Hello all!
This post is long overdue, and my only excuse is the frustration factor that has been trying to upload photos.
So, if this post finds you graphic free, I have decided to wait until I can take the computer to a high speed location to add images!
I love it here, love living with my Tony, and adore my new charges.
We have just over 200 alpaca here, and 70 cria (babies) due between April and August. Our job here entails the usual ranch related duties, feeding the animals, cleaning and repairing pens, herd checks (trimming toenails, teeth, general medical upkeep like shots and exams) as well as an abundance of property care. I am in charge of halter training the weanlings as well, and while Tony will learn, he would just as soon leave it to me as it requires rather a lot of patience!
My big rough tough cowboy has fallen in love with these critters as well, and has been seen giving the odd one a cuddle to soothe them when they have to have teeth trimmed... though he will deny it if you ask him! But I have photos to back me up, IF I can ever upload them.
I saw my boys this weekend when I went back to the valley to see a concert through that I had set up some time ago when still with the youth centre. There was a certain amount of closure for me doing so, though in all honesty, it was an exhausting weekend and the concert took too much of the time I would have rather had with my boys. But, no regrets, and I will see them again soon.
I miss them terribly, but talk to them every few days and I know they are fine.
As for my love and I, we are happily esconced in setting up household together. Admittedly, we were both a little nervous at first. We moved in together so quickly, what if we were not as compatible as we thought? Luckily, we are, and love waking up to each other every day and working as a team here at the ranch.
We picked up a washer and dryer yesterday, and in doing our first load of laundry together had a laugh at the domesticity of it all!
"You're stuck with me forever now baby," Tony told me laughing.
Fine by me.
The house is really more house than we need, but the room will come in handy when we have guests (nudge nudge wink wink) and when the boys are here. I still hope they might decide to move in at some point, as does Tony, because we are feeling pretty strongly this will be our home for many years.
We have a huge yard which Tony is thrilled about. His family background is landscaping and tree care, and he is like a kid in a candy store being able to reach back to his roots, no pun intended. This summer will be busy between our regular daily ranch duties and planning and planting our own gardens and such.
Daryl and Shirley are lovely people to work for, and we are pretty much left to our own devices, which is what they were looking for in their ranch managers. They are both nearing retirement age, and while they love the alpaca, are happy to leave the ranch in our hands.
All in all, things are wonderful!
