Sorry to post twice in one FML, but I wanted to add that one of the photos accompanying the NYT article called ferrets "unjustly maligned" so the NYT actually said it, not the people being interviewed. Second, I wanted to relate a story that fortunately had a funny ending but easily could have been sad. My husband and I got home at about 2 a.m. last night after spending the weekend at a friend's cottage paint- ing and clearing brush; it's a great place for Amelia because it was built to be as mouse-proof as possible. Of course there's still mice but there aren't any holes big enough for a ferret. Anyway, my husband was unpacking all the food back into the fridge when he spotted Amelia creeping into the fridge. He hauled her out and continued unpacking, checked-- or so he thought-- to see if Amelia had snuck back in, she hadn't-- or so he thought-- and shut the door. We went to bed. Amelia came in around sunrise as usual. When we got up in the morning, there was a heap of shredded lettuce on the kitchen floor, and the fridge door was slightly open.. and boy was the bottom shelf a mess. We think Amelia had crawled inside a bag on the bottom shelf and that's why Scott (hubby) didn't see her there. I am extremely thankful that she was somehow able to open the door from the inside-- I don't know how she did it, but she would have been one chilly little ferret if she hadn't. I think we'll be finding reminders of this escapade for days to come-- the packages of mushrooms and baby potatoes that were on the bottom shelf are empty, and I already found a few mushrooms and potatoes under the couch.... Moral of the story, which we should have known but we were pretty dopey having just driven three hours after clearing brush all day: always make sure you know where your ferret is before going to bed. Regina and Amelia "One potato two potato three potato four" Ferret [Posted in FML issue 1238]