 The Shaffer Journal
Volume 4 Issue 1 January 1998
I Ebony and that Abby cat have been hard at work pawing out these stories on our catpooter. Good thing we got a large mewboard to paw on. All use cats and human beans be good and paw sumthing in our guestbook. Meow? Oh, click on one of them trees up dare for guestbook. Otay? July 1997 was a sad time for I Ebony, me Abby, and our human bean. Kitty became very sick the early part of July. She suddenly died of a stroke on July 9, 1997. These journals are now dedicated to her spirit. We all loved you, Kitty! Click the cat graphic below to visit Kitty's Memorial page. Kitty Talk
Kitty born June 6, 1982. Died July 9, 1997.  I am Abby dee berry berrry bestest cat eber. And since I is dee best, all I paws on is furrrrrry great too. Dat why this e-zine is number one. But I hab udder stories to meow about. I fell off the table da udder day. I blames me tail. Cats need dare tails for balance and udder things. Human bean do sum laughing. Actually, he do lots ub laughing! I should have hissed at him and bite him. Anywho, my tail is behaving now. Dat cause I bite dat tail to teach it a lesson. Din I gib dat tail a bath. Ice also berrrry eggscited cause I hab my furrrrry own wonderful, delightful web site on dat Internet thingee! My URL address is as follows: http://www.geocities.com/SouthBeach/Breakers/5943/. Come paw ober to my pages and hab a good ole time. I make laughter.
I Ebony hab much better things to meow about diss month dan Abby, who is one little copycat. My human bean and I get lots of input about doing a children's book about me and my adventures. I spose Abby can be in it too, but only to make me look smart and sassy. Anywho, human bean busy with the next two novels dat are sequels to Tears from Ao. Sews me being such a smart putty tat, I decided dat I would tail my stories on me berrrry own web site. I eben get me own email address! My URL is: http://www.geocities.com/EnchantedForest/Glade/8420/. Now Ice nose all you cat and human bean friends are gonna to come ober and party at me web site and enjoy my tall tails. Both Abby's and my sites are rated G. We lubs kidz and kidz lubs us. And don't furrgit to meow at us via our email form below. Abby and I answer all our furrrrry own email. One more ting. I hab a kitty bed now. I took ober dee old laundry basket with clean ole rags. It a comfortable bed and Ice catnap in it lots and lots. But dat Abby cat always aggravating me in my kitty bed. Sews I make human bean go out and git Abby one. Abby likes it lots. She collects all her paper wads she chases and eben sum pencils she steals. Bean not amused with her stealing. Well dat about it diss month. We eggsawsted and going to catch up with our catnapping. You be good and don't let no dumb dawgs slobbers on you. Keys Winter
This is why we moved all the way down south, for the wonderfully warm and even downright hot at times, sunshiny weather. Once in a while, you have to put on a jacket, but most times it is very nice subtropical weather and a joy to live in. The swimming pool is always ready and heated too. I do ten laps and then get out to soak up some Keys sunshine. Sailboats, fishing craft, and waverunners abound. The horizon seems to go on forever. The clouds are sculpted and stand starkly against the bright sun. It is amazing the disposition of people who are lucky enough to forego the ravages of winter. On top of all that is the biking, hiking, walking, jogging, and all the exercises imaginable. The only people a little miffed at this state of affairs are the weather people who must get tired of the same mid-eighties and mostly sunny forecasts they must issue day in and day out. Lastly, I find that I even write better here in the paradise of the Florida Keys. Internet Stuff
The internet continues to evolve and change at such a rapid pace that it is past being amazing. Opportunities exist for all sorts of ventures. Now that the issue of security in money transactions online is quickly being resolved, you should expect a rush of new and brilliant ideas. The only limitations are the imagination. In that vein I am starting a new internet venture called NetPublishers hosted by Digital3 owned by Shay. I have for some time wanted to be able to help get good artists published. Traditional methods are cumbersome and counterproductive. NetPublishers will offer a means for artists to sale their works effectively and efficiently. Customers will benefit in buying works at well below traditionally published materials. I hope with the help of Shay at Digital3 to be online in a few months or less. Of course, your suggestions, inputs, and ideas are welcome. Email them to me. Hockey News
I have to admit that the three teams I am following this year are not doing so well. I have other teams I like, and I enjoy hockey in general. The NHL All-Star game is coming very soon. Then there are the Olympics. After that is the rest of the NHL schedule. Then the Stanley Cup playoffs and championship before the oblivion of summer. It looks like the Tampa Bay Lightning are playing for a number one draft choice. With their luck this year, they won't even win that. Injuries still plague both the Florida Panthers and the New York Rangers. Still, they are tied for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Stanley Cup playoffs. HouseBoat Dreams
If I could do as I please, I would turn in my very nice truck and fifth wheel travel trailer for a 45' to 56' houseboat. The one time my brother, his wife, and I got to vacation on a houseboat, it was absolutely fabulous. Houseboats have all the niceties of the most loaded fifth wheel travel trailer or even motor home. You have to account for the boat engines, generator set, radios, anchor, and navigational aids though. I am on the look out for a swap or an outright buy. I check the papers all the time. There is a houseboat rental place in Key Largo. They have 56' houseboats. Maybe I should play the lottery or get a big time job. Then again this next novel might sell well. But there will be a way to someday get into a live-aboard houseboat here in the Florida Keys. Now wouldn't that be the cat's meow? Poetry Corner
Poetry can and does mean different things to different people, which is only as it should be.
"The Beginning"
April 26, 1989 Let the children play
Among the fields of the dead
The Beginning of life
Filled with such dread A groan escapes airless
Among the trees
Whispering of the past
What shall we do What shall we do
Moaning fills the morn
The cold wetness
Touches the ground Let the children play
For they are the only life
That fills this place
Desolate hills of the dead Ah, the Beginning of life
Fills the air
Children happy
Where is the despair Among the living surely
The fields weep no more
What shall we do
When the Beginning is no more In The Park
It is wonderful in the park right now. Every spot is filled and boats come and go. The water at the pool doesn't have time to be still. There is one get-together after another. And people are renewing friendships and making new ones. Our neighbors are from Texas and own this very nice motor home. That is the way to go if you are constantly on the go. I and the cats tend to settle in one place for a while. So a fifth wheel travel trailer is perfect. Anyway, our neighbors and I have exchanged stories, recipes, and friendship. Another friendship cemented and the cycle of community continues. The future looks bright and happiness fills the very air here in the park. Thanks, friends. "The Mountains of Ao"
Tears from Ao continues to be serialized each month in the Internet webzine called The Outer Rim at http://outer-rim.lweb.net. Tears from Ao is also now available electronically on the Internet at The Temporal Doorway StoreFront. I am currently writing The Mountains of Ao chapter ten of twenty-two. For email proofreaders, just use the email form below. Snail-mail proofreaders are reminded to send their opinions to me at: PO Box 501833, Marathon, FL 33050-1833. If you want to become a snail-mail proofreader, write to Larry Shaffer at the above address. I will send you a disk (specify format needed, e.g., WordPerfect 6.1). If you don't want me to handle it, I'll gladly have Abby lick the stamps, and Ebony will paw the packages shut very tightly! The Dull Stuff
Inputs and letters to this journal are subject to approval by Ebony. All inputs may be edited for content and become the property of Shaffer Novels/Poetry Company. The address follows:
Shaffer Novels/Poetry Company
PO Box 501833
Marathon, FL 33050-1833
(305) 743-9648
(phone charges billed to callers) Internet URLs:
http://RunesofAo.com
http://RunesofAo.com/aobp/
http://RunesofAo.com/ebony/
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