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Ruby Here

Sydney here,


As we discussed in our last posting, we had just left Maebell Coakleys with all our baskets and were heading into Charleston. Charleston, South Carolina is a short drive North of Savannah, Georgia and is right on the Atlantic Ocean. Charleston got its start way back in 1663 when King Charles II gave eight English Lord Proprietors all the land from Virginia to Florida. However, it wasn’t until April, 1670 that the ship CAROLINA anchored in what would become Charleston Harbor. The colonists have arrived and ten years later, settlers would move to and settle what would become Charles Towne, the oldest English city south of Virginia. During the American Revolutionary War Charles Towne was the fourth largest municipality in the colonies and the richest on a per capita basis. The revolution led to the birth of the State of South Carolina with Charles Towne as its capital. In 1783, after the end of the Revolutionary War, Charles Towne was renamed Charleston. Charleston thrived with shipping and cotton during the nineteeth century. But it was in Charleston that the secession of the American South from its cousins in the North began. In 1860 the Ordinance of Secession was signed and six months later the Civil War began when troops in Charleston bombed Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor. After the Civil War and the abolition of slavery, Charleston was forever changed. The production of wealth withers. Left at the edge of American history, sultry, decaying, until the 1930's when concerned citizens began the first historic preservation program and Charleston was saved.


Our first stop was the farmers market held in Marion Square where we always stop when we are in Charleston to buy some really good grits. For those of you who don't know what grits are, I'll have to explain later. After leaving the market we walked down to the Battery overlooking Charleston Harbor and Fort Sumter. Along the way we passed some incredibly beautiful old homes and stopped and visited with a lot of people who commented on what cute doggies we are and what was our breed. Forgetting where we were, Ruby started to tell them, until I stopped her and reminded her that Mom and Dad were standing right there. Mom and Dad told them we were Cavalier King Charles Spaniels named after the English King from which their town is named. Of course whenever we go, we always get stopped and complimented on our looks. But whenever anyone asks about us Mom and Dad always take the time to educate people on being very careful when wanting to buy a Cavalier. They will tell them if they are ever interested in buying one of us to be very diligent when talking to Cavalier breeders and question them extensively on some of the health issues we face. They also tell them to never, ever buy one of us over the Internet or a newspaper ad. They also give them the web site for the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Club here in the US to get more information and get a list of breeders who have agreed to abide by very specific breeding protocols.


Sorry, back to Charleston. Arriving at the Battery, we stopped for a rest and a few photos. This peaceful park offers unprecedented views of Charleston Harbor and Fort Sumter, while a look back across the
street promises fantastic images of beautiful Charleston mansions. Enormous oak trees provide serene shade to the park and is a great place to take a break and cool off. The park has cannons used to shell Fort Sumter in 1861, two seacoast mortars, and lots more. During the early 18th century, the park was used as the home of the gallows, where Stede Bonnet - the "gentleman pirate" - and dozens of others were hanged. That was scary but Mom said there weren't anymore pirates. Here we are with the park and one of the beautiful homes behind us.



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I really like the color pink and so couldn't resist having my picture taken in front of a really pretty home along the Battery walk. I've always suggested to Ruby that we should paint our house pink while Mom and Dad are at work. Our only problem is we can never remember to buy the paint while we are out on one our late night trips. Besides, Ruby doesn't think we can get the whole house painted and get everything cleaned by the time Mom and Dad get home.



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Here we are in front of the Old Exchange and Provost Dungeon. Built by the British as the Exchange and Customs House in 1771, American Patriots were held prisoner here during the Revolutionary War, playing a huge role in American history; and is one of the three most historically significant buildings of colonial America to include Philadelphia’s Town Hall and Boston’s Faneuil Hall.



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After a quick tour of the Old Exchange, we stopped off at the Old City Market. Built in 1841, it stretches back for several blocks and features small shops, restaurants and a flea market with everything from produce to antiques. And, if you can't make it out to Miss Coakley's, you can hear the dialect of Gullah ladies as they weave and sell handmade sweetgrass baskets.




