A Whirlwind of a Weekend

To be honest, I am not sure how we have survived the last few days.  So much has happened, some good, some bad.  Since the last blog we have sold little Barry and Barnaby, delivered them and organised follow up  visits to assist with husbandry and handling.  We have returned Jed to the Isle of Wight, sad to see him go but he has done his work and done well.  I think Dude misses glaring at him!

There is a lot more to say about our trip to Warrenfield Alpacas but I am saving that for another day!!  We have also trimmed all toe nails, body scored everyone and started our halter training amongst feeding Trouble.  She is lovely and is already eating a fair bit of grass which is very good. 

Tilbo's leg is doing okay - it does not slow him down in the least and he has an amazing trick of whacking the other cria round the head with his splinted leg.  At first I thought it was accidental but now I am not so sure!  The Mule has now been fixed properly so the Jalopy can be retired again.

Sam  is the one with the most exciting news as he has just started his own alpaca herd!  I can say no more at the moment as he is in the middle of debating his herd name and logo and devising a breeding plan  - all will be revealed when he says so!  In between all of this, Sam has made a hay rack for his lambs.  They seem to enjoy climbing on it as well as eating out of it.  Here is Sammy Davis Jnr at the front!

Fires, bales . . .

We have had a couple of manic days and are just recovering.  Dude did his second mobile mating a couple of days ago and was miles better.  He still has a slight issue with walking on the halter but getting straight down to the job went swimmingly.  Dude was in fine orgling form and I think he is beginning to associate the stock trailer with girls - which is not a bad thing!  Our destination was Reddingvale, always a good place to go and it gave us a chance to view some gorgeous coloured cria - particularly splendid fawn baby.  Viv had marked the occasion with an impressive bit of toe nail painting - glad I had my boots on, can't remember the last time I even looked at my toenails!  We delivered a few fleeces from other breeders ready for the Great Western Region Alpaca Fleece and Yarn show and then had to rush back to feed Trouble.  We also had to get to bed early as Thursday was bailing day.

Bailing Day was not as smooth an operation as we hoped for.  We began with a major breakdown of the Fordson, just as it had started to row up 10 acre.  This meant a quick swap to the Leyland which has been parked up for ages.  Third field has quite a steep slope in it so we knew the little 2 wheel drive Leyland might struggle and it did!  We were lucky to have the help of the Marine who manfully trudged around rowing up all day.  We did have an exciting stop mid morning when the field accidentally caught fire!  This is quite a scary sight as it takes hold very quickly.  Luckily the alpaca water barrels were in the back of the jalopy so I zoomed rally style across and we soaked the area whilst Carl did a sort of Irish Jig on it.  Crisis averted we hooked up the bailer and the sledge and got going.  Then the Leyland ran out of diesel so the marine had to hot foot it to the garage while the bailer gradually caught up.  The grass was so thick we had to go pretty slow and we got through a great many shear bolts!  Back with the diesel - white diesel, expensive - start woofling and then we spring a diesel leak!  The Marine plunged to the ground and plugged the gap, Carl rushed over with a spanner and I had to remove my Tshirt for the emergency (luckily I had a sort of t shirt type bra on underneath or that could have really ended the day).  It did all feel like it was getting a bit much when we caught a glimpse of a flashing light through the hedgerow and up rolled the Shepherd, The Strong Boy, Sam, a massive McCormick, a large bale trailer and the bale grab!  It was a very good job because we ended up with 900 bales and that was leaving 3 rows at the bottom.  To say we were shattered last night is an understatement.  The Marine's Lady turned up with a camper full of curry and donuts which saved the day!  This morning a leisurely breakfast was called for but the Marines had to go due to an incident involving a garage, a police chase and a phone call!  So, instead we did spit offs, a mating, body scores and toenails!  All went well - I think little Yossarian was the one who had the most fun!

Sam and Carl have now gone off to do more bale carting - Sam did get a quick play with his cousin in the middle of all this.
Here it is - a barn of bales!  Waiting to be sheeted up!

And, Willie, up date on Sammy Davis Junior tomorrow hopefully!

Yipee Yi Hay!

Not sure about that blog title but I know what I mean!!

Okay, I did have a major disaster this morning which sent my stress levels sky high but other than that it has been a good day - and interesting!

I achieved one of my life time ambitions, almost, this morning - courtesy of The Grey Haired Neighbour and Alf who presented me with the most wonderful purple cowboy hat for my birthday (you won't remeber but I did mention on a previous blog my dream of strutting in tight shorts, stilletoes and a stetson pointing to fabulous lustre crimp . . . )!  I duly went out amongst the alpacas in my shorts (tight due to weight gain not fashion and rather like Eric Morecambe in that they are billowing in the leg region) and stilettos (not easy with a strained ankle!) and posed and pointed happily.  I felt rather like Kate Moss and in my head that was what I looked like!  Sam was on paparazzi duty and we rushed back to view the results.  Oh dear!!  My bottom is far larger than I thought - as are my legs and we won't mention the size of my bust!  Many photos have been rejected by Carl including Sam's favourite shot where I look like I have been caught short!  This is marginally the best, not very flattering but who cares!!

We then had a surprise visit from a fellow alpaca keeper, luckily I had removed my finery by then (although I still had my shorts on which can't have been pleasant for her).  We also got the hay woofled, topped roadside and I went shopping.

It never rains, but it pours!

I hope I am not pushing my luck with that blog title - we have just cut 3rd field so no rain required!

Too late - I am looking out the window and it is raining!  I don't believe it!!!

