Busy Blitzans

Firstly thanks for all the tick advice, luckily our grass will be cut this coming week so hopefully that will reduce the little bu****!!!

We've had a busy few weeks, so loads of pictures! 

We went to a local show last weekend, it was a great day out, I didn't show and acted as the kennel maid which was such a change and great fun!!! Andrew and James did a great job and we came home with Rosettes galore!! Below it Andrew meeting Robert Hardy CBE also known as Siegfried Farnon or more recently the Minister of Magic from Harry Potter, he was most taken with baby Bree, and stood and chatted with Andrew for sometime. 

My tow handsome boys, above is Logi and below Mr Darcy.

Darcy in all his glory, such a handsome boy,

Below it's playtime, Darcy, Prima, Bree and Tetra! 

Below is Bree with Andrew in the ring!

Our beautiful Tetra, we are planning to mate Tetra at the end of the year!

Our little Dynamo! Zeta maybe 11 1/2 years old but she keeps going all day, she spends hours out in the fields hunting for the field mice, the other day she suddenly went on point it was a perfect point so much so that Summer ran to her and stood about a foot behind also on point backing up Zeta, we were so busy watching the two girls we barely noticed Bree rifling about in a clump of grass and then all of a sudden Bree came to me and dropped on my lap a tiny, hairless baby mouse, it took a moment for it to register what it was and by the time I did Bree had gone back and collected another three in her mouth and then put them in my lap as well. They can only of been a few days old, Andrew and I got up and followed Bree back to the nest where I have to admit we put them back totally unhurt and left them alone! Zeta must of been after the mother of the litter and I'm rather pleased she didn't get her either. OK maybe we should of killed them but they were in the field furthest from the house and you know what they say, if you have mice you don't have rats, give me a field mouse over a rat any day!!! We were very impressed with how gentle Bree was, she could of easily hurt the delicate babies.

Always handsome, my gentle man Logi.

Last but not least Summer and Tetra in the show ring with Andrew and James.

Ali our dogs are also getting loads of ticks at the moment especially Jed who loves rolling in the grass.  Our vet said to use Advantix which is supposed to stop the ticks getting hold.  Elva is on lead walks only again with a bandaged foot!  This time she has cut her pad and up in her foot, it was quite deep and had to have four stitches.  Accident prone or what!

A hunting we will go!

The dogs are not only enjoying the better weather but they just love bounding around in one of our hay fields! There is one downside, ticks! I don't know if anyone else is finding it so but we are finding it a bad year for ticks, bloody things are everywhere, I use frontline which does kill the ticks but it's not stopping them getting hold first, anyone know of something that gets to the ticks before they bite? 

Logi and Darcy would love to say thank you for all their Happy Father's day wishes they got via emails and texts! It made their day!

Sunny pictures

Thank you Lins x x x 

Taken before the rain came! Best buddies Tetra and Bree, Tetra may be the eldest but she lets Bree call the shots and walk all over her (literally!!). A very happy pair these two, they certainly make you get up and get out. Both have now thankfully finished their seasons, (I hate it when we have the upheaval of seasons with the boys about it's not easy), any way now maybe they will grow some coats!!

 Tetra - Blitzan Eternal Mischief

 Blitzan Eternal Breeze -Bree

Everybody needs a friend they can rely on! Bree does have a habit of walking all over Tetra!

Diva

A little late, but I'm sorry - I just couldn't find the words to describe my feelings over the loss of Diva.  Her passing brought back so many sad feelings from when I lost Cassie to the same awful disease.  I have, of course, been talking to Ali and offering what little comfort and support I can, but it all feels so inadequate.  However, I do think the remembrance book is a lovely idea and I'm sure it will help Ali to come to terms with her loss.
I looked up the word "Diva", and aside from the expected definition "a celebrated female singer", the word is derived from the Italian noun "a female deity", the basic sense of the word is "goddess".  And that's what Diva was, beautiful, proud and of course, in the modern sense of the word, a prima-donna.
I am so grateful to her for producing her gorgeous Eternal litter, from which I was blessed with Bailey.  Her legacy will live on through her babies and through the memories she has given so many people.  Once met, never forgotten, rest in peace Diva xx

Thanks you and the animals lend a hand!

Firstly I would like to thank everyone for your continued support and kindness, all the cards, messages and gifts mean a lot to all of us, and the loss of Diva is still too raw to put into words but your kindness does help. I have been given a remembrance book and I would like to copy all your kind messages from here, my emails and Facebook into the remembrance book, if anyone would rather not be included please let me know and if anyone has any special memory that they would like to share then please do email me. It is a project that will take me some time to get through and one that is rather hard to do but it is also helping me. Thanks again everyone.

