Kingfishers and Owls

I've spent a lot of yesterday and today dividing my time between the sofa and slow pottering around.  I hate it when my asthma flares up, I feel very un strong! I guess it is good for me!

So I ended up watching "Naked Beach"on channel 4, which really isn't how it sounds. So much for channel flicking! It's prime time, so it is 3 people with serious body image problems, invited to spend time at a beach resort with hosts of both sexes, all different body sizes, and featuring some amazing body paint artwork! Cynically it's reality TV, but here are folk who have blamed instagram, and social media for so much body loathing. Their hosts, either resplendent in body paint or pretty naked, are such confident, affirming people.  It is good to see TV programming that features women of plus sizes as awesome role models and men one of whom carries a serious diasability as a result of a motorbike accident who cheer on the timid guests and help them accept the complex, fantastic bodies they have. Got to be healthy TV in many respects, given how much body hatred there is.

I can't imagine anything more terrifying myself, but if I had to go for the body paint option, I think I would go for kingfishers and owls - kingfishers are my ultimate favourite bird spot and I love the silent presence of an owl fly past, and the wonderful wake up call of owl hunting calls in the early morning or depth of night at Lee Abbey.  I even heard them whilst at Aunty's party when I wanted to drink the shower after drinking red wine and gin and tonic and had already plundered all the hotel tea bags and milk. 

It's a good antidote to the wanting to be taller, wanting to swap out the Farrant family strong but really stocky legs I have been genetically endowed with and after reading the Sue Black book on forensic anthropology, it reminds me of the mind blowing complexity of our bodies.  Once upon a time I was an occupational therapy student and I have vivid memories of memorising bones and muscles and watching how people move and walk.  It's a habit I still have - I can spot dodgy hips and wonky knees at a glance!!