Well, long time no post-I have been working a lot this year (just got off my second 7-day-in-a-row work stint in the past three weeks!) and preparing to return to school to get my science prereqs fulfilled (I already paid for a bachelor's degree and finally paid off all my loans two years ago, so I thought I'd rack up some more debt) so I can try to get into vet school.. (so I can pester you all and the FHL even more!). So I have really missed you all-I try to at least skim when I can. Anway, my hubby took me along to a conference in Las Vegas the second week of November. It was a bittersweet week, as my Cora died unexpectedly at Tufts of a previously asymptomatic intestinal ulcer that, upon necropsy, had perforated, filling her abdomen with food. But I was able to spend some time that week visiting the 24 Carat Ferret Shelter and meet all the babies there! I didn't get to meet CJ, but I got to meet the wonderful Jolene (I may be spelling her name wrong!) and spend the day with her and take lots of pictures (I still wasn't able to photograph everyone) and snuggle the fuzzies. They were so well-loved and cared for, and it was a pleasure to see another one of the shelters I've learned about and "talked to" on this list! Coincidentally, the house key we gave to my friend Sue to use to take care of my remaining kids while we were away was on a 24 Carat Ferret Shelter keychain penlight I'd gotten from a long-ago fundraiser... Anyway, I wanted to give a shout-out to the folks at 24 Carat and to thank them publically for letting me help out for a day, meet all your kids (it was hard not to smuggle a few home past my hubby!) and Jolene. It also helped cheer me up while I was grieving for my little fiesty Cora. Jolene and I had some great conversation, and I truly appreciate her hospitality! I'll get you guys copies of my photos as soon as I get them developed. Dooks, April Armstrong Campbell and Shawn, and Daisy, Artemis, Finnegan and Wellington, and very much missing Cora, Bandit, Holly, Nicodemus, Marley, Shannon, Sparkle, and Renate [Posted in FML issue 5083]