Carol, I cannot say enough how much I LOVED your story! There always seems to be more disheartening stories than happy. This goes for all those good story writers too, and you know who you are. Thanks and keep 'em coming! I hope to be writing a happy one soon when my Chico gets along with the new comers. That is my dearest wish, not that the lottery would be terrific too! I was in PetCo Saturday picking up dog food and always stop by the ferret cage. It was open and I got to love on an albino female. There was a young girl (teenager) holding one. She has two and wanted to get another one. I said I had 10. One of the young employees was there. I mentioned how they weren't bitters (they were all big, probably 10-12 wks old). All the kits from Christmas were gone (surprise, surprise). The albino she was holding nipped her and she slapped it on the nose. I said you don't ever do that to a ferret! That's what makes them bitters. And she said that her vet, or someone told her to do that. I said you never do that, you scruff them and tell them no. So hopefully I informed two more people on how to not mistreat ferrets. When I put the albino back I had all three crawling up my arm wanting to come home with me. With 15 animals I just couldn't bring another one home! My husband would not have let me out of the store, I'm sure :o) Guess I need a bigger house, more rooms, so I could have more animals, then I would need more time at home to care for them which would mean a different job, then I could become a shelter, sound familiar??? Hugs to all, Mary, Rob and all 15 critters 1 - 3-legged dog, Corkey 4 - cats (Simon, Chance, Lucy and GG) 10 - ferrets (Rowdy, Chico, Harley, Sadie, Wheeler, Daisy, Emily, Summer, Fruit Loop and Bootsie) "Resolve to be tender with the young, compassionate with the old, sympathetic with the struggling, and tolerant of the weak and wrong...because sometime in your life you will have been all of these" [Posted in FML issue 2560]