Sunshine... for real?

So we actually had some sunshine this weekend. Like, actual REAL sunshine. Not the teasing sun-cloud-rain-cloud-more rain-sun-even more cloud-rain thing that has been going on for the past few weeks (except for last week, which was pretty much just solid wind, rain, power cuts, flooded parklands & inside-out umbrellas... great weather for ducks but really not much else...)

I didn't actually believe that it was going to stay sunny at first. Every time the clouds came over I triumphantly thought aha, knew it! only to then see them move over and let the sun through again - and again... and again :) Eventually I was convinced enough to tempt fate and hang out the washing. And amazingly, it actually dried. All of it!

Perhaps this means that Spring is has finally beaten Winter into submission? Fashionably late, but all is forgiven as long as she keeps it up...

Needless to say, ponies were loving it.

Side note: Normally I go straight from Zumba to feed the horses on Saturday mornings, but yesterday I ducked home first to quickly get changed. Why? Well, the hoof trimmer was coming for Loui at 11:15. And while I'm sure that my usual Saturday morning horse-feeding fashion combo of Zumba clothes (for the uninitiated, it's like gym clothes but cooler) with muddy black rubber boots and rainproof jacket would be totally acceptible on the European catwalks (work with me here...), I did think it may have confirmed his suspicions that I am in fact a complete weirdo. So to avoid potential embarrassment to either myself or Loui, and to avoid the hassle of having to find a new hoof trimmer, it was just safer to just go home and change into some jeans. And no, there wasn't actually any point to that story.

Sunshine = rugs off!! Been a while since we could do that. Their eyes just lit up as I started to unbuckle them. Loui even forgot about trying to kick me! Unfortunately that was the extent of his cooperativeness... when it came to trying to get a photo, forget it...

Can't pose. Eating.

WTF was that?

No, I'm still not going to look at the camera...

I gave up shortly after that :P

Remember my revolting swamp of a paddock from last weekend? Well, looky what we have now! See what a few days of sunshine can achieve? It's still marshy and boggy near the gates (precisely where I had to walk to take their rugs off, of course...) but drying out beautifully.

And remember the giant mofo puddle on the driveway from last weekend? Hehehe... conquered! This is what it looked like this afternoon. And I finally drove through it (only to discover that it's, um, not quite as dry as it looked... *cough* I won't show you what my car looks like now...)

Anyway... my not-so-noble steed and I were both very glad for some much-needed sunshine this weekend, and now we're hanging out for the bliss that will be daylight savings.

I'm not counting down or anything... 20 days to go...