A1 Savannahs visit to england

Wednesday 7 November 2007
7.30am - Drove and picked up Martin of A1 Savannahs from Newark Station in Lincolnshire. Lovely to see him again. I thought he had decided to grow a beard, hehe! - no - his shaver had been confiscated at the airport. Drove him straight back to our home where he could unpack his bags and relax in his own room.
No, not martin. All he wanted to do was see cats, as if he doesn't see enough cats you may think. It seems we breeders are all the same (Swiss, Americans or British), we just can't stop thinking cats. So we spent the next couple of hours looking around our Bengals.
Lunch at a pub - guess what? yes, you're correct - talking cats!
Afternoon back at our place - guess what? yes, you're right - looking at cats again. Looking at pens, how we heat our pens, how we construct our pens everything to do with cats and their homes. The differences between American and our housing of cats and kittens due to the climate differences. Where does the time go, in no time at all its putting the cats to bed.
We spent the rest of the evening talking cats and eating ham sandwiches - not to mention a few beers! Then an early night for Martin to catch up on his sleep.

Thursday 8 November 2007
6.30am - No need to wake martin as he was up and about before us. Martin helped us get the cats ready to take for neutering. some rescues and also a couple of our own for retirement. we had three quarters of an hours drive to take the cats for neutering. Whilst we were there, we had a couple of our young girls blood tested ready to join our breeding programme.
On the way back we used a MacDonald's drive in to take breakfast back for Katey (daughter) and Tim (hubby). Martin insisted on paying and we enjoyed every mouthful!
Martin then enjoyed helping in the cattery, no stopping him I'm afraid, he was determined to work for his keep, hehe.
Lunch - we are too full to have anything other than sandwiches.
Again, Martin helping in the cattery. A dab hand at sweeping and cleaning cat housing.
Jude and her partner came to pick up their gorgeous silver girl and decided to take two gorgeous silver girls.
Martin didn't mind being left to his own devises in the house (we made it clear that our home was his home whilst in England), it gave him time to catch up on phone calls. Anyone who knows martin will know exactly what i mean. He is addicted to his mobile phone.
4.30pm Pick up the cats from the vets. Martin came along to chat to the vets about the early neutering on the pet Savannahs that leave us.
7pm - Out to dinner to a traditional English pub. Roaring fire and a few beers whilst we waited for good quality home cooked food, red wine and a cosy atmosphere. We had a lovely evening, then back home to more wine and good malt whisky. And you've guessed it - more cats!
Martin told us about his time in Europe and how well the programme on Savannahs went. Martin told us how much he enjoyed his visit to Germany, such good company and how well he had been looked after whilst there.
I left martin and Tim talking in the lounge as I went to bed.

Friday 9 November 2007
7pm - Breakfast this morning is our usual toast and jam or marmalade I'm afraid. We offered to take martin to Gatwick to catch his plane, but he wouldn't have it. Nor would he allow us to accompany him to Gatwick on the train, Martin insisted on taking the train on his own. I think he wanted to catch up on some work, so I drove him to Grantham to catch the train to London, and then onto Gatwick. We had a last coffee whilst we waited for his train, and agreed that kathrin should come next year. maybe we could take Kathrin to one of our London theaters to see a show before bringing her up to stay with us in our home.

All in all, we had an extremely good, informative visit. Now its just a matter of waiting, all these months of planning are finally coming together.