Hi, all.  I'm catching up fast on all of the backlogged greetings.  It
will be nice when Saraferret gets back from vacation!
 
I met a little guy coming across the Bridge about a week and a half ago.
His first name was Pooter, but he said he didn't want it.  He didn't
like it much, and he didn't much like the people who gave it to him.
(They were his first hoomins.) He wanted to keep the name that his *real*
hoomins gave him, Teddy.  Well Teddy does have a sweet nature like a big
old stuffed teddy bear.  I thought that maybe I had a job for him, if he
wanted it.  It's a hard job.  It takes patience, lots of patience and
kindness.
 
The Big Boss was looking for another Grief Counselor.  There are some
of us who have bonded so strongly to our hoomins, or to other ferrets
(usually cagemates) that they have a very hard, sad time waiting for that
day, a long time from today, that they will see their loved ones again.
Fortunately, this is very rare, but it happens.  These sad ones really
need someone to talk to, someone kind, and very patient who will listen
to them and help them work through their feelings.  Someone like Teddy!
 
I talked to him about the job, and he said that he'd give it a try.
 
Tonight, he is going to share a hammie with a new arrival who was half
of a bonded pair, and hasn't adjusted to being a singleton yet.  I have
faith that Teddy will do a good job of convincing the new arrival that
we are none of us, ever alone, here.  Ever.
 
I met a little guy coming across the Bridge who was so happy to be fit
and whole again that he was laughing with the sheer pleasure of it.
His name was Sam, and he'd had quite an exciting life.(He was a Utah
Ferret, if you know what that means.  We won't go into it here.) He said
that parts of it were a little too exciting, actually, and he was looking
forward to some peace and quiet while he waited for his beloved brother,
Brownie.  He said that he is also really looking forward to seeing his
Mommy and Daddy again some day, a long time from now.  In the meantime,
Sam says that he is going to find the first colony of Wild Black Footed
ferrets that he can, and get drunk.
 
I asked him how he balanced wanting some peace and quiet with wanting to
tie one on with the Wilds.  He said *First* he was going to tie one on,
and really enjoy having his youth and his health and his full sight back.
*Then* he was going to settle in for some peace and quiet.
 
Well, I didn't really understand, but I think I'll enjoy having a
character like Sam around!
 
I met another little guy coming across the Bridge.  His name was Monty,
and he had a whole Business waiting for him that he had never met before.
Hermes, the other Hermes, (yes, two of them), Coco Chanel, and Muffin
(AKA White Rat.) Monty's Business was very happy to finally meet him,
and catch up on all the gossip about their Mommy, Mary Jo.  They had
some very funny stories to tell about her!
 
Monty's Business told him to hurry and get his wings on because there was
something to see!  Well, that made me curious because I didn't know that
anything special was going on.  I slipped my wings on, too, and the six
of us lifted off.  We didn't have long to fly.  As I saw where we were
about to land I got a baaaaad feeling....
 
We were at the nearest Wild Black Footed ferret camp to the Rainbow
Bridge.  Sound familiar?  Evidently Sam and the Boys had been ripping the
place up for the last day!  The whole place was a war-dancing riot in
full swing!  There was dooking!  Bouncing!  Things were getting shredded!
Folks were falling into burrows and were too buzzed to climb back out!
And in the middle of it?
 
You guessed.  SAM!
 
Well, we watched from a safe distance for a while then I decided I had
better get back to work.  I knew that Monty and his Business would be
able to give me an update later.
 
I went to check up on a little girl named Smokey for her hoomin, Lori.
Smokey has been with us for about six months now, and she says that she
has settled in really well.  I had to travel to the Giant Fleece Pile to
see her, thats where she spends a lot of her days, burrowing and rolling
around in the small mountain of fleece hats and vests, socks, scraps,
blankets, and hammies.
 
Smokey wants Lori to know that she looks forward to seeing her, and hopes
that they can go digging in the pine straw together, someday, a long time
from now.  I'm not sure what that means, but Smokey sayss that Lori will
know.
 
Well, back to work.  *After* Itrack down Monty and get an update.  Peace
and quiet, indeed!
 
Sandee
[Posted in FML issue 4544]