Monday 29th April
Sat in the airport at Treviso we reflect on a hard week of shearing and the new friends we have made and the places we have seen. Time for "due grande birra, per favore", 7.40 euros and we didn't get a full glass, the most we have spent all week. Getting on the plane, Jon spots a couple of seats and checks that no-one is setting there, the chap says no and we sit down. As we take off, we notice the chap doodling on a pad, Jon said " I wonder what he is doodling?" "Probably a sculpture he is working on, there is normally something part finished in his front garden." Jon is now looking bewildered, "Is this a leg-pull?" . No we have sat next to someone whose shopping I deliver in Bristol. A pleasant flight back soon passes and we are collected by Chris, and it's home by midnight.
Wednesday 8 May 2013
It's raining !
Monday 29th April
It's a good start, breakfast and a look outside, it's not raining. It was raining for the last hour of the journey and quite misty, now in daylight without the rain, the scenery was stunning. The grass is very long and green and the mountain range behind us with the snow capped peeks, we have nothing like this at home, the grass or the views! We are led down to where the alpacas are being kept, in a "poly tunnel" like structure, slightly damp but not wet. Then we are shown the shearing shed, a part finished structure that will be home for the alpacas and a fruit and veg business when complete, we will have to bring the alpacas about 100 metres through a building site and are told that only some of them are halter trained. We set up and clear a holding area for the alpacas, then it's off to fetch the first group of females and crias. It's now raining, we get halters on everybody and start to make our way back to the shearing area, then the two males break out and are running the fence line getting wet. The first job is to get the girls under cover and shear them, Claudio and Annalisa are left to put the males away. Shearing in front of an audience is sometimes a bit of a trial, here we have builders, family, friends, someone with a camera, and the local vet. First alpaca sheared, vet steps in to show how to inject and drench, Jon has trimmed toenails and she is released. After a couple the vet leaves and Claudio takes over, the girls and cria are all sheared and taken back. Now for the soggy boys, they not very wet, but I suggested that the fleece is taken out of the bags to dry before storing. All completed, 99 sheared in 8 days, 9 locations and 1200km travelled.
Back to the chalet, shower and over to Claudio's home to meet their children, have some tiramisu and talk alpacas. After a lovely meal we are taken to the airport for the flight back to Bristol. The scenery is magnificent, tall mountains all around with snow on the peaks and tunnels that go for miles through them.
Arrivederci Italia - rivedervi il prossimo anno.
It's a good start, breakfast and a look outside, it's not raining. It was raining for the last hour of the journey and quite misty, now in daylight without the rain, the scenery was stunning. The grass is very long and green and the mountain range behind us with the snow capped peeks, we have nothing like this at home, the grass or the views! We are led down to where the alpacas are being kept, in a "poly tunnel" like structure, slightly damp but not wet. Then we are shown the shearing shed, a part finished structure that will be home for the alpacas and a fruit and veg business when complete, we will have to bring the alpacas about 100 metres through a building site and are told that only some of them are halter trained. We set up and clear a holding area for the alpacas, then it's off to fetch the first group of females and crias. It's now raining, we get halters on everybody and start to make our way back to the shearing area, then the two males break out and are running the fence line getting wet. The first job is to get the girls under cover and shear them, Claudio and Annalisa are left to put the males away. Shearing in front of an audience is sometimes a bit of a trial, here we have builders, family, friends, someone with a camera, and the local vet. First alpaca sheared, vet steps in to show how to inject and drench, Jon has trimmed toenails and she is released. After a couple the vet leaves and Claudio takes over, the girls and cria are all sheared and taken back. Now for the soggy boys, they not very wet, but I suggested that the fleece is taken out of the bags to dry before storing. All completed, 99 sheared in 8 days, 9 locations and 1200km travelled.
Back to the chalet, shower and over to Claudio's home to meet their children, have some tiramisu and talk alpacas. After a lovely meal we are taken to the airport for the flight back to Bristol. The scenery is magnificent, tall mountains all around with snow on the peaks and tunnels that go for miles through them.
Arrivederci Italia - rivedervi il prossimo anno.
