Sunday 23 January 2011

All Male and Mail!

We had an alpaca free day on Saturday as we enjoyed a day in the Lake District after an overnight stay...Our Xmas present from Mum and Dad this year was a meal at Miller Howe, a fabulous hotel situated by Lake Winderemere ...Joined by Robyn and Craig we had a lovely time...and whats more Mum and Dad stayed at Beck Brow overnight on dog and alpaca duty...Cheers much appreciated!

So today we felt that we should make up for lost time. A check in the diary; nothing booked in. Nothing due injection nor drench wise. Toe nails checked...only Amanda's two girls to do... and she is going to help with those (concrete floors in all of the shelters does keep trimming to a minimum). We did do some poo picking but we even managed to complete that in just over an hour. Crikey...are we on top of everything...maybe?

That only left our favourite job...halter training...as all of the weanlings are very willing this year it can hardly be classed as a job. All eight have most definitely passed foundation level and most have achieved advanced certificate level today! Having Fin the 'labrador alpaca' does seem to have been the key this year...he loves it.

Explorer and Roma got a trip out to the lane end. They also got a little extra training; as our Futurity show team they also need to stand to have their fleeces examined and in Explorer's case his manhood assessed (the boy is rather well endowed I have to say!!).


Paul, Explorer and Roma (I think Paul actually wins the grumpy award!)...


... a trip all the way to the lane end to see the new mail box.

After Velvet's brush with death, thanks to the Royal Mail, we have put a new post box at the lane end. As you can probably tell from the photo, it is quite a trek from our house...bit of a nuisance... but much safer. 
Velvet is much better and has obviously been getting spoilt by all the sympathy...she has been chastised this morning...serious hen chasing and severe deafness was the cause!

Talking of mail; I received a refund in the post yesterday. It appears that EP Cambridge Navigator is a nominated sire at The British Alpaca Futurity after all...making the entry fee £40 instead of £65...every little helps as they say. With only 11 progeny registered (although I know that EPC have some to register yet) and with the vast majority of those being junior white males...it should be rather interesting.

5 comments:

  1. Looking good!!!!! Good luck in the Futurity. I love it when they get all fluffy with their first fleece.

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  2. Do they judge facial expressions?
    What about vocal expressions?
    Its in the bag!

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  3. Glad to hear Velvet is on the mend....the halter training looks like its under control....and I can't decide who wins the grumpy award....but the alpacas look positively pleasant !!......Jayne

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  4. We have an uphill trek to the track end for our mail too - it's hauling the wheelie bin which is the real pain. Lovely photos - the boys are growing. Take care. Shirley & Robbie

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  5. No such thing as wheelie bins about these parts Shirley...It's bin bags on the back of the quad bike!

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