I Abby and me Ebony again hab sum berry sad mews. Madame G's purrrittty Busan and Cayenne passed on to the Rainbow Bridge. Member dat dee Bridge is ware all pets go when day die. Day can play, hunt, catnap, and wait furr dare human bean counterparts. We sad to see our furrfriends Busan and Cayenne go but glad day at Rainbow Bridge!

We dedicate this month's journal to Busan and Cayenne and dare human bean Madame G. We'll miss you two. Dare is a poem we ran last month furr Daisy. It sews good weed like to run it again furr all our furrrrrrrrrrfriends and human beans. It is listed under Poetry Corner later on in diss journal.

Me Ebony is adjusting to bean's parents. Dee big bean parent gib us chicky and toonna. And dee skinny bean gib me chocolottie. Alldoe she not gib me enuff, I meow. It goooood too. Dare old dawgs out back and day dumb like dawgs ebeeware. I not see no cats to hisspit at, not yet anymeow. Me can't wait till we all back at dee Keys. I miss dem lizards and Doris small dawgie on leash. Hohum...

I Abby gots lots more mews to meow. Dare crickets hare! And day good chasing and pouncing on. I eat dem too. Only bad fing on dem is dose jaggie legs day gots. I spit dem out. Beans complaining hare about crickets leg all ober dee place. I meow, what day want? Live crickets hip hopping or a few legs here and dare? Huh? Good googlies...

Me Ebony too refined to eat crickets. Day good furr chasing and paw tapping, but I like chewing on grass and bigger game. Only fing is dem boidees hare are just as smart as dee Keys ones. I wonder ifing day calling dose boidees here long distance or by cat email? I not put it past dem pesky boidees. Time furrrr catnap and catnip.

Abby: We not hab any catnip. Do we? Ebby, you holding out on me again? I meow Ebony good sisfurr cat but a bit mean sumfines. Dat why I chases here and play ruff once in a meow. Eben doe Ebony outweigh me by four pounders, I wiry and strong. I a good catfighter. It loads of kitty fun and dat no lie. Well, all use cats and eben dem human beans, meow and purrrsss... >^..^<

Internet Stuff
NP or NetPublishers will soon offer payment by credit cards if you like that sort of thing. We are trying to get Rebecca Rial who is a wonderful fantasy writer. Her novels and short stories would be fine editions to our library of offerings. Mark Cashman's novels will be posted soon. You may order at http://RunesofAo.com/aobp/.

Our GeoShop, AlphaOmega BookStore, is now officially online. You may order our works of art at www.geocities.com/maniac77.geo. We have Senaka La Palme's short novel as well as all the works of L. E. Shaffer. Guess who that is? :-)

Hockey Puck
Unconstrained excitement and cheering greet the season-opening games. The NHL adopted some rule changes to increase the scoring over the course of a season. There is more room behind the goal. The attack zones have been increased and the crease has been decreased. The goalies must wear standard equipment which prevents the wear of bulky and oversized equipment. And what is the result of all this? We have had three 0-0 games. You can't help but laugh. The rule changes will increase scoring, but it was funny to see how Murphy's Laws continue to rule. Go Rangers!

Hurricanes & Soup Beans
Near the end of September a hurricane called Georges threatened the Florida Keys. I had been planning for such an emergency, but wished I did not have to put the plan into operation. The front office at GulfStream got the notice via a fax that all nonresidents should evacuate right away. Since I had a fifth wheel travel trailer and a big truck, I took the opportunity to pack up, hook up, and leave before the roads would be packed and later closed. I am a resident but knew that time was against us.

It took a whole day to pack, do preparations, calm the cats down, fuel up, and finally pull onto US1 just as it was getting dark. I did not hit any heavy traffic through US1 or even Miami. Once out of Florida I hit a piece of radial tire. My odometer, pyrometer, and some other things were affected. Since nothing was major, I continued to Virginia. Once I got there I setup camp at the Little Creek Campground. I unloaded a bunch of stuff I needed at my parent's townhouse.

A week later I took the fifth wheel travel trailer to Ohio for my brother to store. I winterized the trailer, but had problems with the power. I had lost a return line. My luck was not good those weeks. After a good visit, I returned to Virginia where I struggled to catch up on my businesses and such. The truck had a lot of costly work done to it.

I found out later that GulfStream in the Keys did okay but had some damage. I am glad of that. As soon as things here in Virginia are settled in, I am returning home to the Florida Keys. Always obey hurricane warnings. Your life depends on it!

