Zen and the Art of Motherhood

Did I mention I have a strict catch and release policy?  I had good reason for it and was standing pretty firm.  Until yesterday.  Unwittingly I gave in.  And today I pay the price.

The afternoon was another crazy one.  I had back-to-back meetings at the house as distractions abounded.  Phones rang, doors knocked and dogs barked.  So my son, being the smart, opportunist type that he is, saw an opening and ran with it.

With everything going on around me, its no wonder my son scurrying up the stairs went unnoticed. So did the hint of green sticking out of his pocket. I have to admit, I didn't even see the aquarium, sand and other accessories go up the stairs.

After the guests were gone, I started putting two and two together (yes, I'll admit I'm a little slow).  When I finally made my way up to his room, what should I see?  The biggest, greenest frog you've ever seen staring up at me from beneath the pond-watered aquarium set-up.

So after some high pitched screams, I did the unthinkable.  I acquiesced.  It WAS dark and obviously too late to return the creature to his natural surroundings. Tired from the day, and in a moment of weakness, I allowed him to stay the night.

This morning, screams were heard yet again.  Seems our amphibian guest decided the accommodations weren't to his liking and flew the coupe -- or hopped it I should say.  So right now we have a renegade frog loose somewhere in the house.  He's probably visiting with the caterpillars that the Little Stinker freed yesterday.  They're yucking it up, having a party at this very moment -- I just know it! 

I just hope his little bash isn't his last.  There are way too many dangers around these parts.  He'd need to make it past the cat (given her aversion to mice that probably wouldn't be too hard). Then the dogs -- the old one's pretty easy, but our young pup, well, he's a different story. And, let's just hope he didn't hop into the guinea pig's vicinity.  That creature has some sharp teeth!  The last immunity challenge would involve our Little Stinker.  Let's just say, he doesn't mean to torture animals.  He just likes to play with them.

Worse yet, I'm really not up to finding a shriveled up pond creature sometime next week.  We already went through that with the tackle box incident, and believe me, it ain't pretty.  So, today I'll spend my time cautiously creeping through the house, not wanting to be surprised by our little friend hopping out from under a bed.  Maybe if I just yell, "Uncle" the little sucker will take pity and this perverse game of hide and seek will end.