It has taken me a few days to get to this point and it is with a heavy heart that I have watched a little fuzzy friend pass over the bridge. My little sweet kissy Buddy boy has gotten tired and is now running and jumping and war dancing with joy and a full coat of fur with his fuzzy friends. Buddy who was called fat boy (sorry Nelda, I couldn t bring my self to call him that for some reason) came to me in a group of three, a girl and 2 boys. His family had to give him up because the boy who loves him had heart surgery and had allergies very bad. I know that Nathan loved his fuzzies and his Mom and Dad had to do what was best for Nathan s health. Buddy, Bandit and Farah were very loved by their family and it was a hard decision for them to make. When they came to me within a couple of weeks, Bandit got very depressed and thought he didn t want to be here anymore. After a couple of weeks of steady chicken gravy feedings and meds, (I almost lost him) and lots of lovin, He is now a happy bouncy little boy full of spirit and finally gaining some weight back. Buddy had been diagnosed as an inoperable double adrenal and was on lupron shots every six weeks. I wanted to make his time left here as comfortable as I could. He discovered what Ferretone is and tasty treats and even decided he liked raisins. He was doing really well with most of my other ferrets and loved to chase my cat. He dooked constantly when he was out and running about and it sounded like he was chuckling most of the time. He would give me lots n lots of sweet kisses and every once in a while when he was being a snot, he would give me a little nip at the end of those kisses as just a what for. He had his first adventure in a plastic tube, because his hiney was so big he was afraid to go in the smaller tubes for fear he would get stuck I guess. Well, I have some bigger tubes and he just loved them, chasing the others through and waiting in the end of the tubes to jump attack them when they turned around and realized he wasn t following them anymore. I held him in my arms and he slept with me on my chest in a hammie specially made by Millie Sanders that he just loved all night Friday and by Saturday morning with feedings every 2 hours most of the night he would no longer take anything from me. Not even water or pedialite. I knew he was ready to go, that he was tired and wanted to feel better by the look in his eyes. When he decided that it was time to go he struggled to get his head out of the hammie enough to see me...cried a little... took a few deep breaths and he was gone... I kissed him and and held him close and looked him in the eyes and told him how much we loved him and would miss him, but that I understood. I wish I could have taped the ceremony we had for him, I have several young neighbor children that love to come to my house and play with the ferts. I thought it only fair that they should have the opportunity to tell him goodbye, so my daughters went and gathered the ones that were home with their parents permission. We all signed his blankie and I cut little pieces off the edge for them to take home. We put him in his little box and the boys all helped dig the hole. My Liz played taps on her flute and I read the story of the rainbow bridge to them. We all took a handful of dirt and placed it on his box and every one of them helped cover him up. It touched my heart so to see these children so tender themselves being so caring and thoughtful (they range in age from 7 to about 11 I think). It was really nice and then we all went indoors and did a lot of fuzzy smooching. Goodbye my little Buddy boy, Mommie, Sarah, Lizzy and your bubba and sissy love you and miss you so very much. He is at peace and resting under the big tree in the corner of the back yard next to Yuri. Suzanne, Sarah & Lizzy Sadie (0.0), Cebo (o.o) Razz-Mimi-Taz (*.*) Mitzi (-.-)Rascal (^.^) Honey ('.') Teddy (<.>) Bear ((.() savage Sable (O.O) , Bandit (>.<) Miss Farrah (`.') and Cinnamon Boy (O.~) missing my little Sparkles (-.o) my old man (~.~)Yuri,and Buddy ([].[]) Stop by and visit the Ranch for a spell http://www.angelfire.com/poetry/namachar2/The_Fab_Fuzzbutt_Ranchers.html [Posted in FML issue 4631]