Pot of Gold, Please

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This is another quick blog and I’m sorry. Just circumstances are still out of my control.

But I have managed to get all my outside chores done in the allotted daylight hours – which are albeit becoming very brief – 8.30 a.m. to about 3.30 p.m. at the moment.

The dog walk is also rather a lick and a promise as the weather’s not great and no one is very enthusiastic, including me.

But, it is lovely to see the Shetland ponies in a huge field being completely free of track life and routine.  They turn up for their breakfast and then go off for the rest of the day bothering no one.  I am not important to them anymore, which is actually a huge relief and very nice.

I liken their massive field to being about the same standard of grazing as if they were on the open hill (scattald). Maybe slightly better, but not much.

They will stay there for as long as they remain healthy and happy.  Hopefully, for the winter if I have my way.

So we are all going along ok.  I am feeling slightly less stressed.

Just off to look for my pot of gold.  Please make it a big one.  That would help.

Sheep Therapy

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Today was much better than yesterday but the bar was set pretty low so things could only get better really.

This morning I found everyone was in the right field, ate their own breakfast, and even did as they were told so I must put yesterday’s debacle swiftly behind me and move onward, ever onward.

We went on a nice dog-walk and I quickly found the sheep who have settled well into sharing a field with the Shetland ponies. I think they are all going by the theory of “if I don’t bother you, then you won’t bother me”. It works.

Sheep therapy was at its best.  Maybe they knew I was out-of sorts from yesterday.

Gussie was practising his Winning Smile on me.

Dear Dahlia.  She is such a happy lady.

‘Ster was sporting some rather fetching moss.

Lambie was busy doing his Greta (as in Garbo “I want to be alone”).

But I managed to get a lovely smile from him too….. eventually.

‘Bert and Barrell are apparently friends today.

I have no idea what got into them yesterday. They wouldn’t stop hassling and butting each other until they were both at a stand-still exhausted and panting, a quick re-group and then they would start all over again,

Madge has come on. She will now sniff my hand and run away, grunting like a pig.  Still, that’s a vast improvement on the absolutely nothing she usually offers.

A few more of Gussie Dustbin just because he has such sweet expressions.

This is what he thinks is his Intelligent Face. I haven’t the heart to tell him.

And, lastly, Maggie who was doing her absolute best.

But obviously Lambie is the King of Smiles (though I might admit that he also looks very goofy in a the-lights-are-on-but-no-one-is-home sort of way and I can vouch for that!)

Give me Strength!

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Apologies for radio silence yesterday.  There was an unexpected hospital-type emergency which is still ongoing.

Anyway, my morning started as it meant to …… ie, badly.

  • I could only find 5 sheep – Maggie was missing.  Dahlia and Gussie had vanished too.
  • ‘Bert and Barrell were at war and wouldn’t go into the sheep shed for breakfast as they were too busy beating the crap out of each other.
  • Pepper vanished.

So I ignored all of that and continued as normal hoping I wouldn’t find any other awful messes along my way.

  • I decided I would find Maggie et al on the dog walk later.
  • I gave Bert and Barrell their breakfast anyway and noticed someone ate it as the bowls were empty later. I also gave both of them free-rein with the TurmerAid box in the hope they would be too drugged/relaxed up to fight! I hate it when there are arguments in the flock.
  • Pepper turned up, just I was about to find the car keys and go round all the neighbours apologising.

My day continued in this disastrous theme when I broke the washing machine and Monster’s timer bowl (for his very early morning snack).  At that stage I just decided I would not react to anything the world was going to throw at me.

Later, on the dog walk, I found Maggie who was in the wrong field (just why?) I brought her home and she very gratefully rejoined the others. Dahlia and Gussie were at the furthest point of the field possibly gazing at a newly arrived hill-ram. I gave them the breakfast I had brought so I knew they were moving and eating fine.  Oh, yes and then it started to rain and I got home totally soaked through to the skin.

And then I discovered my Advent Calendar, which I thought I had been so clever about was showing all the pictures despite me trying to only show the one for the right date like a paper advent calendar.  Hopefully I’ve put a stop to that and I hope no one’s peaked.

Give me strength!

Advent Calendar 2025

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Here is my 2025 Advent Calendar (we haven’t had one for ages so I think it is time).

Click on the appropriate date number and up pops one of my photos. It may take slightly longer to show because it is a larger picture (1280 x 1024 pixels) but it is given with my love free to you for your own personal use.

Thank you for all your support this year.  You have no idea just how much it has meant.  xx

I will try and add this as a page on the top bar but will probably make a mess of that.  If I fail I will just keep doing a link to the appropriate advent window (if I remember, hopefully – no promises!)

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Quickie Blog

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A quickie blog today. I have given myself the day off and am going to go and see Wicked: For Good this afternoon on the big screen at Mareel, the cinema in Lerwick. I am very excited as I loved the first film in this series.

Anyway, everyone is fine and well and enjoying their space and freedom.  My horse and pony care is going by the theme of “less is more”.

The ponies get their freedom and daily breakfast and that is it.  They have shelter from the contours of the land and the drystone walls and 35 acres to find food in.  They seem happy enough and don’t miss track life or their containers.

The old horses and ponies are over the scattald (open hill) in a 5 acre ungrazed field with old buildings (sadly no roofs) to use as shelter.  They are doing well and don’t seem bothered by the bad weather.  No one has a rug on.

I went around everyone to feel for ribs and can honestly say this part of anatomy does not exist.

So, that’s me. I’m off to be a normal person who goes out and has a life accompanied with my weight in Haribo to munch quietly through all afternoon.