Hello Charlie and let in that light !

Just finished emailing everyone on the waiting list with their number and its been a busy day. Yesterday when I promised to email every one on my waiting list I forgot about Charlie visiting us today with his family Vincent and Vincents Mum Sheila. Charlie is Primrose's and Smudge's Dad and I will be putting him back on  'The boys' page, as when we rehomed him at just over 5 years old, I took him off that page and so often get asked how he is doing, so I will put him back on that page under 'old boys'. As Sheila put it, "he may not live with you but he certainly is still in your life."
Sheila and Vincent took on Charlie for me after he had his heart examination over five and had a very subtle heart murmur, the start of Mitrial Valve Degeneration (MVD) and now just over two years later and Charlie now seven years old, his heart murmur has stayed stable and thankfully his MVD is not fast onset of this condition.
Sheila and Vincent took on Charlie understanding his condition having had Cavaliers before and that I would need an annual update on Charlie's progress and they have become a regular fixture on the calendar now each Spring to visit us from Reading.
Today they came for the annual pilgrimage with Charlie and they arrived at around 4.30pm leaving at around 9.30pm. Its always fun when Vincent, Sheila and Charlie visit and the children have been ticking off the days until their visit.
Its our youngest childs Birthday on Saturday and our oldest childs Birthday on Sunday with our oldest child hitting his teens at 13 years old and on asking him what he wanted for his Birthday, he was adamant he wanted chicken. We needed to replenish our chicken run, so my son has his chicken, so after Vincent, Sheila and Charlie had  the grand tour of the chicken and my son proudly gave them some of their eggs, my husband then arrived home early from work  for us to all sit and have a rather lively supper with much eating and talking. Eating is always a lively affair in our home with six children and tonight with two more places at the table to add to the mix it certain lived up to being  a lively affair, if you like to eat in silence best stir clear of our table. I am the youngest of six and remember one of my sister's bringing home her boyfriend who is her husband of some 24 years now and he is a one chick (only child). The first time he meet us all was at the dinner table and sat in stunned silence at how noisy we are, talking to each other, over each other and we could have three or four conversations going on at the table at the same time. He was used to eating in mostly silence. Obviously it did'nt put him of my sister though. Lol.

Vincent and Charlie tonight with our children for the annual reunion

Today I also recieved an interesting email from another Cavalier breeding who has come to a cross road much like I did  four years ago. Was a bit emotional reading this, as totally understand where this person is coming from and that I suspect is wondering if they are doing the right thing crossbreeding. I say, "You have let in the light !" I will be contacting them and hopefully we can be supportive of each other. I will leave you with below with the email they sent me obviously with their name excluded and I'm off to recharge my batteries, all this entertaining takes it out of you.


Hello to you.
 I have just seen your website, and am amazed that I am in a very similar position to you.....in that I have bred Cavaliers for some years in our home, and am beginning to despair about the health problems that these little dogs now have. I have just, for the first time, used a poodle on one of my girls; something I never thought I would do. Like you, I do all the health checks, and was actually at Downs 2 weeks ago with my 3 girls (still waiting for results while one of the girls is really in season!) I have not used them before, and have been to Cambridge Veterinary College, or Chester......and so far  have had no problems with SM.

I have just  given up my Assured Breeder status, as it seemed absolutely pointless to me as I was never checked out, and was doing more than required already with my dog care and record keeping etc. And that was before I got the letter from the kennel club that told me I was going to have to re-apply to stay  part of something I had already paid to join – not to mention the patronising way that it explained all the new required things that now had to be done......that I was already doing anyway!

I hope you are lucky with your SM results – I don’t like this waiting game, but it has got to be the way forward for the breed.

I could go on and on with Cavalier issues..........and Cavalier people........but at least I’ve got some of it off my chest!