Last night, Tiddles refused to be caught and said he wanted to stay outside with his pals.

So, I consulted the weather runes to find it was going to be a calm and relatively warm night.  I said ok, he could stay outside, thinking it would be good for him to start to reacclimatize anyway.

Of course, I didn’t sleep a wink worrying that Tiddles was now colicking and probably dead because he had been outside for a whole night.  But this is what I found in the morning – one miserable Tiddles who rather regretted his choice.

Newt tried to brighten his spirits by being very annoying and bitey.

But I could tell that Tiddles was fed up.  He had probably been hassled all night by Newt and, crime of crimes, had to share his own private haynet which he is not used to.  He remembered that he likes his little stall and home comforts.

Albie told tales on everyone and I believed him.

So, this afternoon, I opened the gate, and Tiddles without being asked trotted, yes trotted, into the big shed and straight into his bedroom, no questions, no arguments. I could almost hear him say “home, sweet home” as he tucked into his bucket and then onto his own private haynet that he didn’t have to share with anyone, ever.

Breakfast and then I opened the gate and asked the Icelandic horses to come up to the yard.

Which, surprisingly, they did!

Monika from Sandness Equine Services arrived with her weighing scales and Pepper duly helped her set it up.

Apparently, there is a very fine line between helping and getting in the way!

Meanwhile, Iacs made friends with the hay bale.

Best friends, apparently.

While Kolka and Haakon mooched around visiting the incarcerated little ones.

Interestingly, Vitamin was very impressed with Kolka.  Old ladies together.  They know things.

Meanwhile Iacs moved in with his hay bale.  I think they are in a committed relationship now.

We weighed everyone including the Icelandics.  Haakon was the worst prat of them all, snorting and refusing to walk near the scales.  At least he didn’t resort to rearing which used to be his go-to when things were new and different.  Eventually, he stood on the scales after I showed him what was required many times.

Today’s results.

The Minions are slowly losing weight – almost nothing so there must be grass in them there hills, while Fivla and Vitamin remain stable.  They will all remain on their regimen as the spring grass is making an appearance.

The Icelandics have all lost weight, which is possibly a good thing as they were all *** cough *** fat before.  I don’t want Iacs to lose any more, though.  I moved them back to Clothie as there is better grazing there.

So, I am glad to know where we stand and where we’ve got to. Knowledge is power.  I just wish the MInions had lost a bit more weight.  Albie was our Star Slimmer.  Huzzah to Albie.

This is our first daffodil flower that has come out despite the awful weather doing its very best to flatten everything yesterday.  My heart lifted when I saw it whilst lugging three buckets for the horses.

There are other signs of spring too around so hopefully we are on our way out of winter soon.

It’s been a long haul but the lighter mornings and evenings help hugely with my mood.  Who knows, one day we might see some sunshine.

Haakon had a bit of a sit and a sleep this morning.  I think the bad weather takes a lot out of them.

The old ladies were glad to be outside too.  By their request, they had been indoors for much longer than usual yesterday, fed up with the constant wind and rain.

I poo-picked the field, which I had’t managed to get to before, and saw Newt was around.

Still resembling a woolly mammoth then.  He is very cute but terrifically evil these days, backing into his container companions and kicking them when I put the food out.  We have had words.

The weather has been beyond horrible today.  I have no words because I have no dry clothes, and have been battered, with bits of feed-shed door frame falling on my head.  Everything revved up after breakfast so at least we managed to get sheep, ponies and horses fed and out, for a little bit.

I asked the sheep if they wanted to go out into a field and they did for an hour or so.  As the weather was deteriorating, I opened the gate and they all rushed back into their shed, where I had put out some haynets.

I was feeling very frazzled by now.  Battling with the elements takes it out of you.

So I found a dry feed-sack, put it on the bedding and sat down to gather my thoughts and get my breath back.

Little Maggie was very keen for me to talk to her so, as it was non-optional, we had a long chat.

Lambie, of course, refused to acknowledge my presence.

Lucky I have Maggie then.  She refused to leave my side.

And Madge almost, so very almost came to say hello.  But she didn’t because that would’ve been a step too far in her book.

A grotty day.   Windy and then the rain arrived.  We are all wet and miserable now.  Meh!

My morning started feeding everyone. It hadn’t started raining yet and I was sitting on the step when I took this photo waiting for Kolka to come around the corner on the hunt for Iacs’ bucket.

She duly appeared and, as he had already finished his breakfast, I let her clean the bucket.

Iacs was not impressed by this arrangement but ,as Haakon had arrived late to his bucket (mucking around trying to get me to bring it down to him – no chance, you have four perfectly good legs), he wasn’t as fast at finishing his food.

I stood between everyone and Haakon protecting him from the circling vultures – Pepper doesn’t count as she is just on clearing up duty.

Then a quick breakfast for myself and I drove off to Turriefield to do some planting.  Lettuces today.  Bloomin’ small fiddly seeds.

Once planted, we took them down to the polytunnels and I thinned out the coriander and dill.  I know this because they tasted delicious!

Home, lunch and then into my shed (trying to avoid eye contact with any ponies – ok, it is raining and very windy (F10) but it is warm so stay outside, please) – and I made another sheep to add to my collection to eventually go to town.

I am now back in from putting the ponies inside, feeding, etc.  Soaking wet too.  Double meh!