We almost died today

Nathan didn't want to go to Fenner today.  I decided the he didn't have to go as long as he did a bunch of data entry because he's so far behind.  But, as for Elijah and I, we need our training walks for our backpacking trip coming up this fall.  Elijah was really not happy with me that I was making him come with me.  He spent the first mile of our walk lamenting how he was feeling and trying to figure out ways to get out of the walk.

As we walked the sky got darker and darker and I realized that I was being a bad example of what to do if you are outside and the weather begins to look threatening.  By the time we had reached our turn-around point, it had begun to rain.  Elijah was talking about hoping that it would rain hard so that someone would come and pick us up.  I was thinking that there isn't anyone to come pick us up.

Then it started to really pour rain and also thunder.  It was the kind of thunder that keeps rolling and rolling around in the sky.  I could only hope that lightening would not follow.  We hid under trees momentarily, but decided to continue seeing a Momma White-tailed Deer nursing her fawn in the river and a Map Turtle crossing the path.  Then, ahead of us, we saw lightening strike.  It was probably about 1/2 mile away.  Elijah says that it fizzled like firecrackers as it disappeared.  I couldn't see much since my glasses were covered in rain and fog.

When we got home, I told Nathan about how we almost died.  He heard about the lightening and said, "Wow, that's awesome!"  I told him to remind me the next time he almost dies so that I can tell him it was awesome!

But, the really cool thing is that by the time we got home, Elijah was laughing.  The endorphins had begun to circle in his bloodstream and he's been in a good mood ever since.  I'm hoping that he remembers that little trick for getting yourself out of a bad mood!