Natures Fury

  Going for a walk with the kids is one thing we truly love doing and probably don't do enough of.  When we get away for a weekend at the cottage, or for that matter anywhere away from home, we walk almost every day.  Not only does it get us out of the house but it allows the kids to burn off excess energy, leading to good bedtime routine and complete nights sleep.


Boo!

  Now walking with the kids has other benefits as well, such as, watching them explore nature or seeing them fascinated with a chipmunk.  The wildlife brings many enjoyable moments.  One that I fondly remember this past weekend involved my wife and her parenting skills while dealing with nature.  It seems that while walking through the forest, she will say jungle, with her in the lead, she came across an Anaconda snake as thick as a mini-van.  So not to alarm the kids she screamed, leaving the kids to whatever fate might become of them, and then skipped, bounced and danced her way out of the forest in record time.  There never was confirmation of the Anaconda, although my wife is not one to tell a lie or embellish the truth, too much.  So we take her word for it that the snake was big, real big, even though the only snakes known to live in the area are Garter or Grass snakes, which are relatively small and harmless.  One thing I can say is that the kids were left to defend for themselves, and through their confusion they failed to get their defenses up to stop the onslaught.  It is my belief that my wife's screaming and her skipping, bouncing and dancing scared off whatever she saw, saving all of us from a certain attack.  I for one was at the back of the group holding my daughter and I was scared, of my wife, and the possibility that she might knock both of us over trying to escape.

What, no cold beer.


  I am just thankful that her screams didn't wake up the Sasquatch that lives in the same wooded area.  He only comes out at night and to date has never been seen, although that does not mean he is not out there watching and waiting.  This leaves you thinking the only safe place is the lake, but how wrong you would be.  Not only do the Anacondas like water, but there is the monster muskie, reported to be 20 feet long with teeth similar to a shark and capable of swallowing a small child whole.  We allow the kids in the water, but we stay back, close enough to get a good photo of the creature if it attacks, but far enough back as not to get wet.  We will do whatever needed to protect our kids, even call someone else to get rid of the snakes, lake creatures and spiders.
  To be fair, I married my wife because we balance each other with our differences, although this is one area that we are much the same.  In fact, I believe I would have beat her out of the forest if I had seen the Anaconda, but I would have held on to my daughter.  After all, I would have needed her to throw off the Sasquatch if he appeared.
  Imagination's can run wild when you let them, but in the end they make for great stories and in most cases lots of laughs.  Thanks to my wife for something to chuckle at, my turn next.