I am so fed up.

Fed up of the weather – it never stops raining.  Everything, both inside and outside, is wet, damp or muddy.

Everywhere is waterlogged.

The horses are fed up.  Lambie and Ster are fed up. Even Loki is fed up and doesn’t want to go out much.

So I thought I would cheer myself up with the most magical of noseys.

Dear little Hjalti who never says he is fed up, never complains and always smiles offering magical nose kisseys.

Little Mr Optimism who takes it all in his stride, diligently following his mother and Tante Esja everywhere they go.

I adore this little chap.  He looks like his mum and has his father’s character.  The best of every world, then.

I think his nosey has magical restorative powers.  When Hjalti comes to talk to me it means he is genuinely interested and wants to tell me what he thinks.

Hurricane Thingy is on its way so it is getting windy.  I forget which as, to be perfectly honest, they all start to blend into one in a normal Shetland winter.

I had done all my chores and, as it was still daylight, I went outside with my camera.

I have given up trying to regulate the silage input.  It is just easier to let the horses and ponies stand around a bale and eat as much as they want.  If it is a nice day (ha-bloody-ha), I shoe the herd out into the hill field as that is the least muddy but there is not much grass, so it is only for the fresh air and exercise.

Hetja is still nursing Hjalti (I think, though I haven’t seen him recently helping himself) so she gets anything she wants. Hetja is a natural born mother.  She is very good at her job.

Hjalti spends much of his time now following his Tante Esja so, when we finally wean him, he will have her and the Minions still in his life unless his hormones kick in and then he will only have The Minions.

Anywho, while Hjalti is still Mummy’s precious soldier, he is learning that no good will come from following Waffle as it only leads to trouble!

The wind is blowing constantly and there are some wonderful hairdos.

(Or not!)

Iacs is staying in the stable.  He can get out but he prefers to listen to Radio 2 and munch his pile of hay.

He has regular visitors of the small vulture variety.

Les Grandes Dames sometimes come in to give everyone filthy looks.

and Haakon pops by for moral support.

A few short films for you to peruse at your leisure.  I took them around and about today.  A regular day at Thordale, I suppose.  Looks fairly normal to me but others might disagree.

Anyway, I have been on my feet all day so I hope these will make up for endless narration.

Lambie “makes friends” with Waffle in his own unique way!  Waffle is, of course, intrigued and thinks this is a perfectly normal method of offer of friendship and is now considering using this technique for himself.

(sorry no sound)

BeAnne and her sofa, sorry, cough, BeAnne and Iacs.

(sorry no sound)

Taktur, BeAnne and Storm.  Taktur stands tied up and is a good boy.  Storm is on the rampage and BeAnne nods off.

(sorry no sound)

The Song of the Shetland Pony Bum Rub!  Tiddles has an itchy arse.  There is sound with this.

Enjoy!

Iacs is not an easy patient.  He is very grumpy about being restricted around the house and hates being away from the herd.

This morning, after mucking out, I tied him up in the stable and undid his poultice in preparation of a soaking his foot to put on a clean dressing.

I arrived with my bucket of hot water and was stopped in my tracks by Iacs who drank it down to the bottom.  So off I went to boil another kettle and start again.

Today, Iacs is sporting a leopard print bandage to reflect his dark mood.

I felt sorry for him.  He hates illness and was shouting his head off for his friends, so I gave him a big hug and worst of all, he let me.  He is not a hugging chap so he must be feeling rotten.  Afterwards I let him make the silage bale his own close personal friend.

He did his best to get to know it very well.  Well done Iacs!

We were tidying the shed (or mucking out as it is known) as I tend to unwrap bails, leave the bail-wrap everywhere and trip over the orange string.  As ever, we had help.

Lambie and Iacs supervised to check we were doing it properly!

This evening, I gave in in and let the horses inside.  Iacs was thrilled to see his friends and is sharing with Klaengur and Haakon.  So thrilled, in fact, he is now limping on the other leg!

I give up.  I really do.  (Daisy?  Come home and sort out your horse!)

Today was officially a Day of Clatch.  It rained, rained and rained some more, with an added gale just for good measure.

But, it was not cold and no one was shivering – just wet, very wet.

I have been loading the field feed buckets with silage while Les Grandes Dames have free range and just help themselves around the bale.

Iacs is now indoors as I have discovered, I think, his ailment.  He has a hoof abscess.  His left front smells like a dead dog so he stood in a bucket of hot water while we listened to the radio together, and then I put on a hot poultice and wrapped it up.

Iacs must live in the little stall for a while.  Obviously he has the finest nursing staff ministering to his every whim.

I volunteered two Minions as well.

Meanwhile, in the “new goat shed”, Taktur and his mini-me, Waffle, are living together.

Taktur usually lives with Kappi but once Kappi sees that shed, he takes up permanent residence and won’t allow anyone else in.  Taktur and Waffle share happily and it is very funny to see two “identical” heads poking out.

When I was dishing out the silage this evening, Kappi grabbed the first bucket load.  Little Hjalti came up and asked if he could share and Kappi put his ears back and bit him.

Instantly, Hetja appeared telling Kappi exactly what she thought of his disgusting manners to her beloved son.

When I looked back, Hetja and Hjalti were happily together eating Kappi’s silage.

I put out more silage.  Buckets and buckets so everyone had a good pile.

Never cross Hetja.  She don’t take prisoners.  Kappi found out.