Hello Everyone! Alky and I are back to relate our newest fun but cold adventure. During the night Princeton recieved the most snow in the nation from the big storm so far - 16 inches. So Alky and I ventured out with my husband and our Shetland Sheepdog, Mickey, this morning. Alky had the best time tunneling through the snow. 16 inches gives a lot of depth through which one artistic ferret can create major tunnel infrastructure. And I never fully appreciated Alky's civil engineering skills before. She has a leash which is about 10 feet or so, so I can safely let her go quite a ways. We played for 15 minutes or so until she got too chilly, at which point she snuggled up inside my jacket to warm the paddy-paws. We were out kinda near the birdfeeder, and a particularly objectionable blue-jay kept making raucous noises and occasional dive bombing near misses over the snow, so we were both getting nervous. Once she was in my jacket the jay seemed to feel she was less of a territorial threat and quieted down. We all had a great time except poor Mickey, who is up to his collar in snow, and has to make a two-foot vertical leap each time he wants to take a step. He was out earlier this morning when there was only eight or so inches on the ground, so at least he had a little fun out of all this. And, since I live off-campus several miles, I have an excuse for not going into lab today, so we can go back out again later. Guess that reaction will have to wait until tomorrow to be worked up. In the meantime, Alky has a napping appointment with a tissue-paper filled box. Any body else with ferret snowstorm stories?? Rose Smith and Russ Hazzen- are you out there?? Take care everybody! Liesl and Alky, snowbound in Princeton, NJ -Just so you know, the opinions expressed aboved are not necessarily representative of those held by other members of the Princeton University Chemistry Department or the University community in general. Especially those held by Alky. She's much more imaginative than any chemist or administrator.- [Posted in FML issue 1096]