A bit of a blog

I do not seem to have written a blog for ages - the intention has been there but time hasn't.  It has turned much colder here and I am now breaking water and scraping the car but I don't mind as I think it has been too warm for the time of year and I think we need a good bit of proper winter to scare away the bugs.  We seem to be finally clearing up Rascal's bald bits - actually, it is probably the cold weather that is doing it I think.  The supplements did not appear to work for her.  Having said that she was terrible at taking her tablets and could hide them and spit them out at least half an hour later.  Cydectin and Frontline on a regular basis did seem to work but not an ideal way to go I don't think.  She is the fawn one just behind the cutest little Black boy (possibly called Axle?!).

 

We have been having a bit of a worry with an alpaca we sold many years ago - Barry Norton.  He suddenly started lying on his side, rolling around as if he was in real pain.  We had the vet to see him and gave him pain killers and muscle relaxants.  He didn't appear to be constipated as I watched him go to the toilet (although it wasn't a huge amount).  This went on for a few days and this morning I was back to look at him as he still wasn't right.  In desperation I tried the warm water up the back end and reports just now suggest he is looking a bit perkier.  I am just off to check, followed by a trip to Mole Valley to stock up on feed for us and also for another herd we look after and are off to visit tomorrow.

 

Other than that all is well.  I am busy getting what is left of the knitting ready for Ibberton Fete at the weekend, the saga of the bathroom has reached a conclusion and, although it was a very poor job and the idiots failed to replace the lagging on the water pipes, we now have a shower.  I had a very l9ong hair appointment this week.  I went in and said I was feeling old and could she make me look better - she said she would try and booked a two hour slot - obviously I looked pretty bad!  I can't say I look a whole lot different as she said it shouldn't be coloured and cutting it short would be a mistake - ah well!

 

Finally,   three random alpaca photos for no reason whatsoever!

I am the 74th Emergency Service

I am afraid the photos are not vey good and my computer has reached critical mass so it takes ages to do anything - we struggle on, wading through treacle, peering through marshmallows, in a glass darkly, up the Khyber and all the rest of it. . .

Yesterday saw a lorry stuck in the field - as I was helping unload, he might as well have parked outside the gate.  I was under the mistaken impression that he would unload with a little pocket forklift - or at least have a tiny man in his cab who he could release to assist - turns out I was the helper.  Anyway, once unloaded he prepared to leave which did not go well.  When driving over/through mud I go for the Rock and Roll approach - slow and steady with the merest hint of brake or accelerator - Lorry Lad went for maximum power.  Monster Truck raced to the barn and collected two cow mats on the bonnet which me and Lorry Lad placed under the wheels - still no go.  I then raced back down (Rock and Roll does not apply to Monster Truck as it is, in the words of Sam, a Weapon!) and collected everything which might assist - sacking, mat from my car. other stuff - - all to no avail.  Lorry Lad was still remarkably cheerful which may have had something to do with the fact that by now I was caked in mud and soaked to the skin whilst he remained pristine.  I suggested the ultimate plan - I push the front of his lorry with my Monster Truck whilst he just sat there in reverse with brake off.  He was quite impressed with this plan so I lined up to ram him - - at this moment Carl arrived which Carl think is a good thing as the front of the lorry was plastic and new.  Carl insisted on going to get the tractor and towing him out.  I think my plan would have been far more fun.

What was wrong with the alpacas this afternoon I do not know.  They were soaked and all pronking round the paddock - even the old girls - and Bianca pronking is a sight to behold - her tummy wobbles!

 

I have to sort the camera out - sorry!

And the bathroom saga continues (not sure if I have mentioned this drama before)  the bath is now the right way round - how anyone would imagine I want to sit in a brand new bath with a shower over my head I do not know and how the man can have the cheek to tell me he fits lots with showers over peoples' heads!  BUT despite the tiling being done the first fix wiring for the shower has not been done and the firm said they forgot!  How can you forget to do the wiring for an electric shower.  To add insult to injury the arrogant man at TES is not even having the courtesy to phone me back and tell me when he plans to sort it out!  Grrrr!!

