Snake in the house? It must be nearly summer

Just to liven up an otherwise calm and placid dimanche matin, I was summoned by Claire to notice an unexpected presence in the front hall: C'est à dire, Vicki the visiting viper. 

Snakes like it damp, so I suppose that a super soggy Ascension bank holiday is as good a time as any to find one, the first we've had in the house in ten years.

Your ever-drole correspondent is never one to make a drama out of a crisis, so I should point out that said serpent was only about four inches long. Of course it might have been more alarming if it had successfully taken up residence in the cupboard under the stairs, to be discovered later and larger . . .

I tactfully ushered Vicki out of the door and into the storm drain with the aid of a broom. I don't think baby viper bites are particularly dangerous, but I wasn't feeling reckless enough to find out the hard way. Auf wiedersehn pet!