Catching up - yet again

Another fortnight of non-communication... The connection was confirmed but still didn't work. So I spent a very pleasant (?!) half hour talking to a very nice young man in Calcutta (temp. 35 degrees, humidity 94% .... visions of the Best Marigold Hotel running across my mind) who sorted out the reason for the problem we were having:- "You don't need two filters" (but the BT engineer fitted them!).Today we are back in business and, fingers crossed, all is working again! In the intervening weeks not much has changed: Gunner is still trying to explain the Rules of Engagement to the piglets ... they all pretend to be pretty attentive and follow his every word..... 

 ...and then wander off.
He'll keep trying though.
They meanwhile are nearing weaning age...  running up to the barn for their feed - several times a day! It will be an easy matter just to shut the doors. The difficulty will be doing it when all 21 piglets are feeding in there..... I'm sure a strategy will emerge though. The boys (10) and the girls(11 - or is it the other way round) will then be separated and form new alliances so by they time they go back outside a few weeks later everyone will be 'friends'. It'll be a gruelling period with 21 of them inside...... but let's not think of that......
Much as we love seeing them free-ranging (visitors again at the weekend remarked..."Did you know you have piglets running

 all over the place?" with a discernable you-must-be-mad intonation!) it will be a relief to once more be able to leave doors open and equipment unattended without fear of "pigletting" and, I suppose, someone will get round to doing the gardening - there being no excuse not to any longer.... unless the weather reverts to foul... which, looking at the rain falling outside the window as I write, is possible.....                                                                             

However, unlike last summer, the older pigs have begun to moult so a better season must be on the cards surely? The grooming process has started and the 'wool sack' grows larger daily..... The girls appear to be shedding first so whilst they are eating their veg. in the afternoon Linda tries to gather what she can. Some love it and remain rock steady --- others hate it and constantly trot off or round in circles. Very frustrating.

There is also the challenge of the older girls who, whilst loving fuss and being very woolly, have liberal quantities of dried limestone mud hanging from their curls -- not exactly easy to brush through. But a way will be found!  Perhaps we shall have to put them under the shower first.................
Over a year old now, they are oblivious to our plans and happily munch away at their five-a-day! We have become quite fond of them whilst acknowledging that we very much look forward to the lard stocks they will provide. Ah well......