No-Kill Networks

 Best Friends works towards nationwide no-kill shelters by 2025. 

There is another organization called appropriately, NoKillNetwork.org. 

Although I haven’t interacted with them as with Best Friends, I bookmarked them years ago and still check in with NoKillNerwork.org every month or so and they seem strong. 

There’s several no-kill related links on their website and even most advertisers are critter related; 

The nØkill Network is dedicated to promoting no-kill animal shelters, organizations, and rescue groups by helping people learn about and locate these organizations. 

The nØkill Network also strives to promote the no-kill model so that shelters that do not currently have a no-kill policy might take the initiative needed to gain the public, governmental, and financial support necessary to become a no-kill organization. 

Shelters that historically euthanized healthy, adoptable animals have been able to make this change - it is possible and we hope that this community can help to provide the ideas, education, and support necessary to make it happen for the rest of the shelters throughout the nation. 

Please join the community to learn, participate, and support the mission! 

A brief Thanku to one of my retailers

 

I fretted about moving a machine from one of my favorite stores 🐕 

The candy was going down but the quarters weren’t going up. 

Once I applied security tape, the candies continued going down and the quarters began going up. 

I’m very pleased to keep my machine there indeed! 

There have been locations long past where they’d cut right thru the security tape! 

Not sure how that works, but I’d always remove my machines. 

One fun irony during the history of these machines was when they had little messy tiny sticky fingerprints all over them, those machines produced the most! 

And I have no idea if it still applies in the industry today, but there were soda machines in some of the roughest areas of town that had to be enclosed in giant cages and the only openings were for the coins and the sodas, and those openings were badly beat up and graffitied and yet those locations were incredibly productive. It was difficult servicing the machines and a bit nerve-wracking, but with ironically pleasant results!  

Oh the stories from life on the road of life! 🙂 

Anyway, Thanku and all the best to that store for being so nice, may we continue for many summers! 

Research your charity

 Right now, I’m studying a site called  AnimalCharityEvaluators  .  I’ve only just signed up for their newsletter, and will keep u posted here. 

A few charities I was following shut down after the pandemic and many shelters suffered financially. 

Coming out of the pandemic will be tough, and it’s best to research any charity no matter how good they read or sound. My go-to charity is Best Friends, but until I’m able to make an in-person visit, one never knows for sure. 

The Humane Society is the oldest charity I’m aware of. If I remember my history correctly, they were started to help the work horses of the late 1800s/early 1900s. 

The first SPCA in the United States was the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), founded by Henry Bergh in New York City in 1866.

The HSUS-Humane Society United States is an umbrella organization for many charities, and although I wish they’d focus more on the care and comfort of animals, they do good work.

~

Thanku for Patience!

To my unofficial clients of my teeny-tiny route, thanku for your patience! 

There are maybe 4 locations that I’m very fond of, about 3 that are just fine, 

and a few that I’m letting go. 

Since I have several gigs that I work, and although the route remains very important, 

it seems to be time that is such a precious commodity today. 

One location I visited this week closed early, and it backlogged my route for the week, 

but I haven’t forgotten and will keep posted here. 

Again, thanku so much for your patience. 

Please feel free to contact me here with any questions and/or comments. 

Books, books, and more books…

 

These aren’t even the books I’ve looked thru yet! 

I have stacks and stacks of books I want to read, other stacks I’ve read that are ready to sell, and others I just can’t seem to let go. 

There is a whole shelf of reference books I hang onto for dear life, what with censorship and all those encyclopedia sets that became paperweights aren’t such a bad idea after all. 

These are a new shipment that are backlogged. They are boxed right by a doorway that I get to look at every day, wonder about and be inspired. The covers and dust-jackets alone have such a wonderful feel and sound. 

I’ve never been able to sell a recipe book, those are safely ensconced on the internet. I’ve only sold one or two romance novels, and those were historical novels. These have the look of good professional books. They sure are nice to look at and I thought to share them here. 

Always Remember, Never Forget…

Since I can’t look at those disgusting images anymore, I won’t post them here,

and yet, I don’t want to forget. 

I’m opinionated and it’s very difficult to remain neutral on such a tragic day as 911 from 2001. 

So instead, I remain positive and upbeat, oh, did I mention God, who covers all..?

