Jen wrote:

> All my life I've had all sorts of pets. At the moment I have a husband, a
> 10 year old girl, a lab x, 2 cats, a budgie, and assorted goldfish. All of
> which are allowed to 'clean' the plates (although usually the goldfish and
> budgie don't!). I couldn't imagine it any other way, they're all family! I
> try to keep the house clean, and I vacuum and wash the floors almost very
> day, but I know there is going to be germs around, and there's not much I
> can do about it. I like to look at it another way - we've probably all got
> very good resistance to lots of things!!.

So true. Exposure to germs strengthens our immune systems. When I a w wee tot my
mother caught me drinking out of the ditch and rushed me to the doctor. The
doctor told her that if I was the result of drinking ditch water he was going to
start prescribing it for children.