Sunday 28 May

 

Here we is back again and just within the month too!  When I left you last we had sheared the ‘pacas and it was raining and chilly……..now I’m hiding inside cause it’s too bloomin’ hot out there trying to work in the field, wall to wall sunshine and 38 deg.c…….I know, any use to stop working!

 

So, shearing done and all the boys and girls have been moved around into different fields now to make the most of all the lovely new grass available…………

 

 

 

 

The weenlings and their ‘uncles’ having a canter around in ‘Pond field’

 

 

 

 

 

 

The girls have come up to ‘Barn field’,nearer the house ready for birthing as first up is Lacota who was due yesterday followed by Amelia next week, both ‘first timers’ then we have a gap until end of June when Dabbs,Tasha and Trisca are all due on 26th but we rekon Tasha will pop hers out early….. she usually does and is ‘bagged up’ ready to go now!

 

 

 

 

We’ve all been getting messy with the ‘Diatomaceous earth’ after shearing…..

 

 

 

 

ditommaso what? I here you cry…… it’s a very expensive powder made from fossilised remains of tiny aquatic organisms called diatoms whose skeletons are made of silica.Microscopically its sharp edges are very abrasive and it kills insects and mites by drying them out and being ‘food grade’ a little added to food or just ingested as they roll around helps internally at reducing mites and parasites……..if nothing else they love it and have just gotta have a roll!

 

 

 

Easter had a different haircut this year, because the poor lad feels the cold more these days especially in his hip joints Lara gave him a Llama style ‘barrell’ cut, just around the middle. He was certainly better just after shearing when everyone else was cold he was looking quite smug!

 

 

 

A couple of weeks ago we were invited to bring some alpacas and our wares along to an ‘Artisan fair’ in the streets of  La Souterraine……can always be an interesting day so why not……..

 

 

 

 

……..ooh, that’s handy, right next to the café, good spot!

 

Well, I don’t think many people were expecting to see alpacas on the streets of the town and they certainly slowed the passing traffic down……there were cameras going off left right and centre all day! Unfortunately it turned to heavy rain showers in the afternoon so we called it a day around 3.00pm and took the very grateful,fed up with being prodded and stroked weenlings home for some peace and quiet. 

 

 

 

 

Now that’s how to paint your house…… I bet that confuses the drunks on a Saturday night trying to walk up the steps!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our two regular travelling ‘Slaves’ have paid their first visit of the year this last month with a two and a half week, work re-assessment course incorporating design limitations, structural surveying,building construction parameters and artistry in paint effect visualisation……impressed aren’t you I can tell, I’ve obviously been reading some un-intelligible bumph from somewhere,anyway we will even offer a diploma type certificate for competance if the finished work lasts more than a few weeks, How’s that!

 

      Unfortunately these two are well known for their need of rest and Tea on the hour where possible so overlabouring is not allowed by management……..mutter,mutter,mutter,who do they think they are huh?

 

 

 

…..so much so that this is not a slave digging the floor out…..this is slave ‘Master’ digging the floor out………Wrong,oh this is So wrong!

 

 

 

 

         Laying concrete for the new boutique floor is definately slave work….phew at least they’ll do that!

 

 

 

Whilst slave one was concreting slave two was brush in hand, painting all wooden doors and lintels black……everywhere or until she ran out of paint!

 

 

 

 

Now then……..

So……when you saw slave sitting cup of tea in hand just now they were constructing this frame……      …………………..can you tell what it is yet?

 

 

 

 

Of course it is….a large wooden box

for putting things in, it’s what farmers need isn’t it?

 

 

 

Aaha…… normal service has been resumed…….Slave working and Master standing watching whilst giving essential infallible advise……that’s more like it!

 

 

 

Superb……full complement of workforce hard at it…..lovely jubbly!

 

 

 

 

 

It was with some disapointment that our volunteers time contract expired before fully completing the ‘box’ or any further work on the boutique but  ‘c’est la vie’,  Master will just have to finish them both off unaided……..as usual……..let down again, just can’t get the staff these days.

In fact…….I have an idea for the box, give me a day or two and I’ll get back to you…………