Archive for the ‘General’ Category

Please say a prayer for Al who is in intensive care tonight. He is in very bad shape from his latest round of chemo.

Midnight Mass was lovely tonight.  I wish all of you the most wonderful Christmas as we celebrate the birthday of our Lord!

From another list but of interest to many, shared by permission of the author.  This may be addressed to breeders but will also very much affect those who wish to buy high quality beloved companions.  We, the show and hobby breeders, who are passionate about our breeds and their welfare will not be breeding because we will be driven out of breeding.  The only choice will be a purebred from a high volume commercial breeder or a dog from a shelter.  If the bill now being proposed in Ohio passes, a stiffer bill than the ones we helped defeat last year, I know of several quality breeders who will just quit, myself included. See below for the Ohio Bill info:

              If We Lose the Fight

The time is coming when the decision to stop or to continue breeding dogs will be made for you by the dog legislation that is being passed. The one that just passed the house in Oregon will put a stop to much of the breeding that is going on there by hobby breeders. Not that they are going to ban it but they will pass lemon laws saying that  if you breed a dog with a genetic problem you will be responsible for the vet bills. Who is willing to take a chance on that? The ironic thing about this is that the only breeders left
standing will be those that can afford the insurance that it will take to continue.  Andrew Hunte comes to mind. He will be buying our dogs.

My advise is to enjoy your breeding programs while they last because it is truly a dying sport. We have spent way too much time hoping and wishing that the few fighters among us will win the fight. Our success or failure rest on our own shoulders. No one to blame but ourselves. If we could have put as much passion into fighting animal legislation that we put into fighting amongst ourselves, then we might have won.

Daylight Savings time really caught me by surprise;  I was behind all day yesterday.  Al cannot drive yet so have been the chauffeur.  He hates not driving and is being less than his usual less than jovial self! 

I am tired tonight so won’t write much; however, I read an interesting and excellent article in USA Today which I will report upon next time.  The article deals with to do with our declining adherence to a moral code in this country.  Food for thought.  Until next time . . .

My friend Marilee sent me this one!

All dogs Go To Heaven (been around before but too good not to share again)

This is literally a ‘church signs’ debate, being played out in a Southern town, between the Catholic church and a  Presbyterian church. The churches face each other across a busy street. From top to bottom shows you the response and counter-response over time.

Great sense of humor by both congregations………

My friend Ellie has two of our Cavaliers that she spoils rotten beyond belief!  She warms their couch blankets in the microwave and Jasper crawls into his own little blanket sleeping bag.  I refuse to let my dogs see this picture lest they begin picketing for the same treatment!

This is a heartwarming vignette and perhaps we should all adopt its message:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFz-FMj-9Ps

I just wanted to share this lovely sentiment with you.  Please go to the following link and enjoy. Music is great too!

http://home.att.net/~hideaway_today/t125/pet.htm

I don’t know about you, but I am very glad that 2008 has come to a close.  The years of the present administration are almost over; hopefully, the new administration will truly initiate much needed change.  Our country is going through very tough times and the end will not be over soon.  Our county, president elect, our troops all over the world, and our fellow citizens who are have lost and are losing jobs and homes all need our prayers this following year.

Our New Year’s letter- a recap of our 2008

This past year has been one of many changes in our lives. If we have not been in touch, please forgive us. We are sorry we did not send Christmas cards last year and are late sending this out this year; hopefully after reading this you may understand why. We had been thinking about downsizing and selling our farm for quite some time, but change is very hard when one is used to a certain way of life. We had our horses and our famous Rattlebridge Cavalier breeding and showing program to consider as well as Al’s “farmer mentality.” However, with our advancing years, we thought that we needed to decide the time to move rather than let the time decide for us. We accidentally happened upon our wonderful new home in Galena, Ohio, just a few days before Christmas last year and had it signed, sealed, and closed on December 28 because we felt instantly that this was “home.” Then the fun of moving horses, dogs, all of our equipment, totally crammed house and barns began. We moved into our new home on February 21, with no dog facilities completed and no idea when we would be able to move dogs so we could put the farm up for sale. However, it all took time, but with the help of friends and contractors all is fairly complete, the dogs we kept are here, our horse is being boarded but will soon be moving back to the farm as M’s niece and her husband are doing a lease/purchase and will use the property to board horses and mainly dogs as the kennel set up is great. Al and M are delighted as they are very close to Annie and Eric and their first child, baby “Fritz.” Meredith has lost much of her wanderlust which had her traveling around the world judging and showing and now just wants to be home with Al to pursue other interests besides just breeding and showing; we have really downsized our breeding program; we keep far fewer dog and have no wish to show at the present time. What the future brings with our Cavalier endeavors is unknown, but after 42 years of “doing dogs,” M is ready to be home where Al needs her now. His health is stable, but orthopedic problems plague him. At almost 80 he just refuses to admit that he cannot do all the outside work he loves to do.

