Peggy is home now, and doing fine. My girlfriend, Ramona, and I had done several things to let people know that she was missing. An ad in the local newspaper; an ad on a local radio station (KFDI -- hey, it's C&W, I know, but they're *great* about things like this!); started bugging the local Animal Control and Humane Society people; put up 30 posters on poles all over Ramona's neighborhood; and combed her neighborhood over and over again. Monday evening we had a difficult time keeping the despair away, and Al, Peggy's cagemate, was missing her. And *then* the Storm hit (capitalization seems apropos), and I, for one, could see Peggy's chances for survival going down drastically. I kept bugging the proper people, but by Tuesday, I confess that I was losing hope. Ramona and I both did our share of crying over this Little Lost Fuzzie. Then came Tuesday night. About 10:45, I got a call from someone. They were leaving a bar just 3 or 4 blocks from Ramona's house, when they met a ferret trying to get in (No ID, so I don't know what she expected to accomplish). They, kind-hearted souls that they are, took her home and debated whether to call KFDI to place a found pet ad, when they decided to check the newspaper. Bingo. And the ad had started running that day, too. I called Ramona and rousted her out of a sound sleep (I didn't think that she would complain.), and she picked Peggy up. Peggy was very scared and wouldn't eat, which I think is understandable, but otherwise seemed in fine shape. She's only slightly dirty, but not mud-caked, as I would have expected. She obviously found a place to shelter from the storm and hail, but we'll never know where. We'll never know where she was for almost three days, or by what route she made it to that bar. (As to WHY the bar, seriously -- most likely either the noise or the smell of FOOD!) I saw Peggy this evening for the first time since her Great Adventure. I had worried all day that she might not be eating or was dehydrated or physically injured. From my untrained-in-the-ways-of-fuzzies eye, however, she's fine. She was as lively as ever, and when Ramona filled their food bowl, the rustle of the food sack *really* got Peggy's attention! Last I saw of her, she was eating -- or rather dunking her head in the waterbowl and *then* eating, which Ramona assures me is normal. So Peggy is back and her family is very happy. And now I can come up for air and realize just how badly the Storm hit us around here. Ramona and I were fortunate, but some others weren't. My heart goes out to them and to the little ones that they love. The life of one little ferret doesn't mean much compared to the lives lost in Wichita and Oklahoma City, I know, but we find the good news where we can. Ramona and I want to thank all of you here for the advice and the support that you gave us through this trying time. You're a fine bunch of folks. I received a lot of E-mails, and it will take a while to answer them all, but I intend to do so. Paul E. Jamison, Esq. (To Skeeter: Little buddy, I know that you will be greeting Al and Peggy at the Rainbow Bridge someday, and I thought that this might be Peggy's time. But it appears that it won't be for a while yet. I hope that you're there for them when the time comes.) -- For the sick fuzzies, for the lost fuzzies, for the fuzzies at the Rainbow Bridge, and for the humans that love them all so much. And for all the folks, two- and four-legged, that were affected by the Storm. [Posted in FML issue 2669]