eek, thats scarier than the earring story, Amos! she must be a very capable woman!

don't know if ive told any snake stories here before, but one afternoon i was sitting on my sister's back verandah, in an old cane chair, reading in the late afternoon. Their farmhouse was very isolated, surrounded by bush, and down the bottom of the back yard was a lovely river.

I'd been sitting quietly, for about an hour, reading, and having a cup of tea. I got that funny feeling you get when someone is watching you..

I looked up, and wound around the verandah post was a huge, long, diamond python. I froze, and did not move, absolutely paralysed with fear.

It was rubbing its head against the post, and i just sat there, not moving, watching it rubbing its head & chin against the post, as if it had an itch. after about ten minutes i could see what was happening, it was shedding its skin, slowly,as it rubbed, like taking a long glove off an arm. my sister Rosie came out with a cup of tea. "Don't move".. i said hoarsely.. "snake"...

Rosie looked across and laughed.. o, thats just Fred, she said, he's fine, he lives in the roof and keeps the rats and possums away.

(there's a picture of me and my sister rosie on my photo page, on the verandah of their previous property, Goannamanna, in the Blue Mountains)

freda