Her condo sits on the beach -- literally. The breeze through the windows is tinged with the smell of salt. And, if you look closely, you may see the cocoons begin to open. Lisa Leidig and her long-suffering (I mean long time!) significant other, Ernie, have butterfly cocoons scattered among the ferrets and the plants that line the balcony. And, with spring trying to arrive, the butterflies should not be far behind. But, wait! Isn't this supposed to be about ferrets? Okay, back up 20 years. The time is 1985. *I was given Sable as a gift in 1985 when I told my then husband how much I wanted one -- she was purchased from a pet store with virtually no information on her care. She was not with me long but because I had her, Wolf came into my life when a coworker found him on her porch and gave him to me because she knew I had ferrets. Wolf lived to be almost 11 years old and was an absolute joy.* And that led Lisa to become one of a long line of rescuers in her family. The fifth of six children, Lisa says the women in her family tend to be the mothering type. She admits to one sister in South Carolina who did wolf rescue and another sister who makes a habit of taking in hard-to-place cats. Her immediate family lives in Chesapeake, VA and * my brothers think I am nuts for doing rescue but still support me.* *Ernie was introduced to ferrets by me - I had them and when he saw what cool pets they make, he had to have his own. I've had ferrets for 20 years and recognized that a shelter for ferrets was needed in my area...they are so interactive with you - more so than a cat but less work than a dog. I've owned all types of animals since I was a child (horses, cows, goats, cats, dogs, small rodents, birds) and ferrets are just more fun! Ern has been my biggest supporter!* When I stopped by, Lisa was broiling chicken breasts for the ferrets and preparing *hot dogs for me!* said Ernie. *Heck, they eat better than we do!* he said. Twenty years of ferrets provides one with numerous memories. Lisa recalled that Sasha proved to her that ferret proofing is not a myth, but a necessity. *(Sasha) could get anywhere that she wanted - persistence was her best attribute. She also rode in my hooded jackets when we went outside and this tiny little girl protected me from a Great Dane that was running loose in my neighborhood by standing him down by hissing/barking at him.* Lisa and Ernie do not confine their fun to the ferrets, though. Lisa relaxes in a totally nonferrety way. She says, *I run, I go to the range shooting my guns and during the summer, enjoy spending a day at the beach! My ferrets also love being at the beach and playing in the surf/digging in the sand!* Lisa recalls that the most fun she had was *riding in a fountain boat at 70+ mph at a local event. It was completely exhilarating!* Lisa is exhilarating. She is non-stop, giving and downright fun. Not to mention that she literally sparkles! However, there is more to Lisa than a layer of glitter. Lisa has a great deal of admiration for those who stand up for what they believe. * I admire anyone that has the courage to stick to their convictions - no matter how (un)popular. I would love to spend time with Carlos Hathcock III (White Feather) who was a sniper in Viet Nam. His views on what he did and how he handled himself before and after are a testament to his strength of character. As far as women, I would wish to have met Susan Anthony and her courage getting women the right to vote. She was an extremely strong woman and I deeply admire her and how she overcame so many obstacles.* Come hear Lisa draw from her personal experiences about Disaster Preparedness for ferrets on April 30 at the 2005 Ferret Symposium in St. Louis, MO! Please visit Lisas webpage at http://www.ferrethaven.org. E-mail her at [log in to unmask] Meet Me in St. Louis! April 29 - May 1, 2005 International Ferret Congress http://www.ferretcongress.org [Posted in FML issue 4827]