Pedicures and haircuts!

Not for us but for the goats!  I am now a qualified beautician for goats and can give hairdressing sessions and nail treatments! It's very hard work as it is like brushing out Bob Marley's dreadlocks and cutting out the bits that won't come out gives a very pleasing "hacked-up-but-much-whiter-and thinner" look.   If they have an infestation of mites, I am a dab hand at a medicinal tar bath to clear them up. As for the nails, chopping off those overgrown, slightly rottern hooves using a pair of secateurs is also now part of my repertoire.

Our week since returning back to Cortona Cashmere farm has been a peaceful rural retreat and was very welcome after the craziness of Rome.  We have put in long hours on several projects (one of which has been grooming the goats for their cashmere) and enjoyed the sunshine, though typically, when it got to the weekend it decided to rain, so we didn't venture out.  Another important project has been creating our own version of the Spanish Steps down a steep slope towards the house.  It has been a slow job but we are now 15 down with 6 to go.  It's taken us a week and a half but we are hoping to get them finished before we go on Monday, reliant on the purchase of of more wood.

Last Friday evening we went kite-flying with the family on Monte Ginezzo (a national park about 5 minutes drive).  The mountain offered amazing views down to Lake Castiglione, was smothered in narcissi flowers and was ideal for flying the kites.  Well, it was until Thomas's kite came hurtling
down out of the sky onto Rob's head (I didn't snigger, honest!!!!).