So, he’s ambling about the back yard after the thaw, rooting about for worms, bugs, whatever.
What did he do during the ice storm when the ground was frozen for a week? His credit card and Bugs-R-Us?
Speaking of, whatever happened to the irresistable northward march of the armored critters? Used to be, armadillos were a Deep South phenomenon. Then, in the twentieth century, they moved closer, and closer, and closer…all the way to about Pennsylvania. But New England hasn’t seen them yet. Are they just a little tardy, or have they got as near to the arctic as they are comfortable?
I seen the armadilla! I seen the armadilla! 
Incidentally, armadillos can be house trained. Maybe that’s where he was, in the computer room, eating cold pizza and downloading porn.
One of the little buggers lived underneath our apartment building in Austin. He found a little crack in the crawl space and lived under there for two semesters or so. I think they live wherever they can find shelter.
I have a vision of armadillos marching on Manchester like space invaders to Star Wars music, mailed snouts plowing up perfect rows…dum, dum de dum, dum de dum…
The only wild animal I saw in New England was a skunk. He was walking down the exit ramp to the freeway, excuse me, parkway. He was in a hurry and seemed to know where he was going.
Maybe the armadillos up there travel in taxicabs. They could get thirty or so in a cab and split the fare.
tee hee.
Very nice Sterling, I’d know him anywhere.
Armadillos live in underground burrows, or maybe just a cavity in a woodpile.
Armadillos are the only animal besides humans to contract leprosy.
Armadillos always give birth to identical quadruplets.
Armadillos cross streams and rivers by walking on the bottom.
When startled, armadillos jump straight up in the air.
I know armadillos are advancing northward but I had no idea they had reached PA. I live in NE Georgia and I have never seen them north of a line about 150 miles south of here.
Anyway, while they can be pests they are much preferred to fire ants.
He was hopping like a rabbit rather than jumping. I don’t know if he was frightened of me, or if that was the best way to move through deep leaves.