Like many royal families and heads of state, The Minions have decided they too would like summer and winter palaces.

This is their winter palace.  One big stable with a double door the other end.  It is 5.5m x 8.5m square = very big.  The floor is rubber matting with sawdust.  On the right side I put a huge bank of hay for the boys to help themselves.

(This shed was originally intended for the Icelandic horses but they are ungrateful.  They went in, took one look, declared they hated staying in and have not been in since – so much for all horses wanting to be in during nasty weather).

Anyway, rather than leave it empty, The Minions love it.  They are far more relaxed now and have space.  The difference in them since they have been spending the coarse nights here is huge.

The downside is that they cannot come and go as they like into their field during the night and, once they are in, they are in for the night.

In the mornings, I let them out into their big field to get some fresh air.

During the daytime, the Minions have access to their Summer palace which they happily rush into when they want to.

Storm and Tiddles have rugs on outside.

Both have learned to stand nicely while we do all the clips up and Tiddles has even had his rug straps made bigger.  I think he has grown.

Waffle and Silver are fine all day without rugs.  They have lost no weight this winter but do appreciate coming in at night.

They are particularly keen on the extra food Tiddles and Storm have to eat.

Tiddles is not very keen on sharing so I tend to feed him separately if I can grab him in time.

(by the way, this is his cross face)

These incredible photos were taken of the sea today by Shetland Resolve.

I wanted you to see what we are going through at the moment.

It is hell, utter hell.

Anyway, I refuse to dwell on the weather for the moment.  It is scary beyond words and seems to have overtaken our lives.

These next photos are of “My Best Boys”   I took them yesterday and they make me smile.

First there is Storm in his favourite bestest rug.  This is his “swallowed a button” face.

And this is his “feel free to kiss my nosey” face.  He has wonderful whiskers.

Then there is Waffle.  He is known as The Waff and he is a darling boy.

This is his “I might be thinking wicked thoughts” face.

Silver is enchanting.  Of the three, he has come the furthest.  So suspicious of us all when he first arrived.  He wants to love folk but he has never forgotten what happened to him this time last year and there is always the sneaking suspicion that it might happen again.  When I listen to the wind howling and the rain thrashing I think of them out in that just standing in that muddy field waiting to die of starvation.

But once he knows he is alright, his kisses are the best.

And lastly, Tiddles.  He is learning very very quickly what works.

Fully integrated into the ways of Minion, there is no stopping this little boy.  Stubborn, solid and very determined.

Fr

So, have a smile on us and forget today.  It has gone.

“Tomorrow is another day”.

Today we had a break.  A day between weathers as they say here.

Everyone was outside making the most of this.  The last few days have been exhausting and only the bare essentials were done.

I went to check on the big boys who have been outside all the time.  Taktur came galloping down for his Extra Handsome Prince Food and I let him out to eat it on his own.

Meanwhile Kappi hung over the gate trying to convince me that he was being starved.

I wandered round the field, checking the boys, feeding them carrots and looking to see if anyone was suffering.

Errrr….. nope.

I doubt if this lot even noticed there was a storm.  They have shelter, food and fresh water.

Clothie, my 5 acre croft, is the perfect field for winters. I generally try to keep it just for this kind of weather. Across the open hill from Thordale means I can easily keep an eye on its occupants.

While Taktur was eating, BeAnne offered her assistance as general crumb monitor and hoover.

It was nice to see the boys and I am glad I don’t have to worry about them in these storms.  Today was a nice day but another storm is on its way for tomorrow so they will probably have to fend for themselves again.

Wish us luck, again.  The electricity has been off and on  most of the day.  I am not holding my breath.

I was woken early with a ker-thump.  BeAnne had arrived on the bed, a shivering wreck of misery.  She hates storms and it was revving up for a good one outside.  OH got up, the power went out and I let BeAnne go under the duvet where she shook and refused to settle.  I ended up holding her, while wrapping myself around her, spraying the bedclothes with calming lavender bedclothes spray and played my Disney songs (usually played for the Minion playtime) on my iPod for her to listen to.  She calmed down very quickly after that and went to sleep to the tune from Cinderella.

Meanwhile, the house shook.  The whole house, with walls 3 foot thick shook.  The roof creaked like an old wooden boat on the sea and all I could hear was the thundering howling wind and rain accompanied faintly to chirpy Disney tunes coming from under the duvet.

So as it got light, I got up and dressed.  When there was a lull, I made a dash for the shed to be greeted by four smiling faces, all dry, fluffy and happy.

I had been organised the night before and set aside the Minion food, where they couldn’t reach it, so I dished it up and they ate, while I mucked out.  Then, I put new hay down, kissed the noseys and left them all to it.

Still no electricity so I brushed the clingy BeAnne and made a nest on the sofa with her.

It has calmed down now.  The boys have been outside for a few hours this afternoon but I found them back in their shed when I went to check on them.  I have shut them back in there as tonight is not meant to be much fun either.  It is getting colder and snow is now forecast.

Thank the Gods for that shed (and the lavender bed spray).

Last night we had some weather.  It was not nice and, as I knew it was about to appear, I shut the Minions into my new shed.  The Icelandic horses have good shelter and long grass in their field so I was not worried about them

This morning’s sunrise did not bode well either and the weather forecast for the next 48 hours is scarily horrendous.

The boys have been outside today as much as possible despite Waffle’s desire to live in the house.

I did all my chores as early as I could before the bad weather returned and then at 15:00, we called the boys back into their shed before it got dark.

Lured by carrots, they happily went in.  It is the perfect shed for The Minions or the Icelandic horses.  I hate splitting anyone up into separate stalls unless they are fighting, ill or being bullied.

There are no haynets and hay is on the floor.  Last night Silver managed to wrap a haynet round his hoof so never again.  Luckily I checked them after supper and managed to extricate him before any damage was done.

Tiddles is very happy here.  He is much more relaxed and chatty.  I think it is the space.

So, wish us luck through these next few days.  It is going to be very hairy scary out there.