Category Archives: Cats and dogs

Back to Reality

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I left London first thing on Thursday morning.  Door to door on the way back it took me over 14 hours – because Loganair’s Edinburgh to Sumburgh “went technical” and I had to fly home via Orkney.  A stressful day because the cancellation wasn’t mentioned on any airport flight departure board until the gate (that was never called) was closing…. and I had to make a run for it.

So I am rather thankful to be home again away from everyone and everything.  It was a good holiday but one week is enough.

And I also have a very large order of sheep to fulfill.

So it is back to the grindstone with my usual help.

The Shetland ponies are now officially off their summer track and on their winter grazing.  It is the field that has been eaten all spring and summer by the others so perfect for them.

They are currently sharing with the sheep who are not impressed but coping….. so far (remember, Lambie hates the Shetland ponies – they chased him (hereinafter known as “The Incident”) many years back when he was a little lamb).

As for the old horses and ponies, Flossie and I spent the morning lugging 20 litre containers of water over in the Eggbox and filling all their troughs.  Plus we left full ones by the gate for later. It took 3 trips.

Then we led the Icelandic horses (Haakon, Kolka and Iacs) while the Shetland ponies (Fivla and Vitamin) followed along nicely – they trotted enthusiastically in through the gate.

I doubt anyone has lifted their heads yet.  There is grass enough for all, at the moment.

Meanwhile, Lambie would like it to be known that he is not that happy with this new plan.  He has not forgotten The Incident.

My Last Oyster Catcher

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To town again for lunch with an old school friend who was visiting Shetland.

This was the view from our table at Fjarå Café Bar.  Not too shoddy at all. We were looking over Breiwick Bay to Bressay with The Knab on our left.

We nattered for hours about everyone and everything and were eventually told our table was needed for others so had to leave.  How time flew.  We were totally unaware.

Suddenly here was a fierce rain shower and afterwards a beautiful rainbow appeared.

These houses are part of The Knab area of Lerwick.  Obviously today they got the gold

And, after saying good bye to my old school friend, I saw an oystercatcher – probably my last this year.  By now, they should have departed Shetland for warmer shores, but apparently a few stay for the winter (though I have never seen them before).  Maybe this was one of those.  There is something good about seeing an oystercatcher – they are the harbingers of Spring and so that makes me think of warmer days.  It made my heart smile along with talking endlessly about being 16 again in an all-girls’ English boarding school (don’t ask).

And lastly a quick nip down Commercial Street for some easy-to-pack miniature bottles of holiday essentials and I bought a walking stick to make my life easier for the possible 2 hour queue to see the Bayeux Tapestry at The British Museum next Tuesday.

On my way home, I met my sheep shearer who told me that he had just passed a small ginger dog wandering around the road. I drove on, scooped her up and went home  *** sigh ***.

Rainbows’ End.

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I was out first thing this morning to feed the starving hordes.

⬇️ This starving horde is Gussie ⬇️ (who is rotund and lying!)

Anyway, there was a faint but definitely-visible rainbow and I swear the end was on the container.  I was sorely tempted to go and find a shovel and start digging for my pot of gold but sadly there was much work to be done, ie the starving hoards to feed.

(though I do wonder just how much would be in hard cash – and, look, another faint rainbow on the other container.  As far as I was aware there was only Shetland pony poo from the night before).

Monster supervised in a condescending way.

Later two ladies from Wool Week came to see the sheep.  As per instructions, they arrived with a packet ginger biscuits and took photos of everyone eating them. Of course Lambie was being mysterious and aloof so I had to go and find him separately to give him his ration.

Obviously I mentioned Fivla and Vitamin, who had worn those Fair Isle sweaters many years ago for a Visit Scotland (Scotland’s tourism board) advertising campaign.

The old horses and ponies were resting down the bottom of the hill, so we clambered carefully down and were duly ignored.  Such is the way of the celebrity some days. Too busy eating.  Still, there’s always the gold from the rainbows.  Off to find a shovel then.

Scunnered

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At the moment, my whole day is spent in my shed with Pepper making hand-felted Shetland wool sheep to sell.

All my current stock has been bought and I am meeting myself coming back while trying to keep up with demand.  It is Wool Week so extra pressure too, but in a good ££ way.  I have to keep my little field at Jamieson’s Knitwear full.

This will be my life for the next week and then I go to London on Thursday 8th October for a whole week of rest, seeing family as well as possibly a lot of shopping and a trip to the Bayeaux Tapestry.  I am very exited – I need this break very much.

All the animals will be left in Floss’ capable hands – she arrives Saturday- and she has lots of local back-up if needed too.

I may even give myself a break from the blog as I am feeling fairly scunnered with everything. (scunnered is a great word – it means fed up).

For now, however, I am just putting my head down and trying to make three felted sheep a day while the demand is there. I won’t lie, I am finding it exhausting and I barely see daylight except through the window.

Roll on the holidays. They can’t come soon enough.

Cat Rules

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It all started at breakfast.

After feeding everyone and doing my morning chores, I came inside and made myself my usual bowl of porridge and a large mug of tea.  At last, my breakfast.

And today Monster joined me (and, yes, I abhor cats that sit on the kitchen table and no cat has ever been allowed to do this but Monster will not be told so I’ve given up).

However, there are Rules.

Like no sitting on my iPad – so that’s ignored.

And then there is the Rule about keeping off my breakfast.  No stealing.

Words failed me when Monster did this!  A new low.

So, we had words.  I reminded Monster about the Rules and he retaliated by sulking and I felt awful.  I didn’t enjoy my porridge or mug of tea at all.  I wasn’t supposed to.

And, as you can see, I am the Master of my own shed too.

There was absolutely no way on God’s green earth I was parting with a Tunnocks teacake, though Monster did wangle a piece of shortbread out of me which he shared with Pepper.

In the end, bored of the constant scrounging and general getting in the way, I put Monster in his basket for a break.  I have a very large felted sheep order so I had to get on.

Monster liked his basket, though it is always a bit of a snug fit.

He really needs a bigger basket and I don’t have one – this is one I brought back from Mum’s house when we cleared it out (so now I must go off to look at large old baskets on Ebay for the ruddy cat!)  Anything for peace and quiet and my sanity.