Monday 23 November 2009

Home from La Belle France

We've just got back from a pretty fast whizzbang trip to the south of France. The roughest ferry ride I have ever experienced on the way out was only surpassed by the new roughest ferry ride I have ever experienced on the way back. I don't get seasick luckily but I still can't work out how I managed to end up punching the ceiling with my thumb on my way to the loo. It was akin to being on a roller coaster it was truly unpleasant.
The reason for the trip was to empty the newly sold house and return to the UK with our stuff. There wasn't a lot of time for sightseeing. My father came with Sue and I and we all worked pretty hard. 1200 miles later and we are back home.
Whilst we were away the weather here seems to have gone beserk! The alpacas all looked sodden through this morning and it has been pretty rough all day. We must be grateful that we haven't suffered as much as oop north where it has been horrendous.
I received some more photos of Van Diemen Qjori our latest acquisition who is at EP Cambridge in his first bout of quarantine. Ben kindly took a few shots of him, a couple of which I have posted below. I am biaised but I do think he looks rather magnificent.
Below is the best fleece shot that I have, unfortunately it still doesn't do him justice but I think you can see the quality is there. His second fleece statistics make nice reading too. Average micron of 17.2, SD of 4.0, CV of 19.9, only 1.4% of fibres above 30 microns and a comfort factor of 100%. Now I'm no expert on reading fibre stats but that reads pretty good to me for a second fleece.
Tomorrow I return to the day job and the leaving and returning in the darkness. I will be as grumpy as buggery by Friday.
And finally.....................nice to see Scotland trounce Australia on Saturday!

7 comments:

Zanzibah Alpacas said...

Looking good !....nice to see you survived your trip to France....we are still on dry land up here in Scotland..unlike some in Cumbria !.....Jayne

Debbie, Barnacre Alpacas said...

That's some very fine stats he has, bet you can't wait to get in in the Patuo fold. How old is he?

Patou Alpacas said...

He's just turned 18 months old, so only a youngster. Should be ready to go when he gets here!

Lucy said...

He's lovely. Next you should try the Aberdeen - Shetland ferry in winter!

Perry Wheeler said...

Nice looker. Haven't seen him myself but the stats look good and I like Highlander line animals (we have quite a few here). What's his temperament like? That line can be a bit tetchy sometimes.
Interesting amount of grey in the mix as well

Patou Alpacas said...

Lucy - no chance!

Perry - he is very calm and friendly (unlike most Highlanger progeny). Yes grey parents, both with brown in their pedigree.
Should be interesting!

Amiryck said...

He's looking very smart! Probably unlike you after your ropey crossings!