For Christmas this year, my brother-in-law decided to replace the set of kitchen cabinets in my mother-in-law’s kitchen. It was so generous for him to do that but since he lives out of town, my husband got the job of ripping out her old set of cupboards.
In the process, he discovered the reason she has a snake or two in her knife drawer every once in a while. It’s not a surprise to hear someone scream bloody murder and run shrieking from her kitchen (we always tease her that it’s her secret ingredient for her extra good chili) every once in a while. There was a 1-foot-wide gaping whole in her floor from the basement right into the sink area. For a snake, this is the equivalent of a “welcome” mat, a sign that says “free continental breakfast” and “a jacuzzi in every room.”
My favorite story was when my sister-in-law found a snake, screamed and then grabbed a mayo jar and a HUGE knife. Somehow she got the small snake into the jar, alive. She went to set it free outside. Unhappily for it, it moved and she freaked out. She dropped the jar and chopped that thing into pieces, screaming like it was attacking her the whole time. We went to help but when we saw her in the midst of her panic, we could only laugh. ( She laughs about it now.)
Mom’s old cabinets were “new” to her and installed about 30 years ago. They were taken from an old house to go into hers as she is the originator of the term “recycle, reuse and retain – forever.” She was so excited back then to have her new set of cabinets, which were circa 1940 back in 1970. Now that we have removed them they are probably worth something to some collector of vintage items. She wants to keep them in the backyard in case someone might need them. We couldn’t think of anyone who would fall into that category except the snakes she is now putting out.
Happily, the 6-inch snake tail that he found under the sink will be the last anyone will ever have to find as the hole is now plugged. Vintage snake tail is one thing that Mom did let us throw out.
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“If you see a snake, just kill it – don’t appoint a committee on snakes.” ~ Ross Perot
2 responses so far ↓
1 angelawd // Dec 21, 2008 at 4:51 pm
I am really grossed out right now. I don’t have a problem with snakes in their own habitats, but not in MINE.
2 Damama T // Dec 30, 2008 at 1:53 am
Well, I’m the weirdo in most femal circles because I like snakes. Yep, I do. But I don’t want them making themselves at home in my kitchen, though! LOL!
The cabinets might find a good home with Habitat for Humanity’s new Re-Store resale shop. We have several in the Houston area. You might check the Habitat website to see if there’s one close to you. Here, they will come and pick them up, too! And you get a tax write-off to boot.