And now for some more drivel............
I think the last blog I posted was at least 2 years ago. I don't know why I stopped as I had enjoyed writing it for over 8 years. I found it therapuetic, a release from real life, well a twist on real life if you like but whatever it was I enjoyed it.
And then I stopped. It wasn't a conscious decision it just happened. One day I was grinning inanely at the computer screen as my sausage like fingers tapped out the words (very slowly), only stopping when I paused to stare into space looking for inspiration and then I wasn't, I had paused for a long time.
It's only recently that I have felt like doing it again, I can't explain it, I don't know how long it will last this time but I feel the need to start the blog up again.
Mainly because Sue keeps telling me too. Anyway, it gets me out of the hoovering which is probably why I started it in the first place!
So plenty to catch up on you might think? Well, yes, if my memory was up to the task but I fear it is not so we will pick up from fairly recently.
Lockdown has featured heavily in the past two years but to be honest, like most of us who live on farms and have a limited social life, nothing much changed. Pub lunches. That's about all that changed, in that Sue and I didn't go out for lunch. Oh and 'people' generally became very annoying.
I regularly carried out a survey of the Mighty Patou herd to see if anyone had been affected by the pandemic but was met, each and every time, with a blank expression from all. They would stare at me as those jaws moved mesmerisingly in their figure of eight motion. Once there was a 'sneezefart' but I don't think that was connected to the question.
We have sold way too many alpacas for my liking over the past two years, including several who were never to be sold but needs must and looking at it another way we have set several people up on their way to a long and happy life with alpacas, people who have become friends and allow me to visit 'my girls' from time to time. Some who were already friends and some that are too far away for casual visits but I am always pleased with the updates I receive from their loving owners.
But all these sales have had a knock on effect in that we are down to the lowest number in the herd for many years. Including what's left of this years cria drop (almost half have moved on to pastures new with their mothers) we are down to a herd strength of 48. That includes all the clapped out old girls who we don't breed from anymore. I know some breeders send the old girls, who for whatever reason don't contribute any more, 'down the road' but we don't do that. I know sending them 'down the road' would be a sensible business decision but it's not for us. They will stay until they have done their time here, we owe them that at the very least.
So what else have I been up to this year? There have been no shows to go to after all.
Well you may think that I will have the entire herd halter trained to within an inch of their lives by now? All perfectly coiffured in 'paddock condition'. All show ready, sales ready or stud service prepped?
Well no. Halter training this year went for a burton as it coincided with the arrival of Pablo, The Spaniard. A puppy who has seemingly taken over the household. He didn't and doesn't like being left on his own and as such I couldn't be outside halter training whilst he was simultaneously voiding himself everywhere. We tried cage training. Sue tried it for longer than me but I fear we are weak and soon gave in to his whimpering, barking and emptying himself of everything every time we left the kitchen. I mean just look at his little face!
Now that he is bigger and a bit less likely to cause havoc when left alone, halter training is due to resume this month. They are big lumps now but I am a bigger lump so I am sure we will be fine.
Other things that have happened this year:
Sue, having retired after 30 years of midwifery, retrained as a nurse and got a job as one. So proud of her.
Gus passed his 18th birthday, his 'A' levels and his driving test. So proud of him too.
Oh, and I turned an old barn into a pub!
Next time I will tell you all about my latest favourite alpaca!
And then I stopped. It wasn't a conscious decision it just happened. One day I was grinning inanely at the computer screen as my sausage like fingers tapped out the words (very slowly), only stopping when I paused to stare into space looking for inspiration and then I wasn't, I had paused for a long time.
It's only recently that I have felt like doing it again, I can't explain it, I don't know how long it will last this time but I feel the need to start the blog up again.
Mainly because Sue keeps telling me too. Anyway, it gets me out of the hoovering which is probably why I started it in the first place!
So plenty to catch up on you might think? Well, yes, if my memory was up to the task but I fear it is not so we will pick up from fairly recently.
Lockdown has featured heavily in the past two years but to be honest, like most of us who live on farms and have a limited social life, nothing much changed. Pub lunches. That's about all that changed, in that Sue and I didn't go out for lunch. Oh and 'people' generally became very annoying.
I regularly carried out a survey of the Mighty Patou herd to see if anyone had been affected by the pandemic but was met, each and every time, with a blank expression from all. They would stare at me as those jaws moved mesmerisingly in their figure of eight motion. Once there was a 'sneezefart' but I don't think that was connected to the question.
We have sold way too many alpacas for my liking over the past two years, including several who were never to be sold but needs must and looking at it another way we have set several people up on their way to a long and happy life with alpacas, people who have become friends and allow me to visit 'my girls' from time to time. Some who were already friends and some that are too far away for casual visits but I am always pleased with the updates I receive from their loving owners.
But all these sales have had a knock on effect in that we are down to the lowest number in the herd for many years. Including what's left of this years cria drop (almost half have moved on to pastures new with their mothers) we are down to a herd strength of 48. That includes all the clapped out old girls who we don't breed from anymore. I know some breeders send the old girls, who for whatever reason don't contribute any more, 'down the road' but we don't do that. I know sending them 'down the road' would be a sensible business decision but it's not for us. They will stay until they have done their time here, we owe them that at the very least.
So what else have I been up to this year? There have been no shows to go to after all.
Well you may think that I will have the entire herd halter trained to within an inch of their lives by now? All perfectly coiffured in 'paddock condition'. All show ready, sales ready or stud service prepped?
Well no. Halter training this year went for a burton as it coincided with the arrival of Pablo, The Spaniard. A puppy who has seemingly taken over the household. He didn't and doesn't like being left on his own and as such I couldn't be outside halter training whilst he was simultaneously voiding himself everywhere. We tried cage training. Sue tried it for longer than me but I fear we are weak and soon gave in to his whimpering, barking and emptying himself of everything every time we left the kitchen. I mean just look at his little face!
Now that he is bigger and a bit less likely to cause havoc when left alone, halter training is due to resume this month. They are big lumps now but I am a bigger lump so I am sure we will be fine.
Other things that have happened this year:
Sue, having retired after 30 years of midwifery, retrained as a nurse and got a job as one. So proud of her.
Gus passed his 18th birthday, his 'A' levels and his driving test. So proud of him too.
Oh, and I turned an old barn into a pub!
Next time I will tell you all about my latest favourite alpaca!
