“The RoseBouquet”

Yep. I had to bring in reinforcements for this war with the invader, Mousey, this last week. I am determined to win and be rid of Mousey and his/her army.

I became aware about Wednesday evening I had a bold mouse in the pantry. I laid down dryer sheets around the storage box, and across the door threshold into the kitchen. Later that night, when about to shut down and go to bed, a small mouse came scurrying from the bathroom into the living room and under my far desk. I protested loudly, with threats! Got so hyper I thought I wouldn’t sleep all night, but eventually I did get sleepy enough and went to bed thinking, “I need a cat.”

The next morning, my phone bleated beep - beep, and when I checked it was dead. I chalked it up to a dead battery but could NOT find any place to open it to replace a battery. (It’s plugged in with an adapter but that didn’t register with me right away). I brought back an old spare phone from the office at the end of the afternoon. As I was trying to hook it up, I pulled on the long cord behind my desk going to the wall jack. That’s when I discovered why the first phone was dead - the cord had been chewed down to the live wires!

Believe me, I told Mousey off for that! I’d also bought more traps and set them up. (I still had 8 boxes of poisoned canary seed scattered over the house from the fall episode). Mousey delighted on feasting on several of these - but not dropping dead. I need a cat!

Friday night Mousey shelled seeds under the nearest pillar of filing drawers about as fast as a Mennonite traveler spitting sunflower seed-shells. S/he also came darting near my feet at one point. I kept my two fly-swatters and a broom weapons handy at all times, but somehow was never quick enough for my “enemy.”

By Friday I was ready to get a cat from the SPCA. Not having a phone line I looked them up on the web, only to discover they are re-located way south of the city, and they charge $111 to adopt a stray cat. Humph!

Saturday morning I had silence so I convinced myself that Mousey had curled up and died. I started cleaning under my desks, in the pantry and under the sink in a very thorough way, and told myself it might still be wise to get a cat. ! decided to spread the word at church on Sunday morning that I was open to accepting a good mouser-cat.

The first person I told this to was Barb Wiebe. She hates mice and declared herself on a mission to find me a cat. A few minutes later she came back out of the fellowship hall to tell me she had 10 of them lined up for me already! Except that the man said she had to check with his wife first because she might be attached to some of them. One was pregnant and usually had three kittens at a time.

It was a fun time in the foyer. People were all eager to give advice. (Widow Martha insisted the best answer was to get a tall pail filled half with water and smeared with cheese inside the rim, with a board leading up so the mouse could walk up to the top, reach over for a lick and fall in. And I shouldn’t get a barn cat because they’d leap through closed windows).

Later, when I’d come upstairs again I met Gwen and Diane. Gwen said I should come over and have my pick out of about 6, all litter-trained, and used to mousing in the barn. She recommended a female as they are better hunters, and males will spray… I decided to take this offer and got directions to their farm 2 km north of Hague.

After church I took “my refugee family” for a side trip to a farm. In the shed/barn Gwen handed me a lovely white cat with a pretty face. A young, but adult sized cat. Her son Timothy said her name was Snowflake when I asked. Seemed sensible enough so I’ve decided to keep that name. Meantime, Dennis was preparing a box with holes punched into it in the house. They put Snowflake into it, and they brought a half bag of cat food along to the car. I put the box on Es-so’s lap and I think the boys were a little disappointed that they didn’t get to play with my new cat.

Snowflake explored my house and mewed with a pitiful cry, as if murmuring, “I don’t know… this isn’t home!… I don’t know about this…!” I set up her litter box and some food and mixed some powdered milk, at which she lapped a bit. She sniffed and prowled all around my desks, but seemed absorbed in her homesickness.

After my lunch I tried bonding with her, but finally she wandered into my bedroom and spent the rest of the day on my sewing desk there, beside my old DOS computer, near the window. Maybe she needs to see snow? Maybe she needed time to grieve her sudden upheaval? I don’t know.

When I was getting ready for bed after midnight, Snowflake came around look for caresses and attention. I tried to show her that she could sleep on my old housecoat, but she prowled around in the dark and leaped up on places. I may have missed some instances, but I did yell at her when she leaped on my dresser at 2:30 am and brought down my mug of Calcium water, and my journal, getting my socks and slippers all wet. I feel like I had a short and light sleep through the night.

When Snowflake was out of the room at night, I heard Mousey, and when I got a flashlight and checked under that desk, there was a box of poisonous canary seeds I’d forgotten, and Mousey had definitely been snacking there! But Snowflake seemed not to care when I bought this to her attention.

