Today was Water Day just because the sun was shining and, once I make a decision of what I am going to devote my morning to, I like to stick to it.

First I did the ponies’ water, then the water buckets and sink by the shed.  The latter are used by the ducks.

Next up I tackled the filthy duck pond, which was desperately in need of a good clean.

Then, Pepper and sat in the sunshine getting a good dose of Vitamin D waiting for the pond to fill.

It took ages but we didn’t mind.  We deserved a break from all that hard work.  My back hurts afterwards.

Eventually, I wrapped up the hose and came back to see that my clean sink was being used.

One very happy duck.

I noticed the water level had gone down, so I popped the hose back in to refill. She didn’t mind.

I think everyone is now keen to get clean.  There’s been a lot of fighting recently in the muddy ditches which has not been good.  Maybe if they feel all clean and happy, they will stop that and concentrate on being friends.

On my way to do the horses’ water bucket, I noticed some “dead ponies”.  Oh well, I thought. A few less.

I love seeing them totally flat out and almost snoring.

Vitamin had Newt next to her again.

He was totally blissed out and those little teefs – ooof!

The clean pony water was appreciated.

The rest were busy stuffing their faces with hay.

And look, a duck swimming in my clean pond.

All that hard work, emptying and scrubbing, was well worth it even if my back is now shouting at me.

Last night, just before I went to bed, I looked out of an upstairs window to see Fivla all by herself. The others had left her relocating on the other side of the track.  In her head, it was miles away and she looked very lonely.  She could either walk through a mire or up a steep hill and she didn’t want to do either.  But being alone is also a miserable place to be.

So I put some outside clothes back on and went to rescue her, urging her round to go round the track to eventually find them.  She went, albeit grudgingly and really struggled with the muddy bit.

I didn’t like that.  The mud is still very deep and unhelpful.  My track hasn’t made it any better either as they have no way round.

So, this afternoon, armed with more fence posts and electric fence wire, I made a sort of lay-by to circumnavigate the mud.

And then, after a bit of a discussion (Fivla went one way, I went the other), I showed her what I had done – she agreed that this was a good thing and thank you very much. I think the new grass was an incentive too.

Quickly followed by Albie, who follows Fivla everywhere – she is his surrogate Mum.

I went to gather the other troops and I know that Newt will also appreciate my efforts. He hates the mud as it is a struggle with litttle short legs.

To town today as we have visitors next month and I want to be all efficient and have everything ready in the freezer so I can do minimal cooking at the time.

First I stopped off at the feed merchants and bought animal supplies, and then went into town to get supplies for cocktails (Eurovision is looming too – hurrah!)

As I drove into the car park, which is next to the pier, I saw this magnificent ship.

Well, obviously I had to go and have a look, even though there was a sign saying I couldn’t. So I ignored that and crept in past the barriers, hoping no one would stop or ask me to go away.

It was the Dar Młodzieży, a Polish sail training ship owned by the Gdynia Maritime Academy.

Wow, just wow.  Later I saw plenty of young men wandering around the town (looking slightly bored and lost at the same time) wearing their very smart uniform.

According to the “interweb”,  the Dar Młodzieży (Polish: Gift of the Youth) is a school ship for soon-to-be merchant officers”.

Anyway, I wasn’t caught and asked to leave and all I did was wonder around on the pier, with my finger mostly over the camera lens (how do I do this?) taking photos happy in the knowledge I would never, ever have to go on the ship (I am allergic to boats).

However, I quite like photographing them.

There is the Lerwick lifeboat in this photo somewhere.

And then onwards to Tesco’s to buy my weight in Graham Norton wine. Tis Eurovision, after all.

The ponies get called up to the wee paddock for teatime as there is not much on their track and I feel bad for them worrying that they will all now get ulcers from the hunger eating them inside.  (And if it rains, I worry they will all melt).

So I dish out soaked ad-lib fibre-block which they quite like.

The old ladies like it most and that’s most important. I am trying to keep the weight on them while getting the others to lose it.

Previously, when I served the fibre block dry and unsoaked (which it said on the packet you can), Storm ate it until he got colic and it was a vet job so now I soak the blocks in a bucket of water for 12 hours first.

Vitamin is a huge fan and the old ladies also get a bucket in the morning, after breakfast, as they can’t manage the daily haynets very well, if at all (no teeth).  I tell myself that this time last year, most of the younger ponies were heading towards the laminitis misery-paddock and this is better for them.  So this year it is lots of fibre and exercise for everyone, including the Old Ladies.  Remember, Vitamin got laminitis and Fivla has Equine Metabolic Syndrome.

I’m not going to lie, this juggling act is a nightmare.

A busy morning spent recording with my fan(s) and he was adamant I should not make this terrible noise.  After a while, I was beginning to agree with him, so I put my flute down, and took the dogs out for a walk instead.

We spent the first half of the dog walk in the field where the sheep had moved themselves to since breakfast.  But there were only 6 sheep and I have 7.  ‘Ster was missing.  Originally, the sheep had started their day in a completely different field but they know where to get under a fence and I don’t mind as long as they stay on my property.  They have the run of the place.

So I set off to look for ‘Ster and my aim was to reunite him with his flock.

Obviously Monster came too.

The field I thought ‘Ster was in, is large – very long and thin and we began our search.

Of course, ‘Ster was at the far end, looking very forlorn while he sat and, I suppose, waiting to be rescued.

Bored of walking miles, I sat on a nearby rock and called him.  Luckily he heard me and came running over, relieved to be found.

Silly ‘Ster. He only had to follow his friends but apparently he had forgotten how.

So we all (two dogs, one cat and a sheep) turned around and walked back to the house and the field that had the other sheep.

I told ‘Ster I would put him back with his friends.

And that’s what I did.  You can see the other sheep in the distance. Little woolly dots, eating.

‘Ster is possibly not the brightest star in our firmament.