Survivor

If you are a fan of the reality-television shows Survivor and Big Brother, like I am, you know all about the crazy challenges they put contestants through to test their endurance. Stand on a four inch platform while it spins in melted butter - sure no problem. Balance on one leg on a fence post in 1000 degree heat - no worries. Hold 10 plates above your head for as long as you can - you betcha'. I'm unsure how these shows could come up with anything else for people to do for extended periods of time, but there are some sadistic creative people who come up with new stuff year in and  year out.

This little guy was on his on private game show tonight in our pool. Who knows how long he was balancing on a piece of a broken pool step in our back yard?

I'm sure he leaned in a little too far to get a drink at some point during the day or last night. He was at least smart enough to make it to something to stand on out of the water. I bet he wished for a mouse life jacket more than once while he was on there.

We tried to keep him out of the water when we scooped him up with the skimmer net, but fear made him swim for his life. I was able to capture a few of pictures of him doing the mouse-paddle.

He was so cute. I really wanted to touch him, but like all the other adorable wildlife that somehow finds its way into our yard, I thought he might have rabies. Why does everything cute have rabies?

Needless to say, after being plucked out of the pool and placed safely in the grass, he sat there totally still. I thought he might have had a heart attack (who knows if he was conditioned for that sort of swimming - he was bit plump), but once he got his wits about him and realized he didn't have to stand on a half-inch sliver of plastic for safety, he ran as fast as he could into the safety of the under brush.

I guess he won the mouse equivalent of $1,000,000 - life. Now that's a real Survivor.