Today has been a pig of a day and I haven't even opened my presents yet - I shall do that after my blogging.  I just cannot confess to the disaster I found in the field this morning - suffice to say that it is all my fault and it has taken me all day to sort it out.   In fact I am not going to dwell on today which has been a bit of a disaster.  We'll just have a few calming photos (which I will no doubt append the wrong names to, today being today!).  The first should be of Yossarian with String practising her Swan Lake routine.  Trouble is digging in the rolling pit while Belinda's baby, now named Be Cool - Bea for short, is standing at the side pretending to be a sphinx.

The next photo is Bea who I think is quite nice - she has certainly  got a very fleecy face and a nice beard!  All the cria look pretty grubby due to their fondness for digging and rolling!

Finally, we have Bea and Tilbo with Slink in the background - not sure what they are saying to each other!

Dude goes Mobile

Well first, it has been pointed out to me that the photo of me and Bert's baby was not of me and Bert's baby - I uploaded the wrong one and didn't check words and text matched - sorry!

Today was Dude's first time on a mobile mating.  Now what I would like to say next was what a wonderful, calm and impressive experience this was.  I would like to tell you how we loaded Dude into his sign written, air conditioned alpaca van.  How we arrived dead on time and led a strutting Dude calmly to the specially prepared mating pen.  How we stood and supped coffee whilst Dude muttered sweet nothings into the receptive females ear. . . . well it wasn't quite like that!

Firstly, we led Dude, quite happily, all going swimmingly so far, into the old stock trailer.  We trundled up the field, over the disinfectant mats and I thought I would just check him whilst locking the gate - only to remember I hadn't fed Trouble.  Bottle was all ready in the truck so a quick divert to feed and then we were off, almost, on getting back in the truck I discovered one of the magnetic signs had fallen off in the grass - quickly that was reaffixed and finally we were underway - 10 minutes late by now.  A few heavy going hills and we finally arrived 15 minutes late.  Not as professional as we hoped but okay.  Our destination was Ashton Lane Alpacas and Carol and Peter had everything set up and waiting - including coffee and biscuits.  Dude came out of the stock trailer beautifully - still going well!  Then Dude decided he was not going to walk nicely on his lead where he had a very receptive female sitting ready for him.  We pushed, we pulled, we did our 'ratchet, ratchet, ratchet' and Dude was just so embarrassing - dancing around like a circus pony .  Once he was finally in with his female he was more interested in gazing round and looking at the views.  At this point I felt like a Hamlet cigar was called for - then suddenly there was a bit of bottom sniffing and he was away.  Thank goodness - until . . . Carl in his wisdom decided to climb out of the specially erected pen to go and have a coffee - kicking over a barrier with a  great clank as he went and making Dude jump!  I gave Carl a serious look which Dude must have caught a glimpse of as he was back on and away again.

Not the smoothest start for Dude but we got there in the end.  He's got another to do on Wednesday so I am hoping that is a slicker operation!  Some serious halter training now required!!

This afternoon was baby weighing and redoing Tilbo's leg.  This meant getting the girls and babies down to the barn and disturbing the babies from their favourite spot - the rolling pit - where sometimes they all manage to squash in!

Getting them down to the barn is no problem - getting Bertie back into the field is seriously time consuming.  She drops like a stone if you touch her  and has always been very keen on nibbling hedges, which there are many of in the runway!

Sam and a bit of dodgy camera work!

We have had another busy day, well, this morning it was mostly Carl being very busy with the Shepherd's wife whilst I hid in the caravan - but more on that another time!

The new baby, Belinda's still does not have a name.  I want something with Cool in it as Cool Dude is the daddy but the best suggestion so far is Cool as a Cucumber - and I really cannot have an alpaca called cucumber!  Whatever her name she is a strapping great thing and very lively - she is already almost as big as the mammoth Slink and has to bend to get under her poor mum.  I sent Sam over this evening to get a few photos as I had forgotten during the day, but he seemed to be in a bit of an arty mood.  He took 200 photos but most were of black alpaca against dark hedge, views up Trouble's nose, out of focus or taken from strange angles.  These are the best of the bunch! 

Here is me and Bert's baby, Trouble, whose dad is Samson.  She is doing very well.

And these are Tilbo - brown with the broken leg, The Slink - white suri at the back, String (Pretty Cool) -  Flem's baby and on the right is Trouble!  We didn't manage one of Belinda's unnamed baby but she is in the video.

We then went into film producer mode - this is very hard!  Do not feel you must watch this clip - it's a few babies charging around, plus some grass and sky!

Belinda's baby!

Things have been a little hectic and the blog has got a bit behind.  Today should have been a peaceful day of cleaning fields with a quick trip to the hairdressers.  I had just put the phone down this morning when it rang again - it was Sam calling to say Belinda had suddenly popped out her cria!  I have been watching for it for ages and suddenly there it was - our third Dude baby and another girl!  This is another solid white and a stonker at almost 11kg.  Belinda delivered her in minutes with no dramas and it was soon up and feeding.  No name yet as we are still deliberating.

As usual I have completely overdone it with the iodine and purple spray! 


Trouble, Bert's baby, is now doing well with her bottle and proving the easiest bottle fed I have had.  We are doing 350ml at a go with 5 feeds starting at a respectable 8am and ending about 9pm.  Long may it continue, but I am not banking on it!  Bert and I are finding even this easy routine quite exhausting and have to have several rests during the day!!

Trouble has made firm friends with Yossarian.

And I am pleased with Tilbo's progress (broken leg) as today he started to play with the others and managed several jumps.  The Slink (the suri girl) is a bit of a menace as, despite Crispie having lots of milk and weighing 18kg already, she is constantly drinking from everyone else.  I have never seen a cria do it before but she has it off to a fine art and sneaks in for a quick drink while the Mother's own cria is drinking - I am having to watch her with Belinda as she was trying to get the colostrum which the new one needs.  Flamenco's baby - String (Pretty Cool) is lovely and doing well.