After the foal-snogging yesterday, Anna riding Fakur accompanied Jo on Hetja to Norby beach.  It was Hetja’s first time on the beach and Jo wanted to see what she would make of it.

I followed them for a bit in the car with BeAnne and we took some photos of a totally empty sandy beach on a hot spring day – try finding one of those on the British mainland coastline this time of year.

It was perfect.  The tirricks (Arctic terns) are back and I have a huge fascination for them. Their flying and acrobatics are perfection to watch.

BeAnne had a lovely time almost going in the sea.  Celt, our old lurcher, was a great one for swimming in the sea but he could never really convince BeAnne that it was fun.  She did get her feet wet a little.

Then Jo and Anna arrived and off they plodded up Norby beach.  This beach changes every day.  It depends entirely on the tide, the latest storm and what the weather throws up to give it any identity.  Some days it can be just pure stones and another a vast stretch of sand just waiting to be gallopped on.

  

Anyway, as this day was to see Hetja’s reaction and to gain her trust, there was no galloping, just a small introduction to show her Shetland environment.

Norby beach is magical.  It was used for “the” photoshoot last winter.  The horses looked at the sea, though neither were keen on swimming, and walked away again.

Next time we will bring Haakon who will be in and off to Papa Stour on the other side in minutes.

(oh, yes, sorry, I found that ruddy Instagram button again)  Note-to-self – leave it well alone!

Then Anna and Jo went to Norby Loch for a quick dip with BeAnne.  Now lochs, BeAnne can do.  She loves swimming in them and happily jumped in.  She is a keen swimmer.

 

Today’s ride was a peaceful ride designed to test Hetja’s boundaries and to see what she enjoyed.

Fakur was the perfect companion.  He just wandered along for the ride totally unwilling to have a single independent thought.  They made a content and happy couple.

BeAnne enjoyed the final ride home, though, best.

Thordale Robin
Thordale Freya
Thordale Solo
Thordale Uno
Thordale Iona
Thordale Halyn

What is her name?  I just don’t know.  There are a few to choose from and I am still none the wiser.

Today, Anna was properly introduced and Madame was very inquisitive.  I told Anna to round her shoulders and to look away so that the foal could walk up to her.

Within an instant, Little Miss was introducing herself and with that Anna was smitten.

Well, that was it really.  Job done.

  

But still no name.  We quite like Robin because like Sir Robin in Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Brave Sir Robin ran away to hide behind her mum (but always immediately came back).

She is a darling.  Full of fun….

But also nosey, inquisitive and newly discovering her world.

Enchanting, pretty and gorgeous too.

So, that’s us.  We are all infatuated and her loyal slaves.

Daisy is home tomorrow. I expect there to be a fight over who can love her more. Perhaps they can come up with a name too.  The least they can do while they are being mugged by the world’s most beautiful Shetland pony filly foal.

After the diet to break all diets, I am now on a diet!

My London/Bermudian friends have gone, I miss them desperately and life is boringly quickly going back to normal.

We had the best time and I loved showing Bermuda and Frizz My Shetland.  I have never laughed so much and we just went on from where we left off all those years ago at our posh boarding school.

Having them to stay here in Shetland was the tonic I needed to kick me up the arse, show me the way to recovery and to remember I always have friends out there (even if it is a long while since I last saw them).  Thank the Gods for Skype.

Anywho, our newbie, Anna seems to have settled in easily.  Instantly one of us.

This morning, I set her the task of cleaning up some of the horses of their winter fur which needed to be brushed out.

Bless her, Anna is a hard worker.  We like this and she understands BeAnne’s little ways too.  As I said, one of us!

Jo popped round in the afternoon and they both went out for a ride.  Haakon had lost a shoe so Jo rode Klængur while Anna rode Iacs.  We will try her out on Haakon tomorrow.

Trying hard not be jealous, I pottered around the garden, playing with my camera and then I went to bed for the rest of the afternoon to sleep.  I seem to have lapsed back again into resting and recuperation.

     

The boys are happy.  Iacs has a new little friend, Bozz-Bozz, and their relationship consists of Iacs just hanging on and generally chewing him to death.

Bozz-Bozz doesn’t mind a bit.  It is very sweet to watch and they think it is great sport.

Daisy wil be home shortly and then she can have her sillly-frilly back. I can’t wait.  SEP = Someone Else’s Problem.

 

 

 

Anna is our new helper.  She is here to stay for a month.  19 years old, has a good camera and today she went to see our new baby (plus les autres).

Today, I have been busy at home so I took the chance of “stealing” her photos from this afternoon.  I think they are fine and do a very good job of showing how much madame bebbie (yup, still no name) has filled out and is starting to look very nice.

Daisy, my eldest daughter comes home on Sunday from university so together they can look after the horses and ponies for me and I can go back to my recuperation, leaving my bed occasionally to drift around the garden with my new camera.  Anna is a keen photographer so, as an incentive, I have offered her the opportunity o have a go with my big camera.

What do I know about Anna?  She is 19yo and from Vermont and has horses, so can obviously ride but best of all, she can carriage drive.  She eats anything but is not too keen on mayonaise and neither does Daisy, so they already have something in common.

BeAnne adores Anna and Jack has got her opening and closing doors for him on a constant basis while he goes in and out of the garden about 100 times an evening so all is good.

We had a rather raucous evening, tonight as it was Frizz and Bermuda’s last night in Shetland, so Anna must be under a huge misconception that we all talk non-stop at the same time and eat far too much chocolate and mebbe wine!

Anyway, enjoy her photos.  I was so pleased to see little madame and now I can drive, I will get over to meet her soon.  I don’t feel I really know her yet.  There is plenty of time and Daisy is a sucker for foals too.

  

Frizz, Bermuda and I (old school friends from 1981) went on a road trip to the south end of the island to find a puffin – this was Frizz’s one request, along with hugging an otter.  We went with the puffin.  It seemed safer.

Every so often, I would shout “STOP”, mid-natter, and Frizz would swerve the car quickly off the road where we would all then leap out and take a photo of the view.

Today was beautiful.  Shetland made a huge effort and looked fabulous.  I was so proud to show off my perfect home.

Having not even reached our destination of Sumburgh Head, we decided lunch was in order so off we swerved to Spiggie Hotel for the most delicious and beautifully served food.

I highly recommend this place and the chips are to die for.  Proper chips too.

This is the view from our dining room table.  Pretty impressive, if you ask me.

And then onwards and upwards on our search for the puffin.  I think the Shetland beaches compared favourably with anything in the Mediterranean today and no, these pics are not photoshopped in anyway.

We drove up that terrifying road to Sumburgh Head lighthouse.

A gentleman we met said he had seen nothing but, undeterred, we searched, looked through the binoculars and found that Bermuda had hawk eyes!

She could spot the little bleeders miles away.

This is their regular haunt but they were very difficult to spot (don’t even bother trying – there are none in these pictures).

The views were incredible, we had a good laugh while we dodged the rain showers and squalls thrown at us.  I had the chance to play with my camera and find out what it could or could not do.

  

I am also sorry to say I had a bit of an Instagram moment which I am now completely cured of – never again.  Naff, that is all I will say.

And so we wended our way home, laughing and chatting. I didn’t flag once and am very proud of myself as this is my first real day out where I actually lasted the whole day staying awake.

Oh yes, and my guests were gobsmacked by the airport runways

(yes, one of them does end in the sea).

And so to bed.