Attack of the Mad Swan

Today, toward the end of our walk, Lexie was disintegrating. She didn't want to ride in her stroller or walk, didn't really want to do anything. It was snowy and damp and getting cold, so I didn't really blame her. However, I was anxious to distract her. We were walking along the Cam (the river Cambridge is on. Cam-Bridge, get it?) and there were some ducks swimming in it. Sure I had found a lucky diversion, I pointed out a big brown swan to her. As we walked by it, the thing got up and started quickly for us at a rather hasty pace. My heart leaped into my mouth, or something like that. Swans do attack, you know, and they aren't really pleasant. And this was a very tall swan, and it seemed to be getting into an attackish sort of position. Karena, who was kneeling down replacing Lexie's mitten, looked up. "Uh-oh." I began figuring out how to posture the stroller between the swan and myself so that both Arthur and I would be safe. Then the swan suddenly changed its mind and ran off, much to our relief. Very exciting, huh?