Day One Hundred Twenty One

**Warning**
The photos are not very good tonight because they were taken under unusual circumstances, but there is a story behind them.  Beware!

Every night before we put Balin in his kennel to sleep we let him out in the yard to go potty...

Well, how did that photo get there!  This computer has a mind of its own I tell ya.  Oh well.  He's cute.

As I was saying, we let him out in the yard & as soon as I open the screen door he bolts to the right & sniffs sniffs sniffs at the wall.....then he goes on about his business & comes in.  Now see, we don't have a flood light in our back yard so I have no idea what it is he is always so interested in when he bolts out there.

So last night I decided to check.  I can always here something over there & Jeremy knew that a frog lived under the porch before we put the pavers in......but I wanted a flash light because I was curious.  So, while we were both standing there, I flipped on the flash light & Jeremy & I both said "Ugh!"

No, there was not one frog....not even two frogs.  No no, there were 4 frogs.  And I should stop calling them frogs because they were not.  They were monsters.  Frog monsters on steroids.  I have never seen toads with such big eyes. Grossnastydisgusting.  I'm not even afraid of toads but......ew.

Once Balin saw them he kind of stood there looking back and forth at all of them & didn't want to get close.  I touched his back & the scaredy dog jumped backwards & ran away!

So tonight I wanted a photo of these steroid frog monsters.  I let Balin out & flipped on the flashlight again and............nothing.  Blast!  I moved the can out of the way & there was one big one but not a monster one....and it hopped under the porch.  (I think there is a toad colony under there.  In fact....I can hear them right now.  Shudder.)  So, disappointed, I called Balin back in & was about to put him in his kennel when I hear a thump at the back of the screened porch.

Fact:  Jeremy is at the station tonight.  If I decide to check out what it is I better be ready to run just in case it's a rabid raccoon or possum or armadillo or alligator (yes, unlikely on that last one but, hey).  And I was wearing Jeremy's flip flops which are 10 sizes too big.  Great start  :)

So, again, I open the screen door, turn on the flash light, turn on my camera & walk around to the back of the porch & BAM!  I see what made the noise.

Ew, ew, ew.  I think it made it creepier because it was dark.  Otherwise I could have cared less.  But look at it!  It's as big as a brick!  And you can't even see its eyes.  Eeeeewwwww!!  So Balin wanted a closer look tonight....

Look how big it is compared to his head!  And there were 4 of these staring at us last night!  Staring at us!!  Balin finally charged at it one too many times & the monster turned around.....faced me.....and made one biiiiiiiig leap.......and landed at my feet!!!!  I was about 10 feet away & that thing was able to leap its big, steroid monster body & make it ALL THE WAY TO ME!!

Trying to back up in Jeremy's flip flops was a joke!  And it didn't help that Balin was being manic & jumping everywhere & I couldn't hold the flash light still & I was wearing flip flops 10 sizes too big & I had no idea where the monster was so I didn't know if I would step on it (btw, that would not be the first time I stepped on a toad....I never want to do that again).  I wasn't afraid of it, per se, but I didn't want to touch it or step on it!  So finally after finding the daggum flip flops I turn around & realize the monster is right by me & I run smack into the pull up bar post & the thing makes another giant leap out into the yard & Balin starts sprinting around it.

This all happened in about 2.5 seconds.

Finally the monster toad turns around in the yard & gives me this "Call your dog off or I'm gonna poison him" look so I call Balin & he runs back in.  As I close the door I can't see the monster toad anymore, but I hear him hopping away.  Thump thump thump.


I just might have nightmares tonight.  But I promise I will get better, closer photos of all of the steroid monster toads one day & you'll see just how terrifying they can be.

Ribbit ribbit.