Waiting for it all to kick off.

I am not working today or tomorrow so I have just been out talking to Emma letting her know that now would be a good time to pop her first cria into the world.
She looked at me whilst I was talking, I was only a couple of feet away. She was chewing as usual but seemed to be listening.
I could see movement in her belly and it appears the cria has moved further back so maybe, just maybe.
As is very often the case when I am talking to the girls they know how to bring the conversation to a close. In this instance Emma looked away, lifted a rear leg to scratch somewhere at the front and raspberry farted. Enough said she wandered off.

Actually Emma who is now eleven and a half months may not be the first. Judy will be eleven months this week, although last year she went eleven months and 9 days.
Priscilla, however, will be eleven months next week and she unpacked bang on eleven months last year. The race is on.

The smart money is still on Emma but Priscilla would be a good outside bet I reckon.
The great thing is that once it starts they should come fairly regularly. I am looking forward to all those little ones charging around getting into mischief.

Of course with unpacking comes remating so it will get very busy around here. I know we are a relatively small outfit and some herds will be having hundreds of cria but we both work, me full time and Sue part time so our 'herd organisation' time is limited. My days off have to be booked up with tasks in advance and sometimes, in fact most times the weather doesn't play fair.

We have both booked holiday to cover the main unpacking period so are relying on the girls to get on with it when I give them the nod. Oh if it were only that simple!

We just hope that at the end of the summer we have twelve happy healthy cria and all the girls are up the spout again. It will be a big jump this year as we will have eighteen to get pregnant.

Today Doreen and John Hurdle visited us. Doreen is a handspinner and has been spinning Bobby's fleece. Today was the day when Doreen delivered handspun handknitted hats for Angus and myself.

The handspun wool is so much softer than the machine spun wool and has a real quality feel to it.

As you can see Doreen has even managed to get a picture of an alpaca on the hat. Fantastic!

I can't wait for winter to arrive so I can go out wearing my new hat. Thank you very much Doreen!