It’s always a sense of excitement when new neighbours move in.  To wonder what they may be like, how social that they may be.  What pets they may have and pet habits.  What influence they’ll have on our little community and whether they’ll be friendly.

So far we’ve been really lucky with our neighbours.  It does of course help that we have wide open spaces between our houses so it’s not like we’re close neighbours. Nevertheless it’s always good to check out newcomers.  After all not everyone is friendly or a welcome addition.

Fantastic is how I’d describe our latest new comers.  Friendly, attractive and very entertaining.  I’m not sure that the bassets see if that way but for entertainment value you can’t beat a pig.

We have three new neighbourly pigs.  Look at one of these he’s determined to get under that fence and get a little closer to us.  Here’s the third of our neighbourly trio.  Seeing if he can succeed where his pig friend did not.

See he’s the friendly sort.  Saying hello to a rather nervous Fortnum.  Really, these bassets need to get out more.

Now this looks like a happy pig.  A real charmer in fact.

Here he is making a closer inspection.

But he soon got bored with us and went off to do some pig like things.  Digging at the roots and have a very happy time.  Look at that smile!

Here he is again back to show off the mud on his snout.  Mason does a good impression of this in the garden sometimes.

Pure contentment from this pig in muck.

I think Fortnum is getting a little braver now and prepared to get up close.

Aside from the muddy snouts I was fascinated by my new neighbours tails.  One curly and the other not.   I thought all pigs had curly tails.  Clearly not.

It seems a bit harsh but this pig has a wire through his snout.  Judging by the way he is heading our way I’m sure it’s something to do with being able to handle him a little more easily.  This is a big pig I would not like to mess with.

Here he is giving himself a good back scratch.

The bassets really don’t know what to make of these new neighbours.

It’s fair to say that we can discount Fortnum and Mason from the dangerous pig dog category.

But not our neighbour Doug’s dogs which are official “pig dogs” that hunt for wild pigs up in the forestry and back country.  They would take one look at these pigs and think dinner.

Fortnum and Mason are however more likely to think  aren’t you funny looking?  I’ve pointed out to them that they should be a little cautious about their personal comments since I’m sure that the the pigs might have a view about so many wrinkles and the long ears.