Matilde the Computer
Us cats just lub diss catputer, but we not nose why it hab a human bean name. Our only guess is dat silly human bean ub ours gabe it a name. Now dat purrrrre silly! Me Ebony and I Abby nose dat fing not alive like us. Dat computer can shock use wif static fingeeees. We stay away from dat...

This is Larry and those cats tell everything! I named my computer because it gives out its name. And so to confuse the hacker crowd I named the computer Matilde Gilders. I think that is a reasonable explanation. It is funny I admit, but subject to ridicule by mere cats? They are just jealous because I only got them flea stuff and Matilde got her yearly software and hardware tuneup. Once a year with the tax refund money, I update Matilde with the latest goodies from software to hardware and everything in between. Oh, I know the refund check is not due for a few months, but please be patient with me. There is a point to all this, I think.

Matilde got a TV tuner card so she can have TV while I write novels. She got a new, super duper fast voice, data, faxmodem so she can talk really fast on the phone. Matilde got a killer graphics card so she can play neat games while I work on my two Internet companies. Computer girl also got software upgrades for Access, Organizer, ChessMaster, Quicken, Voice Mail, lots of 3D games, Logos Bible, and lots of utilities and tools. Now Matilde can tune herself up while I watch hockey in a separate window on the monitor. At least I know Matilde still loves me. "Hey, you cats!"

Poetry Corner
As a memorial to all the cat friends we have lost this last month. Poem is from the new collection called Moments of Life:

"Daisy"
September 11, 1998

Still remember fondly
That bright day
When a white kitten
Came home

And took over
So soon
Our hearts
Our home

Just seemed natural
To call her Daisy
So beautiful
And full of spirit

Eyes aglow
Voice a tinkle
And the years
Scampered away

And now she owns
Us all
The world over
Wonderful creature

So many knew her
And loved her
Her passing
Made us cry

Yet a white cat
Steps onto a dazzling
Bridge full of rainbows
Daisy looks back but once...

In The Park
During my preparations to escape Hurricane Georges, Frank and Roseanne at GulfStream in Marathon, Florida Keys helped me and checkup on me often. I heard about the evacuation order from them. They got the order from the Emergency Operations Center. Their assistance was very much appreciated. That is only part of the many reasons that the park is special to me and the cats. Mostly it is our friends. Doris sent me some email. That was very nice. Tom told me to be careful. And I was.

I am sending this monthly journal to the office from now on for everyone that wants it. For free, of course. Frank and Roseanne will most likely make copies of it for you if needed. Otherwise, I think it will be posted. Anyone with articles or other ideas, please email, write a letter, or call if you like. The contact information is at the end of the journal.

These journals are just a little happiness along life's path. I think I have heard that somewhere. I try to include things specific to the park and the Florida Keys. The journals cover a wide range of topics, and they are always lots of fun. But the best part of the journal as proved by our reader surveys is the Kitty Talk section. Aren't those cats great?

Anyway, I and the cats will be back late next summer. Frank and Roseanne have been nice enough to let me have e again. Wow, thanks. BellSouth will give me back my same telephone number. Double wow! Well, actually the phone line is for the computer. Now you all enjoy yourselves, and you can read ALL the journals at http://MarathonJournal.US/journal/webdoc7.htm.

"The Mountains of Ao"
Tears from Ao continue serialized each month in the Internet e-zine (an electronic magazine) called The Outer Rim at the internet URL of www.geocities.com/Area51/Cavern/1225/. All my completed novels and poetry collections are available at NetPublishers and AlphaOmega BookStore. I am working hard on The Mountains of Ao chapter 11 of 22 chapters. Existing proofreaders please contact me via email/snail mail to arrange for quick delivery of the latest version of the novel. A new sample will be ready soon.

If you want to become a snail-mail proofreader, write to Larry Shaffer at the below address. I will send you a 3½ inch diskette (specify content format needed.) All others wanting to be proofreaders please apply via any of the email form linked below. Nondisclosure statements will be required for all.

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 voice/data/fax
(phone charges billed to callers)

Internet URLs: http://RunesofAo.com
http://RunesofAo.com/aobp/
http://RunesofAo.com/ebony/
http://RunesofAo.com/abby/

Publication date: October 1998
Author: L. E. Shaffer
Company: Shaffer Novels/Poetry Company &
Shaffer Internet Publishing Company
© 1995 - 2008, 2009 L. E. SHAFFER
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED WORLDWIDE
PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
FIRST PRINTING; ELECTRONIC & PRINT MEDIA