Stumpy!

Most of the mornings during the summer time I pull weeds or putz around the house. During my yard work sessions in the front yard I always look for my boy, Stumpy, and tell him how handsome he is and about how much longer his tail looks today versus yesterday. 

Stumpy is one of the great loves of my life. A few years ago I noticed this lizard (who was missing part of his tail) hanging around the stairs of our front porch. His tail was lopped off about a half inch from his hind legs and so that made him easily recognizable. Several weeks of seeing this lizard went by. I'd come home from work in the afternoons and he'd be there...perched on the steps, sunning himself on the porch railing, or camouflaged in a plant but sitting on the rim. Eventually, I mentioned this strange daily occurrence to Shawn. Thinking he wouldn't believe me, I was shocked that he had seen this very same lizard too!

Hummm....could it be true?  Below is a picture of Stumpy from the time he had been "around" for about a six months or more. I remember taking this picture after I had been sick. I came out of the house for the first time in a long time and soaked up some sun sitting on our porch steps. I was happy to be airing myself out and even more happy to see my sweet prince, Stumpy!  

So, fast forward about another TWO summers (aka TWO YEARS!) to this summer. 

Stumpy is my lil guy!  I wove him and tawlk baby tawlk to him...and he comes wunning up to me to give me some woving!  

I look lovingly into his deep brown eyes and he rotates them around, as lizards do. But when our eyes lock on to one another, I can feel his heart speaking to mine.  He is one of my great loves!  Truly!

At one point a year or so ago, Nicholas found a partially skeletonized stumpy tailed lizard as the main course for an army of hungry ants. We all ran out of the house, examined the remaining flesh, and said our good byes to our dear Stumpy. How sad that Stumpy's fragile little body would be ripped apart bit by bit in front of our very eyes!  Circle of life... :(

Ah, but...that was NOT "our" beloved Stumpy afterall. He turned up a few days later and everything was back to the way it was before. The survival of the fittest!  

Stumpy, 

     Not only are you handsome and sweet and loyal and...and...  But, you, my most precious wittle boy, you are stwong too!  I'm so pwoud of you!  Long live Stumpy! 

                                XOXO 

Stumpy has other friends who he hangs with. Some are a little "green" and envious of our close knit relationship, like the lizard below.  (This lizard has a green mate so I know he's not really pining away for me but it makes for a better story.)

But then our happy little woodland utopia was heinously fractured by a mean terrible long tailed bully!  I was gaily skipping through the forest...when I came upon the vicious crime!  Stumpy was being eaten alive!  The "bad lizard" had Stumpy's head inside of its giant jaws!  

I scolded that bad lizard and wagged my finger at him, "Shame on you, you bad...BAD lizard!  No!  No!  Shoo!  Get out of here, you horrid thing!  Bad!  Just you wait until I tell Daddy!"

Then I ran to my precious baby boy.  "Oh, my dear Stumpy!  Your eye is all swollen and red.  Oh...no..."  Stumpy raised his head and postured boldly. He knew that together...hand in hand...he and I could take on that bad bad lizard."  I encouraged Stumpy to go into the bushes by the ligustrum tree and mend himself while I alerted the troops.

Armed with a green plastic sand shovel, Shawn, our brave hero whacked that naughty lizard!  Swooning, I smiled at my human husband...

Stumpy's head and eye were bloodied. 

My brave boy raising his ridge along his back, showing that naughty lizard who is the real boss 'round these here parts. 

Fortunately, the bully only tried to eat half of Stumpy's head.

Stumpy did get rather pale, but he did mend himself. This ti plant and the bird bath are his rehab center.  Although he needs to be reminded that hanging upside down is not part of the "R.I.C.E." treatment, he seems to be making good progress in his recovery. 

Stumpy likes when I tell him how handsome he is.  I sit on the sidewalk and whisper sweet nothings and (for now) we live happily ever after. 

But I'm still keeping my eye out for that naughty lizard!