I'm Afraid

I tell  you, I am having nightmares lately. 

Earlier this week, I was in my sewing studio with the door open.  It was such a lovely afternoon, and I love sitting at my sewing machine and being able to gaze out on the garden.  The weather has cooled down dramatically, so I didn't need to have the door shut and the air conditioner on.

So, what wanders in but a teeny tiny lizard.  About three inches long, maybe four.  EEEEEEK.  I don't handle anything reptilian very well.  Ozzie and Remy came running and chased the poor little creature into a corner between the wall and my bookcase.  The opening was too narrow for either of them to get at the lizard, thank goodness.  For it's sake anyway.  I guess.

I tried using my broom to encourage it to run out, but no luck.  Finally I just turned off the lights and shut the door and went upstairs, leaving the lizard in there.

When Sara arrived to pick up Eva, I made her go down and check it out and see if she could chase it back outside.  She nonchalantly informed me that it was no where in sight and probably got out under the door.  What?  How could it do that?  I was not convinced.  Besides, the idea of reptiles being able to come and go at will underneath the door to my sewing studio was a bit much for me to swallow.

For the past two nights I have had nightmares that I open my stash cupboard, and the lizard which had been feasting on fabric for two days, had grown into a Komodo Dragon.  BLAAHHHH.  It sticks its head out at me, mouth open to bite off my head.

Somebody please tell me that can't happen.  Or I will never be able to use my studio again.

Comments

[Staci]

LOL!
Yes, this is me, too!
A lizard came in the house once and I cried for two days! Hubby kept telling me he got it out, but I never believed him. I think he just said that to humor me. I lived in fear of either finding it fat and sassy in the cupbords or closet or shriveled and dead under a piece of furniture.

[Wendy]

Oh Nichole you poor girl!! I think you and your stash are pretty safe though, I'm pretty sure it was what some call Kitchen Lizards and they like to eat nasty bugs. People in Jamaica told me that they considered it good luck to have one live in their Kitchen.
When I was at my daughters in Texas you could see several of them on her kitchen screen (outside) at night.
Still I'd have someone install a sweep or something on the bottom of your door to seal it better.

[Susan Ramey Cleveland]

Teeny tiny lizards do not turn into Komodo Dragons. Now. You're told.

[Kay Mc]

I'm with you on the lizard, I can't stand anything reptilian either. When I went out to check the mail yesterday there was a teenage size garter snake sunning itself on the door mat that I would have stepped on if I hadn't been looking down. I got a shovel & tried to get it, but it got away. I too am having nightmares over this. I keep seeing this snake everywhere I turn.

[Jocelyn]

We have an occasional lizard sneak in as well. My son is great at catching them and releasing them back outside. The day before yesterday, I was sewing away in my sewing area, and I saw something out of the corner of my eye. I thought I had imagined it, but when I stood up to iron my fabric, I saw a tiny baby frog. Poor dear, he was more afraid of me then I was of him. I tried to swoosh him towards the door, but he would have none of it. He ended up going under the furniture. Haven't seen him since. We do find the little critters expired when they can't get out. So no worries about the lizard eating your fabric. Just won't happen ;-)

[Jan]

In my experience--considerable since I lived in South Florida for most of my life--teeny, tiny 3" or even 4" lizards are not a threat to humans or their pets. Promise! And, they DO like to eat all sorts of insects so you could count that as a plus having one in residence. I know. I know...easy for me to say when I'm not the one with a lizard in my sewing studio.

[Kathy at Kindred Quilts]

It can't happen. But I still feel your pain...

[Jean]

It was probably just one of those little blue belly lizards. Poor thing was probably more scared than you! With that said, my husband used to have pet snakes. One got loose and was lost in the house for two days. Try living with that!

Google "free lizard quilt pattern" and you can make something to commemorate the poor little thing!

[AnnieO]

Oh, Nicole! The little lizard is only creeping you out and I'm sure he will leave your fabric untouched--hopefully the komodo dragon nightmare will go away :)

I hate big spiders--we have those jumping ones that I sometimes look up and see crawling across my ceiling. It is hard to go to sleep when I fear one might fall on my face!

[JoAnne McPHerson]

This describes my life for three years in Hawaii. They have geckos there and they frequently get into the house. Luckily my husband usually got them out, but then I had to go through the months while he was deployed! (It is just me, no kids or pets.) Once I paid a neighbor kid to get one out, but I also learned to use Raid (it slows them down) and sticky traps. I handled those with my long "reacher." I was so glad when we moved here to Virginia, thinking that all that would be over, but guess what? There is a lizard living out on our deck!! Also, I was painting in the garage this past week when a vole ran in. Can I not escape these critters??!!