We did some bonding yesterday, but Snowflake also slept away a lot of hours. After she hid so well I could not find her without praying for guidance, I put on a collar with a gold bell. Now I hear her when she moves. However, I still need to get her to eat, and to become a mouser. She’s only taken liquids so far. Please, Snowflake, you’re suppose to hunt down Mousey. You’re my re-enforcement army!

This morning I set up Martha’s pail trap. At least it doesn’t cost anything. (Yesterday we had a storm and today it is bitterly cold outside!)

Well, with that long tale, you’ll want me to use less words here.

I’m still juggling an impossible schedule. I did get one old computer fixed up and online at the office last week. I brought my old one back to work on here over the weekend, but haven’t got to it yet.

Two other used computers have been offered to me, but I haven’t received them yet.

There are another two at the office I might get working yet. If I get all that done this week, I will start promoting my courses in earnest next week.

I also need time to phone contractors and find some willing to quote me on the jobs needed on my home. One man at church agreed to consider it, and I got a lead for another one.

If it were not for the comfort I find in God’s Word, and remembering His character and promises, I could get quite depressed about these delays in starting my business. It will come to pass!

My new cat experience made me think of an old gem of an article I saved some years ago. I don’t know whom to credit it to, but I hope you’ll find it inspirational as well. If you don’t like cats you may find this issue turns you off, but for those who do like them, I thought I might as well stick with the theme.

In case you should need these tips and solutions, I’ll pass on some links I’ve found.

Do Your Own Pest Control - quite informative page.
Pest Repellant Ultimate - Electronic repellants.
How to Get Rid of Mice - Lots of testimonial notes.

I’ve made a new list of things to try in my turf war at home.

Author Unknown (a Gem of an article I saved)

Everyone in the apartment complex I lived in knew who Ugly was. Ugly was the resident tomcat. Ugly loved three things in this world: fighting, eating garbage, and shall we say, love.

The combination of these things combined with a life spent outside had their effect on Ugly. To start with, he had only one eye, and where the other should have been was a gaping hole. He was also missing his ear on the same side, his left foot has appeared to have been badly broken at one time, and had healed at an unnatural angle, making him look like was always turning the corner. His tail has long ago been lost, leaving only the smallest stub, which he would constantly jerk and twitch.

Ugly would have been a dark gray tabby striped type, except for the sores covering his head, neck, even his shoulders with thick, yellowing scabs. Every time someone saw Ugly there was the same reaction. “That’s one UGLY cat!!”

All the children were warned not to touch him, the adults threw rocks at him, hosed him down, squirted him when he tried to come in their homes, or shut his paws in the door when he would not leave. Ugly always had the same reaction. If you turned the hose on him, he would stand there, getting soaked until you gave up and quit. If you threw things at him, he would curl his lanky body around feet in forgiveness.

Whenever he spied children, he would come running meowing frantically and bump his head against their hands, begging for their love. If they picked him up, he would immediately begin suckling on your shirt, earrings, whatever he could find.

One day Ugly shared his love with the neighbors huskies. They did not respond kindly, and Ugly was badly mauled. From my apartment I could hear his screams, and I tried to rush to his aid. By the time I got to where he was laying, it was apparent Ugly’s sad life was almost at an end. Ugly lay in a wet circle, his back legs and lower back twisted grossly out of shape, a gaping tear in the white strip of fur that ran down his front.

As I picked him up and tried to carry him home, I could hear him wheezing and gasping, and could feel him struggling. It must be hurting him terribly I thought. Then I felt a familiar tugging, sucking sensation on my ear, Ugly, in so much pain, suffering and obviously dying was trying to suckle my ear. I pulled him closer to me, and he bumped the palm of my hand with his head, then he turned his one golden eye towards me, and I could hear the distinct sound of purring.

Even in the greatest pain, that ugly battled scarred cat was asking only for a little affection, perhaps some compassion. At that moment I thought Ugly was the most beautiful, loving creature I had ever seen. Never once did he try to bite or scratch me, or even try to get away from me, or struggle in any way. Ugly just looked up at me completely trusting in me to relieve his pain.

Ugly died in my arms before I could get inside, but I sat and held him for a long time afterwards, thinking about how one scarred, deformed little stray could so alter my opinion about what it means to have true pureness of spirit, to love so totally and truly.

