My mixed herd of one Icelandic horse filly yearling, Lilja, and most of the Shetland pony Minions, plus Fivla and Vitamin, are very happy and settled.

But two are missing.  Waffle and Storm have been living in another field for nearly a week now. They miss their friends very much.  I can see that during my daily visits.  However, these two are becoming more and more rotund, which is not good.  Storm looks like a Percheron and Waffle is a pig on sticks.

So with promises of better behaviour, Floss and I led the boys back to be with their friends again.

This time Waffle was nicer to Lilja.

He had stopped his irritating “I am a stallion, I am” behaviour and Lilja had learned to mouth like a foal again, which was interesting to see.

Lilja wanted to be friends with Waffle – she was interested in meeting him and every time he came up or she went over, she was the submissive one.  This was a good plan.

And because she did this, Waffle totally backed off.

Of course Tiddles was thrilled to see his bestie, Storm, again.

There was lots of catching up to do.

The herd took up mutual grooming too.

Lilja tries so hard to fit in.  She really does.

Vitamin has a side-kick.  So cute.  They make a great team.

Newt – the very definition of divine. He is the cutest little chap.

So, there we are.  The herd is together.  The fighting, hopefully, has stopped.

Lilja is settled and happy.

It took a while, but it is done!

Peace at last – pretty please.

Little BeAnne has found her appetite – mostly due to me feeding her home-cooked roast chicken from a spoon (don’t judge me – I am desparate and perfectly aware of how low I have sunk but needs must).

However, I do have a secret weapon – The Monster!

He doesn’t take prisoners and is mostly used as my last resort.

He always appears for food!  It is a very important part of his life.

It seems Monster has settled in well to our Shetland life.

He likes to follow us everywhere, trying out new skills – like balancing on the fence.

Not being a small cat (other folk have small, petite, light-framed little felines – I don’t), Monster struggles with his tightrope act.

Whatever it takes really.  He swayed to and fro trying to regain his dignity and composure.

And eventually he heaved his large self back up onto the narrow fence.

I will admit that I was laughing.

Despite his every effort, Monster remains very visible.

He is a happy chap.

Today we were sent a large box of lovely things.  After unpacking, I gave Monster the box to see if he was a Box Cat.

He happily jumped in,  which made me smile as I like a Box Cat.

Today was the day that Taktur was taken over to live with the mares, Hetja and Brá.  They had come over to Thordale a few days ago.

No one was missing Taktur.  They had just come up to watch – this was a spectators’ sport.

Once in his new field, Taktur went off exploring.

He knew he was there for a reason.

And he could smell his Lady-Girls.

But they were not going to make it easy for him.

Some might think they were even hiding….

Or thinking of a cunning plan!

Suddenly Taktur remembered his purpose in life.

“I’m pretty sure there’s a lot more to life than being really, really, ridiculously good looking. And I plan on finding out what that is.“

We may have to rename Taktur now.  Derek springs to mind.

Anyway, Taktur did away with the formalities of an introduction.

He bounced about trying looking handsome.

If I am perfectly honest the girls were not very impressed.

I think, though, that Brá had her come-hither look for Taktur.  Hetja was having none of it.

I won’t lie to you and say everything is hunky dory.  Suffice it to say this is how we left them.

Everything is fine and peaceful until Taktur has “an idea” and rushes over to discuss it.

The girls kick the sh** out of Taktur, they all squeal a bit and then they go back to grazing.

If it all descends to anarchy tomorrow, we will take Taktur out and try again at a later date.  This is work-in-progress.

Meanwhile, “what is Daddy doing to Mummy?” is going on.  We moved them out of sight.

The weather is horrid and I am feeling absolutely exhausted.

I just can’t seem to stop feeling so weary.  My Tens machine is on 24/7 and I have no energy.

Today, I pushed myself to go on my usual walk.

The garden looks like it has been blasted with a flame-thrower.  In the last storm, the wind burnt everything.

It is very sad to see.  OH is very disappointed.

Maybe, when the sun comes back I will have more energy and enthusiasm. I feel like I have been run over by a steamroller.

Sorry for the whinge.  This time last week, I was “running” up and down hills and being a “Dance Mom” of the riding variety.  Maybe that’s why.

I miss Puzzah but, to be perfectly honest, I don’t think the others do.

Now the weather has turned (rain and wind), the Boyzensberries all decided to come up to be around the house where there is more shelter.

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There is also long grass around the house which really needs eating down.

My sheeple look very smart after their shearing.  We are all beginning to get accustomed to their new look.  It is always rather a shock.

Even Lambie is looking less pink mostly because he finds as much dirt as he can to lie in.  He will never be a clean white (and black) sheep.

(But he is stilll a Mummy’s Boy – always speshul and much hugged)

Guess who always wants their ration  of two Ginger Nut biccies?

I think sheep are very underrated as family.