Hi FMLer's! I had the very best surprise last night that I think I've ever had! It was my birthday and my tenth anniversary both at once...my husband and I went to dinner with my in-laws (their treat). We were escorted to a nice cozy booth in the corner. My husband handed my an anniversary card the moment we sat down, which was very odd. This is a very private man, who is not one to take part in public displays, and his persistence to open my card in front of his parents in the middle of a crowded place was out of character. It was a very sentimental card (I deserve it, after two marriages from Hell), and brought forth my emotional self, accompanied by the *something in my eye* thing. (the blur of vision)...Then, at the bottom of the card, he had written,"hope you can find a home for this fert". In that split second of confusion, my mind raced to: *he has a hidden baby fert with us?*..to the *did he get back my rescued( garaged fert) from the unknown new owner?*...????? The next moment I saw the anxious employees all looking towards the corner next to our booth...something was up.....My eyes followed, and words cannot express the joy I felt as the happiest tears made a mess of my mascara! There sat the most beautiful 3 ft. high wood carving of the most precious looking ferret! (The place was decorated with many wood antiques, and I hadn't had time to look around yet, so it had blended right in with the surroundings). He had a great big red bow on him, and he is drop dead gorgeous!!! He is a "chainsaw carving" custom made , one of a kind, by a man named Ken Davis here in Montrose. This very talented man starts with a hugh log (mine is 2 ft.diameter, 3 ft. high)...the bottom half is left as a log, then he starts in with his chain saw, all free-form, and just goes for it. He is quite famous, and his life-size elk, bear, and eagles(with wings spread) are to die for. He didn't know what a ferret looked like, so my husband had to bring him pictures of Fang. He told my husband that when the sculpture was completed, many had fallen in love with it, so he has decided to do some more ferrets!!! I wish you could see this sculpture; the ferret is standing up at an angle with his front legs perched on a little log that is carved out, attached to the base log (hard to explain). I just had to share this story, as this gift meant so much to me. My husband had worked extra hours on the side last summer during hay season, and saved the money for this present...which made it even more meaningful. It is now in the living room in a prominent location. If any of you would like pictures to copy it if you have a chain saw sculpture artist in your area, I will be happy to send you one. Happy Tails, lizzi, Fang, and his new wooden friend in the living room. [Posted in FML issue 2921]