The Fight Continues

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My internet battle has not changed despite all my best efforts. Last night, I ended up re-setting everything, taking away two routers so we are now down to just one.  My thought being there would be less things to go wrong.

I then bought an external aerial and three mesh routers because I have been meaning to do that and I felt my hand was forced now.

But this morning continued to be frustrating internet and broadband but I discovered it was not my router’s problem, as my phone was also useless and consistantly losing the EE signal.

After lunch, I took the metaphorical bull by the horns and sat on my phone for around 20 minutes waiting for EE to answer because apparently they are 25 times in a row “UK’s best mobile network”. You can guess my response to that.

I was transferred all over their network to various different departments and I think it was the fourth lady said “oh yes, there is a problem in your area.  A number of folk have complained”. Huzzah and thank you, God. Then it’s not just me.  Now I feel better about a terrible signal because it’s all them.

Apparently it will be mended.  And, again, you can guess my cynical response to that.

Meanwhile, I had moral support in the form of Monster.

He insisted on “helping” while I transcribed and typed up April/May 1954.

On occasions it got a bit painful.

And he got bored.

So I dug out his basket and he sat in that instead.

Onwards, ever onwards.

Internet Headache

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I have a headache.  It is an internet one.  Everything was running smoothly and going well until the last few days.  It is all over the place now.   I thought I had everything sorted. I was feeling so pleased (read smug).

And I don’t know if it is us (EE) or them, if you know what I mean.

So I will go off around the house, getting all the extenders in one place, re-setting them and the router with a unravelled paperclip, and see if that makes any difference at all.  It couldn’t be much worse.

This does not put me in a good mood.

I am feeling very fed up now (as I am currently writing this of a dodgy phone signal in my shed).

Hence the headache. Life was so much simpler without all this.  Why is nothing ever easy?!

What Colour is Gussie?

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Just a quickie, because I am going out tonight (I know, get me. I have a social life!)

My question is what colour, in Shetland terminology for Shetland wool, is Gussie?

His mother, Dahlia, is “sholmet” – “In Shetland sheep, sholmet means a sheep of any colour other than white that has a distinct white face” (The Shetland Sheep Society).  That sums up Dahlia fairly well then.

Last year, Gussie was 100% black, even when he was sheared under all that wool but this year some greyish sides have appeared (ignore katmoget ‘Ster in the background looking hopeless).

Anyway, I have no idea. I know Lambie is flecket, and ‘Bert is moorit, Barrel and Maggie are Shetland black, Madge is natural white, ‘Ster is katmoget, etc  but it would be nice to have a name for Gussie’s colour. He is very handsome, after all.

? Bersugget  – Having irregular patches of differing colours.
? Blaeget – Having a lighter shade on the outer part of the wool fibre, especially in moorit and dark brown sheep.
? Iset – Black or shaela with many white fibres, giving a bluish hue from a distance.

Or Shaela – a dark steely-grey sheep colour, often described as looking like “black frost”.

All suggestions welcome. Thank you x

Eplekake

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Making cakes is not really my thing but the ducks have been laying well and we have a lot of eggs to use up.

So I made my variation of a Norwegian Eplekake (apple cake).

Leftovers were the mixing bowl to clean, which OH duly obliged, and some peel/cores plus a rogue banana skin I added as it needed eating up.

So, while the cake was cooling, I went out with my bowl to find someone(s) who might like it.

Apparently Haakon doesn’t like cooking apple cores anymore.

Luckily Kolka, Iacs and Fivla do.

Vitamin wasn’t interested. She probably couldn’t hear what was going on behind her.

On my way back to the house, I met a Shetland bumblebee (Bombus muscorum agricolae) or “drummie bee”, as they are known here.  My first for this year.

And finally, here is my Eplekake of which I am rather proud.  A firm favourite in this house.

Recipe: (if anyone is interested and it is incredibly easy).

4 apples
3 tbs brown sugar
2 tsp allspice or you can use cinnamon.

200g caster sugar
200g butter
170g plain flour
1tsp baking powder
4 eggs

Oven 180 °C or Gas 4/5

1. Peel and core the apples and chop them into 1cm chunks into a clean empty ice cream carton with lid.  Add brown sugar and allspice. Put lid on and mix it all up.

2. Blend caster sugar and butter until creamy.

3.  Break eggs into jug and add slowly to butter/sugar mix in one at a time.  Blend well.

4.  Sieve flour and baking powder into big mixing bowl.  Add sugar/butter/egg mix – fold in thoroughly.

5.  Add apples and fold well again.

Quickly pour mixture into large baking tray that is already lined with greaseproof paper.

Put in middle of oven for 50 minutes.  Stick a knife in and see if it is done. If not, give it a few more minutes.  It can take an hour.  The knife must come out clear with no cake batter on it.

When done, put tin on cooling rack. Delicious warm or cold.

It doesn’t have to be just apple – sometimes I add crystallized ginger because I love it or if I have no apples, I use blueberries or rhubarb or anything you like really in cake. Be warned, all the blueberries sink to the bottom but it is still delicious and you can call it an upside down cake at that stage!

A New Trick

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I learned a new photographic trick today and I tried it out on the Shetland ponies (and even Lambie), who were around alternating between eating their afternoon haynets and sheltering from the sudden and  heavy rain showers.

It was a rather good trick.

It worked on almost everyone, though Albie was unhelpful following me around trying to mug me so I couldn’t get him to stand still.

This is my most favourite photograph of the day.

I like all my photos of horses and ponies to have ears forward.  Ears back always looks so miserable.

Like I said, the trick mostly worked except for Newt who was having none of it.  Of course, he wouldn’t.

Waffle, again, so handsome.

This trick even worked on Lambie who was busy guarding his bedroom/shed because of the heavy rain.

And he even left his bedroom to show me his ever-Winning Smile and bat his beautiful eyelashes at me. I was, of course, smitten.

And the trick?  Always carry in one hand a brand new crunchy packet of Vetwrap (stretchy, self-adherent bandage) while you’re taking photos of disobliging animals. I had to fetch a new one from my stores in the shed for Pepper’s poorly paw and was carrying it around in my coat pocket to get it to the house.

Albie and Tiddles heard the crinkly noise and instantly pricked up their ears!

“Follow me for more tips!”