A restless night’s sleep and the effects of Monday really caught up with me this morning. I got up and started getting ready. Just as I was putting my trainers on I realised I hadn’t made the bottles 🤦♀️ Josh had to come up so I convinced him to do them and bring them up. I checked the lamb that had got his leg trapped first. He was up and about. He was also moving better. Although his foreleg is still swollen, it’s gone down noticeably. When Josh got there we gave him more antibiotic and pain killer. He was lucky not to hang himself.
Down to the alpacas. I filled the buckets while Josh got the mammys in. Hennessey didn’t want any milk. I fed the boys and cleaned out Vader’s gang’s water and put clean in. I fed them then went over to the girls’ field. I gave them a bit extra water and fed them. I drove up to the top of the boys’ field and tipped that tub out. I cleaned that and put clean water in.
We went up then because Josh had a meeting with someone from Western Power. I know what he’s like when he gets talking so… I decided I would have a go of weed spraying. We got water from the well and then Josh got the back pack ready. He lowered it onto my shoulders. Not going to lie, all my extra weight is in front but with that on my back, I nearly went over backwards! I had to do some spraying though or I would be mocked remorselessly for the rest of my life.
There was a big handle-type pump on the left to create the power to spray. I had to hold the wand-sprayer bit in my right hand. I had to hold it as high as possible to cover the weeds, because I’m vertically challenged. It did not take long for my right arm to get tired from being held out, but my left arm? That was hell. I had been pumping frantically. My theory was that the faster I sprayed, the sooner the backpack would lighter. I tried but I couldn’t last long enough to notice any weight difference at all. I managed to shuffle the bloody thing off my shoulders when a miracle happened. Josh gave me a compliment, without a hint of sarcasm: “Well done mam!” “What?” I was immediately on the defensive, because he never compliments me. “I didn’t think you would be able to do it at all let alone do so much!” Well, imagine that? A compliment from Josh. I have noted it on the calendar for posterity.
Then the Western Power man and came. Josh was enquiring about getting the power put back on. While he was chatting we found out his son has alpacas and Valais sheep. We may be able to do a bit of business. I would like a ram to serve my silvernose ewes and they need some ewes. Fingers crossed on that. They may be in the market for some female alpacas too. More fingers crossed. He left and will let us know about the power. Josh stayed to finish the weedspraying while I went home.
Just as I started the car up, the phone went off. I’ve got Bluetooth so I answered. It was the garage. “I’ve recommended that the truck will be written off!” “What????” He then went on about damage to the roof. I pointed out that wasn’t caused during the accident. That was from Josh and Louis. Anyway. It’s been passed onto the insurance company for a decision. I made sure I said “Whatever happens, we want it back!” That’s another fingers crossed. I think I peaked too early with my miracle 🤦♀️
After dinner, both Josh and I sat at the table for a while. When he had enough energy he walked to the settee for a lie down. I made myself another cup of tea, hoping the caffeine would kick start me. It didn’t. Eventually Josh had enough energy for him and the dog to go to Tregurnog. While I waited I put the food shopping away. I couldn’t manage anything else. Josh brought the dog in. I took extra washing up liquid and the drench for Cooper. We got to Garth Hall, I looked at the console in between the seats for the padlock key. Then Josh looked. No sign whatsoever. He’s great at losing things.
I filled the feed buckets and gave them to Josh then I topped up the water. We caught Cooper too easily. He is so skinny. Hopefully the drench will do him good. We’ve got to try something because he won’t eat hard food. We struggled to get the drench in him with the syringe so we’ll have to use a drenching gun next time. Hennessey is improving, now we need a miracle for Cooper.
It was an early finish today. Good job too. We’ve got to move all the sheep tomorrow. Really quickly before we are without a truck. I need another miracle now!
Helen x
