Hi again, all. I fixed the car - I've spent more on it in the past year than I paid for it 7 1/2 years ago but I've put over 100,000 miles on it, with not a lot of repairs through those years, so am happy with it. Still going to old step-uncle's place, but place has been sold and new owner willing to have me live there, as he only wants to use the land. If anyone has any questions about the system that I outlined above - ask here or email me. I think that you'll find it a very useful resource. One of my New Year's resolutions is to get a more flexible computer - with more storage, as I can't put more modern operating systems on mine (so have been using the one at the library for some time). Will use some of Uncle's bequest, I guess - I sent some of it to my long-deceased brother's three "kids" (now in their 40s), as I'd suggested to Uncle that he leave something to them, but he didn't get around to it. Their Dad and Uncle farmed together for several years when they were young while brother owned Grandma's farm, and brother died when they were in early teens, so they've known some rough times. Good wishes to all for the days, weeks and months ahead. ole joyful

Hi calpat, I was crying about getting 40 or so spam a day - until I talked to my neighbour getting over a hundred ... A DAY! She let that box drop and is opening another. I've told some people unwilling to do legitimate surveys to get a different e-mail box - just for them. So if they get connected with a spammer, they just let the box go. Hardly any making these wonderful offers ever have a real address that they send from. By the way - had any offers of a potion to enhance the size of some of your female/male parts? Some of the over a hundred or so that I've got offer guaranteed overnight results. I've replied saying that I'd be afraid that would be painful. If I were a working person - I'd want to take it on the weekend - so I could stay up all night to watch the growth. If I subscribed to all of the hundred or so offers - how would I deal with the monster - backpack? Not big enough, wrong location. Kid's stroller? Can't put it on escalator in stores. Sling? Would be too heavy for my shoulders. Shopping cart? Too deep. Wheelbarrow? Now - that might just be what the doctor ordered! Need a *full-siized* van, of course, for longer trips. But - where could I find a partner who could accomodate my needs? Probably need to seek a mare, elephant, etc. Would need a pad to keep track of when they came in heat - they wouldn't want to talk to me at other times. Do the guys selling potions - also sell stepladders? I sometimes reply trying to sell them my newsletter about money management, as I've become concerned over the years in the personal financial planning business that so few know much about money management, that I'm keeping the letter going after retirement. Single copy free to anyone with e-mail address, they can subscribe if they wish. Should save them hundreds, more likely thousands, in their lifetime - unless they have one foot in the grave, now. Often people who get something at no cost give it little respect, this letter distills many years of experience, expensive training, etc. so it would be a mistake to give it away free, though I could afford to. I don't like to be arbitrary - so price of the newsletter is negotiable. Having been a number of years a clergyperson, I've tried not to be greedy, either - so will likely ask them to contribute most of the fee to charity, especially worldwide ones, as there are huge needs in many countries, these days. They can negotiate to send my newsletter to their friends, relatives, colleagues in community, sport, church, at work, etc. Will build their group of friends, make them famous - and help them raise some money, as they keep some of the (negotiated) fee, send most to charity - and send some to me, of course. This story is real, as a matter of fact - and it's all true. As for all of these guys who have these great money-making ideas ... what kind of business is such that the fellow working there, who wants to encourage you to do the same, is so proud of it that he tells you almost nothing about it in the original message - apart from how much one may possibly make? A company that keeps their door locked, and has an unlisted phone. Most of them don't give me an address to which I can send a message, go to ask a question, etc. - their front door is locked. Few give a phone number to call - and most who do have it lead to an agency. The email address that they use when sending the message is false - unlisted phone. Not only is the phone unlisted - the guy who sent the message is a liar. The only way that I can contact them - is to fill in a form, telling quite a bit about myself ... ... to leave your resume in the mail box, please ... Which quite a few may use to assemble a database - that they then sell - to other spammers. What chance does such a recruiter think that he may have - of getting me interested in his offer? About one chance in 19,999. Have a happy spring/summer weekend, all. joyful guy/Ed

I could almost have avoided buying radish seed this spring, for there were quite a few radishes about an inch high in the fall, volunteering from the radishes that had gone to seed earlier. There are a good deal many more this spring ... and some from the area where the radishes were, the year before. Anyone want some radish seeds? I have a few lettuce plants starting on their own, as well. Last year had quite a few zucchini from the ones that had spoiled that I threw directly on to the garden rather than into compost ... plus some volunteer tomato plants in a part of the garden where they were not planted, as well. I had about 60 some asparagus plants, last year ... but the landlord nicked some when he ran the tiller down the rows, last summer. And this spring when he did the initial tilling, to chew up the residues from last year and let the chewed up pieces start to rot ... he nicked a fair chunk of one row. Plus some died, I think ... so I think that I have only about half as many plants, now. Quite a few more seeds, so will fill in the blank spaces (but will need to mark them, as they'll need to be transplanted later than the originals). I save some of the first run of cold water out of the hot water tap in the bathroom/kitchen to water the cats, as well as flush the toilet. You guys in the sunny south-west should do a lot of that, cause you sure are short of water. They had a note on the radio the other day that they're worried that the rivers in rather dry Alberta are polluted now, and the flow is largely allocated ... ... so if some of you come wanting us to ship some down the trench between the mountains to California, Arizona, etc. ... we may be tellling you to get lost! The glaciers that feed them have been shrinking ... and if (when?) they die, Calgary may be crying big time for water, themselves. Have yourselves a lovely spring, everyone ... it's getting so that one can drop most of the winter clothing sometimes, in the last few days ... sort of a relief, that. ole joyful

If you're cold-weather driving you may find that the windows fog up on the inside. If your car heater has a choice, you may select having outside air brought in instead of recycling the interior air. If you have trouble with the interior of the windows being frosted up after the car has been sitting for several hours, overnight, etc. you should select bringing in outside air a while before you stop and park the car. If that isn't sufficient, when you are nearing your destination prior to shutting down for a period, open your window an inch or two to let the moisture-laden air depart and be replaced with fresh cold air (which carries only minimal moisture). If really cold weather is common in your part of the country for a substantial period, you may choose to stick a plastic sheet on the inside of your door windows, which comes in a kit that keeps the plastic about an eighth of an inch from the glass. It acts like a storm window. Good wishes for safe winter motoring. There was snow all over at Uncle's place today and when I started out the lane I drove slightly off track, so one wheel slipped down over an embankment. With engine in the front and front-wheel drive, after some shovelling I was able to get myself unstuck - I'm here at the library computer, ain't I, and 10 miles is somewhat too far to walk, even in nice weather, let alone when it's snowing and blowing and several degrees below freezing. I think that I'd better get back there before dark, when it's easier to see while it's snowing and blowing. I usually stay at home till late night. Have a happy weekend, all. joyful guy