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”.

I woke up this morning after cat-napping throughout the night, feeling very over-tired and not looking forward to going outside one bit.

But there was a slight lull in the foul weather and, armed with the relevant bucket for the right animal, I went forth.

The Shetland ponies were all waiting for their breakfast, which helped hugely. I hate having to shout for them knowing they would never hear in this storm and then probably starve to death.  Anyway, they ate, argued and wandered off.  So Shetland ponies fed ✅

Then back to the house to get more buckets.

Again, the others all seemed fine and actually beginning to dry off too.

I gave everyone a bit extra, mainly because I wanted them to feel full today in this filthy weather. No buckets went flying, so that was a plus.  Icelandic horses and Shetland ponies now fed ✅

Once eaten, teeth cleaned (Vitamin), eyes de-goobed (Fivla), they all wandered off oblivious to the weather that was going on around them.  I was pleased to see them completely unbothered.

Meanwhile, Gussie and Dahlia had come inside when I went to feed the Shetland ponies.  They made a quick bee-line for the shed where breakfast was being served.

And the haynets (apologies for Lambie looking gormless – he’s been like that all day). Every time I’ve checked up on them, Lambie has been standing there looking, well, still gormless.

Gussie got to grips with the washing up.  So sheep all fed too ✅

It is not fun outside at all and has revved up again for the night.

I finished my sheep-making work early so I could get all I will need in place for Storm Bram which is revving up as I type.  It’s going to be a doozy according to the weather apps.

I tried to think ahead of what will I need tomorrow, as I probably won’t be able to get into the feed shed – the wind will hit it straight on and the door can be lethal, as in arm-breakingly lethal.

So I got everything out for feeding horses, ponies and sheep and put it in the house porch.  OH does the ducks/hens in the morning.  That’s his job.  There is food and water ready in their sheds.

And shut up the feed shed best I could praying everything would still be standing in 48 hours’ time.

Then Pepper and I told Family Duck to go to bed.

Pepper is very keen on herding ducks.  I have to curb her enthusiasm a little as she can get in front and then panic ensues.

But I got my ducks in a row and off we went, fairly smoothly.

This is where they want to live.  Not with the riff-raff.

This is the riff-raff who muddle along with the chickens too.

As daylight was now definitely going, all the sheep came home, except for Dahlia and Gussie who were nowhere to be seen.  They probably feel safer in a storm out in the field.  I shall do my best not to worry about them.

I showed the sheep their haynets and told them to stay safe.  They know what to do.

So that’s us, ready for whatever is blown at us.  I hope we get off fairly unscathed and also keep our electricity.  See you on the other side.