Dear Ferret Folks-

I read Anne in Chicago's post yesterday, and I think it's fair to say
that you can only prepare so much, and sometimes your plan isn't as
good as you think it is. Sometimes God simply has plans for you, and
you don't get a vote!

When I lived in my old house I told myself that I was prepared for
anything, because I kept an emergency pillowcase in a designated
spot. My plan was that in case of disaster, I would toss the ferret
room,(which honestly would have taken at least two or three minutes to
find the favored sleep spots of the night) grab the ferrets and France,
put them in the pillowcase and run. (Oh, France would have loved that!)

That was the plan, anyway. When the chimney caught on fire in the
middle of the night, however, the fire department had another plan
for me.

GET OUT LADY, NOW!

The dog wisely evacuated *herself*, as soon as the firemen got out of
the doorway.

In the end, nobody got hurt, although one of the firemen (big burly
guy with an *axe* ) was absolutely terrified of "those animals" up in
the ferret room. His fireman buddies laughed and hooted at his fear,
I'm sure he was not allowed to live that down for quite some time.

My plan was not good enough. Nope. Now Ping and Puma spend their
*nights* in a cage. It will take me fifteen seconds to open the door
and toss them into the pillowcase that sits in the plastic tub on top
of it, not two or three minutes bumping around in a dark, smoke filled
room full of hammies and tubes and cardboard boxes. My plan has been
refined by actual experience.

And anyone who wants to dump on Anne for dropping her *ss and running
when the tornado siren went off? Has obviously never, as I have, had an
up close and personal encounter with a tornado. The real thing ain't
NOTHIN' like "America's Most Amazing Videos!" when you're all safe
sitting on the sofa watching cable and eating Hot Pockets.

Alexandra in Ma

[Posted in FML 5711]