Ah, so Rosanne Barr is an XO, no wonder she BUGS me now and then. (Apologies, extended to Ms. B. and anyone who got the joke and is now groaning.) Kelleen, I wanted to send another thank you for telling us about the sad accident a while back. Like you we often have our ferrets pull the sweaters off their shelves, but fortunately, never into a walkway. Your advice did come in handy, though, when I recently bought a throw rug to cover a stain which just will not come out of the carpet. (It's not the ferrets' fault; a guest had tar on a shoe.) Knowing your situation we watched as they burrowed, and guess what? We could NOT see them under it! Luckily we already knew about Lok-Lift ( a round of applause for the French inventor, please) which we had to use when we put down plastic runner in a spot where they dig since our substrate tends to not hold nails well, so the rug is well secured and they are safe. (BTW, I got the stuff from a hardware catalog, but anyone who wants Lok-Lift for protecting ferrets or aging parents can write the U.S. manufacturer: Optimum Technologies, Inc., 570 Joe Harris Parkway, Cartersville, GA 30120 to find out who has it near you. I can't recall if I got it from Silva (though I think it was this one), Sporties or Alsto, nor do I get any profit from telling folks about it, except that maybe it will help and we will all be spared the ache of an accident story.) I am sure that your generosity with theinformation saved more ferrets than our's, K. Maybe this adhesive tape will also save some fml inhabitants. (Oh, chimps are apes, BTW, quite different from monkeys; just thought you might want to know, K..) More ancient curses, please!!! That one is a corker. Thank you, thank you, E.S. for providing more Ferretman. By the way, are any females with hyperhirsuteness going to come into the fluffy tail's tale? (I ask because I was born covered with hair till I shed like a snake (and people wondered why I identify with critters so much) and am still a touch furrier (Okay, I DO know the differences between fur and hair, but am being casual, alright?) than the norm and happy that with menopause I regrew bilateral lines (albeit sparse ones) from temple to eyebrows as well as the more usual additions. If so, please, don't let her believe (at least not past teen years) the social stigma in this country on hairiness in women!! Ferretwomen to the rescue! It sure helps a person get through the flu when there is funny stuff to read. ERIN, are you at the Drew which is between Morristown and Summit? If so, consider Hanan Caine of the Basking Ridge Animal Hospital on South Finley in Basking Ridge. He did an exotics specialization at the AMC. Their phone number is 1-908-766-4211 if memory serves. Dick, we are certain overjoyed to hear that aside from the car everything turned out fine. My guess is that Joan gets lots of extra spoiling for a long time. (Here's something Steve springs on me now and then; he gives me roses the day before my birthday to thank me for the last year.) Kiss those fuzzies for us. Becki and all others with sad news recently; we are sorry and thinking of you. Ferret people is perfect, as are the additions. Lets see, did anyone mention stains on clothing from happy post-treat face rubs and the occasional bum dotting? Re: whether a ferret in the forest with no human to hear makes a sound: Define sound. (You knew someone out here had to be perverse enough to have a bit of philosophy/critical analysis in the past, didn't you? (Thanks to Dr. Schivella and PJHS, and cousin Guy Wicks who gave me a appetite for such when I was a child.)) Hmmmm, NPR has had at least 3 positive things about domestic ferrets over the last 2 or 3 years so they have demonstrated that they are more intelligent than the average news show -- something we already knew. Maybe what would really work (mentioned because I have had over a half dozen things on ATC in the last ten years and am STARTING to get a feel for what they like; most were in the last several years and comprised all but two notes sent) would be to send in postcards or e-mail with funny stories, or funny and cuddly stories (short and sweet with a catchy last sentence works best; also, it helps to match the cadence to the announcers' speech patterns), and tell them that it is in honor of the impending legalization of domestic ferrets in Massachusetts. I don't have the e-mail address handy, but it is something like [log in to unmask], and their snail mail address is: Letters, All Things Considered, National Public Radio, 635 Massachusetts Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20001. They have heard more than enough from me, since they did part of a note of mine this month. Besides, the funniest ferret story I have is with Mary of Modern Ferret right now. (Mary, we are looking forward to the latest edition, but, then, we look forward to all editions. Could you send a copy, or a back issue, to ATC as a way to help promote the new ferret laws in MA?) Anyone who has not listened to All Things Considered, Week End Edition, or Morning Edition is missing a real treat; we strongly recommend them for in-depth, well balanced, thoughful, and top-notch news coverage. Just find out where your local NPR radio stations are on the dial and enjoy!) Sukie, Steve, Meltdown, Ruffle, 'Chopper, Spot, Meeteetse (who STILL listens to NPR even though there was recently a different science reporter on; she is as faithful to them as Haleakala was to PHC), & Warp [Posted in FML issue 1488]