To town today for my annual eye test but, en route, I stopped off to feed Vitamin and Fivla.

Dressed in my clean clothes, I was freezing to near-death as I had ditched my usual uniform of Norwegian sweater and revolting hi-viz padded jacket, going with tidier but thinner clothes.  A rookie mistake.

Obviously, I had to go into the minion field, rather than stand on the other side of the fence, to dish out my carrot collection as well as spraying hooves and swilling mouths.

I was so clean and tidy.  I couldn’t be “minioned”.  I didn’t want to go to town covered in the usual mud smelling of ponies….

I don’t know why I was particularly bothered about what I looked or smelled like even – the place was deserted.

I delivered a flock of sheep to Jamieson’s Knitwear, chatted to some friends, had my eye test (all fine there) …

And then lunch (chips)  sat in my car with a good view and a hungry seagull.  Sorry, mate, chips are sacred.

Tomorrow I will be back to normal but it was a change to be clean and tidy even just for a few hours!

Rain, rain and more rain. I am on coat/hat combo No 4 now, with wellies and over-trousers waiting in the porch on standby like the lifeboat crew.

No one is enjoying this weather but everything was, as ever, done.  I didn’t even skimp on Vitamin’s mouthwash and hoof spray.  I will admit I thought about it, as it means lugging another bucket down the field to her, but then I remembered what it is like to have something stuck in your teeth and I turned around and went back for her kit!

My view for the afternoon. I was in my shed.

And I put out at all the sheep I have made recently ready for selling …..

Quite the collection but I have to take some into town tomorrow as the shop is running low.

Selling is a bit of a trickle and I am surprised they have run out, but I will have plenty ready for when the cruise-ships arrive.

My little fire-hogging companion came too (always).  I swear she was a salamander in a former life.  She enjoys the crumbs that fall from my table – I may have biscuits!

While feeding this lot…..

Well, actually not this one…

Or this one….

definitely not this one…..

Nope, not him either.

Just Fivla and Vitamin – the old ladies – as per usual.

And snouts out, Newt!

Anywho, I decided that the herd/flock/parliament/whatever needed to get out more in the field, so I put a headcollar on Storm and took him for a walk, with the dogs, while the others watched on from afar.

I thought they would follow…. they did not.

But Storm enjoyed his walk around the field.

He is a great walking companion.  A lovely little chap.  Just trots happily behind me, occasionally stopping to look at the view.

When it became very clear that absolutely no one else was going to take the lead and come too, I let Storm go.

And, after some thought, he rejoined his friends.

The Sloth Brigade, as they are now known and they can rot on that rock, for all I care. I tried. I honestly did.

So, waving my now-empty headcollar, Itold them to all go and get a job!

I left them all eating far, far away up the hill.  Mission accomplished, though it took some effort on my part.

I was walking the dogs this morning, trying to make up for yesterday’s total non-walk when I came upon this ginger surprise!

And his girlfriend!  Don’t bite her Klaengur. That’s not nice.

These two are actually very fond of each other, spending their day together, always together.

Unless, that is, Kolka thinks there might be food.  She is very keen on her grub and I haven’t gone back to feeding her twice a day. I have stuck to my guns on that one.  I said I would.  She still turns up but I don’t give in.  Her weight is now fine.  Spot on.

Meanwhile, these two – Iacs and Haakon – are a happy little couple too.

My clowns, who make me laugh.

(Haakon’s serious face)

Further up the hill, and I found my latest album cover, sorry, flock of sheep.

Lambie, of course, spoilt this photo. It would’ve been perfect, otherwise. There’s always one.

I told Lambie this.  He was unrepentant.

Now this photo is certainly a contender.

And then we walked home.

The weather, as forecast, is filthy.  Wind, wind and more wind (up to Force 11 at times) and occasional rain. OH kindly helped me to feed the horses and ponies and we hung hanging onto buckets and horses trying to keep upright.  They all ate well and have shelter so I am not worried about them.

No one wanted a dog walk so instead I ran them round the shed throwing squeaky balls for half an hour.  That seemed to work fine, though it is not something I like to do every day but I don’t honestly think I could’ve walked upright anywhere.

I asked the sheep whether they wanted to go out and they, to a sheep, said they were fine indoors and please keep refilling their haynets.  I said “no, you get what you get and you could go out and find grass if you are still hungry. This is not a canteen and I am not your slave” and off I muttered!

So that’s been our day. Indoors while waiting for the weather to calm down.  When the wind blows like this, going outside is very hard work and possiby dangerous.