Ugly taught me more about giving and compassion than a thousand books, lectures, or talk show specials ever could, and for that I will always be thankful. He had been scarred on the outside, but I was scarred on the inside, and it was time for me to move on and learn to love truly and deeply. To give my total to those I cared for. Many people want to be richer, more successful, well liked, and beautiful, but for me, I will always try to be Ugly.

– Author Unknown

Found in ServetoLead

Do you have this much variety happening at your house too?

Yesterday I stayed home all day, intending to catch up on my backlog of emails. I managed to do that last week Monday and Tuesday. However, I ran into a problem with my emails. I could receive but not send any out. So I spent hours in contacting Support at my hosting service, and called my ISP trouble-shooting dept twice. No go. I did research online to see what other options I had. No go.

My favourite online radio, BBNradio was acting funny too. At first no audio, then while I had another channel tuned in, they came on, but seemed to hiccup, stutter and echo and break up whenever I clicked to do almost anything on the computer. What’s with that? I decided to just tolerate it as I had my hands full.

Finally, late in the afternoon I decided that I would have to turn the matter over to the Lord, and I should just work my way through the emails, and trust that sometime soon the problem will be cleared up.

At midnight I shut down and just committed it all to the Lord. My emails will get out eventually.

This morning when I stumbled to the bathroom I suddenly knew that in all the talk with techies about changing ports to reach the mail server, no one had thought about checking the firewall. It may need those ports opened there too. So I have an idea about where to focus my trouble-shooting today, however, I know it could take a while, so I’m right now focusing on getting this RoseBouquet out to you, and I’ll deal with this later.

(Judy, I’m happy to say I solved your ftp problem yesterday! But you’ll have to wait for the email).

On second thought, I recall one fall when I had just installed my first otherwise well-functioning SUSE 9.3 operating system, but my emails would NOT send. It stymied everyone. So I had to go online to send out my emails for about a month. Then one day, after prayer, I stumbled upon the small setting change needed to get everything working again.

Here’s hoping that kind of solution comes to me early today! My mis-adventures turn out to be learning curves which give me knowledge or skills I can use to help others later. But the part about being a guinea pig in the lab isn’t so much fun.

On Saturday afternoon I had a meeting with members from the Board of another small ministry, and as a result have another client to fit into my busy schedule. It turned out to be a stimulating and interesting meeting, and I think we all came away enthused with the prospects.

They can hardly afford to pay their new director, but the treasurer assured me that they would do their best to pay for my services. That is heartening too.

Besides that someone is sending me a translation job.

Last week I became convinced that I need to ask in bold faith for better computers for that office so I can begin to offer my short courses (described last week). Turning old clunkers into working computers that go online and don’t have all kind of technical hiccups is very time-consuming. But I do feel encouraged that my goals and plans are worthy. I just need to hang in there and wait for computers to come. Either as gifts or as I can afford them.

It WILL all come together. I know that! A dear friend phoned on Thursday and we shared stories, and concluded that when we exhibit real faith we get our prayers answered. When we are in pity party mode, that doesn’t seem to happen so easily.

I’m also going to start calling contractors to come have a look at the parts of the renovations the inspector’s report they can do. (Another good reason to only be at the office in the mornings for a while).

Are you feeling overwhelmed too? Let me pluck the one violin string I know best; throw yourself and your problems into the arms of Jesus and let Him carry you through this. You will make it!

Do words come easy to you?
You should be writing-for-the-Net to make money!

eBook Farming - Create Your Own Money-Making Information Products!

You can LIVE WELL off your words - if you learn to use just the Right ones for Net-writing!

If you are a writer from whom the articles just flow, and you want to know where to go online to be published - better still, to get paid for your writing, then I have some advice for you.

Recently two different friends said they were posting articles on http://www.helium.com/ but getting disappointed in the lack of attention and payment. I went to investigate that site and do some research. Ah-ha, shades of Suite101.com revived! (It still exists, and there are others. See this page for some outside reviews of how suite101 treats their writers; Suite101 is looking for writers).

When I first came on the web in 1999 I stopped to read anything and everything for and about writers and writing. I met a number of people who became my subscribers, who loved to share about their articles posted on sites like suite101. There were others, but that’s the name that pops back in my memory now. I was already busy writing content for my sites and ezines, but I recall when Angela Hoy the Editor/publisher of Writers’ Weekly urged writers not to give away their writing at such sites. They were doing a disservice to all writers generally. Much as I wanted to get paid for my writing, I was willing to give it away for free too, just so as to build up my reputation as a writer. That where a lot of beginning writers are at, and it explains why helium and suite101 attract hungry writers.

