She's Let Herself Go


Irene ..not looking her best
"She's let herself go"
It was a common enough phrase in my mother's era, which perfectly described an acquaintance who had perhaps fallen on somewhat difficult times.....
Perhaps the shampoo and set wasn't quite right.....perhaps the woman in question was seen down at the off licence in her carpet slippers.......or perhaps her net curtains had gone a dismal shade of grey....whatever the reason.....in those long aspiring  middle class, Abilgail's Party days, you were only as good as your decor and personal grooming...... 
Going to the supermarket in your PJs could have sent you to a social wilderness from which  there was no  return.....

Today I caught a couple slagging off my Soay ewe, Irene.
Ok, I will admit, she has seen better days, 
To be honest, she looks as though she's been forced to hide inside a tumble dryer for an hour
But spring means just one thing to a Soay sheep
It means that they moult their winter wool..

A causal observer could be forgiven that Irene had been abandoned somewhat for she does look remarkably slutty, what with her dirty brown coat hanging around her ankles for  most of the time...but overhearing a remark that was being mistreated got my dander up.....
It's a bit like parent hearing from another that her child has given the whole class head lice....
Oh the shame of it all!
I explained to the couple of the ways of Scottish Highland Sheep......and they looked suitably dubious when I pointed out that they didn't actually needed shearing .....the phrase
" she's let herself go" still resonated in my mind...and probably now in theirs!

56 comments:

  1. My mum constantly tells me that ive let myself go! Did you have a nice time in Sheffield? xx

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  2. Too bad they didn't believe you. Tell them she's a surrogate hen; the eggs are stashed in the wool.

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  3. Good intentions of the ill educated is irritating!

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  4. I am glad you explained to those people why she appears to have let herself go. That is a funny line "she's let herself go" that I can relate to. Well, it sounds like fun.

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    1. It's typical old comment from northern Britain

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    2. Its good that I don't live in northern Britain, my family would have had a great time telling me that I had let myself go.

      Too bad there are similar things to say in Hindi and Punjabi :-)

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  5. Oh, dear, John. Should I send you the wire brush I use to de-hair my cat (or should I continue with the pussy jokes?) Poor Irene, she probably has no idea she is not looking her best. Perhaps you should put a mirror out in the yard? Well, I should never say anything considering my apt. is covered in cat hair, and we know that you keep things tidy and....bleached.

    My best to Irene.
    Nancy in Iowa

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    1. I have just bleached the bath..... This time I rinsed it properly

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  6. damn...i think i've let myself go!

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  7. hahahahahaha... I can tell you don't live in the US.
    On any day you can see teen girls and their BFF's (formally know as Mothers) walking around in their pajama bottoms and cropped tee walking around the grocery, drug stores and even Targets. Sometimes even in slippers.
    Then their are the ones who wear running bra tops with yoga type pants with the waist band rolled down to were the "Good China" is almost showing with words like juicy, sweet, oh baby written across their butt.
    Letting themselves go is not even an option here, it might be a complement.

    Irene does look a bit bedraggled ! But what a sweet beautiful face. Does anyone weave the wool ?

    cheers, parsnip

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    1. So true! And don't even get me started on the kind of people you see in WalMart!

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    2. I will try and collect the wool.....and will post it to anyone who wants it

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  8. Is that a chicken's arse at the front of the photo...I can't quite work it out...

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  9. I let myself go. Now I'm getting myself back but I've had to gather myself up from all directions and it's not a pretty sight

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    1. Ah..a woman after my own heart

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    2. Ah, from the pictures I've seen of Froogs, she is quite fragrant! Not a scrap of Irene in sight or any dodgy Walmart wear

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  10. You could take her to Walmart and no one would think anything odd...

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  11. I can't even imagine the circus if you tried to shear her! It might have been fun to give the couple a pair of shearers and let them give it a go.

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    1. Now even that may be too much for pat my animal helper!

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  12. Perhaps a quick going over with the clippers, on the worst of the dangly bits?
    Is Sylvia moulting as well?

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    1. I have only caught the buggers once Jess......too nervous and quick for me!

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  13. Please don't tell me you're about to purchase a loom and start weaving your own clothes!!! xx

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    1. Ah....my birthday is coming up!

