Happy New Year!

Well I never!  Went to Mole Valley for feed this morning and on the way we were bemoaning the sort of people who were getting New Year Honours.  Then I get home to find The Grave Digger features!  And a very worthy holder of a medal for services to Ibberton.  Delighted for him!  Excellent!  Not sure if I should now curtsey wen I meet him or merely bow my head - no doubt he will tell me the appropriate reaction!

Now it is New Year's Eve and here I am sitting by the fire surrounded by cats and planning lambing - no parties for me.  This has not been a bad year at all - obviously, there were down bits - there always are - but here are are a few memories . . .

Now in Italy

Triplets

Pugsly always has cute lambs!
 

Arrival in Italy

Another delivery about to set off

The Wedding - gosh!  Just realised there is a medal bearer there!!

New line in dog coats

Flossie - also in Italy now

Hopefully, cria in the making

Ging appeared and made himself at home

Badger Faced Lamb

New type of hat

The Dorpers

Thankfully nearly finished now!


HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Happy Christmas!

Very windy out there - the polytunnel is on it's last legs and I fear it will not see the morning!  The shopping is done, the presents are wrapped - even the nails are painted (may have to redo them as the Santa appears to have no mouth and I got bored half way doing the snowflakes.

Christmas Eve tomorrow and I wish you all a very happy Christmas - Christmas wishes also from the reindeer alpaca (he had not a clue what was going on and frightened everyone else)

And from one very grumpy sheep!

Italy

It has been a tense weekend as the alpacas went to Italy.  Friday they were checked by the vet - testing had already been done and all results clear so this was just a final check to make sure everyone was fit to travel, which they were.  Then a nervous wait to get the paperwork all signed, stamped and certified.  Carl collected that in the evening then the trailer was set up and halters ready for a deadline of 5.30am to leave.  Not easy loading alpacas in the dark!  However, all went smoothly and we met the transport company in the Sainsbury's petrol station at Verwood.  The petrol station staff were really helpful and I think it made their day seeing five alpacas!  The transport company were wonderful and I have been receiving hourly updates - lovely to track them crossing the channel on Eurostar, travelling across France, through the Mont Blanc tunnel and finally making it to their new home near Lake Iseo in Italy.  They arrived at 4pm English time today.

And here they are at a rest stop by Mont Blanc

Bad part of the weekend is we now have an alpaca visit we must make tomorrow which means I am going to miss the very last visit of the library van.

On show!

New windows in kitchen and end room - which is good.  No curtains or blinds - which is bad!  I have got the blinds and I have the curtains, just not put up yet and I do have to try to remember to at least attempt to brush my hair and dress properly before coming downstairs!!

I spent over an hour at the vets yesterday writing a flock health plan.  Hopefully, it will be helpful and I did learn some things but I am dreading how much that is going to cost me.  Another vet visit tomorrow on top as the alpacas for Italy need their pre movement check and I have a poorly one.  She is a bit of a puzzle as she is constantly straining to go to the toilet - she has been and I think it is wee she is struggling with.  I am treating her for a urinary tract infection and waiting to see what the vet says.  He also has to check poor blind Angelina - the sheep who had her eyes pecked.

Once all that is done I can focus a little more on Christmas.  Cards are now written, but not delivered, although  I have managed to post the ones that needed posting.  Presents need to be bought and wrapped but I do have the crackers and the pickled walnuts.  Turkey needs to be bought and the house needs a good tidy but the tree is up and now has decorations on it.

Last Fete for the year

Ibberton fete today and a lovely fete it was.  Such a lot of work must have gone into the setting up as the barn looked lovely.  Thank you to the GHN for keeping me company and taking the photo!  I have a rather distant look on my face - probably wondering why Carl was taking so long to appear (turned out he could not find the ear tag pliers which he needed to tag one of the alpacas going to Italy - that was his story anyway!)  In the photo you can't see all the other lovely stalls who were there but you can see that I still have not quite mastered the art of setting up a stall!  Despite that, we did well and I have very little left to go into the new year.  Looks like busy knitting times ahead.

December!

I can't believe it but today I put the little wooden advent calender out - December already!  And it has turned bitterly cold outside.  This morning I woke up and thought it had suddenly got extremely mild as I was having a bit of a hot turn but I soon discovered it was because the central heating had turned itself on - not as warm as I thought when I stepped out the door.

The kitchen is making progress but it is very small steps and whether it will be finished before Christmas is debatable.  I think it will mostly be done and that will be good enough!

Last weekend was Alweston Christmas Market which I like doing and we sold very well.  I had to pay a trip to the Flower Lady and beg for more scarves and arm warmers as I have already sold out of the grey and I am in the middle of knitting an ordered pair of arm warmers and scarf.  Hopefully, we will have something left for Ibberton Market but I think it may be a very select amount of items.  The hats with flowers on are all gone and my experimental button fingerless gloves sold - plus the mice are down to about two so once the orders are finished I shall try to do a few more.

Angelina - the ewe who had her eyes pecked by crows - is still with us.  I am not sure whether she has much sight left but she is coping in the orchard with a mate.  I have a lady coming to see her soon who does things with herbs which all sounds rather exciting and, hopefully, may be of help as there isn't much more the vet can do for her.


And - if you read this GHN I have finally found a DVD player in the roof of the shed but haven't had time to watch the DVD yet - so if you need it back soon let me know at the Library Van!  Last Library Van soon which I think is a dreadful shame.