Well, I covered for her a few weeks ago when they needed to go to a funeral, so it didn’t take me long to think and to conclude that I could write my RoseBouquet from Helen’s computer. It just took me a bit to pack up my backpack and 25 minutes to walk over.

Now I’ve spent about half an hour installing Firefox on this computer, as I just seem to need a tabbed browser - and it is free. Then I also need a plain text editor, so I’ve downloaded and installed Textpad for Helen too.

Fortunately I grabbed my password book as I left home, and so I was able to go online get a copy of last week’s RoseBouquet for the outline’s sake, and presto, I’m ready to work from this computer.

My own Azaleas office just upstairs, so I dashed up at the beginning and brought down my cordless phone, so in a sense, I’m even available if I get any business calls of my own.

There’s something sweet about being able to pick up my work and do it from another location on such short notice.

I’m even able to listen to my favourite background radio while I work, I love my BBN! Especially when Lynn Brooks reads the Christian Classics.

Incidentally, yesterday I got my dahlias and 6 short rows of potatoes planted! I hope to sow the other veggies sometime this week too.

I have not got to checking STATs on all the sites as I like to do at the beginning of the month for the previous month. When I did that for this site last week I discovered to my chargrin, that I had a bunch of bad links on my sub-domain on prayer, http://intimacy.Ruthes-SecretRoses.com as well as on the site proper, so I went at it, hoping to fix at least a few main pages. Before long I found a couple of hours had passed, but I had updated that whole sub-domain, and most of the other errors too. Another day I got the rest done. That sure feels good, even if it doesn’t seem so big to someone else.

In fact, two afternoons I decided to try to jot down everything that I did during the block of time I usually refer to as my “email time.” I was astonished at how many “little repairs jobs” and more detailed mentoring I squeeze into those afternoons. Once client needed a domain transferred so I initiated that, and started brainstorming with a new client for how we’ll name and present her site. I chatted with a couple of friends on the topics fresh in their minds. I don’t know that these lists would impress anyone else, but they reminded me that I don’t JUST read and answer emails in the afternoon, I get a lot of public relations and work done with/for clients.

I thought I had an idea for an article on the right kind of praise for children, triggered by an article I read in the Reader’s Digest, but on Saturday I went to a birthday party for Arnold Stobbe, our Director at Western Tract Mission. I was so impressed at the things his children and others said about him, that I think I’d like to take you to this birthday party today in my Ruthe’s Roses (inspirational) article. See that below.

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The party was held in a small fellowship hall in the large Forest Grove Community Church. He was right behind the guest register desk greeting people warmly as he always does with “Good morning!” As always, he was dressed informally with a plaid cotton shirt. His wife Helena, with her halo of white curls, was busy welcoming people with hugs.

They have raised ten children, about half of them are missionaries and one a minister, and of those three were too far away to come. (One in the Carolinas, one in Alaska and one in northern Quebec). I had met a few of them, but was tickled to see what poised and capable people they all are. They were busy greeting people too, and setting up for a slide show.

Arnold’s birthday actually falls in April, and his children had gone together to give their Dad a gift of a trip to the Holy Land. The youngest son, Nathan travels a lot with his business/work and it was arranged that Nathan and his Dad would make this ten day trip together. It was arranged very quickly, and according to their reports went very well, except that the timing might have been a bit better. They arrived in Jerusalem in Passover week, and this meant that some services were not available.

Nathan was the M.C. for the program the family was putting on to honour their Dad. After his introductory remarks about the trip to Germany (where they made a quick visit to Dachau during their lay-over) and the Holy Land, and some stories to show how surprised he was that his 80 year old Dad could out-last him and many others around them, he called upon his sister Priscilla.

She also works as a missionary at W.T.M. so I thought I knew her a bit already, but was astonished at her dramatic skills. She came to the mike in a plaid shirt and light pants, and her Dad’s red mesh baseball cap. She put on a strong, in-charge kind of voice, and demonstrated how their father had always called all the children up (out of bed) and down (for breakfast), but shouting “Good morning,..” and the name of each child. Each had to respond, or he came looking for them. She showed how he shaved in the kitchen while starting the porridge. His workers needed porridge!

