Hope this makes at least one person smile, in light of all the smoke
pouring off the list lately.
 
When we first bought our first two ferrets, we didn't know there was
anything other than a Marshall Farms ferret.  I have 5 now.  I wouldn't
trade any of them for anything.
 
My favorite parts of my MF babies:
 
Bailey: (also known as Bailey Boo or the Bailiest of Boo's)
She has the most incredible black, black, black, black feet and the most
pronounced bandit mask I've seen.  She has little "old lady" saddle bags on
her thighs and the softest fur since her cancer recovery.  When she came to
us she had nightmares, coarse fur, worms, she could not hop down from
something without falling, and her body temperature was 98.  But she has
never, ever, never bitten us.  Not in pain nor fear nor frustration.  The
best thing ever: When, after a solid six months of her eating, sleeping and
eating and sleeping, I stumbled out of bed, went to the bathroom and was
attacked by her.  She "Yee-hawed" out of nowhere and straddled my foot, her
old lady butt on the top of it, wrapped her feet around me and began to
earnestly chew.  Now, cries of "Bailey's playing!!" will cause me to come
running.
 
Xena: (also known as Boo Bear, Beana Boo, Polar Boo, Boo-Boo)
She's what I term a "runt".  6 inches long from stem to stern (although
Linda has a baby even littler!).  She clucks like a chicken.  She will beg
for meat.  Favorite thing: her little, tiny, little, itty bitty Boo tongue.
When she blesses us with Boo kisses, it makes my heart ache to see her
little tiny face with her little tiny tongue.  Best thing ever: getting her
back after she had been lost outside during summer for 6 weeks.  She is my
angel brought back to me.  I would jump in front of a semi for her, or any
of them, and then get back up to beat up the driver.
 
turm: (also known as Turmie or Turmie Bear or The Boy)
Our huge, solid as a rock boy.  He's all weight, feels like a cat.
Favorite part of my boy: his arm pits.  I know that sounds stupid, but he
has black feet and arm pits.  So when I pick him up, I shove my nose in his
arm pit until he gives me kisses.  I've gotten him to the point where he
will now turn automatically to give me kisses when I nuzzle him there.
Besides, it's the warmest spot on him.  Never EVER bitten, not once.  Sweet
as candy.  Best thing ever: Playing Make The Bed with him.  He pants like a
puppy as he leaps and hops on the bed as you shake the blanket at him.
 
Tassy: (also known as Tassy Boo)
Our beautiful, golden/rust colored baby girl.  Crafty as a snake.  Gave
Phil and I near fatal strokes when she decided as a kit that she wanted to
play with the fan.  We hear that horrible, awful, unforgettable screaming
and go bolting down the hall.  There she is, hanging from the front of the
fan.  Phil yells, I dive for the power cord.  We're sitting on the floor
with her, hyperventilating, and she trots off, up the side of the bed and
leaps for the fan again.  Favorite part: her little head.  She scrunches
her face up and flattens her ears when she eats...makes me want to drop to
my knees and plant multiple Head Kisses.  Best thing ever: when she stops
being Devil Child and will curl up in a pouch I make in my shirt to sleep
for a few minutes.
 
Howie: (also known as How-wwwwiiiiieeeee)
Our newest, sweetest.  Skinny, gawky adolescent boy.  Sweet as pie.  He has
more persistence than most humans.  He will try things over and over and
over.  Favorite part: his monkey toes.  He has the longest, ugliest toes I
have ever seen on a ferret.  And he uses them as little fingers, lemme tell
ya!!!  Best thing ever: It broke my heart the first time he did it, I
resolved I would run back in a burning building for him.  He likes to take
showers with you, get his head soaking wet and then dry the bath tub
afterwards.  So he wanted out, I reached my hand down, he did "pick me up"
and when I cuddled him to me, he did what we call "rubbie face-y" on my
shirt...where they roll and rub and nuzzle to get dry.... *sigh* Sweet
little monster.
 
I just worship them.  They own me completely.  I would give up, go without
anything for them.  It stuns me sometimes...I will just look at one of them
as they walk into the room and just ache.  I could never imagine my life
without them.  At work, everyone teases me, they tell anyone new that gets
hired, "Julie has 5 babies".  8) They listen to me brag, love my rolls of
film (only one??  I usually do 3 at a time!), and laugh at my descriptions
of antics.... I hope my babies know how much I love them, treasure them,
need their little faces...I really do.
 
 Julie
[Posted in FML issue 2469]