I woke up this morning to ....

Daisy and I raced over to meet the new bebbie and we all agreed she was beautiful.  Clever Delia.

So Daisy and I sat in the field, while I photographed everyone who was cute and sweet, and Daisy made friends with Boris the Brave and fell in love with Lyra-the-absolutely-most-gorgeous.

Just Velia left now and she is not going to be long.

Meanwhile, Boris has learned the dangerous art of irritation.  He plays grandmother's footsteps on everyone and then runs away back to Mummmeeeeee who dutifully piles in on her son's behalf.  

Lyra and Boris are allowed to play with each other now and Lyra thinks Boris is a terrible nuisance.

And then I noticed that the new bebbie was squatting down to pee all the time.  Nothing was coming out either.  

She was feeding fine, looking fine, but no pee. Jo and I watched the foal for a while and she agreed too that there was squatting but no peeing  We hmmmed and hahhhed abit too and caught Raw Deal to walk her up the road with bebbie following.  They were put them in Jo's garden and the vet was called.

We saw bebbie pee twice, very quickly and her urethra was looked sore and red and constantly pushing.

While we waited for the vet to arrive, I had the bright idea of collecting a urine sample so Jo, with her patent-pending urine-sample-collection-pot/stick followed bebbie around the garden and SHE GOT A SAMPLE, which was amazing.  

The urine was cloudy, with bits and definitely not right.  When the vet arrived and examined bebbie, he said her bladder was in spasm and she had a temperature.  So antibiotics, anti-spasmodics and a steroid jag were given.  He even managed intra-venous too (good shot, sir!) though marks off for not having a pee-testing-stick thingy onboard.

Fingers crossed everything will calm down now.  Bebbie is being watched hawk-like in Jo's back garden.  We left them running around so hopefully it is a case of things just mending themselves as we caught it early.

Not a particularly good couple of days for me at the moment.  My painkillers are right up, by the evening I can barely walk, it hurts to breathe in and out and my feet are dead. Something is going on with my spine and I am doing my best to ignore it or medicate myself until I don't notice it (sorry, whinge). 

This morning, I was spraying Mr Sheen around so that Daisy, who is coming home from uni tonight, will think I cleaned the house.  The postman arrived with a variety of boring bills and a box for me. Expecting only BeAnne's new stripping comb off Amazon, I duly opened it to find.....the most perfect present ever.  

A complete surprise accompanied by a lovely letter (is it only me who thinks the art of letter writing is going to be lost soon?).  So in a blur of tears, I went outside with my beautiful gift to take photos in the celandine.

I am told she is not really meant to be "the gorgeous BeAnne Duvet, but just another dog who maybe bears a passing resemblance".  Uh, wot?  She is the spit and my photos do not do her justice at all.

So thank you Amy Wright - The Greedy Crocodlie.  You are one of those rare fantastic friends made over the internet that make everything on a grotty day seem alright.

http://en.dawanda.com/shop/AmyandPia

(golly, my hayfever seems bad - my eyes keep filling up and the sniffles are very bad!) xx

I don't know why either but sometimes IndyPing-Pong leaves his herd and comes up on his own to stand by the gate.

BeAnne lives outside on sunny days like these and the pair of them seem to like each other's undemanding company, though BeAnne would be the first to tell him to stay away from the fences if asked.

I went out, noticed Indy was up, found him some carrots and posted them down him for his efforts. He said thank you.  What I like most is that he grateful for whatever you offer but does not keep pushing for more.  

I left the odd couple to it!

Today the sun shines - all day, and everyone is warm.

So I went about and took off rugs.

First, was Toggle.  She loves her rug but she seemed happy enough when I removed it and gave her a good brush.  She spent the rest of the day out of her shed lying in the sun.  Not bad for a 20 yo Toggenburg goat (who has just come into milk too).

Then I opened up the caravan to air for a while and like a shot, the World's Fattest Orange Cat was in like a ferret up a drainpipe.  He had no intention of moving, ever.

BeAnne went for a swim. I have lost her coat-stripping brush so have got to order another off Amazon.  She feels the heat and would love to be nekkid.  When she is hot, she often takes herself for a little swim in the stream.

The boys were all resting. Haakon and I had been working hard in the morning (lesson with Bjørn working on our tölt).  I sat beside him while he slept.  Very peaceful.

We took Hammy's rug off and he seems to have wintered well, despite the cold spring.

He enjoyed rolling and is always happy to chat.  Hammy is a dear boy.  The more I know him, the more I like him.

Oh yes, Fatty is still happy.  Usually by this time of the year, he is beginning to feel grumpy and want his laydeeeez but with his friends, he is one of the boys and that seems to be enough.

At long last, Little Himself has a name.

