An exciting time for the Pups!

Our boiler decided to give up the ghost at 4 pm last friday afternoon. Typical. A freezing cold day and too late in the afternoon to have any chance of getting it repaired. Andy did manage to get a Heating Engineer out at 6 pm but he just gave us the bad news that it was the main circuit board and he could do nothing further until Monday. So, no heating, no hot water, 7 pups and 2 dogs (who actually could not care less about the heating), what shall we do?
We are in the very lucky position of owning a second property that we rent out as a holiday cottage, in a village called Esholt (used to be Emmerdale in the soap), about half an hour from here. (www.oldhallbarn.net  - website is still under construction but there are some photo's on there, and it's rented via Hoseasons for anyone who is interested, might as well get some advertising in while I can !!!!)
As luck would have it, it was free last weekend, so we took the decision to up sticks, pups and all and move into the barn until the heating was back up and running. Sounds great, but it was actually a logistical nightmare getting everyone down there.
First trip was puppy crate, clothes for us, dog food, dog bowls, anything else dog related we could think of and Molly and Jess. We got them installed, ensured the heating was on then we had to set up an area for the pups to live in. We set the crate up with their bedding and set it in an open bedroom doorway with the door open. We gave the pups the run of the utility, which we filled with sawdust as a toilet area, and the run of a small corridor which we then fastened up with a baby gate. Enough room for them all to go about their puppy business. Once this was all set up, it was back to Ilkley to pick up the pups. We had no box or crate that was either big enough for them all or would fit in the back of our landrover. The only solution was me and seven pups in the back, and I had to try and contain them all and keep them all safe.
Well, the pups were all a little nervous as we set off, and there was a lot of jostling for position along the way - all of them trying to get as close to me as possible. When we arrived everyone of them was sound asleep. Their first car journey and no hassle at all. Well not for the puppies anyway, Andy and I were stressed out, all the hassle of the move, making sure the pups were ok and did I mention this was all in the middle of a blizzard?
The pups were safely installed in the barn and we let them out into the downstairs hallway for their first meal. They loved the stone flagged floor, they ran about like little maniacs and had the time of their lives! When we finally put them to bed, Andy and I looked at each other and realised it was 9.45pm and we had no food and no chance of getting anything delivered in a blizzard. Poor Andy had to go out again and get us a take away, there goes the new year diet. I stayed at the barn with the red wine - that was another resolution out of the window! Needs must!
The pups enjoyed every minute of their time at the barn. We had to take them out of their area for every feed and they really made the most of it, bounding about and fighting with one another for at least an hour after every meal. They came on leaps and bounds - quite literally! Of course the whole village had to come round at one time or another to see the pups, feeding time became a particular novelty. (I think we could have got a good rate for tickets).
The boiler was finally repaired on tuesday afternoon so I took the day off work yesterday and we made the return journey back to Ilkley. The pups were a lot more confident in the Land Rover this time, most of them went to sleep straight away - apart from No 2, who was a little monkey the whole way home!
We are all happily settled in back home now. It was quite funny seeing the pups back in their "house" here. They have all grown so much and in height, rather than width for a change. Although they have also been piling on the pounds. No 3 weighs 9 kilos!!! They are eating us out of house and home now, 15 kilos of puppy food last no time at all.
I will post some up to date pictures of them all just as soon as we find our camera, which has been misplaced during all the excitement..........