What a chilly 🥶 morning! I put my red Garth Hall coat on to walk Skye. Jordan rang to update me on Riley’s night-time manoeuvres. He had finally slept in his toddler bed but woke her up at 10 past 5 😬 I suggested a visit to the farm as long as he lots of layers. When we all got there, it was still cold but warming up when the sun was on us. After letting the ducks out, we went to the barn to feed Rascal. Riley saw the Cherry Pepsi and said “Dad.” “Yes. Daddy likes those!” Then he made a beeline for the mule and started “driving”. He was in his element. He only got distracted when he saw the chocolate tub. That got him excited.
We prised him away and let the Peckys out before taking the empty water carriers to the jeep. “Baaaaa!” Announced Riley. He had noticed the silvernoses. I drove to the wellfield gate. Normally the passenger is in charge of gate openings but my passenger was busy wrangling a toddler 😉 I put water in the tanks but left them there for later. We went to the barn where Jordan dragged a full woolbag to the jeep. I filmed her getting it in the jeep. She’s not called “truck” for nothing! Riley tried to help so I’m thinking of calling him “van” 😁 When we got back in the jeep, he’d had enough. It was time for him to go home.
I didn’t have “truck’s” help with the hay and it was warm in the sun. I took my coat off. I had to carry armfuls, lean over the fence and load up the outside hay feeder. It will be fine because the weather is forecast to be dry for a few days. I was covered in it. Arwen came straight over and tucked in though. Jubilee was sunbathing in the background. I took a photo of her looking totally chilled. I got their food and fed them, and then Ffion. Jubilee was still there. She should have been eating! I went over in case she hadn’t heard. She still didn’t get up. I tried to move her. It seemed as though she was a bit stuck. She was the wrong way on the very slight slope of the field. I had to pretty much lift her up. Once she was the right way up, she went for food. Phew, she might have been in trouble if she was stuck for a long period of time. Lucky I realised.
I fed the boys without hitch but saw a lump on Casper’s foot. He’s got dry skin that’s getting worse. I rang the vets and sent them a photo of it. I went to feed the girls and Livia spat on the chest of my clean hoodie. Charming 🤢 I left then and went to a local metal fabricators that Neil recommended. I couldn’t find them. It turned out they aren’t there any more 🤦♀️ I rang one in Tonypandy and left a message. Neil is going to try someone else. We are trying to find someone to make an alpaca handling system. Back to the drawing board. I left there and went to Jenkins’s. The ewe nuts hadn’t come in yet. They usually have deliveries first thing. “It will be here by 4.” I said I’d be back. When I got home, I climbed Mount Settee to get a much-needed cup of tea started. I then had to make a phonecall to complain about something. I had to laugh. It wasn’t a person on the line, it was just a message service. That suggested to me that they deal with so many complaints the call handlers were getting abused. I left my message so I could get on with dinner.
After dinner, I’d just left the house with Skye when Jordan rang. She decided to bring Riley to help me finish cleaning and take him out on his push-trike thing. I was already out with Skye so when they came, we went up to Talbot Green instead. We also learnt that I can’t steer it 😂 Riley had one hand on the handle bar and with the other, he carried one of my old chapsticks. We tried sweeping and hoovering in the living room and had to give him his own dust pan and brush. He helped a bit and then ran around the big, empty living room like a loony. They left at about 3.40. I needed a sit down and a rest 😉 I hadn’t sat for long when my phone rang. It was the vet. After a chat, we decided it was best for her to come there and then. I wouldn’t have time to go to Jenkins’s.
With a vet student in tow as well, we had enough to hold Casper. He was in his harness and he was a credit to me. Such a good boy. He had the lump aspirated twice so samples could be sent off. The good news was that its not infected and wasn’t in any pain. I didn’t think he was experiencing pain. He was his normal self, apart from the lump. They left and I fed Rascal and got the Peckys in. There were six more eggs. Unfortunately one was broken but I think they were just a bit crowded in the one nest. My last job was the ducks and I was done. Neil had been at Tregurnog topping the ram’s field.
I walked Skye when I went home. We were almost back at the house when a man on a mobility scooter, tipped his scooter at the junction. I ran, but a car stopped as well as a passing jogger. The poor man said he was ok but it must have been a shock to topple over. He needed a lot of help to get back on it.
It had been a busy day of helping.
Helen x