Ah, that explains why he always greets us with “Good Morning,” no matter what time of day.

Priscilla talked of how they had to work, and since those were lean times, payment was small. The girls got a penny for every fly they killed, and the boys got 25 cents for every pail full of nails they pulled from some old buildings their Dad had been able to obtain. With that lumber he built other buildings on their farm.

She described how he would go shopping for groceries, and would entertain the shopkeeper with his guessing games as to what items he was looking for.

(I’m afraid I wasn’t taking notes so I don’t recall everything Priscilla described).

This explains why we don’t go into debt at the mission. We make do with what we have and we do not feel sorry for ourselves.

I believe her brother Dave from Manitoba got to share some of his memories next, and I recall that he was most touched that his Dad would give him assignments but would not be down on him if he didn’t get them right the first time. But he did grow from those jobs and learned to know that if he had to ask if his work was good enough, then it wasn’t.

This is something I’ve seen too in our W.T.M. family. Arnold has great skills at delegating work, and trusting us to do our best. If it isn’t done right, he is able to show us that without hurting our feelings, but he does allow us to take ownership of our responsibilities which gives us room to grow and to do better at them.

Their son Daniel, a minister in North Battleford, and his wife Kathy, put on a puppet show. It looked like it was going to be a roast at first, but they shared more loving information about this beloved and very special man named Arnold.

We learned that Arnold always wrestled with his sons, and played games with his kids, and is very competitive. When he started losing at ping pong he sold the table.

There were some grandchildren who performed in between some of these sharing items. Dallas, a teen fellow with a black cap pulled on backwards sat down at the piano and played a classical piece quite well. Another two women, I think a sister-in-law and niece, played “The Holy City,” as a piano duet. JayCee, a granddaughter in her early teens recited “The Cremation of Sam McGee.”

There was an open mike time where others could share unplanned items. Several did, including Arnold’s brother and older sister. (Naomi had asked me when I arrived if I might share something so I gave a few comments about how Arnold has made the staff at W.T.M. feel like family too, and now I can see where he learned his leadership style).

He used to load tools and kids into his car and take them up north in spring to fix and prepare some Bible camps for the summer ministry to kids. That so man of their children are missionaries appears to be a natural consequence of his own interest in evangelism and ministry.

We learned of the church he started in Hafford when he discovered there were no Christians there. The pastor of the Blaine Lake Church reported how Arnold kept way ahead of him in doing visitation all over that larger town, when they retired there and everyone - but everyone knew Arnold!

Now they live in the city here, and they are working in a new church plant near them.

The oldest grandson, from Manitoba, shared how much it meant to him that his grandparents make an effort to be at his graduation, and every grandchild’s baptism, if possible, etc. That is outstanding. I do know they have made trips for such reasons.

It was neat to see too, how when Arnold’s grandchildren were performing a special item, he was one of the first people to jump up with his camera and take a photo of them.

It seemed to me that just about every piece of good parenting advice I’ve ever heard, seemed to be exemplified in Arnold’s life. Age 80 is but a milestone he is passing as he continues strong and resilient, and I can safely speak for the staff and missionaries at W.T.M. that we are very fond and proud of our fearless and cheerful, hearty father-director too!

Oh, of course, there was a long table laden with sweets and veggies and dips, etc., with lots of visiting happening among the guests afterward. The daughter Naomi had organized this, and it was very well done. They were planning another event for the following afternoon, to celebrate Naomi and Carl’s son’s wedding - which happened further away a week or two ago.

P.S. Whew, this got longer than I’d expected, but now I don’t really have time to edit it down, so you get the longer, raw version.

I remember May 6th for another reason. Every spring I would be impatient to get the garden done in April already, and Mom would hold me back by saying, “Wait until Gra’ma’s birthday. If the weather is good, I’ll let you start then.”

Well, I cheated a bit last week. It was so-o nice out, and so I sowed some lettuce and spinach in the small corner under the tree and right close to the foot of the back steps. Those plants don’t mind a cool spring, or chilly nights. I hope to have some fresh salad greens in a few weeks!

