My life is back to normal.  No more going into town for the foreseeable, I hope.

After their breakfast, I called my little boys into the big school and I took Storm’s rug off so he could roll (look at those gorgeous little feets all curled under and the belly, the belly – someone tickle that belly!)

I put the toy buckets out and Storm had a brief investigation.

He made a careful selection …..

And then played.

The next toy bucket was investigated by tipping it all up.

Once tipped, the contents were successfully looked at for potential.

Storm was in a very cheeky me-me-me mood today.

He wanted all my attention and when I was talking to Stardust, he bit him hard on the side, so I immediately sent Storm away to consider his behaviour and continued to talk to Stardust.  Storm came back a few minutes later and was much nicer after that.

Stardust is coming along very slowly.  He got the plot with hard feed today and waited in the little shed while I dished out the food in bowls outside.  He ate his by himself.  He comes to me now to be tickled, scratched and talked to and I managed to do a little brushing too.  His coat is not the best but he enjoyed the brush and let Waffle do some grooming too.  I was wearing a bobble hat, which I had put on my knee and Stardust picked it up and plopped it on the ground, so that was interesting to watch.  He interacts more with me too.

The boys then spent the brief light hours of the afternoon outside just munching away together as a herd.

Now that is my kind of day.  Not boring town.

A town day today to sort out some legal beagles.

I had my usual daily tasks to do first before I left so I woke early (even set the alarm), did my chores of feeding, changing rugs and mucking out while the sun rose ominously behind in an anvil shaped cloud.

Everyone was “helpful” to the point of Waffle taking Storm’s old rug off the gate and jumping up and down on it in a puddle.  His smile was spectacular and I didn’t have the heart to be cross.  I washed the mud off with frozen fingers in the water trough.

So, after my weekly flute lesson, I went on to The Big L.  Home of boats that are floating hotels, lights and alleged action apparently, if you read the local paper.

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The Christmas theme was upon us.

Except that unicorn gave me the creeps.

So now I am back home. I won’t have to do that again in a big hurry.  Everything was sorted and I had a quick whip round Tesco as well for a birthday supper for my OH.

(I will admit that I had totally forgotten his special day and bought a bottle of 16 year old Lagavulin to get me out of the dog-house)

Tomorrow, back to normal – filthy jeans, little furry noses and somehow it doesn’t matter if I smell of horses because everyone around me does too.

I hate town. I belong here.

Tis the first day of the Advent Calendar but not the first day of Advent, which according to the inter-superhighway is the First Sunday of Advent (the fourth Sunday before the 25th December). I didn’t know that.

As a true child of the 70’s, I have an urge to make one of these.

So, where has the year gone?  It galloped past when I wasn’t looking.  I think I took some photos, though.

But, to say thank you for all your support, help and advice, I have put together my Advent Calendar which starts today, 1st December.  The title on the top line is marked “Advent Calendar” and you press the relevant date accordingly.  There is no cheating, i.e. I am not that organised and am still making my final selection of picks.

I am in slight quandary as to what the MyShetland Advent Calendar should include, though ….

Do you want family?

Icelandic horses?

Shetland ponies?

General Thordale stuff

Shetland flora?

Shetland fauna?

Please let me know.

The pictures are in a big format so you can drag, drop and keep them as a present from me.  I thought they might make a good screensaver thingy.

So that is what I will be doing daily, as well as the Blog and I hope you like seeing the photos.  If you have any special requests, give me a shout and I will try and include them or send you a big version just for yourself.

Right, off to find my tinsel, 4 wire coat hangers and John Noakes…..

I can practically hear the fire engines as he lights those candles. 

And please feel free to share this with your friends and maybe even ask them vote (hint, hint).

Very occasionally, you meet a Shetland pony stallion that takes you breath away – this is Waffle’s dad,  He is gorgeous.  Seriously gorgeous – a super model.

His PEDIGREE. is Transy and Marshwood breedlines.   Whilst having been awarded high marks for assessment in Norway, the majority of his progent have gone on to do very well

(including Waffle, in my eyes – it is not his fault that he was starved to near death in his formative months and might be a little bit on the small side).

So , let me introduce you to Waffle’s Sire –  Wulfert v.d. groote woerd and he is a gentleman in every way – temperament, good looks, conformation, etc.  The type of Shetland pony to take your breath away.

I think I am in love (**** sigh ****)

Today Wulfert returned to Shetland from Norway and I instantly liked him.

However, to be very honest,  I think Waffle perhaps takes after his mother more in looks but he definitely has his father’s temperament – laid back while taking everything in his stride and forever offering to help. So really the best of both worlds for me.

I hope to see more of Wulfert.  He is just my type of guy.

The best bit about having The Minions (apart from the obvious) is meeting new people who have read The Blog and want to contribute in some way – not in a financial way, as obviously, according to some, I have made thousands of pounds out of my self-promotion, but in a spare-piece-of-kit-that-might-be-useful sort of way.

Today, Yvette appeared with a fabulous barely-worn warm rug for Storm and some little headcollars.  I like to put a dry rug on him if required every day.  It means I can sleep at night knowing he has some protection against the Shetland weather.

(Stardust lost his goat-coat overnight and Storm’s hood was falling off this morning).

I called the boys into the shed and introduced Yvette and her bag of carrots to them.

They were very keen to meet the bag of carrots (and Yvette too).

Now this is very interesting – little Stardust came up to ask for a carrot.  He has never done this before, usually staying at the back saying nothing.  So this is a first for him.  A little step.

Luckily Yvette is a horsey person so therefore used to trying ridiculous ideas out.  I wanted to see what Waffle would do if I put BeAnne on his back.

The result was absolutely nothing.  He wandered off, ignoring his new passenger, even when she jumped off.  So that is Waffle lightly backed.

While Yvette was here, I asked her to help me measure the boys in height and bone (the size of a horse’s bone is an indication of its strength).

Silver is 34.5″ high with 6.5″ of bone
Waffle is 33.5″ high with 6.25″ of bone
Storm is 31″ high with 6″ of bone
Stardust is 27.5″ high with 5″ of bone.

My little boys are growing.