>From:    "S.Hewett" <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: G'day From Shirley
>
>I'm safely home and have caught up on a few projects, so time now for a
>very belated THANK YOU to:
>
>All of the folk at the Symposium who made me feel so welcome...
>
>Bobbi in Kansas City and Linda in Delaware for letting me be part of
>their families....
>
>Barb in Maryland for beers and a good time at Rocky's....
 
Dear Shirley,
 
I attended SYMPOSIUM 2005 in St. Louis, and was in awe and wonder with
your lecture on out-door natural habitat containments for ferrets.  I
took notes and then started dreaming.  Rocky's just had to make this
happen!  I left SYMPOSIUM with a dream.
 
I had no idea that you had made arrangements with one of our Delaware
volunteers, Linda Waite aka Grama, to stay awhile with her.  It was my
absolute joy and pleasure that you and Linda came to Rocky's for a visit
that very next week.
 
Speaking for Rocky's BOD, and all our volunteers and adoptive and foster
homes, we are very proud of the work we do here.  We were honored that
you visited us.  So, I gave you the grand tour.  You saw our shelter with
our adoptables that have cleared ADV testing and quarantine, and you saw
our completed Love Shack building that isolates and houses all ferrets
as they come to us without any medical history and ADV testing.  Then we
strolled the farm and talked.
 
As we continued to talk shop, I'll never forget when I started to pull
weeds in my garden.  You joined me, and in no time flat, we had weeded my
garden.  You laughed at me when I worried about your manicure.
 
We always keep a good variety of refreshments in the yard cooler.  How
cool, that we, you me and Linda, sat and watched the big sky at Rocky's,
as the sun started to set, and shared a couple brewskies!  (you and me,
not Linda aka designated driver!)  Very cool it was.
 
Nope, that wasn't cool enough.  You rearranged your plans to come party
the following weekend with everyone at Rocky's FERRETSTOCK 2005.  It
was great that everyone got to meet our guest of honor from down-under.
You even took our guests and plotted out an area for the containment,
and gave an impromptu lecture and suggested design.  What an incredible
gift we all experienced that afternoon!  We all will never forget that
moment!
 
Your dream for Rocky's to have an outdoor containment habitat is mine
also.  Shirley, here's the irony to that dream we share.
 
I received a stray ferret from another county recently.  The owners were
on vacation and came home to the horror story from their house-sitter
that their ferret was gone.  They found me 1.5 hrs away, and were
reunited with their beloved Pepper.  Pepper's caregivers own a
construction company.  They have designed and have offered to build
Rocky's dream outdoor containment.  It's enough to make someone believe
in Karma, or other philosophies about good deeds being rewarded.  All I
know is, it's going to happen!
 
Shirley, you are on board as a consultant.  I never expected to have you
as a visitor, let alone a great friend.  I never expected our dreams to
come to fruition so quickly.  As it develops I'll be sure to send you
pics.  I'll be sending you the design this week and seeking your advice
and input.
 
To my dear friend from down-under, thank you for the inspiring lecture,
the visit, and then to party with all of us, and for giving me a dream
that already is coming true.
 
All my love and respect to you,
 
Barb Clay
Director of Shelter Affairs for Rocky's
www.rockysferrets.com
TEST FOR ADV:  You and your vet have a need to know.
[Posted in FML issue 4937]