I Really Need to Quit Smoking...

I type, as I sit here puffing.

I don't smoke in the house. I have a cool garage, complete with couch, 'frig, stereo and tv. I spend many evenings in my garage, in part so I can smoke, in part to watch tv independent of my repeat-sit-com fan husband. Tonight, I'm trying to focus on the debate. Even take a few notes.

I went to the 'frig for a beer during Obama's first response and before I made it back to my seat, I noticed something on the concrete floor next to the couch. What was that? A necklace? I started to lean over...and...it was a snake! Look at the date of this blog, folks! October 15! Yes, it's hot. It got up to 88 today in NC. But come on. It's October!

It wasn't a big snake, maybe 6 or 7 inches long. I am not sure what kind it was.

I opened the garage door while grabbing the broom and yelled for my daughter to "Come Here! Quick!" She did - she's a good girl, she knows when I mean it. I swept him into the middle of the floor before he made it all the way under the couch - right where I had been sitting before I stood to get a beer - right where I was about to sit back down - right where I am sitting now - but cross-legged, with my feet on the couch instead of the floor!

I told Camille to grab the camera and tried to use the broom to keep the snake in the middle of the garage. Then I noticed an empty shoe box my husband had left in the garage. I decided to try to catch the snake so I could show it to Ken when he got home. Ha. When I tried to sweep the snake into the box, he dashed under the cabinet the stereo sits on. Thank goodness it has wheels. After unsuccessfully trying to use the broom to swish it back out, we rolled the cabinet out of the way, and the terrified (?) little snake was curled in a little ball. Camille grabbed the box and the broom and swept the snake into the box. "Gimme the lid, gimme the lid" and I obliged. As soon as she had the lid on the box - the snake came out of a hole in the bottom! We screached and sreamed and swept him out the door. He slithered away into the grass. "I hope we didn't hurt him," Camille said. "He seems to be moving kind of wierd."

Lord have mercy. Just keep moving wierdly AWAY from my garage!

I need another cigarette.

Camille's latest fundraising project

Here's what I did today:

Camille painted a very cool water color and is selling prints for a minimum contribution of $25 to her trip fund. Everyone who submits a prepaid order before 12/1/2008 (up to 100 contributors) will be entered into a drawing to win the original. Pretty cool idea, huh? I'll take part of the credit, but she gets all of the kudos for an awesome interpretation of DaVinci's works.

My kids is talented!

Get a Car Wash, Send a Kid to France!

Plans and fundraising are coming along! Camille's group will be washing cars at the Steak & Shake (near O'Charley's & Walmart) in Wake Forest from 10 to 2 Saturday. Come help 'em out!

more about the trip and Camille's fundraising efforts at her blog.

Camille is Going to France!

She's very excited about her French Departments upcoming trip to France and has started her fund raising efforts on her new blog. Please check it out and consider helping her out - this really is an opportunity of a life time, and I'm really proud of her for pursueing her dream, even after her dad and I both uttered the dreaded words..."we just can't afford it."

updated 9/8/08 - just published a Hub about Camille's pursuit of this trip.