Thursday 25th April

It was really misty on the beach this week. On Tuesday, Brody and I reached the top of  the sand dunes leading down to the beach, and you could hardly see the sea! Even Brody did a double take, and I half expected him to say - in Scooby Doo style - "Huh? Where's the sea gone?"

Brody had another first experience Tuesday evening. I'd just come back from the theatre (yes, I do get out about once a year), it was about 10pm, so dark and a bit damp outside. I opened the back door to let Brody out. About 10 seconds later I glanced out to see him stood still with his tail wagging frantically, head down looking at something on the patio. He nudged whatever it was with his nose, then the tail stopped wagging, and he froze for a good 15 seconds. Then he pranced around, barked a couple of times, wagged the tail, did the front part of the body on the ground but back legs straight stance, all the time looking at something on the ground. Time to investigate a) because it was late and he was barking and I didn't want the scene you always see in American movies - sash window lifted up (always that type of window, isn't it? Never a clean, double glazed, open with a handle type) head stuck out "Shut that dog up" "Keep the noise down" "Don't you know what time it is ?!"; and b) because whatever was exciting him was so miniscule I couldn't see it from 5 feet away, and how embarrassing to be the owner of a dog who is scared of a dot.

It was a snail. A very frightened snail. He had snuck back into his safe shell-home and was wishing for the nasty loud dog to disappear. But the nasty loud dog was very inquisitive as to how one minute a little creature was there, the next it'd gone. Anyway, I picked it up, then wondered what to do with it. Steve appeared and tried calling Brody over to distract him, so I quickly threw the poor snail towards the grass - not too close to my flower borders because even though tiny and frightened, it will quickly recover and eat all my nice juicy plants. However, I threw it a little too hard and a little too close to the fence. Clunk. Sorry snail.