IF YOU'VE ALREADY BOUGHT A COPY OF SERVAL SON (BEFORE MIDNIGHT TONIGHT)

If you purchased a copy of SERVAL SON before August 18th at MIDNIGHT... let me know...

I have some important information I need to share with you.

The rest of y'all--WAIT TILL SEPT 1st TO PURCHASE THE BOOK! 

THANKS!!!

Kris

OMG! When You Google the Title of My Book Tonight...

When you google 'SERVAL SON: SPOTS AND STRIPES FOREVER' tonight you get 278,000 returns!  That PR has done something AMAZING!!!

WOO HOO!

Big Name Animal Advocates Applaud “Serval Son: Spots & Stripes Forever”

Big Name Animal Advocates Applaud “Serval Son: Spots & Stripes Forever”

Here's the link to the big media release. Please share it with your friends and family--and remember to wait till Sept 1st to buy it... unless you plan to buy more than one copy. By buying it Sept 1st you help send it up the flagpole at Amazon--a very good thing!

THANKS!

Laverne and Shirley--Best Blackberry Bush Eaters on the Planet!!!! Part Two

I just took some photos and video of the goats eating blackberry bushes. As soon as Jackie gets home I'll find out where the USB download cord is for her PC (I'm using her camera because mine won't download anymore) and get them sent over to Facebook and to me so I can post them here.

They are two very happy campers!

Little by Little, the Money I Need is Coming In...

After a dry spell of close to ten days, I'm getting work again at Elance and elsewhere. I'm feeling better about things as a result.

I won't see any royalties on SERVAL SON for at least three months so having to spend serious time on the launch has cut into the time I've been available (and sane) to write for clients. I'm glad that aspect of this launch is over.  I still have to make myself available for interviews as requested, though... and respond to inquiries... and mail books out when I get them...  I'll spend a lot more time promoting the book than I spent writing it--but that's par for the course for any writer who wants to make money. There's a lot to distract interested parties, so staying in their top 10 list of priorities  is a never-ending challenge. By Thanksgiving (or a bit earlier) people will begin thinking about holiday gift-giving, so they'll be more amenable to asking for the book (if they want one) or getting the book if they want to give it as a gift.  That's good.

You may want to visit my SERVAL SON shop at Cafepress.com and see if there's anything there you'd like to have (or give as gifts). I added some items today that I think you'll find intriguing...  Hope so, anyway. So far I'm the only person who has bought anything!!!  They came in and I LOVE them.  I got a box of 20 note cards with Deaken (the cover photo minus the title, author and blurb). They are breathtaking.  I also got a t-shirt to wear when I'm out and about to advertise the book and a beach tote to carry copies of the book in when I do a reading or a book signing at a library, bookstore, hotel, convention, or wherever...

Are there any exotic pet or regular pet conventions locally, I wonder? I wonder if local pet stores would carry copies or let me set up a table once in a while.  I'll have to check into that...

I'm tired of thinking about all this. I need a nap. I hope some of you do some of the thinking for me and give me some ideas I haven't already thought of.  That would be terrific!!!

I will ask others writers to help me on launch day. That's a good idea. I saw another writer do that and was impressed by how she handled it.

Laverne and Shirley--Best Blackberry Bush Eaters on the Planet!!!!

Goodness!  I had no idea how efficient two medium-size goats can be when it comes to mowing down blackberry bushes. They've taken care of everything in their new pen--ages ago. Now I have the rear fence open into the neighbors' (plural) blackberry patches next door--which opens out into a huge field of "more of the same"--and they are going through that like Grant took Richmond.  It is truly amazing to behold! They waddle back in at night looking almost as wide as they are long. Overnight they shrink back to pretty much normal-goat size (okay, still a little chunky) but by morning they're standing at the rear fence, ready to go at it again!!!  Before, the blackberry vines encroached on our yard all along two sides (one at least 100 feet across, the other at least 60 feet across); now the blackberry "forests" are at least 20 feet back, and they are totally absent on the 60 foot side.  Sure am glad I didn't get more goats!!!  We may get a pygmy goat or two later, for the wee ones to play with and walk on  leashes, but they won't eat so much that we'll need more pasture, that's for sure!

In a few years, when the blackberry bushes stop growing altogether as a result of the goat's "predations", I will probably rent them out locally at $75/day. I'll have lots of takers!  Most goat rental places charge $300/day for a small herd of goats.  I can't afford to sit with them all day when they're rented out, but we have movable fence panels we can use to cage them in where they're needed. That'll work...

I'll take some more photos of the girls at work soon so you can see what they've done.  I think you'll be amazed.  They're locusts on hoofs!

I Have Some Interviews Lined Up Re Serval Son

The Kittitas County Tribune is planning to run something on SERVAL SON and me soon. The Author Show is, too. So will Roger Noriega (Noreiga Radio on blogtalkradio) at some point.  I don't have the dates yet, or the links, but when I do I'll let you know.

Friday I drive to Seattle to get my curling finger checked out to see what can be done about it. We're hoping NP can be done on it, instead of surgery.  NP stands for Needle something-or-other. There is very little pain involved in the procedure and minimal (if any) down time, which is good because I can't afford any down time.  Keep me in your prayers for a good report on that front.

SERVAL SON may be available at Amazon earlier than Sept 1, but please please please wait until Sept 1 to buy it if it is.  Or else promise me to buy a second copy on Sept 1st.  Sept 1st is the day I want to run sales up the flagpole at Amazon to see if we can get the title to #1 in its category (or at least in the Top Ten).  I need your vote (purchase) on that day especially.  Thanks!

A First Look at the Cover of SERVAL SON

This isn't the final... but it's pretty close. The front cover is locked in; it's the back cover that is still in flux to one degree or another...

Let me know what you think!

(Click on cover to see it larger so you can actually read it)

Check Out the FINISHED, OFFICIAL "SERVAL SON" Trailer Here

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5CiDJd__6yI

Please share the above YouTube link everywhere you can legitimately think of where it will be embraced and not considered spam. I would love to see this go viral before SERVAL SON debuts on Sept 1st at Amazon.

I can't do it alone. I need your help.

Here's a blurb you can post with it:

"A cautionary true story about what it's like to own--and be owned by--a wild animal. Endorsed by several high profile animal advocates. Please consider getting a copy for your home and county library system. GREAT THANKS!"

Treasure Trove of DeForest Kelley Interviews to Download

http://www.sttcm.com/2011/07/16/deforest-kelly/

Launching a New Book Is Hard Work!

Eegads.  Whenever I'm not writing copy for Elance clients, I'm emailing the SERVAL SON media release (and sometimes accompanying documents) to AZA accredited zoos, ASA accredited sanctuaries, high-profile animal welfare and advocacy groups, exotic animal sellers, pet forums, hometown newspapers (Northern Kittitas County Tribune, Tacoma News Tribune) and local daytime TV talk shows (New Day with Margaret Larson). 

In a word, I'm multi-tasking, typing my fingers to the bone hoping I get the word out to enough places and causing enough stir to raise SERVAL SON well up the flagpole at Amazon on Sept. 1st when it debuts. 

I've never worked so hard preparing the way for a book launch in my life. Sure hope it pays off.  I want to be sure FutureWord Publishing doesn't regret campaigning to get the book. That's my primary concern. 

