2024 - 4 Months of doing something different

I was a volunteer on Flat Holm island in the Bristol Channel. Used to take groups around the island, telling them about the history and wildlife. The slow worms on the island are slightly different to the mainland ones, with a more pronounced blue marking on their sides. Most people, especially the children, wanted to see them, so I would take them to a spot where they normally sheltered, beneath a sheet of corrugated iron. I recruited 2 strong people to stand beside the corrugated iron and, they had to lift it up and hold it upright while I dived underneath and grabbed a slow worm. Sometimes there were lots, sometimes just one, and they are not at all "slow" when they're surprised. Many people had never seen a slow worm before, let alone handled one. I loved the way they would curl around your hand, flicking their tongue out.
After a few minutes out, I'd return them to their home.
So now you know, JJB, what it takes to be a slow worm handler.

I was a volunteer on Flat Holm island in the Bristol Channel. Used to take groups around the island, telling them about the history and wildlife. The slow worms on the island are slightly different to the mainland ones, with a more pronounced blue marking on their sides. Most people, especially the children, wanted to see them, so I would take them to a spot where they normally sheltered, beneath a sheet of corrugated iron. I recruited 2 strong people to stand beside the corrugated iron and, they had to lift it up and hold it upright while I dived underneath and grabbed a slow worm. Sometimes there were lots, sometimes just one, and they are not at all "slow" when they're surprised. Many people had never seen a slow worm before, let alone handled one. I loved the way they would curl around your hand, flicking their tongue out.
After a few minutes out, I'd return them to their home.
So now you know, JJB, what it takes to be a slow worm handler.

I remember when I was a bairn I had a pet slow worm for a while which I had found in a heap of rotting grass. They look very like those plastic snakes you buy. My female cousin was convinced it wa just a plastic snake until it shot out its black forked tongue at her................she ran a mile!

I used my outside shower today. Since the weather has become colder I’ve been showing at lots of different holiday cottages & second homes around the village. But this time of year is when the village is at its busiest and all the properties are occupied. To be honest it was a warmer shower than some of the one I had in the summer. That’s the undressing/ dressing part, the actual water is always warm. It’s ridiculously mild out there the last couple of days.

Just realised this has ended! How sad. It was fun seeing the odd/ new / different things we get up to.

I was about to add to it . Then remembered we’re in a different year now.

You could start another one for 2025.
.........or change the title of this thread!