Slow train to Belluno
Sunday 28th April
Sunday starts with a leisurely breakfast and a look at the train times for the journey to Belluno, there is a normal service from a local station to Bologna then a high speed service to Belluno. Total time 4 hours, great, but there are no seats available! we have chosen to travel on a holiday weekend along with half the population of Italy. Martin takes us to Viareggio and organises the tickets, two changes and about 6 hours. We have a quick look around the harbour at Viareggio, packed with "super yatchs" and return to say our goodbyes and put the cases in the car for the drive to Prato Centralle, the start of the train journey. Prato to Bologna change to the Padova train, which is a double deck train rattling along at 150kmh and standing room only. Then at Padova we board the train to Bolluna, this is a 2 hour journey stopping at every town on the way. We also encounter a delay of about 35 mins meaning a start time of 14.30 and a finish time of 21.00, it's nice to see a couple of smiling Italians waiting for us in the rain at the station, Annalisa and Zara recognise us immediately. How ? we are the only ones wearing T-shirts and shorts, all the Italians are in coats and fleeces! We are soon sat down for pizza and beer or pizza and birra as the locals say. Off to bed in our own chalet, it's dark and raining lets hope the alpacas are under cover.
Sunday starts with a leisurely breakfast and a look at the train times for the journey to Belluno, there is a normal service from a local station to Bologna then a high speed service to Belluno. Total time 4 hours, great, but there are no seats available! we have chosen to travel on a holiday weekend along with half the population of Italy. Martin takes us to Viareggio and organises the tickets, two changes and about 6 hours. We have a quick look around the harbour at Viareggio, packed with "super yatchs" and return to say our goodbyes and put the cases in the car for the drive to Prato Centralle, the start of the train journey. Prato to Bologna change to the Padova train, which is a double deck train rattling along at 150kmh and standing room only. Then at Padova we board the train to Bolluna, this is a 2 hour journey stopping at every town on the way. We also encounter a delay of about 35 mins meaning a start time of 14.30 and a finish time of 21.00, it's nice to see a couple of smiling Italians waiting for us in the rain at the station, Annalisa and Zara recognise us immediately. How ? we are the only ones wearing T-shirts and shorts, all the Italians are in coats and fleeces! We are soon sat down for pizza and beer or pizza and birra as the locals say. Off to bed in our own chalet, it's dark and raining lets hope the alpacas are under cover.
Friday 3 May 2013
Rainy saturday
Saturday 27th April
Only the girls left to shear and it's raining, so we have to get them under cover close to where we are shearing. We put them under shelter about 8 meters away from the shearing station, this means a longer walk to fetch each one and additional time. Giusy, Martin's partner, is promoted to shearer's assistant's assistant and is helping with the ropes and collecting fleece. Lunch break is taken, pasta, and we complete the girls late in the afternoon. Now the rain is coming down quite steadily and all the alpacas seem to be enjoying the rain on their backs. Shower, supper and sleep, Ready for the journey tomorrow.
Only the girls left to shear and it's raining, so we have to get them under cover close to where we are shearing. We put them under shelter about 8 meters away from the shearing station, this means a longer walk to fetch each one and additional time. Giusy, Martin's partner, is promoted to shearer's assistant's assistant and is helping with the ropes and collecting fleece. Lunch break is taken, pasta, and we complete the girls late in the afternoon. Now the rain is coming down quite steadily and all the alpacas seem to be enjoying the rain on their backs. Shower, supper and sleep, Ready for the journey tomorrow.
Wednesday 1 May 2013
Small world
Friday 26th April
The school run in the Todd household is much the same as most in the UK, except today there are two english shearers getting a lift and we have to stop for pizza for the girls lunch. Having collected said pizza we are delivered to the drop off point and Hillary whisks us away to the next location. Here we have 4 alpacas to shear with Fiona, a new owner who has only had alpacas for a couple of months. We were shown to the garden where the alpacas were kept and chose two trees to tie them between, set up the kit and we were ready. Shearing goes well and we are soon sitting down for lunch. Martin., our next lift,client and host joins us for lunch. During lunch we discover he came from Sherbourne close to Yeovil where I came from, at the point he said his grandfather started a garage and told me the name, my jaw dropped. My father worked in this garage as a young man and would have worked with Martin's father!
We travel a couple of hours to Martin's where 7 move customers await haircuts. Boys sheared, females put undercover out of the rain, a quick shower and we are off to Viareggio for pizza for supper.
The school run in the Todd household is much the same as most in the UK, except today there are two english shearers getting a lift and we have to stop for pizza for the girls lunch. Having collected said pizza we are delivered to the drop off point and Hillary whisks us away to the next location. Here we have 4 alpacas to shear with Fiona, a new owner who has only had alpacas for a couple of months. We were shown to the garden where the alpacas were kept and chose two trees to tie them between, set up the kit and we were ready. Shearing goes well and we are soon sitting down for lunch. Martin., our next lift,client and host joins us for lunch. During lunch we discover he came from Sherbourne close to Yeovil where I came from, at the point he said his grandfather started a garage and told me the name, my jaw dropped. My father worked in this garage as a young man and would have worked with Martin's father!