I'm making money as a copywriter so if SERVAL SON doesn't fly high it won't be any skin off my teeth (how in the world did that idiom originate--"skin off my teeth"-- or am I misquoting an idiom?) but it will be a bummer for FutureWord because they're getting the editing and cover copy done at their expense, and the formatting, and all that; they only get paid back if enough books sell.  I've never had to worry about other people's financial investments in my books before--all the costs have been on me up until this one so I feel a serious compulsion to obsess over it until I'm sure I've done absolutely everything I can to ensure the success of the launch!

I have a very good feeling about this book, of course (thanks to the numerous "guinea pigs" I foisted it off on to proofread and critique it; all thought it was SUPER!!!). And both sides  of the great divide (pro-exotic pet and anti-exotic pet) should recommend it to their readers. But "should" doesn't mean "will". (Democrats and Republicans "should" recognize each other as fellow Americans and patriots, but you see how often that's occurring, don't you?)

The scary fact is that every book launch is a crap shoot unless you're JK Rowling or another great megastar. And my new title is definitely a niche title--I mean, how many people are going to want to find out what it's like to be owned by a wildcat? One in a hundred? A thousand? Ten thousand. No one knows!  I sure don't.  My publisher thinks SHE knows. I pray she's right!!!   

One thing I am sure of, though, it that there are a lot of animal lovers.  I've read dozens of books about different kinds of wild ones and their interactions with the humans who loved and cared for them--owls, raccoons, otters, wolves, tigers, lions, kinkajous, hawks, bears. The animal lovers I know have recommended them to me, and I've devoured each one. This may become a "word of mouth" book in that way.

One thing's for sure: we're going to find out in a little over a month!

NOW WOULD BE A GOOD TIME TO TELL YOUR ANIMAL-LOVING FRIENDS TO MARK THEIR CALENDARS FOR SEPT 1ST AND CONSIDER BUYING 'SERVAL SON' THAT DAY at AMAZON. Forward them the PR and Stephanie Ealy's review (both can be accessed from earlier blogs).  Those ought to do the job without too much of your time and trouble.

Thanks!!!

STEPHANIE EALY REVIEWS "SERVAL SON" FOR ALLVOICES.

http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/9697247-serval-son-spots-and-stripes-forever

Thank you for putting me in tears, woman!!!!!

SERVAL SON IS GETTING CONTROVERSIAL ALREADY! THAT'S A GOOD SIGN!

I began sending out invitations to zoos, animal parks and wildlife sanctuaries announcing the upcoming release of SERVAL SON to see if they might like to carry it as a cautionary tale against wild animal ownership and, in doing so, I mentioned some of the folks who will be endorsing the book. (Two of the endorsements come from high-profile people who are ardently anti-exotic pet, as I am in most cases.)

It turns out their factions are giving them some flack for endorsing a book that is about a person who owned an exotic cat. Of course, the naysayers haven't read the book yet, or I truly believe they would see the method in my madness.

Their worry is that, even though the book is a cautionary tale, the people who read it may still want a wild cat after reading it. 

My response: I doubt it. Not the way I wrote it. That's why it took me so long to decide to write it in the first place--because I DIDN'T want to encourage anyone to adopt a wild cat. This book soundly discourages it.

Bottom Line: People committed to getting a wild cat will get one, no matter how many books they read about the dangers and costs, including mine. I can't reach them with this book. I can only caution them. No other book out there does that. The rest are rose-colored glasses versions of the ordeal, usually written by pro-exotic pet factions who want to sell more critters.

It's the fence-sitters I'm after, the folks who are hankering for a wild one like there's no tomorrow. The folks who want to do it right if they do it at all.  These folks can still be persuaded not to do it.

That's what my book is all about. 

And for this reason, BOTH sides (those with integrity) should be endorsing the book.  Because if a wild cat breeder can say, "Read SERVAL SON and then get back to me if you still want a wild cat [after you've read the unvarnished truth about taking care of one its entire life]" the book will screen out the impulse buyers, the "I want one and I want one NOW," uninitiated folks who end up relinquishing their charges like clockwork; the ones who burden wildlife sanctuaries with their cast-offs left and right.


But unfortunately, many--if not most--wild cat sellers are gonna HATE this book. They're gonna see that anyone who reads the book will have a whole new perspective on the matter and most (I believe) will decide against getting a wild cat and will instead help support sanctuaries (like Tippi's and others) that take in cast-off pets.  They'll turn their emotions from "must have one" to "must help the poor castoffs who are abandoned through no fault of their own."

A little controversy is good for a book.  I hope the book develops more of it.  I'm ready to take on the issue head on in the way any good animal advocate should.

Let the games begin!

C. Hope Clark Featured An Email I Sent to Her This Week!

http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fundsforwriters.com%2FFFW.htm&h=1AQCVrR-T

Scroll down to the "Success of the Week" Section to see the email! 

More free publicity for SERVAL SON! WOO HOO!

Thanks, Hope!

Take a Look!

I've just added a SEARCH field to my blog. Now you can search for anything you're looking for that you remember reading before and want to re-visit. 

Let me know how you like the new feature!

Recommended searches: Tippi Hedren, Mother's Day, Trekker Treat, Kelley home, Laverne and Shirley (goats), serval, DeForest (De), Carolyn, books, reviews, writing, Writer's Edge, fans, Star Trek, movie, comedy, Elance... you get the idea.

PLEASE HELP ME SEND SERVAL SON SALES UP THE FLAGPOLE AT AMAZON ON SEPT 1ST!

RED ALERT!

If you plan to buy my book SERVAL SON: Spots & Stripes Forever please mark your calendars to buy it on September 1st at Amazon.com!  

Sept 1st is the day it debuts. If we all buy it on the same day, the number of buyers it gets that day will push it up the flagpole at Amazon so that other folks who have never heard about it will notice it and think, "Hmmmm!  Better check this one out!"

Let me know if you plan to do this.  If you do, you can also go to my Facebook page (Kristine M Smith, Tacoma WA) and befriend me (if we're not Facebook friends already) and then I can invite you officially to join the event on Facebook. 

You don't have to join the event at Facebook, but if you'd like to, I'd love to have you. 

Please tell your animal-loving friends and relatives about the book, too.  Tippi Hedren has written an AMAZING foreword for it and has given me a name so I can submit it to HSUS for possible inclusion on one of their animal advocacy websites. So keep the book in your prayers that it finds favor with those folks!

It's getting awfully exciting...

Catch the wave!

FutureWord Publishing Announces First Nonfiction Title

FutureWord Publishing Announces First Nonfiction Title


Please visit the PR and SHARE IT with every animal lover you know.


THANKS!

SERVAL SON PRWEB MEDIA RELEASE PREVIEW

FUTUREWORD PUBLISHING ANNOUNCES FIRST NONFICTION TITLE

“SERVAL SON: Spots and Stripes Forever” will debut September 1st

Seattle WA (PRWeb) FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE        Today the President of FutureWord Publishing, Cheryl Haynes, announced the pending September 1st release of “SERVAL SON: Spots and Stripes Forever” a new book by author Kristine M. Smith, a lifelong animal advocate with decades of combined experience as a wildlife rehabilitator, captive wild animal caretaker, veterinary assistant, and humane educator.

Haynes’ announcement reads in part, “As I was looking [the manuscript] over, I thought how much the book is needed in zoos, wildlife parks, school and county libraries. The book is not just educational; it is packed with familiar flashbacks to the emotional attachments we all have with our own pets.”

