Alpaca Crossing

This 'Alpaca Crossing' sign is on our front gate and we ordered it on ebay from USA.  We already have a 'Cats Crossing' sign which our past neighbour Tracey bought when she was over in America some years ago.  The alpaca sign was quite cheap at £6 and with postage the total bill was about £12.  However, when the parcel arrived there was a VAT charge of £4.78 then a Royal Mail handling fee of £8 added!  We knew that there should be no added VAT (anything under £18 is VAT free) and wrote to HMRC who confirmed that a mistake had been made and a refund of the VAT charge would be forthcoming.  When VAT is applied Royal Mail automatically slap on a handling charge which we can't reclaim until the VAT has been reclaimed.  We've now been waiting for 5 weeks for HMRC to spark and they have told us that 'a cheque will be in the post' (heard that one before!!)  We then have to tackle Royal Mail for their refund.  Don't you just love it when the authorities make a mistake then you have to spend time, money and resources in getting your money back!  It's not the amount, it's the principle - and anyway, we love the sign! We bought it from johnnie@breedology.com and their service was excellent.

 

We moved the boys to the new grass in the top paddocks this week and haltered them in the pen.  Here is Gully getting cream applied to his bald spots between his front legs.  It's hard to tell from the photo whether he is impressed by this or not!  We've also had a report on our soil analysis which shows that lime is badly needed.  We had a visit from an Agronomist who also advised that all herbicides (which we dislike using) should be used with extreme caution and Alpacas kept off treated areas for several months. Lime should help to reduce the growth of buttercups which most people will know, can be poisonous to some livestock if eaten in quantity.

This is Rufus's third time on the lead and he is more accepting of it - but he is still not a happy bunny as you can tell by the look on his face.  Wee Eck still has concerns over the lead and hung his head most of the time but neither of the boys struggled too much so they are improving.  All the others accept the halters and lead, except Fidget who does not like his nose being touched, although once it's on, he's fine.

Yesterday was Day 2 of the Belladrum Tartan Hearts music festival which took place about a mile away from us. Over 12,000 people attended in good weather and we could plainly hear the 'boompa-boompa' music, the aerial display then the fireworks display later at night.  During the afternoon as the place was rocking, the boys were really impressed and totally excited by the music - not!  Even Glastonbury wouldn't put the boys off sun-bathing.

 

And finally...... these monsters make an appearance each summer and annoy the boys no end.  They are Horse Flies (we think - unless you know different!) and fortunately do not hunt in packs, just single insects.  They are much bigger than the average Bumble Bee and settle on the boys' backs or legs, much to their annoyance.  Flies and midges are common and the boys often avoid them by going into their shelters and we often spray them, which helps.   This beast is a different matter and whilst the normal flies and midges tend to go for the dark coloured animals, the Horse Fly lands on any of them.