Linda Iroff wrote: >Hi I'm Linda, live in Ohio, have 4 ferrets, and found the FML exactly 5 >years ago today while searching the internet for ferret info. By the >way, on Nov 30 1994, there were 682 members of the FML, and BIG had been >moderator for 3 days. Like Linda, I found the FML in the Fall of 1994. I had come across information about the FML while reading the rec.pets newsgroup. Having two ferrets at home and few places to turn to for ferret information and fun, I subscribed right away. The FML I subscribed to was pre-BIG and still moderated by Chris Lewis. Yes Virginia, there was an FML without Bill. The FML was (and remains) a friendly, fact-filled ferret family. I lurked for about two months before I made my first FML post on Dec. 9, 1994. Since that first intro post, we've added three more ferrets and a human baby to our family. Our family now stands at: my husband Mike and myself our son Robin and our ferrets Squirt - 6.75 years old, dark sable male Pippi - 5.75 years old, sable female Atlas - 4.75 years old, sable male Hijinx (Jinx) - 4.75 years old, sable female Rosie - 1.5 years old, Silver mitt female (All but Rosie can be seen at http://www.servtech.com/~greenman/ferrets.html) We've had our ups and downs with our ferts. Ups include trips to the park, raisins, ferrets that sleep with us in bed, war dances, and unconditional love. Downs include Adrenal disease and surgery, severe vaccination reactions (anaphalactic (sp?) shock), ECE, insulinoma disease/surgery (a long battle, still on-going), and missed litter boxes. The FML has been an invaluable resource for us - it gave us current and potentially life-saving health information for those down times and an outlet for sharing those up times. The FML has also tuned us into other ferret friends and resources like Ferret Central, WNYFLFA (local ferret club), Modern Ferret (since the first issue!), and the countless people we've conversed with here. Thanks one and all! -kim, who's ferrets have middle names too: Squirt Magellan, Pippi Jane, Atlas Charles, Hijinx Shadow, and Rosie Marie Kimberly Burkard | _ Everything I needed to know in life, Eastman Kodak Company| _____C .._. I learned from my ferret: Rochester, New York | ____/ \___/ Frolic and dance for joy often, have [log in to unmask] |<____/\_---\_\ no fear or worries, and enjoy life. [Posted in FML issue 2884]