Welcome Murray!

So as you have previously read- I want an alpaca farm. Guess what... I took the first step this past week!

Murry is my new llama baby! Ok, so he's a llama, not an alpaca. And he's not really a baby, he's 12 years old. All that aside, let me fill you in:

I dont have $20,ooo to fork over for an alpaca (actually a mother, a cria- which is a baby- and the mother bread again for a future offspring). So, not having a crap-load of cash, we have been looking into alternite methods of funding for the alpacas. Llamas are a LOT less expensive than their cousins, the alpcaca. I am a craigslist.com junkie. Ever checked that site out?? Maybe you should! It's like ebay, but free. I was searching for alpacas, and happened to find a llama for adoption. His name was Meriweather. He was $200. I was hooked. For a mere $20 delivery fee (he was only 35 miles away) I had my llama. I quickly changed his called name to Murray (Meriweather sounded so official, so pretentious, so gender-unspecific). Plus, Murray is a reference to my fave show "Scrubs". And, he just looked like a Murray!

Ok, so what in this world does a llama have to do with an alpaca farm? Llamas are know herd protectors. The #1 killer for alpacas are stray dogs and coyotes... and we have both here. Llamas will stomp the crap out of a dog, a coyote, or anything else that doesn't belong in it's habitat. So, I have a heard protector, but no heard. Again, let me reference that I dont have $20k to drop on alpacas. Llamas are also a hot commodity. They are a more reasonably priced commodity too. It's really a starting point, and a learning curve for me. Although I have been around large animals my whole life, you must be retrained to understand these particular animals. Basically, when you can control a 450 pound llama, a 175 pound alpaca is childs-play (I'm used to 1000+ lb horses). Plus, Murray is a breeding ready male (he's got all his stuff, as I explained to Faith, hehe!). That in itself can help to fund the future alpaca heard I want to raise.

Murray's former owner has another llama and an alpaca male for sale... and I'm contemplating buying them too. He's ready to get out of the biz and into city life, so I may hit a prime opportunity here. It's all still in the works, but you know I will keep you filled in!

Currently, the llama is in with our twin goats- Sugar and Spice. They are part regular goat, part pygmy goat. The PIG in pygmay has come out since Murray's arrival. They are awfully brave girls to challenge something as big as Murray for food! But, I digress....

Ava is in love with the critters outside! She thinks everything should be petable and snuggle with her. Also, she has a new obsession with the cat, Chip. She grabs the cat instead of petting him. We're trying to teach her the difference between grabbing the cat bald and loving kitty. She does ok, and the cat doesn't seem to mind too much. All is well there!

I shaved Jef's head the other nite. As you can tell from his picture in my profile, he didnt have far to go. I have been wanting him to shave his head again since 3 summers ago on vacation (first time I saw him sans hair, and I was hooked!). I always thought he looked just like Charlie Brown. Tracey says he looks like Michael Chickless (whats that show- The Shield??!!). Either way, he's hotter without hair. Too much hair, and he looks like his brother Ronny (the hippy).

And speaking of hair--- I can pull mine in a pony tail now! Yay! I cut it (like a dumb-butt) a year ago and it's finally long enough to start looking good again.

Well, my boobs are needed. Ava just woke up, and she hasnt learned the art of patience yet. Adios-
:-)