Duncan Lou Who and Panda Paws Rescue

 

For some time now, I’ve been a total fan of Panda Paws Rescue.  Amanda is truly an Angel on this Earth.  Check out her latest miracle, Duncan Lou Who.

 

 

Thanks for stopping by, and remember how to fly!

Peaceful Holiday Weekend? Not!

 

Well, folks, I’m a bit punchy-goofy weary.  It’s quiet around here again right now, as weekends typically are used to be.  For over a month, we’ve had some sort of activity around here every weekend.  You’d think a holiday weekend would be serene . . .

Even on weekends, we rarely sleep in, and are up and about by 7:30 AM.  Yesterday, we slept in.  At 8:17 AM, my phone rang.  A power company truck was at the gate needing in to do some work at the substation on the property.  Fine.  Mad dash to bolt out of bed and throw on some clothes.  The gate has to be opened, as does the office for visitors to sign in and we find out what’s going on.

The FedEx delivery that was supposed to happen Friday was next up.  It was my turn to trot to the gate, although I didn’t really mind.  This was a special package for Dave for Christmas, all the way from Scotland.  I was relieved that it actually arrived after Friday’s delivery fiasco.

Power crew leaves.  They get signed out and gate opened and closed.

Put on laundry.  First load was in dryer and the second on just started the wash cycle when clunk . . . the power goes off.  This was right at 11 AM.  Oh good grief.  This happens now and then, usually associated with bad weather of some kind.  In this case, weather was not an issue.

First priority is a phone call to the power company.  Of course, it’s an automated system that does not understand the normal speaking voice, (I know from past experiences) so I have to speak loudly and sternly.  Otherwise, the automaton on the other end says something like, “I’m sorry, I didn’t get that,”  similar to this voice-activated elevator sequence (pardon the language, it’s in Scotland).  Sorry about the alignment; I couldn’t place it in the center of the page.

 

Electrical items – computers, phones, printer, washer, alarm system - get unplugged in the office during a power outage to protect against surges when power is restored.

Next is to fire up our generator, which is a manual pull start model.  No problem.  Get the power cord adapter out of the storage box in the office.  Unplug power box from source on office trailer and plug into adapter.  Unplug RV.  Turn off furnace inside RV.  Take off the weights holding down the tarp over Genny’s shelter.  Fold back tarp.  Lift cover.  Check gas level and top off if needed.  Begin start procedure, which we do as a team. 

Genny’s shelter, which Dave built.

Meet Genny.  Her handle folds down and she stays in her shelter.  She’s a big girl, construction-grade, and runs whatever we want/need in our RV.

Well, even though we exercise Genny regularly, it was bloomin’ cold out.  Took a bit to persuade her to fire up, the longest it has ever taken.  Thank goodness it was sunny and not blowing, snowing or raining – even though it was pretty darn cold.  Once she was humming along, the adapter gets plugged in and I check Genny’s “pulse.”  Everything looks good, so the power cord gets plugged into the RV.  Furnace gets turned back on.  Water heater gets switched from electric to propane. 

I send an email to our boss advising him the power is out.  Of course, our Internet is also down at this point; my iPhone sure is a handy in these situations.

We thought we might not have water; we’re on a well and when the power goes out, the water stops flowing.  So . . . valve on hose into our rig gets turned off.  Faucets opened inside the rig and water pump turned on.  Faucets turned off once flow is seen.

At 12:18 PM, the alarm company calls with an automated message telling me apparently there’s been a loss of power to the alarm system here.  No kidding, but thanks for the call.

Dave was then free to hop on the bike for a ride whilst I awaited the arrival of the power company.  As Dave was leaving, another power company guy came to finish a bit of the work the other crew started in the morning.  Dave leaves.  Power guy is ready to leave (all this coming and going means the gate has to be unlocked, opened, pulled shut and locked).  He has called about our power outage but hasn’t heard anything.  He says he will call me if/when he finds out something.  Good guy, that.

