 6 of us who tore up the dance floor and kept the party going. Little did we know that there was a woman in her mid 50s who recently suffered a loss and this wedding was her first time being out in a large group. She came up to us later and thanked us profusely for making her laugh and for the first time in a long time for keeping her mind off the negative. Dancing like a fool at weddings is my thing and now no one can argue that it doesn't do anyone any good. Clearly interpretive, weird dancing has made a few peoples' nights.

Once everyone started leaving we made our exit as well after hugging both grooms a few times and thanking them 100x more. That night is one of my favorites I've had in a long time. It's also one of those times where I realized just how much more I loved Will after dancing with him all night knowing how much he hates it and how much it meant to me. Those people I met made my laugh hysterically and celebrate the union of two of the most deserving people I know. Tony and Scott's wedding was definitely one for the books.

"One who gains strength by overcoming obstacles possesses the only strength which can overcome adversity."--Albert Schweitzer

My First Triathlon!

"If it doesn't challenge you, it doesn't change you"--Unknown

A few years ago I weighed in at almost 160lbs... at 5'3" my tiny frame looked pretty chunky and so did my self esteem. Don't worry this isn't a sob story; it's an I kicked my fat's a$$ and got in the best shape of my life story. In 2010 I weighed the most I've ever weighed in my life and I honestly didn't even know how bad it was until I saw a picture of myself one day and it completely clashed with what I saw in my own brain.

Luckily, I had an amazing support system and my best friend at the time, Laura, was going through the same thing. We launched our fitness goals at the best gym imaginable, ACAC. I started taking Zumba and kickboxing classes and got addicted to how amazing I felt after having my butt whooped, the feeling of sweat dripping, and the exhaustion...but mostly the endorphins.

Long story short....

1. I've lost almost 40lbs and haven't gained any of it back in the 5 years I've dedicated to changing my life

2. I don't eat processed food ALL THE TIME. Don't get me wrong... I LOVE ICE CREAM, but I learned to eat less awful for you desserts and also in moderation. I also learned to love veggies and if I say so myself I make some amazingly delicious healthy food. Don't ever let anyone tell you eating healthy tastes bad, lacks flavor, and is expensive. I'm living proof it's not.

3. I became a Zumba instructor and Body Step instructor and typically teach 4-5 classes a week, run 4-8 miles a week, walk my dog a few miles every day, and bike everywhere possible.

4. I work my butt off. It takes work and I'm fully committed to that. Are you?

5. Has working out made me a bitter, envious of fast food eaters, sweaty all the time person? No. I'm extremely happy and couldn't imagine going back to the way I was.

6. I started running 5ks and 10ks. Turkey Trot 10k before Thanksgiving dinner? Don't mind if I do. Quick 4 mile run while on vacation? Heck yes, let's see more scenery and discover new places. Color me Rad, Neon Vibe, Cosmic Run, and Foam Fest runs? SO MUCH FUN.

7. I started competing in bike races   58 miles to be exact and I did it twice and shaved an hour off my time. I just can't get enough and guess what? I'm the healthiest and happiest I've ever been.

All it takes it motivation and perseverance.

Okay back to the main story, because let's be honest you definitely needed some back story.



I have been wanting to compete in a triathlon for a few months now, but I wanted to do a small one to ease my way in to this whole other realm of fitness that I knew I would either love or hate, but mostly likely love. It just so happened a very small triathlon, Life's A Beach, was coming to Hampton aka 30 minutes from my house. HECK YES! Here was my opportunity and I ran with it...among other things.



Life's A Beach Tri was a 300m swim, 5 mile bike ride, and 2 mile run. All of those distances were easy for me on their own so I didn't think I'd have a problem come race day. I'd prepared, but I could've actually practiced swimming more..oops.

I got up bright and early, kissed my pup and boyfriend goodbye and booked it to the race. I was super excited and ready to start. My heat started at 9 and of course I got there early, but it was worth it. The swimming was up first and after years of SCUBA diving I was mentally prepared and probably a little cocky...which I'm sure is why my wardrobe malfunction occurred.


