Clouded leopards & Crested cranes

Last week, went with Chris to visit some Clouded Leopards (very friendly but rather boisterous)

and a Crest Crane that needed an op on its wing.


Our Head Nurse has been poorly so couldn't go with us and suddenly I am presented with a pair of stethoscopes with the casual instructions to 'check its heart rate and let me know if anything changes'!!

Didn't like to admit have never been able to hear a thing through those things so gave it a whirl.
Found the heart alright - couldn't count the damn thing.

The Dr reassuringly says 'It's OK, just count for 15 secs and multiply by 4'.

HAH!!!! YOU try counting to 70-something in 15 secs, whilst watching your second hand, ignoring the crunching, grinding noises around you!

Hope this explains the somewhat anguished body language I am displaying.

Animals Lloyd/Green!

THought that while we were about it, we'd also post some pics (some recent, some not so recent) of our menegerie.

Firstly, my very special Daisy Green - no longer with us but hugely HUGELY missed. Adopted from Battersea (Feb 1998) just 3 months after I started there

Next, we have Alan Green - who came to live with me during Euro '96 and was subsequently named after a certain Mr Shearer. Alan must be approx 12/14 years old and King of All He Surveys!

Stanley Lloyd joined us (another Battersea Boy) in Dec 1999 - a very special soul indeed!!!!

After we moved to Dubai in June 2002, someone else came to live with us.

It was only supposed to be temporary but 2 feather duvets, 3 tv remote controls, 21 pairs of disposable contact lenses, 2 pillows, numerous books, dvds, cds, magazines, sofa cushions and curtains, visitors' shoes, wallets ................. things are kind of settling down for Ollie-G.

A purer soul could not be found on this earth - just bad things seem to happen when he is around. HOwever he is always happy to see everyone and assumes that all are his new best friend.

He and Stan are pretty good pals esp on walks..........

(that's him on the right)

About a year ago, Schatzi moved in (a former patient of Chris's) - Ollie on the sofa

And finally and VERY excitingly, Diamond's Miss Snippet (Leah) has just joined the gang

Introducing a rather Special Someone!

Most of you will know by now that for about the last 18 months Chris and I have been trying to adopt a child from Nepal.

After a pretty long journey, though not as long as many we know, on 24 November, we received our Referral. It came in email form and in the subject line it said 'You have a son'!!!!

here is the first image we had of our baby:

(oops sorry, will rotate it next time!!)

Anyway, on the morning of 1st Jan 2007, we flew out on Air Arabia from Sharjah Airport direct to Kathmandu Airport.

Sadly we knew that we would have to make this trip to sign papers etc etc and get the chance to meet him but not be able to bring him home as we need to wait for a court date at the Nepal end to officially complete the adoption.

Won't bore you with the details of the trips to British Embassy, Department of Children/Women and Welfare (or something) and doctors - but we did manage to start to get to know Nepal.

A truely fascinating country so poor and yet so rich! Despite alot of difficulties, we both felt there was such an energy and positivity amongst the people we met that was very inspiring.

Their attitude towards driving is a an awesome example of Buddhist thought - there is a calm belief that all will get where they need to be, everything in Life changes and therefore no need to get too het up about what is happening at this instant - all will get to where they need to be by being patient and 'being in the present'!!

Anyway enough of that.

On to the Sargamatha Childrens Home (www.childrennepal.org.np)

The moment of meeting Baby (sorry still no name although NO shortage of nicknames, poor kid) was not the emotion charged that many adoptive parents have reported. He was actually fast asleep and I think I said something like "So THIS is where you are, we've been looking everywhere for you!"

Chris went to play football with the older boys downstairs.

It wasn't long though until the ladies looking after him woke him up for a feed and I got to give it to him!

His birthday is 24 September and he was just over 3 months when we met him.

He is absolutely adorable and positively squeezable and very cuddly - although he was a bit poorly on this first day with a nasty cough.

Poor little boy had just been woken up and was clearly feeling fairly grotty but then ..............................................

...................................he met Chris and

he thought he was the funniest thing he's ever seen:

We could bang on for hours and hours about him and have rapidly become the dreaded Baby Bores!!

Sadly we did have to leave him behind and we said our goodbyes on 5th Jan. We prepared ourselves for this and the initial parting was not too painful though, oddly, our house feels rather empty now - strange as he's never been here.

HOpefully, we will travel to see him in March/April time and then we hope it won't be too much longer to wait to bring him home.

We'll keep you updated!!