Author Smith has raised and nurtured nearly every kind of small animal native to the Pacific Northwest and most species of domestic and farm animals. But it was raising Deaken—an African serval cat—from the age of five days old until his death at 17 which she considers the epitome of her animal-enriched life.

Smith says, “I wouldn’t have missed it for the world—and I would never do it again. It was, at once, the most heartwarming and the most traumatic 17 years of my existence. Raising a wild one isn’t an undertaking for half-hearted impulse buyers. Raising a happy, healthy wild animal—keeping it safe from people and people safe from it—requires complete attention, nerves of steel, and an insane amount of good luck. We are responsible for all we tame. Most who attempt fail miserably and end up abandoning the animals they pledged to love and care for. Animal sanctuaries are overburdened with the sad results: abandoned cast-offs, looking for owners they'll never see again.'"

The book—Smith’s sixth to date—does not advocate the keeping of wild pets, especially wild cats, wild dogs and simians. To the contrary, for the many reasons the author explains and has endured, Smith is opposed to wild animal ownership for most people. She forewarns, “The commitment is brutal, the risks enormous, the memories indelible—good and bad."

The book has been endorsed by several high-profile animal advocates and will be available at Amazon and FutureWord.net on September 1st. Not long after, it will be available at all other online bookstore websites and on Kindle™. It measures 6 x 9 and will be perfect bound.

                                                                                            #

Futureword Publishing publishes award-worthy fiction, non-fiction and children’s books. Find out more at FutureWord.net or Amazon.com. Kristine M Smith is an animal advocate and a Top 10 copywriter at Elance. Reach her at kristinemsmith@msn.com or kristinemsmith.biz

DeForest Kelley's Favorite Wild Cat Finally Gets His Own Book!

When De was in the hospital those final few months and I was caring for him, he kept saying I should write a book about Deaken. I kept saying, "Maybe someday."  Then he said I should at least dedicate a book to Deaken--so I did that in the first book I wrote about De. He would have liked that, had he lived to read it...

De's "orders from headquarters" have haunted me all these years. "Yeah," I agreed, "I really should write a book about my 'serval son'...but how do I do that without making every other cat lover on the planet want one of their own?"

It took me more than a decade to figure it out. And the answer was as obvious as the nose on my face: TELL IT ALL!!! 

Not just the good stuff, but ALL of it: the bad, scary, stressful, painful, infuriating, off-putting stuff, too.  It was only in writing a well-rounded book that I could convince myself to write it at all.

There are people selling pet servals and serval cross breeds like the Savannah Cat. I researched some of them while writing this book.  Some are pretty honest when it comes to what it takes to honorably take care of a serval, their environment, and the people in it. 

But none of them (that I could find) stress the down side enough because...after all..they want people to buy their servals!  A serval goes for upwards of $3K and, in this economy, serval and serval hybrid selling may be all these folks have to live on. So they focus heavily on the up side of having a wild cat.  That's business. All businesses do that or very few would make any money.

That's why I wanted to write a precautionary book.  The illegal  wild animal trade  in this country is second only to the drug underworld when it comes to income. I learned this from Tippi Hedren who owns and operates The Shambala Preserve/ROAR Foundation in Acton, California. Add to that the legal trade in exotic cats, and what  you have are a helluva lot of people getting wild cats as pets, status symbols, bragging rights units, and what have you. Are they trained? Do they have a blue clue what they're getting into? Where did they go for their training?

It's not fair to the animal and it's not fair to the neophyte owner whose impulse buy creates havoc in his or her life.  Get an animal legally and pay through the nose for the privilege and responsibility. Get one illegally and pay the same amount while constantly looking over your shoulder to see if anyone has found you out.

I can't even imagine having kept Deaken illegally.  It was stressful enough having him legally! (Wait till you read the chapter 'Condo Floods, Deaken Discovered.' That's as close as I ever cared come to getting caught red-handed with an "illegal"--disallowed--cat! ) If I had to worry every day of his life that he could be confiscated, after losing my heart to him, it would have been an utterly miserable 17 years!

So I hope the book does what it's meant to do. I hope it informs and entertains the reader and that it encourages anyone even thinking about buying a wild pet to think it through thoroughly. Because it will be a life-changer, something akin to as life-changing as deciding to have a baby.  Only this baby never grows up; it just gets bigger, has fangs and claws, and can do a number on anyone or anything that crosses its path, usually for perfectly legitimate reasons to its way of thinking.

Owning a wild animal is not for amateurs or for anyone who wants any kind of a normal life.

Read the book.  You'll laugh, you'll sigh, you'll cry.  And you'll know why it's an important book, too. Nothing like it has been written with such naked honesty before.

It'll open eyes and touch hearts. My prayer is that it will touch the reasoning center of readers' minds as well as it touches the emotional center. If it does, I've done my job and I will be satisfied.

SERVAL SON: Spots & Stripes Forever will be released Sept. 1 by FutureWord Publishers and will be available at all online bookstores and at FutureWord.net.  Request that your local libraries get copies!

Living Life with "Christmas Tree Brain"--the Saga

Although I have never taken any kind of illegal drugs, I think I'm experiencing the same kind of weird ethereal sensation.

I have been saddled with what I'm calling "Christmas Tree Brain" ever since I got word that a boutique publisher wants to publish my newest manuscript SERVAL SON: Spots & Stripes Forever.

To all intents and purposes, I'm completely sane. I'm doing my copywriting job without a hitch, interacting as though nothing at all unusual is going on in my life. But every time I get a few minutes to myself--or as evening rolls around--I find my brain lit up like a Christmas tree, thinking about September 1st when I will hold my newest book in my hands.

A book I didn't self-publish. 

Hey, the five books I self-published were terrific enough. I loved holding them in my hands. I loved reading the reviews and getting the emails from readers about them. Don't get me wrong.

But they were all MY doing. I mean, no publisher was beating down my door seeking a piece of the action. Their publication was my doing--paid for entirely by me.  They looked good, they felt good. They were good!

This is even better. My brain won't stop lighting up like a blaring slot machine that's flashing some huge monetary number.

And (strangely enough) I'm not even thinking about what the success of this book could mean to my bank balance. That's so far down on the list, it's pathetic. (I really should put more stock in money than I do. But I never have, and I probably never will--which is why I usually have so little of it!) I didn't EXPECT to make much money on this book--I just needed to write it...for Deaken...because De said I should...and because I wanted to warn wild cat lovers about the kind of commitment they'll have to make if they get a wild cat (assuming they want to do it right.)

Try sleeping in a room with a loud, flashing slot machine ("Christmas Tree Brain") lighting up your cranium.  It's next to impossible. It feels so great I can't sleep!

This afternoon I read the manuscript again--for the first time in a month. It's GOOD!  It's FINE!  It's...everything I hoped it would be.

And it was all mine, just like the other ones. I wrote every word. But now someone else has come alongside me and negotiated a piece of the action, dived in to format it, paid for my copyright, and is doing everything else (money-wise) that I thought I'd have to do to bring the book to market. Somebody in the know, with a great sense of business, wants to take a hit monetarily for a chance to win big with my book!

It feels a little miraculous!

It's enough to make me wish I were a gecko so I could hang upside down on the ceiling and do a happy dance without giving myself a serious concussion--or worse!

It just blows me away!

