Ted's Diary
written by Amen Ra (Ted) The Alpaca of Distinction 

12th May 2008. Hi folks, just put the year in there so you know that I am still up to date! 

Do you know, we (that is Alex, me, and all the other Little Gem guys and girls) have been here for a whole year? What a year it has been, and all the excitement – when we arrived there was just us Alpacas and lots of grass – acres and acres of lush green grass, and the RAIN!  Well, now there is not quite so much lush grass, yours truly has eaten quite a lot and so have the other “forty odd” Alpacas, and some are really odd! Oops! Forgot that new year’s resolution already – sorry Alex, not really THAT odd!  Then there is the Kune Kune pigs and ALL those piglets, the very troublesome geese, the ducks, the chickens and my new friends – just look at those pictures! I ask you whatever next??

Now I have to add here that I have been put in with these two guys to keep them company and to show them the ropes – but I am just a little peeved! THEY get to go out for walk every day without ME.  All the village folk get to pet THEM, say how wonderful THEY are and everyone seems to have forgotten about faithful old TED!
Come on guys! I’ll be good, promise – I can carry a pack, if it’s small and got some hay in it to nibble on the way.  (That should do it! Look I can make a sad face too!)

BOSS and Other Half came down today, I do like their visits, lots of attention then, lots of tit-bits and kisses and cuddles – well you have to give to get in this world! I get more food, ergo I give kisses – easy eh?  The cuddles not to sure about, but it pleases the humans, so I’m a giving sort of chap!  Mind you today I had to show those llamas who was in charge, these visitors were MY visitors and they had no right to kiss the Boss and make goo-goo eyes at the Other Half just because he pointed a camera at them!

Just you look at those guys - and they said I had BIG EARS! And they have such long legs!  Still, they are very gentle, well behaved and know their place – just like me! The novelty will soon pass and the visitors will see my virtues over my two galumphing paddock mates!  I’m smaller, prettier, far more unusual in markings, and I’m a Web-Celeb – can you really see either of those guys tapping away at a keyboard – no! It is well known that ALPACAS are the INTELLIGENT side of the camelids – just look at camels for instance – okay, let’s not go there or you never know some may just appear down here with the rest of this menagerie! I have to draw the line somewhere. 

I have heard on the grapevine  (those ducks are such gossips!)  that very shortly we are to be joined by pigmy goats – I kid you not!  Oh, get it – kid?  The old Ted is back! Now hasn’t that just made your day? It certainly has cheered me up chatting with all my fans and the BOSS has promised to help me more often – sad to say your old friend Ted is unable to work miracles – they still haven’t made a laptop computer for Alpacas to use, come on you IT whizzes – big keys, spit proof casing, camelibra resistant, and llama proof (should that read idiot proof?) Sorry llama lovers everywhere, but my two friends don’t seem that bright, but I have only known them a short while. Mind you Alex hates them and shouts at them as soon as he sees them, but then he’s not too keen on ME either, don’t know why that should be!

Oh, talking of my good friend Alex (see, trying to keep my resolution here!) he has become a daddy again, another GIRL, pure white and very cute, picture next time as little miss cutie lives at Laurel Farm the other side of Devon, and Other Half – the photographer – is still taking pictures of llamas!

Well, it is very warm today and I feel a paddle in the water trough coming on – so talk to you all again soon,

Lots of love, Ted.