Llamas in Ambridge...

         Lynda's Llamas...
                        ... the story so far!

3rd April 2003

Lynda Snell tells Alistair the Ambridge vet that she has found her husband Robert, who is about to celebrate his 60th birthday, "the perfect present for the man who has everything".

4th April

Lynda leads Robert down to the paddock, eyes closed. Upon opening them he momentarily panics at the sight of two llamas (" the boy for you, the girl for me", Lynda is quick to explain) gazing at him: "how will we look after them?" he splutters! "How much did they cost?" he gasps... "Three thousand", Lynda replies tightly.

Approximately twenty seconds later he is captivated by their lovely soft woolly coats, large liquid brown eyes...

5th April

Robert declares the llamas - named Wolfgang and Constanza in deference to his favourite composer, Mozart - "the best birthday present I have ever had".

The Snells' then spend two minutes enthusing excitedly over their llamas. "We can train them to pull a cart, take them to the village fete, go trekking, use their dung (llama beans!) on the roses..."

They want to walk them around the village to show them off, but other duties call...

In the days that follow...

Local resident Cathy Perk's son Jamie comes round and falls in love with the llamas...

Was it he who left a gate open when the llamas wander into rogue neighbour Joe Grundy's garden. Joe and his son Eddie accuse the llamas of creating the terrible havoc that has always been Joe's garden and Lynda falls for it, offering compensation. Joe later tells his Eddie "it wasn't those llamas: they stuck to the path bless 'em."

This story is carried into another episode until Lynda reads up her llama lore and realises the llamas could not possibly have caused the damage. Joe is caught out! Wolfgang and Constanza are innocent!

Phil and Jill Archer want to visit the Snells' to meet the llamas but are worried the llamas might spook their ancient dog! At the Snell's house Robert is showing Jamie Perks how to brush the llamas - Jamie is enchanted. Off air  note - Then a historic moment arrives for Paul Rose Llama Farmer as the sound of brushing (with a touch of echo) is heard... "That's me on The Archers! " says Paul as his brushing technique is broadcast to the nation (with the touch of echo!). (And if you want to hear the brushing again, don't forget the repeats at 14.03 the next day and again on Sunday at 10a.m).

Later that morning in Jill's kitchen, Jill is busy peeling apples for an apple pie. Lynda arrives with Wolfgang in tow until Wolfgang espies the apples through the window: and suddenly it is Lynda who is in tow...

Wolfgang, like many llamas,  likes apples and before you can say "llama drama" has his head through the window and is munching away.

One thing is guaranteed for anyone who owns llamas - there will be a lot of picture taking. And Ambridge is no exception. Amid much merriment Phil rushes off to get his camera to snap Wolfgang, head through window and apple peel dangling from his mouth....

In the weeks that follow...

The story of Wolfgang and Jill's apples does the rounds of the village. Lynda makes amends by taking Jill a large bag of llama beans - not for the apple pie but for Jill's flowerbeds, for - as all llama afficianados will tell you - they are great for the garden...

Lynda is now keen to benefit from the fibre she is collecting from her llama grooming and is on the trail looking for a spinning wheel...

******

Alan Titchmarsh no less is coming to judge the Ambridge gardens competition.



Lynda wishes to to take him around the village in a cart pulled by the llamas!


Lynda locates a suitable cart but much to her chagrin it has already been arranged for Jo to use his pony trap!

Meanwhile, Lynda has started to collect wool from brushing the llamas and its wonderful soft quality is much admired by villagers various. Lynda has enrolled on a spinning course and plans to knit a scarf by Christmas!

In the months that follow...

It is of course inevitable that Lynda will start to win prizes at the local flower and produce show - and of course she does, using her secret fertilizing ingredient... llama beans!

 

to be continued...

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