I went out to dinner & when I got home at 9.30 and Dad was in bed & Mom was playing on her pc. I wandered around the house getting a drink & then back into the kitchen for a piece of biltong (dry meat which is an African speciality to which I am addicted). On the way back through the lounge to my room, I noticed a dark cord on the cream carpet in the living room. I turned the light on and noticed it was a little snake! Brown in colour with a diamond pointed head - my thoughts were a common house snake which is harmless. Funny enough I was very calm and just shouted through to the folks "you appear to have a snake on your carpet". Mother turned slightly histerical & closed all the doors. Dad got himself out of bed, & armed with broom, torch & bucket attempted to get this little thing out of the house. It was comical really - Mother hysterical in the background whilst Dad poked this poor little thing towards the door. I have to say that I would not have felt this calm or even been able to watch if this had been a spider. The snake was duly despatched to purgatory which is the garden and the possibility of being caught by an owl or waiting until morning when the large kites circle overhead looking for prey.