Harry the Holdall

Just a Thank-you to everyone who made the last week so enjoyable, if anyone needs a break in Italy please have a look at the websites listed below.

Plaisted Alpacas d'Abruzzo Liz Dack near Penne

Casa San Gabriel  Chrissie Todd at Pierantonio

Tosca Alpacas  Martin Saunders at Stiava

Alpaca people with websites but no accommodation.

Alpaca Hill   Penelope Savoretti At San Marino

Zarza Alpacas   Hilary Shenton at Umbertide

La Vigna Alpacas   Fiona Tankard at Rassina

Italian alpaca people without a website or accommodation (yet)

Daniella and Georgio who will have a website when they finish building their guest house nr Amandola

Just a final note on the fate of the new luggage, come back Mat all is forgiven! Harry the holdall nearly spilled his guts after a couple of days, large split on the inner lining, and a couple of holes where he had been dragging his ass behind him, then to top it all the strap on the new matching flight bag came adrift and it nearly fell under the train we had just got down from. Moral of the tale, probably rely on your old friends and if they can't go find someone who is rougher and tougher.

Cheers to Jon for his company and hard work all week, I think I managed to keep up with him, but won't be able to for much longer! Thanks to Chris for the taxi run to and from Stanstead, will try to fly from Bristol next time.

Oh and thanks to the pilot for the flight home, I think his name was Graham.

Pisa and Home

Yes !!, we couldn't have planned it better, everyone sheared and here comes the rain. Woke to grey skies and rain, I had been told by Martin to bring a coat, which I carried in my bags for 6 days. Now he was proved right, so I had to wear it. Jon still opted for shorts, trying to get some sun on his legs, but it was a forlorn hope. Our flight wasn't until the afternoon, so we could take a visit to Pisa.

We had a walk around Pisa and had some lunch, pasta and a beer, followed by a coffee, we felt the need for something different, so asked for a mocha. Now that confused them, we wanted chocolate in our expresso? oh that's a marocchino, so nutella smeared around the glass then the coffee put in, very nice. It was time to go to the airport for the flight home. It was raining when we left Italy and it was raining when we got home. Our lift home passed, with a quick stop for a Costa mocha, uneventfully. We were home back in Rangeworthy and yes it was still raining.

Last Day of Shearing.

Last days shearing on this trip, fifteen ahead of us, mainly white a couple of lights, and a black, all females. The weather is slightly overcast but reasonably warm, after the first couple it feels a lot warmer and by lunch we have completed two thirds and I'm feeling a lot warmer and there aren't as many clouds. Thoughts of a couple of hours in the shorts, in the sunshine by the pool enter my head. Pasta for lunch and it's back to work.

   We rounded up the last group and penned them ready for shearing, we're on the home straight now. First, second, third, only two to go, still no cuts, I might be getting better at this. The penultimate alpaca leaves the mat, and it's only the black to go. Just like snooker, you have to finish on the black!
Jon said "Let's do a speedy job on this one and were finished", I replied " No, lets take our time and make sure we go two days without the glue". Well that was the kiss of death, she looked quite large but must have been bigger previously as she didn't quite fit her skin and I found a fold, just in front of her back leg to half way along her body.  Luckily I only cut the first centimetre of skin and the shears had riden over the rest of it's length. Much swearing was heard in the valley below, it had hurt me more than the alpaca I think, a couple of blobs of superglue and purple spray and we're done.
   Let's get the shorts on and get some sun on these legs!

No Superglue Today!

