Horrid beds and good friends

We have had a very jolly weekend - if rather tiring!  Friday night we drove up to Leicester where we stopped off for a relaxing night's sleep and a good meal before our onward journey up to Yorkshire.  That was the plan!  I always like Premier Inns because their beds are comfy and the breakfast is good - breakfast was good, bed was bad - very bad.  I ended up moaning at reception at 3am and, to give them their due, they did sort out an immediate refund.

We then drove on to Yorkshire where we spent the rest of the day shearing alpacas and sheep.  We are only supposed to be shearing a few this year due to the number of our own we have and the fact that Sam isn't so available so Carl has to make do with my inept help most of the time.  Great to meet up with old friends again and have so many laughs  but I have to say I was a little disappointed that the Games Room was closed for refurbishment - after a days shearing a little play on a swing ball is just what you need.  I was offered use of the Hot Tub but I really did not fancy sitting in my bra and pants outside - I feel that is only something you do when you are very much on your own!

What is incredible is how someone can take a quick nap in a barn with mayhem going on around them and actually remain asleep throughout.  We should have stayed longer  but after a curry Sunday night (fantastic) (that should read Curry on Saturday night - sorry Anita!!)and a Sunday Lunch at Uncle Toms (huge) we wended our way across to around Lincoln somewhere to shear again - the large lunch may have slowed us a little!  Again, lovely people and they have given such a good home to Slash and Lemmy.  I fear Slash may not all ways behave himself but Lemmy (Cassie's son) seemed a perfect little gentleman.  Quick coffee and it was off again for the drive back home - which went remarkably well despite Carl being in rather a daft mood - probably due to sheep shearing.

Today we have achieved very little.  I had a good check of the alpacas and sheep while Carl cleared the shearing gear - Carl thinks I am not doing anything but I am as I have to rush around keeping the alpacas out of the blackcurrants when I let them in the garden and then talk to all the sheep which takes ages as there are 73.  I was trying to get some nice photos of Yossarian to email but he did not want to play ball and kept twitching, going to the toilet, sniffing the camera . . I forgot to take his halter so will have to try again tomorrow.

The lambs are getting bigger - some are over 31kg now and getting a bit heavy for me to lift - to his surprise even Carl struggled a bit this afternoon.

I needed his help as I had to get through to third field and getting through the gate without an escape or running something over is quite a challenge!

Sheep shearing tomorrow!