Neither mind or body willing !

Finally mustering the energy to blog, as I uploaded photo's two days ago and last night I was going to blog . Firday nights though are always a bit hectic with both my husband and me milking. The children have supper at Granparents and we normally all arrive back at base camp home around 8 pm. This is the only evening the dogs are left in the home on their own for just over three hours.
This Friday I got home just after my husband had arrived home with our six children in tow and I got to the back house first to open the door to be greeted by only what can me discribed as a blizzaed of fluff. The dogs had decided to kill one of the dog beds and had managed to get to the cushion inside and there was fluff every where, infact a whole dustbin bag full. This happens from time to time and with four juvenile dogs and Reggie who likes a bit of tug of war, its no wonder we have any  dog beds still alive
So any way we got that mess cleared up and I went out with the dogs for a quick run around whilst my husband took charge of the children. On Friday nights we sometimes treat our self to a fish supper from a very good fish and chip shop in South Molton and when I came in from walking the dogs my husband nipped of for our tea and I got our yougest children to bed. Finally got to sit and have our fish supper just after 9pm and when you have not eaten since midday and have been out in the winter elements working, fish and chips cooked by someone else  go down rather well and without touching the sides.
So, I was now ready to attack my blog but unfortunately after eating my supper I leant back and thought, I'll just lie here for a second and digest my food. Well, as the photo shows below that my oldest daughter caught of me, that second turned into a one and a half hour deep sleep or as my husband puts it when he falls asleep on the sofa,  "I'm was not asleep, I was just resting my eyes." It makes me also think of the saying, "The mind is willing but the body weak" but I think you can see neither mind or body was willing to do a blog last night.

Just resting our eyes !

We have a house guest. Lucinda (Lucy) a Ruby coloured Cavalier has come to stay with us for just under three weeks whilst Sue and Jim go to visit their daughter in Australia. Lucy is a dog that we aquired as an adult and then rehomed with Sue and Jim. She came back this time last year for a month whilst they went to Austalia then. She is no trouble and the dogs soon settle with her back in the pack. So have just put some photo's on of Lucy and her this morning at 5 am just before I went milking, with our dogs snuggled up in the back house. I just had to catch this photo's and got a lovely photo of Toby with his head on top of Primrose's.

A busy start to 2013 and a bit of a sad one with Ann contacting me about Archie,who is from Primrose's litter born the 22nd September. Archie left us the beginning of December and a few days after having him Ann started to get the snuffles and it seems that she was allergic to Archie. I think she hoped that it might pass but unfortunately it got worse and a few days into the New Year she contacted me to ask advice. I offered to have him back and with a heavy heart Ann and Raph returned Archie last Friday. I have to thank Ann and Raph, first for coming back to me and secondly for caring so well for Archie whilst he was with them.
This is the first time we have had a person that has had one of our Cavapoos  that have been allergic  to them and it has to be said that care should be taken in getting any dog if you know that you have an allergy. Ann has not been allergic to dogs before but she is asthmatic and we think this allergy must of developed since having their last dogs. They visited me twice before having Archie without any problems and this I think comes down to just bad luck.
Some times in life things don't quite go as planned and it is how you come to terms with the unplanned that will define a person's character and I think with this situation that we have all done our best to make sure Archie has been our first concern. Ann and Raph have been such lovely people to deal with I have very much respect in how they have conducted themself in difficult  circumstances.
The next group of photo's iclude photo's of Archie back with us.

Archie arrived a week ago on Friday and before he had arrived home with me ,I had contacted a couple people on my waiting list but either it was not the right timing for them to have Archie, or they had found a pup already but had not informed me yet, so then I got to the Hepple family from Exeter not very far away. They had contacted me a little while ago about a pup, as their neighbour has one of our pups Ruby who's mum is Ysobel and Ysobel is also Archie's Granny.  
I phoned them and they where very interested and could home a pup now, so last Sunday they visited us and fell in love with Archie and decided to have him. He is settling in well with them and they have been very kind in letting Ann and Raph know how he is getting on. Thanks Jane for sending me the photo's below and letting me know all is going on well.

Now some more updates that came to us over Christmas and the first is Archie's sister Milly. Thanks Lindsey for the photo's and update on Milly and that all is going on okay.

Next is Archie's other sister Maisy and a photo of her with her best mate Milly the Frisk family's other dog. Milly is a bit of colour at the moment with Kennel Cough which is like having a cold. Hope your fully fit again soon Milly. Thanks Sue for the lovely photo's.

Thanks for this Sue of Maisy and Milly on the beach in Cornwall over the  Christmas holidays.

Sue also sent me this funny cartoon and the email was titled " Look  familiar ?!" and she goes on to say, "Jane, saw this and thought of you !" Thanks sue, it did make me smile.

Now we get to Poppy who was from Lucy's first litter of Cavapoos and Dad is my sisters Poodle Rollo. Thanks Toni for the lovely photo's of Poppy and lets keep our fingers crossed for 2013 and the patter of little Poppy's. Toni is hoping to use Reggie this year with Poppy and breed a litter of f1b's. Poppy is now over two years old and Toni's parents our experinced in breeding dogs. So watch this space.

Now for Scrumpy who says "Hello !" every Christmas. Thanks Jean and always a pleasure to see how well Scrumpy is. Scrumpy's mum is Lucinda (Lucy) who has just came back on holiday with us and Scrumpy's Dad is Charlie who is Primrose's and Smudge's dad.

This is another Archie but Archie from Smudge's litter born in 2012. Thanks Angie for the photo and Happy New Year !

Archie

I have lots more to tell but I'm failing and need to rest my eyes. I will try to get back soon with my epiphany and plans for 2013, so I will leave you with this cracking photo of Crumble (I really like that name) out and about with the Holdsworth family. She is from Smudge's huge litter of nine born Spring 2012. Thanks Emily for this lovely photo. The sheer joy in your childrens faces in this photo  is priceless. 

Crumble enjoying being out and about with her family