Boys Being Boys

Boys are gross. Most of you - especially those of a Not Boy persuasion will probably agree with this statement.

Being a boy, I can hold my hands up and say that yes, we like gross stuff. Mud, Bugs, Mess, the whole shebang. Personally, as a younger boy, I usually had something bug-like nearby, or knew where there was a really cool nest of something, or had something manky in my pocket, or thought it was most hilarious to stick snails to my face or have a slow-worm in my pocket, or frog spawn in the back of my wardrobe, or a jar of milk in the airing cupboard...

I was a gross child, and if I wasn't falling in something or through something, I was usually covered in something. From mud to tar, I wore it.

Jaysen has always been a bit of a wuss as far as being a BOY is concerned. I had to physically sit him in a muddle puddle when he was a toddler, as he developed this strange aversion to ANYTHING remotely grubby. He was convinced mud and dirt were bad. His reaction wasn't great, but after stomping in numerous muddy puddles, he soon came around.

Every now and then, he does or says something Boyish that makes me smile. A few months back, he and Dominic came back from the lakes, claiming to have found leeches.

Uh huh, whatever son, leeches? Suuuuure. He was adamant, but I wasn't having it - to the point I didn't even bother firing up Google to tell him how wrong he was.

Sunday, we went to the lakes - as we do - and ended up at our little stream - as we do - and sodded around there for an hour. Building and removing dams, making leaf boats, watching things swirl in the little currents.

While messing around, Jaysen moved a large rock, and with a really proud "AH HA!!!" produced, well...

A leech.

OK, the pictures are not great I will grant you, but in the middle one, it is quite happily latched on to Jaysens hand having a light snack of Boy. When it was done, there were three little marks on his hand and a small circle where I imagine it had latched on, but he didn't care - nor would any real boy - as it was COOL.

Now, but all accounts, they are quite rare in the UK, so the fact that Jaysen has found them in the same place on two occasions now means they are probably doing quite well for themselves in our little stream. I suspect I should let someone know - the RSPB probably, as they are into this kind of thing.

So, as I often state, I will admit when I am wrong. Yes, I was wrong. Jaysen & Dominic DID find a leech when they were out there last. I apologise.

;)