Back Cover Copy for SERVAL SON/SPOTS & STRIPES FOREVER



COPYRIGHT MAY 27, 2011


If you have ever wondered what it would be like to own (and be owned by) a wild animal—especially a wild cat—get ready to experience it in a way you never have before.



The author, Kristine M. Smith, does not advocate the keeping of wild pets, especially wild cats, wild dogs and simians. To the contrary, for the many reasons she explains and has endured, she is opposed to wild animal ownership for most people. The commitment is brutal, the risks enormous, the memories indelible (good and bad).


But there are times when adopting a wild one in need seems uncontrollable, a part of your destiny. If you’ve felt the tug, this book will introduce you to what you’ll be getting into. Look before you leap.


You are responsible for all you tame.




About the Author: Kristine M Smith is an animal behaviorist and advocate with decades of combined experience as a wildlife rehabilitator, captive animal caretaker, and humane educator. She is also a well-regarded copywriter, writing for businesses around the world. Find out more at kristinemsmith.biz.

Got a Touching Note from a De Kelley Lass in Cork Ireland

Over the weekend I received a lovely email from a lady named Mary Tim (Kelly) Crowley in Cork Ireland about my book, DeFOREST KELLEY: A HARVEST OF MEMORIES.

She writes, "After reading it I feel I have just lived through with you the finish of a beautiful man's life... He was and still is loved... I thank God he had someone [to care for him]. Your book, and Terry Lee Rioux's [From Sawdust to Stardust, the Biography of DeForest Kelley, Star Trek's Dr. McCoy] helped us know him more.  I have sent his Actor's prayer to my nephew [Thomas Kelly] who also wants to be an actor. If he can be a good man like Mr. Kelley then he could be a good actor. It shines through. I was a fan of his since the first STAR TREK days, even skipping everything else on Friday nights. Now after reading his stories I have wept and laughed with you and felt with you. Thank you!"

****awwwww*****  Emails like this just make my day. They are far and few between anymore because the book came out so long ago, and I haven't been publicizing it much.  (You know a copywriter's first obligation is always to her clients. Like a mechanic, my own "vehicles" needs come last!)

This is just a reminder to those of you who have read the book that you may be passing on a blessing by recommending it to someone else who hasn't read it yet.  Just sayin'!  I would surely appreciate the boost whenever you get a chance to do something like this.  And if you haven't already written a review of it at Amazon, that would be another great way to give it a boost.  There are a lot of great reviews there, but I can always use more!

Thanks!

Kris

P.S. Hey, if you haven't read it yet and want to, and will commit to writing a review of it and recommending it to (or buying it for) at least two more people (I will want their names if you're recommending it, NOT if you're buying it), I will even send you the e-book version of HARVEST OF MEMORIES to read.

So send me an email to kristine m smith AT msn DOT com (no spaces between words) asking for the book and I'll send it to you free (IF you'll promise to tout it to others in the ways just mentioned).

Update on SERVAL SON: SPOTS & STRIPES FOREVER

I have at least three high-profile animal welfare advocates looking over my manuscript to see if they will either endorse, review or write a blurb for it for the cover, back cover or inside leading pages.  One of them, if he commits, will blow you right out of the water! Keep reading...

I'm getting feedback... no suggestions, yet, for additional information... so it looks like the book is pretty much a done deal. The readers have found upwards of eight corrections--most of them just typos--and most of them were found by all who have read the manuscript.  But Sandy King and David Sol found a few no one else spotted, so they get the Eagle Eye Award for best spotters!

Tippi Hedren (Shambala/The Roar Foundation angel) is reading the book this week. Deaken lived with her for 15 months, so she's intrigued.

Vernon Weir (with the American Sanctuary Association) has it, too, as does Adam Roberts of Born Free USA (formerly the Animal Protection Institute, where I worked from 1981-1985).

David Sol, an animal welfare advocate,wildlife educator, and tiger dad, is reading it. Lion dad Edward E. Smith has read it.

I've just emailed Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (!!!!) to see if he will agree to read and endorse, review or write a blurb for it. He's my "kindred Kennedy" of the bunch (after his dad; I adored him, too)--we've both been "animal crazy" almost since infancy.

RFK Jr. doesn't know me (yet) but I've known about him since his father ran for the Presidency in 1968. Bobby Jr. was traipsing around the Kennedy compound with coati mundis, dogs Brumus and Freckles and, later, as a young man, he became a falconer. If he would run for President, I would support him. He is very passionate about the environment and making the world a safer place for people and animals. Plus he's just plain brilliant. I doubt he'll ever run--it seems the Kennedys are getting out of the political realm altogether--but I would be deleriously happy if he would. (Not a chance, probably.) After Obama's second term ends, we need someone who will return us to some semblance of sanity where the environment and animals are concerned. 

I've just read "DOMINION: The Power of Man, The Suffering of Animals, and the Call to Mercy" by Matthew Scully (former speechwriter to George W Bush, oddly enough, but I totally forgive him that "sin," after reading this amazing book!). DOMINION was recommended to me by David Sol. Scully's book uses a lot of heavy duty, multi-syllabic language (ten dollar words where two dollar words would suffice quite nicely) so it's quite the slog, but worth every step.

Now I'm in the middle of another book David Sol recommended, "The Tiger: A True Story of Vengeance and Survival," by John Vaillant.  This one is about the Siberian (Amur) tiger in Russia. Vaillant is a true story teller (not an academic like Scully). It's a riveting tale from start to finish.

Both books are well worth your time, if you want to read them. Just be forewarned: you'll want to become a vegetarian after reading Scully's book. We've never, in our history as a species, treated our livestock as badly as we do in this day and age... and it is an absolute horror to read about it... especially if you've ever known a calf, a steer, a pig, or a chicken in real life. I wept.  And I'm equally guilty of being a consumer of their flesh. (Well, never veal calves, and rarely pigs... but eggs and chickens, and cattle, yes.) 

We need to get back to basics and allow the animals we use for food to have lives that include sunshine, exercise and other "creature comforts" before we turn them into whatever we put on our plates. I really need to re-think my diet, too.  If I can't find 100% free range products, I need to say, "No, thank you" altogether...

Ethically, morally, I just can't turn my head and pretend these things aren't happening to sentient fellow creatures who fear, hurt and wish to avoid pain and anxiety as much as I do...all for my plate!  It's just not right.

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Great thanks to Sue Morgan for this link. If you want to eat animals that are not factory-farmed, check it out: http://www.eatwild.com/

R.I.P. DeForest Kelley

T'was 12 years ago today I held De's hand for the last time. Seems a long time ago to me now... for the first time. It's easier on me this year, THANK GOD!  I also thank God for De's life and his influence on mine.

Amen and amen.

