Live and learn – that’s my motto.

And I learned that this doll is a Boudoir Doll. I think she belonged to my Great-Great Aunt Kate (the one whose diaries I transcribe in my spare time).

I found her curled up in a box in a cupboard when I was clearing out my mother’s house and I vaguely remember the doll from my childhood, though she looked less moth-eaten in those days.

So I brought her home to Shetland and put her on my chaise longue in my studio and wondered what to do about her.  She was in desperate need of a good clean and some tlc.

I searched about the internet and found a lady who restored cloth dolls but she had retired. She recommended another lady.  So, after a phone call, I packed up the boudoir doll and posted her off.

Not long later, my box arrived back in the post and my doll had come home.  She looks so much better now – hair washed, new shoes, dress washed and she even has a beauty mark that was hidden with the grotty hair. She also had a beautiful pair of drawers made for her!

There is not much history that I know of to this doll. She is wearing Regency fashion (1811-1820) but is not as old as that. I think Aunt Kate must’ve made her as there is no maker’s mark but the restorer lady said she was well-made.

Now for a name?  I quite like Beatrice or maybe even Aunt Kate.

The Queen of Sheep, aka Flossie, is leaving tomorrow.

There is one who will miss her very much.

And possibly others too.

Luckily for Lambie I am staying home, apart from dropping Floss off at the airport tomorrow afternoon.  I might even go and look for puffins afterwards. We’ll see.

Anyway, I know I will sorely miss my Flossie.

But apparently I can’t keep her home forever.  Who knew?

Meanwhile, ‘Bert has not been well. It is a foot thing so he sits down a lot while we try and sort it all out.

And Harrel-the-Barrel-who-is-now-bigger-than-his-Mum-Maggie does not help.

We had words about this.  Note the face of one who has been told off – ie Harrel.

Anyway, back to Flossie, Queen of Sheep – she has worked hard and been very busy and I can’t thank her enough for holding the fort.

Wish her luck and we send all our love too as she embarks (again, but this time après Covid) off south to live her life.

Edna says she will miss her too (but she’d gone back to bed).

Well, a whole morning on the phone and we finally have some semblance of internet back.  Woohoo! (I feel drained).

Anywho, here are some photos of the old men who were blagging food from any passer by!

Aged 28 and 26, these two still argue, which makes me smile!

I love these two guys so much.

Very alike – cousins (you can tell). And can you see Klængur in the background?

I was followed to the gate.

And Klængur noticed that he was on his own and possibly Haakon and Iacs were being fed chocolate cake.

And there we are ….. Klængur is the boss of everyone these days.

(there was no chocolate cake)

Our internet is such shite that I can’t upload photos, or tell you my story about my day because  there are not actually enough hours in the day to do this. We are all struggling with this and tempers are frayed.

Thank you Plusnet and I really hope you read this because you are shite and if I had a choice, I wouldn’t choose you!

So, to everyone who cares, I am very sorry.  Today the sheep were wonderful, Dreki was a good boy and I have started pulling ragwort which is, again, a cash crop.

Photos aren’t possible because our internet is shite.  Did I mention #Plusnet is shite in the guise of BT?

Giving up and going to my shed to make more sheeple.

Not feeling the love for #Plusnet or #BT because as they are one and the same, their internet is shite.

But Pepper is a good girl and she is now my offishul RagwortenHund.