It's been a while since I last penned a few words,truth is, it's been a hard and unhappy week for the Quelvehin gang. Hope, our premature cria succumbed to the bacterial onslaught that mother nature threw at her,and without a chance to develop any immunity had been in rapid decline all week.
With no chance of recovery it was with much sadness her life was ended this afternoon.
Without the plasma infusion we knew this was always a risk. Doesn't make it any easier though.
Thanks to everyone for their help and advice. Hope to write some happier stuff soon.

For Andy and Angie

Just a quick photo gallery tonight. I promised I would,so here are the Searlies getting stuck in on their 'Alpaca experience' week.

Introduction

Haltering

Handling

Weighing

Toenail Trimming

Walking

Mating

Just thought I'd include this one because I looked quite brown and muscular

Washing

And of course........

A few days off !

Hannah & Hope

Heidi, Hendrix & Hannah

Hope

Well, it's been a while. Busy,busy,busy you see.Added to which, we've had no telephone/internet connection for nearly a week due to some plonker with a crane who loaded my phone line on to his truck as well as the tree trunks he was collecting down the lane. I've also had a bit of a week off actually,doing holiday stuff with oldest and dearest friends that came to stay.Lots of sight seeing, swimming in the sea etc....and my very first game of golf! A thoroughly enjoyable afternoon.Needless to say I was not exactly Tiger Woods but eventually finished at the clubhouse bar which I think is the object of the game!
It wasn't all fun and frolics for the guests though.There was still spit-offs and matings to do,and of course, poo-picking, but they soon got the hang of it.
They loved the alpacas, and Hope won the 'most aaahhs' competition as she still nuzzles between your legs searching out the bottle. She's doing very well by the way, and is now in the field with all the others trying very hard to be an alpaca. She is still half the size of the other cria born at the same time and it is actually her due birth date today! She weighed in this afternoon at just over nine kilos and I reckon when she hits double figures she should be strong enough to cope with her vaccination.
Must go and do the rain dance now,getting desperately short of green stuff out there.