Hello Everyone,
 
I am taking a break from a grueling day at the dig.  Fortunately the
weather in Mid Missouri has been outstanding and we missed most of the
rain.
 
This dig has been planned for quite some time and is a continuing effort
on my part to explore the hidden world of the domesticus ferretus poopus
alotus.  Fortunately for me I have had a community of said ferrets living
in my house and they have set up a home underneath my king sized mattress.
I had to wait until my energy and health permitted it, but I have started
the work tonight and found some very interesting things.
 
First off, let me say that I have had reason to believe that they had
indeed found a way into one of my box springs (my bed has two long twin box
springs).  These have been off limits until recently, but some type of new
technology has enabled the ferrets to break through the dust mite covering.
Attempts on my part to prohibit this, using a variety of other materials,
such as duct tape, have proved fruitless.
 
I first knew their efforts were successful when I started seeing cotton
batting around the bed.  I followed a trail of it underneath the bed, only
to discover elabarate construction taking place there.  Because my balance
was affected at the time (due to a nasty virus) I was forced to postpone
further investigations of this new colony.
 
However, after moving the mattress and then moving the box springs, I
took inventory of the site.  Included, but not limited to, are: 2 pairs
Birkenstock sandals, 29 socks, 14 pair underwear, 1 teddy bear, 8 stuffed
animals (small), 1 shoe box, 1 ink jet cartridge wrapper, 1 candy bar
wrapper and many small mounds of cotton batting.
 
After removing the remains of the box spring cover I found three additional
socks.  I also noticed that the starts of entry on the other box spring
cover were in progress and so removed that cover also.  Since I have
removed all covering from the bottoms of the box springs, I am hoping that
the colony will leave them alone now.
 
I spent many hours making repairs to the site and also cleaning it.  I am
hoping that the domesticus ferretus poopus alotus colony will move into
another, more accessible (to me) location.
 
I am currently doing some research for my conclusions, and will issue a
final report soon.
 
Mo' Maggie and her Mangy Mob
[Posted in FML issue 3057]