I was stunned, stoked, frightened and excited all at the same time. I’m Lucky I didn’t throw a fufu valve. Our puppy Brooke was playing with something  outside so I went to investigate. It was a huge lizard/skink. Wow I’ve seen a few tiny ones under bushes over the years but not one this size. It was near rat size although quite a skinny looking one.  My mind was racing to thoughts of don’t let it get away to how am I going to catch this to wow the Grandys are going to fight over who takes this one to school.  They have both been investigating insects and to have already scored 2 stick insects in 2 days was a highlight of that week.  Especially since they were actually studying that particular insect.  Both were taken from under the jaws of Brooke and saved for school albeit both ended up going as corpses due to Brookes 4 paws antics.  So a huge  skink would make every ones day for sure.   First up was to grab the good old android to get that perfect shot just in case it took off and there was nothing left but a good old fish tale to tell.  I called Brooke off her destruction derby and encouraged her to race to the house with me to get my phone.  The adrenalin was fair pumping and the thoughts were tumbling over each other of what container would be suitable for the new inhabitant.  Snatching my phone I raced back down the steps hoping Mr Lizard was still to stunned to have left the scene.  Yep he was still there.  I took a shot from a  distance just in case, before I took a few more steps to move in and get the closer ones.  From experience a far away blurry shot is better than diving in and getting no shot so each shot I took I got closer and closer. Poor lizard was in no hurry to go anywhere. I feared his demise was imminent.  I was close enough now to see that his tail had been attacked and half his face was missing.   Brooke!!! you cruel puppy.    She looked at me in her weird doggy way and in hindsight I think she must have thought my mummy is sooo crazy today.   Finding a stick I leaned in a little closer in an attempt to prod Mr skink to find some form of life that might be left in him.  It was then that I could see what I was prodding.  It was one of the girls plastic lizards from out of their garden toy box.