Badass Cowboy DeForest Kelley--Blast from the Past

De as Ike Clanton in a YOU ARE THERE episode

http://www.40discos.com/video/E0xIpA5XRrU.html

De in Gunsmoke episode

http://www.40discos.com/video/kDZprWuEXds.html

De in Trail of Revenge

http://www.40discos.com/video/3oCcdla72WQ.html

De as Dr Belden  in VIRGINIAN "Man of Violence" episode

http://www.40discos.com/video/PrZ2EViZiZY.html

De in Edward G Robinson Movie as Ed Clary

http://www.40discos.com/video/Fc2vTyBkmXk.html

De in Black Saddle Apache Trail Pt 1

http://www.40discos.com/video/ebCYEhlA2ic.html

De in Black Saddle Apache Trail Pt 2.

http://www.40discos.com/video/9XJ_UAsH7a8.html

De in Bonanza episode "The Honor of Cochise" Pt 1
http://www.40discos.com/video/xTa-LxjTYd4.html

De in Bonanza episode "The Honor of Cochise" Pt 2
http://www.40discos.com/video/gviJIkHoXnk.html

These two are dubbed in Spanish:

De as Toby Jack Saunders in Apache Uprising, Pt 1
http://www.40discos.com/video/Ub-tNjspzjA.html

De as Toby Jack Saunders in Apache Uprising, Pt 2
http://www.40discos.com/video/d9XTZAqXDMc.html

Ladies, If You're Having Gynecological Problems, Check Out This Link!

http://wladieshealth.blogspot.com

Back Cover Copy for SERVAL SON/SPOTS & STRIPES FOREVER

COPYRIGHT MAY 27, 2011

Spots & Stripes Forever


If you have ever wondered what it would be like to own (and be owned by) a wild animal—especially a wild cat—get ready to experience it in a way you never have before.


The author, Kristine M. Smith, does not advocate the keeping of wild pets, especially wild cats, wild dogs and simians. To the contrary, for the many reasons she explains and has endured, she is opposed to wild animal ownership for most people. The commitment is brutal, the risks enormous, the memories indelible (good and bad).


But there are times when adopting a wild one in need seems uncontrollable, a part of your destiny. If you’ve felt the tug, this book will introduce you to what you’ll be getting into. Look before you leap.


You are responsible for all you tame.


About the Author: Kristine M Smith is an animal behaviorist and advocate with decades of combined experience as a wildlife rehabilitator, captive animal caretaker, and humane educator. She is also a well-regarded copywriter, writing for businesses around the world. Find out more at kristinemsmith.biz.

WOO HOO! 21K Words Later, I am 99.9% Finished with the New Manuscript!

Now I need a riveting title. Wanna help?

So far I've come up with

SERVAL SON

SPOTS & STRIPES FOREVER

I know there is a better title lurking in the cosmos. Can anyone capture it for me?

FOREWORD and DISCLAIMER from "SERVAL SON" My Next Book

 "Serval Son" (working title)
(aka) Spots and Stripes Forever

copyright May 27, 2011

Here's the beginning of my new book.

Let me know how you like it

and whether or not you'll be

eager to buy it when it comes out.

Thanks!

Serval Son/Spots & Stripes Forever


FOREWORD – and DISCLAIMER

I first learned about serval cats—the “poor man’s cheetah” — during one of my courses at Ralph Helfer’s Wild Animal Affection Training School in Colton CA in 1977-78. I was assigned to train a pygmy goat and to tame an adult serval cat named Sneakers.

Training a goat is child’s play. They teach themselves to walk on 2x4’s while you’re still lifting the boards into place! They’re naturally curious, naturally playful, and naturally “ascendant.” Build it and they will climb!

But…tame a serval cat?! YIKES!!! That was a whole different matter—a greater level of difficulty. Mr. Helfer said I’d pass the course if I could get Sneakers just to sit or lie quietly near me without hissing or slapping. He wasn’t completely sure I could accomplish this feat, so he set the bar low...

Sneakers had apparently been abused (emotionally if not physically) during his time on earth. And servals look pretty ferocious and lethal when they hiss—which they do a lot, sometimes for reasons no one can discern. When they add slapping and backpedaling or crouching and preparing to spring onto your body, they look even scarier. And Sneakers did that… a lot!

Of course, I didn’t know any of this at first; I learned as I went along. All I knew about Sneakers was that he was housed in a wooden barrel inside an enclosure that measured about six or eight feet square. I was supposed to go in there and tame him.

Awrighty, then…

Long story short: Over the course of the next eight weeks persnickety Sneakers segued from being one po’ed putty tat to a purring, head-rubbing critter who fell asleep in my arms as I lay beside him under a tree on test day. Helfer came by, saw the two of us cuddled up like Romeo and Juliet, and smiled, “You pass!”

Was I proud? You bet I was. I woulda burst my buttons had I been wearing any to burst. I had tamed an adult serval cat. I mean, taming an adult feral domestic cat is next to impossible, so this was quite the feat, was it not?

Not so fast. I later learned that servals and cheetahs are the Perry Comos of the cat world: you can tame adults caught right out of the wild. Africans did it for millennia, using them as “coursing hounds” to catch faster prey (dik dik and other larger antelopes), then taking the kill, rewarding the cat with a few mouthfuls, and using the rest for their own purposes.

Probably not even Ralph Helfer knew this. During the course, I also was taught “never ever” to leave a serval cat alone with any other critters, because servals were rated among the “wildest” of wild animals and should never be trusted with other creatures. I obeyed this precept until my own serval, Deaken, taught me how utterly nonsensical a notion it was. I denied him other companionship for more than six years that he should have had...but more about that later.

You can’t believe everything you read in books—except mine. (I’m a straight arrow.)

My 17 years with Deaken were an eye-opener, a heart-warmer, a trauma-inducer and a cherished relationship I expect never to repeat again. And here comes …

The Disclaimer

I don’t believe in exotic or wild animals as pets (especially wild cats, wild dogs and simians) for a lot of reasons. The primary reason is that probably less than one tenth of one percent of the people who get them knows what they’re getting into, so both parties suffer grievously. There is usually a traumatic and premature parting of the ways. As Ralph Helfer told us in class, “You are responsible for all you tame.”

It isn’t like you can change your mind and find your critter a new home and a new life with a reputable, responsible caregiver all that easily. Your charges do bond to you, especially since their first few weeks of life are so vital to establishing a relationship that must last into adulthood; one that is safe, sane and sustainable. And too few people have the proper permits to take over if you falter or fail; those who do are usually filled to the brim with other peoples’ cast-offs as well as their own broods. And who is going to watch over your wild one when you go on vacation, fall ill, or in some other way have to leave them behind for a time for any one of a dozen legitimate reasons?

I knew what I was getting into. I was trained. I read copiously. I had experience. I had the permits. And I’d had at least 20 domestic kitties before. I was—and remained—committed to nurturing Deaken’s life as he grew, and grew, and grew to knee-high and three feet long from tip of nose to tip of tail. How much different could it be to raise Deaken when I had raised so many house cats?

Still, I had no idea. Looking back, it was great discipline. Looking back, it was herculean. Looking back, I smile and feel very blessed, but also extremely lucky that it worked out as well as it did. There were times when it could have gone tragically wrong. I carry the emotional scars of all that. I still have nightmares about trying to move heaven and earth to keep Deaken safe from people and people safe from Deaken. Looking back it is a miracle that more people weren’t hurt… that Deaken himself survived largely unscathed.

So no… I don’t advocate wild animal ownership. Although I expect you to fall madly in love with my serval son as you get to know him better, I want you to pay exquisite attention to what it took to sustain the relationship, what it took to meet requirements, what it took to protect lives and property.

It’s not a game. Pet ownership itself is a tremendous responsibility. Wild animal stewardship is a whole other level. It is not for amateurs. It is not for dreamers. It is not for people who expect to have children or to have them around. It is not for people who want to take vacations.

Wild animal stewardship is only for people who will dedicate themselves entirely to the wellbeing of their wards. It’s a tall order. You’re about to discover how tall.

