Arnie by boxplayer

Arnie

A day of ups and downs. Spent the morning packing for the weekend, then headed to Enfield where Dave works to meet this fellow, Arnie.

Many people dream of swimming with dolphins or sky diving or climbing Everest. I dream of seeing a real, live armadillo - and Dave's college have got one for their animal care students to practise on! The armadillo thing - yeah, it's a bit weird, but I've been a little obsessed with them for decades but have never seen one for real - and I got to touch him too, all warm he was and very cute the way he scuttled along the floor after the titbits thrown to him.

I then left Dave at work to head back home to do a bit of present wrapping. Thought it would be clever to nip off the bus at Southbury where there's an enormous Sainsbury's so's I could pick up bits and pieces then hop back on the bus almost all the way home. Unfortunately, when I tried to get back on the bus, it took ages, then was so full of schoolchildren it didn't stop, then there was another godawful wait for the next one. And it was unbelieveably cold. So I rushed back into Sainsbury's and phoned Dave to get him to pick me up on his way home.

So had to leave for Bristol with all presents unwrapped still. Picked up my mum and then made rather startlingly good time along the A406 and M4 - not a single bit of gridlock at all. How novel. Tulin had rustled up some pasta for us so we had a good munch then retired underneath the duvet as it was still extremely cold.

The man on the platform http://365project.org/boxplayer/extras/2012-12-07

7 December 2012
Enfield, Middlesex
Now this is an unusual addition to your project. Amazing creature. I hope they look after him well.
December 9th, 2012  
@fueast - I'm sure they do, he did look well happy (though not sure how much the students will get to use their armadillo care skills in the future - unless they move to Texas of course ... )
December 9th, 2012  
How cool, crunchy on the outside soft in the middle, armadillo
December 9th, 2012  
@johnnyfrs - yeah, that's what the coyote said as he licked his lips ...
December 9th, 2012  
One of Nature's mysteries. I'm going to click your tag and see if I've won my own bet that Arnie is the only one...
December 9th, 2012  
How wrong can you be! 365 is rampant with them!
December 9th, 2012  
excellent!! I have got a very long personal anecdote from when I used to work in a zoo and take animals out to schools about an incontinent armadillo and a causeway and the incoming tide and a broken down car in front of me that is much too long to go into here. aaah happy memories!!!
December 9th, 2012  
is it eating a cheesy watsit?
December 9th, 2012  
@judithg - oh good idea, I'm going to check them all out - this woman had never seen a live one either, only dead ones! http://365project.org/wannabe/365/2012-09-13. Of course, they're extremely common in some of the southern states - a bit of a pest I suspect the way the one I saw was getting his nose into everything. A bit like an armour-plated fox after your rubbish, but with the added value of being able to burrow like billy-o.
December 9th, 2012  
@jantan - I want to hear the story about the incontinent armadillo!! No, it's a bit of carrot I think.
December 9th, 2012  
wonderful......you've started something here!! We want the joke!!
December 9th, 2012  
I've never seen an armadillo before either, interesting looking animals.
December 9th, 2012  
This is such a great shot! Thanks so much for sharing! :) Fantastic!
December 9th, 2012  
JH
What a dude. Glad you got to meet him.
December 11th, 2012  
Armadillos rock ... I had a close encounter with one in the wilds of Florida ... Thinking about it always brings a smile :)
December 12th, 2012  
Have just read the comment from @jantan .... You can't leave us hanging like that :)
December 12th, 2012  
I'm sure this is one of the few amardillos on 365! well done.
December 26th, 2012  
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