Over the past decade and a half you have read the many posts of all my
many ferrets. Most were rescue kids, all except two. I dearly loved
them all, each and every one. Some did not last long enough for me
to even get pictures of them but they remain in the cinema screen my
mind's eye.

Thru all those that came here to share my home was a store bought
ferret, my very first. She rises above them all to the top of my
favorite list, and does so by a very wide margin. This was of course
Byte-me. To think I almost got rid of her where she bit so much as a
kit! But she got over that and we became deep friends enough that we
could communicate very well with each other. Have never seen such a
level of communication between a person and a ferret as that. Was
unique and most unusual. For that and many other reasons I love that
animal so deeply. She is now gone for several years. I miss her deeply
as if she were a member of my actual family.

Byte-me used to love to sleep in a tube hammy hanging in the cage. She
most usually could be found there, alone. Once in a while another would
join her for a sleep fest but not often.

Today I notice Pester in that very same hammy. That makes me so very
happy but also brings forward deep sorrow. Pester looks very much like
Byte-me being the same colors and all. One main difference is that
Byte-me had little spots of white fur by her eyes near the upper eye
lash close to the nose area. It was that I used to find her among a
pile of other ferrets that all looked almost the same in every way,
except for Byte-me's tiny difference.

Her picture hangs here next to where I sit and also in the family room.
Was one of the very last pictures I ever took of her and as it turned
out was the best picture of all. More than that, it was the very best
picture I ever took of any ferret. This picture was in the FML Calendar
of 2006. A very kind person asked to submit that pic at her expense in
my behalf, I agreed. Without question that was the best picture of the
whole calendar and not because it was Byte-me, but because was the most
natural shot in a most natural pose. I got extremely lucky and caught
her in that one instant she stopped moving, the digital camera lag
waited the exact right amount of time to capture the precious image.

Into each life some gifts befall you, and that was one of the best of
all in my life.

And so it goes.

Peekaboo is a card. She will sit in my arms as long as I will hold her.
She cherishes every second of being held. For sure that is a very
bright spot in her life of blindness.

So life keeps on, I am extremely happy the people of the FML talked
me into taking Pester and Peekaboo from the SPCA in West Virginia and
the ferret shelter of Annandale, Va. for the most wonderful efforts to
arrange transportation of them from West Virginia to me. There is much
to be thankful for and indeed, I am very thankful.

Gordon, Pester (Doodle) and Peekaboo

Rev. J Gordon Bengtson
Aarrow-Ranch Aviation
Mechanicsville, Virginia  23111

[Posted in FML 6347]