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Here we are in front of St. Michael's Episcopal Church. Completed in 1761, St. Michael's Episcopal Church is the oldest church edifice in the city and one of the few city churches in America to retain its original design. It was here that George Washington worshipped during his tour of the South in 1791. The clock and ring of eight bells in St. Michael's steeple were imported in 1764. Except for short absences (during the Revolution they were returned to England as a prize of war, and during the Civil War they were burned and had to be sent to England for recasting), these bells have shared the lives of Charlestonians for over 200 years. I think all this history was getting a little boring to Ruby though. Mom and Dad had promised to take us to the beach on Sullivan Island and we were ready to go.




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We were really glad to get out the ocean. We were really hot and couldn't wait to get into the water. Ruby was splashing around in the water trying to catch sea gulls and after she came out, I told her she looked really silly all wet and took this picture of her while Mom was looking for sea glass.





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Excuse me! Ruby's here. I might have looked funny all wet and Sydney laughed but before she finished laughing, I snatched the camera from her paws and took this little gem. Sydney didn't laugh at me much after this.



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The next day, we headed home to Virginia and a long awaited rest. I think next weekend we are headed off to somewhere in Virginia. We'll let everyone know where that might be when we get back and post our pictures. Have a happy Father's Day and we'll see you all very soon.

Bark On!

Ruby and Sydney in Virginia
 
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Awww she's lovely... love seeing that ruby's get even more beautiful as they get older... looking forward to more pictures ;-)
 
Well it looks and sounds like you all had a wonderful time! I quite agree that you couldn't possibly paint a whole house pink in just one day and I can only imagine the rows over who gets to hold the ladders! :lol:

Thank You so much for your wonderful "guided tour" around Charleston, fantastic, really enjoyed reading that!! Looking forwards to another guided tour soon!!

BTW you both looked great wet through and you both manage to take great :snap: of each too!! Well done!! ;) ;)
 
Loved reading about your adventures in South Carolina. Believe it or not....my brother and his family live in Mount Pleasant...and I've never been there. Guess I'll have to make the effort now after seeing those wonderful pictures. I've read several books about the southern water areas, in particular Sullivan's Island, so it was very cool to see pictures of you both there.

Can't wait for the next installment of your adventures. You two seem to go to all of the places I'd love to go to or miss with an aching heart. Does me good to see some pictures of you two enjoying them so much.
 
Ruby here,

Another weekend has come and gone and we were on the road again for another adventure. And what an adventure it was because Ruby and Sydney were off for college in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Charlottesville is about 2 hours south of where we live and is located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. It is the home of Thomas Jefferson and his home Monticello as well as the University he founded, the University of Virginia. We have a funny story about the University. When Sydney and I were looking for post secondary schools to attend, we were surfing the web and found a school with a nickname The Cavaliers. Of course, we felt we both would have lots of company with all those cavaliers running around campus by attending the University of Cavaliers, so we immediately applied. What fun it would be sitting in the stadium on a crisp Fall afternoon with thousands and thousand of other Cavaliers watching our team beat the pants off our arch enemy rival upstate kitty cat team. Only afterwards, sadly, did we realize that was only the official nickname for the University of Virginia. It seems it is a humans only school so, although we were not accepted, it still holds a special place in our hearts just for its nickname.

Anyway, Thomas Jefferson founded the university shortly after returning to Monticello after his two terms as President ended. His university opened in March 1825 but it is not the oldest school in Virginia. The College of William and Mary in Williamsburg is the oldest in Virginia and would have been the oldest in the entire US if it were not for that snooty Harvard. Oh, well, at least we have Jamestown. Anyway, Jefferson had always wanted to start a University based on science and reasoning, instead of theology and religion. He imagined what the perfect University would look like. He called his idea an academic village and started drawing plans for the buildings that a University needed. His idea was to have a central building for the library modeled after the Parthenon in Rome, which he would call the Rotunda The Rotunda would over look a central Lawn and a view of the Blue Ridge Mountains at the other end.

Here is Sydney resting in the grass in front of the Rotunda. This being June, and right after graduation, there were lots of weddings going on and there were brides everywhere having their picture taken in front of the Rotunda. Of course, they all wanted to take Sydney and I home, but we like living and traveling with Mom and Dad, so we respectfully declined.

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Of course what is a picture of Sydney without a picture of me.