[Sharon]

HAHAHAHAHAHA.......you crack me up.

[Sandie @ crazy'boutquilts]

It can't happen. It was probably just as afraid of you as you were of it, so it escaped when it could~ and yes, they can get out under doors... but they can't get in because of the way the weatherstripping thingy is at the bottom of the door. Go sew! :-)

[Deb@asimplelifequilts]

Oh no. Spiders are my creepy crawly nightmare. My mom had to come pick me up at Brownie Day Camp when a spider crawled up my leg and I had a major melt down. Camping is SO not my thing to this day! My MIL goes absolutely bonkers over mice. I think most of us have a critter phobia or two...

[Debbie R.]

I understand your fear, but think you and your fabric are quite safe. Not sure how to make your nightmares go away though. The creature I'm afraid of is bats. They get into the house somehow, every August, and I just cower under the covers, terrified, until someone else takes care of it.

[Sandy M]

Too Funny. I lived in Puerto Rico for about 12 years and these little critters are a staple there. They will not grow to be a Komodo Dragon. LOL! Get some rest!

[Karen L.]

Here's something to take your mind of dragons! Look at these pretty appliqued and embroidered eggs from Ewe-niversity by Susan Wojciechowski...
http://www.brewersewing.com/BQSS_Consumer/productdetail.asp?item=E031201

Karen L.

[Diane]

I'll come take care of your lizards, mice, and snakes. You come take care of my spiders.

[Linda]

LOL...oh, god, reminds me of the times we spent in South Florida. Me in the corner laughing and screaming while my husband pursued a lizard up the walls and around the room with broom in hand. After much screaming and laughing, the poor thing was unceremoniusly swept (flung) out the door. Back up north, we had squirrels in the attic one winter...now THAT was not funny....oh, and a chipmunk chewed its way into our basement last year, and did I ever scream when I saw that (not to mention the bill from the pest control guy)!! Of those three, I'll take a lizard any day.

[Pam]

Lucky you don't live in the South. We have lots of lizards. The dog loves to hunt them outside.
They are not shy, even have sex in plain sight.
What's creepy is when the dog catches one and the tail breaks off and keeps on wiggling and flopping around.
Good luck!

[Pam]

Yep, we have them in Chico this year. More than I have ever seen. I was weeding the old summer flowers and came across 2 of them. I can't take it. How can such a tiny creature freak me out so much? But they do!! good luck!

[sillysally]

Ha! That is the funniest thing I have heard all day. Little lizards do not eat fabric and turn into komodo dragons! But I know how you feel; I would not want a lizard inside my sewing space either.

[Bari Jo]

Your fabric is safe... but man I hear you - anything creepy, crawly, reptile/insect/bug/spider and I am outta here... funny thing is I had three boys - so you can imagine my life the last 25 years... oy... I still get the eebee jeebies when something crawls into my line of vision... breathe in... breathe out... it will be ok.... and yours won't get to be the size of a komodo dragon... hopefully he is as desperate to get back outside as you are to get him out of there!

[Darlene]

Oh my, I'd be a little freaked! Hope you sleep better tonight!

[Rebecca]

Oh am I soooooo glad I did not read your blog yesterday. I probably would have thrown the laptop in the floor if that image had popped up on it. I had a little warning. I was reading this morning's note and as I am scrolling down begin to see the picture. I dislike anything reptilian so badly I cannot look at pictures even. I held my hand up and watched the edges of the screen so I could tell when I had gotten past the picture and then read your post. We have the same fears - open a cabinet and there it is. Personally, I would have to move all the furniture just to be sure it is gone. :-)

[Heartsdesire]

Even here on southern Vancouver Island, we have tiny lizards. Our cat must have been playing with one the other day when the tail came off and so she brought it into the house. I saw something on the rug and thought it was a headless dragon fly, as there are lots around here. When my husband came upstairs from his office a few hours later, he looked at it and said, no, it was a lizard tail, and picked it up to take outside. As he was walking out the patio door, the tail flipped out of his hand and scared the living crap out of him.lol
In the four years we've lived here in Victoria, I've only seen one once, and I know they're harmless, but having one in my stewing studio would keep me on my toes. I'm sure as others have mentioned, it's probably slipped out under the door. Try to concentrate on all your beautiful quilting projects.