Well, the great adventure is almost at hand. Tomorrow or the next day I
will drive my pets to San Francisco, armed with a mass of paperwork to
show that the eight ferrets are in transport and not to be confiscated
on the road or in the airport.

On 12/21, they fly direct fr SF to Frankfurt, and then spend two nights
in the famous pet hotel that's at or near the Frankfurt airport. Then,
on 12/24, they will board the same plane that I will be on to go direct
from Frankfurt to Addis. I will have left SF on 12/23 with my two large
dogs.

The ferrets will travel four to a large cage strung with hammocks --
apparently rather like the setups provided to rescue ferrets that
arrive at a vet's, but maybe larger. The ferts apparently spend their
time in the hammies and go down to the floor to eat and eliminate.
That way they stay cozy and clean.

The people I ended up using as animal shippers are Animal World in
Atlanta. They've been terriffic.

The Ethiopian officials have been great about providing import
certificates and etc. The official guy in charge of receiving my
animals (ferrets, dogs, and cats) at the airport will provide
transportation and delivery to our new rented house.

One of my friends in Addis is building a "ferret house" that will give
them access to the outside, and I spent the last of my "budget" on a
3-level Ferret Nation cage, which I will transport as excess luggage.
I sure hope it is easy to set up. And, of course, I am bringing a lot
of Rose G's beautiful bedding.

Eventually we will add to this indoor-outdoor ferret setup, to make
something like the one I have had here. The ferrets have made good use
of it, and my vet praises them for being so big, fluffy, and healthy.
I'm sure it has something to do with the ability to go outside at will.
It makes me feel so good! I was a rather nervous ferret owner at first,
and over the three-plus years have been going through everythimg from
kithood to death, as someone recently observed here on the FML.

I have great hopes for the sewing business we are starting in Addis.
Ababa and Tsige, two of my best friends there will sew clothes, and I
am into making bedding, such as duvets, that take advantage of gorgeous
fabrics. I hope we can find creative ways to combine Ethiopian and
US/Japanese fabrics. If the business does well, we will add more
people. Without being too restrictive, one longterm goal is to teach
older women skills they can use to be more secure financially.

Working w fabric can be an artform, and to mix the practical w the
artistic makes it fulfilling work.

I've been thinking about making corner hammies for my ferts. Anyone
else who wants to use this idea -- go right ahead. I haven't seen this
type of hammock so far, but they might be out there. I know I have
often wanted them.

So probably the next time I write it will be from Addis Ababa. Btw,
"Ababa" means "Flower," and my friend of 40 years is named Ababa. With
my last name of Angelo, we will probably call the business The Flower
and the Angel. Not that *I* am an angel. I'm looking forward to working
on the logo. I think I have found an artist for it -- Anahata Joy
Katkin at www.papayalicious.com.

[Posted in FML 5825]