He allowed 911 to happen, by religious zealots no less! 

He allowed recovery, and it’s up to us to pray for healing and history. 

May God bless the friends and families of 911, Military, First Responders, the Americas and the globe, and may we turn to Him for strength, understanding, and to continue healing. 

Never again underestimate the power of hate and stupidity, 

Look up, not down, and be grateful for life, freedom, friends, and family… 

    

  

    ~

Only Honor

 It’s such a bummer to walk thru a store of friendly faces who can’t quite look u in the eye, 

only to check machines that have been selling product yet no quarters in the till. 

Since nothing is ever broken, not even a scratch, I deduce that keys are easy to come by. 

Skimming off the top at least leaves room for profit to still be made, but not able to even make cost is hostile. I certainly don’t look forward to those visits. 

The honor boxes get skimmed as well, but sometimes, there’s overpayment (?!), always a pleasant surprise. 

I guess the machines are cursed in some way and will prolly be removing the remainder soon. 

Anyone is always welcome to donate and/or volunteer to help local animal shelters, the purpose behind the creation of this route. Anyone who loves animals can’t be all bad…

AHNOW=Animal Help Now & Rescue-please utilize them!

 Yes, they stay busy, mostly volunteers, may very well be a bit overworked, 

and oh my gosh, it seems like every animal needs help. 

It is only an information site and as of this posting, they answer phones and provide information only. 

If u are upset or stressed, they are patient, but keep in mind that they are an information hub only, and while they probably have the info u need, they stay very busy helping as much as they can. 

There is also a free app in the Apple App Store and Google Play, remarkably user-friendly.

Honor Boxes Are Better

 My vending machines which have 3 different locks on them each often have no quarters in them, yet the candies and gumballs sell out. 

My cardboard honor boxes that are completely open, unlocked, and available, sell out, and the donations sometimes out-number the candies. 

I’ve always preferred honor…

More Chocolate Trivia

CHOCOLATE IS ACTUALLY A VEGETABLE—KIND OF.                        

 Milk and dark chocolate come from the cacao bean, which grows on the cacao tree (Theobroma cacao), an evergreen from the family Malvaceae (other members of the family include okra and cotton). This makes the most important part of the sweet treat a vegetable. 

CACAO WAS ONCE USED AS CURRENCY.           

                            

      The Aztecs loved and valued the cacao bean so highly that they used it as currency during the height of their civilization. 

SPANISH FRIARS HELPED SPREAD THE LOVE.             

         

            After cacao and chocolate were introduced to Europe, traveling Spanish friars took it to various monasteries, handily spreading it around the continent.  

COCOA AND CACAO ARE THE SAME THING.             

                     

      The words are interchangeable, it’s all one bean.   

BAKER'S CHOCOLATE ISN’T JUST FOR BAKING.            

                  

      Dr. James Baker and John Hannon founded their chocolate company—later called Walter Baker Chocolate—in 1765. That’s where the term “Baker's Chocolate” comes from, not to denote chocolate that’s just meant for cooking.  

MILTON HERSHEY REALLY WAS A CANDY KING.             

            

         The Pennsylvania native may be best known for starting The Hershey Chocolate Company in good old Hershey, PA, but he got his start in candy long before hooking up with chocolate. He founded his first company, The Lancaster Caramel Company, when he was 30 years old. 

MAKING CHOCOLATE IS HARD WORK.                 

                     

       Despite its regal background and revered status, the cacao bean doesn’t just magically turn into chocolate—it takes about 400 beans to make a single pound of the good stuff.  

THE FIRST CHOCOLATE BAR WAS MADE IN ENGLAND.             

 

     Way back in 1842, the Cadbury company made the very first chocolate bar. The company is still in existence, and is perhaps most famous for their delightful Easter-themed treats.  

THERE ARE TWO KINDS OF CACAO.                

                        

       Most modern chocolate comes from forestero beans, which are considered easy to grow—though the crillo bean is believed to make much tastier chocolate. 

CHOCOLATE HAS A SPECIAL MELTING POINT.            

           

  Chocolate is the only edible substance to melt around 93° F, just below the human body temperature. That’s why chocolate melts so easily on your tongue.  

   ~