Foxed

As part of our grand clear out we are selling anything that is not nailed down and has not been used recently.  A few years ago we bought a PDQ caravan awning based on the abbreviation being Pretty Darned Quick to erect!!  There was a short video declaring and demonstrating that one man could erect it in two minutes.  Even armed with that we found it almost impossible to erect in less that about 15 minutes and much stretching and clenched teeth, not to mention torn arm muscles  when the wind caught the canvas.  It was very frustrating and was finally re-homed in the attic.

The gazebo which we take to fetes and fairs gave up the ghost last summer and Mike had the bright idea of adapting the awning (which had lain neglected and despised for a couple of years) to hitch on to the side of the van.  He spent quite a lot of time and effort devising a rail and a way of attaching it, but it did not work.

I would ask him why so that I could include that riveting piece of information but I am reluctant to bring the subject up!!

Good old Ebay - we thought.  Having taken the awning out of its packaging we realised that actually it was very smart and a useful size and so I suggested that we had one more go at trying to put it up and pack it away.   The original attraction was that supposedly you can just roll it up into a special bag which stays on the side of the caravan ready for use at the next stop.

I found a demonstration on You Tube which was loads better than the original one and we watched and re-watched the bits which we had found tricky.  Eventually we decided to have one last go and, despite high winds which suddenly sprung up (of course) we were quite successful and have decided to keep it as a caravan awning after all.   As you can see from the photo we need to work on our pitching technique, but that is the least of our worries.

As well as being foxed by the awning we think we are being invaded by foxes.   We keep the paddocks clean and I clean up around the house and barn every day.   As well as the usual deposits left by the dogs and alpacas, foxes are joining in.  We are sure it must be more than one but so far we have not had a sighting.   They seem to be in almost every paddock including the goats'. When we let the dogs out last thing at night Jake often goes out at full speed and barking his head off, so we think he either smells or sees the enemy.  The others join it but I doubt if they really know why.

Dolly and I put the hens away at tea time and make sure they are secure in their runs in case the foxes are brave enough to attack when we have gone indoors for the day.

We hear quite a lot of shooting going on at the moment, especially after dark, but of course we do not know what the target is.

I have just finished hosing off three of the dogs who seem to adore fox perfume!!www.alpaca-stuff.co.uk