It's been a might busy around here these days.  We must have about 20 or so
ferrets in the shelter waiting for homes.  I'm trying to get six cages built
to sell on our upcoming Ferret Awareness Day.  My son is moving this weekend
and wants me to help.  My daughter is moving into her dorm this weekend too.
Then the publisher calls and want just a "few more drawings, a few more
photos, a little bit of editing - nothing that won't take a week or three-
and by the way I want it by the 14th." <sigh> As I said, things are a little
busy.
 
In the midst of the confusion, I took a breather.  Our crew of 13 were on
their second play time of the day.  I collapsed on the futon (you can tell
we have ferrets just by the type of furniture we have.) If I noticed there
were no ferrets around me, I didn't pay much attention.  It was actually
peaceful.  No one home but me and 40 or so ferrets.
 
Then, I heard a strange sound.  I mean if you live with that many ferrets,
you get used to "strange" sounds, but this was a Strange sound.  A small
appliance was whirring away somewhere.  No one home but me and the .  .  .
ferrets!  It sure sounded like the electric can opener, but I knew you have
to hold that swith down for it to keep running, and what ever this was, was
running and running and running.  The sound was definately coming from the
kitchen, though.
 
I got to my feet and stumbled to the kitchen.  I knew I was in trouble the
second I rounded the corner and I saw "invisible" ferrets scattering
everywhere.  (You know what I mean by invisible.  You don't actually see
them but there are these faint blurs heading for anything big enough to hide
a small furry animal.) Our ferrets aren't bothered by strange sounds (as I
said, in our house there is almost no such thing as a strange sound), but
Dad appearing when they are into something they know they shouldn't be,
well, maybe it doesn't bother them, but on the other hand they feel it's
better to be safe than sorry.
 
By the time I focused my eyes, I saw Mickey and Valentine's head peeking out
from the top drawer of a kitchen cabinet.  Garf was running back and forth,
trying to make up his mind between hiding behind the canisters or hoping
into the drawer with Mickey and Val.  It was then I saw the stream of milk
bones and milk bone crumbs running from the cookie jar to the counter edge.
Down below, a few milk bones and crumbs sat just about where at least 9
other ferrets were a short while ago.
 
Tracing backward to the source of the milk bones I found the open cookie
jar, where they used to reside.  Ceramic lid, no less.  The top had been
removed and set/dumped onto a pile of books.  I'd guess the pile of books
were carefully assembled there as a steping stool to the insides of the jar.
That may have saved the top to the jar.
 
About this time the whirring penetrated my fogged brain.  "Oh yes.  Noise.
Can opener?" I was having trouble locating it in the disaster area.  About
this time Bud peeked around the coffee maker.  If ferrets can look sheepish
(believe me, they can), Bud looked sheepish.  Next to him, with its top
wedged under the paper towel holder, was the can opener - jammed in the ON
position.
 
Near as I can reconstruct, four of them made it to the top drawer of the
cabinet; opened it from the inside, and from there took a short step to the
counter top.  It would have taken at least two of them ,working together, to
get the top off of the cookie jar.  After that, they began to unload their
bootie to waiting paws down below.  The ground crew's job was to stash the
milk bones around the house.  I think Bud got bored and began to explore -
maybe looking for the stash of ferretone.  He must have pushed the can
opener under the paper towel holder in the process.  No wonder he looked
sheepish.
 
Dick B.
[Posted in FML issue 1676]