Coming Out of Hibernation?

April 3, 2025

Yesterday, I was out walking the dog.

To be honest, these evening walks can be a hassle.

But I know how much Ron (the dog) looks forward to them, so I just clear my mind and head out like clockwork when evening rolls around.

That said, once I’m actually out walking, I find myself enjoying it. It’s kind of like when I used to go to the gym—getting there felt like a chore, but once I was in the zone, it was actually fun.

So, about yesterday’s walk. We took one of our usual routes along the river.

As we were walking, I noticed a young guy ahead of us suddenly jump up with a “boing!”

“Huh? What happened?” I thought.

When I looked closer, right where he jumped, I saw a long, thick, dark-colored… rope?

But nope. It wasn’t a rope. It was a snake!

The picture above—or rather, the illustration—is what I saw. I figured some people might not be too fond of snakes, so I gave the image a more “artistic” touch. But trust me, the length and thickness are accurate!

It had been a while since I’d encountered a snake, so I panicked and went, “Camera! Camera!” while scrambling to take photos and record a video with my phone.

The snake didn’t move at all for a while, and I actually thought it was dead. But maybe it sensed my intense excitement because after a moment, it started slithering and quietly slipped into the river.

This is why I can’t give up these walks.

What an interesting day! 😆