Where Do I Start???

I know, it's been a little over a month since I've written. My excuse is (1) getting ready for the First Bi-Annual PACAribbean cruise, October 18-26; (2) coming home and preparing for Rocky's surgery October 29; (3) helping Rick & Pati save a new cria; (4)taking care of Rocky after the surgery and (5) wearing my travel agent hat in between.

First...PACAribbean cruise. There were 49 people in our group and we had a fantastic time. Everyone enjoyed each other's company and we all loved the "Mariner of the Seas". We were lucky to cruise in between Hurricane Oscar and Hurricane Paloma. We visited Jamaica (oh boy, did we enjoy Jamaica!), Grand Cayman (where we snorkeled with the Sting Rays), Cozumel (souvenir shopping and beer - some in our group swam with the dolphins), and Labadee (Royal Caribbean's private island - beach bbq, zip lining, and just "hangin' out" at the beach). Overall, the weather was great. It rained in the morning in Grand Cayman, but cleared up by the time we got to Sting Ray City. It was Rick & Pati's first cruise, but certainly not their last. We are all booked again for the Second Bi-Annual PACAribbean cruise aboard the "Oasis of the Seas", October 9-1, 2010. And....Rick & Pati have booked another cruise to Mexico on "Radiance of the Seas", sailing October 24, 2009. Yep, I think they have been bitten by the cruise bug :) We have tons of pictures to memorialize our first cruise together. It was so much fun to meet and share experiences with Alpaca breeders from New York, Missouri and Florida.

Although I always go to the ranch on Saturdays, I wasn't going to be able to go on November 1 because I needed to stay home and take care of Rocky. So, I went down on Wednesday, October 29, the day he was in surgery. My intention was to work on halter training Norma Rae and Pati Cake for AlpacaFest West November 15-16. Well.....it didn't quite work out that way. Pati had some errands to run, so Rick and I started mucking the fields. I took the nursery and boy's town and he took the big fields. As I was dumping the first load, Rick called on my cell phone and asked if I wanted to see a birth! He said Whitney was in the center field, with a "bubble" at her rear end. I raced over to the center field and saw Whitney by the feeder. The cria was already on the ground! I yelled to Rick that the cria was already on the ground, but not moving hardly at all. Rick showed me how to stimulate the cria by rubbing the back and moving the legs. She had no temperature, so we moved her into the sun. While Rick prepared the nursery and got his cria kit, I kept working with her legs and rubbing her back. Rick carried her up to the nursery, with Whitney following right behind. Still no temperature. Rick got the hair dryer and we started trying to warm her up with that. Still no temperature. Rick got a big bucket of warm water and placed her in the bucket. Now, a slight temperature. After her second dunk in the warm water, her temperature started registering. She was still pretty listless, but going in the right direction. Her temperature continued to climb until it was "cria normal". Just as the cria was coming around, Pati came home. The cria was too weak to stand, so nursing was not an option. Pati started milking Whitney, which wasn't easy because the first fluid is colostrum, which the cria needs. It's thick and sticky. Whitney stood there and let Pati milk her. Then, into a bottle it went, and the cria sucked it dry. YES! By the time I left, the cria still wasn't standing. Pati had to milk Whitney for a couple days and the cria was bottle fed. Rick was on call throughout the night to give her the bottle. Oh, did I forget to mention it is a GIRL? Sorry. They named her Jamaica :) After, I think, 2 days of bottle feeding, she was strong enough to stand up and nurse. Oh yes, life is good! That lifeless little girl is now in the main field with mom, lots of aunts and other crias to play with. I saw her yesterday for the first time since her birth and it brought tears to my eyes to see how well she is doing. It's amazing. Rick said from birth to feeling she would survive was all of 22 minutes. It felt like a lifetime. I've posted photos of the day she was born, and yesterday. What a difference!

Yesterday was a good day at the ranch. We haltered Norma Rae and Paris Hilton to prepare them for the show. Paris is an expert on the halter and used to shows. Norma Rae did pretty well, but could use a little more work. Then, Cher, Pati Cake and Gabby. These 3 are more of a challenge. I'll be going out today to work with them for awhile. When Rick gets them to the show grounds on Friday, we'll have another chance to work with them before they walk (or get carried) into the ring on Saturday and Sunday. Pati is also hosting a spinning class this afternoon. I'm real excited about learning to how spin.

While we are at the show next weekend, Pati is on "baby watch" for 8, and 2 of them are mine. I'm sure Princess will deliver next weekend while I'm at the show. Since Vanilla Sundae is a maiden, it's hard to say when she will deliver. All 8 girls are due by the end of November. From the looks of Aria yesterday, Rick thinks she will deliver today. I'll know this afternoon when I get there.

I spent some time in the field with Felix, Alpha, Majik and Luther and gave them tree branches. Alpha's 2nd birthday was election day and I felt really bad that I had forgotten :( Felix, Alpha and Majik got a nice walk, and treats in the show pen. With all the walking, we got a chance to weigh everyone. Here are currents weights, and ages, for my "kids":
Alpha 120 pounds (2 years)
Felix 126.3 pounds (2 years, 3 months)
Pati Cake 88.9 pounds (1 year, 2 weeks)
Norma Rae 128.7 pounds (1 year, 2 months) Yep, she's a stallion!

Sorry, it won't be easy weighing Rockstarr because he's not very people social. He sure is growing, loves to hang out with mom, Starr, and Rick and Pati say his fiber is super. I have high hopes for him. Starr and Fred did real good together, which is why we repeated the breeding.

I went out in the fields to take pictures with my new camera that was a gift from Rick, Pati and Jamaica. My camera started acting up on the cruise and I had said I was going to ask Santa for a new one. I was very surprised to get a present yesterday with 2 very special cards. One from Jamaica thanking me for helping with her survival, and one from Rick & Pati thanking me for their first cruise (and vacation together in 12 years). I love my new camera and promise to use it often in the fields :) It is so much nicer than my old one. Another big thank you to Rick, Pati and Jamaica.

We finished up the day with champagne, salami, yummy brie fondue, bread and crackers.
It was a celebration of Jamaica and the election.

I guess that's about all for now. I promise to write more often...I promise!