Our RV is nice and cozy again and it’s cold out, so I go inside for a while.  Sit down and start to doze.  That won’t do, so I start dusting furniture.  At 12:22 PM a neighbor calls asking if it’s okay to cut firewood from the downed trees at the other mill down the road.  Yep, help yourself.

The nice power guy called at 2:30 PM to tell me a crew will be working our problem in about an hour.  It’s now an hour past the initial restoration time provided by the automated system during initial contact.  Lovely.

Time passes.  At 3:31 PM, the power company calls to ask if we have power.  No.  Okay, they’ll be sending someone shortly.

At 4:25 PM, I call the power company and, using the “elevator technique” above, am connected to a live human being.  Oh.  They are on their way.  A crew truck and one guy shows up about 4:40. 

From then until 5:10 PM, it was hanging out with the crew guy and getting our site electrician on the phone, and passing information back and forth.  Did I mention it’s dark and cold(er) by now?  Electrician arranges to have a buddy come see if he can get us back up and running, as it appears not to be a power company issue.

His van shows up and power company truck leaves.  More time in the dark outside and finally at 6 PM, we have power again!  Whoohoo!  Only seven hours off the grid this time!

Let Genny run a bit just to make sure the power is stable, then turned her off and reversed the above process, getting her snug for the night.  Our RV is now back on shore power and all the unplugged items in the office get plugged back in.  Water pump gets turned off.  I start up the laundry again.

I shoot off another email advising our boss that power has been restored.

A quick dinner, some chess and the last load of laundry folded and put away around 10 PM.

And that was Saturday.

This morning we were both up around 3-4 AM, probably from being unable to sleep after spending so much time outside in the cold Saturday evening.  Dang.  We were both so wasted, we decided to postpone our Perkins breakfast, getting a couple of things at Lowe’s and a wee holiday excursion to the mall. 

At 10:33 AM, the son of one of the company guys calls and is heading our way to fish.  I’m finishing my breakfast, so Dave gets the gate.  They get signed in. 

Okay, so there’s a minivan parked in the driveway out front and a woman hanging around.  Sometimes folks park to make phone calls, motorcyclists have been known to stop for a break and consult maps, etc.  Well, she’s been there a while (we’ve been keeping an eye on her, me via the office window and Dave via binoculars) and now there’s a pickup.  Okay, let’s walk out and see what’s up.  Another trip to open the gate and walk down the driveway.  Sure enough, she’s broken down.  I get her name and phone number; she says a tow truck will come get her vehicle.

At 12:10 PM, the fisherman calls to alert us to someone walking a property road by the river, headed towards the mill.  Dave jumps in the company truck to go investigate.  He returns shortly, having advised the person that they are on private property.  They’re leaving.

We decide to get a few things from the grocery store, so make a short trip out around 1 PM, arriving back a bit after 2 PM.  Tow truck comes to tow stranded vehicle.  Fishermen are ready to leave, so they sign out and are let out through the gate.

In between all the above activity, there are periodic patrols of the mill down the road, too.

Dave’s watching a video and I’m blogging.  It’s just about 4 PM and getting dark already.  We’ll each grab a light dinner and then play some chess later.

I bet we’ll sleep tonight!

Thanks for stopping by!

Let’s Talk Mice – What Worked for Us

 

No, not Mickey and Minnie.  We’re talkin’ field mice and Winter.

Whether you full-time in your RV or store it during Winter, you very well may have visitors seeking warm shelter within the confines of your rig.  Mice.  In our case, field mice.

We had one (or two or three or ??) get in the “attic” of our 5th wheel a couple of Winters ago.  The sound of them above us was maddening and we had nightmarish visions of the damage being inflicted.  We placed small bait trays in a couple of spots via the A/C vent openings, but there simply was not enough room and no access to do much of anything about this except worry.  Turns out it/they chewed through a wire to one of our A/C units.  We discovered this when we turned on the A/C for the first time when the weather warmed up.  Ouch.  $$$ to fix.  We also had evidence of mice under our kitchen sink.

