These days, Ted looks like something off the Muppets. He is in desparate need of his twice yearly wash and hair cut which is luckily booked for the beginning of December.

I feel rather ashamed but Ted is now a croft dog who goes digging and running around in the fields. I doubt my mother would be impressed with how he looks but she would approve of how he lives.

Anyway, hopefully the dog-groomer will recreate a version of perfection and I think I will book Ted in once every three months so he doesn’t go so long and get quite as revolting!

Pepper is just lucky – she is one of those dogs who the mud doesn’t stick to because she is too busy whizzing quickly past.

No one knows how Monster stays so clean. It is one of life’s mysteries.

Meanwhile, the weather continues.

This afternoon there was a small patch of blue sky – possibly enough to patch a Dutchman’s trousers (anyone else know that phrase?)

Apparently it might calm down next Monday…. briefly.

I think we all be pleased if only for a very short time before it revs up again with a possible threat of snow!

These days, I can never find Harrel-the-Barrel and that is because I put a lick bucket down in the sheep-shed to help ‘Ster’s hooves and the weather is vile.

And with that Harrel vanished, never to be seen again.

I think we all know what he’s been doing.

And I think we can all safely say that Harrel-the-Barrel has a new friend!  He is one happy little boy.

We are in a lull now. Today has been fierce and going out this morning to feed the horses and ponies was hard but OH and I did it.

The ponies were of course fine. They all came down the hill and the old ladies got their buckets.  In another field, the old men appeared on the horizon and then stood by the open shed and said they were happy being outside, thank you very much.

I had worried all night about everyone  but no one was shaking or looking miserable so I have stopped worrying.

Albie and Storm are doing ok.  Storm is sound while Albie still has painkillers. He needs them and moves far more freely with them. Without, he goes back to pottering and looking miserable.  The difference is huge.

After my lunch, I put the boys in the school while I mucked out in peace.

While I was shovelling, Lambie pushed his way into the stable.  I felt sorry for the other sheep and let them come in too.

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While Lambie ate his “private” straw bale, I gave them a haynet to munch on.  They were very happy (as ever, Harrel had gone to bed and Madge was happy outside).

We’ve had one casualty, so far, in the storm.

Pepper, no matter what, and I mean what, follows me everywhere.  She will not be told no or to stay inside. She has to be with me, which is lovely especially at night when I go out last thing because I won’t lie – I am scared of the dark.

Anywho we are all making the most of the lull.  Hopefully the next few days won’t be so bad.

Feeding everyone these days is a two-man occupation. I am lucky becuase OH helps.  He feeds the Old Men, while I feed the sheep, and Albie and Storm.  We were out first thing with the buckets.  Vitamin and Fivla were waiting for us by the gate.

This does make life much easier as we were not having to climb up the hill to find them.

The others were loafing about too, ever hopeful.

Of course, I had carrots.

I call this “Elephants at the Watering Hole”.

Once fed, feet done (Vitamin’s sprayed with apple cider vinegar), mouth swooshed out (Vitamin again), we took our buckets and walked back to the croft.

Today’s shed inhabitant was Klængur (and Pepper).

Haakon wasn’t bothered about going inside.

And Iacs was sheltering behind a dry-stone dyke (wall).

It is slowly revving up outside now (the late afternoon). I have tried to do everything in the daylight because it is safer to see what you have to avoid.

A big storm is approaching – Thursday and Friday are looking particularly grotty and I am not looking forwards to this.

(I also had no idea that we live at “Newton, Walls”. eh?)

So, being me, I had to make some plans.  I opened up the wee shed and showed it to Haakon so he knows he has shelter, if he wants it.  I am loathe to rug him up as he then goes on strike and never moves again, standing there like a wet weekend looking miserably at me.  So no rugs.  Haakon has a shed.

I called his field-mates over (I see you Klængur rubbing your arse on my fence.)

Klængur came through to the paddock and Haakon told him that possession was nine tenths of the law.

I am not that concerned. Even the side of the shed offers effective shelter.

And this left Iacs standing there.  Going around a gate is obviously a tricky manoever so I went over with my headcollar to walk him round.

And Haakon patiently explained The Rules. His Rules.

“Entry by invitation only”, I heard being said. I left them to sort it out between themselves.

Then I went and evicted Lambie from the stable. Nom, nom, nom.

Next up was to move the Minions to Clothie – a 5 acre ungrazed-all-summer field with a stream that runs through the middle and many old (roofless) outbuildings/crofthouse, so plenty of high walls of shelter with old high-fibre food.

OH and I took three ponies each and led them over the scattald (open hill) to their new field.  And with that, they vanished, possibly never to be seen again!

Bring on the flying buckets. We will do our best.