It's all go and off to the show!

Hectic is how it's been here for the past week! First it was a visit to a new venue for curly coats (more of which later) then it was the vet arriving to do all the necessary administrations to the piglets - details of which are not to be gone into here! - then it was completing all the necessary 'Movement orders' for all the things that were going to happen over the near future.... not to mention prissing and preening the piglets for their various forthcoming roles......

The first to fulfil his new role was Little Ern (named for his 'short, hairy legs' if you please!) who is seen here being air-lifted into the transportation by his new boss... closely watched by the wife with Pilot and Lancer monitoring activities....... In view of the made-to-measure fit of the accommodation in said transportation it was as well that the journey to the new homestead was but a short one. Little Ern is our first 'Gardening pig' - destined for a life of pampered luxury aiding and abetting the new boss's attempts at cultivating first class veg. for the kitchen! We wish them well and will watch their progress with interest.

Then it was 'off to the show' on Sunday with the 6 remaining piglets. After our experience with not getting Lily's companions to the Woodhall Show we were fully expecting a re-run of that frustration this time. We were well and truly put in our place. 6 better behaved piglets you could not wish to find.
"Want us in that trailer?" "No bother." In they went.

Travel over an hour to Heckington Showground.... position trailer in unloading position, open up... "Want us out there - along that runway of hurdles..... between all those very noisy woolly sheep..... No problem."

"What?" "In that there pen? OK"

"Yes, alright, we'll do our best to entertain all the people all the day. No slacking here, you know!"

And they did just that---- rootled here and there, chased each other about despite the heat, gruntled and snortled and played hide-and-seek for all they were worth. Just occasionally collapsing in a heap in the water or disappearing under a pile of straw to cool off!!! And the people were enchanted. Better ambassadors we could not have wished for. They had a steady queue of admirers all day long. We mere humans talked ourselves hoarse in response to all the queries and questions. Linda-who-loves-pigs admitted she'd never talked so much in all her life. The husband was drop-jawed with wonder! By the end of the day we had numerous potential 'new homes' and some very tired piglets and their people!

And what a joy they were even then....

"Time to go? OK, off we trot to the limousine.... " and in they loaded without hesitation or deviation. Same again when we arrived home. Open up trailer and out they trotted into the cool comfort of their well stocked stalls..... happy to eat, drink and sleep --- who knows, perhaps to dream of the maddening crowds...... What a joy they are!!!

Meanwhile, out in the grown-ups quarters we were happy to see Mangel and Ginger, noisily reunited on Friday, mooching happily around together, blissfully unaware of the day's excitements.... It must be their chilled out and stress-free attitude to life that they pass on to their offspring.

Soon we shall start counting..... 3 months, 3 weeks and 3 days.........