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    2. Put your gargoyle on the loom as decoration. :)

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    3. Uh oh - more knit caps for John!

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  14. Me and Irene, we're like that and basically don't give a jot what others may think of our unkempt appearance. That's how we roll in Scotland. Why, my sister just said to me today 'have you combed your hair this weekend?' to which I replied 'what for,it's the weekend!' Maybe Irene is following the same principle. (Have you found a taker for all that lovely fleece yet?)

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  15. You should move to SE Montana...the other day while my neighbor to the north was talking about sewing up a prolapse on one of his cows, I was asking for advice on how to keep magpies off of a cut on the pony's butt...third neighbor chimes in with their saga of their wandering white bunnies that gotten out of control with their procreating and have now taken over the ditches on either side of the road, keeping the mailman and everyone else on their toes when driving past...

    the reason i moved here - they understand animals...LOL

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  16. I just found you and will now follow you, all the way from Kansas,USA . What a delightful blog. Thanks for being here.

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    1. Welcome aboard patty......( ha ...another poor sucker for me to bore)

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  17. When my Shetland's begin to "moult" I put roo them! Which is the process of removing the shedding fleece. That way I get to save they amazing fleece for spinning and knitting. I think Soay aren't quite as fine fleeced as Shetlands, but they do share that primitive trait of "going through the rise". I have several sheep that look a lot like your girl right now. Little ragamuffins.

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    1. Kelly - I've been telling him that for ages - Soay wool blend (blended with other fibres because it's so fine)is going for £20 per 50g ball up here!).

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    2. You did tell me nana..... I am so off to shave every inch of those money making little buggers

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    3. My lady was going to suggest that you help her along with her hair-do, like Kelly said. Rooing is a very soothing procedure. Gently pull the loose fleece and gather it up. If Irene won't let you do that you may have to halter her and ask her to stand for you. Good bonding time! xoxoxo

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    4. There's a song on 'Tupelo Honey' called 'I Wanna Roo You' ....and all this time I never knew Van was singing to a sheep!

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  18. All advice for me Kelly?

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    1. Sent you a PM with some details and a link....
      Here's the link again.
      http://www.okacres.com/2012/05/shepherds-harvest-rooing-demo.html

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  19. Our sheep look like they need going through the washing machine, let alone a tumble dryer. They look dirty and unkempt and thoroughly neglected at the moment. As for me, well I am not quite in that state, so I suppose I have half let myself go!

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  20. Sorry did you say something John, I was humming Good night Irene and watching my terrier tangle herself in pony tails.

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  21. Irene looks..tossled. A look many a star spends $$$$ to carry off as well as she. Meg Ryan for one

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  22. Scottish Highland Sheep. A most worrying sight and the photo kinda scared me. Such a shame about shearing. Did you know there's a sheep shearer shortage in Britain. Heck, they've had to recruit in folks from New Zealand!

    It's almost four in the morning. That's my excuse.

    Gary

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  23. Shedding sounds easier than having to shear them!
    Thanks for the visit, John. Have a wonderful week! ♥

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  24. Yep, I've let myself go. It's much more comfy that way.

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  25. So Irene's a hippy; nothing wrong with that.

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  26. Poor Irene. Misunderstood. She will turn into a swan again soon enough. Or a sheepish equivalent anyway.

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  27. Two things John....sell the wool! and the expression 'let herself go' always makes me think of a film from way back when titled 'Woman in a dressing gown' with Yvonne Mitchell.

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  28. ' Tu t'laisses aller' sings Charles Aznavour in the film by Godard 'Une femme est une femme'. But a sheep might be forgiven :-)

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  29. Goodness, there but for the grace...
    Irene's front end looks gorgeous. It's only her back end that is a bit ratty and ain't that true for many of us?!!

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  30. Goodness, there but for the grace...
    Irene's front end looks gorgeous. It's only her back end that is a bit ratty and ain't that true for many of us?!!

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  31. Anonymous7:26 pm

    it's just not right when others go casting aspersions at our "wooly" children :D

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  32. Send me some wool John and I'll spin you some yarn for a beanie!

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  33. It's clear that couple doesn't know anything about Soay sheep. They shed. Like cats and dogs, only they're sheep. I've no doubt some birds will find the tufts just dandy for their nest making.

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