I shall now be knitting - quietly knitting - - with chocolate!

Murky weather

Bit of a grey day today.  The animals did not seem to mind but were too busy grazing to do anything photogenic.

After sorting out the animals, moving the sheep and doing the shopping I spent an hour happily affixing my new stickers to my Truck - all went well until I stood back to take a look.

And in case you can't see - one sticker is hidden by the windscreen wiper (particularly humorous one that) and the other has turned out back to front!

Happiness is a SportTrack

New tyres soon

Kirsty MacColl on the CD

Pouring with rain and the windscreen leaks if you park up hill - brilliant!!

Feet, feet and more feet at the weekend.  Not ours - alpaca husbandry visits.  Saw Striker again - one of Carolyn's - who is now called Spike and still has a cracking fleece.

The new bath and shower is being fitted as I type and is not going well.

Off to Tiverton at the weekend to collect another purchase - and maybe Penrith soon but I haven't worked out if it is Penrith in Cornwall or Penrith in Cumbra

Rain means no alpaca looks good enough for a photo.  So here is an old one of Yosser from the same date - grass was much shorter but sun looks brighter!

Bert is still, in my thoughts and always will be but they are happy thoughts, last night I dreamt about how soft her chin was.

Bert

Very sad.
Bert went today - well, technically she is still here in a wheelbarrow by the hedge, but to all intents and purposes I will not see her any more - well, I will, but not alive.  I have been out to check the wheelbarrow several times as I am afraid she might roll out as it is on a slope and she is stiff so her legs keep poking out the edges.  I suddenly thought she had been reborn as her head came out but it was only wishful thinking.  She was a real fighter - it took three lots of whatever it is but she is gone.
Johav was very good and he checked in the catch pen to see if the operation for her hip had worked and it had - joint was all in place but loose.  She had a heart problem in the end and probably was older than her registered age.  (I did remove everyone else from the catch pen before we looked).  Carolyn kept looking for her but by then Carl and I had removed her in the wheelbarrow - which was a bit of a job as her leg was loose and there were bits.
I don't think I am going to get over her being gone for some time but I did want to record her passing on the blog as she was such an important part of our life.  Things will not be the same without her and I hope I made the right decision.

 

I really wish she was still here.

Bert

 

There are good times with alpacas and there are bad times.  Some alpacas are extra special.  Bert is the best and she has had many troubles.  Last time the vet came he said there was no more he could do.  I think I have to make the phone call and get him back again.

Fame in Italy

Driving  past the triangle in the village this morning I encountered the Grave Digger in what I first took to be a bit of vandalism but it turned out he was mending the signpost!  He reminded me that I had not been writing my blog and was, therefore, wasting his time as he had to keep checking and there was nothing there.  Having done my morning jobs I am now putting that right!  I had a message from Greta in Italy this morning as Dude, the girls and her had made it into the Italian newspapers with a full page spread - Carl will be very excited to hear about that when he gets home.

We have had a lot of sheep tasks recently but they are now all up to date and it has culminated with the purchase of a Southdown Ram.  Yesterday we went to pick him up and he settled straight away - he is not in with the girls yet as I wanted to get him a new raddle.

 

His  temporary companions are Rammy Lamby and George - he is quite fond of Rammy Lamby which Rammy Lamby is not too pleased about!

I have been giving the zinc and rubbing in echinacea and Bert seems to show a tentative improvement.  She is easy to give the tablets to as I just bury them in apples.  Rascal is getting worse but things are not easy with the tablets.  She is fine with having cream rubbed on but will not eat out of my hand so I have to put the tablets down her throat.  I can do this but then she always manages to spit them out.  Some go in and out very many times and what I discovered yesterday is that even when I think they have gone down she can hold them there and spit them out up to 15 minutes later.  I am not sure whether she has actually had any tablets at all so a new plan will have to be made!