I awoke this morning to a glorious sunny day. Looking down on the floor next to me-I found Wolf on a black sheet. He was waiting for me to arise. He looked up and nodded his head twice in greeting. Then he stood up next to the bed so that I would pick him up and talk to him and hold him.. Thus began our day. We had errands to run today. So I placed my intelligent 5 pound silver mitt with large brown eyes and black nose in the bathtub with some of his baby blankets and wads of fresh crinkly paper towels and let the water trickle out. Wolf loves to lap up water trickling from out of the tub faucet!! Then we mock fight amidst the carnage in the bathtub. He places his teeth around my hand and feet around my wrist, and we do battle. After playing amidst the boxes, blankets, and toys with all the monkeys that are now awake--I clean up poops, food and water bowls, and feed Bob C. chicken soup. The monkeys love to sit on my lap and eat this. Then I got ready-whispering to Wolf that just the two of us would go bye-bye. He stood by the carrier I had place by the front door until I had emptied the garbage--and off we went--after cleaning up more poops and more plates, and tucking the wild baby Rhino-Sunny-Mud in his bed. Everywhere we went-Wolf sat pretty in my lap on his baby blanket. His carrier is next to us in the front seat should he decide to be there. He lay in my arms or over my shoulder as we went hither and yon. Despite the cancer growing grotesquely under his fur-every person we ran into said something like--"Is that a ferret? That is the prettiest one I ever saw." "That's a ferret isn't it? I didn't know they could look like that. THAT one is really lovely." :-) He walked on his leash outside in the warm sun. There is no reason to hold onto the leash except for Wolfs safety. He follows me, and comes when I call his name. WE visited my mother who was delighted to see us. I gave Wolf two big pieces of banana from his grandma.. With so few days remaining of his life-I feel no qualms giving him a treat he has not had for years. He is a big boy-heavy with muscle. His fur is shiny silver--soft and thick. His eyes are bright and expressive. He trots next to me-looking up as I have seen dogs do-to see where I am going. He already has a piece of my heart. I only hope there are bananas in heaven. Wolf is beginning to choke on his food now. And he did not want Bob C. chicken soup for the last three days. The cancer has wrapped round the front of his throat. I can easily feel it. I pick him up and kiss him all over--so heavy, soft and warm. Every hour now could be his last. I thank my Lord for the gift of this animal. We have lived at the vets- Wolf and me. We have survived 6 years that I never thought he would see. It was a beautiful day today. A day spent with my friend. Lisette [Posted in FML issue 3035]