I have always been fascinated by the art of felting and wanted to have a go at it myself.  Some lovely friends listened and sent me kit(s) for Christmas along with all the necessary so I could have a shot at it.

So, armed with everything required plus BeAnne, I drove over to a friend who knows all about this sort of thing.  She is very arty and crafty.  I am not.  All geared up, my friend got me started.  I learn much better seeing things being done in real life, rather than through films, books or lectures.  I had my own private tutor.

BeAnne was with me too as her New Year’s resolution is to widen her horizens and to travel more.  She settled quickly, which meant I didn’t have to worry about her.

I did attempt to read the instructions that came with the equipment.  They were excellent and informative, if strange.

And off I went.  I was trying to make a whale from the Whale Kit.

I quickly gave up on the whale idea and started making some legs instead.

Yup, I drew blood.  It was inevitable.

Can you guess what I wanted to make, or who?

I made sure I went outside regularly to stretch my legs and my back as I am still suffering.

And this is my finished creation.

I must admit I am feeling well chuffed with myself.  I think I have found what I want to make in my studio. I really enjoyed myself.  I had an excellent teacher and learned what to do and what not to do.

The future is a large flock.

A boring non-animal day today.  OH and I went to Lerwick with the van to collect building supplies for my studio.

A good few hours were spent measuring, cutting up and loading insulated plasterboard.

There were neat piles of the stuff in a huge builder’s yard shed and the pile we chose from was the damaged stock being sold for less than a quarter of the normal price.  A bargain not to be missed.  So we measured, cut and lugged many sheets of the damned stuff, going through a huge pile trying to find the best and least damaged sheets.

After that trial, on to the electric department for cabling and bits.

Lerwick was deserted – most shops still being shut for the Christmas, New Year, and possibly going into next Easter, holidays.

My back is agony now.  I got home, took some painkillers, clipped BeAnne onto her lead and took her for a walk along the road to try and exercise my agony away. I did not succeed.  I have my acupressure mat to lie on after supper.  That usually helps.

I tell myself it is all good moving onwards and upwards with the studio build.

It was a perfect morning so I took BeAnne for a walk on our local sandy beach with the sole purpose to be introduced to a lovely black Sprocker (springer x cocker spaniel) girl who belongs to a friend.

Of course the dogs totally ignored each other while us, the owners, walked up and down the lovely deserted Shetland beach having a good chat.

I like to try and encourage BeAnne to meet and make friends with new dogs.

The beach was lovely – cold, dark and in it’s winter mood.

We had the place to ourselves.  We didn’t see a soul which is always good – perhaps I am turning into BeAnne or she has turned into me.

All was going smoothly until it was time to go home.  I offered my friend and her dog a lift home so they got into my car and then I looked around for BeAnne.  She had vanished until I spotted a Sit-Down-Strike going on a few yards away.  I sighed and went to chivvy Her Maj into the car as she wasn’t going to budge.

We drove back to my friend’s house and was rewarded with a lovely cup of coffee.  BeAnne and her new friend quickly settled down together which was lovely to see.

The cat also introduced herself.  So it has been a day of new friends for Her Maj, which is good because I think, like me, she has become very insular in her old age.

It was a dark and stormy night – no, it actually was.  We had fierce winds with massive short sharp rain showers, like someone throwing a bucket of water out of the sky.  This morning the wind was beginning to die down and I went out to feed the sheep while it briefly hailed.

Storm damage from last night was fairly small – one garden gate ripped off its hinges and a stable door had blown open so I reckon we got off relatively unscathed.

Even though we are past the longest night, good daylight is a rarity these days.  Having had a fit of cleaning the kitchen (New Year, new resolution), I drove over to check everyone at Leradale.

Yes, I brought vegetables.

You may possibly be able to tell.

The little ones were, of course, not moving much and it worries me that they just stay in one place despite having a massive field to live in.

So I loudly waved my bag of veg and they all followed me across the burn and towards the better grazing.

Waffle and Storm never left my side, or my pockets. Faithful followers.

Even Vitamin and Fivla appeared without me having to drag them over.

Having reached some nice pasture, the herd left me to my bracing New Year’s Day walk – New Year, another resolution.

I went onwards, turning back occasionally to check they were all still where I’d left them.

Having done the circuit, it was home to clean my tack – yup, another New Year’s resolution.

Today I am feeling very virtuous, positively saintly.

It’s been a tough 2018.  I will admit that.

We said goodbye to many beloved members of the family.  Too many.  It was awful.

Obviously Delia was on borrowed time and her demise was sad but inevitable.

But the loss of Wu and then, in the blink of an eye, Loki, was tragic and both deaths were very unexpected and shocking.

As a family, I think we all felt very robbed as suddenly a gaping hole in our family appeared.  We were not prepared.

We did our best, but failed dismally with Little Cattie, the calico cat that was given to us.  She took one look at our family and left.  So that was that.  For those that mightnot know, Little Cattie subsequently turned up again safe and well with her previous owner where she will now remain.

So Daisy and I went on the boat south and found, or were we found (?), by Monster who said we would do and made himself at home straight away.

He managed to settle in very quickly.

and has never looked back.

So, life goes on.

The animals we lost were loved and we did our best.  At the time, I always wondered if we could have done more, but in my heart I know we did all we could for them.  They were loved.

So here’s to 2019 and the future.  A huge thank you to everyone who reads my mumblings and for your wonderful support too.  It is hugely appreciated and I ❤️ you.

May your fridge door always be open and all the food fall out, as Monster would say.

An Addendum

Puzzah, I forgot Puzzah.  He was not with us for long but he was family in a sort of Mafia-esque way.