Hello, FML --

I haven't been online for several days, and I haven't been into the FML
since then. But I did just now read an email from a concerned friend
who copied and sent some of the mails that some of you guys have been
sending on my situation.

Of course we are no longer in Calif, but here is essemtially what I
wrote to her:

 - - - -

Sweet dear heart! Don't worry about the ferrets or me -- I used to have
ferrets in Caif -- for almost 5 years. It really seemed to be fine -- w
discretion it all goes smoothly. When we hear of the CA-F&G disasters,
they are horrible, but that is what we hear of -- the bad bad bad --
but unusual -- incidents. As I understand it, that state has more pet
ferrets in it than any other. There are so many ferrets in an area in
which I recently lived that there is a pet store that sells all their
food and accessories! So if the goonie types wanted to persecute
and prosecute, all they'd have to do wd be to lurk in, say, the
small-animal food section and then follow people home. It just didn't
happen there.

And our ferrets were -- and are -- quite happy! In the back yard, which
was completely private, they had a nice outdoor environment -- a whole
little dark shed raised off the gound and big enough for me to be
inside and play with them. It had an openable window plus a door, w a
ferret-sized hole in it, that lead into an enclosed yard for them. It
was lightly covered with ground cover, and had a small tree in it. So
they got plenty of experience outdoors and they learned to DIG in DIRT
instead of in their food and litter boxes.

I myself am doing very well. I know Phil pretty well from the past, and
we are doing fine. We've changed quite a ot, but it has been change for
the good. We have to go deeper and deeper into our quirks as tiny and
less-than-tiny things come up. It can be uncomfortable, but we are
committed to doing it so that we can keep our happiness and comfort.
After we do it it feels great. Almost as good as the sex!

Don't you like large bunches of ferets?? I think that if you can give
them a good life it is good for them to have plenty of playmates. It
does give me lots of pleasure to watch them play and bounce together.
I think the negative aspects are wholly on the owners -- lots of work
and then the expenses and pain when they all age together.

I haven't been on the FML lately. Are people flaming me??!! I'll go
look in a day or two.
  - - - -

Been preparing for the surgery -- a last round of appointemtns is
coming up, and the surgery will be at Stanford on 12/8. It does seem
as though the recovery period will be extended after all, but that it
is not extreme re how one feels. Basically a matter of fatigue from
the general anesthesia and some scalp pain at the incision site till
it heals.

I'm setting up books and sewing things and plan to take it easy for the
two months. Then Phil wants to take me on a vacation -- first it was to
be Paris (!!) but it is cold in the winter. Then Thailand (!!) but the
current politics might make that unpleasant. Now we are talking about
Tahiti or somewhere near there. I am one lucky woman.

We have a great situation for ferret sitting. A very grounded and cool
young woman does pet boarding, and she has three kids aged 6 - 12 who
are good w animals. The ferts get out a lot and the kids love to play
with them. We've been over there a couple of times and are very happy
w what we see. Everything is clean and under good control. The mom is
spectaular. I am so happy w it. We lucked into it when I asked at the
vet (during a cat visit) if they gave ferret care. Through that
convetrsation we found out that the woman did pet rescue and also
boarding. Great luck to find a great person and situation. Right now
my life feels, if not charmed, then going through a lovely run of good
things.

Also, all is well in Addis. Our domestic problems are resolved, and
Tsige's pregnancy continues just fine -- though she has plenty of
morning sickness.

[Posted in FML 6170]