Tracy Lee: Your story was heartwarming. Reminds me of the wise church pastor who was consulted as a last resort by a wealthy parishioner. Seems that faithful church member had blown a hugh wad of dough seeking help from psychiatrists to cure her depression. Finally, all other means exhausted, she talked to the clergyman, suspecting that as a simple country parson he had no means of dealing with a deepset problem that the best professional help could not come to grips with....Well, the parson asked what the lady's hobbies were, Seemed all she could do was cook a little. No real hobbies. So the parson suggested she bake a pie and take it down to the nearby retirement home run by his denomination and give it to them. He saw her again in church a few months later. Asked how the depression was going. The lady said she did'nt have time to be depressed anymore. That simple act had blossomed into a full time baking ministry and she now bakes things for retirement homes all over the county. Our ferret Scooter was our only source a smiles and laughter a few years back when I was out of work for two years, Tracy-Lee. I know what their funny antics can mean to you. Life was so grim then that we just love that little guy for being so cute and silly . We love cats and dogs for their comfort and companionship, but only cuddle worms can be so funny as to make depressed people laugh in spite of themselves . So, a few years back, knowing that our love rat would not be around forever, I took a neat photo of Scooter and mounted it expensively with this ditty neatly typeset underneath: " Our tiny white ferret with perky red eyes fills us with joy and our days with surprise. He flits thought the room with whiskers protruding. He runs though the house. Such joy he's exuding! White as a snowfall our shy polar bear peaks from his hiding place under our care. Our days were so troubled and ridden with strife. Yet joy, love and laughter he brought to our life. " Scooter is still in good health for a little old guy. But one day we will need another fuzzy. Keep us in mind. Dixon, Barbara, Scooter and Max the cat [Posted in FML issue 1048]