This is a strange story, at least I thought it so, when it happened. It was Christmas Eve of 1998, and everyone was excited and full of anticipation about Santa Claus coming, even the ferrets had caught the mood. The tree was finally up, although it hadn't been easy with all the fuzzy help. Retrieving ornaments, trying not to light up a ferret, and playing tug of war with a candy cane. We had left putting the star on top of the tree until Christmas Eve, as usual. With all the hustle and bustle, baking of cookies, and chasing ferts who ran off with a cookie, we didn't get around to the traditional star setting until late in the evening. I got out the familiar tree topper, and when all had gathered around, including the fuzzies, I went to put the star on the top of the tree. As we were admiring it, it fell off, just like it had been pushed. I didn't think I had done that bad a job of placement, but I tried it again. Every time I tried to put it up, it came tumbling down again. I knew something strange was afoot, what I didn't know. I couldn't see any reason it wouldn't stay up there. There was nothing in the way, and the top branch was straight and strong. All of the ferrets were dooking and dancing around the tree. I looked at them suspiciously, but all were there, and must think this was some new kind of fun game. No, that wasn't it. They weren't looking at the star I was holding, they were looking at the top of the tree. I'd never seen them so excited. Then I heard my grandson yell out, while looking at the top of the tree," Look Nana, it's a ferret angel." I looked up and saw what certainly seemed to be a pale ferret sitting on the top branch. The branch never bent or swayed, as you'd think it would, and that ferret vision looked very familiar. It then sort of shimmered and was gone, but it came back on and off to sit on the top branch of our tree. We never did get that star to stay put on the top branch that year. Well, what did we need with a star, when we had our very own ferret angel. Sandy and Fuzzbutts Five This is for you Valentine, 1-1-91 to 12-22-98 [Posted in FML issue 3272]