The Tornado Have you ever been drawn to look at the car accident or peek to see why an ambulance is down the road ? Well...... asking how much trouble can a little 3/4 pound ferret possibly get into in a short period of time ranks right up there. Curiosity is sort of like being sucked into a vortex that just draws you in and holds you, no matter how your mind tells you, you don't have to know. Such is the case here. This is Chepe's day. (pronounced Chepay an Algonquin name meaning Fairy, I'm told) Fairy hah!!!!! Fairys have nothing on this little trouble making sprite!!!!! Chepe usually spends the first hour out of the cage just making the rounds, and listing the things to get into as she wrestles with her pals. this cute little cinnamon baby, just over a year old is more of a mousy brown color that has earned her the nickname, Mousykin. She is absolutely adorable and petite. It's a good thing, cause God could not have packed any more naughty into her if He tried. After the wrestling, its' to the gate to see if she can lift it far enough to get into the office, Russ' man-cave that is off limits to ferts because it is not safe. Yes, I said lift....and she has been successful before. No luck, Dad bridged a book from Moms sewing cabinet to the top of the the gate, just enough weight that she cannot lift it. well......did the kids leave backpacks by the hall tree, did they leave a jacket on the bench hanging over that she could climb and get on top of the bench,then to the top of the gate,then we're in.....now to avoid the opposition while covertly discovering the secrets Mom hides behind the gate. I hear a yelp from Russ. "Who's in here? What are you doing in here? Cin....Chepe's in here, she knows I'm trying to catch her!!" She goes under the credenza so he can't reach her. I chuckle. He finally retrieves her and talks to her as he places her on the right side of the gate. Silly Daddy does not think to fix the avenue, so five minutes later, she is right there with him again. I hang up the coat she has been climbing, knowing she is now too short to get in top of the bench. She heads for the kitchen. A few minutes later, I hear banging on the stove. We put the trash can in front of the stove so little people cannot wittle the drawer for pans open then access the stove insulation etc (learned with my first ferrets) Chepe manages to get beyond that. The banging I hear is Hamilton (Ham) trying to join her as she roots through my pans and inspects the makings of the stove with the interesting detrious that can accumulate over time under a stove. I open the drawer, retrieve the weasel, and make sure everything is tighter, and impossible to get beyond again. She watches, I scold. She runs to the short cabinet with cleaning supplies, lays on her back, tries wittling the door open. Gotcha weasel-girl! The cases of seltzer prevent her from entrance. I try to go back to my own things. It's quiet for a minute...........I hear a bang from the sun room. I get up to see what is going on. I have a desk in the sun room where I keep mail and bills etc. I have taken the bottom drawers out so that they cannot use them as ladders to reach the top from inside. Chepe looks at me around the corner. There's dirt on her nose. I look at my desktop. There used to be three bright happy little plants in green, yellow and red pots sitting on the little yellow desk. A happy place to do the terrible job of bills....Now covered in dark potting soil. not one square inch of the top visible, the little top drawer open, with dirt inside, evidence of the avenue to the top. There is dirt on the white tile floor and little black/red eyes looking innocently up at me like"can you believe this mess? I don't know who did this Mom." The dirt on the nose is the give away. I scold again. She runs off to some other adventure at the front of the house. Next thing I hear is a thunk and a couple bangs. I go to the front entryway to find the little monster has done the same thing with Dads' roll top desk climbing inside traversing the drawers, weedling the top drawer open and clmbing the curved front to knock Dads' cup of coins, keys, wallet and work ID off the top. Looking at me like "Hi Mom, how's it going?" I take her down, scruffed, tell her No for the millionth time. "What am I going to do with you?" She sighs. She's getting tired, thank goodness. I put her down, she runs around a little more,then searches out a friend to snuggle with........ahhhhhh peace. Just like when the kids were little and it was nap time. I know this is temporary. She only naps for about an hour....but a blissful hour, undisturbed........until she wakes up...........and it all begins again............... Cindy & the Slightly Used Ferrets (9) I think God gives us challenges so that we can recognize and rejoice in the pleasant times [Posted in FML 6873]