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Re your last jpg, I grew up in the same home town in Vermont and was friends with the person who does "House-Mouse" designs, Ellen Jareckie. She really did collect mice as pets when she was little. Great family. Her dad taught me U.S. history in high school. Her brother was an Olympian (biathalon). They had a pond where we ice-skated in the winter.

Vermont being a small town, rumor has it that my mom was courted by 2 gentlemen, my father and also Mr. Jareckie. That's pretty much an open secret! In fact, when my mom learned to drive in mid-life, dad was so ornery about her errors that she got even by firing him as driving instructor and hiring Mr. Jareckie! Hah hah. (It was all on the up-and-up.)

I often tease my mom, when dad does something ornery, that she should have married Mr. Jareckie and then I'd be a famouse mouse artist like Ellen!

(Ellen still draws mice and her House-Mouse design business is very successful. She also does animal rescue work. She still lives in Vermont. Her dad, Mr. Jareckie, is happily retired. All's well that ends well. He married a lovely, very cheerful woman appropriately named "Grace.")