BACK IN TIME

Yesterday afternoon I took to the bed for a well-earned rest and a good read. The afternoon heat and humidity were building up. Outside the screen doors the house gum tree was throwing its shadow across the grass and I was back a few centuries, having moved on from the she-wolf, beyond the origin of 'patrician' and 'pleb', hadn't laughed at what SPQR doesn't stand for (humour is not one of Mr Hughes strong points, of which there are more than enough) and was settling into early Rome (and that section of the book that apparently one must read with a certain degree of caution) when ... around the corner came ... Jurassic Park.

I'm sure he's the same one I've seen before, briefly, and at a distance and rather more in the wild. But here he was, this huge Goanna, wondering across the lawn in search of food which I assume would be birds, mice and lizards (at least ones smaller than he) tongue, forked as you can see, darting in and out, shoulders humping as he swung himself forward (there's no way I can refer to this fantastic creature as anything but male), taking his time but not wasting any either.

There have always been swallows nesting in the corners of the (for want of a better expression) car-port. A week ago I noticed these lovely swooping little birds had suddenly disappeared and the nests, as best I could see from the ground, were empty. I think the explanation just walked across the lawn.