I will be leaving for the west coast on August 9th until vetoed by those
stupid quacks that have me hooked on the HMO line.  I expect to be in
Portland on the 12th, so I can talk to people and bhor them to death.  I
expect to be at Berkeley on the 14th, and LA on 16th.  I will then return
to the Portland/Seattle/Vancouver area for about 2 weeks, then
Calgary/Edmundton, then Boseman, Montana, then Laramie, Wyoming, then
Denver, Colorado.  As always, I will be happy to stop and bhor anyone to
death as time and studies permit, on a first-come-first-serve basis.
Because of the unpredictability of getting computer time, I will need
names, phone numbers, addresses and directions before I leave.
 
I have had a lot of emails about Elizabeth.  While she is still planning to
teach, she, being quite athletic and self-possessed, decided she wanted to
also be a fireman.  So, she took a semester leave-of-absence and for the
last month and for the next five, she has been away at fireman training
school.  Later this month, she will go down to Texas for three months of
intensive fire-training.  She will return to school next semester.
Apparently, she is in the top of her class, and I have to admit I am quite
proud of her.  She and I parachute together, and she hopes to become a
smoke jumper.  She is a strong and brave girl.  I think she will make it,
but after all, she takes after me.  <g>
 
Foster is doing much better, to my great relief!  He is much stronger, and
back up to 3 mice a day.  The old guy sure had me worried for awhile.  He
still dribbles a bit, but overall, he is much better.
 
Bear has adrenal surgery later this week.  I admit I am a bit uncomfortable
leaving him before the cutting, but I trust my vet without reservation.
Andrew will be closely watching the poor guy for me (as well as Foster and
the rest), along with Gloria and her soon-to-be husband, and Josh.
 
G.W., Lady Noir and Silly have settled in quite well, especially after G.W.
ttd Silly learned Carbone and Tui were the boss(es).  The scabs on their
backs are healing quite nicely, thank you very much.  Lady Noir is
*exactly* like Jet was, bringing to my life an unexpected depth of joy that
easily overcomes her rather large poopies.  The three, along with the three
visitors, have brought home my unbelievable luck at never having
sextuplets.  Boy can they trash the place!!  I went into my room today and
found the entire carpet was completely covered with food, poopie, waste
paper, and toys.  When I asked Andrew for help, he just grinned and said he
had to go to chemistry.  Punk kid.  And I mean it; he just recently dyed
his hair red.  But it must be cool, because a girl in the room above him
(at the dorm) uses a fishing line to lower notes to him.
 
The three visitors are also doing quite nicely.  BB has doubled his weight
and cannot be convinced he isn't as tough as the bigger guys.  The little
monkey pesters them until they chase him down, so he as a few scabs on his
neck as well.  Taz is one fine ferret.  In a room of alphas, he would be an
alpha.  This boy is tough, and can even show Tui who is boss.  He still
nips a little, as my legs show, but I almost have him convinced people are
off limits.  Moosephina is a twin of Lady Noir in all respects.  I was so
lucky to have Jet, even for such a short time, and now I am experiencing a
double Jet dose.  Perhaps I will survive.  Perhaps not.  I will definately
miss them when I drop them off at their new home.  Well, maybe not that
much; depends on what my car looks like afterwards....
 
As for me, thanks for all the get-well cards and emails. Very nice.
 
Bob C and 22 MO Bitemasters
[Posted in FML issue 2425]