Every morning, when OH takes the dogs out for a walk, I have the house to myself and I play the piano.  I have played since I was very young (4) and it is my relaxation, when I switch off. Mostly I sight read because that is what I like doing most (and I have the brain of a hen so I never remember if I have played it before or not!)

And then Monster arrived.

And it instantly became very difficult to play properly.

There was also the accompanying very noisy protest.  Some might say “singing”. I wouldn’t. He howled for attention.

And I can’t really play the piano when someone is glaring at me.

From every angle!

So I told Monster to go busy himself with something else and he clambered onto the top of the piano.

I will admit that Monster looks very pretty with the flower arrangement and I’ve had some fun putting filters on the photos to see if it made the White Panther look more picturesque.

Ok, he has a certain charm.

Until he came back to glare at me some more. I gave up and made myself a cup of coffee and then the dogs rushed back in covered in mud and the house went back to normal!

A beautiful sunrise this morning (07.42 to be precise).  I was up and at ’em.

The little boys seem a lot happier. They are “back to normal”, well, what is normal for them.  I am relieved and will resign myself that they must stay in longer, at least until the farrier comes at the beginning of next month.

Obsessed with feet now, I decided to pick out and clean everyone’s hooves. It is not something I do regularly.

And then I went back and cut everyone’s tails too.  The Icelandics’ were very long and I hadn’t noticed. Poor Klængur got the equivalent of “a pudding bowl cut” from his mother.  It is a bit short but it will grow out (she now types hopefully!)

When I picked out Iacs’ hooves, a slug fell out. I think I removed his brain then.

The boys were “helpful” and everyone was done quickly and without the need of a headcollar.

Poor Bibble. I hope he’s not lonely without his slug-friend.

Yesterday afternoon, I put Albie and Storm back into the field to rejoin their friends.

I had watched them in the school and Albie was trotting about, moving nicely and freely.  Storm was lame on one front leg, which I attributed to a possible shoulder injury from Waffle hooning about previously.

This morning, however, was a different matter. Both ponies were very sore and pottery so I immediately put them back inside.

I was not popular with anyone and Albie and Storm looked at me miserably but, as they’ve spent most of the day lying down, I think I made the right decision.

Both ponies both need their feet trimmed (which should, I think, help hugely) but, as the farrier is not due until next month, I think this is where Albie and Storm will have to live for the time-being.

Sorry boys but it is for your own good.  I feel very sad. This is a set-back for both of them but hopefully I have made the right decision. It is so difficult to know what to do for the best but I think keeping them inside is the only way forward at the moment.

The others (except Newt) were all very pleased to see them, too.

He was too busy asking for carrots!

A lovely, if fresh, morning.

I decided to take down the electric fence that divided the field. It served no purpose anymore.

The chaps were busy but Newt spotted me and walked over to see what I was doing.

He likes to “help”.

“Just the say the word”, he said so I did – Go away, please and touch nothing.

Note Waffle wandering over, in the background.

I got on with the task of undoing all the electric fence wire from the posts, rolling it up onto a very useful spindle thing and then pulling up the posts, putting them into groups of five to collect afterwards with my wheelbarrow.

“And thank you Waffle”, I shouted after him!  That was definitely Waffle. I saw him.

Now the ponies will have access to fresh water where there is a small stream.  And, yes, I will still go on lugging buckets for them in case they never learn!

Anywho, I managed to get my wheelbarrow, now full of fence posts (bagged) and the wire, through the gate without letting anyone escape.

They all wanted out.  They had spent last night in their huge field with the little shed, that I am saving, as the weather was so vile.

I don’t know why they grumble so much in this field. It is not that bad.  It was like herding cats trying to get them all back in this morning!

They all, to a horse or pony, want to go down to this field which has not been touched for months and is full of grass.  No chance. I am saving that for later when winter is at it’s worst and we will need it.

I think I will sleep well tonight.

We’re only at the beginning of November and the weather is now officially vile.

I was on dog-walking duty today so we went out fairly early trying to catch a brief weather-window.

I was full of good intentions to give the dogs a good walk but failed when I realised that I was mostly walking myself. The dogs had gone home!

Even the sheep were in bed.

There is weather and then there is WEATHER!  They’re not stupid – except for Lambie who is not the brightest star in our firmament.  But at least he had the sense to go inside.

The ponies were looking for shelter so I moved them into the big field, which has the wee shed and lots of dry stone walls. They all rushed off and I hope Vitamin and Fivla remember the shed is open when the skies open later on (4.5mm in an hour forecast).

Fed up with the weather (you can see a theme here), I went into my shed this afternoon and made these two little chaps to go with their Mum.  If anyone wants sheep for Christmas, let me know. I am happy to make you one, two, three,….. many….. I have a variety of natural Shetland wool colours.  Email me for prices.

Finished, I went inside and, well, I have nothing more to say!