Working hard and freaking out

Yesterday and today I have been very busy working really hard cleaning the health centre. Peter our wonderful carpenter finished his work a day early and only 6000 francs over budget, you do not get workmen like that in the UK!! So I went in to clean - we still need the builders to work in the main foyer but the two main rooms are ready for painting. I have been sweeping, mopping floors, walls and ceilings, my ward back care nurse would have a fit if she saw me cleaning. As shown in the very unflattering photos it is all done with a small broom and cloth. I was doing pretty well all the walls are clean and ready for paint, then the building will look much better.

*Parental Advisory, some mothers (mine) may find the following paragraphs not to their liking and I would advice you do not read any further*

So there I was sweeping the hall and what comes through the door - a really big snake. It was long and I mean really long. I am not sure how many meters it was (and yes we would be measuring this thing in meters). At the point I could see it, the head was past the foyer and in another room and the tail had still not followed from the outside. I do not know what sort of snake it was or weather or not it is poisonous. All I know is that the South West is home to the Gabon viper who's venom can kill you in 5 minutes. I was pretty sure this is not a Gabon viper as they are fatter, I have seen one in Limbe wildlife park. I was not planning on taking any chances though. The tail eventually followed and I ran out of the building.

I did not know what to do, so I did what all women in distress do - I phoned my husband. 'JOE ITS A SNAKE' I holler down the phone, 'a what' he says. 'A SNAKE SNAKE SNAKE' I say getting more stressed. So up he ran with Joshua from the HINT office passing some boys on the way to collect a machete, who then all followed with various implements to hit or kill a snake with. By the time they arrived the snake had gone, I have no idea where it went I did not see it leave. They went round the whole building and decided it has left.

There is a pile of stones round the back where they suspect it may live. This kind of freaked me out and I did not get much done for the rest of the afternoon. We have been told that battery acid from old car batteries will keep the snakes away, so tomorrow we will surround the building and advise the landlord to get rid of the pile of stones.