Close Encounters

Not all that long ago, Charlie and I escaped the house to go play in the sunshine at the park over the road from our house.

Nothing unusual in that.

In fact, getting some fresh air and taking the dog for a walk are great excuses to procrastinate further regarding the looming deadline on the million, give or take a few, client's Statement of Advice that I need to prepare for work.

This particular day, Charlie and I headed over to the little grove of trees, to watch the leaves sway in the wind, and a spontaneous game of hide and seek / peek-a-boo around the trees ensued.

Fortunately for me, Charlie's incessant giggling gave away his hiding place every time.

As I went to peek around a tree to where he was hiding, I realised the giggling had stopped.

Hmmm, was he getting better at the game?

No, he was busy pointing at something on the side of the tree. Thinking it was a leaf or something I moved around to have a look to find him not just pointing at the tree, he was actually touching something.

And it wasn't the tree.

It was the most ginormous spider I had ever seen!

It was THIS big. * holds arms out wide*

My heart stopped beating. I couldn't breathe.

Had my defenseless baby been attacked by this evil creature?

Thank goodness that it actually seemed a very placid (although huge) spider, happily buried into the bark of the tree, quietly waiting for it's next meal to pass by.

Luckily I don't think small boys were on his menu that day.

After checking all of Charlies fingers for fang marks, I ascertained that he was fine. Thank goodness.

The same couldn't be said of my nerves though.

Who knew hide and seek was so fraught with danger?