I decided to have the ducts cleaned and on Wednesday morning the men came
and took off all the vent covers and started cleaning and spraying the
vents, well I can tell you some of the things that came out of the vents
now explain why I had no air flow, and revealed the favorite hiding place
for many of the ferrets treat and small toys, I oftener wondered why I
would catch a ferret looking with great intent down the vent and why
sometimes I would catch Stormy or Chester madly scratching at a certain
vent, I can only imagine there thoughts as they carefully drop there treat
for later or hide that really neat toy only to have it disappear down into
the gapping hole, there thought on now how do I get it, or the relief that
there stash is now safe forever, it also explains why I kept smelling fruit
every time the heater kicked on this winter and later a not so sweet smell
as the more perishable stashed items got ripe shall we say.  But back to
the really story, the ferrets were cage while the men worked and at times
made comments as to items that were retrieved, at last the vents were done
and the cleanup completed, I kicked on the air and wow what a difference,
the gate went up and the ferts came out and they to noticed a big
difference in the sir that was coming out of that strange hole in the
floor, day wore on all is well time for bed, at about 4 AM I was awoken by
a clod nose on my neck, I finally woke up to see Stormy on the bed, OK no
biggie she escapes every so often I drop her back over the gate muttering
be good, and as I climb back into bed having never opened both eyes imagine
my surprise to find 3 more ferrets playing madly in the covers, now I am
going HUUUUMMMM.  So I grab them up and put them in to there room and turn
around and there is stormy again, now what the...... I finally decided to
turn on a light and there in there room is the cover off the vent and the
ferrets are lined up going down in an orderly manner.  I give a screech
which turns the once orderly line into an every ferret for himself dash....
yes the nice men had put on the vent covers they just did not screw them
back down, every vent cover in the house was pop and there was a ferret
underground railroad now in operation.  Now I need to say on my defense
that is was 4 AM I am not an early morning person, and had only been in bed
for about an hour, so as I am grabbing ferrets as they appear, I am putting
them over the gate to safely, no I did not fasten the vent, like I said I
am not the brightest crayon at that time of the morning, now it is a
game, it looked like that one at the arcade where you bonk the weasel on
the head with the rubber mallet, there are little heads popping up all over
and me running back and forth grabbing ferrets by any exposed ferret part I
can find, at last the brain kicks in and it is time you drag out the cage
and do this thing right, so ferrets are contained and first thing this
morning I went to the hardware store and got screws, as I can not find the
old ones and the vents are now secure, as the ferrets went back into there
room they all made the mad dash to the vent, much digging and trying to
scout it open with there noses, at last the realization that there new
found freedom had been closed off, as Rascals turned around the look on
his face was "Well I as ferret number 12 declare these vents clean"
so if you ever have your duct work worked on please check and be sure they
reattach the vent covers, this could have been really bad, as it turned out
it was just another day where the ferrets for a while got the upper hand.
 
Vent cleaning inspected by fert #12, & 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 5 &.............
[Posted in FML issue 3056]