Ramblings...

Okay, so I'm pretty exhausted so I apologise in advance for the meandering confused nature of this post.

I got back today from my five day trip for the NSWCC double show. It was great fun, but incredibly exhausting. I think five days was too long to be away as well, both me and the pigs were pretty frayed by the time we got home.

Disaster unfortunately also struck. Eddie now has a neat bowl cut. He was twitchy at the show and I did my usual routine to settle him down by leaving him up on the grooming stand where he could watch the crowd. A child decided that her pet pig needed to meet Eddie and held it up for kisses before I could stop her. At that point my best guess is Eddie picked up some sort of parasite, a flea or a tick or something. Within minutes of pulling out of the show ground Eddie flipped out spinning, kicking and biting even rolling on his back. It was dark and raining and I was by myself with no place to pull over so I ended up driving for two hours with him on my lap trying to keep him calm till I got home and into the light.

Even that wasn't enough and even after redoing his wrappers once we got home he was still freaking out and tore a wrapper out. So I cut his coat off, and he kept flipping out. He only stopped after a long dip in Fido's Free-Itch, a pyrethrin based shampoo I had luckily picked up at the show. So it's a pity he's lost his coat but I was more concerned for him and I'm glad he seems okay now. He's very touchy over the area where he tore the wrapper out but I would be in pain too if I'd torn a massive chunk of hair out.

But before he flipped out Eddie did have a good time at the show. He took out a BIG for the Chocoholics show but didn't place at the Queens Birthday Show. Laertes didn't win BOB at either show as he was beaten by an extraordinarily beautiful black dalmatian adult show (I must find out what stud she's from). But he did take out Best Baby Marked at the Chocoholics show.

Sterling took out Best Pet again and the judge thought he was magnificent, actually everyone thought he was magnificent. He spent much of the day hanging out on the grooming stand and certainly caught the publics attention.

Now as to purchases. I came home with three newbies again. I picked up Chantilly Emmanuel and Chantilly Ayanna from Chantelle of Chantilly Cavies. Emmanuel is an absolutely gorgeous young sheltie who will begin his show career at the August NSWCC. Ayanna is here to replace Ebbie and as already been popped in with Sterling. Finally I picked up a little self black sow who is half sister to Laertes. They share the same father Bakerville Zircon. Though I haven't met Zircon I have seen his progeny. He throws pigs with good blazes and the most amazing dark feet, though the spotting is a bit hit and miss. But because Symphonia Lavinia possesses the genetic modifiers needed (though she is not a dalmatian and does not 'carry' dalmatian, as dalmatian is not a gene that can be carried there is no chance of micros) she should ensure the babies have the right demarcation, blazes and feet while Laertes helps with the spotting... Little Lavinia is only five weeks old so she's got quite a bit of growing to do until she's ready to bred. Until then Ebony will teach her her manners.