I hope that in learning about Deaken you’ll also learn about why sharing him vicariously with you concerns me a little. I know you will love him. Please just don’t love him so much that you decide you simply MUST have one of your own. Becoming a wild one’s parent is an overwhelming commitment that no one should take lightly. Not even you.

I know your heart is good and that it’s in the right place. Enjoy the ride but please don’t let this story compel you to take on more than you can commit to wholeheartedly… and legally. If you do it wrong, everyone gets hurt.

Imagine loving like this and losing your pet to the authorities because you weren’t properly licensed or because your furry darling grievously injured someone. It happens all the time. Lawsuits accrue. Next door neighbors panic.

How quickly everything can change from idyllic to catastrophic.

Few stories end up the way Deaken’s and mine did. Remember this as you go along, and I will feel satisfied that you’re receiving the whole story, not just the heart-warming parts.

You are responsible for all you tame. Don’t do it unless you can honor and truly treasure the obligation from Day One to the day your charge crosses Rainbow Bridge.

Still "Dancing with Deaken" in My Dreams

Deaken, my "Serval Son"

May 16, 1979-Sept. 11 1996

(This was Carolyn Kelley's favorite photo of Deaken.
She framed and placed it in their sitting room.)

At least twice a year, even all these years after his death, I dream of Deaken in such amazing detail that I can hear his chirp, feel his breath, and run my fingers through his fur.

I've had so many different pets that I've lost count of them all--and I know they're all waiting for me across Rainbow Bridge and that we'll reconnect one day--but the one that consistently "visits" me in my sleep is Deaken.

He was just five days old when I brought him home...

Deaken at approximately four weeks of age

He was all grey as a kitten (where he wasn't spotted or striped) except for his muzzle and his belly, which were white. I was a goner the moment I laid eyes on him.

I had tamed and trained an adult serval in Southern California during my Wild Animal Affection Training days and had fallen big-time for their unique look and presence, although I often joke, to this day, that servals look like they're put together by a committee: spots AND stripes, tail shorter than seems appropriate to me; satellite-dish ears, long, lean legs... but without a doubt, God knew what he was doing, so who am I to critique one of His most perfect creations?

Servals are the Perry Como/Dean Martin/DeForest Kelley of the cat kingdom: laid back as can be (except on the extremely rare occasions when they're riled). Africans can catch a full-grown serval and tame it easily. (You probably know how nearly impossible it is to tame and gain the trust of a domestic cat born feral, so this is a remarkable thing!) Cheetahs are the only other cat as easy to tame and train to do a human's bidding. Servals and cheetahs have been used for centuries by African natives as "companion hunters"--they can run down prey (dik dik and larger antelopes, etc.), which human hunters then confiscate for their own uses.

With their over-sized ears, servals can detect other creatures moving in tall savannah grass (their usual habitat). Their ears are so finely-tuned that they can hear rodents burrowing three feet underground. Read that sentence again--and marvel.

As impressive as it is to read, nothing prepared me for Deaken's listening abilities! In fact, Deaken essayed the feat in such an amazing way that De Kelley taunted me about it years later by drawing a cartoon of Deaken "hearing things" in the way a demented woman might IMAGINE things!   The story of what Deaken heard--and De's reactions (both artistic and verbal) appear in my first book about De, "DeFOREST KELLEY:  A HARVEST OF MEMORIES, My Life and Times with a Remarkable Gentleman Actor."



BUY IT HERE!  Or buy it at Authorhouse.com at a discount (you can get the hardbound version at AH for Amazon's softbound price!) OR get it immediately as an e-book for just $4.95 at AH.

PERK: If you get it as an ebook, you'll see all the inside pictures in LIVING COLOR, which is not the case with the tree-book versions. And with the e-book you can search by subject matter or occasion, making it easy to find all the spots in the book that are about Deaken and his interaction with the Kelleys and me...and anything else you want to look up again after reading it the first time. You know: birthday and convention shenanigans, pachyderm poop plaque, my first utterly-nerve-wracking sit-down meeting/dinner with the Kelleys; puffed penis hilarity...

Sorry... I didn't start this blog entry intending to advertise my book-- honestly!--but it occurred to me that you're probably going to want to know a lot more about my relationship with my "serval son" than what I can provide here, and I haven't written that book--yet!-- so I'm pointing you to what I do have that you can read now. But be forewarned: the story of Deaken's final days is in there, too, so you'll definitely need a hanky. Guaranteed! Many fans (fellow animal lovers) have told me they were sopping wet after meeting and loving Deaken the way De and Carolyn and I did...

I always love my Deaken visitations.  The one that occurred last night was a delightful surprise. In the dream, I was walking along a road near a slightly-forested environment in my present-day times and I heard Deaken's familiar and distinctive chirp calling out to me from the meadow-area just outside the rim of forest cover. I grinned like a madwoman and called out, "Deaken!"

He chirped again and headed in my direction at a lope. It was like he had been missing me as much as I missed him!  He practically barreled into me, purring and head-rubbing as enthusiastically as he knew how.  My fingers were all through the coat on his back and sides, reacquainting themselves with his contours.  And he has four legs and a svelte build again (where's he's been living all these years across Rainbow Bridge)--his absent back leg is restored to perfect condition and he looks as good as he did at his best (just after his "gangly teenager" stage).

The visitations are so complete, so lucid, that I can smell the environment, hear his breaths, feel his heartbeat. (I never as palpably noticed these things while he was with me in real life! This is a preview of the heaven we'll share, I think!) (For those of you who don't think animals go to heaven, you're wrong. Heaven without animals would be hell! Maybe if you don't like them, or if you fear them, you won't be obliged to be around them.. but for animals lovers, this is good news!)

Deaken has never left me. Like De, my serval son is tucked in my heart forever. For lots of reasons. I cannot wait to see my two favorite De's again someday! 

What a reunion that will be!!!

I Just Wrote an Article for Funds For Writers....

...by invitation of C. Hope Clark. WHEEEE!!!

Hope says it will be published the evening of September 2nd. I'll mention it again closer to its debut!


Kris

HAPPY 94TH BIRTHDAY AC LYLES!!!

I was outside all afternoon with the goats following an entire morning of non-stop writing for a client. My brain needed a break, so I opened the door to the goats and we went behind their fence for some blackberry leaf eating.  Er, they did. I accompanied them but didn't join in... (I presume you're delighted to hear that.  There is no need--yet--to call the Funny Farm on my behalf. Promise!)

The girls have grown so large that they can stand on their hind legs now and eats leaves off the plum trees in our yard. This is not a good thing, because Jackie and I would like to have some plums this summer and fall.  So I have to tell them no and keep them "otherwise occupied" as much as possible.

Laverne loves two or three of Jackie's prize bushes, so that's a constant hassle, too. But I think I've figured something out. At least, it's working so far. 

Whenever Laverne heads in the wrong direction, I call out ominously, "Laverne... that's a no no." If she keeps going, I toss a relatively heavy, short branch so it lands beside or slightly ahead of her. For some reason, this action really scares her.  (Maybe it's instinctive: a falling branch may indicate that a predator is falling out of the sky and downward onto her.)  She bleats, bolts immediately, and comes back to me for "protection." She doesn't know I'm the culprit who threw the branch.  I'm glad this ruse works because although I can't outrun her, I can out-throw her.

What else? I got my Obama-Biden bag in the mail today. Did you know I have an Obama_Biden_2012 Store at Cafepress.com? There's a link to it on the right hand side of this blog (in the margin).


