I was up for Tregurnog. Skye got up so she could go down and have a nap š¤¦āāļø It was still dark and chilly. Heated seat time. I fed the chickens and the cat and headed back home. I took Skye out for her walk and put the kettle on when I got back in. I popped on the Garth Hall chat to see what time we were meeting for the 2nd dose of Panomec. “What time are we meeting? 9.30?” “For what?” That didn’t bode well did it? Then Neil said he wasn’t even up yet. It really wasn’t looking good. He then went on to say 10 would be good. “Well on Neil time, that is 9.30!” Then Jordan popped up. “I’d forgotten too!” FFS mun. You can’t get the staff.
So while I was busying myself, Facebook reminded me it was my sister-in-law’s birthday. I’d bloody forgotten. So Skye’s birthday as well. I’d forgotten the date. I knew they shared a birthday. I left Skye’s cake in the car. I just needed to remember it at dinner time when Jordan and Louis came over…
Well Jordan and I were there at 10. No sign of Neil. We fed the wellfield crew and were leaving the barn when we thought we heard the quad. We went to the wellfield gate. “I’m not sure that’s the quad” We looked towards the gate and there he was on his yellow vintage tractor. We filmed him to show my father and then we both had to have a go too. I’ve driven it before, when I was a kid but I couldn’t remember what was what. That was fun. Neil parked up then and we all walked down to give more mite treatment to the alpacas that needed a repeat dose.
Leo was easy. Neil caught him. “He’s got lice on him. Look!” “No. They are grass seeds.” “Are you sure?” “Positive. I’ve got my glasses on today” He wasn’t having any of it but I was sure. I injected Leo and we went to the smaller pen. Atlas was yawning again. Jordan filmed him. Watch out for the videos. Then onto the little boys. Neil caught Popcorn and I harnessed him. It was almost on when he bucked and got loose. Neil grabbed him and we got the harness on properly. Neil harnessed Vader then. That job is easy and can be done by one person. We walked them to the buckets then. Popcorn wasn’t overly keen. I talked to him and petted him. Jordan tried feeding him but he won’t accept food from the enemies (us) It’s progress though. We fed them all then and went on to the girls.
Jordan took the bucket in and they followed me. Neil shut the gate. Then we tried sending some down in the blue shelter. We went round and round in the pen. With all the mud we were like Bambis on ice. Very slippery. It wasn’t happening so Neil got himself a swishing stick. He loves a swishing stick. He swishes it around and sometimes taps the alpaca’s rumps to move them on. He couldn’t find his last one so got another one. It was more of a swishing sapling that a stick. It was 3 times his height. Admittedly that’s not that big but anyway… He used it to try to stop the alpacas going the wrong way. The end broke off several times and the alpacas still gave us the slip. And then, all of a sudden, he had trapped Ffion. I dashed up to jab her. I moved too quickly and was careless. I got kicked in the thigh. Well. Bloody hell. It does sting a fair bit to be honest. Neil was impressed by the noise and had a chuckle. Jordan was worried if I was ok but it wasn’t as bad as I’d thought. I was more wary of her from then on in though. She was successfully jabbed so onto Cookie. She was hard work but Neil caught her. She was better behaved, once trapped. Only Chrissie left. It took awhile for me to explain to my accomplices who she was. We finally got her into the blue shelter and jabbed her. Pleased with themselves, Jordan and Neil were moving out. “Not yet!”
“We have to catch the cria now!” They were not impressed. We went round a bit and finally Garth Maul went to the top corner. Jordan grabbed and their wrestling match began. Neil dashed and helped hold him. He was screaming (Maul not Neil). I managed to get the harness on so Neil let go. If he did. Maul went ballistic. I held on though. I’m used to it. Vader was like this to a lesser degree at the start. Neil took over then and gave me some suggestions. The thing is, Zippy (Garth Maul’s mother) is a stroppy alpaca. She is also a screamer. No wonder he’s like that. When he was a bit calmer, Neil released him. They both went towards the gate again. “No. It’s Noo-noo’s turn now.” “Go on then. Get him yourself!” He was right by me because Eden (his mother) is friendly. I just reached out and grabbed him. He is a chunky young man but not the size of Garth Maul so he was easier to handle. He isn’t as scared either because he does come close with his mother. He stood quite well, a bit of wriggling but he did not buck like an absolute lunatic. I petted him. “He has potential!” I’m glad Neil thought that too. Noo-noo is a little darling. He would make a good walker so he’ll need more training.
Crouchie had a lucky escape, the sky went dark so we had to go. We let them out and walked back up. The rain wasn’t too bad until we got home. Neil probably got wet on his tractor mind… I went straight for a wee when I got home. I have a lovely alpaca foot shaped red mark on my thigh. I’ll post that photo soon. I put it on the chat and Neil replied: “Jord, we’ll never hear the last of this now…” Too bloody right!!!!
Helen x
