Ice and Ponies

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Today we have ice.

And I made a very short Mindfulness film complete with music.  All 30 seconds!  Enjoy and meditate, but be quick!

Since seeing the soggy little Shetland ponies in their shed yesterday,  you will be pleased to know that they all dried off and floofed up a treat.

I went to see them on my dogwalk.

Tiddles and his rug are one.  I doubt we will get that off him before July.

I went round feeling for ribs and I can confidently say no one has any.

The ponies’ long coats are keeping them insulated and warm, as it should be.

(Silver gave me a knowing look)

Newt got a kiss on his nosey.

And Waffle was being aloof because I hadn’t brought any treats.  Unlike Gussie, I don’t travel with snacks.

Meanwhile, Tiddles had wandered over to  look at my mittens (made from ‘Bert wool, which are invaluable this time of year – I love them) and to pick up my walking sticks (again, invaluable).  I had put them down to take the photos.

And then I could see that Albie was thinking he could go and do some investigation, so I quickly scuttled back to pick everything up before they were destroyed. I found pony spit on my mittens, thank you Tiddles.

But it was good to see everyone happy and healthy. There is enough grass in their huge field so they don’t get any extra hay (I don’t want hay addicts). Their breakfast is obviously enough to keep body and soul together.  Daisy is also keeping me on track.  She is much tougher (and wiser) than me.  I am a soft touch.

A Little Known Fact

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Now here’s a little known fact for you……

If you open up the little shed in the paddock leading to the big hill field, it fits five Shetland ponies perfectly adequately.

I did not know that and now I do.

The shed wasn’t particularly a squeeze for the ponies and they all looked pretty comfortable and relieved to be out of the driving sleet/slushy rain.  I don’t think there were any fights either because, as a herd, they don’t get truly narky with each other.

Anyway, I think they were all very grateful judging by the mess they left behind them.  We mucked out once they had left.

And I did see a locum GP who allayed my fears of cauda equina and said it was probably “just nerve damage” so that was good. He also advised me of the serious symptoms and I told him I had a bag packed, just in case. So I am relieved.  I wish he could’ve referred me for an MRI scan (apparently beyond his remit) but he referred me back to the Orthopods instead, who hopefully will do this, though last time my appointment was cancelled and I was referred to the physio dept who phoned and asked if I had tried Mindfulness.  For once, I had no words.

 

The Family Photograph

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My morning’s after-breakfast job was to try and sort out OH’s ancient but much-loved (and now fully backed up, yay!) Macbook which had gone on the fritz again. I thought I had mended it a few days’ back but obviously not.  It’s the cursor – it keeps freezing on one account.

Anyway, this time I brought in the experts!

Once mended (hopefully, don’t make me go into Terminal or look for plists to delete), Monster needed to rest.  He thought he’d worked hard.

I love how the way Ted stands like a sentry nearby and you can almost hear Monster saying “I got here first and you’re not getting the bed”.

And then Pepper was wandering past so I asked her to sit as well and I would try for a family photograph.

Perfection (though I wish Pepper looked a bit more enthused).

And, so you know, I want to rename Monster “Bao” or “Baozi”, as in Chinese dumpling. I don’t know why. It just came to me.

Best Be Prepared

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I spent the morning on a Zoom meeting with a variety of visitors.

And then in the afternoon, after talking it over with OH and Daisy, I made the decision to pack an overnight hospital bag, just in case of emergencies.

My back-pain changes daily (never of course getting any better) and I am scared that I might develop Cauda Equina Syndrome.  What I am experiencing now is not dissimilar and if it is, then it will be all systems go with blues and twos to hospital.

Symptoms: Severe back pain, saddle anesthesia (numbness in buttocks, inner thighs), sciatica (often both legs), and bladder/bowel dysfunction (e.g., incontinence, loss of feeling).

However, as I don’t have the bladder/bowel dysfunction bit (I have everything else), I don’t think I am quite there yet. I will make an appointment for Monday to see the locum GP in residence just to set my mind at rest.

Anyway, Pepper helped by pushing clothes off the bed.

And there was lots of giggling which took my mind off packing my bag.

And then she sat beside my bag as if to say “if you go to hospital, I am coming too”.

I could happily tolerate hospital if Pepper was with me.  Anyway, let’s hope it doesn’t come to anything and my imagination is just playing fast and loose with me. There are plenty of other explanations – like meralgia paresthetica or something else.

Tiny Little Signs

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This morning while feeding everyone, I heard birds singing and I realised I hadn’t heard them in a while and I had been missing them.  They were very loud and happy.

I got out my phone and, using the bird-song identification app, I found out who was making all that wonderful racket.  I also dispute these findings as I am sure there was a blackbird around too.

I even saw two oyster-catchers at Sumburgh, when I went to fetch Daisy a few weeks back, though they maybe winter residents (some do stay) rather than the migratory ones.  And, ok, they’re not flying around-type wild birds, but my Muscovy ducks are all looking at potential real estate at the moment.  I keep meeting them in pairs in odd places around the croft.

So, thing are a-changing. I can feel it – even though I was trudging around in the snow this morning.  They really are going to change. I shall keep telling myself this.

And, and, and….. the snowdrops have appeared in our garden which is a definite sign.  I need this. I need to know there is a chance that spring might appear in the not too distant future.  There is a light at the end of this long hard winter tunnel.

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