We're going to Fiona's, in Rassina just north of Arezzo, this morning, so its goodbye to "La Stalla" and off to meet Hilary for the journey. After a stop for capachino and pastries we arrive and set to the task, only five to do. All is going well four completed and two microchipped. The last alpaca is quite a large black suri, so with a little difficulty the alpaca is stretched out. At this point Hilary and Fiona were talking about Fiona's husband as we asked what the alpaca was called, "..it's Alan"  we heard, oh well Alan the Alpaca has a nice ring to it, in a field with other females, must be a castrate. Having sheared the back leg and arround the tail without finding any testicles it was quite a shock not to find any male equipment on the underside! "wow thats taking castration a bit too far !", Hilary and Fiona are now looking a bit bemused, the alpaca apparently is a female call Nicola and Fiona's husband is Alan. All is confirmed when I shear the tail and check she is a lady underneath. When Nicola got to her feet, she walked straight over to the paddling pool and just cushed in middle of it, very cooling. We then have lunch with Alan the husband, not Alan the alpaca, then its off to the station for a train ride to Viareggio.

 Arezzo to Florence takes about an hour, then change to the Viareggio train,another hour and were there. Martin meets us and its off to Stiava to shear some males before we eat. Another six completed and no superglue. A good days work, supper and bed. Lets hope the weather holds for another day.

Can you shear with a hangover?

We had to meet Hilary in the car park at Perugia at 8.00am, we were a couple of minutes late and David explained that we had drunk more of his wine cellar than we had intended, so we may be a bit sluggish. A quick drive and we set up for shearing, first alpaca on the mat and we're away. After we have completed the first two, I tell Hillary that due to the double vision that counts as four, she's not convinced! Eight males completed, so we start on the females, we would shear six and leave the rest until after lunch, the last one before lunch caught me out.The last thing that I was expecting on a female, which turned out to be a male nearly turned back to a female, he did wince a bit, and I only grazed the end. Superglue out just to make sure, lunch then purple spray on the little chap. I've never used purple spray on myself in this way, but I'm sure my reaction would be the same as his. At least we knew he was still able to wee. Only four left, oh and a sheep, I don't do sheep! Last four completed with no more mishaps.
   Now the sheep turns up, family pet, couple of years old, not sure if its ever been shorn, not looking forward to this. The farmer puts her on her back, holds her legs and motions me to start, shear lunacy! off we go, the clippers are going through fleece, then flesh, I think I missed the tail but am not sure. The farmer calmly turns the sheep as I keep going, I think we're going to need superglue and purple spray for this one, as I cut through her front leg. People watching are wincing as the "Crazy Englishman" tries to shear a sheep, then stick bits back together after. She is a lot happier without her fleece in the heat, but had trouble walking with the amount of superglue on her front leg and would have been dismayed at the two-tone purple paint job she had received.
    That evening we were invited to a "Festa" at the local school by David and Chrissie, all good fun, sat on benches, we had anti-pasta followed by pizza, with jugs of beer being filled every time they were empty. Jon and I had as much pizza as we could eat and after the previous evening as much water as we could drink. Off to bed, full and tired.

More superglue needed!

  Early start in San Marino, the animals are nice and dry in the garage,  shearing kit set up and away we go. First alpaca,  first nick, second alpaca stabbed with end of comb, third alpaca has grass seed in rear leg shears go straight through small abscess. As Jon put it,"I'm three for three." not good! I changed the comb and cutter, and the bad mojo is gone, we complete the twelve without incident. Lunch and Chrissie arrives to take us to Pierantonia.
  When we arrive at Casa San Gabriel, David and Chrissie's daughters have the situation under control, Ellie and Lucia have the animals, clean, stabled and the area ready for shearing. Off we go, the sight of two little faces watching, while they collected the fleece, meant no slip ups here. All went well until Sylvester, the last one, and the unthinksble happened....he disgraced himself ! Dad then had to take over, he wasn't as efficient as the girls but he completed his task and we were done. Time for a swim. David had suggested we use the pool last year, and we would have been the first to use it that year but we didn't have time. This year Jon and myself had an envigorating swim, but weren't the first to use it, some military guys beat us to it. I think David was just saying this, because there was a prize and he didn't want to give it to us. Not that I would know what to do with a new Moania anyway, whatever that is. Beer, dinner, wine and good conversation then off to bed.

The Sun Has Got His Hat On

...... but then it fell off!


