What a lovely wonderful Proud Family day we have had.

Getting ready

At the McEwan Hall after a Reception. Daisy received her Dissertation Prize.

And yet again (we did this first at St Andrews), the Graduates get hit on the head with a piece of John Knox’s breeches.  Interestingly enough, both Universities claim ownership of the original pair.

Sorry, I’m on my iPad and I can’t figure out how to rotate these photos.

The Hall was beautiful. We took our seats up “in the Gods”  with a superb view of everyone. The pomp and ceremony was excellent.

Filling up with proud Mum tears, I even managed to totally embarrass Daisy with my very loud enthusiastic whistle (a two fingers in the mouth, taxi hailing whistle) with added whooping as well, when she went up to be hit on the head.

So that’s that. Well done Daisy Taylor BSc. Hons. MSc. Dist.

We are all very proud of you. ❤️ 🏆🍾🐴👏🏻

We had the “trip from Hell”. The boat bounced (ugh!) it’s way to Aberdeen and then we took the train to Edinburgh. Well, that was the plan. Due to a sinkhole opening up at Leuchars, we took the scenic route with three trains (via Dundee and Stirling) to Waverley Station.

Edinburgh is looking wonderful, all beautifully lit up for Christmas.

That was last night. Today, we hit the shops. It rained all day but we managed to go into every shop. There is probably nothing left in Edinburgh now and I shall be making sheep until the day I die.

Merry Go Round

The Christmas market was excellent and I am now exhausted.

So here we are, Flossie and I, on the MV Hjaltland (ferry from Lerwick to Aberdeen) going south to Edinburgh for Daisy’s graduation.

We left OH in charge with BeAnne supervising and yes, I did write a list of specific feeding instructions for everyone which I then emailed to OH so he knows all that is required.

It has been a filthy day so I moved everyone to better fields and am hoping they are still alive upon our return on Friday morning.

Haakon and Iacs were moved to an uneaten down paddock with the gate open into the hill field.

There is a lovely useful shed and Haakon promptly took up residence refusing to ever let Iacs inside.

He is such a meanie and I told him so, but Iacs is happy enough as there is grass.

The Boyzenberries are on strict instructions not to leave to go and live in the hill. To be perfectly honest, I am not hopeful on this score but they are fat so if they go, they go and I’ll fetch them back upon my return.

So that’s us. Ready to hit Edinburgh and maybe the odd shop. Apparently there is a Christmas Market.

It was a lovely calm day so this morning I went out for a ride on Klængur with my new riding companion on his Icelandic mare.  Speed seemed to be our “mot du jour” and so we clattered, Icelandic-horse-stylee, up and down the road like demons.  So that was the cobwebs blown away.  Well and truly.

By the way, that’s not sweat – that’s rain from the night before and I do think Klængur might have slimmed down a bit.

While we were out, a-clattering, I had a delivery from Shetland Organic Pony Treats.

Seeing an advert on Facebook, I had purchased three packets of Pony Treats to share between everyone.

Ingredients: 100% Organic – Carrot, Apple, Oats, Molasses, Flour, Vegetable Oil

Made by Merran, who is 12 years old, these treats are beautifully packed, all the same size and best of all……

…. loved by everyone.

The old men, Haakon and Iacs, tried them first (for science, of course) and then proceded to follow me everywhere asking for more.  Apparently one treat is not enough.

Next stop, the Minions. I had started the eternal hoof rasping with Albie and Newt.  Both behaved admirably so yes the treats were dished out, and to the others as well.  I strongly believe in reward where reward is due.  Fair’s fair.

So I shall definitely be buying more treats for my chaps and chapesses. And yes, Lambie and ‘Ster thought they were very nice too. ‘Bert was busy being pale and interesting and had a gingernut instead so then Lambie and ‘Ster had to have a gingernut and we went on like that for a bit!  I feel like a School Dinner Lady at the moment.

Winter is always an odd one here. It starts getting dark at about 2pm and it is tempting to think “Well, that’s my day over”.  Taking any halfway decent photos in the afternoon is difficult too.  No light.

But everyone still needs to be checked whether it is daylight or not.  Heads and legs to be counted as well as noseys to be kissed.

The Minions are currently being usefully employed for their eating skills and are residing in a friend’s field, eating it down for her. This is what they do best.

It is a big field so everyone tends to split up.  Various factions.

They  immediately came over when I announced our arrival, plus with waved a bag of carrots.

Carrots are a huge incentive for conversation.

Floss was today’s School Carrot Monitor (is there a badge for this, like Milk Monitor?)

And afterwards, she went round to talk to each pony because that’s what she likes to do.

It is very important that everyone is said hello to.

(Typical Storm!)

Albie loves having his bum scratched.  He asked very politely.

No one was missed out – I may just have not managed to capture a photo.  The light was quickly disappearing and my camera focus kept dropping out.

Anyway, it was nice to say hello to my dear little Minions.

So that’s how you check on a Minion.  You have to go into the field, shovel a carrot in and kiss a nosey! Job done.