I also have a DeForest Kelley store at Cafepress but forget to keep saying so, so there have been very few sales.  Its Called DeForest Station.  (I know.  groan...)  There are some clever things there.  Check them out. (You'll find the link in the same place.)

I mowed the lawn today, too. It takes over an hour even on a riding lawnmower. We have a lot of yard! Too much yard!  But we do love it.

I'm going to need 16-18 more T-stakes for the goat fence, it turns out. I've already "planted" the 20 I bought this weekend, plus two that were left over from last time, and there's still a substantial gap to fill to fence in the goat pasture completely. Oy vey... It is what it is.  Until we get the funds, I have to be a "goatherd" every day the weather is nice at least a couple of hours a day. Not that I mind... I just have to work later in the evening (and on some weekends) to compensate for the time outside.

I guess that's about it for this time. Hope I didn't put you to sleep with all this world-shaking news!

Laverne's Sporty New Head Gear

(You can see larger images of these on my Facebook page.)

The points of Laverne's horns are growing out at an angle so she's getting pretty "lethal" when she flings her head around to shoo Shirley away.

So today I went to the Dollar Store and bought two sporty rubber balls, sliced a hole into each one with my handy dandy deer knife (which I would never use on a deer or any other critter), and ran some Super Glue inside, then pushed them onto the end of her horns. Voila!!  Instant protection for Shirley and anyone else who's within range of her head.

Now when we trim Laverne's hooves we don't have to worry about her rearing up or thrashing her head about and wounding anyone with her horns.

Yeah, it looks pretty dorky, but IT WORKS!

Shirley's horns are growing in a nice arc right over her neck and back, so the points on hers don't pose a threat... otherwise, she would have received a pair of soccer balls to match her white coat.

My girls MUST remain color-coordinated, you know!  LOL!

At Last! Photos of the Goat Fence!

As I write this, my sister is downloading the photos on her digital camera to her PC. That means I'll have the ones I want in just a few minutes... Hallelujah!!!

I got the signs from Vistaprint today in the mail, so this is perfect timing because I put them on the fence and took photos of them with her camera already. So you'll get to see photos of your name on the fence (that is, you will if you contributed to the fence fund, you will!), the fence, and the girls enjoying their new pasture.

I estimate the fence is a little more than a third complete as it stands now. I'll be getting a couple hundred dollars' worth of fence panels and stakes every month or so, so I can extend it out frequently all spring and summer long until the entire area is fenced. (We're fencing  the perimeter areas on two side of our property so Laverne and Shirley can eat the blackberry leaves and vines that pop up there from the neighbor's property and keep them at bay so we don't have to slash, burn and poison them to keep them off our place.)

Perhaps it goes without saying but I'll say it anyway: there is still plenty of time to donate to the fence fund if you're so inclined! But I'll be writing in the names of donors from now on since the signs have already been printed and I've been given no indication about who else may want to donate to this very worthy effort.

It is so much fun to look outside and see them enjoying their pasture area!  Today Shirley went around the side of the building while Laverne wasn't paying attention. When she discovered her "missing," she just about lost her ever-lovin' mind.  I heard her bawling at the top of her lungs, frantic, so looked out the window to find her running at warp speed all over the pasture and into the pen area (everywhere there was to run EXCEPT around the corner of the pen) bleating her heart out, looking for her sister!

A little panicked myself, I went outside and called, "Shirley!"  Shirley bleated pleasantly and came to the fence where I could see her (but Laverne couldn't). Laverne continued to rocket all over the place yelling at the top of her considerable lungs. (I should have filmed it.)  I had to go into the pen and call Shirley back into view so Laverne wouldn't have a stroke.  As soon as Shirley came into view, Laverne went over to her and chilled out immediately.

It's amazing how bonded those two are--even though Laverne can be a real bully to her at feeding time.

Here's the link to the Sky Drive for more goat pix!

http://cid-6fb921adf044f220.photos.live.com/browse.aspx/Goat%20Pix

OMG! Jim and Kay Sent Me an "Easter Goat"! CUTE!!!

I'm trying to get my Kodak Easy Share dock to kick into gear so I can post a photo of the "Easter Goat" I just got in the mail from Jim and Kay Loveless in Chelsea, Alabama.  IT IS SO CUTE!!!!!  Thank you!!!!

Jim and May also sent $40 for the goat fence... which lies in my back yard at this very moment, with 25 heavy steel posts, awaiting my touch (er, placement and pounding). I just have to wait until the ground beneath the starting point of the fence dries out so I can dig out there without getting trapped ankle deep in heavy clay-like mud. I tried doing something there two days ago and my shoes ended up so heavy, I couldn't lift them.  Grrr... It's just that one spot that has me stopped, but of course it's the starting point, so I can't proceed until it dries out there... 

I am so blessed!!!

The Day After--Basking in the Afterglow of a Milestone Birthday...

My 60th birthday party was yesterday. About 200 Facebook friends sent me well wishes and, here in person, 15 people attended the birthday dinner hosted by Jackie, Wendy and Sue.

The Lineup: Marian Hawkins, Mary Jane Cooper, Penny Howard (childhood friend, daughter of Mary Jane), Betty , Carol Beitz, Sue and George Rebar, Phil, Wendy, Casey and Jamie McNiven, Malia (first grader from across the street and frequent goat-walking buddy and guest when the other kids are here), Andy and Ella Wallace (two of the children I watch in the nursery during church, cousins of Casey and Jamie) and Jackie.

Jackie made Mom's renowned "porcupine meatballs;" Sue made a decadent, world-class chocolate cake with chocolate frosting (did I tell you I like chocolate? If not... now you know!), and we all talked and talked and talked.

Several of the ladies played cards.

Marian and George exchanged some conversation in the Czech language, which was fascinating!  I'm going to try to find a Tacoma-area Czech-speaking local club so Marian can find more locals who speak Czech. She came here as a young girl speaking only Czech, quickly learned English and taught it to her family, but she would love to find someone local who she can practice it with again. 

This is by no means a final tally, but so far I've received $343 for the goat fence. I also got a royalty check from Authorhouse for $136 and a church paycheck for $100, so I'll put that into the pot too. Jackie plans to add another $250, I think... so that's a little over $800. Wowee Zowie!!! If the neighbors still want to borrow the goats, they'll be paying for some posts and panels, too.

In two words: The "Bucks for My Does" campaign has been a phenomenal success. I can't wait to have the panels delivered (next weekend) and get my little darlings out into a "pasture" for perhaps the first time in their young lives. (I believe they were pretty much barnyard-bound with their moms until they came to us last July.) 

THANK YOU SO MUCH TO EVERYONE WHO CONTRIBUTED.

I know there is money on the way to me from Afghanistan (unbelievable!) and other far-flung places.  Everyone who donated will find your name on the fence, if you ever come out this way for a visit. 

There is NO WAY my sister and I would have been able to do this in time for spring without your ENORMOUS help.  I'm pretty sure now that we'll be able to erect at least HALF of the total span we'll eventually be fencing in--and in the meantime, we can just plant the stakes all around the perimeter and move the panels as needed to keep the goats within the areas we want them to be munching all spring, summer and fall.

I will take photos (FOR SURE) and videos (PROBABLY) so you can keep track of the fencing process.  And I'll for sure take pictures of Laverne and Shirley in their new pasture checking it out (and probably cavorting in it) as soon as we have enough of it set up to make a grand showing of it.  I hope to have it mostly set up by mid-April. 

