This morning saw Tiddles and Waffle go to the vet for their two weekly (Tiddles) and monthly (Waffle) non-fasting resting insulin blood test. 

While waiting, Waffle somehow managed to slip his headcollar off.  It’s his party trick.  So I put on a smaller one and did it up tightly.

They both loaded and travelled like pros.  Once we’d arrived (we, as in I asked OH to come too to help as it was a two pony job), we had to wait a little while.  Tiddles got more and more anxious, threatening to rear (all 2″ off the floor).

OH tried talking to him.

In the end Tiddles gave up and just looked utterly miserable.

The vet finally was free and while he got his stuff and himself ready, OH walked Waffle around the car park, while I tried to keep Tiddles on this planet.

It wasn’t too difficult as Tiddles had now adopted his most miserable expression.

Tiddles was first up and I am fearful he will become needle-phobic as he always jumps at the initial pin-prick. He does hate this procedure very much but I told him what a brave soldier he was being and we got through it.

(could Tiddles look anymore pathetic? – I think not).

Waffle was the perfect little chap.  He had to have blood taken twice (vet error) and didn’t even mention it.  A quick chat (ok, rant about hidden sugar and alfalfa in everything) and we loaded up and went home.

As you can see, no one had missed them much and once back, I noticed there was lots of playing and running around this afternoon but obviously not when I had a camera to hand. Tiddles has stopped being depresssed now.

So, where were we?

Ah, yes, Molly took her big fish and left.

We waited for a while wondering if she had swum away.

Then I decided to see if I could find Molly.  She wasn’t far away – just under the pontoon – apparently a favourite spot.

She knew we were looking for her.

Fish quickly eaten and Molly was deciding if she could eat another…..

I love her watching her think.

She didn’t exactly beg but she patiently waited.  I didn’t want to get in her way so stayed on the sidelines taking photos.

And then Molly was gone.  She swam away after eating her second fish, which was fine. I felt like I had been visited by someone magical.  What a perfect morning.

Oh yes, I also got to see my first shalder (oyster-catcher) this year.  I knew I had heard them earlier screeching away that spring is on it’s way….. eventually.

Oh crikey, where to begin.

Last night I received a message asking me if I wanted to come over to photograph Molly, the otter featured in the National Geographic film “Billy & Molly: An Otter Love Story”.

I said yes please, set my alarm an hour early to get horse/pony/sheep chores done and was there like a shot, big camera at the ready.

I parked my car on the shoreline and waited…..

and waited……

and waited – though I saw two beautiful swans fly past.

And waited and was beginning to think, 3 hours later, that perhaps this wasn’t Molly’s morning.  Apparently she was becoming increasingly sporadic with her visits.  I honestly didn’t mind, though, I had a lovely time just enjoying the scenery.

I took a few photos of my surroundings, getting ready to go home.

And then two beautiful swans pitched up so I contented myself with photos of them, thinking to myself that they would do.

But then a little someone appeared.

And we were off…..

Warning, Warning – total photo dump ahead!  I make no apologies. This was a very special time.

Molly came out from under the pontoon and sped over to her house/bedroom.

I sighed, thinking this would be the last I saw of her and it was brief, but well, at least I had seen her.

But no, Molly came out again.

And then she was a lady about her toilette (so important).

Molly is beautiful and very special.

Billy brought Molly some pieces of fresh fish which she quickly devoured.

(I love the way she holds it in her paws)

But little pieces of fish are not as good as the whole fish, Molly told him and Billy duly brought out the big fish.

And off Molly went with her prize. More photos tomorrow…….

(best morning ever!)

Throughout the day, the weather deteriorated from quite windy to utterly gross.  Feeding the ponies in the morning was uneventful and everyone went out.

After lunch, as it had started raining with some force, I went out to find Vitamin and Fivla trotting towards me asking to go inside.  While I was getting them sorted, I heard more shouting only to find Tiddles standing by the gate wanting in as well.  So I decided that was it – the end of the day at 1pm. I fed everyone, dished out extra haynets to ponies and sheep and told the ducks food was inside their house.

It was too disgusting to take photos – more a matter of survival than taking my time.

I came in, soaked and feeling wretched so I made myself a hot chocolate as a reward for all my hard work.

As I didn’t want to go out again, I decided to look at a camera I bought a few years back that I have been meaning to sell, but I can’t quite make my mind up.  It is a camera for the purist who knows how cameras work – well, that’s not me. I put everything on auto, point and shoot!

My jury is still out. This camera is not really designed for my world but I hate giving up on something just because I am the idiot (but don’t ask me to read the manual).  I did, however, watch some YouTube videos about it in the hope I would feel inspired.

And this is my desk which, now I look at it, I really should tidy.  It looks a bit like a hobbit hole.

And now I am beginning to like this camera.  Oh, fer cryin’ out loud.  I was about to sell it.

At last I have worked out who I am.  I am a Shetland pony servant.  It is official.

I led the Old Ladies into the big field as these days there is probably more grass than around the house.

Vitamin was not impressed.

But Fivla, bless her, set off to go and stare at the horses (she has a not-very-secret crush on Haakon and Iacs).

Vitamin watched Fivla go and followed me back to the gate in disgust.

I left them to it and hoped Vitamin would find some grass and settle in her new field.

Then I went with my bucket to poo-pick the Minions’ field because I hadn’t managed it yesterday in a Force 10 .

Once finished, I sat on a rock and was “appreciated” or eaten, depending on your perspective.

A little later, I returned to see if Fivla and Vitamin had moved off, only to find Fivla had taken up residence in the sheep shed…..

…. while Vitamin was grazing close by. I threw them both a Turriefield swede.

The swedes were appreciated.

And then the Old Ladies said they hated living in a field full of new grass and could they come back to mooch around the house.  I gave in, opened the gate and that was that.  I tried, I failed and they are content.