Category Archives: MyShetland

My Broadband Mess

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Our broadband is hopeless, I mean seriously hopeless with no chance of it ever getting better.  No fast fibre or fibre to the cabinet (FTTC) for us.  Just a humble 1950’s copper wire snail meandering along very, very slowly.

A few years’ back, we did have a quote for a fibre connection and, I jest you not, the quote was nearly £1,000,000 but the best bit was when they asked us, in all seriousness, when we would like them to start the work!

We did raise this all with our MP and MSP but, despite their best and most valiant efforts, we were told the situation is never going to change.

Last night, I got more than a bit anxious looking at our landline phone bill (£40 per month for mostly spamming calls) and broadband provider (£25 per month for feeding the snail). I realised enough is enough and this was a complete waste of money –  we need something better.

So, this morning, after feeding everyone and being very grateful that the storm has finally abated….

…… I grabbed my laptop and went into my shed to create a spreadsheet of all our options so I could see for myself at a glance who is offering what.

I was going quite well, when OH arrived to take the dogs for a walk and Monster wandered up the shed track.

I tried to ignore him but the whining outside only got more persistent and louder.

There was a lot of wandering around an already full table.  I was working with two laptops.

Monster was not helpful.

But finally we reached an arrangement which worked for all of us and I went on working out what were the best options in our set-up.  I think my conclusion is that I need to do a lot of phoning on Monday and then make a momentous decision to change everything, with the help of Monster, obviously.

A Tad Feisty Out There!

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It’s a tad feisty out there.

These photos are from breakfast first thing. The light was not great.  The big ones are savyy and know never to lift their heads until all food is finished, or they will lose their buckets to the wind.

One of the sheds offered a sheltered wall and I hid the Vitamin and Fivla behind it.

For the others, they all stopped bickering and ate their food quickly. Even Newt shared which is unheard of.

It was a day of wild hairstyles!

I could see that the container was used overnight (poo evidence) and was pleased the ponies have learned that they have options, especially when it is raining.  Even using the container as a wind-break in their new track is their favourite place to stand.

Around every corner is a sheep staying out of the fierce wind.

There is plenty of grass around the house and in fields so they make their own choices, usually leaving ‘Ster behind. He hates going under certain fences and then finds himself all alone in the world and I have to sort it out.  There is pitiful baa’ing at my front door.

During the day, the horses ignored the wind while Fivla and Vitamoobag stood at the bottom of the valley with a dry stone wall taller than them for shelter.  I know for a fact there will be no wind down there.

And at the moment outside, it is an ambient F10 with a bitter north wind.  I am bored of this now, thank you.

The North Wind Doth Blow

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As I write, the wind is gaining strength but my plan is go day-by-day through this storm.  Like the train in Dumbo, “I think I can, I think I can“.

My only priority is that Iacs gets his pills daily and everyone else is safe, that’s all I want.

And if the electricity could stay on as well, then that’s a bonus too.

And, as I am now have a shopping list of all my requests, that all the outbuildings and our roof stay intact or at least on.

As I was on my way out of the door (going to work on a friend’s website), I found this lot had let themselves back out of their field – quite the woolly escape artistes, they are when they choose – and were posing for an album cover.

I’m not sure what the name of the band is but I expect they all know.  Something to do with wool or food.

The Shetland ponies have made camp behind their containers – a very sheltered spot with grass and bucket of water.  I am refusing to worrying about them.

They are tough and healthy – much more so too than last year.

Even Tiddles looks good.

So, that’s me, off to put the ducks and hens to bed for the night.  The wind is going up a notch overnight and then the fun really begins.  Buckets in the wind!

Let me count the ways I love winter….. ah yes, none.

Be Prepared

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We have a storm forecast and it’s not going to be fun. So today I decided to be prepared.

I went around the croft with Skippy making sure everyone would be ok if we couldn’t get to them.

The old horses and ponies should be fine. They have grass and unlimited shelter down the bottom of their field.  They won’t be rugged as rugs can fly off (despite leg straps) causing problems.

And they are all well-covered (cough “fat”).

I would rather they found their own safe place rather than me dragging them into a very noisy/scary shed for four days. Fivla would definitely disagree. She loves the shed (cough “fat”).

Duck Shed #1 got a container full of fresh water, and another of grain.  I made fresh beds of straw too, for the hens.

Duck Shed #2 had the same – this is where the latest duck family have decided to live, which means there is less over-crowding and arguments.

I spread the remainder of the straw in the sheep shed, put out fresh water and have their breakfasts ready for the following mornings (somewhere where they won’t be able to easily raid).

Then it was time for the Shetland ponies on their new winter track.

I washed their old water bucket and filled it up with fresh water so there is easy access and everyone will drink – so important.  I also put a spare fresh water container outside the fence (so no nibbling, thank you Albie who wrecks) ready to refill the water bucket when needed.

I was pleased to see Waffle instantly come over to drink.  The others followed too, so that’s good, they know there is fresh water. I refilled the bucket again.

(there is also a stream at the bottom of their track, but I doubt they know that).

What else?  It will come to me, but probably as I am fighting the wind tomorrow.  This storm is for four days.  I am dreading it.

This Lot

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Honestly, this lot……. they have mooched around in their containers all day refusing to go outside, enjoy the relative calm before the storm (which arrives Friday) or even enjoy the rare sunshine.

Nope, they mooched instead trying to catch my eye every time I walked past.

So, after talking it over with my experts (Monika from Sandness Equine Services and Daisy), we decided that the ponies could now have access to their winter track. I know I said I wanted to wait until the temperature was in single figures but I gave in because their track is getting very muddy and they don’t want to be there.

I opened the gate. Tiddles went straight in, walking over the newly cleared and hopefully now packed down mud-free (yer, right!) gateway.

The rest followed, eventually.

Well, nobody needed asking twice and started to stuff their faces immediately.

I hope I have done the right thing and I tell myself the ponies won’t get laminitis here and hopefully the change of scenery will cheer them up and they will not get colic.  That will be the next thing. I don’t like ponies mooching and not eating.  So, yes, I caved and gave them their winter track.

I am hopeless but always with lots of excuses.