Mystery solved 10/6

A couple weeks ago, we came home to find thatch scattered about in the room between our living area and bedrooms. The back part of the house was added later, so part of the original structures roof is actually in the house. We assumed that it was some sort of animal, but we weren't sure what exactly. We mentioned it to James in case there was something specific he wanted done about the situation. He suggested putting cheese in the rat trap he had nailed on one of the beams in case it was a squirrel/chipmunk type creature. They often take up residence in thatch roofs. The other possible suspect was that it could be a lizard.

After lunch today, we went to put the kids down for naps. When we walked through the connector room we noticed quite a bit of thatch on the ground. Darin had both kids in Tyson's room and I was in Jori's room, putting her crib together for the 100th time. Then I heard Darin say in a very serious voice, “Jonna, come out here right now”. So I went back to Tyson's room and there, in the corner, was a huge Rock Monitor. Remember him??? This one wasn't quite as big as the other one we saw outside, but it was not small either. Darin ushered the kids out of the room while I went to get the camera. After sticking the kids in the living room, Darin went to get Amos from outside, to see if he had a good plan for catching lizards. So Amos comes in and proceeds to tell us that he is scared of lizards and always calls Mark when there is a lizard in the house. This time, Amos did not let his fear overpower him. He asked for a box, so Darin got the kids' “bulldozer”. Amos went out and got a broom and after a few attempts by the lizard to escape behind a chair and under the bed, he managed to prod it into the box.

The next step in the lizard removal process was to take our new friend away from the house before letting it go. Darin was originally just going to set it free outside the gate, but Amos said it would head right back to the house. So we decided to pack up the family for a little ride. I offered to drive, but Darin thought it would be better if I held the box. Wasn't that so thoughtful of him? So we drove a little ways down the road and then piled out of the car. Since Darin is a much faster picture taker than I am, I was in charge of setting the lizard free. I laid the box down on its side and nothing happened. Then a head poked out. I gave the box a little kick and the head went back inside. Then I tipped the box over, forcing the lizard out. Unlike on the slippery bedroom floor, the lizard had good traction on the rocky soil and took off. We did manage to take a few more pictures and the kids said their good-byes. Then he was gone.

We all piled back into the car and headed home for a second try at nap time. Apparently, having a lizard in the house was way too much excitement for the kids. It is now an hour and a half later, and they are still not sleeping. In fact, I just went to check on them and they are both in Tyson's room, reenacting the great lizard capture. At least they'll go to bed early tonight, right?