Special Friends

I have loved animals all my life, once was driven to become a veterinarian, but didn't. I fill my life now with mice and a budgie. I am touched by the love between animal and man, like these sentiments expressed recently on a mouse list I belong to...

I have had many, many mice since College Mouse passed on, but he remains the most extraordinary mouse I ever owned. None of my other beauties approached him in intelligence and human-like personality, but after him I have been crazy about mice. It is now very hard to get mice in my state, and I guess I will have to drive to Chicago, Pennsylvania, or Maryland to get my next batch.

Life has become a little more complicated in my household - my adult daughter had to move in with us, and she brought her...er...cat. The cat is restless and needs to be given the run of the house, so I have to keep my mice rotated between the extra bedroom and the master bedroom (always locked, of course!) The cat thinks she is at one of those Chinese restaurants where you get to point out which fish or lobster you would like for your dinner from the tank.

I am sure you remember your famous Digger the Wild fondly. Hardly a day goes by when I don't think of College Mouse sitting expectantly on my desk at work waiting for a bite of my salad, or running back and forth with a jumbo paper clip in his mouse. We had some very special pets!