Alligator wrestling

The manatees are active in the river outside the building. Connie called me to come down 'and bring your camera!' to see them swimming and eating along the bulkhead behind The Capri building. My other neighbors came out also with their grandbabies to see them, but I am not sure the little ones knew what we were looking at. I took some video for my sister, Kerry, but I cannot share such in the blog. Here are two sunbathers, fairly close to the bulkhead:

I can handle looking at the manatees up close and personal, but I have less bravery when it comes to a lizard, especially in the house. I faced such a beast this morning, in my bedroom. As I was lying on my bed watching the news, I heard this sound, like something hitting the floor. Not like a book dropping but softer, with a click sound to it. I got up and came around my bed to spot a small lizard on the floor between my desk and the bed. Oh oh!

Not wanting that beast under my bed, I tossed a towel which was handy to cover the lizard. Nuts, it crawled out from under it and into the corner away from the bed. Now what? Hating to leave the room to get a broom or something and loose sight of it, I instead reached into my desk cupboard for my compressed air can. Yup, that did the trick! I scooted him along the wall, under the desk and out the other side toward the river room. Not only did I scoot the gila monster along but also a bunch of bunnies. Now I'll have to vacuum them up! 

I opened the sliding glass door and got the baby dragon into the track of the door. The next thing I saw was this prehistoric beast climbing on the screen as I closed the door again. Mission accomplished and no shots were fired!  My guess is that he came into the house last night as Justin and I had the doors opened to look out at something. This means the beast was in my house overnight, though, and I am not sure I can wrap my head around that idea. 

When we first moved to FL, we lived in an apartment off of Wells Road, not really a 'bad' part of town those 27 years ago. Justin and I were home alone one day when I noticed a lizard running along the wall behind our sofa. Justin's play pen was right there and I freaked out, having such a creature loose in my house. Bravely, I opened the door to the patio on the front of the house and spotted a guy going past on a bicycle. I flagged him and asked him for help. He came into my house and searched for the lizard, unable to find it. 

After assuring me they were harmless (they ALL say that!), he left with my thanks for his coming to help me. I watched like a hawk for that sneaking creature to show itself but I never did see it again. It likely dried up behind or under something, never to be seen again. Good! Serves him right for invading my space and threatening my baby. People were horrified to hear how I flagged down a strange man to help me but I had no fear in those days of such things, only the snake-looking things!