There are so many deer in Rock Creek Park, but they're rather scrawnier than movies would have you think. No majestic stags or anything. I've been walking there with my mom for the last four days (Saturday, Sunday, yesterday, today) in the late afternoon and evening, and we haven't ceased to see deer.

On Saturday was one that dashed across the path around the middle of the trail and disappeared. I also saw a water snake too, from a bridge. And one dead crow. Yayfor West Nile.

Sunday, three deer slunk through the woods by the middle of the trail, one buck and two does.

Yesterday, there were nine deer spottings, though very possibly they were the same deer. One doe with a fawn eating grass as we went into the park, two bucks later on by Rock Creek in a grove of trees, in about the middle of the trail, one fawn with prominent dapples and another dark-coated, un-dappled deer of some sort further back in the trees, and when we were leaving, one doe with two fawns (not dappled as prominently as the earlier ones.) The weird thing is that they weren't afraid of us; they stood around watching. Also interesting to note that the forest is so much cooler than outside.

Today.. six total. My mom's friend was with us as well, so that may have been the reason why the deer were more cautious this time. As we were going in, a doe with a fawn ran away from us. I think it's the same one... Later, going in, two deer crossed the path in front, and also ran away. When we were coming back, a doe was looking at us from behind the trees, along with another doe behind another tree. It was especially nice today, because it was so windy... it makes it feel like the whole Earth is alive and the trees are breathing.

Royal Stag of Buckkeep, Royal Stag of Baratheon. Now, is it just me, or is it kinda weird that two different authors could nominate the lowly deer as the heraldic device for the royal family? I mean, what's so regal about deer?

Does royalty have ticks and a tendency to stand in the middle of roads and get run over?

I'm being quite healthy and stuff. Lots of DDRing. Saturday.. walked with my mom through Rock Creek Park to Lake Needwood, which I think we'll start making a weekly habit. I saw two deer in the woods that looked extremely frail and skinny. I really haven't seen deer that close up before. And when we left, there was a dappled deer that crossed the road and by the road, was suckling three fawns. And in Lake Needwood I saw a watersnake that drew back into the water when I came closer. I considered poking it with a stick, but that's the type of thing that wins you Darwin Awards. Oh yeah, that's wildlife viewing for me.

And then there was Alex's party. Lost overwhelmingly to Alex in Apples to Apples.

Andrew is sickeningly good at DDR, but complained about being too big for the pads.

Sunday. Went swimming at the Montgomery County Aquatic Center, which I hadn't been to in a few years. The kiddie pool isn't as exciting as I remember it being. And yes, apparently I still have my phobia of deep water. I refuse to swim in water deeper than 8 feet or so because it freaks me out. The water there got as deep as 18 feet (at the diving section) and it was so unnerving for me to see how dark a shade of blue it was. I honestly don't think that the type of phobia therapy where you're exposed to what you fear really works for me, because I used to learn swimming in water 12 and half feet deep, diving in it and things, I'm still as freaked out by it was I was then. Only now I'm taller, so 'neck height' is higher for me.