pedro2 - sorry to burst that dream bubble but kids don't get to travel around by themselves internationally via air carriers on their own any more. they must be signed in and taken charge of by the airlines and the fees are high. OR the kid does not get to travel.

I mean, how many years ago was that???

Air travel? Who said anything about air travel? We didn't have planes in those days.

For the last few days, we've been debating about whether or not to relocate a small tarantula in our garden. We decided that he seemed pretty good at making himself uninteresting to the dogs, so we've left him. We thought he was our only resident wild animal. This morning, I found the carcass of a very large iguana on our steps. The tail was over three foot long. I also found one very proud puppy. So, at 5:30am, I dispose of carcass sadly, apologising to any mother nature type entity that I could muster up. Thinking that was quite enough, but no....I've just come back upstairs from wrangling a 8' boa out of our woodpile. He is very angry and currently in a dog crate in the office awaiting resettlement. After the slaughter of the iguana, I didn't feel like dealing with another carcass tomorrow as the dogs alerted us to the snake. I must have been a sight to behold, in my dressing gown and bare feet, trying to explain to an angry boa why I had to disturb him. Full moon? Cool weather? who knows.

Wow colly, everyone is trying to guard your place!

Colly - I don't know about your dog but my dogs will not get near a snake. They do however bark incessantly until the snake moves off. I think a snake in the woodpile is about the best thing you could have there. LOL

The dogs were already at it Scuba. The new pup is a serious hunter and the dog we brought from England has a Staffordshire Bull Terrier for a mother. Killing is what she lives for. Unfortunately neither of them seemed to have any sense about the snake. Our potlicker, on the other hand, wouldn't go near it. Snake is safely stored. As it is in the middle of a slough (which also made it very vulnerable), I'll keep it for a few days before relocating it safely to another neighbourhood. Unfortunately we have a gang of 'catch, torment and kill' kids here, so I'll give it a better chance in a more wild area.

sounds good to me. Thanks

Wow, you are a pretty cool customer, Colly, wrangling an 8' boa! I'd be terrified.

please don't put it anywhere SOUTH of town, I don't like snakes....

Go girl!