The Blog About the Frog

My husband and his friend came back last Tuesday night from a road trip to Florida.  They pulled a trailer behind his pickup with his buddy's Ferrari inside (a story for another time).

The guys pulled up in front of our house at around 6 and started unloading my souvenir - 5 palm trees.  Not a t-shirt, or a coffee mug - 5 palm trees.  For around the pool in the summer, to be kept in my house til then.  One after another them came into the house, until we had a small tropical jungle.

Wednesday morning at 6 a.m. I heard the shower go on the bathroom, as usual with our oldest son, then I heard the shower go off.  "Mom, there's a frog in the bathroom."  "Tell your father."  "Dad..."  Only in my house - a Floridian frog stowed away inside a tree and went on a search for water, ending up in our bathroom.  Poor thing!

Hubby trapped the little frog in a disposable bowl (with air holes in the lid!), waiting to show the other kids when they woke up.   When he opened the bowl to show them the frog, it turned out to be quite a jumper - making it onto the counter and across the kitchen in 2 quick leaps.  Everyone started screaming (some happy, some terrified) and started running around the kitchen (including the dog) until the little frog was caught again.

After everyone was off to school, I called Trailside Nature & Science Center, fortunately located 5 minutes from our house.  A kind naturalist told me to bring the frog in, after first asking how big it was - would he have turned me away if it was any bigger than the 2 inches that it is?  I shudder at the thought of having to keep this thing and feed it crickets.  A dog, a guinea pig and 5 beta fish (in separate bowls, of course) are more than enough pets for one family, wouldn't you agree?

When I arrived at Trailside, I was greeted by 2 naturalists, who immediately told me it was a tree frog, not native to New Jersey.  (I figured that out by myself, first thing that morning!)  They happily took him off my hands to warm him up under a lamp and feed him.  Having done my good deed for the day, I went home to see what adventure awaited me next.

As my blog title references, I am scattered all over the place - lots of things to do every day for lots of people.  My husband has suggested that I make a 'to do' list, like he does, every day to get things done.  The frog episode is a classic example of why a 'to do' list doesn't work for me - every time I write one, something else comes up that requires my immediate attention.

I have to say, having my son find a frog in the bathroom was a walk in the park compared to the time my daughter found a mouse in her Ugg.  I'll have to tell you that story another time...