It also triggers a hamster story...........My Dad loved animals and his dog was the Cocker and indeed had some reasonable success as a breeder. I loved them, but it fell to me as a young boy to care for them when he was gone (railroad engineer, ran freight, never knew when he'd be in or out). Co I also wanted other pets and like most kids in the 50's, the hamster thing came along and I had to have one. Dad bought two and we built a nice little cage together. They stayed on the basement steps, but we could bring the cage upstairs of outdoors.

Got real cold......Found hamsters were belly-up so to speak......Felt real bad..........Dad felt bad.........Mom felt bad...........Had a little ceremony and buried the hamsters...............Found out later that hamsters hibernate.

My Dad never did get over it. Years later I could always get him by reminding him he buried the hamsters alive. He was a practical joker and a gentle man....I shouldn't have rubbed it in, but then again, he'd have done the same to me. I miss him a lot.

Spaw

Spaw