We’ve been working for this for quite some time… and suddenly, this Monday, we were called in for a meeting, and asked if we could start in a week. That is, this coming Monday.

Start what? I hear you ask.

We’re going to take in young drop-outs on a daily basis on our little farm, in cooperation with the company that hubby works for, and the Norwegian social services.

So, this week has been rather hectic. The maximum number of kids is 15, and some of them will remain in town, to be guided in the complex world of education, apprenticeships and work experience. We’ve spent the week getting the local in town ready for them. The remainder of the group will come to us. We’ll have all sorts of activities, ranging from horseback riding, animal care, gardening, building, to cooking and crafts.

We know very little about their backgrounds, interests and challenges. Some may have psychological issues, some may have family problems. We’ll just have to learn as we go, and offer activities adapted to their individual levels of social and other skills, interests, and so on. Some may be hard put to get up in the morning, some will be rearing to go…

The first week, we’ll all be in town, getting to know each other, which gives us another week until they all come here. During that time, we’ll know more about what sort of activities are suited for them as well – and we’ll have time to do the finishing touches on the farm.

Exciting prospects, and it gives working from home a brand new meaning. Hubby will be spending most of his time here, as will I. We’ll both be earning good wages, and have an income from letting out the farm as well. So – in addition to making a difference (or so we hope) to people, our own financial quality of life will receive a major boost. Not a second too soon, to be honest.

I’m very, very excited – please wish us luck!

I’m also quite au fait with the service level in various jewelry stores around the globe. As well as fine men’s clothing outlets, shoe stores and quite a few restaurants.Working from home sure gets you out and about…

Yesterday, I also started on a new little adventure – I am now officially a travelling salesperson. That is – I picked up my collection of children’s clothing, that I will be demonstrating at home parties. The commission is quite good, but the best part is that the clothes are all designed locally, by a small company not far from here. They are fun and functional, and the prices are affordable too.There is an Internet store too, of course, but home party clients get 10% off the e-store prices, as they’ve experienced that the personal touch is good for sales.

I’ll be starting next Monday, with a demonstration at my sister’s (bless her heart). Should be fun, as I’m totally new to this, and my head is full of newly acquired info that will probably come out helter-skelter… I hope Sis invites some benevolent souls.

Oh – and the last bit of white stuff (a stubborn mound in our yard) disappeared yesterday. So it’s officially spring!

Up until now, the largest number of checks I’ve been assigned in a month was around 40. Which made it one little egg in my basket. This month, I’m fast approaching 200 assigned proofreadings. My basket is filling up…

Since I also have to attend to more mundane chores, like changing nappies (that’s diapers to anyone west of Land’s End, Cornwall, UK) and feeding hordes of Brats, as well as chasing dust-bunnies, blogging has been forced to the back seat.  I know the weather conditions in places like Mumbai, Kuala Lumpur  and St.Petersburg on any given day, but that kind of information does not make interesting blog posts. Especially if coming from someone who’s never actually been in either of those places.

One mundane thing that filled my heart with joy today was that I spotted the first sign of spring: In a spot in our garden, where the snow has gone for some strange reason (most of  the garden is still covered with 10 inches of snow, which is 25 centimeters to anyone of the metric persuasion), the daffodil bulbs that I threw there last year are sprouting. Not blooming, sprouting. Green things sticking up, with snow all around. This means that somewhere down there, in the cold ground, things are happening, and the new Ice Age won’t be for this year. Always good to know.

Global warming, while not applicable for us Northdwellers, will give us another year’s respite, and while waiting for milder times, I keep my mind active by putting eggs in my basket.

Easter’s coming!

Good morning, everyone!

Today, I’m going to get my easel down from the attic, and set it up for silk painting. It’s been years, and I’m so looking forward to it. I’ve bought some Dupioni silk from Fabric.com
(It’s a US company, and they’ve got some great deals on all sorts of fabric, even if you take the super-expensive shipping to Norway into account), and if it lends itself well to be painted on, I’ll be a regular customer.

Not that I’ve got any definite ideas yet – I guess I’ll just let the colors flow to begin with, and move on to patterns as I go. I’ll definitely be taking photos… and posting them if I’m happy with the result.

I’ve muscled in on some of the furniture in this place, you see, and created a little space for myself. It’s not permanent, but at least I can get my easel up now without everybody tripping over it.

What else? Oh, yes – I’ve hardly seen hubby for the past week, he’s been working day and night moving snow around, and when he’s been here, he’s slept… We did manage to get to our evening class on Monday though – a class that’s meant to prepare us somewhat for “green care”. What that means is that we’ve finally taken the first official babysteps towards doing what we want to do on this farm – taking in a few less fortunate people, and giving them a more meaningful life via what a rural setting has to offer.

Now, that wasn’t very clear, was it? To start with, we would like to work with the elderly. There are so many elderly people who are downright lonely. Nothing gets you mentally downhill faster than isolation and boredom, so we figure we could make a difference.

