A not-so-welcome visitor

<div><br /></div><div>Those of you who follow me on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/driftwoodinteriors">Facebook</a> will already know this, but my plans for today's post have been thrown into disarray by a unexpected and totally unwelcome visitor. Last week, we met for what I hoped to be the first and last time, but alas - that wasn't the case. Here in Brisbane, particularly in acreage areas like ours, snakes are an unfortunate part of life. I have a healthy respect for them, and in fact, I've saved many from drowning in our pool. We've snakes of all shapes and sizes, including one huge carpet python, but up until recently I hadn't had the pleasure of a visitor like this:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdMoGFxMbjwY14H6oSldREqBfTRGIpDtwAEH4NEaDOIpzrUpXCN9Lm53ZhMFYESeU2B1yXUXB4MTE8Fa4KjgWo1iHgW2f6TLvR6rZHjdBRC6PaQJGuV_t0ju-xdYcBFo3m34yizQk8B0U/s1600/eastern+brown.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="366" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdMoGFxMbjwY14H6oSldREqBfTRGIpDtwAEH4NEaDOIpzrUpXCN9Lm53ZhMFYESeU2B1yXUXB4MTE8Fa4KjgWo1iHgW2f6TLvR6rZHjdBRC6PaQJGuV_t0ju-xdYcBFo3m34yizQk8B0U/s400/eastern+brown.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Eastern Brown Snake </div></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvsKy1SgrjES-6NdYZG_akRbmcKJdduZ6_qAPo4K3tCDyJwD3GWcQIvVo45rCTktLBR7s2pwocJ9YaL0sM3M-nGwcUXCteLttZ1dKnhiruGIe2aQqoVqcNZyZs3jhnxDQ3hFYd3k7W_gI/s1600/coastal+taipan2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="277" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvsKy1SgrjES-6NdYZG_akRbmcKJdduZ6_qAPo4K3tCDyJwD3GWcQIvVo45rCTktLBR7s2pwocJ9YaL0sM3M-nGwcUXCteLttZ1dKnhiruGIe2aQqoVqcNZyZs3jhnxDQ3hFYd3k7W_gI/s400/coastal+taipan2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Coastal Taipan<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Notice the smaller than usual pics - I didn't want to scare you too much :)</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Australia boasts nine out of ten of the world's most venomous snakes, and these guys are numbers two and three on that list. From the <a href="http://www.qm.qld.gov.au/Find+out+about/Animals+of+Queensland/Reptiles/Snakes/Common+and+dangerous+species/Coastal+Taipan">Queensland Museum's website</a>:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">The Coastal Taipan is Australia's most dangerous land snake.</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Photograph by Angus Emmott.</span></div><h3 style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 1.2em; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: 0em; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Danger:</span></h3><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">This is a dangerously venomous species with strongly neurotoxic venom.  It possesses the third most toxic land snake venom known.  Many human deaths have resulted from bites by this species.  If bitten, apply first aid and seek urgent medical attention.  First aid procedure for any snakebite from the <a class="external-link" href="http://www.avru.org/firstaid/firstaid_snake.html" style="text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">Australian Venom Research Unit</a><img alt="External link" class="external-link-icon" src="http://www.qm.qld.gov.au/images/template/icons/external.png" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-left: 3px;" />.</span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"><br /></div><div style="color: #333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I was on the phone to mum yesterday, when I saw our pooch Darcy (who would have to be the world's most cowardly dog, or so I thought) frantically chasing something under our barbeque.Expecting it to be nothing more than a cane toad (yuk, I know!) you can imagine my shock when one of these fellas came shooting out, with the dog in hot pursuit. I had to risk life and limb to rescue both dog and snake, and after locking the dog inside, I called the snake catcher. He proceeded to tell me that unless I knew where it went, it was no use him coming out, and all I could do was lock the dog in and keep an eye out. He also thought it would be a good idea to let the snake take cover in our laundry so that we could contain it until he arrived with a nice big carpet snake, which would apparently fix the problem. Of course, why didn't I think of that?????? </span></div><div style="color: #333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="color: #333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I'm still unsure whether it was a taipan or a brown snake, but neither option is particularly appealing. My daughter called this morning to say it was back again, so the time for fun and games are over! No more Mrs Nice Guy, I'm calling in the big guns - Steve's Wildlife Warriors are my next point of call. I'll let you know how I get on, so wish me luck!</span></div><div style="color: #333333;"><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;"><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85794/shatay01/57292ae3db79c6d939a1f2a85508a076.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"><br /></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;"><br /></div></div>

A not-so-welcome visitor

Those of you who follow me on Facebook will already know this, but my plans for today's post have been thrown into disarray by a unexpe...

