The hard rubber box sat on top of an unopened litter container for a long time. It contained odds and ends associated with the various finger exercises necessary in rehab of my hands. A team of ferrets worked at knocking it down off its perch onto the floor this morning, then worked unsuccessfully at nudging open the lid with persistent noses. Mouse was particularly zoned in on attempting to open the box. Such dedication....how could she know that what she is doing could open this container? Such a weasel nose. Such a bright minx. It was quite entertaining to witness. When this did not provide the anticipated result, the box was shuffled down the hall next to metal and glass shelving. On the second shelf were a scramble of shoes worn during a usual week. I try to keep them safe here from grasping paws. These poor shoes mysteriously disappear from time to time due to the ingenuity of the ferret gymnasts that reside here. Sometimes, they end up looking sadly abused. I was in luck this morning. Beavus is a shoe thief of the worst kind. He eagerly pulled downa fairly heavy shoe and trotted down the hall with his "kill' held high in his beautiful silver jaw. My little lion. Only one shoe was stolen before I moved the box to the dining room. As the first group was tucked away, and the white group let out, there was instant excitement over the box. It made its way down the long hall, and wajumped on by 3 ferrets that then performed a leaping Indian dance around the box. Noses once again practiced their alarming skills and actually started to open a side of the box that was snapped shut. The box had to be quickly shut and moved out of sight. I was followed with box in my arm by lanky figures leaping repeatedly onto my legs.. Removing this interesting item was not received well by the crowd. Several bowls of Absolute ferretone over ice were?served up by the besotted bar keeper before she shuffled out the door with a smile on her face. Such excitement, drama, activity, chortling and laughter: The morning of the box. [Posted in FML 7063]