The nights are rather ghastly at the moment, while the mornings after are very odd too so, to lift my spirits whenever we can, weather permitting (there are limits), Daisy and I go out for a ride.

This morning Haakon (me), Iacs (Daisy) and BeAnne set off for a saunter.

On these occasions, when I am not the full shilling, I admit to riding as a total passenger.   I get on, clip myself in and that’s that. Haakon makes the decisions.

I don’t bother picking up the reins.  I can’t see the point really.

Iacs is given a similar degree of trust as long as he doesn’t abuse it.

It doesn’t take very long.

His mode d’emploi is to quietly creep up alongside me and then ask if he could relieve me of the many carrots that he knows I keep about my person.  He is alway very polite but insistent.

So, I sat on board enjoying the view.  We even went up the canter track.  Haakon was enthusiastic to start with and then slowed back down.  We left the youngsters to do their own thing.

Onwards and upwards into The North.

Haakon always likes to stop and admire the view.

While he does, Iacs goes in for the kill.

Unsuccessful, we turn around and head for home.

When Iacs tries his begging, Daisy does “ahem” and “tch”.  Iacs knows it is wrong but, as I just mostly laugh, he maintains that one day I will give in.

You could say that Iacs is a glass-half-full kinda guy.

This morning’s ride was just what I needed.

It set me up to face the next lot of hellery that lies in wait.

I am still alive, just.

Yesterday, I went to see my little boys.

Daisy won’t let me drive so she very kindly took me, along with a bag of carrots.

And suddenly, Daisy was the most popular person in the field!

This is the classic “Look, see, I don’t have anymore.  They are all gone.  You ate the lot. No, honestly, you did.  Check my hands.  Nothing” pose.  We’ve all done it.

And there is always one little Minion who is not convinced.

But, I have one word to say – Hippopotami.

This year, this little herd are going to stay out, for as long as possible in Sandness (sadly 6-ish miles from home).  They have to.

Yes, Tiddles, you heard right.

And there will be no hard food and no stables.

Probably no rugging too (except for Delia once she has lost some weight).

Obviously, there will be therapy for those who will struggle mentally.

But no extra food.

I didn’t know horses could actually have cellulite.

Live and learn.

I have a new heading on my blog – “Cold Turkeys”.

In a nutshell, on Monday night, I had a severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) to my prescribed drugs.  It was that bad.

The next morning ,having survived a very scary night, I phoned my GP and was told to immediately stop taking two of my drugs.  No tapering off, just cold turkey.

This is not going to be a fun trip ahead.  I was on maximum dosage of one of them and immediate withdrawal comes with an FDA warning.  You don’t just stop unless you have a life-threatening reason.

So, for the next few or more weeks, for me life is not going to be easy.  There is no quick way to do this.  I just have to stop.  End of.

Hence my Cold Turkeys “bloggette”.  It is a place where I can write my thoughts and try to keep some perspective.

Forgive me if some days when there is no main blog.  My brain will have fallen out.  My OH and daughters are full onboard with what is lying ahead.  If things get too tough, they will take me to the local hospital.  I just pray I don’t hit the wall running.

What to Expect (dire warning article)

Day to day, I am planning on trying to go with the flow – resting when I need to, gentle exercise, clean food – no refined sugars or carbs, lots of warm water with lemon, endless showers or baths, until I feel normal again. I can’t replace the verboten drugs with more.  I have no idea what will happen and I am terrified.

But, on the good side, I have the best diversions ever….

When it gets bad, I am moving in with Lambie and ‘Ster.

Daisy loves her horse.  She really does.

But she doesn’t love him very much when he has crawled under the fence on his knees for the unth-most time to roam around another field, especially the one next to Tor, Camus and Albie.

Taktur has taken up this annoying habit recently but mostly into a different field where he can do no harm.  Today, he widened his travelling horizons.

Daisy returned him to his original field, constructed a barrier to deter him and he went straight back again.  None of the other horses followed him, or care.

So, after visiting the Minions for me, I met Daisy who was wearing a fixed determined look on her face.

She marched to our electric fence department, found the necessary equipment and created her creation.

(Klængur took on a supervisory, while supportive, role)

Daisy did an excellent job – she made everything ready, working well and it was ticking too, so Taktur could hear it.  I think that is only fair.  (He knows what an electric fence is, so it is up to him to decide whether he wants to test it.)

Next Taktur was taken back to his field.

And we left him to make his own choices.

(I think we can call this a determined walk)

Taktur knew exactly where he wanted to go.

Daisy’s fence worked like a charm.

We went indoors with Taktur taking responsibility for his behaviour.

(one hour on, he is still standing there looking at it).

The light was right.

Everyone looked amazing.

There was hugging…..

with reciprocal hugging back.

Curiosity was everywhere.

Silly faces were made….

As well as blissed out ones too.

Darling little furry puffballs ….

with small floofy kissey noses.

Oof!

For me, life just doesn’t get much better.

Seriously, I am struggling here as it was the perfect afternoon doing what we like to do best – Flossie was hugging foals while I was taking photos and now I am disintegrating into baby language while I look at the photos again, and write this blog!  Get a grip, Frances.  I am ashamed.

Ok, the photos are not all beautiful, per se, but I think that most have something special.

or eccentric….

…. or traditional.

or fairy-tale.

Afterwards, just as we were going, armed with waffles for our help, we noticed a beautiful floofy foal “helping”  Amina investigate something very interesting.

Life is good when you are around little Shetland pony foals.