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And both of us together. We are pretty much inseparable.



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On either side of the Rotunda, the University would have houses for the teachers and rooms for the students, all connected to one another. Jefferson built ten houses that he called pavilions. Teachers taught classes downstairs and lived upstairs. The pavilions and rooms opened out to a grassy yard called the Lawn.

Here is Sydney and I with some of the pavilions behind us. We could have been very comfortable in one of these rooms. However, notice I am also giving Sydney one of my looks. She had that look in her eye she gets whenever she sees a squirrel nearby and is about to give chase. She makes me nervous when she gets this look outdoors. I was afraid Dad was going to have to chase her down. :dogwlk: which would not look very good in such a proper place.

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In between some of the one-story student houses are professors homes. They are connected to the students rooms. I am not sure Sydney and I would like to live next door to our professors. We like to party way too much and our professor would always be pounding on the walls and screaming, Keep that barking down over there, or I will flunk you for sure. Here is Sydney and I in front of one of the Professors homes on the Lawn. A lot bigger and a lot nicer than the students rooms but I guess you rate a little higher when you are the teacher.



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Alas, after a short visit, our visit to the University of Virginia Cavaliers was over and it was time to head off to see Thomas Jeffersons home Monticello.

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Sydney and I took one long last view of the Lawn, and thought of what life could have been like had this really been a University of Cavaliers. All those Cavaliers, all that squirrel chasing, all those trees, all those spots to mark. Oh well, our search for higher education will continue. Tell you more soon.

Bark On!

Ruby and Sydney in Virginia
 
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Sounds like you all had a wonderful time. Oh....I definitely see that look in Sydney's eye....the squirrel look. :D
 
You ladies go to the best places!! Thanks for posting all the photos. Ruby - I can see why you might get that loook from time to time! :dogwlk:
 
Sydney and Ruby,

Thanks again for sharing your travelling pictures us. You are both just so adorable.

Rudy, your coat is really growing out and you look beautiful. Of course Sydney is equally as beautiful.

Looking forward to your next outing.
 
Ruby here,

Sydney got to tell you about our trip to the University, so its my turn to continue telling you about our trip to Charlottesville, Virginia. While we were in Charlottesville, we stopped at some really neat places and we learned a lot. One tip. When you come, you absolutely must drive over to Crozet (pronounced Crow-Zay) just west of Charlottesville and get a pizza at Crozet Pizza. It is in a really really old building and is very very tiny. Here is a picture of the counter and kitchen.




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However, don’t let the look fool you. Crozet Pizza has some of the best pizza outside of New York City that Sydney and I have ever eaten. In fact, it’s so popular you’ll need reservations just to get in on weekend evenings. How do we know what it tastes like? Notice we are not in this picture. That's because they wouldn't let us in to eat or sit on the counter and have our picture taken. So, since they wouldn't let us eat in the restaraunt, when we got home, Sydney and I picked up the phone and ordered out. We ordered a large pizza with everything. Well almost everything. We didn't order anchovies because we consider that cat food and won't dare let it touch our lips. Roll in it yes, eat it, no. We had it delivered and charged it to Dad's credit card. It cost Dad $235 plus the cost of a pizza for delivery, but I'm sure he gladly would have done it for us if we could have asked him. He's still trying to figure out how that pizza entry got on his credit card bill right below the doggie treat store. Don't you dare tell!

Shortly after our tour of campus and food at Crozet, we were off to Monticello, which is about 4 miles outside of town. We’re not sure if everyone out there knows what Monticello is famous for, so let's have a little quiz shall we? Declaration of Independence? Third President of the United States? Commissioned Lewis and Clark to explore the Northwest United States after he made the Louisiana Purchase from France?

Okay, Okay already. Many of you already have the answer, but for those who missed American History day in school, it’s Thomas Jefferson.

Thomas lived on top of a really high hill overlooking the Blue Ridge Mountains with some very pretty views. He was famous for writing the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia in 1776 with John Adams and Benjamin Franklin. Sydney and I have seen his draft with his handwritten notes at the Library of Congress in Washington and the actual Declaration of Independence at the National Archives. They wouldn’t let Sydney and I in during the day, so we popped in late one night during one of our treat runs and got to see them both without all the tourists bothering us. I’d let you in on our secret entry way, but someone would blab and then Sydney and I couldn’t get back in for our private showings late at night.

