It’s been vicious all day – a constant gale. Floss and I felt battered and sand blasted while we dished out food, haynets, carted water, etc.

I took the girls a mid-morning snack of a grassibix to see if they wanted to have a casual munch.  As you can see from their noses, that lick bucket has also had heavy use.

You can’t see Vitamin’s nose as well, but she is all sugary and crunchy too!

It was no weather to walk dogs in.  We had had enough of being blown sideways so Floss and I entertained Ted and Pepper in the shed by throwing tennis balls for them.

As they are rubbish retrievers, the pair of them, we decided to see if Pepper loved “the Evil Pole” which was previously beloved of BeAnne. She had spent many hours running after it.  We found this out when the trotting pole was dragged along to be placed back on the wall and BeAnne chased it all the way.

So what you do is hold the pole at one end with the other on the ground while spinning round and round.  Pepper thought this was the Best Game Ever.

Ted feigned some interest too.

But really it was Pepper who ran in large circles trying to kill it.  We found this was the best way to tire out a small unexhaustable terrier.

Some more ball throwing for Ted who ran and ran straight past, but enthusiastically.

So that was the dogs walked!

And then back to the endless rounds of feeding.

Just after this photo, I found Monster licking Pepper’s head clean.  I shouldn’t have to see that!

Firstly an update on Vitamin. She is eating enthusiastically a new green sludge (grassibix) as well as soaked sugar beet.  They get this twice a day in huge quantities.  Floss and I are lugging buckets to their field and the old ladies trot after us. They also have very brown muzzles too from the lick bucket which is going down fast!

As it is blowing a gale (gusting Force 10) all today and tomorrow, I have postponed the vet visit as I didn’t consider it safe to drive the girls or to try and have teeth rasped standing in a lay-by on the road. We will go on Thursday morning first thing, when there is a lull.

Meanwhile, the Minions are lost. They miss their old ladies hugely.  They don’t know what to do with themselves.

They all followed me down to their new opened-up paddock that I had been saving but refused to eat there following me back to the gate again.

The water buckets were dry, so Floss had filled them both up and the ponies were evidently  thirsty.

So I immediately felt very guilty.

If the ladies had been there, they would’ve taken everyone to the loch, that has lovely fresh water.  It is  not rocket science. They know their field very well.

We have obviously taken away the brains of the herd.

So we returned this afternoon with more water just in case the buckets had been drunk dry. They hadn’t but it was good to know there is more if they want it.

I took the horsevan to Leradale to give it a run and to see if we needed it for Vitamin and Fivla.  I have been sucking my teeth about Vitamin for a few days.

After Vitamin’s half-arsed attempt at her bucket, I made the decision to bring her home, with Fivla for company.

When we arrived home, we put them in the stable and I tried Vitamin out on “green sludge” (fibre block by any other name).

She quite liked it and even ate some mouthfuls.

After making sure the ladies had everything they could both possibly need, I drove to Lerwick to get more hay and visited the feed merchant to get a lick bucket and some sugar beet.  Then home not even stopping for chips!

It became very clear very quickly that both ponies did not want to be kept inside so we walked them slowly over to Clothie.

Ok, there is no grass but we can keep a better eye on them and feed little and often if we can find whatever it is Vitamin wants to or can eat.  She liked the lick bucket. Sugar, sugar, sugar.  I don’t care.

Delivered today were many blocks of grassibix – dried grass with linseed.  She liked that and I have put one onto soak to see if it is easier for her in that form.

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Tomorrow afternoon (in a howling gale) we are driving the ladies to our vet so that Vitamin can have her teeth rasped.  I think she has some sharp bits and it hurts her to eat.

I hope we can help her. I don’t want this to be the end.

Today’s lovely blue sky.

And last night we had a few smatterings of the Northern Lights or “Mirrie Dancers”, as they are known locally.  It was ruddy cold but I took a few snaps.

This is the view from my back door – Mount Doom, Mordor or Sullom Voe, as it is known in our house.

When I got in, freezing cold  (watching the Northern Lights is not a warm sport), I fed Monster as he was howling.  This is a poor starved cat with only the two chins!

I quickly gave in and food out.

Luckly Pepper is my Washing-Up Queen.

And Ted is her Consort.  He gets nothing (Pepper is thorough), so obviously fair is fair and he gets a treat.

I call this “The struggle is real”.

This afternoon, we played flute duets…..

…. with Lambie, who smelled faintly of pee which got more intense as he warmed up!

And this is my life.  You’re welcome.

This is for Daisy who asked me to show her photos of her horses as she is missing them hugely.

So here you are – your horses.  Enjoy.

And then lastly there is Bumble, Bumblebee, Bubble, Bobble, Bin Least, Bin Key or Is She, Is So – according to auto-correct on my phone when I type in Bimble or Iacs.  He is now officially known as Bobble!

Poor Daisy has Covid too.

If she were here, she would be living with Lambie in his spare shed (the one with wifi).  We are here for her.  She knows this.  Will send chocolate!

Hugs, sweetie and love from us all. xxx ❤️