Lambing kicked off on schedule over at Ian's dad's place, and I was drafted in to give a helping hand for the first week (that'll teach me to have annual leave outstanding at the end of the year!) Sally and I did the morning shifts starting around 5am...checking for new births, feeding, penning, strawing ... and acting as midwives as needed for the badly presenting lambs (legs back, completely backwards, head down, tangled with twin, just too gosh-darned huge etc). It mostly went well, but I do now have an even greater dislike of dealing with two-tooths. They have spent too long away from any decent interaction with people and are completely nutty - however, my rugby tackles are improving no end.
Anyone want a tame lamb?
A farmhand selfie
Back at home, Ian has been preparing for our own lambing (only about 350 ewes!) and we have just had our first - a nice double and a robust single. I am happy that most of the two-tooths are at the other farm, so things may be a bit calmer, but we do have some first-time-birth ewe lambs (last year's crop) - we've not done that before, so it will be an interesting comparison.
Aparently the boys missed me, but perked up when we had a visit from Ali (my university friend), Ali (a friend of both of us from work), and Pipit (a terrier who thinks she is bigger than Cody). At one point I gave Fred a bone biscuit, which Pipit then nicked from his mouth and ran off with it. Fred was most afronted, especially when she got the best spot on the back of the sofa, so he decided to get his own back by sleeping in her bed.
Pipit, sunning herself on the forbidden sofa.
Fred, not quite fitting....
We did make time to go to Braunton Burrows for a run about on the beach (leaving poor old creaky Fred at home) - the wind was up and we had a bit of a sand-blasting. Skin feels great!
Ali x 2, collie x 2, and a very fluffed up Cody
Sonny, sporting the latest Fat Face headgear - cool pup.
More tales to come as the staff arrive tomorrow (Irene and Daisy - are they mad?)
