“The RoseBouquet”

Saturday was a very productive domestic day. Neighbour Joe was busy, so I ended up having to do my own sawing and hammering to put some odd smaller pieces of plywood on the inside walls of my back porch. I’ve got to learn to use my electric skill saw sooner or later, and it will only come with trying. It’s not perfect, but the porch will be a bit warmer in the winter. Then I painted it all. I used the last of the off white I’d used in the house for the doors and windows on the porch windows, then I opened what was left of the mauve/purple I’d used on my library wall, and painted all the mis-matched wood on the walls and ceiling until that paint was used up too, just over the outer door’s head. (But that needs to be replaced yet.

Sunday evening friends dropped by and a strong suggestion was made that I apply for the government grants available for those with low incomes, to fix their homes and make them safe and secure. Right. I phoned yesterday, and today the forms are in my mailbox.

It looks like I can get up to a maximum of a $16,000 forgiveable loan, if I but commit to staying at this address for at least five years. Someone will have to come assess which repairs are eligible, and then I’ll need to obtain at least two quotes from contractors who could do each eligible repair. The federal and provincial governments jointly provide the money based on the quotes, and it is up to me to get the work done within 6 months, and to pay them.

Say! This could be the Lord’s way of getting all this work done by qualified people! The roof does have a sagging spot and when it rains I still have to set out a row of buckets. There is a continual drip under the sink in the bathroom, and on and on…. You can bet I’ll be thorough with my application!

Business-wise…
I’m now forming a pattern of walking over to the Western Tract Mission office at noon on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. I have lunch with the staff, and am doing small jobs, such as showing Helen how to back up her computer, proof-reading the booklet that came back from the printer, and learning Penny’s job so I can fill in for her when they go on holidays.

I’m pressing ahead with my clients’ websites, and have been focused lately on discovering a new script for contact forms that will be more secure. I think I’ve discovered one that includes a math captcha, but I’ve asked the man who wrote it to adjust it for a special situation. Then I want to change all my sites’, and clients’ sites, to have this new and better form-script.

I should also be starting this coming weekend on my brother Tom’s site. That will be a new learning curve for me, but I’m looking forward to it.

Still not sure though, when I’ll get around to doing renovations and updating on my own sites. It’ll come. It’ll come!