Too close for safety!

[Jane, Rooney & Stuart]

I was excited for today - an entire day to just spend with Rooney & my DH - it doesn't happen often at our house.  After our morning coffee we headed out with Roo for our usual morning walk, about 2.5 miles on a beautiful, paved hike/bike path through the FL marsh.  I used to be afraid to do it with just Rooney and I but in the past 6 months have gotten over that.  Yes - you keep your eye out for cougars - one was seen just last week, but the black bears and wild pigs have been removed.  So we enter the marsh path off of our road and get about 30 ft down the path, dh is about 2 feet in front of me because I had stopped to take the leash off of the dog, he loves to run up and down the path as we walk, chasing squirrels and burning off energy.  Suddenly dh spins around and screams "Rooney" while throwing himself ontop of the dog, before I can ever say "wtd?" I see just off the sidewalk a 6 foot long alligator, laying there with its eyes on us - being very still.  It was no more than 3 ft from the sidewalk and I'm guess we were about 15 ft away from there.  We did a U turn and got outta there fast.  We walked back home, put Rooney safely in his ex-pen and went back with the camera to see if we could capture the monster on film.  Sadly, he was gone, crossed over the walk and into a lake that is right there, we figure.  I believe that dh seeing the gator saved Rooney's life - who I'm sure would have run right up to the thing and become a snack.  I'm sad to realize that I am DONE with the marsh walk, I'll miss the quiet solitude and stunning beauty but I'm too freaked out now and could never relax and enjoy it.  I parlayed my trauma in some blueberry pancakes at Cracker Barrel and while there I found a hat for Rooney that will help him blend into the scenery - a frog disguise so that bad gator can't see him for the tasty morsal that he is.  Call the moving van - I'm ready to move!!!!

The gator was on the left side of the walk, in the open area.

 Rooney in his new disguse.

[Donna K & Quincy]

Rooney, we are so glad you are safe!! WTG DH, I think an alligator purse and shoes are looking good about now or maybe a nice alligator leash and collar for Rooney.

[Chelsea and Bailey]

Haha! Love the hat... I have to say even though gators are scary, I am a bit jealous that you live in a place with the climate for them! and the scenery! beautiful! Our nice walks consist of flat land, with maybe a drainage ditch creating some type of hill or something beside the path! LOL- I may or may not be exaggerating

[Leslie and Halas]

Scary!  Thank goodness your DH spotted the gator.  That gator was probably thinking that Rooney looked pretty tasty.  The disguise is pretty good, though.  You seem to have lots of deadly animals living near you.

[Jersey, Jasmine, Jypsy and Diane]

NJ is looking really good after that story. So happy Rooney is OK and so is your husband. He deserves a huge thank you kiss.

[Dori & Rua]

So glad DH saved Rooney...Rua would have been beside herself if he wouldn't have gotten hurt (won't even think of anything worse).  Omaha Nebraska doesn't have bears, boars or 'gators.  We have 5 Fortune 500's and, even better, RUA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Lisa, Daisy & Dexter]

Think of the steal in a house you would have back up in Michigan....that is if you can get over Detroit, the bad roads, the unemployment around you, the cars for sale in the yards.....Never mind, there is always OH.

:o)

[Lisa, Daisy & Dexter]

Too much drama down there Jane, Michigan or Ohio doesn't have gators! Thank goodness DH saw that thing. OMD it's always something!

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

Moving van?  You can move back to the Mid-West areas again.  We now have beach front properties all around!    I'm hearing that many of the beach fronts  have no electricity or roads ( so bring your boat) and luxurious  furniture.must be of the floating kind.

Eat that darn alligator.   Rooney may like it too!

 

[Jane, Rooney & Stuart]

Yeah - Jane - they like frogs - at least little gators would or if they were in a lake.  So not a good camo outfit huh?  Actually this gator looked like a big log at first - then you saw the beedy little eyes.  We've had gator in the back lake that were 13 ft but this one was big enough.  DH did save Rooney for sure.  Talk about if his recall would have been good enough - NOT.  In a couple more seconds he would have seen/smelled it and he would have run right to it.  He would have died right before my eyes and I would have to live with that forever, I'd be traumatized for life.  I really do want to leave.  Have I mentioned the snakes?

[Camilla and Darwin]

OMG, that would scare me to death. and Rooney looks cute in his disguise