At that point, I got some of the plug-in sonic pest repellants and Dave went around our rig – inside and outside – with expandable insulation.  It comes in a spray can and is easy to apply.  This helped quite a bit and we have not had evidence of mice inside the rig since.

However, we continue each Winter to get mice in our basement, even with one of those sonic plug-ins in there.  There are simply too many places for mousie to squeeze through; one just can’t plug up every single opening.

Following are some of the popular remedies, most of which I have tried.  I’ll save the winner for the last:

• Fabric softener sheets:  Did not work for us.  Mice tried to use ‘em for nests.
• Peanut butter, cheese, Fritos on a snap trap:  Mice had a snack and didn’t snap the traps.
• Bait boxes:  Worked to some extent, although it did not rid us completely of mice.  I placed them inside the basement and outside on the ground.
• Victor Sonic Pest Chasers:  We have the mini version and I got them at Lowe’s.  Can’t say definitively if they work or not.  I will say that when we first arrived here, a mouse or two was seen in the office.  Since using these plug-ins, I have not seen a mouse inside the office.  We have not had evidence of mice inside the our rig, either.
• Steel wool:  The access compartment in the basement of our rig where the water hoses come up is a hole, obviously.  I pack coarse (the coarser the better) steel wool around the hoses to seal up that hole as best as possible.  Again, perhaps this works, as we have seen no evidence of mice gaining access to the basement via that route.
• Moth balls:  Have not tried this. 
• Peppermint:  Supposedly mice are repelled by this.  Peppermint oil didn’t do squat.
• Altoid mint on a sticky tray:  And here we have the winner!  Altoids are “curiously strong” mints, right?  So I figured this might work.  My first attempt was placing some Altoids at different access points in the basement area.  Mice ate the freakin’ mints!  By this time, it was an “us or them” situation.  Okay, so I figured I’d try an Altoid in a snap trap.  Crafty mice stole the mint, leaving the trap intact.   Having had experience with sticky trays in the past, I really do not like them; however, we cannot tolerate vermin in the rig.  Thinking the mice were hooked on the mints by then, I placed one mint on a sticky tray, positioning it in a place where the mice liked to hang out.  Next day?  Bingo!  Rigged up about three of these in the basement area, with positive results.  We had no more mouse issues for the remainder of the Winter.  The mice had a nice treat and departed this life with sweet-smelling breath.

There are more popular remedies such as I’ve listed that folks have tried.  Just thought I’d share what did and did not work with us.

Mice visiting this Winter?  Treat ‘em to an Altoid! 

Thanks for stopping by!

What / Who is a Virtual Assistant?

 

Me! 

When I mention my work as a virtual assistant, I am often asked about how it works, how to get started, what types of jobs are available and so forth.  With that in mind, I’ve created this post.

Thanks to technology, one can work remotely from any location in the performance of a variety of tasks.  Some of these include:

• Data entry
• Writing – blogging, copywriting, proofreading, editing, transcription
• General administrative
• Information technology – software development, beta testing, etc.
• Social media
• Research
• Accounting/bookkeeping
• Marketing/customer service
• Video creation and editing

While one can establish their own clientele as an independent freelancer, many times becoming a virtual assistant (VA) can be more easily accomplished by working through an agency.  There are several agencies on the Internet – Elance and oDesk are two major agencies.  I am registered with both, and am currently working through oDesk.  For that reason, specifics will be related to oDesk.

On oDesk since 2010, I have worked several short-term projects now and then.  These have included Web research, copywriting, social media management, data entry, administrative and software beta testing.  In June 2013, I landed my current assignment which is turning into a long-term arrangement.  Classified as data entry, it is not mindless work that you might associate with that term.  It is just enough to make me think a bit but is not stressful, has flexible hours and has no short deadlines. 

Currently I’m working part-time, but realistically could have an assignment with full-time hours or be working two jobs concurrently.  I’ve turned down several invitations lately which encompassed 35-40 hours per week.  That’s too much for me right now.  It is what you make it and what you want/need.