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Hamptons Style Mark II

<div><br /></div><div>As a follow up to <a href="http://driftwood-interiors.blogspot.com/2010/11/hamptons-style-comes-to-brisbane.html">yesterday's post</a>, I thought you might like a little addition to the debate. This house is another Hamptons-inspired take on Queensland living, so let's take a tour and see what you think.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaYU76DRiVRyHdvYShGpK13sThyphenhyphenLk-8ZY3584-fpCrI93HQXhnJSn0kXZnL-HARODv44HZpFv3Szsz-WDJG_n4nylFUMamL_J-gsC3CdSLw3jHCnngELM6pSjBYifAe4CEhhQHqFVblfI/s1600/179+butterfield+st+herston+20101115100415.9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaYU76DRiVRyHdvYShGpK13sThyphenhyphenLk-8ZY3584-fpCrI93HQXhnJSn0kXZnL-HARODv44HZpFv3Szsz-WDJG_n4nylFUMamL_J-gsC3CdSLw3jHCnngELM6pSjBYifAe4CEhhQHqFVblfI/s640/179+butterfield+st+herston+20101115100415.9.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisnhX-1nEl-LHR9v0hW0btTe0ApT1YRP7rv1vxA4gcIqSufzB_MawVOOVWFNwquEzgrRIvcSqnxJabqjpgbJjsibOh-IC01OXs8gcE_dXfBhPjKrO1lclvEBNF1yHA-V6K2tBAGIwwGoA/s1600/179+butterfield+st+herston+20101115100415.4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisnhX-1nEl-LHR9v0hW0btTe0ApT1YRP7rv1vxA4gcIqSufzB_MawVOOVWFNwquEzgrRIvcSqnxJabqjpgbJjsibOh-IC01OXs8gcE_dXfBhPjKrO1lclvEBNF1yHA-V6K2tBAGIwwGoA/s640/179+butterfield+st+herston+20101115100415.4.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2OzaDpPI4m-e9OkRUNoFrvuTOaMPS8TPmCJQFEN_mdLAzf31dkhe8fmQ9ui_BdZ56OQ4kXMzUk9gfYDibXjOe-cxptUaAQIQg7HAa6825nmF1ns2gsOyXzcEu0jFMyDImdzKN0cpgMQE/s1600/179+butterfield+st+herston+20101115104338.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2OzaDpPI4m-e9OkRUNoFrvuTOaMPS8TPmCJQFEN_mdLAzf31dkhe8fmQ9ui_BdZ56OQ4kXMzUk9gfYDibXjOe-cxptUaAQIQg7HAa6825nmF1ns2gsOyXzcEu0jFMyDImdzKN0cpgMQE/s640/179+butterfield+st+herston+20101115104338.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEdJ61LWaxDaXYV7vBB5dVyD4sO1Fgw2ngbDzzLteCe44aL6pTjXV4qxXfrKWk0zsuxSdk-KfPHSQtueJRxFbbEUU7-cZ-QBZjtl3NLux6abrZ1YuwAcG5t8NtCM0mqSadZvtCQinbZTk/s1600/179+butterfield+st+herston+20101115100415.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEdJ61LWaxDaXYV7vBB5dVyD4sO1Fgw2ngbDzzLteCe44aL6pTjXV4qxXfrKWk0zsuxSdk-KfPHSQtueJRxFbbEUU7-cZ-QBZjtl3NLux6abrZ1YuwAcG5t8NtCM0mqSadZvtCQinbZTk/s640/179+butterfield+st+herston+20101115100415.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh40fcKfeCeKspEeBvkr8W_IQZb-vP6GiL0jLl_A9DH7AVyiF654iOxT3lHUGChg2p28RSw1cWq4_mR01nGbu0rqpbiVGW_poLvX1oLYZ7KyhQ794Qy6LhIrXcqOir0e2Yo8qbcLBQGzes/s1600/179+butterfield+st+herston+20101115100415.1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh40fcKfeCeKspEeBvkr8W_IQZb-vP6GiL0jLl_A9DH7AVyiF654iOxT3lHUGChg2p28RSw1cWq4_mR01nGbu0rqpbiVGW_poLvX1oLYZ7KyhQ794Qy6LhIrXcqOir0e2Yo8qbcLBQGzes/s640/179+butterfield+st+herston+20101115100415.1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhQDhZk93dzpEpNcYXNd5ALF9wRaCXOb6oToVsUwlOkG0om9DQfb0I_LHg03o8wz0_qn0crwwASC0nv0DOZVaHU8QyPZD6z73VUnZ5efSMn4bW_tpLfFz7t0hB03qpdLXrrol8v0NxqNo/s1600/179+butterfield+st+herston20101115104336.1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhQDhZk93dzpEpNcYXNd5ALF9wRaCXOb6oToVsUwlOkG0om9DQfb0I_LHg03o8wz0_qn0crwwASC0nv0DOZVaHU8QyPZD6z73VUnZ5efSMn4bW_tpLfFz7t0hB03qpdLXrrol8v0NxqNo/s640/179+butterfield+st+herston20101115104336.1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQu2AQ_uuFsFyeK0-Dz-tLQ0ElYUN7lVwVYzshjWsLNtKHylWmBvOndulPDnfQKAHI2WhS0ZydgKanZ4ns4q0_BjZ_xBKSQXMRUjoHYYDcPLwNcrSDiHVqci1j5Oe55bDAH2HVzO3FawQ/s1600/179+butterfield+st+herston+20101115104336.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQu2AQ_uuFsFyeK0-Dz-tLQ0ElYUN7lVwVYzshjWsLNtKHylWmBvOndulPDnfQKAHI2WhS0ZydgKanZ4ns4q0_BjZ_xBKSQXMRUjoHYYDcPLwNcrSDiHVqci1j5Oe55bDAH2HVzO3FawQ/s640/179+butterfield+st+herston+20101115104336.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-qld-herston-106945224">realestate.com.au</a></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Now, for those eagle-eyed readers out there (Jenny!) you've probably realised this home bears a remarkable similarity to the one I featured yesterday - and that's because they share the same designer. Yesterday's post sparked quite a debate on furnishing styles, and which, if either, best suited the house. Personally, neither style is what I'd choose, and although I absolutely love the bones of both houses, the furnishings seemed a little heavy. So, tomorrow I'll put together a post of the pieces <i>I'd</i> like to see in this style of home, and I'd love you to pop in, take a look, and discuss!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85794/shatay01/57292ae3db79c6d939a1f2a85508a076.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>

