Shiny Happy 'pacas (or, "can we have the paddling pool out?")

For a day that was forecast to be dull and damp, it has been fantastic, with warm sunshine - so much so, that I spotted one of the girls trying to get her feet into the drinking bucket! Hint taken, I pulled out the water trough, not used since last autumn, and had barely turned on the hospeipe when I had a queue of jostling alpacas - Pelachuta was in it before the water had reached the far end!

Minnie sat down ready to be splashed by the others, but instead, when the trough was full, I sprayed the hose and she and Autumn Gold stood in the spray. It was a bit like an alpaca version of 'phone box cramming, or Mini cramming: how many alpacas can you cram into a foot trough! Having had their bath, they trotted off to roll in the pit, getting dirtier than before! But I could see that they were 'happier' for it.

Bramley has been weaning for two weeks, starting at six and a half months, and because we are sending them up the road for a holiday to rest our paddocks, we wanted to be sure she wouldn't sneak back to Mum once they were out of our sight, so yesterday brought them all back together - there had been a clear paddock between the groups for one week, then due to grass pressure, we let them into adjoining paddocks, so there were some kisses through the fence, and finally we put them together yesterday afternoon - after one attempt at the milk bar which brought a few kicks and remonstrations from Pelachuta, she has kept her distance, and we've been able to keep a close eye on them.

"Race you to the rolling pit!"