Vern has crossed over. Friends and family gathered today, and he will be put to rest tomorrow. <http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/baltimoresun/obituary.aspx?n=vernon-i-strahler&pid=129917666> Your response to my previous post was incredibly overwhelming, so much so that I'm still working on thanking each of you that wrote....thank you from the bottom of my heart. A copy of the collection of your kind letters was given to his sister Nancy and relatives today at the viewing. They truly were overwhelmed with the gesture, and it meant the world to them. There was a beautiful collage of pictures from Vern's life, and it was complete because a picture of a ferret was included. I'll miss my friend, but I'm at peace. So much of what we learn from our sheltering experience transfers into our day to day living. We all gain a great appreciation for the end of suffering and the resolve of that being the spiritual peace. Again, thank you all so very much. Affectionately, Barb Clay Dir of Shelter Affairs for Rocky's Parkton, Md. 21120 www.rockysferrets.com [Posted in FML 6399]