Dear Ferret Friends, I am usually writing to you asking for a dollar to help a ferret, BUT today, I have something to share with you. A little OT, but worth (I think) the read. I was having my supper the other night, - a bowl of vegetable soup I made, when two of my three dogs, the German Shepherd and the Border Collie, began to bark. Do not worry about me telling everyone I have a German Shepherd - my insurance man already canceled me. He said put the dog down or I'm gone - So my Mama taught me to say Good-By when someone was leaving. With the Shepherd, it was the woof,woof, that means something non-threatening was out there. The BRROOOOF, or the "belly bark" is the one I get the shotgun for. They went to the front door, that opens onto my porch. It was dark, around 7 p.m in New England, and I put on the porch light. There, on my WELCOME mat, sat my big mama barn cat, and with her was a good size meerkat. The meerkat just sat there with its head down, and kitty sat there with her chest pushed out, so proud to show me her new friend. The meerkat was just inches from my feet, and did not mind that I was so close. I spoke in a soft voice, reached out to it, while it just sat there, then I backed up and closed the door and, watching through the door window, as they turned and walked away. Yep, you got it, when I did chores the next morning, there was one more at the bowl for breakfast. My mama cat is a hoot - she brought the meerkat to the door so I could meet it, and to tell me I needed to set the amount of food for one more. Do I worry about rabies - nope - not with all the GMO foods and everything else out there. Are you smiling yet - okay - with the added food, I will be helping the economy by checking out at the super market with enough pet food to pay the checkers salary. Somewhere on a tablet in the woods is a sign that reads - FREE FOOD at LEDOUX'S. Are you worried about the cats and the meerkat freezing in our New England winters???? Don't, there is a space, under my barn, that a small animal can walk in and go under the shed, under the kitchen, under the house, and into the cellar, all my buildings are connected, and at night, everyone sleeps next to the furnace. One year - I wintered over a skunk - in the cellar - next to the furnace. SIGH Conserve your energy - it takes only 17 muscles to smile and 43 muscles to frown. Have a good day, Marilyn, and the gang plus one, at Ledoux Hospice [Posted in FML 5896]