The rain arrived in large lumps along with a thick pea-soup fog.

So I drove the horse-van to town to collect some more hurdles (I have big plans) as well as drop off more sheep for the field at Jamieson’s Knitwear on the Street.

I decided against taking Pepper as being dragged around town in the rain is not much fun for anyone.

Note how I parked the van very badly too.  I was not proud but desperate.

A quick nip around Tesco’s and I dashed home, dodging folk driving without lights and cyclists also without lights, or Darwin Award candidates as I like to think of them.  Honestly, who does this and why?

I now have a headache.

It did brighten up later, and please forgive my obsession with the weather, so I went out to the track and managed to get all the rugs off everyone without a headcollar and rope involvement.

Back up the hill lugging my rugs, and I noticed my real sheep were around.

I had words with Harrel-the-Barrel about stealing the hen food, telling him no good would come of his thieving ways as there is wormer powder in the grain.

“Jog on, chaps”

And that includes you, ‘Bert.

And someone isn’t talking to me but I have a feeling my headache would be even worse if she had come too.

Rain is forecast.  Not a huge amount and then ten minutes later, its a huge amount – it just depends where I get my weather forecast from. I have 3 apps on my phone and they all say something different.

But I do know I need to put the rugs on.

(and I love Tiddles’ face in this pic).

And this got me to remembering, as I climbed back up the hill, when the old ladies were younger ladies and they wore their Fair Isle sweaters for Visit Scotland’s advertising campaign in 2013.

That was a long time ago though in my head the old ladies look exactly the same and haven’t aged one bit.

I have been bad at letting the Diaries of my Great Great Aunt Kate slip.  There are just not enough daylight hours, or I don’t have the strength at the end of the day when I’ve finished making sheep, to sit down and type out teensy-tiny writing for an hour or so.

But they pray on my mind and I am genuinely keen to finish the project properly but at the rate I’m going, I might not.  I have only reached 1937 and she died in 1961.  You can do the math(s).

So this morning, instead of sitting at the kitchen table achieving very little apart from drinking a cup of coffee, I started transcribing the 1937 diary because I must keep going.  The writing doesn’t get any bigger as the years go by either.

After a good few hours, I had finished January and mostly put it on the internet page along with accompanying photos.  I needed to get some fresh air, stretch my legs and it was time to take the dogs out for a walk.

We happened upon Iacs having his morning snooze in the sun.

Haakon spotted me and wandered over to see if his cousin was getting anything nice to eat.

Oh, ok!

The dogs had a good time hunting and, as usual, catching nothing but enjoying themselves nonetheless.

After a good walk, we returned to find Monster guarding the house from invaders.

Luckily, he is very good at his job.  There were none around.

So my day has a new structure now.  I need to keep going with the diaries because I know myself and will never finish.   Onwards, ever onwards.

Stephen, our farrier, appeared first thing this morning.

Luckily, it was very easy to put everyone in the right field – with a breakfast bucket.

While Stephen was busy trimming Iacs, I looked over to see Haakon playing with the spare headcollar.  He hasn’t done that for years, so I think he must be feeling much better on his arthritis supplement.  It made me smile to see him being young again.

And then into the paddock where the Minions and Old Ladies were waiting.

Pepper was thrilled to see Stephen, which was lucky because she managed to get in the way at every opportunity.

No one behaved badly. Waffle managed to pick up the spare headcollar and take it over to give to Stephen.

That poor headcollar was doomed.

But on a good note – there were no signs of laminitis at all in anyone’s hooves.  I must’ve caught it in time and that is a huge relief as laminitis can do such permanent damage and everyone looked so much better after the hoof trims.  Stephen also said all the horses and ponies looked fit and well – and NOT FAT.  Just solid!  I can live with that.

And moving swiftly on from the little ones, here are some pics of the Ancients.

Kolka – who has settled in here just fine.

She rules the two old men and they follow her everywhere, which is good otherwise they would just live by the gate looking hopeful possibly forever.

Haakon looks just the same as he always does.

And I have no nice photo of Iacs because he didn’t feel like cooperating.  Haakon told him off for me.

This is the best I could do.

Kolka and Haakon together – very few rows except at meal times when Kolka wants everyone else’s bucket.  It is not allowed.

(sorry this is short, but I have just returned with OH and Pepper from a fabulous late Sunday lunch and I am so full I can’t think straight!)

At lunch, as well as the humans, there were five dogs and Pepper. All were very well behaved and Pepper enjoyed herself making friends.  She was the only girlie in the pack.

I was very proud of Pepper.  Although Ted was invited, we decided not to bring him as we felt he would be more settled (and calmer) at home with Monster to look after him.

And all was fine when we got home so I think that was a wise decision.