Wolfy, what a great way to get to know each other better.

Eleanor's *cow story* brought back many memories.  I grew up on a farm,
and we had a small dairy.  Almost all the animals were raised for food,
beef, rabbits, chickens.  I HATED that.

There were barn cats.  I had a dog once, I don't remember how she came
to me, but I loved her.  One day I was taught a lesson.  I had not done
my chores (hosing down the dairy barn) fast enough.

That evening my step father took me and my dog Susie for a ride into the
desert.  I learned to hate at the age of 9.

I spent all the time I could with the animals, and always liked them more
than any human except my grandma.

46 years ago I married my wonderful husband, our two hooman kids were
born into a family of pets, and were raised on cat hair in the butter.

In the late 70's a neighbor had a ferret, but we thought we could not
have one *because they ate birds*.

We now have 19 animals, and we still like them better than most people.

I have no friends that are not animal people.  Relatives are another
story....

Ardith with:
cat, dogs, parrots, desert tortoises, donkeys, fishies, tarantula,
hedgehog, ferrets.

oh.... pet rock
[Posted in FML issue 5269]