I’m in the mood for ranting today.

If you moved to Africa, would you be really miffed about the mean lions or those awfully aggressive heyeinas – and become indignant about how such dangerous animals shouldn’t be allowed to “just roam around like that”?

I sometimes hear would-be Florida residents ask me when they look at a condo with a nice lake view: “Awseome view… Wait, you don’t suppose there are any alligators in there, do you?!”

Yes, siree – real lakes sometimes have real, live alligators. Dorothy, this is most definitely not Kansas.

South Florida is basically a swamp. A very large, drained swamp. And the scaley locals have been around for millennia before humans were even a twinkle in our DNA’s eye. If you’ve been out to the Everglades, then you’ll understand that humans really have no business being here at all. This is gatorland. So, if you “don’t like the idea” of alligators, or are disgusted by bats, fearful of snakes or are not happy about possums, rats or racoons, well, you get the picture - don’t live in a swamp.

By the way, they’re not “possums” okay, they’re Opossums. And they’re not rodents – although I have to admit they sort of look like them. I found one outside my front door not too long ago. Lucky me. I needed a new friend.