The time had come – Dreki needed to be weaned from his mother, Brá.  His behaviour was disintegrating.  Far too much bouncing and everyone was bored of him.

We knew it might be tricky, so we took a secret weapon to act as a lure.

Iacs, aka Mr Bimble.  He of the Silly-Frilly forelock.

After an initial struggle, Mr Bimble worked his magic and Dreki walked into the horse van – mostly because all his carrots were being eaten by a professional.  Whatever it takes, you know.

A short drive and we were home.  Daisy and Flossie then went and caught Hjalti and Efstur.

Efstur and Dreki are half-brothers through their mother’s side.  Efstur is one year older and still a colt.

Hjalti and Dreki are also half-brothers but through the same father, Taktur.  Hjalti is a gelding and one year older than Efstur – 3 years old.

Efstur and Hjalti are not related.

As I write, it sounds like one of those tortuous school maths problem that used to leave me feeling sick.

You know the type – “if Efstur is one year older than Dreki but Dreki is two years younger than Hjalti and each two are related but no one is fully related to the same parent, how many beans make five…..”

After initial introductions, the chase was on.

The little boy behaviour began.

Dreki slid straight down to the bottom of the hierarchy heap.

They weren’t actually horrid to Dreki just persistent.

We opened the big gate and they all rushed out…..

And the sheep all rushed out!

The boys were last seen heading over the hill!

I have just phoned the vet for Dreki’s gelding.  it’s got to be done.  Mother?  What mother!

Btw, I have not forgotten about Lilja.  She remains work-in-progress. Hetja is doing the weaning, anyway.

As you may know BeAnne is very lonely on her own.  This is the first time in her life that she has been an “only child”.  In her head she has been planning this day, but the reality is not what she thought it would be.  She hates it.

I wrote a message to a friend who I know sometimes has or knows of kittens.  Up here, it is mostly word of mouth that gets things done.  She incredibly generously offered us one of her young cats.  A four year old calico cat who “who is a little timid but adores dogs ….. I would part with her if it would cheer up Beanne.”

Well it has and I can’t thank my friend enough for her incredible generosity.

Yes, the cat is a little timid and shouts all night but she simply adores Her Maj.

BeAnne is not sure about this new hero worship but the cat food treats/cat food that she can secretly steal has seriously cheered her up!

I have made a “safe room” for our new cat – that would be the bathroom – so at night she can have a peaceful quiet place.  I was concerned that she was not eating and who knows where she was peeing/poohing but last night, in the bathroom, she used her litter tray and ate two bowls of food.  Little cattie might not be as food-orientated as some we have known.

There is hiding but she comes out the minute she sees BeAnne and then spends lots of time wrapping herself around her new friend.

I regularly sit on the floor and they are both learning to be peaceful together around me.  The mewing has stopped today so there is hope tonight will be quieter.

We are not sure about names yet.

I am favouring either Daphne (as in Daphne du Maurier and not Scooby-Do as both my daughters thought) or Nusse (pronounced Nuss-a).

Flossie likes Nooka (Queen of the Nogs from Noggin the Nog).

A name will happen. They always do.

Now to stop little cattie leaving the house for the next two weeks.  That will be fun!

I am too tired to write much – I’ve just got in and am exhausted. I need a shower and bed.

Today was the annual Serrang Inhand Equestrian Show at our local Shetland Rural Centre.

I drove a few Shetland ponies in for Bergli Stud.

There were two show rings.

One for the big ones.

And one, inside, for the Shetland ponies.

All types of horses and ponies, including some Icelandic horses, were there.

I spent most of my day wandering around the place with my camera, snapping away and chatting to folk.

Our Esja was there with her owner.  I originally brought Esja over from Iceland a few years back.

Everyone worked very hard and did well.

Lots of interest.

Watching, taking it all in.

Talking.

A new face.

And the obligatory raffle.

Good behaviour all round.

But, best of all, big smiles!

For me, it was a very long day as I went on to a party afterwards.  Off to my bed now.

There was a brilliant fancy dress costume class at the end – to be continued……/

I looked out of my back door to see Newt was having a little bit of a sit in the Shetland so-called Spring sunshine. It is not warm, I can tell you.  Ice and frozen on the ground where the sun isn’t shining.

Not-so-little Albie was nearby happily hoovering the silage around his friend.

The Littlest Newt was sitting very comfortably in his own pile of dried silage.  It turns into a hay bedding.

ZZzzzz-ing and snoring to himself.

Newt looks like a small buffalo.

Very cute to look at.

But Newt is not very huggable.

He is rather an aloof little chap who looks delicious but is actually the scheming brains and boss of this odd couple.

Albie does everything Newt tells him.

Newt is still planning his world domination.

Hold that thought because there is silage to be finished first!

Our search to make BeAnne happy continues.

A friend came round for coffee this morning, bringing her two Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retrievers to play.  They came over last year for swimming – Blog Post and it had been a huge success.

As it was March and minus something outside, instead of swimming and retrieving ducks, the Tollers just retrieved BeAnne’s box of toys.

This lovely girl was spayed a few days back – hence the medical pet shirt (such a good idea, I think, and much nicer than those horrid lampshade collars).

I wont pretend that BeAnne was thrilled to see these dogs, let alone share her toys but a reaction, either positive or negative, is better than nothing.  BeAnne favoured her put-upon sulking routine!

The Tollers didn’t seem to care whether Mein Host was receptive or not.

We went outside for a little while.

BeAnne took her bally-ball just in case anyone nipped back to steal it.  She loves it because it is the only one in her extensive collection that still squeaks.

This is BeAnne’s look of pure no-one-should-even-think-about-my-bally-ball!

Isn’t it, BeAnne?  Yaysh!  Typical Her Maj.

Back indoors, where it was slightly warmer, the dogs began to relax a bit more.

Again, like yesterday, there was almost a moment of potential playing.

We went past the vet this afternoon and I picked up a brace of new squeaky bally-balls.  BeAnne took one to her bed.

The search continues.