Monday 10 March 2008

What a night!

Well the forecasters got it right, last night was a rough one. We live halfway up a hill and there is nothing to stop the wind and rain so we were well and truly clobbered last night. It woke me up at 3.30am and I peered out of the window to see if I could get a glimpse of the alpacas, no chance though they were tucked away somewhere. At first light I was up and out to see what the damage was.

We seemed to have got away with it, the only casualty being the alpaca feed bin, the lid had blown off and we had half a bucket of porridge........nice.

The alpacas were all up grazing as if nothing had happened, albeit looking as if they had been dunked in the village pond. They seem to find the most sheltered area and then hunker down en masse to ride out anything mother nature can throw at them, once again no signs that any of them had been into the field shelter...they know best I suppose.

The herd saw me emptying out the porridge bucket and refilling and were soon leaning over the garden fence humming inquisitively so I decided to feed them early as it had stoppped raining.

Bearing in mind the double head shot I had received a few days ago I went into the feeding paddock and emptied the water out of all the buckets and troughs. My every move was followed by a hungry mob and I returned to the garden to fetch the bucket of dry food.

Mobbed is how I would best describe what happened next, much jostling, nosing, humming, scrambling surrounded me as I made my way to the trough, great fun, I love it when they get all up close and personal..........could the alpaca/human bonding continue. No chance.

As I bent over to fill the trough I smiled at the faces around me as they too bent forward to start breakfasting, humming impatiently, suddenly a hair trigger was pulled and a direct hit was achieved. Priscilla again, head, neck and arm shot, green smelly and wet.......yuk........and I had just had a shower. What can you do?

I continued filling the troughs and as I stood up was kicked on the inner thigh by Bob a whether who does that every now and again. I have to say certain threats were then made which I couldn't possibly share with you.

Thanks guys, it wasn't my fault you got rained on all night.

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