Eventually I came to see Angela’s wisdom in this. Those sites do not screen for quality, and though some promise to pay you it is the site owners who are raking in the cash. As soon as I did a google search for related sites ones commenting on helium.com I found this blog with some bitter insights; Guedelbouy blogspot

I don’t want to shoot down my friends, and I don’t want to say “stay away” from such sites, because you can use them to your advantage in some circumstances. But I would advise you to do some serious research so that you use the best ones, and you know how to use them to your benefit.

Writing is a good and worthy skill. If you are going to give it away, treat it like a fine gift, and don’t toss it into a pigstye to be trampled. Rather take time to research and learn how to use your writing like a sharp tool in your hand to accomplish much good, and yes, to support yourself financially.

There are also many article directory sites. They were popping up faster than popcorn last year, but the first one I ever encountered was Marketing-Seek. Rozey Gean was the first online person to correspond with me. She’s streamlined her site tremendously, but I know she screens the articles on her site carefully, and that’s a safe place to post your articles, and for publishers and website owners to go get good content. However, she doesn’t pay you.

Another very good one is IdeaMarketers.com Marnie Pherson, the founder and operator of that site is a prolific Christian writer herself. Just watching how she markets her books is an education.

These women will both tell you that when you post free articles and offer them to others to use, you are really using your articles as long ads to win you visitors to your web site. It’s a very effective and free promotional tool. You write professional quality articles, and make sure that in your short bio description at the end, you put a link to your website. When people read your article and are impressed with your knowledge, they click that link to learn more about you, and voila, you have a warm visitor to your site, where you may have a book to sell them.

If you really want to make money with your articles, you need to put them on a professional-looking, domain-site of your own, and place Google’s AdSense ads (no cost to you) strategically on your web pages. Then, depending on the keywords in your articles and their value to advertisers with Google, you will earn money from the clicks visitors to your site place on those ads. (I made $200 that way last year, and expect to get that and more each month once I have my new SBI site up and flourishing!)

If you have enough written on any one topic to create an e-book, you can sell it from your site as an info-product and make money as your own publisher! Or simply put them on web pages, and let the AdSense ads be your quiet income stream.

You can also sign up (again for free) with appropriate affiliate sites, and place links to their products on your web pages that have related keywords. When your visitors click on those links and purchase the affiliate owner’s products, you will get a commission. Of course, this hardly amounts to anything until you build up traffic - lots of visitors to your site. If only one in a hundred is going to click and buy, you need to have hundreds of visitors daily to your site.

This is where many site owners are now becoming article writers and posting them on as many of those article directories as they can. Because it’s free advertising, right? Do you see how it is the prolific writers who can win best at this game?

That’s assuming that you will take the time to research and study how it is all done, and take the time to build a good, profitable themed site. Once you understand how to do this, you don’t have to limit yourself to one site. Repeat your success.

If you are not such a great writer, or the words don’t flow easily for you, you will need to team up with a good writer friend, and work out a mutually acceptable agreement, so that you run the system, and the writer provides the content.

If you really like the idea of an article directory or database site, and if though you don’t think you can write well, you do recognize good writing… then here’s another idea. Go to ArticleDashboard and download the free software to set up such a site on your own domain. Let other writers submit articles to you, and you just sit there to read and screen them. Make sure you plaster effective ads all over your web pages, and you can make money off of other writer’s articles.

As your research and grasp of modern publishing opportunities increases, you may want to consider self-publishing. Here’s a couple of sites with some excellent and very frank information; FonerBooks and ParaPublishing (a great reference site!)

You may also want to check out Print-on-Demand publishing, but research that carefully because there are con-artists in that new field too by now. I found thirty of them when I settled on Booklocker. I’m sure there are many more. But this topic can be a different article.

Yesterday was a red letter day in my house. The Inspector for the RRAP program of our provincial and federal government finally came! He was very polite, and professional and even friendly. He took time to explain the program from the basic premise on up. It looks like I’m a real candidate for this forgiveable 5 year loan. I just have to commit to staying here at least five years to pay it off.

He said he was required to check all structural, plumbing and electrical systems to make sure they are (or shall be) sound and safe. They have only $16,000 for this, so if my total expense comes to more than that, I’ll be required to pay the overage. It’s an all or nothing deal. (Someone else had needed $70,000 worth of work so they had not even taken on that person).

