This year, I have started a new regimen – to walk 1000 miles in one year – that is about 2.7 miles a day.

Today’s walk was at Leradale, walking Loki and BeAnne, as well as incorporating the usual headcollar dance with Dreki……

….. and Lilja (yes, still no joy but I determinedly keep at it).

Before I started my proper walk, I also had to feed Delia as well as being entertained by the starving!

Once fed, I put the headcollar on Vitamin and led her, with Delia’s now-empty bucket around the boggy part of the field on my dog walk.

Once I did my special “Minion” call, the others followed.

Up and up we all climbed.

Even Delia, who got a bit left behind but still determinedly came along.

(I wish I was counting it was altitude + miles = effort + calories!)

There was method in my madness.  Yesterday, I had put a new lick bucket at the top of the hill where there is more grass around.

Storm was the first to notice.

One bee-line was made.

Soon everyone realised why I had brought them to the top of the world.

Once I knew they were all happy, I got on with my 1000 mile walkies.

I had BeAnne and Loki as my companions.

It was very pretty.  The ice on the loch had created interesting patterns.

So we did that walk and then I did a bit more at home just to keep the miles topped up – a few in the bank really.

Who knows, this might also be good for me!

A little film from today…

On January 1st, Efstur from Thordale was officially two years old (though his real birthday is on the 21st June) but thems are the ways of some breed societies.

A friend was asking how Efstur was doing.

I replied that he is going through his fugly phase.  They all do.

There is an old breederʼs adage, “three days, three weeks, three months, three years.

Also, Efstur is not an easy horse to photograph.

Mostly because he is always “there”, ie at the end of my camera lens.

I don’t think you can really judge conformation (ie, the degree of correctness of a horse’s bone structure, musculature, and its body proportions in relation to each other) just by a close-up of a kissable nosey.

Efstur has put on weight, he is growing all the time but beginning to even out now.  Rugging and extra feed has helped and we will keep going with this throughout winter.

As for temperament, I really can’t fault him.  Efstur has matured so much and nothing is too much to ask.  He is easy, kind and very helpful!  Almost too helpful, if there is such a thing, but in a very kind way.  Never nasty.  I don’t think he would want to be horrid.  It is not his nature.

Everyone in the herd is his friend.

Of course, he has the best mentor.

I am feeling better today – thank you for all your kind thoughts and messages – hugely appreciated.

———————–

My day started with the sheep and the hens being fed.  Four bowls for three sheep in their little field – once our vegetable garden.

Once they have their four bowls of food to argue over, Lambie comes running out behind me as I leave and shut them in. He has his own food separately.

That’s because he is Mummy’s precious woolly lamb and he likes to eat in peace and quiet.

On my way back to the feedshed, I meet Wussums who is out and about trying to find unsuspecting wildlife he can bring down.

Lambie, of course, comes racing over to see if there is anything more going begging for a poor thin little sheep.

I swear if he could beg, he probably would!

Here is today’s sunrise.

The horses are fed by Daisy.  We have them all up in a small paddock where she distributes the silage into defunct fish-boxes.  This is an attempt to stop the precious silage being wasted but some (Kappi) are mucky eaters.

First of we thought we would put a couple of fishboxes outwith the paddock so Newt and Albie could eat without being bullied.  *** cough – Haakon – cough ***.  He can be horrid.

But, so far, we haven’t needed to.  The horses are actually on hard-standing.  It is a bit muddy but not nearly as bad as it would get without it.

There are many more piles of silage in boxes than horses/ponies so everyone gets enough.

Then all the horses are chucked out of the paddock and they can wander about in their two fields.

This is the view from my front door.

Not bad, eh?

I don’t want to whinge but last night I had an allergic reaction (not anaphylaxis, I hasten to add) to cephalopods – squid to be precise.  Dammit – I love squid.

I have been wiped out all day though I did manage to crawl out of bed this morning in my jim-jams putting waterproofs over the top to feed the sheep, though I was a few minutes late so Daisy had already given the Boyzens their hard feed. I just distributed silage in the usual places, managing to bang my head on the low beam to add insult to injury. So you can add a headache as well to my list of ailments.

Feeling very sorry for myself, I announced to the family that I was going back to bed, where I have stayed ever since.

So that’s me.  Daisy has been holding the horse fort magnificently.  Flossie has been running up and down the stairs while OH cooks so everyone has been fully employed in my absence.

Tomorrow, hopefully, I will back to what I consider is normal.

The nursing staff have been fully attentive.

Tuesday = Flute Lesson Day so Daisy and drove off to make our poor flute teacher’s morning a living Hell.  We don’t like to disappoint!

Next onto Lerwick for the January Sales!  Of course, I jest – the whole place was closed for business except for three shops/restaurants.

I’ve just looked it up and, apparently, January 2nd is a Bank (Public) Holiday in Scotland.  I did not know this.  I perhaps should’ve since I have lived here for over 20 years!

This is  Oxford Street, London – Boxing Day Sales. I feel ill.

Shetland is perfect for me and my way of life.

So, after a lovely meal – we pooled our Christmas money and treated ourselves, we wended our way home.

The sun was setting and we needed to get home before the daylight vanished completely to feed Taktur and Efstur and put their rugs on – it is going to rain tonight and they will possibly melt.

It is very icey out – the sea has frozen in places which always amazes me as well as looking very strange.

When we got home, we were met by four complainants.  Three at the door.

And Puzzah who has made best friends with the lick bucket!