I will be in the LA/SD area Monday, then a streak home. Bad news on the home front. For the last week, the incredibly old Foster, love of my life, has been deteriorating. My son and fert setter took him to the vet several times, but the prognosis was essentially that he was dying of old age. Friday night, at 9:30 pm, Foster passed away in Andrew's arms, slowly drifting off to sleep. What a wonderful boy was Foster, full of spunk and poop and poofs and all the things that ferrets need just to be ferrets. He was the head of the ferthold for several years, just recently being replaced by Bear and Carbone. Foster was a wonderful silver mitt who had a black mark on the side of one nostril, so I often called him my little booger. In recent months, he as lost his sight, had difficultly walking because of arthritis, but never missed his morning and evening meal of nuked mouse. FInally, he lost control of his bladder and bowel, but since he loved being wrapped up in a warm towel, it didn't matter, and I held him for hours. He was the first of my ferts that would roll over for a raisin, although in recent times, they caused such discomfort from gas he only got tiny raisin slivers. I will miss him horribly.....made all the worse because I wasn't home to be with him during the end. At least the KC three are back together, once again. Goodbye Foster, and tell Buddy and Razz I still miss them. Bob C sans 20 Mournful Ferts, missing Foster [Posted in FML issue 2501]