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

Sunday 18th June.  Hi every one!  Guess what! it's still summer – hot and sunny!  Wonderful!  I have just enjoyed a refreshing dust bath.  Clouds of dust everywhere.  Alex did not appreciate getting his lovely whiteness covered in grey dust – but I told him that multi coloured alpacas are definitely the thing to be!  We are the ‘special’ ones – we get more attention than plain, boring white or light fawn alpacas – there are not so many of us and there is not another alpaca like ME anywhere in the world – you've guessed it!  I’m an Alpaca of Distinction.

 Talking of light fawns, yesterday Barley and Barnaby were due to have their nails trimmed – it was very, very hot – even just after breakfast. The BOSS opened the catch pen and waited for the youngsters to walk in, as they usually do.  Were they going to oblige – oh no!  they sauntered over to the open gate then as soon as she appeared to herd them in they dashed off and raced around the paddock.  This happened a good few times – the youngsters enjoying themselves and us ‘older’ boys watching with great interest.  Some days it is very boring here!  Not this morning.  Boss was getting more and more annoyed and ‘other half’ was laughing at the antics of both wife and alpacas.  Finally BOSS gave up and went over to trim Alex’s nails instead.  Her back had not been turned two seconds when the boys raced up to the catch pen and started to eat the supplement put out to tempt them – with Ivory keeping an eye out for the return of BOSS.

 Ivory, you all remember, is a bit of a wimp. As BOSS slowly crept up on the unsuspecting boys he dashed off, just in case he got caught and had his nails done! So out dashed Barely and Barnaby.  As I have mentioned before some alpacas are a good deal more intelligent than others!

Trying a new tactic, Other Half suggested that the other catch pen gate be left open, at the bottom of the paddock.  Boss said it wouldn’t work.  But, guess what, those youngster just dashed over to see what was different about this pen – got you! Shouted BOSS. 

Excitement over as they gave up and in a few moments all eight feet had been trimmed and two rather ‘sheepish’ alpaca boys suffered kisses and cuddles before being let back in with their mate Ivory- who sighed with relief.  Whether from not having his nails trimmed or not having a kiss and a cuddle, it was hard to tell!