Woke to a sunny day, yesterday's sheared alpacas in the olive groves outside. Must be weather for shorts, got to get some sun on the "milk bottles", my dad and son have similar,  legs run in our family. Breakfast and we're loaded and off to Daniella's. A couple of hours and a few wrong turns and we arrive, still hot and sunny, lunch or alpaca shearing? Went for the shearing, only 6 to do.
  Having completed them without major mishaps, the rain started to fall. Lunch it is then, back in the shorts, now starting to look like a hasty decision. Liz stayed for lunch, which was a good move as communication was a slight problem as they new a little English and we knew even less Italian, Liz was able to translate, Georgio has told me to learn more Italian and he will learn more English for next year. Now it's off to San Merino, Penny will be meeting us part way there.
  It rains for most of the journey,  but Penny assures us that she has her alpacas in the dry. When we arrive, sure enough her alpacas are in her garage, waiting to be sheared. Jon has cheked the forecast for tomorrow, cloudy and 17°, doesn't sound like short weather to me.

First day completed

Monday 21st April

Why do we always get a smart alec on our flights to Pescara? Last year we had  the chap who told his wife "the lightning makes it look like the engine is on fire" , this year we had a small child ask "Are we going to fly upside down now, dad?" as we banked to come into the airport. Now I thought the sensible answer was "no son, passenger planes don't fly upside down." not this guy, "not this time" was his response. Perhaps his dad was a pilot and is always flying his passengers upside down, or had been on a ride  at Alton Towers, but I was glad to be landing the right way up.
  A short car ride with Liz and we were at Plaisted Alpacas D'Abruzzo,  lunch and we were off. First alpaca, and the superglue is out already, small nick in the armpit. We get the first nine sheared and the rain starts, move shearing kit indoors, move alpacas, continue shearing and the job is complete.
   Off to Penne for supper, it's been a long day, should sleep well tonight.

Suitcases packed.

The cases are by the front door, ready to be loaded, and we're off. I've been checking with the Italian gang on the weather situation, and it's not great. This happened last year, it's raining in Italy and looks like it might rain in some off the places we are shearing next week.
   We have taken into consideration all circumstances and have packed accordingly. I'm from the "just take an extra one in case" school of thought so we have "one extra" everything, The cases now weigh in at 20 kilos a piece, and I'm wearing 3 tee-shirts, 2 jumpers and an extra pair of jeans. They can't charge you extra if you wear it!

Penne tomorrow.

Oh No! Mat can't go.

I had to tell an old friend today that he wouldn't be touring with us this year, he had been with me on my travels last year. Someone who carried my shearing kit, someone to lean on and on an exceptionally drunk night, someone to talk to. I think I may have sat on him a few times, but was a bit worse for wear at the end of the shearing season. I think Mat first came along for family holidays, in fact we may even have picked him up in Cyprus on one such holiday and has been a constant travelling companion since. This year I found Mat sat in the corner of the garage, looking ready for this years exploits, but alas with a broken foot. I had thought about surgery for him, but this proved too expensive. We just couldn't take any passengers this trip.certainly one that couldn't stand up, just wobbled a bit and fell over!

There was nothing else for it, Mat wasn't up to it, I had to find a replacement. When travelling abroad. to shear, weight is a consideration. So Mat has been replaced by a lighter companion for this year. I have decided to go for Harry the holdall ! Still with wheels and a handle but including all the sheering kit comes in at under 20 kilos. I don't think he will do as many miles as Mat did but only time will tell.

Harry doesn't have the robust nature of Mat and not sure how he will fare in the scrum of short haul flights, but due to his light weight and "go faster stripes" he may be more nimble in open play.

That's the first part of team selection done, well second part actually as son Jon has been selected as my team captain for this first foray of 2014 into foreign climes, with myself as tour manager. This means he does the hard work and I take the credit, or when things go wrong he takes the blame! Only 14 days to we leave, now to think about what to wear.