Category Archives: Something different

A Change of Scenery

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I had a change of scenery today.  No going through photos and making sheep for me.

Obviously, I had to do all my morning chores first.

But, as I had lots to do, I decided to go without breakfast and drove off.  I also didn’t take Pepper. Too much like hard work.

But I did remember my shopping list – ✅ (as well as photographing it in case I lost the original!)

And off I went to Lerwick to meet up with a friend who was having her car windscreen sorted.

We did some Christmas shopping – I know, I know, I am very early but I like to work like this, chipping away in little bits rather than one huge shock to the system.

I can’t say I was in a very festive mood and the shop windows were still in autumn bonfire/Halloween mood.  Great knitted pumpkins, though.

More of my felted sheep were needed at Jamieson’s, so I dropped off a bag and rearranged their field as well.  Apparently there’s a cruise ship in tomorrow so hopefully some of these little chaps will find new homes.

And then my friend and I went to Pete’s Café for lunch.  Yum. It was very good and very welcome. I was hungry by then (no breakfast, remember).

I managed to do all my messages and even bought a few stocking fillers and one Christmas present.

Suddenly a switch flipped in my head and I realised I was suddenly fed up with “city life”, and wanted to get home.

I drove home to take up my usual late afternoon chores – poo pick, hens and ducks to bed, sheep coming home.

I love the thought of going to town and then suddenly I don’t and I want to be at home.

Old Photos – Scenery

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Today I went through over 1,000 photos this morning.  It seems I have taken a lot of photos – in fact, I still do – and every so often there’s a good ‘un.

This is all from 2013.

Shetland

OH taking Jack on a lead down our track with BeAnne for company.

The view from the bottom of our track, where it meets the road

Sunset over the sea.

St Andrews and its environs

A gate at St Andrews, Scotland

Then back to Shetland – some black and whites with my old  camera which sadly died a few years ago.  I am feeling very nostalgic for that camera today. It was a very good one.  I might have a shot at trying to resurrect it but I have a feeling it may be past working.

I think I was quite a good photographer in my time. i definitely had my moments

View from Heylor of Ronas Hill

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BeAnne, Celt, Jack and Wu

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I think these photos come from 2009 – 2013.  So many memories and actually, you know what, I am happy to see them all again. I’ve stopped being sad about the past.  They are all still in my heart.

So, in this blog I must introduce to you….

Celt – a lurcher whose ancestry went back to Brian Plummer’s Merle. A renowned and respected lurcher breeder.

A dear gentle dog who was beautiful to watch in action.

Then there was Jack(et Potato), a stray from possibly Ireland – a Patterdale of course –  who was described to us as “very vocal” and had an iron-like grip on all toys.  He was a sturdy little chap who resembled a black pig when he was wandering off over the horizon, which was often.

Then there was Wussums, or Wu for short.  Another rescue from Shetland’s Cats Protection League.  Wu was very much an outside cat. He liked being  part of the family.

 

And lastly and by no means leastly….. BeAnne Duvet Soufflé Princess Chantelle Shaznay. My precious love.

She was always by my side, unless she had somewhere else to visit.

She was a determined little girl who always made her own decisions. We all just followed along hopefully.

Another one who liked to come too.

And, yes, this photo has Daisy riding Iacs accompanied by BeAnne and Wu, who walked with us.

BeAnne and Wu were good friends.

As in, Wu enjoyed chasing BeAnne.

BeAnne’s passion was riding.  She loved it and went out on horseback regularly.  She had very good balance and could walk and trot with ease.

Look at that little face of happiness.

It was a very good way to train a pony or horse to be ridden because we would start them with BeAnne on their back and they became so used to BeAnne that by the time they got a human rider, they didn’t honestly mind or notice!

(this is BeAnne backing and riding our stallion)

Lovely old memories.

Crofting Chores

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(lots of photos – sorry!)

I was just heading upstairs to bed last night when I thought to myself “I wonder if the Merrie Dancers are out?”

So out I trudged outside and looked north. There was a definite glow.

But it was very cold, so rather than freeze, I went and ran my bath, which takes ages.  While I was waiting, I turned off the bathroom light and opened the north facing window to see what I could see.

Yup, much better and less cold.  At least the bathroom is warm, even hanging out of the open window.

This morning was beautiful too.

Off to work at Turriefield packing veg and the rain poured down outside.  But a good almost double rainbow, though.

As I had more chores to do when I got back home, I didn’t go into my shed to make a sheep. I spent my afternoon cleaning out the water troughs/buckets in Clothie, ready for the horses and ponies when I move them over.

I used “the Eggbox” and in full four-wheel drive we trundled over the hill backwards and forwards four times with the very full and heavy water containers.

It saved my poor screaming back.

I say “we” because of course little Miss Pepperpot came too and every time I got back in the car, and put my seatbelt on, she would lick my nose!

Once done, I put Eggbox away and got Skippy out to take my final load of water to the Shetland ponies’ track.

It is almost dark outside now and I think the Merrie Dancers are forecast again so I will probably spend my evening popping in and out of the backdoor (or the bathroom) checking to see if they are dancing.

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.