Our good friends Andy and Tanya had promised that a gift was coming. It was a gift for our surprise wedding, which we held back in March last year. I think they'd forgotten that one of the very reasons we had a 'surprise' wedding was because we didn't want any gifts! Having a surprise wedding meant that we could avoid all the fuss and bother and expectation and worry of presents and unncessary spending. We have everything we need. But good friends are like that aren't they. Insistent! And I've learnt in life that sometimes it's better to roll with it rather than fight it.
Anyway, we had the regular gang over for dinner for Chris's birthday. The Robot was there, Luke and Roz, Andy, Tanya and Hanna, Mad and Jez. There was plenty of excitement in the air as everyone gathered together especially when Andy arrived with a flat cardboard parcel tucked under his arm. It was covered in brown paper, beautifully decorated with texta colour, masterfully done by 5 year old Hannah. While food was being prepared, we propped it up against a chair with the promise of a grand opening, but not before an obligitory visit to the Permaculture garden.
We'd forgotten all about the visitor that arrived that morning, but everyone was delighted to discover him while touring around the garden. At some time during the day he'd made his way from the deck above to the outside corner of the Chook Nook where he lay, perfectly still, waiting for his unsuspecting dinner to arrive.
He was beautiful, a very large very adult diamond python with shiney perfectly patterned scales and glistening black eyes. And he waited so patiently without even the slightest hint of movement. He'd cleverly positioned himself above a native bush rat camp, with just enough coil to strike the first rat that appeared from beneath the corrogated iron sheeting. He'd done this before, but not under our watch as it was the first time we'd seen a snake this size in our garden.
At some time during the night, faster than lightening, he siezed his victim into the clutches of his jaw, swallowing him whole after paralysing him in seconds in a vice-like grip.
Although we could have stayed all night watching him under torchlight, Hannah and I decided enough was enough. It was time to drag the boys away - there was a present waiting to be opened and it could wait no longer.
When everyone was positioned, we carefully peeled away the tape, pulling the cardboard packing apart to find inside a rusty old sign that said 'CHOOK NOOK' and above it sat a laser carved chook. How positively gorgeous. How thoughtful. How....perfect!
We absolutely love it and have attached it to the side of the door where it sits proudly, ready to be admired by all entering the Chook Nook. Our very own individualised Chook Nook sign! How lucky are we.
Thank you to three wonderful friends. You shouldn't have but thank you for being so....insistent!
