Dear little Pepperpot was spayed on Tuesday and she has been such a good girl.  Ok, she still visits our very tolerant neighbours on an almost daily basis, but she is not nagging at her stitches (we have a t-shirt thing for the nights – just in case).

It was not the easiest of operations. Apparently it was “tight”, and her ovaries were a two-person dig but they were eventually found and removed.  My poor little girl.

When Pepper came home, she was in a bit of a state but I made a nice den for her to sleep in  – cushions on the sofa with a blanket over her – and she slept the anaesthetic off for many hours.  I am a huge believer that rest cures everything.

While Pepper was away at the vet, the house wasn’t the same and Ted missed her hugely. He had no one to tell him what to do so wandered about inventing things to bark about.  Probably leaves falling off trees in Surrey.  He has a vivid imagination.

Monster obviously was very concerned.  He just showed it in a different way and went to pray at the fridge.

Anyway, Pepper is now getting back on track.   No little Pepperpots for us. Ever. Despite her best efforts.

The little ones hate their small field. I don’t blame them it is not nearly big enough and it is quickly getting grottier and grottier by the minute.  Six in there last night and it was not a pretty sight this morning.

So my morning was spent putting up a long electric fence to split up a field with fairly grotty grass.  It is good in places.

I worked hard and looked up to see that all the ponies had helpfully drifted over to the bit I wanted them to be in.

Everyone except Waffle.  He didn’t want to go in. He knew.

But Storm did!

This will be the Minion field for a while now.

The grass is perfectly adequate.

And obviously Vitamin will have her daily bucket – I promise, Vitamin, you will. I could never forget – you wouldn’t let me!

But I couldn’t find the fence tester, dammit.

I think the flashing light on the energiser as well as a healthy respect should indicate that my fence is zapping along nicely.

A kind neighbour helped me (ie supplied a horsevan and drove backwards and forwards twice) to bring the rest of the Minions home.

Albie was thrilled to see his adopted “Muzzah”, Fivla.  It was lovely to see.

I gave Storm some painkillers and that helped hugely.

Tiddles had his earlier in the morning. Yes, you did. You know it.

Vitamin for a while thought I had forgotten about her.  This daily feeding routine is never allowed to stop in her book.

It was interesting watching the Minion herd all back together again.

They just hate being apart.

I’ve told them this is their only field for a while now so they had better make it last. I am determined to be strict.  So that will be me lasting a day then!  Waffle was very nifty on his feet as were Albie and Tiddles when I moved them over so hopefully I got there in time.  I am undecided as to whether to bring them in for the night as well as Storm, for a few days….. or put them back in the little field again.  Decisions, decisions.  I hate having no one to ask for advice.

The coughing has reduced significantly.  Phew.  As has the diarrhoea. Another phew, in more than one way.

They seem happier.

And, yes, it is a small area of grotty field, but it must be better than the stable.

I am poo-picking daily and they get soaked hay they can ignore and fresh water.

So the boys muddle about.  They pick on Albie. I said this was not on.

Not cricket.

Tiddles is the worst and I am disappointed. I’m not going to lie.

This afternoon I sat on the fish box and they all came up for a cuddle.

And I tried to explain that I was doing this for their own good.

So they all said, to a pony, that they did not believe me and I was just one nasty horrid owner of poor abused and possibly starved Shetland ponies.

Jog on, boys, jog on!

Ok, it is lovely outside, if midgey but who cares, there is blue sky and that has been a bit of a luxury this summer.

But…. and it is a big butt, believe me.  Today was one of those if-it-can-go-wrong-it-jolly-well-will days, so it did.

#1.  My horsevan died again and will only start with a good hill-start run at it.

#2.  The glass on my iPad broke – yes, I dropped it and it was not as robust about bouncing as it usually is.  Bugger.

#3.  Both dogs had to be bathed as they went a-digging of the pesky rabbitses (accompanied by my OH who showed them where to dig.)  So he had to wash them!

#4.  I am sure other things went wrong but I can’t remember them to list.

#5.  This is a bucket after Storm has been at it with his sun-cream nosey.

Oh yes….

#6. Tiddles has now developed a nasty persistent dry cough despite all hay being soaked.

#7. Albie has rampant diarrhoea.

So I have put the little chaps outside for an hour to see if that will help.  Their gait is better so I hope the minimal grass in this paddock doesn’t start everything off.

The van has gone to the garage. The starter motor will be replaced (again) but not at my expense as it was only 2 weeks old (a sort of yay as in I am glad they found the fault and it is not my fault!)

My iPad is going off to be repaired.  I refuse to throw it away.  There is no need.

So that’s me. Feeling rather pissed off.  Still, the dogs look good after their bath and hopefully everything can be mended.