It would be hard to think of this speaker's upbringing as deprived.
Chris Matlick was introduced to ferrets by her mom and step-dad when
they had a small pet store many years ago.  Prior to the legalization
of ferrets in West Virginia (1983), her pregnant Mom accepted a whole
female from a customer.  Thank goodness they were soon legalized!
 
By Chris' junior year in college she was feeling pet withdrawal.  *So
when my Mom asked me what I wanted for Christmas, I said a ferret.  We'd
had a ferret at home before, so I knew a little about them.  We looked
all over West Virginia for a ferret and my Dad and I finally found some
kits.  I picked out a little silver mitt, brought her home with me and
named her Loki.*  She says that the pure joy and love for life they bring
influenced her decision.  *Even if I come home in a foul mood, it only
takes a few minutes of time in the ferret room to make me smile.*
 
Now ferrets are a family affair!  Her husband, Chad, was turned into a
ferret lover when he met Loki.  Little brother BJ (who was the awaited
joy when Mom accepted the ferret) is the official ferret sitter when they
travel and can't take the kids.  *Uncle BJ spoils the kids so they never
even notice we are missing.*  Both of her grandmothers (*My Mamaw even
used to babysit for us.*) and even the in-laws (*Mom M even went with us
to pick out the two new additions.  She babysat for us when we went on
our honeymoon and Hotspur got into the sofa and that was an entire
fiasco!*) welcome the kids.
 
And, when Chris is at home, the parents still make the rules.  She tells
us this story about how her dad spoils her kids before sending them home:
*My Dad is now retired and is so funny about the ferrets.  At his house
I would go around and close all the doors and follow Fidget & Hotspur
around saying No, don't get into that, no don't go there. And he said,
Now I didn't follow you around like that when you were a baby, just let
them go.  What choice did I have!  And into the cupboards, the couch,
the trash, etc they went!*
 
When not playing with the ferrets, you might find Chris reading (*I love
the Elizabeth Peters mystery series set in Egypt -- the Emerson Peabody
series (I read a lot!)* and *I can't leave this question without
mentioning the Lord of the Rings trilogy!*), sewing or even out riding
horses - at least on Fridays!  She also enjoys gardening and geocaching.
Or, simply gazing wide-eyed into yet another re-run of *The Mummy.*  So,
does she ever relax?  *Relax?  What's that?  The only way I really relax
is to travel.  If I'm at home, I'm doing something.  Maybe that is my way
to relax, I don't know.*
 
Ask Chris to tell you the saga of Fidget's escape, the ransom and the
reunion -- or her trip to Rome.  But don't suggest she visit with any of
the early inhabitants.  Although Chris thinks it would be nice to spend
time with someone from the Medieval or Elizabethan times, her delicate
sensitivities are offended if she thinks too hard!  But, still, *I think
it would be fascinating to actually meet the person and not the author
as we come to know him though texts and other academic presumptions.*
 
How would Chris like to be remembered?  *As a good, funny person that
people liked to be around.* I am looking forward to spending time
around Chris.  I hope you will join us!
 
Please visit Lisa's webpage at
http://www.hotspur.us/bacca and e-mail her at
[log in to unmask]
 
 
Meet Me in St. Louis!
April 29 - May 1, 2005
International Ferret Congress
http://www.ferretcongress.org
[Posted in FML issue 4834]