Sorry to post twice in one FML, but I wanted to add that one of the
photos accompanying the NYT article called ferrets "unjustly maligned"
so the NYT actually said it, not the people being interviewed.
 
  Second, I wanted to relate a story that fortunately had a funny ending
but easily could have been sad.  My husband and I got home at about 2 a.m.
last night after spending the weekend at a friend's cottage paint- ing and
clearing brush; it's a great place for Amelia because it was built to be
as mouse-proof as possible.  Of course there's still mice but there aren't
any holes big enough for a ferret.  Anyway, my husband was unpacking all
the food back into the fridge when he spotted Amelia creeping into the
fridge.  He hauled her out and continued unpacking, checked-- or so he
thought-- to see if Amelia had snuck back in, she hadn't-- or so he
thought-- and shut the door.  We went to bed.  Amelia came in around
sunrise as usual.  When we got up in the morning, there was a heap of
shredded lettuce on the kitchen floor, and the fridge door was slightly
open..  and boy was the bottom shelf a mess.  We think Amelia had crawled
inside a bag on the bottom shelf and that's why Scott (hubby) didn't see
her there.  I am extremely thankful that she was somehow able to open the
door from the inside-- I don't know how she did it, but she would have
been one chilly little ferret if she hadn't.  I think we'll be finding
reminders of this escapade for days to come-- the packages of mushrooms
and baby potatoes that were on the bottom shelf are empty, and I already
found a few mushrooms and potatoes under the couch....  Moral of the
story, which we should have known but we were pretty dopey having just
driven three hours after clearing brush all day: always make sure you know
where your ferret is before going to bed.
 
Regina and Amelia "One potato two potato three potato four" Ferret
[Posted in FML issue 1238]