Black River Trading Co. P.O. Box 7, Oxford, Michigan 48371 USA Phone: 248-628-2986 Fax: 248-628-6422
Awoll, aka Llarry and Llama-bama
Is the llama real? Of course, I am. You think grain girl has that much of an imagination? Really! She's only able to write about something she knows. Give that woman the germ of a real life critter and poof, from there she creates these half truthful stories exploiting us in the process.
How is life in the pasture? It's going okay. I have gotten to like the old guy, Whoop. I have even become rather fond of Chance and the other dogs. I play with them--pretending I'm going to stomp on them, then they bark and chase around with me. I chase them, they chase me...but it's all in fun.
How is Whoop as a barn buddy? He's pretty good most of the time, but he can get pushy. Then, I've just got to put my ears back and let him have it with a good spit. He hates that, but when he's crowding me or wants to nibble on my coat, well, a llama has his dignity to consider. I'm not another horse who will take that sort of horseplay.
What do you eat? Actually, I eat the same hay as the old boy, but grain girl got me this special llama food. It's okay, but I prefer Whoop's rations, and I help myself every chance I get to them. He's got that automatic feeder, lucky pig, I mean horse. Grain girl also gives us lots of treats which is appropriate, of course.
Do you get groomed like a horse? Honey, I don't do anytyhing like a horse. Let's get that straight right off. But I am now allowing grain girl to brush me once a day, if she behaves herself and doesn't get tricky and try to catch me. I must admit I enjoy a good brushing--feels good to get the dirt and twigs out. And a llama could actually hum a little when she brushes my neck. It feels so good.
What about the vet, do you share one with Whoop? Certainly not. I am llama after all. I have my own personal vet who is okay, but she's just another Dr. Pokemon, as Whoop likes to say. He's right about that. Every time she comes, she pokes me with a needle. Last time she actually took the clippers to me. I have to admit it did feel good in the hot days of the summer.
Does a farrier or blacksmith trim your hooves? Thankfully, no. Only the old guy has to put up with that--and he just stands there. I can't imagine why. The sand in the paddock keeps my hooves nicely trimmed.
Have you run away lately? No, but I just might. Grain girls needs a good chase every now and then to keep her in shape. She does let the old guy and me out for a couple of hours at a time somedays. When she does that, well...it's no fun to run when I am allowed to do so. But occasionally I will wander off just to get the old guy riled up.
Are you happy now? Pretty much so. When I am out and about I get to eat the flowers in the garden and hang out with the local deer, so it works out.
Did you have laminitis like in the book? Yes, I regard this story as a "semibiographical" account of a year in my life. I had a very serious reoccurrence of laminitis (or founder, as it is also called) in 1996. I was about 48 hours away from getting the needle, but grain girl and Dr. Needle flew in another veterinarian from Kentucky, Dr. Ric Redden. He saved my life. I now wear special pink form fitted pads with my front shoes. SHE calls them my pink wedgies!
Is your barn heated? No, it would actually be harmful to me to live in a heated barn (though last summer it was so hot, I tried to talk grain girl into getting me an air conditioner!). I grow a luxuriantly thick fur coat for winter and can go in and out of my snug barn at will. Sometimes, when we have sleet, I look like an ice horse. I have icicles all over me. Grain girl hates that because she spends a lot of time getting it off me.
How do you like snow? I love to play in the snow. I eat it instead of drinking from my heated water trough. I'll also stomp in it, and it's fun to roll. Grain girl claims I am cleanest in the winter. I also like it when she throws snow balls at me. Then I run with my nose in the air, wheel around and come back for more. It's a great game.
My mom makes me wear boots in the winter, do you have boots? Sort of. I wear special ice shoes for the winter with convex "snow ball" pads and borium shoes. Grain girl is worried I might slip and fall if the ground is icy. I wear the pink wedgies year round (sure wish they came in blue or green) and they are skid resistant, too. The blacksmith just adds a little borium to those shoes.
How do you keep warm in the winter? Easy, I grow this luxuriant soft coat much thicker than my summer one. It keeps me snuggly warm even through the worst of the winter weather. In fact, grain girl gets worried if it is too thick and long because I have a pituitary tumor. I take medicine to keep it under control. I'm a senior citizen, you know. So grain girl like to keep a close eye on me. In spring I shed so much grain girl complained she removed enough fur from me to make another horse!
Do you have a pet peeve? Yes, some of the pets around here are very pushy. They actually want some of my morning carrots. That can make me very grouchy!
What does Laddie like to eat? Anything he can. Laddie weighs 22 lbs. which is too much. He is constantly on a diet, but steals food and treats from the other animals.
What is a Cairn Terrorist? Actually, Laddie is a Cairn terrier, just like the dog Toto in the Wizard of Oz. We call him our terrorist because terriers are very gutsy, loyal and stubborn little dogs. Some dog trainers teasingly call terriers "terrorists"! He's mellowed a lot since his puppyhood, though he stills barks more than any of the other dogs.
What are Laddie's favorite treats? Okay, Ms. Can opener, I'm taking over now. I LOVE pigs ears, cat food and, believe it or not, carrots! All the dogs here like carrots. Each gets a small piece of carrot in the morning when Whoop has his. That oversized dog wannabe gets a whole carrot to himself. Not fair!
Who are the other critters living with Whoop and you? Three dogs, Chance, Sundance and Dodger (all mutts), five cats (Trapper, Pumpkin, Spooky, Bump and The Duchess)a white goose that arrived last fall and two swans. Dodger and Pumpkin are my best friends.
What do you think of winter? I'd prefer to stay in all day and never get my paws wet, but every morning I get forced outside while Ms. Can opener takes care of Whoop. Then we all race in and have our breakfast. I was on a forced diet with my buddy Chance for awhile. The Can opener was annoyed because we kept pushing Sun and Dodge off their dishes. They may be bigger, but, hey, we were hungry, too. And we arrived here first.
What's your favorite thing to do? Steal cat food. My second favorite thing is wrestling with the Big Dog, my buddy Dodger. Though he weighs four times what I do, he lets me body slam him, chew on his leg and his ears. He's a great dog. I also like barking at nothing. That gets the humans annoyed.
So what do you think of the llama? He's a lot like a cat--which, believe me, isn't much of a recommendation, but he can be fun. He runs every time I chase him or bark at him, though the humans extended the invisible fencing so I can't actually chase him very far. But all I have to do is charge up like I'm going to, and the llama races away. He'd better not spit at me, however. I'll make bones of him, if he does.
If you have any questions about Whoop, Laddie or Awoll, you can send questions directly to Whoop at whoop@whoopforjoy.com, Laddie at laddie@whoopforjoy.com and Awoll at awoll@whoopforjoy.com.
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