We have been toying with two names - Borealis or Sirius - but he is definitely a Boris the Bold

So Borealis or Boris it is and I think it suits him perfectly. 

And he has a luffley wuffley little hairy nosey, 

dreamy eyes

 and a dear little round bottim!

We moved some mares yesterday and afterwards, as a reward for our hard work (cough, cough), we went to talk to the bebbies!  Bebbie-chatting is considered a huge waste of useful time in some households!

Melinda has been reluctant to bring Little Himself near us.  While Vitamin is up like a shot with Lyra, Melinda has always held back.

So armed with some ponynuts in the pocket, we went down to see the mums.  Melinda likes her grub and so she decided now was the time.  We always take things slowly, never forcing the issue.

Then he turned around to meet Jo.

Little H could leave at any time but because Melinda was relaxed and happy, he was too.

Melinda is suffering from the spring molt, so while Jo was pulling the tats out of her mane and coat, Little H found his confidence.

And then, he came up to me for a chat. He was not put off by the huge camera or the clicking noises it made and he marched up to introduce himself.

And with that, my cold cynical heart melted all over again.  Dammit, I will soon be a nice human being at this rate!  What can we call him?  I am stuck.

I went to see my little Gwendolinda yesterday. She is a year old.  I haven't had a chat with her in a while as she is in Jo's village - 4 miles away and Jo keeps an eye on that lot.

So when I was over there yesterday, I popped by.

She made a beeline and was very happy to have a scratch and a nose-kissey.  She approached me first out of them all.

Whiffy was there too and, as usual, a bit aloof but she knows me and we talked.  I do love that mare. She is very special.  Never a bad word or attitude.  I have had her since she was weaned.

I wandered amongst the mares.  They grazed, came up and we made friends.

For those of you who need a reminder, taken from Muppet Wiki - "Princess Gwendolinda is the princess of the kingdom of Tinkerdee in the Tales of the Tinkerdee pilot. A "pure and sweet young thing," if a bit simple-minded, Gwendolinda is the beloved daughter of King Goshposh."

Bebbies are the biggest waste of time.  I could sit in their field all day with a camera taking pics.

They are still not allowed to meet but it won't be long before they do.  

Little Himself (still nameless) so wants to come up and chat to us.  He is constantly looking and watching.

Jo talked to Melinda, his mum and he had his bottom scratched as well.

Lyra is still maintaining a very high level of deliciousness so I just sat on the ground getting a wet bottom (it was worth it imho) taking lots of photos while she charmed the world.

Luffley!

(I wonder if I could have Lyra in my house?  Would anyone notice, or mind?)

I had to go over to Jo's to collect some horse food and she wanted a hand to get them in as it was so cold (2 degrees) and raining.

But as I drove over, it began to clear up a bit and if I squinted, I am sure there was a small piece of blue sky - just enough to patch a sailor's trousers!

I got bounced at and you can see the family character of shove the nosey in the camera (Mum, half-bruv Indy and now Lyra!)

Lyra is very smart.  She holds herself well, with a huge amount of "LOOK AT ME!" about her.  Very nice.

She also very keen to annoy her mum who is remarkably tolerant at being jumped on!

Little Himself has not got a name yet.  It just hasn't arrived yet but I am sure it will.  He is more aloof but give him time.  He is not 48 hrs old yet.  He is cheeky with his Mum but she is keeping him well away from everyone and was not best chuffed to be in the stable last night, either.  This weather is not giving up so we had no choice.

I woke up this mornin', feeling really meh, aching, sick and grotty.

So I decided today I would try and rest.

But the phone rang (09.30, would you believe it?  I mean who gets up before 10.00?) and it was Jo saying we had another arrival.

Muness Melinda had foaled having given absolutely no indication that she would - no significant udder, nothing.

Jo had brought her and her beautiful colt foal into the stables as the weather is still revolting - wind and rain - and bebbie was cold.

I rushed over to meet our new addition.  He is luffley and instantly I feel better and forget about feeling meh.

Black with white in places and 4 white socks.  Very unusual markings but pretty and substantial in size, shape and general appearance.  He is feeding, peeing and pooing and still Melinda has not much of an udder.  Jo will keep her eagle-eye on them and they will stay in for a while. 

Lyra and Vitamin were in too (a different stable) and we had a little chat. Lyra has the softest nosey made of velvet.  Vitamin was on good form and I gave her a snog as well. I love the way Shetland ponies can't really see over stable doors but they put their noses up just in case!

So, now, what to call him?  Do we go down the Northern Lights route (Lyra, Azriel, Will, Iorek) or do we stick to our guns and look for male star constellation names (Perseus, Orion, Draco).  Decisions, decisions.  I am liking Iorek tbh!