Oh, yeah Monticello. Here are Sydney and I lounging by the garden with the Shenandoah Valley back behind us. It was such a pretty view.


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Here we are in front of the house where all the tours start. We’d like to show you pictures of the interior of the house, but alas they wouldn’t let us in to tour the house. More doggie discrimination. When will these historic locations ever learn that we are Cavaliers are not just your everyday run of the mill dog. For pete’s sake, we were the favorites of royalty for years and had the run of palaces and castles. Sheesh, our mere presence would lend an even greater air of dignity to an already dignified location. Instead, we can’t even get into someone’s house who probably would have welcomed us with open arms had we had the opportunity to visit while they were still alive. Don’t worry, I left a comment card voicing my concern.



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After that fairly obvious snub, we moved around to the other side of the house and gardens. Of course, this is probably the side of Monticello that we think is the most beautiful and the view most people are familiar with. Here we are lounging on the lawn.

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Since this was only a day trip, we were soon forced to leave Monticello and Charlottesville and head home. It was an eventful day and we hope you have enjoyed our little tour of Charlottesville. Maybe some day when you visit Washington, you can drive down and enjoy the sites too. Next week we are off for vacation and a few weeks in the Hamptons and New York City. We'll post pictures when we get back. Happy Fourth of July everyone!!!!!!!!!!


Bark On!

Ruby and Sydney in Virginia :paw:
 
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I just caught the reason for your edit....fat paws! :D Monticello is beautiful. What gorgeous scenery. Thanks for sharing. And I'm enjoying my history lessons at the same time! :D
 
Ruby Here,

Just wanted to take the time and wish Sydney a very, very, very. . . . .

:hppybdy: :hppybdy: Happy Birthday. :hppybdy: :hppybdy:


She turns 2 today and I wanted to present her a little gift like she gave me when I turned 1 last January. I cheated and included some pictures of when she was just a puppy and Mom and Dad had just brought her home. You've never seen them before so I hope you and she both enjoys them. Happy Birthday Sydney. I'm glad you're my "sister".

Turn your volume up and sit back and enjoy!

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Ruby in Virginia :paw:
 
Sydney, you are my idol. Tri-colors RULE!! Rubies drool (just kidding, Ruby...). Have a great birthday.

My mom loves the picture of you on The Lawn at UVA (what's so special about a lawn, anyway???).

Star, almost 8 months old
 
Gosh I missed this informative visit to these historic places -- I was out in the US the week of the 4th and didn't get much reading done on the board then. What a fun post!

Jaspar, Leo and Lily enjoyed learning about the US and seeing those great pictures, and couldn't agree more that too many people are far too uninformed about the importance of cavaliers in history and that this breed has seen more insides of castles (and for that matter, backsides of royalty and aristocracy) than you could shake a stick at, so they don't get why they should be barred from the kinds of places where they once walked the hallways. No dogs allowed, indeed!

A happy b-day as well... :rah:
 
Ruby here,

Sydney and I have been out of touch for a short period and we wanted to get back and tell you why. For those in the US who keep up with Cavalier Connection and rescue, you will be already aware of this story so please bear with us as we relate it to others here on Cavalier Talk. Mom and Dad have been actively working a Cavalier rescue here in Virginia. We have rescued five beautiful Cavalier puppies and have turned them over to Cavalier Rescue USA and we would like to share some photo's. I know they aren't travel photo's of us on adventure holiday, but we feel they are loads more important. Anyway, here is our story.