I will be getting the official report in the mail very quickly, but told told me that I definitely need new shingles, facia boards, and eavestroughs. I will need a new furnace and water heater too. He is also putting in that I need a whole new frame and door at the back of the kitchen, going to the back porch. The man said he’d put down windows as well, but then my project would go over the limit, so I’ll have to replace them on my own some day when I can afford it. Some electrical and plumbing work will be required too.

I had prayed that he would be fair and reasonable, and I feel he was certainly that.

Once I get a package of documents in the mail called the “Estimate Package” I will have six months to get quotes from various contractors as to how much they would charge. Then I must send them in, and once okayed, the approved contractors have a year to complete the work - and I am to see myself as Project Manager. All their office’s contacts will only be with me.

If that seems a long time period, hear this; he said that they have been so swamped with requests that some people are put on hold for a year so that the gov’t can get at the next year’s funding out of the tax pool. I am to consider myself fortunate to be at this stage of the game!

This morning I find my mind swirling with renovation daydreams. I thought last year was busy; maybe this year will top it?

In case you’re wondering about my rib, I’m happy to report that it is healing nicely. As of Saturday I have long stretches when I’m not aware of any pain. Just when I stretch out my left arm to do something more strenuous. I thank God that our bones usually do mend with time.

I spent another full Saturday at my office. (I’m calling it AVA for short). Basically I was installing Mandrivia, and putting a power box from another donated computer to make a third computer workable. Neither project got finished. I’m realizing that if I hope to make old donated computers usable, I will simply have to allow time for it.

The man came on Thursday to install the lines, so I have phone (653-2417) and High Speed and wireless for the computers at the office.

Something else has developed. I talked to a couple of friends who would like to learn some computer basics, but really don’t want to give up four months to learn that. Nor do they want to learn everything I am planning to put in that block of time. Then my brother Tom called Wednesday evening and asked if I was willing to take on senior citizens. He knew some from his apartment building who would like such a course, but they also were not ready to go out every week day for four months.

In that conversation I realized that since I was not going to have a full four months to offer from January through April any more, it would make perfect sense to offer some shorter one-week, half-day courses and encourage people like these seniors to sign up for them. I can put off my internship plan until May and start that then.

Hmm! Good idea. Tom said I’d have to contact Saskatoon Housing Assoc. for permission to put up posters in the buildings that have seniors, but he thought they would go for that. So I prepared some samples, and went to track down the right person(s) on Friday to get permission. Yesterday I had a call from a man who seems to be in a place of authority, but I was to email him my poster first. I did that.

So here I am Announcing a NEW plan for a few months. I need another week or two to get four working computers set up, but then I’m going to offer 5 mornings - one week courses at $99. I’ll take only four students per week to make sure I can give them individual attention, and those signing up for the very first week, (as I expect I’ll need to iron out some kinks and unexpected things I run into), will get the course for a discount price of just $75.

They will be learning;
- the computer hardware and how to set it all up - what is everything suppose to do
- how to troubleshoot common computer problems. They will rarely need to hire a techie.
- how to explore and USE the programs on their computer - eg. scan photos, filing documents
- keyboarding skills (typing and short-cuts) - and to do backups
- how to use email effectively and safely - avoid SPAM and viruses
- how to surf the web, shop online and do research (find what you want to know)
- about Open Source/linux software, and some safe income-opportunities
- if they have a personal desire to learn something I’ll try to fit it in just for that person!
NO GAMBLING OR GAMES - only the ethical and good things to do with a computer!

The one hitch here is that the office is up a flight of narrow stairs. I am sorry for those with handicaps who will not be able to come because of that.

I’m hoping to go pick up a couple of computers in Warman this afternoon. Hopefully I can be set up and ready to start my first course as soon as I have four students lined up.

How does this affect the rest of the work I’ve promised various people? Well, somehow I’m going to cram it all into my afternoons and evenings. I’m going to have to pray for and expect miracles on a daily basis. Once I have interns I hope to share some of my workload, but with this plan I’ll be sacrificing my mornings, and squeezing the essentials, like writing this RoseBouquet to the afternoons. Maybe I’ll be able to deal with some things while my students are practicing what I teach them at 9 AM, but I shouldn’t hold my breath for that, right?

Incidentally, I’ve got my first commission check from MyPowerMall! Yes, it does pay off! Now let’s watch and see if it really doubles every month.