I enjoy being a virtual assistant for several reasons:

• It keeps my brain active!  Our work here is not brain-intensive.  While that is a wonderful thing at my age and a relief from years of “intellectual work” in the corporate world, I wonder at times about my brain turning to “mush,” if you know what I mean.  Looking back at my professional resume, I think “gosh, I did all that?”  Working as a VA keeps my brain from napping all the time.
• Interaction with co-workers, albeit via Skype, teleconference and email.
• Learning new applications.
• Staying creative.
• My job can go with me when I travel, which is perfect for the full-time RVer.
• Oh yeah, then there’s the extra income. 

Simply put, oDesk is a temp agency for telecommuters.  Here’s some key highlights:

• Workers are freelancers.  Employers are clients.
• Registration and participation is free for freelancers.  All fees are paid to oDesk by clients.
• Freelancers find work by applying to jobs and receiving interview invitations from clients.  Once you have established a track record with a good oDesk rating, invitations become more frequent.  Currently I receive approximately 1-2 invitations each week.
• Freelancers establish their own pay rate on their profile.  Pay rates can be adjusted on a per-job basis.
• Payment classifications are hourly or fixed-rate.  Payment for hourly jobs is guaranteed as long as they are performed via the oDesk Team App, a time-tracking desktop application.  Performing work outside the oDesk environment is a violation of the freelancer’s contract with oDesk.
• Payment is made by direct deposit.  Freelancers set up a payment schedule.
• Freelancers are independent contractors.  oDesk does not withhold taxes. 
• There is a wide variety of jobs available in all fields.  Yes, there is a good amount of “garbage” jobs out there.  The oDesk community is worldwide and the pay scale runs the spectrum of ludicrously low to commanding a good hourly wage for high-tech, highly-skilled jobs such as in the IT industry.
• oDesk does offer payroll options and, at the current time, health care benefits to full-time freelancers.  Full-time status criteria must be maintained for these benefits.

Personal traits and skills needed:

• Have a solid foundation of computer and Internet literacy.  Clients are typically willing to train on specific platforms, but you must have a solid foundation on which to build and expand.
• Experience with various applications is very helpful – Word, Google Docs, Excel, OpenOffice, Wordpress, etc..
• Self-disciplined and able to work without close supervision.
• A professional presentation.  Yes, it is a “real” job.  Present yourself and behave in the appropriate fashion.  Be prepared to make the commitment to an assignment.  Be sure that you possess the skills necessary for the assignment or that the client is willing to train.
• Perseverance – landing that first job may take a while.
• Caution and common sense – there are some scams out there.  You need to be able to distinguish those.  Use the oDesk client ratings to make these judgment calls.

How does one become a VA with oDesk?

• You must have a reliable Internet source and computer.
• Go to oDesk and register.  It’s free.
• Set up your profile.
• Take the oDesk Readiness Test and any other applicable skills tests.  They are free and will build your credibility and marketability.
• Download and familiarize yourself with the oDesk Team App.  This is what you will use to track your time as you work; it calculates and records your wages.  Think of it as a virtual timesheet/ time clock.
• Download and familiarize yourself with Skype. It’s free.  Many clients perform interviews via Skype and use it as a method of communication on a daily basis. You want to be ready for that interview!
• Browse jobs and apply for the ones which interest you and for which you are qualified.
• Respond promptly to messages from clients and invitations to interview.  oDesk recently introduced a new profile item on freelancer responsiveness.  Obviously, a higher responsiveness score is a good thing.
• Clients may respond immediately or some time may pass before you hear from them.  I have landed work in situations where the initial contact was several weeks prior to beginning the assignment and I’d essentially “forgotten” about the job.
• Landing the first assignment is the hardest part.  It is a job search.  Persevere. 
• I recommend setting up a separate email account for oDesk notifications and for corresponding with clients.  I do this, keeping that email strictly for oDesk work and separate from my personal email account. It’s a safety precaution.  It also doesn’t crowd up my personal email inbox.
• While there are tons of legitimate clients, there are scams and deadbeats as well and, while oDesk does a good job of staying on top of these, some do make their way into the system.  I have found that the many professional and legitimate employers interview by invitation only; however, that does not mean there aren’t legit jobs that accept applications initiated by the contractor.  You just have to use caution and common sense.  Remember that anyone can be anything on the Internet.  Check out client reviews, their payment history, how long they have been on oDesk, how many jobs they have had on oDesk, etc.  All this information is transparent on the oDesk system.  When a dialogue is initiated between you and a client, you will typically have the name of their company.  Do a Web search on the company.  You will see if it looks legitimate and you will see if it is something that interests you.  By doing this research, you will also show the prospective client that you have done your “homework” and made the effort to learn about their company.  They will be impressed, and that’s a good thing!

