I am feeling a bit sore now so spent the day doing easy things.

On my to-do list was “wash the Wensleydale locks” I had recently bought from Home Farm Wensleydales.  I adore their wool. It is wonderful to work with and what makes my curly-wurly sheep extra curly-wurly!

I am new to this fleece-washing but I remembered what to do by reading my blog again – the one called Washing Lambie’s Fleece when I received expert instruction.  I was rather thankful I had written everything down for posterity as I couldn’t remember how many “elephants” of Fairy Liquid were required (five, so you know).

As I was washing a much smaller amount, ie not a whole fleece, I decided to work in the kitchen.

I had most of the kit here anyway and wouldn’t have to lug it over to the stable, where I worked last time.

The Rayburn was very useful for boiling huge quantities of water.  Soup on the right = lunch.

I worked diligently away.  Washing, then rinsing….

More rinsing….

And the final rinse, hoping no one mistook them for noodles!

Then I lay the washed locks on a towel to drip dry.

Once there was no more dripping, I moved them to a rack on the top of the warm Rayburn next to our lunch.

After lunch, I spread the fleece on a bigger rack where they are looking very good and drying nicely.

This afternoon, I spent hours trying to make this video “work”.

Hopefully I will sleep tonight and ache less tomorrow.

Today’s unguent of extreme usefulness is Arnica Cream for Bruises.

And why do we need Arnica Cream, I hear you ask?

Because a certain small Icelandic filly foal and her big sister went adventuring and ended up over a fence in someone else’s field. Oh, the shame.

Early this morning, I heard horsey shouting but when I peered out of the window only saw Efstur trying to play with Haakon and thought it was them. I now realise it was probably Hetja calling to her baby, Sóley.  Later on in the morning, when Daisy and I went to catch them for Mr Headcollar training, we quickly saw Hetja in the field while her two daughters were the other side of the fence. *** sigh  ***

We caught Lilja and tried to find a gate to get them out through but it was no good, we ended up phoning (yes, there is a signal in the hill) OH and asked him to bring his wire cutters.  We were perched on a cliff/small ledge/bank bit of the stream as that was the only bit of fence we could cut in half.  With Daisy holding Hetja, Sóley was quickly lured through.  Lilja was a different problem as she would not go under the top wire so we had to cut that too (curses, such curses) and I dragged her through to the other side.

But Daisy and I were caught in the cross-fire – Daisy’s hand and arm were crushed when Hetja was panicking she would never see her darling daughter(s) again and I got it on my leg when Lilja rushed past having got through the fence.

The ladies all reunited, OH then patched up the fence while we limped home and went to look for the Arnica Cream.  Nothing broken, just bruising.

Bloody horses.  I am keeping goldfish next.  They can’t be such hard work, can they?

And yes, they have been asleep ever since.  Funny that!

And someone was very thirsty too.

(I went out later to take photos and look cross (if relieved) at them!)

To the dentist this morning – has it only been six months since the last torture session?  Of course I went in praying the intensive flossing and cleaning that I did this morning would not show me up as the lazy so-and-so I am about my teeth and their care.  The best thing about today is I know it will be the longest time I will have until the next scheduled dentist visit.

Afterwards, we popped down to the street to do our messages.

I am still busy making my sheeple – one a day every evening while listening to an audiobook or radio play with BeAnne fast asleep at my side in her bed.

I filled up the sheeple field in the shop.  It is a constant challenge as folk insist on buying them!

Once we had achieved all we had set out to do – we take a list – we drove home to find BeAnne waiting outside my shed but so pleased to see us.  OH had been around at home but she had refused to come indoors, even for her supper. Luckily it was a lovely warm day as I hate the thought of her sitting out for hours in the pouring rain….. waiting.

And taking her to town is more trouble than it’s worth. BeAnne hates the car and travelling so we don’t anymore.

Guess who came over to Thordale today?

It may be the “chocolate tipped” ears that give her away.

Or her beautiful eyes.  Yup, Esja who left us to go to her new owner just over four years ago.

Daisy was helping Esja and her owner, Lauren.

While Daisy, Lauren and Esja all worked hard, BeAnne worked the room, like she does.

Alex had come along to watch and so BeAnne quickly made her into her slave.  Those belly rubs don’t do themselves, you know.

BeAnne is a professional at making the world work for her.  How can anyone resist the wee face from the wee dug!  My heart melts.

It was lovely to see Esja again after all these years.

And I think we can safely say that Esja is loved which is perfect.

We have a new training regime.  Floss and I catch Lilja and Hetja while little Sóley follows us all into the stable.

This is our daily training.  I want to introduce Sóley to the headcollar and eventually walking into the van for her food, ie loading nicely and without panicking.   At present, that is a long way off.

So we are taking little steps.  First Sóley has to walk into the stable – apparently a big deal and took two days to achieve.

Then Daisy and I put on “Mr Headcollar” who is a huge issue but Hetja, her mum, was not interested in this discussion so Sóley has nowhere to go and had to get on with it.  Each day we  is easier than the last.

Then Daisy prepares the reward  – Mare and Youngstock Mix – a handful.

Obviously Hetja is a professional eater.

And she will teach Sóley how to eat hard food.

Sóley is interested but not very clued up.  I doubt it will take long, though.

Hetja wastes no time.

And Sóley prefers to lick the gate!

But we kept offering her the food and she will watch Hetja and one day get the idea.

Sniffing is not eating.  So you know.

Lilja is always in a separate stable area and has her own bowl of food.  She is impatient and wants to go back out.

Once all the food is eaten (mostly by Hetja), we take off Sóley’s headcollar.

Someone catches Lilja – it is never difficult – she would put on her own headcollar if she could.

As would Hetja if there is food involved – I think this is from the female genetic line then.

And then we lead them all back out into their field.

Dish out a carrot so little one learns no one gallops off at the gate.

We teach the little things first, so hopefully the big things will be an easy transition.