I need about another 20-30 minute session of digging up the far end of the garden with my spade, and then I intend to plant potatoes. As you can see, I got nearly done yesterday.

I do my garden work in short 20-30 minute spells after meals, so it may take me a couple of weeks to get finished, but I am so eager - I may snitch more time!

My cat-lover subscribers really enjoyed my story of Snowflake last week. I try to space these out a bit, so as not to lose other subs, but I have been gradually introducing her to the idea of going outside. I think a longer photo story will come of this when we are further along, however, this weekend we have made some progress. I’m bursting to share this with you.

The advice I got was to get a halter and leash and train her to know that this always has to be put on to go outside. I sewed one and have for weeks, on nice days, been taking her out the back door. However, Snowflake, curious as anything, would freeze and trembling through and through, and would crouch and sniff and try to take in all the stimuli around her. Then in a few minutes she’d turn and rush inside again.

Last week I picked her up and held her and cooed to her on the back step. Her sides still trembled and her bones rattle with terror, but she was able to look around with intense concentration, trying to memorize every inch of the view in every direction. Her eyes seek out the birds and follows their every hop and flight. On Saturday, by rocking sideways and taking only one step forward per minute, I was able to get partly down the sidewalk. We made two or three trips outside.

Sunday afternoon she whined and begged by the back door like petulant two-year old. So I put on the harness and leash, but then she would lie down, and wait for me to pick her up. I sat on the back step to have my bowl of soup with her in my lap. By the evening I decided it was time to take a lawn chair out. Yesterday, we had another two sessions. I even carried her to the neighbour’s fence to say “Hi” to Snickers, the chocolate Lab. Snowflake stared her down.

Now I think of her as a very brave seven-month old cat. The burrr of fear in her belly is as strong as her loudest purr indoors, but if I hold her, she is game to go outside and take in all the sights and sounds and smells. You should see how busily her pink nose twitches!

I also reclaimed some time right after lunch for renovating my huge Ruthe-SecretRoses.com site. Goodness, I started to overhaul it year before last and am just about done now with the resources section. However, I realize that I’ve learned several new things since I began that project (there’s over 600 pages), so I should really begin again as soon I’m done this work-through. Besides that, I’m learning tricks from my SBI site that I’d like to apply to this one.

One of the men I work with on the ministry site, http://manna-publications.org.uk wanted to learn how to update a certain page on their site himself, so last week Thursday evening he phoned me as he got out of bed in the morning, and as I was about to shut down the computer to go to bed, (due to a seven time-zones difference). I spent two hours tutoring him on how to do certain things for himself. For someone who told me two years ago that he was technically challenged and couldn’t handle anything as complicated as ftp, he did very well, and was quite pleased with himself. He phoned again on Saturday afternoon, and I finished off with a 40 minute lesson on some HTML codes. Of course, he took notes the whole time, but when he was done and reviewed what he knew he was quite a happy camper.

There is one page of French on that site, and as I’ve never had a lesson in that language, I’m quite happy to let him fuss over the accent marks and which way they should slant.

A special blessing on you if you are a mother! May this Sunday be especially wonderful for you.

I’ve shared stories about my Mom several years to commemorate Mother’s Day, so this time, I’ll pick a very unusual profile of a grandmother from my novel. Maybe you’ll want to read the book! Woohoo!

Resourcefulness is one of those things I’ve inherited from my Dad. As I was doing some of these things I realized that others might not come up with these ideas by themselves, so here’s a few tips.

1. Pack up all the old notes, and files in a box and find a place under the desk or nearby to park it, so if you need to get at these archives, you can still pull them out.

2. Tidy up inside some drawers and create space to drop work-in-progress on short notice when cleaning up for company.

3. This means it would be smart to have a container for each project. If it involves full-sized sheets, a folder or a big brown envelope will do. Find a home place that is out of sight for each one, so you can put it away or pull it out fast when you need it.