Our new home has lovely gardens, but no swimming pool (thank God the farm is in family hands so Al can swim all summer!). In her totally compulsive/obsessive manner, M has driven Al crazy extending all the already lovely flower beds of our new home,, civilizing a couple of the raggedy wooded areas (he won’t let her touch the main woods), and planting trees as though the place didn’t have enough trees already! They have even gotten in the holiday spirit and actually decorated for the first time in years! M has become very active in St. Mary’s Catholic Church where she went briefly as a child and again when Al and she built their first home in Delaware, Ohio. She has also been busy writing articles for major dog magazines and fighting anti dog breeding legislation; she is pleased that the latest bill died on the Ohio Senate floor at the eleventh hour before recess. Al continues to be M’s greatest support and is very encouraging of her recent return to Columbus, Ohio, Public Schools as a substitute principal and would like her to ask for her own school full time next year just to get some peace around the house.

Al’s daughter Carolyn and her family are fine. Al delights in his grandchildren, Audrey and Darrin. Both are really good students and very active in school. Audrey is beginning to plan for college as she is in her junior year. Audrey’s dating adventures keep Carolyn intrigued for lack of a better word and Al very amused as he remembers Carolyn’s teen aged years all too well. Stuart is continues to make his life in Texas.

We do hope we can keep in touch during the following year. May you have peace and joy in 2009. We pray that God takes care of our country and all of our citizens especially our soldiers all over the world. May God bless our country and our new president elect that he may lead us wisely and justly.

This past year has been one of many changes in our lives. If we have not been in touch, please forgive us. We are sorry we did not send Christmas cards last year, but now you will hopefully understand why. We had been thinking about downsizing and selling our farm for quite some time, but change is very hard when one is used to a certain way of life. We had our horses and our famous Rattlebridge Cavalier breeding and showing program to consider as well as Al’s “farmer mentality.” However, with our advancing years, we thought that we needed to decide the time to move rather than let the time decide for us. We accidentally happened upon our wonderful new home in Galena, Ohio, just a few days before Christmas last year and had it signed, sealed, and closed on December 28 because we felt instantly that this was “home.” Then the fun of moving horses, dogs, all of our equipment, totally crammed house and barns began. We moved into our new home on February 21, with no dog facilities completed and no idea when we would be able to move dogs so we could put the farm up for sale. However, it all took time, but with the help of friends and contractors all is fairly complete, the dogs we kept are here, our horse is being boarded but will soon be moving back to the farm as M’s niece and her husband are doing a lease/purchase and will use the property to board horses and mainly dogs as the kennel set up is great. Al and M are delighted as they are very close to Annie and Eric and their first child, baby “Fritz.” Meredith has lost much of her wanderlust which had her traveling around the world judging and showing and now just wants to be home with Al to pursue other interests besides just breeding and showing; we have really downsized our breeding program; we keep far fewer dog and have no wish to show at the present time. What the future brings with our Cavalier endeavors is unknown, but after 42 years of “doing dogs,” M is ready to be home where Al needs her now. His health is stable, but orthopedic problems plague him. At almost 80 he just refuses to admit that he cannot do all the outside work he loves to do.

Our new home has lovely gardens, but no swimming pool (thank God the farm is in family hands so Al can swim all summer!). In her totally compulsive/obsessive manner, M has driven Al crazy extending all the already lovely flower beds of our new home,, civilizing a couple of the raggedy wooded areas (he won’t let her touch the main woods), and planting trees as though the place didn’t have enough trees already! They have even gotten in the holiday spirit and actually decorated for the first time in years! M has become very active in St. Mary’s Catholic Church where she went briefly as a child and again when Al and she built their first home in Delaware, Ohio. She has also been busy writing articles for major dog magazines and fighting anti dog breeding legislation; she is pleased that the latest bill died on the Ohio Senate floor at the eleventh hour before recess. Al continues to be M’s greatest support and is very encouraging of her recent return to Columbus, Ohio, Public Schools as a substitute principal and would like her to ask for her own school full time next year just to get some peace around the house.

Al’s daughter Carolyn and her family are fine. Al delights in his grandchildren, Audrey and Darrin. Both are really good students and very active in school. Audrey is beginning to plan for college as she is in her junior year. Audrey’s dating adventures keep Carolyn intrigued for lack of a better word and Al very amused as he remembers Carolyn’s teen aged years all too well. Stuart is continues to make his life in Texas.

We wish you a blessed holiday season and a blessed New Year!

Al and Meredith,

email: meredith@rattlebridge.com