Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Visitors From Home

For the last little while we have been enjoying some visitors from home. Who finally braved a trip to the spot where the Middle East meets Asia, you ask? Lizards!

In Arizona lizards are everywhere. They come in all sizes and all colors. People even use images of lizards to decorate. Wear it around your neck, put it on your wall, whatever.
The fact is that I like lizards. Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't hold one, pet one or call one George, but I don't kill them either. That's saying something, trust me. I'm slightly blood thirsty when it comes to critters in my house. One of my first fights with Mr. Smith began when we returned home from work one night to find a scorpion on our kitchen floor. I squealed and told Mr. Smith to defend me from the awful beast. He quickly grabbed a newspaper from the counter and proceeded to scoop up the scorpion and set it gently in the plants out front. I stood there agog. "Mr. Smith! You have to kill it or it might come back in!" I yelled. "Oh no," he replied, "there was no reason to kill him. He's out of our house now. You are safe and so is he." At this point I became the official Kritter Killer of the family. My philosophy is this, if they stay outside I will leave them in peace, but once they cross that threshold, they are as good as dead.

For some reason though, this does not hold true for lizards. If I see one on the wall I will generally watch it for a while and then leave it alone. Now, it's true that I have never seen a super large one. I suppose I might show a big one the door, but the little ones are welcome.

As one does with any guest, Mr. Smith has been snapping a few photos to document their stay with us.

The More The Merrier




So Nice Of Them To Help Out Around The House



This morning Mr. Smith commented that he thought it was strange that the thought of mice turned me into a crazed, violent lunatic, but that I was totally comfortable with lizards. Well, duh. One is gross and vile and the other is kind of cute and way cool. What does he know anyway? Scorpion hugger.

10 comments:

Anora McGaha said...

Amazing picture of the helpful lizard! Love the photos of lizard objects combined with real lizards.
(Hate cockaroaches and the bugs that look like them but have "wood" in the name.)

Ange said...

I'm all for lizards too! Especially cockroach eating ones! I have been known to scream in surprise to find them in my curtains or above my bed, but other than that, they are usually welcome around my home too. India has definitely changed my perspective.

Suburban Correspondent said...

I subscribe to the inside/outside theory also. Bugs may not cross my threshold without becoming fair game.

Lizards don't creep me out like bugs or mice do, either. Then again, we don't have any around here.

Aunt Carol said...

This posting reminded me of the two lizards that lived near our motor home. We named them George and Gracie (for you young ones, they were named after George Burns and Gracie Allen, comedians of the 50's. We watched them run all over the desert where we stored our motor home and they always came back for the shade. Great pictures of your lizards especially the bug eating one.

Insane Mama said...

I like lizards also, these look a bit like geckos to me... and how helpful of them to eat those nasty cockroaches

Toni said...

I want a mice-eating lizard. But then it might be too big to be cute or welcome.

Anonymous said...

Cool lizards!

Special K said...

Amy, I heard a rumor youa moving back to the US.....any truth to that? If so, I will really miss your Delhi blogs!

I like lizards too!

lauralquinton said...

ew! But I guess if lizzards weren't in my bed and if they ate those nasty bugs I'd probably let them hang around too. ew.

Merinda Cutler said...

We just found a cute little baby lizard in our sink tonight. He was too little to climb out! Isaac bravely coaxed him into a cup and escorted him outside. I mostly love them too, but I must say I do worry that I'll find one in my bed or in the shower with me one day.

Vattikuti's wife Lalitha told me when we saw one at their house last week (with eggs visible in its abdomen!) that they are dangerous to have in your house because if their bodily fluids get on your food you could die! Okay, that was information I didn't want to know and probably shouldn't have just shared! Probably just an old wives' tale, I'm hoping . . .