Yes Pete you did do your bit, we didn't get any rain until we were driving home, thanks your a star!!!

Next time though you will have to come with us, someone needs to keep us all in line!!

Now some recent photo's, James has been working on tuning up and flying his petrol planes and Andrew is building, the dogs love to get in on the action but not to be out down Cosmo, one of Cats also has to make sure he is round and about as well!!

Glamorous Granny - Zeta! 

She tried to deny digging a hole in Jamie's runway, somehow she wasn't believed!!! 

Bree sits in the boot waiting for the plane to land, she is determined to be the one who brings it back to James, not sure James would be very pleased though!

Cosmo falls asleep on the job, you just can't get the staff these days!!!

Now he does his bit of sanding down the rough edges!

For my sins

Sorry I missed you all, although I felt I did my bit, the rain that kept off you guys fell on me...all day !!!
Came home soaked, thinking a nice hot bath will put it right...boiler had packed up...Mr grumpy was not a happy bunny. Still never begrudge munsties going for a good walk and pub crawl.
Peter

LIfe goes on.....

and a huge thank you to my friends who got me out and gave me a lovely day out. Karen, Lins, Pete and Judith, plus my hubby! all met up and we enjoyed a lovely day out walking through the woods, the rain held off and we had a lovely stroll through the woods. Shame Peter H. couldn't make it but we totally understood why, you were missed but next time we will make sure you can make it!!! 

11 dogs, four of which are intact males, Logi had two wives, three daughters, a nephew and a granddaughter there, it was a real family gathering. Not one cross word was uttered and a lot of laughter was heard, mainly when I sat down and ended up underneath too many muddy Munsters!!!

We finished our day out by supporting the local pub, well we felt we should!!!

Thanks guys, it was just the tonic I needed x x x 

Oh and sorry about the photo's or lack of, my camera was set wrong and I didn't notice so any close shots before Zeta's is out of focus, shame but typical!

Left to right!!
Zeta, Andrew, Summer, Logi, Bree, Bailey, Lins, Jazz, Pete, Louis, Karen Mazy, Ranger, Majik, Judith and Keisha.

Keeping up with the youngsters, that's our Zeta!

Queueing up for the muddiest puddle!!

The old lady of the bunch, Zeta! 11 1/2 and still going strong, she always keeps up with the youngsters, she just paces herself now!

The last few days have been dreadful, I keep looking around expecting to see her, night time is worst as I wake in the night and reach out for her as she was always next to me and when she isn't it hits me all over again.

What has helped me is all the lovely things that have been said on here and on facebook, over 50 people have taken the time to remember Diva and all have said such lovely things about my girl. Thank you so much it really has helped us all, sometimes these things need to be private but for Diva it was the right thing to share our grief and news, I was only too aware how popular she was, not as a show dog but as herself, a beautiful girl with a wonderful personality, to know Diva was to truly love her. Thank you everyone.

Diva

I'm so sorry Ali, I haven't been on line for a few days and only just got the news. I've spent the last twenty minutes staring at the screen, not knowing what to write, words don't really say how I'm feeling for you. Although all those little Diva moments kept flowing through my mind, she was a very special girl, and remember she did `own' me from that first visit to you when she was a puppy, her character was infectious, a little mischievious but always honest. There are few dogs that I do not own that get under my skin and touch my heart, but Diva was one of those dogs, sharing your loss with tears.
Peter

Sleep well Diva

Sleep well Diva, you are a star. I will miss the pain you always managed to cause me upon your greeting.The embarrassment you also managed to cause me, like when I was holding you at a show and you decided you couldn't wait for puppy bitch, so in a moment of lack of concentration you ran up to the judge in open dog with the I am here look at me now attitude You were always my bed buddy when I stayed anywhere you with. You had 2 beautiful litters of babies and always done your mum proud even at the end you saved her from having to make that dreaded decision. Out of all the dogs that Ali as got you are the one I would have taken home, and you did ask that if it didn't work out could you come and live with me!!!! Sleep well beautiful girl xxxxx

So Sad

Oh Ali, Andrew and James I'm so sad to hear about Diva. I looked at the blog earlier, had to go out and came back in to write a get well message only to log on and read the sad news. I've been sat here crying my eyes out, it reminds me so much of when we lost Baron, also at eight years old.  It was through losing him that we contacted you and now have Jed, who looks so much like his mum Diva, and Elva (who is a relation of Baron). 

I still miss Baron now. We talk about him almost every day. Eight years old is too young to loose them, we should have still have them with us for another half a dozen years and then it would not be such a struggle to say goodbye.

My heart goes out to you all, love Sarah x