I hope this has been helpful if you have considered becoming a virtual assistant!

Thanks for stopping by! 

Every Thanksgiving Is Different . . .

 

. . . yet still the same.  Yesterday differed from last year but was much the same.  It was quiet here and I fixed a traditional holiday dinner.  Dave went for a bike ride.  We enjoyed an evening of chess.  Last year, we were just recovering from Hurricane Sandy, but it was a quiet day and Dave managed a bike ride while I gleefully prepared our dinner.

I enjoy looking at the photos of others showing gatherings of family and friends, and at times miss that fellowship.  On the other hand, we make our holidays special, just Dave, me and Maggie.  I appreciate and take joy in phone calls, text message and emails exchanged with special people in my life on holidays.

Giving thanks on Thanksgiving.  Well, it is a day of reflection, but most days I consciously am thankful for many things.  Here’s a few things on my perhaps quirky list . . .

• The water heater in our RV which allows me to take a warm/hot shower of ample length to heat up my body during Winter and relax me for bedtime.  No need for “navy showers” in our rig.
• Being able to bend over without discomfort to do laundry or other tasks.  I still distinctly remember having surgical staples last year and am grateful to be able to move without pain.
• My overall good health.  Life following last year’s surgery is a “new normal,” but it is definitely do-able. 
• My husband Dave, with whom I fall in love all over again on a routine basis.
• Our wee Maggie, who is such a delight.
• Our home, which is sturdy, cozy, paid for and has wheels!
• A work situation which is steady, interesting, fun, virtually stress-free and allows us a certain amount of freedom versus a “nine-to-five” job.  This also includes our environment and the people we work with.
• The big generator sitting outside which provides us with electrical power when the grid is down.
• Our beautiful, big, black truck that I delight in driving and which tows our home on wheels like a work horse.
• Having the time and gas money to get in that big truck and just go for a drive to get some windshield time.  Keeps me sane, or some reasonable facsimile of sanity.
• My “old” friends who still keep in touch even though we are miles away.
• The “new” friends I have made since we started this adventure.
• Our washer/dryer set here in the office.  This has made life so much easier.  It’s also nice to know what’s been in them, as opposed to going to a public laundromat.  I can’t imagine not having them last year.
• My spirituality.
• The health resources here – everything from the EMS squad to doctors to hospital staff – which are excellent.  These folks saved life twice last year. 
• Being part of the local CERT group, even though I’m not a permanent resident of the area. 
• Holland Police Department – we interact with the officers as part of our job and the CERT group falls under their organizational umbrella.  The officers are a great group of guys and we are grateful for our relationship with the HPD.
• Sleeping well.  We have peace and quiet with no noisy neighbors parked right next to us.  It.  Is.  Quiet.  Here.  At.  Night.  We sleep well. 
• My Dad, who taught me to be self-sufficient and to be aware . . . not just for safety but in Nature and in Life.
• My Mom, who instilled in me her sense of patriotism and duty.  I’m grateful to her for reminding at difficult points in my life that I come from a long line of strong women.

These – and many other – things cross my mind not only today but routinely as being aspects of my life for which I am grateful.  Hope you are having a safe, cozy and fun holiday weekend!

Thanks for stopping by!