Well, we are making progress with Seven of Six.  In the last 24 hours she
actually joined the rest in a group activity, slept throughout an entire
night with others, and the fights with Ashling are now down to pulling out
fur and screaming a lot.  It's taking her forever, but she'll get there.
She trusts Glueball and Meeteetse completely; they are her guides, and
trusts Jumpstart mostly.  With the rest it's all a matter of getting
improvements.
 
Just to get a Breeders Wish List off to a start here are a few of the
things I'd like to see as standard practises.  PLEASE, add your
contributions, too, here on the FML for all to learn: 1.  Line tracking so
that lines with genetic problems can be found easily and sterilized, 2.
Retirement homes for those who are past breeding, 3.  An end to descenting
except when essential for problems like infections since it can cause
rectal problems, 4.  Only vets used for surgical procedures, 5.  Higher
shipping ages than any of the large breeders use (Private breeders here,
PLEASE, suggest a reasonable age, 6.  No fur farming of ferrets, 7.  No
mink kept on facility (ADV risk), 8.  Testing before breeding to make sure
that ADV is not present in breeding stock, 9.  Loving interactions and
handling.  There are a LOT of things which could be added to this list, so
would you, PLEASE, add your ideas publicly, and save the ideas you like?
At the end could people post addresses for ALL the major breeders so that
they can learn what people want in letters designed to suggest directions
for them.  It might not do a lot of good, but if even one or two of the
final ideas you each send them is taken up by each one then that would be
actual progress and I think everyone will enjoy that.  So, what do YOU want
to see as part of general breeder standards?
 
Steve's dad actually was measured yesterday for innersoles so that
his feet won't keep him from walking.  He still isn't interested in
learning how to watch his diet more -- thinks that things between "real"
meals don't really count.  My dad is doing MUCH better since his carotid
surgery and has stopped having strokes.  Both Uncle Bill and Uncle Frank
are more comfy with medication changes.  Everything else around here is the
same as it has been.  Never DID get that refund check that CCB (le Club ...
Beaute) said they'd sent Fed Ex, and Fed Ex says the tracking number(s)
given are not any they find at all in their records.  After 7 months of
them never sending the gifts or refund I am getting irate.  Your sweet
wishes helped on the important things, I guess, so that's what matters; the
ICC, Postal Service, etc. can handle the other if not cleared up tomorrow.
Dang.  Bill, you can pull some of this if you want or notice -- am
venting.)
[Posted in FML issue 2964]