Ted Time

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Today was Ted’s day.

He started it looking like a greasy Muppet and came home this evening looking much changed – very handsome.

This is not an easy transition for Ted – he loathes going anywhere on a lead and manages to get into a very unnecessary lather about the whole scenario.  The journey in the car never goes well either.

But we reached Scalloway in good time and I happily handed Ted over to Coni of Hundr Dog Grooming (albeit a little early too, sorry Coni), and ran away to drive over to Lerwick. I wanted to finish my Christmas shopping.

The street was not humming with the merry excitement of Christmas shoppers.  The place was derelict.  A few shops were busy, though, so that was encouraging.

There were some good Christmas windows too – this is Jamieson’s.

A few hours later, chips eaten (late lunch) and most of my shopping done, I drove back to Scalloway ready to collect a now-beautified Ted.

And he is officially gorgeous.  Coni has done a wonderful job and our greasy Muppet has been transformed into a Handsome Prince.

(There was a quick Christmas photoshoot so we can show the world!)

Photo by Coni Irvine, Hundr Dog Grooming

So a huge thank you to Coni.

Photo by Coni Irvine, Hundr Dog Grooming

We both know it was not an easy or pleasant job as Ted was probably at his most unhelpful.

Photo by Coni Irvine, Hundr Dog Grooming

But mission accomplished and Ted can now greet the Christmas festivities looking his very best.

Photo by Coni Irvine, Hundr Dog Grooming

Animals First

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Firstly, huge apologies for forgetting today’s Advent Calendar photo.  I have no excuse because I just plain forgot (having managed to open my own lovely real one sent by my sister).  So, I have no excuse at all.  Anyway, it is finally up and I hope you enjoy it.

This morning, after giving everyone else their breakfast, I went in to have my own. Animals are always first.

I had already started badly when I got Iacs and Haakon mixed up.  My excuse (always with the excuses), it was dark and their two heads in a bucket are almost identical. Luckily I discovered my mistake pretty quickly and swapped the buckts back! I don’t think they even noticed.

And everything done and finally indoors for my morning cuppa tea and breakfast.  Usually Monster visits the kitchen and we have a lovely chat on the table (don’t judge).

This time Pepper joined me and sat her wet little self on my knees.

Monster complained “but, but this is my time”.

And Pepper completely disagreed.  It is always Pepper’s time.

So Monster grossed Pepper out by sniffing her – look at Pepper’s shocked face.

But Pepper is tough. She wasn’t going to budge and settled down for the duration of my breakfast.

I title this photo “Life is full of injustice”.

Meanwhile, not wanting to disturb anyone I had no breakfast – just a cuppa – while they both dozed.

“We shall, we shall, we shall not be moved”.

A Small Reward

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Last night the weather was horrendous.  Utterly horrid. All I could do was think about my poor animals outside but they are tough, fat and I was not going out there again.  Pepper and I got very wet just putting the ducks to bed and getting the sheep home.

So this morning, feeling slightly guilty about my heartlessness last night, I gave out breakfast and added a small surprise treat for the little ones…..

…. who are not very clever and could not work out how to reach their bowls.

I said things like “just go around to the wide open gate and walk through!”  Apparently this is not something they could work out or do.

So I went over to the open gate that they’ve gone through hundreds of times and showed them their route.

Duh!

And then they saw their bowls and I stopped feeling guilty.

I like to think that each pony got their surprise carrot and enjoyed it.

How They Danced

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I received an alert from a friend last night that the Merrie Dancers (aka Northern Lights, Aurora Borealis, Mirrie Dancers) were dancing.

So, I quickly finished up cooking supper and stood outside the back door to see if I could see anything and whether it was worth staying out there.

And yes, they were beginning to rev up.

There was definitely potential so I kept popping outside every few minutes but it didn’t really get going until much, much later.

After supper, I checked outside, saw nothing much (I may be a bit blasé about Northern Lights these days – they’ve got to be pretty spectactular to make me leave my supper or a warm room) and went to my desk in the sitting-room to transcribe my Great Great Aunt Kate’s diaries.  I’ve reached February 1947.  I like to get two weeks done every night and it is not easy – the writing has not got any bigger.

But I had the genius idea to put the Burradale webcam up in the corner of my screen so that if anything kicked-off, I could see it in the comfort of my warm sitting room.

And then the sky really kicked-off.  I ran outside with my phone and took as many photos as I could manage (it was cold and windy) standing from my best vantage point – the compost heap (or Northern Lights Observational Point, as my OH likes to optimistically call it).  A spade is a spade in my language.

I  can honestly say this was the best display of the Merrie Dancers I have ever seen.

This morning wasn’t too shabby either.

While the sun rose, I put Haakon in the garden (shh, don’t tell OH) and took off his sugardine poultice that the farrier had put on yesterday (just to get out any final bit of infection).

Red sky in the morning…. and yes, tonight is F11 with heavy rain.  Meh.

Asking for a Friend

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This morning’s entertainment.

And this evening’s (Isn’t Lambie the most handsome sheep in the sunset?)