The heat started promptly at 9am and while I in no way want to insult anyone I'm pretty sure that 90% of the people competing were morbidly overweight and walked most of it. While that is fantastic for those people who are WAY AHEAD of everyone who sat at home on the couch, I had every intention of really competing and going all out. I wanted this race to set the precedent for all races to come so I sprinted down the beach and plunged in to the water.

Great start right? Yes...if by that you mean my super fast start in to the water... no if you meant I kept all my clothes on.. I did the race in board shorts and a sports bra. Super versatile right? Right. Said boy shorts fit snugly on land...said shorts became a circus tent in the water. The second I dove in the water they wafted out from my hips and became a gigantic air filled ballon hovering around my mid thigh. I immediately went vertical in the water, yanked them up...by doing that I'm sure it looked like I farted the fart to end all farts and the air bubbles all came bursting to the surface, and went back to swimming.


Had I actually practiced swimming I would have known that in the years that I've lost weight I also gained a LOT of muscle. Muscle weighs a lot more than buoyant fat. SO as my pants flew off and as I   yanked them back on I sank like a rock to the ocean floor. I spent the entire 300m doing an awkward breast stroke since it was the only stroke I could do while also keeping my shorts on. I also fought gravity and what I thought would be my easiest part of the trip quickly became my most embarrassing and difficult as I dragged my heavy as bricks body through the water. The good news? I passed almost everyone in my heat, came out of the water without flashing the photographers, kids, and onlookers on the beach and I didn't drown. A for effort right?


It blew my mind that I was literally the only one running to the bikes. Almost everyone changed clothes casually, switched out gear, etc. I'm sure I looked insane and there are plenty of blog posts about that really hyper red headed girl who was soaking wet the entire race and how I probably made them feel slow.. oh well. I was doing this to please myself, not everyone else.


I jumped on my bike, unlocked it and pedaled like there was a bear chasing me. I completed the 5 miles in what seemed to me to be a very very quick time, which was fine by me. I didn't have any malfunctions, wardrobe or otherwise so that was a plus. Also, I was still wet so the blazing hot 90 degree heat didn't feel bad at all!


Up last was the 2 mile run with 4 obstacles. Running on the beach is no easy task! I did my 2 laps, my army crawl under a giant net, slid through a plastic tube, and hurdled over some beach chairs. It. was. glorious. Running over that finish line was the best feeling I've had in a long time. I did have a quick moment of terror as I jumped over the beach loungers since I thought I was going to trip, but thankfully I didn't. As I crossed that finish line I felt so happy, accomplished and just proud of myself and all that I had done to get where I was in that moment.

The results were in later that day and I finished the race in a whipping 42 minutes!!!!!! I was top 20 of all racers, and to top it all off I was first in my age group. This NEVER happens to me. I'm usually super slow in running races, but I kicked it up a notch and made sure I never let myself slack off. You know what? It paid off. Now I'm signing up for a longer triathlon for September and can't wait to attack that one head on!

"Will it be easy? Nope. Worth it? Absolutely."--Unknown

My Good Deed For The Day

"Start by doing what's necessary; then do what's possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible."--Francis of Assisi

 Friday morning I woke up bright and early with every intention of going for a great run. My boyfriend and I are pet and house sitting for his Dad. They have 4 dogs of their own and run a pet sitting business, which we would take over for the weekend. Will had gone down first thing so the dogs could get more play time. I had a few appointments before I headed down and I wanted to work out before we left. There's a neighborhood right down the road that is pretty to run in and it's where I take my dog on walks almost every day. I got there, put on my 80s pop radio station on Pandora and started to run around the 1.6 mile loop.

