A day of madness?

I can often take a 'funny' turn, have been known to answer the 'phone to an unknown with the greeting "Welcome to the funny farm" or even worse "Hello! you've got through to the home of the mentally deranged, how can I help you?" It can be a good way of getting rid of unwanted 'phone calls but on occasion has also left me cringeing with embarrassment!

The other half has often been known to warn me that "the men with white coats will come and take you away". It seems that it ain't gonna be men with white coats (wishful thinking I doubt!), it's gonna be them sheep with white coats........

White coats, white heads...............

CHEVIOTS!

Yes! I've been at it again and trundled off over the border to have a cheviot fix.

I had a day in the company of them there wild, white, woolly beasts and thoroughly enjoyed their company. I probably am deranged coz as I drew up at the pens which were on the roadside my face just broke into a big grin, it was so good to see the critters again!

They really are wild, preferring to run when most would walk, even though many of them ought to be waddling by now, being just a month off lambing they are beginning to spring (fill up) of the bag (udder) and bellies are growing at a rate of knots, but then their legs still manage to propel their bodies at a rate of knots as well. Blink and you might well miss them as they fly past.

Bunched up in the pens you really wouldn't think they could move far, but move they do. Bulldoze in actual fact, just like a rugby scrum, they just keep pushing on, pushing straight through you with ner so much as a second glance.

A full day in the pens with the blighters was a 'treat', they got their post lambing innoculation to prevent lamb dysentery during the lambing season, those that required it also got their sore feet dealt with.

None of them appreciated being handled, every single one of them attempted to barge through me, knock me down, bend my knees in a direction they're not designed to bend in. Odd ones even attempted a blow to the upper body, whilst others even managed to stand on my feet with all their weight put onto one tiny cloven hoof which can cause a great deal of discomfort at the time.

There wasn't a single beast that didn't fire up in the feisty fashion that Cheviots are renowned for. I've never played rugby but imagined that maybe I could appreciate how a rugby player felt when the match was over. Battered and bruised, mashed and crushed, stamped and trampled but exhilarated at the same time!

These sheep are fit, not only fit but carrying good fettle, such good fettle that they made me feel anorexic - a mere spelk (splinter, small thing) compared to them. I did enjoy their company, rose to the challenge of the battle of wills, they put up a good fight but I won on the day and probably have the scars to prove it. Driving home weary I still couldn't help but smile. There is just something about these wild, white woolly beasts that does appeal.

Just ten days to go and I'll be able to enjoy their company for a full six weeks, that is so long as the men in white coats haven't taken me away before then!