The rain yesterday was appalling particularly as it was combined with violent gusts of wind and hail. We decided to keep the weanlings in overnight and the four young cria with their mothers so at least they dried out. The barn was a bit of a mess this morning and I have been clearing up poo for some time – oh the joys of manure. I am on feeding duty today as Chas and Andrew are starting to make the catwalk things for the Futurity. We also have the vet coming this afternoon to do the bluetongue tests on our show animals and to do a health check for the insurance company for a client who agists her animals here. They insure all their animals. We don’t as we have far too many and the cheque would be very difficult to write.
The fields are in a terrible state, very, very wet and even animals as light on their feet as alpacas are making a right mess of the gateways and around the hay mangers. But it is sunny today so that makes us all feel a bit more cheerful even though February is such a disgusting month.
Eldest son Thomas is off to Ghana tomorrow for ten days with a film crew from ITV Wales who are making a little series about the chocolate farmers there who set up the co-operative that set up the charity Trading Visions (Fair Trade) that he works for. Should be very interesting although it is very hot and muggy around 37 degrees so a touch uncomfortable as well.
Youngest son Joshua did not like the rainforest project in Ecuador so has swopped to another project in Quito where they look after the market children during the day. They go round the markets in the morning picking up the children from their mothers and then do various activities with them including cleaning their teeth. Apparently their teeth are very bad.
All of them have four days off as it is Carnival in Ecuador which involves general merriment plus the wholesale chucking of flour, eggs and water bombs, uuum, they must all look very fetching with that lot in their hair.