Papillons of Forevr Blog

From the Forevr Papillons, Danny & Ruth Ann

We send you Cheers for the Holidays & 2008 (please look below at our holiday letter.)

• December 22, 2007 As 2007 draws to a close we at Forevr have had a wonderful but unusual year.
  Ruth Ann spent a good portion of 2007 showing Finnish Import Am Can Fn Champion Connection Rolls Royce for Salwa Alfadl of Alfa Papillons. Ruth Ann and Luka (Rolls Royce) shared many great adventures and met some really wonderful people along the way. They flew or drove many to states in the US, shared a glorious trip with Salwa to Manchester England for Crufts, and had quite an adventure in Ontario Canada. In November of 2006 Ruth Ann and Danny went to the state of Texas for the birth of their first grandchild Kylie Leeann. In between dog shows RA has really enjoyed getting the time to watch Kylie grow from an infant to child this past year.
• January blew into February and Ruth Ann had a wonderful time in the Big Apple where Luka was shown at the pre-Westminster Papillon specialties and at Westminster. Luka showed like a dream at Westminster, he was the first dog to make the judges cut and was in consideration for an Award of Merit. At the last minute a famous face was pulled up from behind… Such is life in the dog world! It is Westminster! – it was a thrill just being there.
• Late February Danny and Luka flew to the Metropolitan Area Papillon Specialty where they enjoyed winning the first Award of Merit. On the tails of a nice win, Luka was put on a plane back to Finland the very next day where he reunited with his breeder Vesa Toivanen, of Connection to complete the last leg of his journey and a ride with de Costalina of Belguim to Crufts.
• Crufts in March was embraced with great enthusiasm. Ruth Ann met many faces she knew only from email and was introduced to some really nice folks from all over the world. It was a thrill when Luka won the huge open dog class under a much esteemed breeder Judge Mr. David Roe of Sunshoo Papillons. A fun after Crufts evening was spent at the pub with Carolyn Allward-Chebseyof Lorah’s Papillons, UK. Salwa and RA were invited to spend an afternoon with Mr & Mrs Banfield of Kingshaven Papillons, UK. A look at their fine dogs and a good Papchat was a lot of fun and we found much in common to talk about.
• April could certainly be considered the highlight of our year. Danny officiated at the Papillon Club of America’s National Specialty show, as Sweepstakes Judge. It was such an honor for him to have been picked by his peers to judge their young Papillons. He found the experience to be great fun and RA says the exhibitors seemed too really like his judging procedure, his soft hand on the puppies as well as we heard only good things about his selections. The whole time they were at National, RA was also on baby call with her cell phone in her pocket at all times.
• Just a few days after the completion of national on April 23^rd we embraced our 2^nd Granddaughter Brooke Rosalind for the first time. Ruth Ann was with her daughter Terryse and helped coach her through the delivery. RA’s experience of whelping many litters through the years certainly helped her to prepare for the moment. Still… Nothing can take away the emotion of watching the miracle of a grandchild’s birth.
• In May Danny traveled back to the NE to pick up an RV which we had been saving for and purchased. It is 36 feet long with a pull out. Enough space for two adults and a bunch of fluttering butterfly dogs. Unfortunately that trip met with a knee injury and Danny ended up staying through the summer at our home in Pennsylvania going to doctors, while RA spent her time in San Antonio, Texas with most of the dogs and her kids.
• July came and RA, Luka and his son Yule, Forevr Alfa Yuletide Memories, boarded a plane from Texas to Ontario Canada for shows and a Canadian title for Luka. While there Luka won Best of Breed everyday and he won the Toy Group two of the four days. He was looked at very carefully for Best In Show those two days, but that wasn’t to be. Yule won the puppy toy group and earned Best in Show Puppy at one of the shows. We were most happy to get acquainted with Deborah Mouton of Jaymar Papillons. The thrill of Victory in Canada will always be a treasured memory. Soon after our trip AM Ch Forevr Cary Grant became a Canadian.
• The heat of summer quickly changed into the cool winds of fall. Danny at that time was still at home while the township our where our PA home is located in put in a new sewage facility. This meant they dug through our property in two different places, both times the construction works dug with backhoes down the middle of our upper and lower driveways. We were so glad Danny was on hand to look after the property during this time.
• While Danny was caring for the PA home, Ruth Ann in TX with her mother started looking at property in Spring Branch, just (North of the City of San Antonio). RA decided upon .66 acres nestled in the beautiful Texas Hill Country just a few miles away from the homes of both grand children and quite near Canyon Lake. The property somewhat developed has water, electricity and sewage. It only awaits a house to be officially deemed as their home Forevr South.
• Back at home in Pennsylvania the leaves are glorious in the Alleghenies as Danny’s parents planned for their 55^th wedding anniversary party. On December 2nd Danny had the honor of giving away his mother and watched his parents declare eternal love while renewing their vows. As the year heads towards the holidays the Texas property closed December 6^th.
• At the time of writing this letter Danny is finally making that RV road trip to Texas and promises he will be here by Christmas Eve. Here by the way is at Gina Gilmore’s Jaztyme Papillons a longtime friend of RA’s. It is with sincere thanks to Gina who has opened her home and kennel to Forevr for the past year. We also want to thank Luka’s owner Salwa Alfadl of Alfa papillons for making this years journey grand.
• At Forevr we have enthusiasm for 2008 and dream of it being a great year. Our goals are to continue showing and breeding great Papillons, for our online business to grow. To remain united with our close breed friends, work on the property in Texas as well as complete the major plumbing requirements in Pennsylvania for the required hooking on to the townships new sewage facility. Our most important goal is to watch our beautiful granddaughters grow.
• Together or separate we are still Forevr… Danny & Ruth Ann