Training Day

We're back in lancaster as husband and wife. We went to New York and came back married. No frills, no stress, NO bridezilla. It was perfect and we laughed the whole time, which I see as an advantage over the traditional wedding. 

There is no silence in New York, no patience or courtesy. Each person's prime concern is the line between two pins on a map. Anything else is just in their way. And their way is more important than every other person's. Only passing plagues of strangers. Seeing thousands of different faces a day and meeting none of them. It's unfamiliar to me; coming from a small valley town in Wales where you speak to every person you pass in the street whether you know them or not. About the weather, the guy down the road who got a husky crossed with a timber wolf. I'm definitely not made for the city. We had lots of fun and saw more of the 'real' New York but I revered the silence of Lancaster when we  stepped off the train that rocked us gently home. 

We took a few days to ourselves to recover and get accustomed to calling each other husband and wife. A lot. 'Could you pass the biscuits please, Husband?' 'No problem, Wife.' And it's not old yet. I also like to give my Husband a little refresher on our vows when he's eating something I want a bite of. 'What's yours is mine remember? We signed a legal contract. Now gimme!'.

Now we're back to our new norm, feeling content with the snow shrinking away from us it was time to see my favourite non-humans. It's finally training day! 

There's always a warm welcome at the farm. With the exception of one. Frederick. Donna's guard chicken. Frederick is her baby and feels the need to remind me by kamikaze bombing my feet. He's done it to me and only me since my first day at the farm. Maybe he heard how great my omelettes are. 

My first lesson in training was with the four babies. The first thing to teach an alpaca is to keep still. Donna said the first thing you need to let them know is that you're not going to kill them. Not something I've had to convince someone of before! So we catch them, hold them and once they're still we reward them by leaving them alone. And that's it. Over and over until they know that keeping still will get them what they want. It sounds monotonous but I don't think I'll ever tire of effectively cuddling baby alpacas. And anyone who would deserves a severe pecking from Frederick. In the eyeballs. 

Next I finally started training Nikolai. I've been looking forward to this for weeks while I was trapped in my snow cell. Nikolai has such a sweet nature. Donna got in with him first to show me the ropes and he'd look to me for approval with warm child like eyes. He learns so quickly and with pride. Training moves in baby steps, starting at their back eventually we want to be able to touch their feet without them moving. I got as far as the back of his knee today. I enjoy measuring success in body parts rather than numbers. 

Now I know the drill on the farm and spring is on the way I'll be training the alpacas regularly. Donna has taught me so much in such a short period. Now it's time to take lessons from the alpacas themselves and learn to be one of the herd.