4. I scribble notes on small pieces of paper or card-stock. Some need to be weeded into the waste-paper basket from time to time, but for the ones I want to save, I cut some used large envelopes in half with a scalloping scissor (straight will do too), and I file a bunch of them in a white vegetable oil jug with a rectangular shape. (I’ve cut off the top and wrapped wallpaper around it). This keeps my notes and ideas in a semi-organized way, and when I have to clear the desk off in a hurry, I set the whole cannister/jug into a drawer.

5. Every desk needs some catch-all containers so that you can spot your pens, and markers, and paper clips quickly when your eyes dart around for them. Rather than scattering them over my desk, I cut up empty tissue boxes like this;

pull away the cellophane in the oval
cut from the middle of the long side of that oval around through the sides of the box, up to but not through the bottom

fold the box along the center of the bottom so the two halves face and touch each other.

tape the ends together so they now become the bottom of your caddy with two compartments.

Depending on the design pattern on the box, you now have a pretty caddy for your odds and ends.

Kate O’Brien grew up in England in her childhood, and later moved to Ireland, which was her parents’ birth place. They were entrepreneurs who tried to make a sale of whatever they could, just to keep body and soul together. In other words, sometimes they raided garbage dumps, looked for things they could fix or paint up and sell as antiques.

Kate was assigned the job of gilding old clocks and other knick knacks, or damaged art projects, because she had such a steady hand with a fine brush.

She also had a steady flowing tongue and had a lively wit. That was what helped her win the heart of a handsome landowner, and got her into a fine castle. She disowned her family, believing they would be an impediment to her rise in society.

It turned out that her husband’s family fell on great financial difficulty, and so she urged her husband Ian O’Brien the I, to sell the household goods for tickets to Canada. He was not used to hard labour, so at the beginning she had to support them with her old refurbishing skills.

Fortunately, Kate seldom forgot anything once she learned it, and while they had been in the castle back in Ireland, she’d learned quite a bit more about true antiques and their values. Ian was embarrassed, but she was able to restore their fortune, and get him a fine job as a banker. Of course, he learned to ask her advice on business agreements at home.

They had one son, Ian, who became a lawyer about the time his father died.

When he married Pearl without consulting his very controlling mother, it threw Kate and Pearl into bitter cross-purposes. They quarrelled over just about anything and everything. Ian usually gave up being the peacemaker and withdrew into the quiet ivory tower of his mind.

He felt he had done his duty to his mother when he had their home built next to hers, and that he was there whenever his mother screamed of a crisis.

Kate on the other hand, wished with all her might to provoke him to action She was ashamed to have a son so unlike herself, and was confounded that her attacks on Pearl could not rouse him. Kate feared that if he and Pearl ever came to ruin as she and her husband had in Ireland, he would not be as resourceful as she had been.

Ian and Pearl’s four children, as they grew older, gave her a wide berth too, and so Kate, completely out of ideas, took to her bed and decided to be an ugly old witch.

But she choose a bedroom on the second floor of her huge, greystone house, that had a window overlooking her son’s property. That way she could spy on their comings and goings.

To see what happened when Kate met Ruthe, you need to read the novel! Read more about it first here Or, jump straight to the order page.

Or, Read sample chapters of my first novel online, starting at the index

Order the e-book to download and read on your computer; Order page
You can order the softcover paperback from Booklocker.com

Snowflake is often frisky, racing from one favourite window view to the other at lightening speed as if scared by something. In fact, sometimes she takes some corners too fast, and whimpers as she accidentally skids into some furniture. A few moments later, she’s off and running again. (I’ve begun to wonder if there’s catnip in the new bag of cat food I bought, called Friskies). When she’s in this hyper mood, and I make any sudden move, however innocent, she’s off like a flash, her tail whippin’ tall over her.

I’ve got so when I see her tail dancing with that energetic tick going this way and that, I know she’s up to mischief with a flare!

Then there are times after a long nap when she comes up behind me, stands on her hind legs and taps me on the elbow with her paw, and meows politely for some cuddle time on my lap. She loves to be loved and physically handled and tickled, scratched or rubbed and stroked. I fill her food dishes and she ignores them until I’ve handled her a few minutes. So I tell her she’s a sensuous cat and a glutton for love. When I go to the kitchen she jumps up from a deep sleep and dashes in to join me, and whines like a toddler. Nothing shuts her up but to pick her up and cuddle for a while.

