The fog had not yet cleared, the air had a nip to it that warranted wearing a light jacket, and I was dang happy that Lucy did not step on the snake that popped from the underbrush and slithered across the trail in front of her. Considering the welcome change in the weather and the avoided trip to the vet juxtaposed to the state of the world I had witnessed on the morning news, I thought to myself, What an awesome day!

A few minutes later, when we crested the hill I was struck by