We travel a couple of hours to Martin's where 7 move customers await haircuts. Boys sheared, females put undercover out of the rain, a quick shower and we are off to Viareggio for pizza for supper.
Sunday 28 April 2013
Superglue used
Thursday 25th April
Chrissie delivered us to our next lift, Hilarys husband John, who drove us to the next shearing location in Umbertade. Equipment playing up, but rescue is at hand when we borrow some shears from a local sheep farmer, even had the correct plug on it. I am shearing the fifth alpaca when I'm told he is an Italian champion, then whoops his elbow goes between the comb and we have a white alpaca with a red stripe down his leg. Jon is on hand with the superglue to sort the problem.
Boys (10) completed and we're off into the hills for the girls, lunch on the way is pizza and I'm asked to drive because we need an extra car to tie the ropes to. It's like the final scene from the original "Italian Job" as we go along this winding road into the mountains with drops on both sides.Girls all sheared (17) and its back down the mountain, shower and tea with Hillary and John. We get a lift back to Casa San Gabriel from David and it's straight to bed.
Chrissie delivered us to our next lift, Hilarys husband John, who drove us to the next shearing location in Umbertade. Equipment playing up, but rescue is at hand when we borrow some shears from a local sheep farmer, even had the correct plug on it. I am shearing the fifth alpaca when I'm told he is an Italian champion, then whoops his elbow goes between the comb and we have a white alpaca with a red stripe down his leg. Jon is on hand with the superglue to sort the problem.
Boys (10) completed and we're off into the hills for the girls, lunch on the way is pizza and I'm asked to drive because we need an extra car to tie the ropes to. It's like the final scene from the original "Italian Job" as we go along this winding road into the mountains with drops on both sides.Girls all sheared (17) and its back down the mountain, shower and tea with Hillary and John. We get a lift back to Casa San Gabriel from David and it's straight to bed.
Saturday 27 April 2013
Third day compleated
Wednesday 25th April
Toast for breakfast, and we off shearing again. The alpacas are fetched from their houses and brought to the underground garage, where we are waiting shears in hand. Just thinking to myself that the equipment is going well, when disaster strikes and a nasty noise from the shears means I have stripped a cog and the shears aren't working. Oh well backup set in use and we have completed another eight. Lunch of lasagne and our next lift takes us to Casa San Gabriel. Chrissie has been our driver and she and her husband, David, will be our hosts for the next couple of days. When we arrive it's straight to work, 4 more alpacas sheared and no superglue used. It must be a record, it can't go on! Supper and a few beers and it's off to bed in our own little house.
Toast for breakfast, and we off shearing again. The alpacas are fetched from their houses and brought to the underground garage, where we are waiting shears in hand. Just thinking to myself that the equipment is going well, when disaster strikes and a nasty noise from the shears means I have stripped a cog and the shears aren't working. Oh well backup set in use and we have completed another eight. Lunch of lasagne and our next lift takes us to Casa San Gabriel. Chrissie has been our driver and she and her husband, David, will be our hosts for the next couple of days. When we arrive it's straight to work, 4 more alpacas sheared and no superglue used. It must be a record, it can't go on! Supper and a few beers and it's off to bed in our own little house.
Second day completed
Tuesday 23rd April
Early start, breakfast supplied by Veronica, one of her famous coffees and we are off.only the 12 to shear before lunch, the ground is a little muddy and Jon is nearly taken off his feet by some large females. With lunch inside us, we wave goodbye to the 2 large dogs who had followed our every move while in the house. Georgio was our driver to the next location of San Merino.
To say the scenery was stunning in San Merino is an understatment!!
We were shown the alpacas by Penny, all of whom had there own Swiss chalet to live in.
Penny then showed us to our penthouse sweet via the indoor lift, no climbing stairs for the shearers here! Supper soon followed and then it was off to bed, 8 more to shear tomorrow.
Early start, breakfast supplied by Veronica, one of her famous coffees and we are off.only the 12 to shear before lunch, the ground is a little muddy and Jon is nearly taken off his feet by some large females. With lunch inside us, we wave goodbye to the 2 large dogs who had followed our every move while in the house. Georgio was our driver to the next location of San Merino.
To say the scenery was stunning in San Merino is an understatment!!
We were shown the alpacas by Penny, all of whom had there own Swiss chalet to live in.
Penny then showed us to our penthouse sweet via the indoor lift, no climbing stairs for the shearers here! Supper soon followed and then it was off to bed, 8 more to shear tomorrow.
