Hi to all! After reading about "digging grounds" at Ed's, I am very concerned and maybe Ed can respond to my questions publicly? 1) What do you do when a raccoon decides to attack your ferrets while you are snuggled tight in your bed? Do the crows bang on the window to wake you up? There are tons of raccoons on Mercer Island and probably some living in that fir tree you mentioned. I am from Mercer Island so I know. 2) This is not about digging grounds but I am wondering why you feel the need to state that Mercer Island has a growing number of Asians? Is there a problem with that and what does that have to do with explaining the location of where you live? I am from there, and Mercer Island has a diverse population that is NOT primarily one race. That is what makes this country so wonderful - it is a melting pot of Hispanics, Asians, African Americans, Caucasians...you get it. 3) I wanted to mention to Ed, but forgot in my post regarding AIDS. The largest growing group in the US that are infected with AIDS are not gay. In fact, the gay population has a declining number of AIDS infections. Sometimes, when a certain percentage of the population develops health problems, they do the research and take more precautions as a result. The gay community is very involved in trying to fight this disease, much more than the heterosexual community. If you need statistics on the growing number of those infected through unprotected sex, you can certainly find this information readily available. It is best to do the research prior to posting about these things. It is all the ignorant people out there that are contracting this disease (with the exception of those who have recd. HIV through blood that was not properly screened). My dad died from Hep. C from a blood transfusion in the early 80's so I am well aware that back then, proper screening of blood did not always take place. 3) I am aware that my posts and other's posts just make you much happier and that you love to "get a rise out of people". I have experienced this before with others, and have concluded that it is sad when one is so lonely that they prefer negative attention rather than none at all. If I am wrong about this, please post your response. That is all I have to say. I am off to the frolic in Kirkland. I anxiously await answers to my questions, which I am quite sure, others will also. DOOKS to all! [Posted in FML issue 2724]