Thanks to CaCa land's refusal to legalize ferrets, I have new exterior phone lines installed and a new interface box, too. Let me explain. Yesterday our cordless phones didn't work. Check phone line, it said. We took an old corded phone plugged it and checked all the jacks, all over, but still no service so finally called for repair service. We do have the repair coverage on our billing. First thing that was noticed was the cracked condition of the south-facing exterior wire that a former owner had installed. It was thin interior wire not made fro sun exposure. That was replaced with exterior wire. Still had problems, new interface box replaced the old one. Repairman removed connection outside to an extention wire into the ferret room which has no phone in it but had still been connected. Aha, phone works. It was only after remembering to check to jack in there that I saw the real problem, FERRET POOP in the jack, that had been placed with the connection upward ready to receive the phone cord end. Instead it got pooped upon by one of the residents of a cage against the wall, a certain Mr. Squeamus who I had to take in after his owner was stopped at the Yuma border inspection station a few weeks ago. I know it was him as I had to clean up a pile that hung over the litter pan and right down over the jack. If it weren't for him I would still have the cruddy sun-rotted old wire waiting to crack and short out in the next monsoon wind and rain. Thanks a lot, Mr. Kellogg! Carol J. Owens, Ferret Friends, Inc. Tucson AZ [Posted in FML 7001]