Before I do anything else, I want to send my sincere condolences to all
who've lost their babies: Baby, who pined away for Max, Sabrina, Spaz,
Bianca, poor Sherman, the poor little one who got her head caught in the
cabinet and couldn't get out because of the hinge/latch, and all the others
that I can't name, and who I may have missed sending a card or a line too.
Know that all of us feel the same thing when you lose your beloved fuzzy.
We've been there, done that-maybe not the same way, but we've lost some of
our babies.  I know that I've held Nibbles and Bailey both as they left me,
taking pieces of my heart with them, but knowing they're healthy again,
happy, playing at the Bridge with all the others.
 
I'd like to ask you all to send good thoughts my Socks' way.  Now that
Ferrets 2000 is over I can start getting the vaccinations all caught up,
and Socks and Alix are first!  Socks is my grand old man, somewhere between
5 1/2 and 6 years old, silver mitt, also my first fuzzy.  He's never had a
really thick coat, but I've noticed lately that just between his shoulder
blades he looks a little thinner in the hair.  He has absolutely no other
signs of anything, healthy appetite, bright eyed, good potty habits, so
maybe I'm just paranoid.  I'll definitely discuss this with Dr. Thompson at
the Vet School and see what he feels, and if we both concur it warrants it,
I'll have the blood test done.  Please, if you can spare a thought for him,
we'll be at the vet's tomorrow (today as you read this)-Saturday at 10am.
 
Now for the funny story I have to share.  As many of you know, Sara and I
adopted Jill from Randy, Paige, and the rest of the wonderful people at
F.A.S.T.  at the end of Ferrets 2000.  Randy, Paige, Sara, & I knew that
Jill would be coming home with us before we even got to Toronto.  Jilly
Bean (knickname here) is a blast-you'd never know she's 5.  She and the
cats have an absolute ball with each other.  She absolutely terrorizes
them.  Paige had told me Jilly didn't like other fuzzies right off, takes
her a while, but for some reason this kid decided she had to have
playmates, so I've been introducing her to Alix, Socks, Misty and Joy.
Well, Alix and Misty now know what Eau de Bitter Apple means on them.
Socks, he just flipped her and you could almost see him shaking his head.
Joy-ah, Joy.  My little girl that my very good friend, Judy Cooke, asked
me to help rescue.  She and Bunny helped Joy get to me throught the great
assistance of Larry & Gayle on their way back home, and this is the
youngest of my group-she's just over 8 months, full of spit and fire.
She and Jill think they're looking in a mirror when they see each other.
But anyway, Wednesday night we got home later than normal, and Larry
barricaded the kitchen off for me.  We brought the 5 downstairs so I could
let the 8 out upstairs and they'd all get good exercise/play time.  I look
over and there's Joy, standing in front of A.T.  the cat.  Jilly was behind
him, she looks up at his tail as if to say Move yer bloomin' arse, will
ya?  and then she reached out a nipped his leg!  A.T. went straight into
the air, let loose with a yell and took off.  I swear Jill looked sooooo
smug and Joy was snickering.  Ah, children.  The cats don't mind any of my
fuzzies but Domino and A.T.  are especially fascinated by Joy and Jill.  I
think because they're all white.  Mookie, my big panda, hey, he just bops
by them and they never do a thing.  Joy and Jill though, lead them on merry
chases, hiding behind things and watching these two cats scratch their
heads.
 
By the way, Helen's pictures from Ferret 2000 were wonderful (catch the
pic of my daughter there!!!!)  Helga and Harvey, my dear, dear friends,
playing toss the fuzzy in the blanket with your babies was just like being
home-mine love it!  And it's just wonderful to know I can put faces to
names now (Hi, Toucan Betty!)
 
Rebecca & the Crew of Merry Mayhem
"Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons, for thou art crunchy and taste
 good with ketchup"
[Posted in FML issue 3190]