Snake in the Grass

The other day I got bit by something in the yard.

We had a “family Outing” to get everyone (i.e. the dogs) enthusiastically outside to do their business.  Hubby and I teamed up to get both girls outside, orderly without anyone tripping or falling over each other or down stairs – sounds easy, but in this house, it’s not.

I had dog #2, who needs to be on a leash.  We step onto the grass and immediately I feel something bite my ankle.  I look at it, see nothing, but know it was too quick and too sharp to be a mosquito bite.

After doggie doodle success we come in the house.

I go wipe the “bite” with alcohol, since that’s what I would do with a mosquito bite.  It itches something fierce, hurts actually.  Later I shower and scrub the heck out of my ankle with soap.

That is day one.  

Day two:

The darn ankle still hurts, I get a real good look at it and there are TWO marks on my foot and it’s lumpy.

Me to husband – look, I’ve been bit

Husband – uh-huh

Me – no look at it – shove foot in his face

Husband – I’m on the computer. Yeah ok, something bit you

Me – this was yesterday, it still hurts

Husband – uh-huh

Me – maybe it was a spider?

Husband – yeah, whatever, you’re fine

Day three:  

Huh, that’s new it’s weeping – put calamine lotion on it to dry it out.

Me to husband – look, shove foot in his face again, it’s weeping, its day three, isn’t that odd?

Husband – yeah, you’re fine

Me – I’m not fine – maybe it was a Viper

Husband – a what?

Me – a Viper, you know – poisonous snake

Husband - it was definitely NOT a Viper

Me – you don’t know that

Husband – I DO know that, there are NO Vipers in Southeastern Michigan

Me – there could be – maybe someone let a pet out, like the year I saw that large red hairy spider crawling up the garage

Husband – fine, you were bit by a Viper

Me – see I told you, you’re gonna miss me when I’m gone

Husband – where you going?

Me – if I was bit by a Viper, my time must be limited

Husband – just looks at me…

So people, I may or may not have bit by a Viper, it’s day five, it still hurts – but the rest of me feels fine, plus from the picture taken today the lumps have went away.  Guess I would have known by now if I was bit by an escaped pet Viper.  Huh, must have been a spider.  

Boy that spider sure did have a long fang range, the marks are ¾ of an inch apart – I only felt one bite, maybe it was the red hairy one I spotted two years ago – hmmm, think I would rather have a Viper in my yard….. Either way, I now stay on the rock path that goes through the yard – damn sneaky Vipers…