Last weekend was a busy one for Dad and Mom. To keep this from gettng too long let me begin with the day we picked our treasures up. On Saturday Dad and Mom drove down to to southern Virginia and picked up five Cavaliers from a backyard breeder who was getting out of Cavalier breeding, the details of which we will spare you because it was so heart wrenching. They were kept outdoors and had an old travel trailer with a hole cut in one end for their house. It didn't have any air conditioning but it was in the woods and all the dogs had their hair cut short to keep them cool. However, that being said, they were in amazingly good condition considering their situation. Enough discussion on their condition, let me now introduce you to five beautiful amazing Cavaliers:

Emerald (or Emma as Mom and Dad call her) is the oldest at four years old, is very tiny at about 13-14 pounds, and is a very special little Blenheim. She is very small but has a heart bigger than anything we've ever seen considering what she has been through. She loves to give kisses and will attempt to wash every square inch of your face if you'll just hold her. She has had three litters with her first being when she was about 18 months old. Her second litter was when she was about 2 and her third and last was when she was 3. She will steal your heart and all she wants is to be held. Here is Emma:

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Sapphie is the two year old black and tan female, weighs the most at 18+ pounds, and truly the most adventurous of the lot. She has tried tunneling out of the yard once since we brought her home and every where she goes, all the others follow along behind her like a little five-car freight train. She is also the most vocal and will let you know it if you try and leave the yard without her. Here's Sapphie:


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Opal is a 2 year old female tri-color weighing in at around 12 pounds. She is very very cute and will follow you around just waiting to get picked up and hugged. She is a little introverted, but if you squat down to her level she will quickly jump up on your leg to give you some kisses and begs to be picked up so you can hug her. She also is a toy and treat horder. The night we brough them home, we gave everyone a small treat and if anyone dropped theirs, Opal was right there to pick it up and take it back to her crate. Here's Opal:


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Aggie, a tri-color, is also 2 years old, and may be pregnant. She was bred on Aug 5th. She is so adorable and all she desperately wants is to be held oh so tightly. Whenever you kneel down, she runs over, jumps up on your thigh, and buries her head in your chest and just remains motionless. She will break your heart. If pregnant, she is due to deliver her litter around the first two weeks of Oct. Here's Aggie:


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Last but by no means least is Rudy. Rudy is a two year old absolutely beautiful solid ruby just like me. Our names are very similar so when Mom calls one of us we both come running. He is very very very shy and somewhat withdrawn but seems like he is getting better. He experienced his first walk on a leash, his first car ride, his first meal at a human restaurant outdoors, and his first human store with more people in one place than he has ever seen in his entire two years of life. Rudy is getting along great with Sydney and I. Here's Rudy:


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Rudy has a hard time being the only boy in a house full of females and everytime they see him getting attention, they all come running over and push him out of the way so they can get some petting. Dad felt a little sorry for him and so after their morning exercise in the backyard, he let Rudy in first to let him get a little quality one-on-one. Looking over at the back door, this was the result. Nothing worse than a woman scorned.


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So that is our story. All the dogs were turned over to Cavalier Rescue on Sunday, except for Rudy who Mom and Dad are fostering. All the dogs have been deprived of human touch and companionship for so long, all they want is to just be held and petted and caressed. Mom and Dad tried their best to keep the attention coming to all of them on the one night they spent at our house. Saturday night they all slept in the kitchen for the first time in clean kennels with soft bedding and lots of good food and water. There was a thunderstorm with lightning all night, but they were so safe and secure for the first time in their lives that they never made a peep all night. Although we wanted them all to stay, Mom and Dad signed them over to Cavalier Rescue since we can never keep 5 more dogs here in the house much less travel with that many. Once they are vet checked and spayed/neutered, they will be adopted to good loving homes where they will be loved and pampered for the rest of their lives as they so rightly deserve. They will be listed on the Cavalier Rescue USA web site for the Southern Region, but with dogs this old they probably won't even have to be listed they will go so fast. Although we couldn't keep all five Cavaliers, the good news is that Rudy is staying here with us for a while. Don't tell anyone, but Dad and Sydney and I are are trying to get Mom to let Rudy stay here permanently with us. It will be a new adventure learning to live with a boy dog, but he is such a sweetheart, we can't resist him. Mom's only concern is it makes traveling harder with three dogs versus two. With just Sydney and I, Mom can take one of us and Dad can't take the other. Do any of you have three babies and can give us any advice on travels with three. Anyway that's our story and that's how come we haven't been traveling lately. Now that we have successfuly completed this task, we can now get back on the road and supplying you with more adventures. Hope you enjoyed the update and always support rescue.


Ruby and Sydney in Virginia
 
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