An introduction to sheep husbandry

So, this is how we got introduced to sheep husbandry. One day, we got a call from our friendly farmers over the road. They had a newborn lamb that wasn't taking to its mother and needed to be bottle-fed if it was going to survive. We cautiously agreed, reassured by the belief that it could not be any worse than raising a human baby (this turned out to be the case, by the way).

Lamby (later named 'Mutton chops' by my son - so very original - mind you, I suppose, so is 'Lamby'), spent the first night in front of the fire, but was soon showing enough vigour by the next day to graduate to the laundry. By the second day, we were able to take him outside for walks.

As he got older, it became clear that because he had been raised in the house, he thought that was where he belonged. Any attempt to get in and out of the house without letting him in became a furious race, involving an equal measure of speed, strategy and stealth. Sheep, it turns out, are surprisingly quick on their feet.