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As many residents of Eccleshill Gardens know all too well, over the past 12 or 13 years, I have shared my home with numerous pets.

Many used to say it was a menagerie. The kids off the street used to love visiting. Cheaper than going to the zoo.

We had 3 dogs, a cat that had 3 litters of kittens, a parrot, a breeding pair of chipmunks, rabbits & giggly pigs, ducks, an ornamental goose, lovebirds, a ferret, cockateils, quail, Rosellas, budgies, finches, lizards. I have probably forgot to mention some. But you get the idea.

I used to supply the pet shop with baby hand tamed animals.

It was a running joke at one point that there must have been something in the water, because at one point all the females were expecting, and so was I.

My daughter grew up surrounded by animals which she adored. The Tinkerbell the cat had its first lot of kittens on my daughters birthday, in her dolls house.

I can certainly tell ya some tales about my daughter and her pets.

My daughter was highly delighted by this.

After many years of having so many pets, I developed asthma. So as a pet got old and passed away, it never got replaced.

I kept tinkerbell, and the last kitten from the last litter. He got named Beetroot. I know, I know, what a name to call a cat. Well there is a reason behind it, he likes pickled beetroot(and garlic).

After my marriage broke down, I met a lovely Guy. We hit it off straight away and now live together. He and I are best friends as well as partners.

Since we have been together, we got Chloe a dog. We wanted a medium sized pooch. Our Friend breeds labradors and had one wee thing that only had 3 feet. Well, you guessed it, that's the one we got. Mushu, he's called. He is the most adorable lab I have ever seen. He is nearly 5 and still has that puppy dog face.

Don't think for 1 minute that only having 3 feet holds him back in any way. Cos you will be sadly mistaken. He has the strength of an Ox, you just ask anyone who came to the 1st Annual Community Fun day at Eccleshill Gardens. If they watched the dog show, they will vouch for me. Mushu dragged 3 of us around the arena. Now no laughing.

Over the years that my partner and I ahve been together we have also extended the family a bit more. Not kids (ewwwww no).

More lizards.

First we got 2 fat tailed gecko's (named bacon & egg)then we got 2 more lizards. 1 was a fan footed lizard and the other a wahlberg lizard. those 2 stick to walls and glass, and a pain to catch if they get out.

Sadly over the last 2 months they died of old age.

But, the vivarium was not empty for long. It is now home to a 6 mnth old Carolina Corn Snake.

eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeek I hear you say.

I used to say something far worse if I saw any sight of a snake, either in a picture, on a tv show or in a movie. Pertified of em, I am.

This snake was not bought, we acquired it. My parners friend found it in his back garden. He didn't want to take it in his house as he wasn't sure if it was poisonous or not.

So off we set, to rescue this snake.

When we arrived at the friends house, I was firmly backed up against the furthest away wall. Heart pounding. geeeeeez I thought actually in the same room with a snake. WOW how brave.

We got the snake home and put it in a vivarium and monitored it for the next few days.

We decided to take it to a vet for a checkup. We were advised to use a normal vet surgery which has one of their vets who is a reptile vet, rather than a stand alone reptile surgery.

This is what we did. I searched the net and rang my vet for a recommendation.

The Veterinary Health Centre in Lytham St Annes is where we took the snake. No name for it at this stage. A name was required quickly. Sausage, that's it. Almost a full breakfast now. hehehehehehehehehe We were given antibiotics which we had to inject it with and some iodine for the war wounds it had from beng outside.

Sausage now seems to doing well, it has fed and had drinks and done its business. It still needs a wee bit of help when it is shedding its skin, just until the wounds are properly healed.

But, wait for it.

I held it. I actually held a snake.

My partner was sat holding me as I was trembling, my daughter was taking great delight in laughing at me, and taking pictures of my petrified face, which she will probably use in later years to bribe me.

But Joking aside.

My partner and daughter were so proud of me, gosh, I am proud of me too.

I have actually over come a life long fear and it feels great.

7:16pm Monday 14th January 2008

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