When OH said this morning that Monster hadn’t eaten his midnight snack or his breakfast, I stood in the field, whilst feeding the Oldies, and phoned the veterinary surgery for an appointment (we were in the middle of a powercut and that’s the only place for a phone signal).

“Can you get here for 09.45” I was asked by the Surgery.
“Oh yes, whatever it takes”, I replied and shovelled Monster into his travel basket (he put up a fight, which I won) and off we drove.

In the surgery waiting room I gave Monster a good view to inspire him.

All vital signs were normal, nothing to write home about, but he was given an anti-emetic injection, long acting antibiotic injection as well as some painkillers and we drove home, with Monster answering any questions I asked him.

Me (driving): “are you ok?”
Monster: “Yes, still here!”

And so to bed afterwards.  Fair enough. Travel is always horrid.

This afternoon, Monster was around in my shed while a friend and I played flute duets.

He even wanted a shot and probably sounded better than we did.

But I am worried.

OH said he wouldn’t eat his tea – freshly cooked chicken.  Nope. Monster left it and turned away.  That is not like him.

And has taken to his bed.  Worried?  Yes, I am.  For Monster not to eat is like me giving up chocolate.  We will see how we go this weekend or it is back to the vet we go on Monday.  So hugs for Monster, please. He is not himself and I hate that.

Went to Leradale nice and early this morning as I had to get onto Lerwick later.

Newt was still stuck.

So, having fed the others, I made the decision to get him over the stream and give him his bucket ration.  And suddenly I saw this small brown hippo cantering towards me.  He had worked it out….. finally!

Newt got his bucket and I could see no obvious signs of suffering, like starvation.

Tiddles quickly came over to join us.

I think everyone wants bigger buckets of food and have stopped being grateful and become grabby and greedy. They forget they are only having vitamins and minerals and not a full meal.  Of course there was a battle and I left Newt to defend his own food, becoming increasingly bored of the rowing.

This is Newt’s nemesis or The Mighty Chasm, as it shall henceforth be known.

Kind of not really a huge deal but it obviously was to Newt who is only 27″ high and possibly wide.

I walked the dogs, dropped them off home, apologised for the crap day they would have, and drove into town.

I haven’t been for a while. I was collecting old sheepskins for Monster’s many cat beds……

Life without Newt is very quiet, calm and orderly (one Newt = the small brown dot in middle distance of the photograph).

We had a lot of rain last night so Newt was stuck the other side of the ditch, refusing to jump over like he has done every day of his life.  He did run up and down a bit like an angry agitated little hippo, which made me laugh.

So I put out the buckets and dished out my rations. Everyone ate theirs (and possibly Newt’s) portion.  It was all very civilised, for a change.

No arguing, kicking someone off their bucket to steal it, no swinging bottoms, no hassling the neighbours, barging into your friend to get his bucket (to name just a few of Newt’s heinous crimes) …… just calm, lovely calm and a sense of peace too.  I didn’t have to watch myself either.  I felt safe amongst my ponies.  Newt can get very unpredictable at times. It’s not pretty.

Even Albie got to eat his entire ration, and he was so happy and relieved.  No anxiety.

And no, I didn’t go over the ditch with a separate bucket for Newt. I left him there to consider his attitude to life and maybe he might change…… (she gives a hollow laugh)!  I have no doubt he will be back with the herd tomorrow and life will be just as it ever is – with everyone avoiding Newt’s backside.

Some sheep wag their tails when they are happy.

If I don’t see Bert’s “happy tail” every morning, then my day is ruined.  Bert wags it when I scratch him on his back, then I say out loud “there it is” and I can happily continue with my day.  That’s the routine.  It works.  If I don’t see it, I might as well feed everyone and then crawl back under my rock.

Edna and Maggie wag their tails too – it is a leftover thing from being a lamb, I think.  Lambie rarely wags his tail.  It’s not his thing. It is most definitely Bert’s thing, though and it makes me smile every time.  Actually anyone wagging their tail will result in happiness.

Today was a Duvet Day.  Ster hurt his back leg a few days ago so refused to go out to the field and I didn’t make him.  Maybe rest will do him good, I thought.  His leg is getting better every day and he has had painkillers.  The Boyzens and Girlzen-Berries all enjoyed their mooching day not doing much with the exception of possibly some begging at my front door.  I don’t mind. I am she-who-dishes-out-food.  That’s my title in life.

Oh yes. Spring is on it’s way.

I was surprised to see my banks of primroses starting to appear.  I think it is early but I am happy to be wrong.

But they lighten my heart and make me think Spring is finally on its way despite the many recent meteorogical set backs.  Winter is not over. It is still trying.

Even the odd daisy and this is the first one in my field – I have not found another.

And a rather bleak celandine that has suffered much from the  weather – I am feeling very sorry for this plant and this is the best I could find. I’ve not seen another. It is pitiful.

I see these flowers when I am walking the dogs.

You have not idea how happy I am when I come across a flower, any flower, trying to make an effort through a very hard winter.

All four of us (that would be Pepper, Ted, Monster and me) wander around the fields on a daily basis – we call this a dog walk – and the fact that nature is finally beginning to kick in is truly wonderful.

These are seggies – yellow flag irises – trying their very best.

And meanwhile good old Ted has become a fully-fledged member of the croft dogginess!

So Spring – yay!  No, double yay!  It has been a long time coming and no more snow please or everything will go back into the ground again. I could not bear that.  Seeing flowers again makes me think we are on our way out of the long hard winter.