My right hand and lower back are beginning to cause me some problems, so I don't know how many fence stakes I'm going to be able to pound in on a daily basis. That's the hardest part of the setup and will take the longest.  I may be able to get some help from Casey and her dad. If so, that'll be a godsend...

OH!  I also got other lovely things for my birthday. The wee ones all made me handmade cards; if they were too young to write notes in them, their moms wrote the notes for them... I treasure them!

Margot sent me $25 for the goat fence.

Edward gave $40 for the goat fence.

Laurel sent $25 for the goat fence and a small keepsake book she made by hand which is FABULOUS!

Casey got me two critter figurines (a lion cub and a dog)

Betty and Carol got me a Subway gift card (YES!) and a box of Turtles (you know, those wonderful chocolate-covered nut candies)Marian's caregiver got me a $25 gift card for another store (non-food)




Mary Jane got me a book I'm very much looking forward to getting into, "The Book of Awakening," by Mark Nepo

And George and Sue got me a frozen Smoothie kit

Phil and Wendy gave me $50 toward the goat fence (paraphrasing) "if you must but we hope you'll spend it on yourself."   News flash: spending it on the goat fence IS spending it on myself!  Nothing will make me happier than getting my girls out into an open area so they can feel deleriously free ! I can already see it in my head; very soon it will be a reality and I will be able to bask in its accomplishment!

<<<<<<<<<<< >>>>>>>>>>>>>>

In Other News:

I have a busy work week ahead on Elance. It may actually consume a full forty hours for the first time ever. Now, THAT would be a welcome happening!

Jackie wants to have the desk I've been using in my office as a work desk for her quilting room, so I swapped it out a few days ago for a smaller one that Dad made me 25+ years ago. It's EXACTLY the right height ergonomically and I sit up straighter at it, so it's going to help my back a lot. I'm typo-ing less often too.  I finally have THE RIGHT DESK FOR THE JOB!  (Thank you, Daddy!)

And I got a loveseat from the church for just $20. It matches the rug in my living room much better. (My old couch, a hand-me-down from Jackie, was killing my back.) I also got a storage cabinet and bookcase for my office for $15 from church, so my home and office look SO much better now. (Thank you, George, for delivering them to me!)

I am ORGANIZED!!! When Malia came by yesterday and saw my new office and living room setups, she said, "Wow!  It doesn't look junky in here anymore!!!" (Out of the mouths of babes!) She is absolutely right.  And the good news is, with a smaller desk I'll have to keep things neater: there's no extra room for strewing  or stacking papers, so whatever I have out (visible) will have to be "a work in progress;" ll else will have to be filed away somewhere. WOO HOO! This way my office with stay un-junky!

How cool is that!?

Fed 625 Starving Children for a Year in Two Hours Today

Wendy, Jackie, Casey, Sue, Jennie, Beth and I just got back from the Puyallup Fairgrounds where we worked for two hours bagging  meals for Feed My Starving Children, a non-profit Christian organization.  Wendy, Casey and Sue did it last year and told us about it this year, so we pitched in.

What an amazing, warp-speed two hours. We gathered around tables in groups. Each had a specific job: measuring out veggies, soy and rice, weighing each combined bag carefully, sealing it, loading it into boxes.  Each box held 36 bags; each bag held six meals.

There were probably ten tables in the place and around 100 volunteers all told.  In just two hours we filled 244 boxes.

36x6=3,888 meals per box
3888x244=948,672 meals packed in two hours.

They say that's enough to feed 625 children for a solid year.

And we were just the final two-hour shift in the two-day event. The emcee said 1000 people had turned out to volunteer, so multiplying what our 100-person shift did by ten, that's 6,250 kids fed for an entire year.

These events are held once a year in multiple areas around the country. If you'd like to find out if one will be held near you so you can volunteer, or more about the organization--or if you'd like to donate money to buy the food that the volunteers bag up for children--visit the link below.  You'll be glad you did!

http://www.fmsc.org/

Junior, High School Chum and I Reconnected Today

Today Valerie (Chase) Barrett drove down from Seattle with her three boys to meet and walk the goats and have an outdoor weenie roast -- although I was advised not to call what we cooked "weenies" in front of the boys. (It's not easy changing one's vernacular when one is used to having all girl children around, but I managed.) 

It was frigid outside. I don't think the temperature lifted above 43 degrees and it was quite windy, so that brought the temperature down to "freezin' our buns off" COLD!  Only we "old folks" noticed or cared. Her kids were so busy running around with my "kids" (BAAAA!) that they peeled their jackets off after a while as Val and I just shook our heads and shuddered at the idea...

I kept looking at Val and thinking, "No way can she be almost 60." I wonder if she thought the same thing about me. Hope so!!! 

It blew me away to contemplate that. Being almost 60 doesn't faze me in the least, but thinking about classmates being 60 floors me!  They sure don't look 60. At least, Val doesn't.

It was terrific to reconnect again. We'll do it more often, now that she knows how well her boys respond to a visit here.  WOO HOO!  That does my heart good. Jackie will love seeing her again when she gets her chance. (Jackie was working today; missed seeing everyone.)

The little girl from across the street came over to spend the day, too. Her name is Malia. Her dad lives in Hawaii. She fit right in.

Malia often walks the goats with Casey, Jamie and me, so when I told her I would be hosting a goat walk and weenie roast for friends from Seattle, I invited her to come along. She jumped at the chance.

She's an only child and there are few other kids on this block her age. She may even go to church with me whenever I kid sit there so she can hang around with Jamie some more. She's going to ask her mom for permission. (They worship at another church.) Malia is on a week-long school break; Casey and Jamie aren't.

After the Barrett family headed back to Seattle, Malia came into my office where I was working. I told her she could hang out with the "puppies" in my living room while I worked until her mom or grandma came over to claim her (both had gone into town) but every so often she wandered in to see me and talk or ask questions while I worked.

She was flabbergasted to see photos of me with "famous people" lying around in various nooks and crannies (she's a curious kid) -- V.P. Joe Biden, Senator Patty Murray, DeForest Kelley. She just couldn't get over it. She was over the moon about it!

Then she decided, "You must be famous, too!" 

I laughed and said, "Only in very small circles."

She said, "What does that mean?" 

I said, "It means I can go to any store and someone will know who I am only about once every ten years. The last time I was recognized in a store I heard, 'There's the goat lady!'" She thought that was very cool. (So do I, truth be told.)

I don't need my next door neighbor's child thinking I'm anyone other than "the goat lady." That's fame enough for me in this neck of the woods! 

I was amazed Malia knew who De Kelley was. She must have a Trekkie or two somewhere in her family...

I told Malia she would probably meet plenty of famous people herself during her lifetime. (She's only eight years old.) That seemed to perk her up--even though she's already pretty perky! 

I said, "Famous people like these ones enjoy meeting people. Not all famous people do, but our country's leaders and some actors do. It's how they find out what we're thinking about them, because how we're thinking about them is important to keeping their jobs. We can vote them in or vote them out." 

But if she ever asks me to take her to meet her Senator or Congressman or woman, or a V.P. or President, you'd better believe I will think at least a dozen times about it, after what happened to Congresswoman Giffords' and her littlest "fan" in Tucson in January.

And that is very, every sad.