Lyn Greedy was becoming increasingly frustrated ... after 23 phone calls she still couldn't find anyone to come and pick up the six-foot black snake in her yard.
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"One snake catcher was out of town, another's car was broken down, one was sick, another would only come if the snake was inside, and then there were others who just didn't answer the phone," the Rutherford woman said.
"I must have rung six or seven people, some several times. All up I counted 23 phone calls.
"I'm not pointing the finger at anyone, it's a Sunday, they all have families and lives to lead - I understand that - and we live near a creek, so I accept that snakes will be around.
"But black snakes are protected and when you're trying to do the right thing, it's annoying. I just didn't think it would be that hard."
Mrs Greedy spotted the snake at the side of the house.
"A brick fell over that hold the side gate," she explained. "I went up to put it back and then thought the hose is moving. I was less than a foot away and realised it was a snake. Well, it went one way and I went the other.
"It would have been just after 1pm when I started ringing snake catchers, because I was pretty sure it had gone under our air conditioner," she said.
"I was home alone but you worry about the neighbourhood kids or someone visiting, my daughter has a dog and sometimes drops in, that sort of thing."
By the time her husband arrived home after work, she still hadn't been able to get someone.
"Les and I were out the front and were moving the Sulo bins to get to the air conditioner when we saw one of the bins wasn't sitting properly. Somehow the snake had got under them. Don't ask he how, there's not much space under them."
Then began a series of unsuccessful attempts to get the snake.
They tried hosing the reptile - no luck there - and then they started prodding it with a broom to try to make it move, but this only made it angry.
"It started coming at the broom, and totally ignoring the hose," Lyn said.
A neighbour spotted the commotion and came down with a broom handle with a hook on it and a plastic garbage bin.
"He and Les finally managed to get the snake into the bin and then we taped down the lid," Lyn added.
"We put the bin in the back of the car and decided to drive it back out to the river at Aberglasslyn away from any houses.
"But wouldn't you know it, the first corner we went around the bin fell over. We looked at each other, stopped the car and got out of there fast.
"It was funny, we both just started laughing. So we looked back in hoping we didn't have a snake loose in our car - fortunately the lid had stayed on. But I remember thinking this is one lucky snake. I know what a lot of people would have done.
"Mind you, taking the lid off was a pretty tense moment too, I can tell you. I was glad when it slithered off."
Not your typical day then?
"I had a drink that night."
Maitland snake catcher Justin Lantry from Bill's Snake Relocate, is currently inter-state and unable to take jobs.
However, he told The Mercury this week that his phone has been very busy with locals calling about snake sightings during the busy Spring period.
Social media, too, has had numerous reports of early season snake sightings.
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