© irene waters 2014

Trog and Other Animals is a petmoir serial. If you wish to start at the beginning go to the page Trog and Other Animal for the links.

© irene waters 2014

It was three weeks before we had anybody else look at the farm. The inspection was in the morning and by afternoon we’d had an offer. “Take it – it’s the only offer you’ve had” the real estate agent said.

“But he’s only the second person to look at it ” Rod replied. We held out and eventually we obtained the price we were asking with a few items such as the ride on mower and some furniture thrown in. From that point we had about eight weeks to organise homes for all the animals, apart from Trog and Mungo. They of course would go with us.

© irene waters 2014

© irene waters 2014

Rod had been negotiating with a Frenchman to buy the General Store at Barrington but at this point negotiations were failing. As we always enjoy working under pressure Rod decided that we must revisit Vanuatu. He felt he had unfinished business there and thought perhaps he would find a business in Port Vila more to his liking.

Returning to Vanuatu was the best thing we could do as it gave both of us a great deal of closure – but that’s for another story. On our return to our surprise we found that our offer for the store had finally been accepted but with a small delay in settlement. We had to find accommodation for 3month before we could move to our new abode at Barrington. This we found at a seaside town called Old Bar.

The cows, and  calves went to market. The race that we had spent so much time building could not be used as the pregnant cows were to fat to fit through it. Once again we herded the beasts to the small hill on the roadside and loaded them into the truck. I was happy that none of these animals would go to the abattoir being too valuable as breeders. We fetched a good price for them. The bull, Darrell had organised another novice farmer to take on. This we were very happy about as the bull most likely wouldn’t have had the same fate as the cows had he gone to sale.

© irene waters 2014

© irene waters 2014

© irene waters 2014

© irene waters 2014

Long, lean good for bacon Mrs Wiggins returned to Darrell’s piggery. I loved that pig and I never asked what he did with her. Knowing how I felt he left me with the impression that he would  allow her to live to a ripe old age.

© irene waters 2014

Sadie and Shakey, the donkeys, along with Snowflake, the miniature horse, were transported down the road to another bed and breakfast. Having seen what a drawcard the donkeys were for our guests, our opposition were only too pleased to take them off our hands. As donkeys can live to over 100 years this was a bit of a relief at the time.

Getting them into a truck was a major feat. They could fit through the race but all the pushing and shoving was not going to budge them. Again we walked them up to the hill on the road and again tried to get them to walk on. This day was a great example of why the saying stubborn as a donkey is in existence. They were not moving.

“Youse got no choice. Youse goin’ to have to lift em on.” Darrell said. He, Roger and the truck drive took a bit of the donkey after having told me to get in the truck to grab it from there. I have never been so terrified as that day, stuck against the wall of the truck with a flailing, frightened donkey trying to exit.

“Never ” I said on finally escaping the truck “Never am I going to have an animal bigger than myself. Never Ever.”

© irene waters 2014

It was Rod’s one big regret though that we had not taken them with us as every place we lived after Old Bar had ample room for them.

© irene waters 2014

The chickens went to Darrell’s son. With all the farm animals gone the place felt empty, yet we were strangely relieved that our time on the farm was over:- no more maintenance, no more isolation……

© irene waters 2014

Soon Trog was in her cage and Mungo in the back seat of the car as we made our way to Old Bar.

© irene waters 2014