The first few days I had her, Snowflake seemed to have no interest in food or milk or water or anything. I tried various food, including people-food, but she sniffed and turned away. Now all of a sudden she checks the floor wherever I eat and if I’ve dropped a crumb, she wolfs it down. If I put it into one of her dishes, it dries up from neglect, but she wants my crumbs. Go figure that out!

Now for the biggie. I do not sleep well with a bed mate, so from the beginning I have refused to take her to bed with me. I’m very strict about the not-for-you-Snowflake zones in the house. She’s not allowed on my desk, or the kitchen counters or table either. But in the last two weeks she seems to be determined to sneak into bed with me after I’ve fallen asleep. The more devious she gets, the more creative I’ve had to become to discourage this.

I should back up to the first instance maybe a week or two after her arrival. One night I dreamt that a black mouse had leaped onto my blankets over my chest and was staring into my eyes. I freaked out and tossed away the blankets yelling for Snowflake to come get this mouse! Once I got the light on, I took to shaking my quilt and sheets to be sure that wee furry thing was not hiding underneath somewhere. All at once it hit me, mice don’t do such huge flying leaps; it must have been Snowflake! Well, my frantic war scared Snowflake to the other end of the house, and I think she remembered for quite a while that it was not a good idea to sneak up on me like that.

However, in the last two weeks she’s tried it several times. I’ve shooed her off, and chased her all the way to the pantry and slammed the door on her. (Then I opened it just to quickly shove in her litter box). She also crawled under the bed a few times and was scratching away there. So the other Saturday I pulled the bed away and cleaned thoroughly and then stuffed all kinds of foam cushions and boxes that fit tightly under the bed, so there is NO way she can get under there. I also rearranged the stuff at the bottom of my clothes closet right beside the bed, so she could not sneak in there and nest. This morning I discovered that she had found a way over my bed and into my laundry hamper in there!

We do take some short cat naps or Sunday afternoon naps together in the recliner. She’s not allowed there by herself, but when I have my pink fluffy housecoat on, she can curl up on my lap and we nap together. My advantage is that when she stirs I wake and can get back to work.

I realize poor Snowflake is just craving more cuddle time, but with her habit of coming and going through the night… nope, I’m still resolved to sleep alone in my bed. She has her towel on the desk by the window in my bedroom. If that’s not good enough… I will be more resourceful yet!

Day after tomorrow is May 1. I had hoped to have some students lined up for my Azaleas Virtual Assistants (AVA) course to start then. If I suddenly get some I can still throw myself into gear to work there, but over the last week or two I’ve been wondering what to do if I don’t get the students. On Sunday afternoon I took time for a prayer retreat to consider my options.

I began to see that not tutoring students over the summer months is not such a bad option. I still think the course plan is a very good idea, and that God is not asking me to cancel it. Rather, that it WILL surely come to pass yet. But it might not hurt to focus the next few months to working here from home mostly, so I can give my current clients more focused time, and also develop and promote my own sites. If I can get a deal with the WTM Board for a holding rent on the office space, I won’t have to get rid of all that I’ve set up there, but can have it ready for whenever the Lord will bring me the right students.

In fact, I really would rather that HE chooses and sends me the students best suited for this course and who could become trustworthy employees in the future. I’ve come away from that afternoon, feeling quite at peace about holding the office in readiness, and settling in here at home to be more productive again. Dividing my time to get that office ready has put me behind in some other things. My own sites have been neglected, and I have done only the most necessary things to keep promises to others.

On top of that, I have nearly all my estimates for the RRAP plan reno work in. I still need two quotes to be turned into me, and for two others to come quote on the eavestroughing jobs. If I can wrap that up in the next week or so, and get all of the quotes in to the inspector, the work may begin in May yet. It would be wise for me to be around here when those workmen come and need to get into the house.

I tell you, being at peace with either of two options is a whole lot more comfortable than dithering and worrying about what might or might not happen.