tin.fish

Following the feedback I got from my two attempts at racing, I decided to go in for a paddleboarding technical lesson.  This is dangerous territory.  I was once bought a free golf lesson, only to be told I was not swinging the club correctly.  Once swinging the club correctly I found I was completely unable to hit a golf ball and gave the whole thing up as a bad job.  And, to this day, I find my mouth involuntarily curls into a sneer at the very mention of "golf" (see also Piers Morgan). Notes from my first session (because I do think I will do it again!): I do "something weird" with my top arm on the catch (when the blade goes into the water) that has a risk of disconnecting the power available in my shoulders and back.  Analysis required to ensure I take stance on the catch in a way that fully engages my core. I am "goofy".   This is a surfing term for someone who steps back on the left foot.   The left foot step back turn is 300 times more comfortab...

 I am being asked this a lot recently, since I've started devoting a lot of time and enthusiasm into water vole conservation in my local river community.  Last weekend I spent Saturday, under a punishing sun, in fishing waders and moving through a local ditch performing a survey.  I cannot begin to describe the excitement at finding compelling evidence of good old Ratty. I guess that's a good reason to start?  Wind in the Willows, which was devised and based on my patch of the world, has been an important book in my family since as long as I can remember.  I can still remember prodding my Dad to wake him up as he snored into the pages whist my sister and I waited for the next chapter.  My own children, especially my son, are also avid fans - long may this tradition continue. But for more "why" I have to go into the specifics of what they bring to the ecosystem.   There's plenty of chat about what we screwed up with waterways and flood management when w...