On Wednesday, we got an emergency call in the AME (where I work). Normally, life in the Pentagon doesn't really require emergency calls, but this one was important: There was a snake in MAJ K's garage, and he had to head on back home to take care of that matter. His wife described the snake, sounded like a copperhead, so action had to be taken. We had a quick discussion about the snake, because it was a copperhead, it was probably going to have to be killed, you can't let something like that hang around the yard or neighborhood, especially if there are kids around.
There was some discussion on the technique that would be used, it was decided that a shovel would be the most effective - - plenty of standoff, and a sharp edge. MAJ K had been to Army Survival school, so he was no stranger to this sort of technique. As a Green Beret, official snake eater sort of guy, I also gave him a quick class on how to cook and eat the snake (cut off the head 6 inches back from the jaws; skin it, gut it and cook it), and told him I would think a little less of him if he didn't eat it.
The hunter and his son, check out the smile on the 5 year old. This is the picture that is on my computer wallpaper at work, whenever I get drug down into the bureaucratic brier patch, I just look at it for a few minutes. 
Celebrating the hunt with a green Icee. Next time I eat snake, I will find a green Icee. I was pretty sure he was going to kill the snake, it was a copperhead and all, so I pretty much forgot about it. On Thursday morning, MAJ K came into the AME with a huge grin and a ziploc baggie of snake meat.
Gutting the snake.
BBQing the snake.
When MAJ K came in to the office, I was not having the best of day, he came in with a grin from ear to ear and said "want some snake?" It was hilarious. He brought in 5 pieces, one for each of us, I dug in, CAPT H dug in, Bill, our 25 year old civilian and a very refined city boy, hesitated for a few seconds, but then caved to peer pressure and picked his chunk clean. TSgt R, from West Virginia, loved it. It was a pretty cool day. I hadn't had snake since the Q-course and MAJ K did a pretty good job with the BBQ. Tasted like Chicken.
His wife was a bit disgusted by the whole event, she said he went from a "Hero" after killing the snake to a "Zero" once he announced he was going to skin it, cook it and eat it. His son was all in, as were the rest of the boys in the neighborhood.
MAJ K's son, not quite sure at first, but wanted a second piece of it once he got into it. Other, non-snake eating related news:
My bike commuting is coming along, I finally got my bike rack, so now I can put all my stuff on the back of the bike instead of in my backpack, that will make for a much easier ride. I ran into Crazy Dave at the bus station. He is a bit older and doesn't care to ride up the hills anymore so he takes the bus up the hills. While he is on the bus, he talks up different routes and riding options. He has turned me on to a new route that cuts out the two hills and a ton of traffic. I basically go around the hills on a side road, no cars, so that is cool.
The BenMan:
Benjamin, the goofball kid that is my nephew, graduated from Papillion South High School two weeks ago. Somehow, he turned into a very well rounded and smart young man. I went back to the homestead to take part in the activities and let him know I was pretty proud of him. He has ended up with a full ride scholarship to the University of Nebraska, at Omaha to study micro-biology, he will be living with his older sister during her last semester there, so he will get a pretty good education on how to get educated from her.
The next night, he was awarded the Eagle Scout rank. For the record, he is a third generation Eagle Scout - - both my father and I are Eagle Scouts. This has made the family understandably proud. Good job Benman.
Survivor
Survivor season 20 is over. Russell is a total knucklehead. He can get to the final episode, but he makes so many folks on the jury mad that they will never vote for him. I am happy that Sandra won the million bucks and am waiting for the next episode. With the end of Survivor, I am now in the true doldrums of TV - - no Survivor, no Amazing Race and no Football. Honestly, I turn on the TV for a few minutes to watch an episode of Seinfeld, then head off to find something else to watch.
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