I just wanted to thank my daughter Elizabeth for typing in all my posts
for the last week or so.  She has been transcribing tape-recorded notes,
then together we have edited the final posts.  She has been helping me out
a lot lately because of my thumb, and I just wanted people to know that I
appreciated her assistance.  She put a lot of work into my recent FML and
Geek posts when she could have been having a lot more fun.  She has been
instrumental in helping me maintain my written work, as well as in
maintaining my herd of fuzzies.  She has personally taken over the care of
Fraggle, an elderly ferret who is nearing the end of her life.  Her liver
is starting to fail, but she has more good days than bad ones, especially
under Elizabeth's care.
 
Elizabeth is nearing the completion of her paramedic training which will
qualify her for hiring to city fire departments, and has already been
accepted into the advanced paramedic program.  She graduated at the top of
her class in fire and rescue parachuting.  She has a good chance to work
weekends for the St.  Louis fire department while she completes her BSc
during the week in Columbia.  And with all this going on, she finds the
time to come over and help me empty litter boxes, or to care for Fraggle,
or to spend an hour of her time typing in posts for me.
 
I say all this because of the recent "hero" talk.  One or two people have
honored me by suggesting I should be the hero of the year (which I STRESS
should go to more worthy people like Bill Gruber, Pam Greene, Dick Bossart,
Pam Troutman, Troy Lynn Eckhart, or Sukie Crandall, to name just a few I
think deserve it more than me).  I think that is fine and all that, but the
real heros in the ferret world are those who give from the lean part of
their pockebooks or time.  The real heros are those who give more than
asked for, who gives away part of themselves with each donation.  Most of
these people are never recognized, and even when noticed, they do not do it
for the adoration, but for the animals in their care.  That, to me, is the
true definition of "hero." Right now, Elizabeth is my hero.  Thanks, little
girl!  (I slowly typed in this post.  She is unaware of my words of
praise....at the moment...)
 
Bob C and 19 MO' Hero Worshippers
[Posted in FML issue 2880]