Hamptons Style Mark II

As a follow up to yesterday's post , I thought you might like a little addition to the debate. This house is another Hamptons-inspired t...

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A big thank you to Anne from Annechovie

I'd like to send a big thank you to the lovely Anne, from one of my favourite blogs, Annechovie. Anne was kind enough to include me in her 'Artist's Portrait' series last week, and she is not only a wonderful artist, but is also a real sweetheart. Anne is an extremely talented artist, and I'm a huge fan of her work - which was featured in none other than the latest Nancy Meyers film, 'It's Complicated':<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDkfagKG4eTtVyLm2KyzJ8nUJl24NJ_XHwCxj8_nRuoUvTdjJENo7R_Dhh1muL7qyl2pIdS4IwaBR5sAcN19OnB4DslTO63KHTPkAYq9JuE7cc-oTu2HI7-PPTBNLoLxjR2RkhMvf2EJ4/s1600/annechovie+chair.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDkfagKG4eTtVyLm2KyzJ8nUJl24NJ_XHwCxj8_nRuoUvTdjJENo7R_Dhh1muL7qyl2pIdS4IwaBR5sAcN19OnB4DslTO63KHTPkAYq9JuE7cc-oTu2HI7-PPTBNLoLxjR2RkhMvf2EJ4/s640/annechovie+chair.jpg" width="609" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">available <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/61812483/orange-chair-silhouette-collage-print">here</a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik1jBUNsALM9kzr_CUSeVUnLnodhn5yhBhBmBLcEby0Vkdso2a2KvI1l4p-CqeDb5kXcHB7IkvghAfh15qq-_nxj5iL-yjYWBsa_lujkJyWr_w2B__npIj5ZQUz4zim3Vl1SFDiq4A_dE/s1600/Its-Complicated+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="390" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik1jBUNsALM9kzr_CUSeVUnLnodhn5yhBhBmBLcEby0Vkdso2a2KvI1l4p-CqeDb5kXcHB7IkvghAfh15qq-_nxj5iL-yjYWBsa_lujkJyWr_w2B__npIj5ZQUz4zim3Vl1SFDiq4A_dE/s640/Its-Complicated+2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">yep, there's Anne's chair in the infamous bathroom scene!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2CLYUQ9IsDXn17KcaOkgbOMFe-kwGuax70VLmwTMK5pRXhYXyKapY6C2X1c7IUKbwBjIPrqoAJoGmejNpRIWmzCF6fGbP9K0XDoVYg2vYYhZ-a1zqF2RKpXy8eBmMFpQFFYA1QujxEVs/s1600/annechovie+holiday+card.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2CLYUQ9IsDXn17KcaOkgbOMFe-kwGuax70VLmwTMK5pRXhYXyKapY6C2X1c7IUKbwBjIPrqoAJoGmejNpRIWmzCF6fGbP9K0XDoVYg2vYYhZ-a1zqF2RKpXy8eBmMFpQFFYA1QujxEVs/s640/annechovie+holiday+card.jpg" width="456" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">and how gorgeous is her new <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/60346827/2010-holiday-card">holiday card?</a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;">Thank you Anne for the feature, and for those of you who haven't already paid <a href="http://annechovie.blogspot.com/">Anne's blog</a> a visit, run don't walk! (phrase completely stolen from <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/61812483/orange-chair-silhouette-collage-print">Jenny</a> btw). Oh, and please say hello from me :)</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85794/shatay01/57292ae3db79c6d939a1f2a85508a076.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>

A big thank you to Anne from Annechovie

I'd like to send a big thank you to the lovely Anne, from one of my favourite blogs, Annechovie. Anne was kind enough to include me in h...

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