I just met a pig named Maria

Rain was threatening again and I peeked out the window to check on the washing and likelihood of it getting wet...again.  I dark shape behind the washing line caught my eye.  Two legs and a wagging tail protruded from the thick mat of weeds (we don't have a ride-on mower yet).  Enough of its body was showing that I could see it was wearing a little jumper to protect itself from the winter wind.  It certainly wasn't the rear end of my cat that I was inspecting.  He was curled up on the bed ignoring the world.  It also wasn't convincingly canine in appearance; the little jumper was, yes, but not that sparse wiry hair nor the tail a little too long to be that of a dog.

I must have made a noise because a little head popped up from its rooting around among the weeds.  The floppy ears and flat nose instantly gave it away. This was no dog: it was a piglet - and a pet one at that in a pink and white pullover.  I called out to hubby to help me catch it.  Alas it decided to head off down the hill to the back damp(er) corner.  Then it saw me coming, gave me series of grunts and headed into the long growth.  We traipsed through spiderwebs and farmer's friends (cobbler's pegs) looking for miss piggy but couldn't spot her.

The next day this flier turned up in the letterbox: 

I gave them a ring and someone came to repeat our search through the long weeds with the same outcome.  We came to the mutual conclusion that the piglet had most likely moved on.

Two days later we had been helping my sister move and had just finished moving the rest of our things too.  We sat down to a nice afternoon cup of tea only to look out the window to see a certain piglet rooting around in the grass just beyond the fence.  Quickly donning gumboots and snatching up the phone and flier we were out the door after her with a bucket of chook feed as a lure.

Once again she heard us coming and darted into the long growth.  Hubby waded in after her.  Somehow he found her and realising this she made a last dash for freedom.  Fortunately her jumper got caught in the weeds, impeding her escape.  She gave one squeal as she was lifted up, then stopped abruptly, as if realising that we might in fact be inclined to feed her.  As we awaited her very excited owners we put her in an unused bathtub next to the driveway and gave her some of the chook feed to keep her occupied.  Her owners were very relieved to have her back safe and sound.  Maria the piglet was quite happy to be getting cuddles from mum again too.