Just a "little" scare...

Today when I went out this morning, it was overcast and had just stopped sprinkling. It was about 32 degrees. I walked a bit to get warmed up and then started to run and knew that wasn't going to last long unless I found a porta potty and quick! Jen had told me about one she had used once while out running by one of the elementary schools and so I ran that way...actually walked, because it is not an easy thing to run with a full bladder, if you know what I mean! As I got closer to it, I decided I would rather just walk home since I was only about a mile away. I have this thing about porta potties. As I headed towards my house, I decided to take a detour up on the mountain. I walked (hiked) for a bit and then as I was going past a little grove of trees I heard some rustling coming from inside them. I wasn't scared because the deer do that all the time, but they also usually run out and take off. Nothing came out this time. I kept hearing more rustling and was getting a little nervous because the deer don't usually hang around at all. As I continued walking past the grove, I was a little on edge because I had heard that a mountain lion had been run over in the canyon not too far from our mountain. Yikes! I know they are up there because they have been spotted before, but I don't usually worry too much....UNTIL all of the sudden I was startled by this very loud and very strange growling like sound and a lot of more rustling! I just knew it was a mountain lion! I jumped and inhaled (I was too scared to scream!) and I am sure I lost 1o years off my life! When I turned and looked, it was a bunch of big birds causing a commotion and making some very weird noises! Whew! I was sure I was going to see this:

I hustled back home and called it a day. It started to lightly snow and I just wasn't in the mood to go back out. At least I did my strength training at the gym this morning. Total distance: 2. 50 miles walked.