So say the 'Yakimaniacs'....... Twice this week, the ferrets have just about pushed us to the brink...... It started on Tuesday....I got to work at the usual 0645, and reached in my backpack for my PDA....hmmm, there is no PDA in the pack?? Now, I have a distinct memory of putting it in my pack, before I went back for just a few minutes to clean the cellsaver, before heading home.....yet, there appears to be no PDA???? I go to the rooms I worked in......no PDA. I thoroughly search my pack....no PDA. I go to all the rooms......no PDA. I look on the floor of the lounge, and re-search the pack....no PDA! I try (very hard) to remember when I had PDA in hand....and it keeps coming up, as having me put it in my pack.... I eventually after 3 hours, begin to believe that someone stole it in the few minutes I was away from my pack.....yet this seems hard to believe. I start to remember it as a friend......it's color screen....it's sound....(it was a WinCE PDA.....) it's expense! It was gone.....gone.....how I was going to miss it's heft in my hand......it's soft rubbery like case covered with little ferret teeth marks, it's memory sl........wait a minute.......it's soft rubbery like case???? covered in little ferret teeth marks??? We had ferrets in the bedroom last night.....my pack was in the bedroom last night......and, I remember Jokers butt heading down my pack......could that little weasel have taken my PDA out of my pack?? When my lunch half hour came, I walked home, with fingers crossed....would it be?? Upon arrival home I headed to the bedroom....where might the PDA be? There are 3 dressers, and the bed to choose from......a quick scan revealed 1 dresser with 2 shoes half pulled under......that, I decide is my best bet! Moving aside the shoes, I thrust my hand beneath the dresser, and encounter...........the soft rubbery case of my PDA!!!! Joker had taken it out, and safely put it beneath the dresser! Now, if he can do that, why, oh why can't he take the used 'Tupperware' out of my pack, and put it in the dishwasher? Wednesday evening found me putting 10 of the 'day ferrets' away in their cages in order to let the 5 'night ferrets' run free. The usual routine..... 4 of the boys are out constantly, and 1 girl (seperated all day) are the 'night crew'! I gathered and seperated them all in their cages.....around here, the boys, and the girls sleep in seperate cages at night... The routine is 6 girls in one cage, and 4 boys in another cage, with 4 boys and the solitary girl out, for the night. I had everyone put away.....yet I had only 5 girls in their cage! Did a quick count, and check........it remains 1 girl missing! Having been here before, and having been made a fool of before......I move each ferret, check each hammock, look under each sleep-pot, den, sack, blanket, everywhere a ferret could be.......even under the cages! Three times this is done....with increasing panic, as I continue to be short one ferret on every sweep!!! It remains 5 girls in one cage, and 4 boys in the other cage, and 4 boys underfoot (helping me to find the missing Riki...an Albino female...'The Princess'), and of course the single solitary female in a cage all by herself......still missing one! We now gather the squeek toys, and myself (armed with the 'Mighty Squeeky Carrot') headed to the basement......every door/drawer/cupboard on 3 levels was eventually opened! There was no sign of the 'Rickster' Eventually we ended up back in the ferrets room (no less baffled tho!.......) Now, the solitary female ferret, (Jasmine) in her cage, was outside her hammock, at the bars....but, as night draws near, she often is, waiting to be let out....... My wife asked me to check Jasmine's hammock.....tho I know Riki can't be in it (it is one of those fleece inside ones, so you can sleep in it, or on it) as Riki and Jasmine fight non-stop! Hence Jasmine's isolation..... Nevertheless, I reach inside Jasmine's hammock........and feel........a sleeping Riki!!!!!!! Apparently at 0630, as I was doing a quick clean on Jasmine's litterbox, Riki somehow slipped inside!?!? Now this is a black wire cage with black tile.......how I missed an Albino ferret.......I'll never know! They somehow co-existed for approx 14 hours........where they cannot exist for 14 nanoseconds normally! That's just about all we can stand from here! Richard, Debra and those 15 'Yakimaniacs' of Yakima Riki, Tiki, Tavi, Chuckles, Pansy, Clover, Rose, Jester, Joker, Lily, Jasper, Jasmine, Martin, Casper, and Rex! [Posted in FML issue 3175]