If you like to gamble, then this is for you, you big time roller.

1.) This funny ferret gambling game is perhaps new to you, but if
you've ever been to my Ferrets North West Ferret Olympics, you've
possibly participated and had a really good time ... along with you
curious George ferret.

2.) Very simply, the ferret selects a poker hand; you know, Aces,
Kings, Queens, Jacks, or any other combination of a poker hand you
want. You put down your marker, say a dollar or two ... whatever you
all agree to, just so all bets are placed in the same amount at the
beginning of the dealing.

3.) The winning ferret takes the pot and all the raises as the poker
game proceedes. Hey! what's more fun than a scampering, gambling ferret
that can and will make money for your shelter, or just for yourself?

4.) Here's how it works: First you need a strong cardboard box from the
grocery store, say about as big as one of those heavy plastic dairy
milk cartons that are used to deliver jugs of milk to your local
grocery store, except you want one made out of cardboard. Why
cardboard? Because you will need to cut four circular holes in
opposite sides of the box, two on each side, side by side.

5.) Next, you go down to the local carpet store and look in their
dempster dumpster out back in the alley. I call this the Penney
Pinchers Patrol, and boy have I done a lot of patrolling.

6.) There you may find two identical carpet tubes that have been
discarded by the carpet merchant. If not, then go into the carpet store
and ask for two identical carpet tubes, say about eight to twelve feet
in length. Make sure they are the same internal diameter and big enough
for a ferret to scamper all the way through, one end to the other.

7.) Now comes the hard part ... well, not really if you are handy
with a marking pen and a really sharp knife.

8.) With the cardboard box on the table or ground, lay one of the
carpet tubes up against the side of the box. Have someone hold the box
steady while somebody else holds the end of one carpet tube tightly up
against the side of the box. Be sure to position the tube end such that
a second tube can be used, just like this first one.

9.) With your marking pen trace around the end of the tube up against
the side of the box so that you have a circular pattern that you will
next cut out, just as carefully as you can, because you will need to
slip the carpet tube into the box in a tight fit. Bear in mind that
the two carpet tubes go in one side of the box and go out the other
side an even distance.

10.) Ultimately what you should do is cut four holes, two side by side
in two opposite sides of the box. Do this carefully such that when the
box is on level ground, then also the carpet tubes are also level.

11.) Next comes the really, really hard part: you need to cut a
circular hole in the round carpet tube midway along both tubes. These
two holes, one in each tube must be exactly the same size and yet big
enough for the huskiest ferret you can imagine to squeeze through and
get into either carpet tube. It'll be his choice which tube he wants
to traverse to the end.

12.) Assemble the two tubes by pushing them through the four holes in
the box and be sure to orient the tubes such that the two holes are
pointed straight upward, thereby giving the ferret a choice which hole
he wants to go through, get into one of the two tubes and scamper down
the tube to exit outside on the grass or floor. It's a good idea to
tape the tubes to the floor of the box or its side so the tubes cannot
rotate and close off the center holed entrance to a tube.

13.) Now here comes the fun part. Here's where we gamble and go home
with our pockets jingling.

14.) If you have an old deck of playing cards glue them face up on the
ends of the external tubes so that everybody knows the Ace tube, the
King tube, the Queen tube, and finally the Jack tube. You may assign a
value to the tubes, as Ace 4, King 3 Queen 2 and Jack 1.

15.) The ferret with the highest hand wins the pot after four trips
into the box and out the tubes of his choice.

16.) In case of a tie, the two ferrets may ge given a sudden death
extra trip, the highest card winning.

17.) To start the gambling, place your ferret inside the box and
quickly close the four top flaps on the cardboard box so the ferret
can only get out of the box by crawling into one of the two tubes and
out the end to the outside.

18.) It's a good idea for some few simple rules for all to accept in
this, the Gambling Ferret Frolic. Just remember, this is a great game
for the kids (Use lifesaver candies maybe instead of real money) and
even more fun for the ferrets.

19.) Hopefully I'll have this game and all the parts drawn out on my
blog so it'll be easier to understand and build this Penny Pinchers
game for the Gambling Ferret Frolic.

My blog address is:

http://www.experienceproject.com/Ferrets North West.

[Moderator's note: Per info supplied by Ed Lipinski the blog isn't
active yet. Final link is uncertain. BIG]

Edward Lipinski Pet Food Producer Supremacist The Only Pre-digested
Flesh/Veggie Diet in the World. And Freeze Dried too. Reconstitutes
with warm H2O.

Sursum corda (Latin: Lift up your hearts.)

[Posted in FML 6566]