Tuesday 23 April 2013
First day completed!
Monday 22nd April
First day, will the english to italian extension lead I have just made work? A bit hard to sheer if it doesn'! Alpacas waiting, ropes set up and we have surccess, SHEAR WE GO!
First day, will the english to italian extension lead I have just made work? A bit hard to sheer if it doesn'! Alpacas waiting, ropes set up and we have surccess, SHEAR WE GO!
We have sheared 9 and no super glue needed, and the combs and cutters are lasting. Time for lunch and then on to Veronica's.
Arriving about 5pm, we decide to shear her boys, a couple of hours later we're sat down to a lovely italian meal.
A good days work.
Flew into Italy during thunder storm
Interesting flight from Stanstead to Pescara, coming in to land we go through a thunder storm. The chap in the window seat said to his wife who looked a bit concerned, that he could see flames in the engine, that was why it looked like daylight even though it was 10pm. HELPFUL CHAP. Anyway Liz was waiting and we were soon in Penne, enjoying a glass of vino.
Sunday 21 April 2013
Cider at Stanstead
Thanks to Chris for an excellent drive to the airport. The bags are checked in and the hand luggage is of the correct size and weight.If we haven't got it we don't need it.
We may have left Bristol, but we're still west country, "2 pints of cider please, and a pasty my luvver"
I'm leaving on a jet plane.
My bags are packed, I'm ready to go.....
The taxi's waiting, he's blowing his horn.
Didn't realise how heaving shearing kit is, should we take clothes or shears? Couldn't take both so may be a bit short on clothes by the end of the week. Jon not very impressed, but he wants to get a tan this week.
Stanstead here we come.
The taxi's waiting, he's blowing his horn.
Didn't realise how heaving shearing kit is, should we take clothes or shears? Couldn't take both so may be a bit short on clothes by the end of the week. Jon not very impressed, but he wants to get a tan this week.
Stanstead here we come.
Friday 19 April 2013
Can you shear them if they are wet?
When I opened my eyes this morning the sun was shining in South Gloucestershire, and all was well. Then the phone rang, "I've just checked the weather forecast" says Liz from Italy, "and it's due to rain all weekend". The clouds are now starting to gather overhead, we're due to start shearing on Monday, lets hope the weather clears up and the alpaca's have been kept under shelter to stay dry. Still with temperatures in the 20's I guess they dry out quite quickly.
Checked in on-line, boarding passes printed, just need to pack the cases now.
Monday 15 April 2013
Does anyone know the Italian word for superglue ?
Here we go then, less than a week to go and I'm off to Italy to shear some alpacas.
How did it all start? I ask myself the same question sometimes. I guess watching other people shear our alpacas made me think "I could do that", so a shearing course was booked and some equipment bought. Starting with our own and alpacas we had sold to clients, then taking bookings from outside, concentrating on smaller herds. Last year this led to a shearing job in South Wales and a new client, Liz, who was preparing to leave the country along with her alpacas. Having looked after and then exported her alpacas, she also asked if I would go and shear them. It seemed a long way to go to shear 10 alpacas, when I suggested it to my son Jon he decided a weekend away in Italy was not to be turned down. Having decided we would go, Liz found us some more to shear and then an e-mail from another breeder led to more. We now have a weeks worth of shearing and are visiting several places in Italy.
Someone suggested I should make a blog of the "adventure" , he also said he admired someone of my age doing something "out of the ordinary", not sure how to take that one. Other titles that came to mind:
An idiot abroad.
An idiot abroad with his son.
An idiot abroad with his dad.
Shear lunacy.
Anyway the blog is now up and running.
How did it all start? I ask myself the same question sometimes. I guess watching other people shear our alpacas made me think "I could do that", so a shearing course was booked and some equipment bought. Starting with our own and alpacas we had sold to clients, then taking bookings from outside, concentrating on smaller herds. Last year this led to a shearing job in South Wales and a new client, Liz, who was preparing to leave the country along with her alpacas. Having looked after and then exported her alpacas, she also asked if I would go and shear them. It seemed a long way to go to shear 10 alpacas, when I suggested it to my son Jon he decided a weekend away in Italy was not to be turned down. Having decided we would go, Liz found us some more to shear and then an e-mail from another breeder led to more. We now have a weeks worth of shearing and are visiting several places in Italy.
Someone suggested I should make a blog of the "adventure" , he also said he admired someone of my age doing something "out of the ordinary", not sure how to take that one. Other titles that came to mind:
An idiot abroad.
An idiot abroad with his son.
An idiot abroad with his dad.
Shear lunacy.
Anyway the blog is now up and running.
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