I was pumped up, loving the music, and actually really enjoying my run. All of that was about to change. As I turned the corner I noticed a dog was running around without an owner. As I got closer it was running in the middle of the street as several parents just watched it while they walked their kids to the bus stop. Apparently I was the only one who thought maybe "I should get that Shih Tzu out of the road before it gets his by a car."  It wasn't very fast so I grabbed him and he instantly started wagging his tail and tried to give me kisses. Obviously he was a very happy dog. I brought him back to the corner and started asking if anyone recognized him and knew who he belonged to. One parent said he would watch him if I wanted to go for my run still. I thought he was going to actually take the dog home and do the good citizen thing by putting up found dog flyers, but he set him down on the grass and proceeded to ignore him.

By this time I was fed up with his inability to even watch the poor, cute, lost dog. I grabbed the dog and walked in to the cup-de-sacs near the street to make sure someone wasn't desperately looking for their dog. After 30 minutes of this I decided to take him to the vet. He didn't have a collar so I had no way of knowing where he lived, plus his fur was a bit matted and seemed like he had been lost at least a day. His recent grooming and flowery smell made it seem like he wasn't gone longer too. I decided on the vet in case he was chipped so I could easily find his home.

I drove the 5 minutes to the nearest vet and it turns out little fluff (that's what I named him) LOVES car rides. He was jumping around my back seat in the doggy hammock, jumping to the front seat and sprawling out in all his glory. Unfortunately, he wasn't chipped so we were back to square one. I asked the vet if they looked after lost dogs at all, but they, as a general vet policy, can't do that so they suggested the SPCA. The SPCA near us is phenomenal. We adopted our border collie from there and their facilities are well-staffed, no kill, all the pets get lots of exercise, there's tons of room for pets, and they are well-funded. I thought that was a great place to drop him off so back in the car we went!

Before everyone thinks I'm a monster for not taking him home with me to take care of him until we found his owners... I'm moving to NC in 3 days and we have a dog and 2 cats and have no idea of this dog's history much less how he does with cats or if he could possibly have gotten some illness that might spread to my dog. Not going to risk it. It wouldn't be fair to little fluff either. The SPCA doesn't take strays for one reason. All strays are supposed to go through the intake process at the Animal Control here so if anyone loses a dog there is only one place for them to go so it's easier for them to find. Makes sense. I would lose my mind if Atlas was lost and would call everyone imaginable, so I'm hoping little fluff's owners are as diligent as I would be.

Of course the Animal Control didn't open until 11am. What time did I show up? 930am... Luckily I ran into an elderly woman who volunteered there. She was walking a tiny dog and I walked up and explained that I had just found this dog. I'm not sure what she thought I said, but she went into a rant about how I was a horrible person for surrendering my dog. There was a super awkward pause and then I had to explain why I was not giving away my dog, but trying to do the right thing and find this dog's owner. She got mad at me then for not taking the dog myself and I had to explain that I was moving to a home that would have 5 pets in ANOTHER STATE. I was pretty grumpy with her for accusing me of hating dogs (for those of you who know me you know that I love my pets, especially my puppy, as if they were my own children so she's just ridiculous). I made her take me inside to find someone who could help me. 10 minutes later little fluff was being led to the back to presumably get a nice bed and await his parents!

I went home and immediately posted his story to Facebook to try and spread the word. If anyone knows this dog please let his owners know he is at the Animal Control at 341 S Birdneck Road. I found him in Courthouse Estates on North Landing Road in Virginia Beach. I hope this guy finds his home! He's insanely sweet and deserves a fantastic home.



Moral of the story> Please, please, please get your dogs chipped. There's nothing sadder than knowing your dog got loose and there's no way for anyone to be able to have a chance to contact you. Dogs are the best things to have ever happened to the human race and they are the only creatures on the planet who love us more than they love themselves. Keep the safe and happy. Make sure they have multiple ways of identification so they can make their way home :)


"If opportunity doesn't knock, build a door."--Milton Berle

There's a WHAT in our kitchen?

