Mimi To the Rescue!!!

I've still got it! Okay, when you hear the entire story, you may not be very impressed.... School is starting this week and the grandkids wanted to get out the big water slide. We have to squeeze all of the "water fun" we can out of this week. Now the slide has just been laying folded on the sidewalk for awhile and has never been completely dried out. We all go outside, my helpers and I, and begin the process of tugging, pulling, and unfolding the slide. I'm busy getting the hose and extension cord necessary for the entire operation. I knew the slide had some mud and leaves on it, requiring some basic house keeping - the I hear the screeches! Not quite screams, but definitely a distress signal and the kids are all standing on the porch. You can imagine what I thought, mountain lion, snake, at the very least a rabid dog or cat. Let me introduce you to the culprit......

the ever menacing, totally threatening, garden snail. That's right folks, the slide was covered in these little guys. I think the children thought they were vampire snails and I possessed the "courage of a hundred men" as I began jerking them off the material (it was kind of gross as they were attached quite firmly in places). Max figured out pretty quick that he over reacted and immediately began assisting me (I'm sure he wants the first part of this story kept on the down low). But Emily, Sam, and Ben were pretty much just observers - taking the opportunity to point out the random renegade snail. This from Sam - my snake wrangler - I was shocked! :) The snails were disposed of and the water hose hooked up and the group spent a good 30 minutes enjoy the slide, about 5 minutes longer than it took to set it up - oh well, guess I needed the exercise! I plan on reminding some little people of this story when they try to bring creatures in to my house - especially those scaly, legless kind!