Today was a filthy day. The weather was unceasing and so it was a case of dressing for the weather, heads down and getting on with it.  The animals still needed to be fed and checked.

The sheep got a nice new bale of straw and a “floor hay” (gleannings off the floor) haynet in their bedroom, so they all to a sheep went outside and ignored my largesse.

I am trying to get back into the swing of things.  Having seen how few sheep are in my “field” in Lerwick, I spent the afternoon making a new little chap to add.

I am also trying to get back into the routine of transcribing my Great-Great-Aunt’s diaries. I do this for two hours every evening after supper.  I always wanted to reach the end before Mum died but sadly I didn’t manage it.  I have reached 1926 with only another 35 years to go! I will finish this project – it is just taking longer than I anticipated.  I hope someone does read it after all this effort.

My great uncle Philip with his dog, Brent, on Hampstead Heath – 1926

From this morning.

Pepper was around and about “helping” in her own way and I have no idea why Harrel, who is now second in line for a sainthood, doesn’t tell her to go away.  I think he quite likes her secretly.

‘Ster was also very patient with his new friend.  Here he is explaining The Rules.

And here she is ignoring them and explaining hers!

It was a lovely, if cold, morning.

And we fed all the outside animals before breakfast as the sun was rising.

As the van is now back working, Floss and I did a quick dash to town for supplies.

Up and down the Street. Note-to-self, make more sheeple.

And we admired the “Christmas” window displays.

Reward = the best fish and chips eaten sitting in the car park.

OH lugged the battery and fitted it into the horsevan. I reversed it round to the stables.

And we decided to move the little chaps (Tiddles, Storm and Newt) this afternoon as it was a grotty morning – far too windy and rainy.

Everyone was ready to go – Storm had packed his red spotty hanky and everyfink!

Packed like sardines (furry ones!), they all travelled well.

We had to walk through a green field to get them to their friends.  Floss led Storm and Albie, while I led Tiddles as he has form for losing his headcollar and dragging his owner off!  I told Floss to drop Albie if she had to – he is the only one who can be easily caught of the three.  She didn’t have to and we led them down while the rest of the herd, except for Vitamin who will NOT walk through a bog, came down to greet them.  No one ate one blade of the green grass on the way. That was forbidden.

You can see Vitamin slowly making her way around the large bog she will never walk through.

They all galloped about in pure happiness.  There were a few moments when Floss and I wondered if they would ever stop as they rushed towards us, but luckily everyone went around.

I love how Vitamin arrived for a carrot and Fivla could not make up her mind which direction she should be facing. Whichever it was, she was wrong!

There was lots of huffing and puffing but so much smiling too. I am glad they are all together again.

If we can get the horsevan started (flat battery), then the three errant Minions will return to Leradale because Floss and I (plus Daisy from afar) think they look much better.

After checking on the ones at Leradale (Fivla, Vitamin, Silver, Newt and Waffle – all fine, thank you for asking), Floss and I put headcollars on the ones we have had stabled (Tiddles, Storm and Albie), to run them round the school. While I was away, Tiddles had a relapse so the other two were brought in to a) keep Tiddles company and b) slim down as well.

The little boys ran around bucking, farting and giggling, thus confirming that they could safely go back to the field.  There is no green grass there now. Just fibre.  Healthy fibre.

Albie was sweet and kept coming up to Flossie – mostly to ask her to sort out his over-large headcollar.

Storm was a free spirit. He had managed to slip his headcollar off his nose and refused to be caught ever again!

So that’s tomorrow job – van starting pending.

The dots on the horizon are Dreki, Efstur and Kappi. Taktur was miles away at the back. He turned up later.  I was calling the boys home so we could feed Taktur his breakfast and take off his rug as well.   When I yelled, three pairs of ears appeared on the horizon and then the chaps came bouncing over the hill, giggling as they went.

Floss had carrots in her coat pocket to make up for the fact that only Taktur was getting his Handsome Prince food.  This is our morning routine.  Taktur was wearing a rug because the weather forecast had threatened rain the night before and he loses weight very easily because he is just so incredibly good-looking.

I love watching them gallop over the hill towards us.  It is our wild horses moment.