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.

[Nicky, Riley & Boris]

Unbelievable!  Yikes a lucky escape.  The very thought of Rooney becoming a snack makes me shudder to think of it.   I think you should definitely live in Ireland but it might be a tad cold and a little boring on those walks as all I may come across are a few interesting birds, some squirrels and the odd rabbit or two. Oh and some golf balls (there are two courses just down the road)  I think I would be totally freaked off if I came across a real live Alligator outside of a Zoo LOL  ; )

[Jane, Rooney & Stuart]

Rooney can walk through there on his leash but it was the only place for off leash walking that we had, now we are only down to the dog park.  :(        I think I am too afraid though even on a leash.  We see gators here all of the time but they usually are in the lakes our around the edges, this was so un-expected and it, as large as it was, just blended in color wise.  I was so not paying attention that had dh not been there, well I can't even think of that.  It could have gotten Rooney or myself.  I've never been so close to one, and it had its eyes right on us!  Jennifer, I am sorry if this scares you!  Just stay alert and use common sense, stick to sidewalks - don't go walking through grass.  This is way I have tried to have a fence installed in our yard but can't get one approved.   This MI girl would like to go home now.

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

Bears, wild pigs, and 6 ft alligators....I'd be calling the moving van too!  I'm so glad your DH was with you.  Don't gators like frogs?????

[Kaytlin and Cooper]

Oh my that is scary! Maybe you could do the walk with Rooney on a short leash, though that isnt the same is it :(

[Anna and Achilles]

Way to go DH!

[Jennifer and Jack]

Oh my God Jane that is my entire worst  nightmare. I know you don't know me that well but for me, alligators scary me beyond anything that is even close to reasonable....

 

Where I live they are not around that much, but where my mom is moving to and where I will be spending a lot of time with Jack and my moms new puppy, they are all over the place... I know Jack, much like Roony would go right up to the alligator and try to smell its butt or at least say hello.

 

I am so glad Roony is okay.. What an entirely scary, scary, scary, morning.