Expect The Unexpected

Ok, so before I get started, note the hair. My oh my what a difference a year makes. I have had it trimmed several times and am more than likely going to keep it short but man do I have a big forehead or what!? I have to admit that while I am thrilled to have hair, my already thin hair has grown in even thinner and it’s only a tad discouraging when your hair dresser tells you that you might need to try using rogaine. But I digress…

So this morning when Mr. Wonderful headed out the door with our kiddos, Katie (my maltipoo) and I headed out the door for our morning walk. (I have been demoted to walking instead of running as my fluid thing isn’t going away…) I have a three mile route that I enjoy doing and have done it at least 7 or 8 times since we moved here. I turned on one of my podcasts and away we went.

There is a sign that I pass on my route…

Honestly, I have never really thought much of it as the ranch across the street is called Bear Ranch so I assumed that the owners must just really like bears. So, when Katie and I rounded the corner this morning and saw a black bear. Yes! A Bear!! In the middle of the road! Well, it was quite a moment.  It was a good 75 yards away and it took me a second to realize what it was. I would love to tell you that I stood my ground and was focused and poised like Katniss in the Hunger Games, ready to kill instead of be killed, but that would be so very far from the truth because the reality is that I yelled,  “Holy Sh–!” and he ran up the hill. (Yes, I have a way with words and I realize that I have just announced how small my vocabulary repertoire is as it was the first thing out of my mouth. Just keepin’ it real.)  I ripped the headphones out of my ears and began praying (yes, I cursed and prayed in the same moment…) that my one bar of cell service was enough to contact Mr. Wonderful. On my second attempt I reached him and all I could say was, “B B B Bear! I just saw a bear!” of course this comes 4 days after I called to inform him about the crow I decimated on the bridge as I was headed out of town last week.

He laughs. Laughs! Then he asks if I need him to come get me, I said no. He informs me that our kids are impressed with my little adventure and that I might have bumped myself up a notch in their eyes. I am meanwhile standing on the side of the road with my little white dog, taking deep breaths and being very thankful that she wasn’t breakfast.

Note the two mirrors that are strategicly placed so that anyone on the road can easily see what is ahead no matter which direction they are coming from. I no longer have to wonder why those mirrors are there. From now on when I come across a xing sign no matter what is supposed to be xing I am always going to assume that they are being serious. Yes, we live in the country and I knew that there were bears out here but there is a huge difference in knowing and seeing first hand. The only other time I have seen a bear is in Yellowstone and we were intentionally driving around looking for them.

So, expect the unexpected my friends and share it with the rest of us, you might just run into a bear on your morning walk.

Have a great day!

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