"It's surprising how much memory is built around things unnoticed at the time."--Barbara Kingsolver

Picture this. It's a beautiful day here in Virginia Beach. I've just come home from teaching a gym class this morning and am greeted by my freakishly adorable puppy, Atlas. My cat Natasha has also run up to me to greet me as I walk in. I'm sitting there thinking to myself, man I am having a fabulous day. How could it get any better?

This is the part where life silently chuckled to itself as it thought "let's spice up her morning. It's gotten a little too normal." After greeting my fluffy loves, and thinking about surprising my boyfriend at work with some homemade lunch I walk in to the kitchen to head through the back door to take my dog outside. We have a ritual where I walk in, he sits, and I pet him and rub his belly and give him his favorite...butt rubs. Then he puts his paws on my shoulders for a hug and gives me a quick kiss. After that elaborate, and you have to admit STINKING ADORABLE, greeting I usually take him outside to do his business and to play.

As I walk in to the kitchen I look at the door and wonder what black rope is on the floor and partially propped up against the door. I brush it off as some random piece of a bag one of the cats got in to and then got bored with. Until...

"Okay Atlas, let's go outside! Wait... did that rope just move? OH SH!T NO WAY"

Here's where things start to slow down and move incredibly fast all at once. It's weird how in times of crisis this happens, but for anyone who has ever had something ridiculous like this happen to them you know what I mean.

All of this happened all at once... As my handsome puppy moved towards the door to go outside and play, this what I now realized was a 5 foot long snake had just realized a 55lb fluffy monster was moving toward its new sunning spot in its new kitchen home. What did it do? it CLIMBED UP THE BACK DOOR. At this point my brain just sort of freaked out on the inside, but I went in to super puppy mom mode. My dog LOVES anything and everything. He naturally greets any dog or squirrel or bunny, etc that he meets. He even likes bugs. He has no idea what to do with anything other than people, dogs, and cats. He's caught so many squirrels and just sits there and smiles at them while they tremble thinking they're about to die a violent death. Then he lets them go and moves on to playing with a stick or a ball.

That being said, the second he saw that the super long black thing in the kitchen that the cat had been staring at was actually a living creature he thought "oh I'll greet it and welcome it in to our home. Give me a hug big rope thing!"  He trots over to it as it is showing it prowess in climbing walls, it sees Atlas and begins to freak out while trying to get back under the door where it came from and manages to violently knock its face on the door several times while my dog is trying to step on it. FINALLY it makes its way under the door and in to the laundry room...

What did I do during this? "ATLAS NO OH GOD NO. SNAKE IF YOU BITE MY DOG I'M GOING TO FILET YOU UP FOR DINNER. I KNOW YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT I'M YELLING BUT FOR THE LOVE OF GOD GO UNDER THE DOOR. ATLAS COME HERE DAMN IT DOG."

Now after successfully scream scaring the cat from the kitchen and the snake under the door and confusing my dog I was a little proud of myself for getting it out of the main part of the house. The problem was it was still somewhere in my laundry room and the only easy way to get outside was thru that room. I called my boyfriend who was conveniently at work, because why would anything disastrous happen when he's here?   I'm sure he got a good laugh out of my texts of (and I quote)

"THERE IS A SNAKE IN THE HOUSE. A SNAKE WILLIAM. COME HOME."
"Okay it's in the laundry room. I lost it."
"I don't think it's poisonous, but it can climb walls so that's insane."
"I'm going to open the back door and hope it goes out and no more come in."

In the end, I'm 90% sure it left my back porch/laundry room. We haven't seen a snake in there in a while so that's a good sign. Turns out it was a black racer, which are crazy fast, climb trees, but thankfully are not poisonous.

It's been a little hectic here lately and just wait until you here my mouse story next week! If you ever need a snake hilariously and loudly extracted from your house please don't call me. I don't mind snakes at all, but let's just say I've had my fill of snake wrangling. I'll leave that to the professionals.


"The dream is to keep surprising yourself. Never mind the audience."--Tom Hiddleston