deal breakers

sometimes i think it's great to think about deal breakers. like, at what point does this stop or does it go on forever? i try (but fail a lot) to be active when i make a choice and not just do what i always do. but sometimes what i always do is the best ever so why i think about deal breakers?!? regardless, yesterday i was at the river as usual. let me take this opportunity to say i am really scared of water snakes. a lot of times i think i feel them when i'm in water and i freak out and have to get out. and tell everyone i thought i felt it when really it's just me crazy.

late last summer i had heard a rumor that north bank was "notorious for water snakes" but i blocked it. then a few visits ago someone yelled at us that they had just seen a "huge snake and lots of baby copper heads in the water." again, i tried to block it and was convinced they just didn't want us at their spot. however, yesterday i saw not 1 but 2 water snakes in the water. obviously i had to take a picture to identify it (i have yet to be successful). it is hard to tell but the snake is the top branch looking thing and it swirls around the twigs. what is difficult is: is snakes at the river a deal breaker? the river where i have great times and it looks like this:

i'm not sure yet but i'm trying to make it not to be. snakes are just creatures too.