Before you go all ooh and aah – it’s not totally altruistic – we want to do this as a business. If we can make the powers that be understand that if people are kept mentally and physically sound, they’re likely to need less (expensive) care. If we can also get them to see that what we can offer is a small investment in comparison, that’s when we’ll be able to do this. As a bonus, of course – it’s something we would love working with.

Anyone able-bodied and interested could toddle along with hubby outdoors, with the animals, the wood-chopping and the budding potatoes, while the rest of us indoors were busy with our crafts projects and making lunch for everyone. With plenty of coffee breaks and waffles, nice conversations and a social ground that many would recognize from their younger days. A break from the “storage facilities” that old people’s homes are…

Anyway. That’s what we’re learning. How to make a plan and market it, and to whom. I’ve made another blog about the project, and with all my searching the ‘Net for info, it’s turning into an information bank that I hope will be of help to other people in time. (Yes, it’s starting at the wrong end, but it helps me to sort out my thoughts! And keep track of relevant websites).

That’s all, I think – except that #3Brat is off to Ecuador on his school trip tomorrow, and has been getting more jitterish every day!!! He’s been packing for weeks, planning his trip and his purchases, making sure his passport is in place, taking shots, lining his stomach with bio-yoghurt… It’s quite obvious that he’s hubby’s son. I’d be packing some time this evening if I were going tomorrow, and get my passport out just before leaving. And hubby would be beside himself. Genes. Can’t argue with them.

Me – that’s a different matter. I couldn’t sell water in said desert. I’ve tried. Not literally (now there’s a picture, little old fair(red)-skinned me, sitting behind a mirage of a water stand in the middle of the Sahara desert, with 6 brats in tow), but I have tried.
MLM is one example of me trying. Speaking of mirages… Selling household and beauty products to my friends and acquaintances? Dream on. CLA could be the latest, greatest miracle drug for anything from athlete’s foot to cobwebs in the attic, and I couldn’t peddle a single box of the stuff. I’d buy it, though, and use it, and talk about it to said friends, but sell it? No way.

I’ve done Aloe Vera. I mean – Aloe Vera is the greatest miracle drug for anything under the sun. I’ve still got 2 jugs of juice somewhere, and I use all the creams, ointments and stuff I bought for myself. I’m just sooo bad at getting the point across.

Homeparties. Dare I say it? Yes, Tupperware. Done that. For about 10 minutes. Going into people’s homes, professing the divine qualities of overpriced plastic to a bunch of giggling housewives who’re just dying for you to get out so they can tuck into the refreshments while they slag you… Not for me. I felt like an intruder and a village idiot – all in one. I’ve got a lot of overpriced plastic though, and believe me – it does last a lifetime.

Next step – affiliate marketing. Great – just put a banner up on your lame little website, sit back, and watch the money flood in. Yup.
OK. I’m sitting here, all laid back like – where’s my money???

Right. So it’s me. I’m not cut out for it. I couldn’t have people working for me either – I feel desperately sorry for all those royals and celebs who have people in attendance all the time. The lack of privacy would kill me within a fortnight. Seriously!

So – life in the fast lane isn’t for me. Until the big prize comes in, I’ll just have to do what I do, and enjoy life as it comes.
Say again?
Enjoy life?
Wonderful idea.

On Friday, we were going away, and I had plenty of time, we were leaving at 5 in the afternoon. Checked my email in the morning, and there were 11 proof-reading jobs waiting for me!

Luckily, the big Brats were on Autumn break and could look after the little ones – this is still new to me, and the attention one has to pay to detail is excruciating, so it takes me a while. At 3.30, I was done. Shower, throw a few things in a bag, try to remember to bring some food and some new bedding and the camera (uncheck) – oh, and Hubby, too (check).

When I came back Sunday night, I had 6 jobs waiting, 2 of which I left till yesterday morning. Bad move. By 9.30, there were 10 new ones in my mailbox, and by lunchtime the count was 15. Needless to say, I’ve got a few left over from yesterday, the deadline for most of them is 9.30 and the site I send them to is now down for maintenance.

I’m not used to this!!!!

Still, I will learn quickly this way, which means I’ll be a fully fledged proof reader before long, which in turn means I’ll be entitled to a small bonus for each reading. It’s not well paid, and it certainly won’t keep me in Caribbean cruises, but if this keeps up, the sheer volume will make me an acceptable paycheck.

I may have to pay someone to come and operate a washcloth and vacuum cleaner while I go square-eyed by the computer (possibly also to feed Miracle Boy on a regular basis), but one has to make some concessions.

No – I think I’ll get the hang of it and not spend so much time on each one within a very short while. Until then, I’ll just have to find time to keep MB happy in between deadlines. As for the vacuum cleaner – it’s getting distinctly dusty.

By the way – we had a wonderfully relaxed, Brat-free weekend!