What's New This Week? Ken is going in for some major surgery on his right shoulder. About seven years ago he fell from a deck we were building and shattered his shoulder along with six breaks in his left wrist and a hairline fracture in his leg. Everything healed up really good except his shoulder. Due to a high level of activity it is worn down to almost nothing.
     Tuesday he goes under the knife to have a whole new shoulder installed. This won't be easy since things just aren't normal from the first fall. After a two or three day hospital say he should be back on the mend with physical torture close behind.
     Since Ken is right handed and does the lion's share of putting the RunnerDuck Review together the next couple of weeks might be a little sparse. Just bare with us because things will be back to normal and better soon.
     We could really use your help if you have a project that you'd like to share with our readers. It's going to be difficult for Ken to build anything for a few weeks and you could really help by stepping forward. We are looking for woodworking, gardening, or craft type projects. Just drop us a line, projects@runnerduck.com, with what you have and we'll do the rest. We really would appreciate that!

     Boy did we find something good for you this week. Our web site this week comes at a perfect time with school starting. Everyone with a computer needs some sort of word processor, spread sheet, presentation software and graphics program. Many of you have bought or have installed Microsoft Office on your computers. We have Office 2000 on our machines. We recently upgraded our main computer to Windows XP Pro and we've been thinking about upgrading to Office XP also. Have you checked out the price of it, even the upgrade? WOW! That's why we are so excited about this weeks find.
     How would you like to have a word processor that works and acts like Word? How about a spreadsheet program very similar to Excel? It would be nice to have a presentation program like Power Point wouldn't it? You could probably even use a graphics program like Draw! Well how would you like to have all of this for FREE!!!
     I found this hard to believe but OpenOffice.org offers these programs for free. There are no strings attached and they appear to work great. The software is open architecture, which means that no one really owns the software, and anyone can contribute to it. The source code is available for anyone to work on. Unlike Microsoft Office which Microsoft owns and controls. OpenOffice.org is like a community effort to make something that works great. In checking it out I found that Verizon is using it in their offices as a replacement for their existing Office products.
     Here's the catch. Wait a minute you said that I got all of this for free! Well you do but it's a 52 MEG file that can take a while to download if you have a slow modem. On the OpenOffice.org site they have a list of places where you can purchase the CD. I checked some of these out and most of them are around $6.00 to cover postage and handling. Not bad compared to the potential hundreds you'd pay for comparable software.
     We hope you check this one out because it is just too good to pass up.

Book Cover

     School has started and that means that you have lots of books to cover. As long as you have to cover them you may as well make them pretty.
CAUTION: Be careful with the scissors or get your parents help.

Here's what you'll need:

Paper grocery bag
Pictures from magazines, photographs or calendars. Since it's September you should have lots of pretty pictures from the previous eight months.
Glue
Scissors

Cut down the seam of the paper bag and unfold the bottom.
Cut the bag length wise about 4" wider than your book.
Measure your book cover, spine and back. Cut the bag about 4" longer than your book.
Fold the long sides in 2" on each side.
Fold the short ends in 2" on each end.

Slip the ends over the cover and back of the book.
Now the fun begins. Cut some fun pictures out of magazines, calendars or photos. It's really fun to use pictures of your friends.
Glue the pictures onto your book cover. Add a title to identify your book and you are ready to go.

Click on the picture or a bigger image
This might just make going to school a little more fun.

We really hope you enjoy our kid's projects. Marilyn puts forth a lot of effort each week to bring you these great ideas. She could really use your help with ideas for future newsletters. If you have a kid's project that would be suitable for our newsletter we'd love to share it with our readers. Just contact marilyn@runnerduck.com and we'll do the rest.

Remember we have all of our past kids projects archived on our web site at www.runnerduck.com/kids_corner.htm.

     It's been a while since we mentioned Alexia's Books. Since we are making book covers this week it reminded us of their great product. They offer children's books that are customized for that special child in your life. When you purchase one of their books they ask some questions like the child's name, the town they live in and others. This information is then printed in the child's Custom Book. All of their books can be read on line, less the pictures, so you can see how they will look.
      If you have a special child that you would like to get a memorable gift for, check out Alexia's Books.

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The Tempos News and CD of the Week

     Oh boy, Sunday we play for the 50th anniversary of the World War II cryptographers. I hope I get a few minutes during our breaks to chat with some of these folks. They should have some really interesting stories to tell.
     Don't forget that The Tempos big swing band is available for hire. If you have a special event that could use the wonderful music of a classic big band be sure to contact The Tempos at thetempos@runnerduck.com.

      The world lost another great musician this past week. It seems like this year has had a terrible toll on some of our oldest and greatest musicians. Lionel Hampton passed away at the age of 94. He is one of the most fantastic vibraphone players the world has ever known. If there is a big band or jazz group that you can think of he has more than likely played with them or some of their members. The Tempos play "Flying Home" one of his finest swing compositions. We will really miss this wonderful man but fortunately we have his music to listen to forever.
      In honor of Lionel's passing we are pleased to feature "The Best Of Lionel Hampton". This 2000 release is only $10.99. That's $.99 off the regular price only at www.runnerduckmusic.bcentral-vstore.com

Click HERE for "The Best Of Lionel Hampton" our featured CD of the week.

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Joke of the Week

A Cajun was stopped by a game warden in Southern Louisiana recently with two ice chests of fish, leaving a bayou well known for its fishing. The game warden asked the man, "Do you have a license to catch those fish?"
The Cajun replied, "Naw, ma fren, I ain't got none of dem, no. Dese are my pet fish."
"Pet fish?!" the warden replied.
"Ya. Avery night I take dese here fish down to de bayou and let dem swim' round for a while. I whistle and dey jump rat back into dere ice chests and I take dem home."
"That's a bunch of hooey! Fish can't do that!"
The Cajun looked at the game warden for a moment and then said, "It's de truth ma' fren, I'll show you. It really works."
"Okay, I've GOT to see this!" The game warden was curious now.
The Cajun poured the fish in to the bayou and stood and waited.
After several minutes, the game warden turned to him and said, "Well?"
"Well, what?" said the Cajun.
"When are you going to call them back?" The game warden prompted.
"Call who back?" the Cajun asked.
"The FISH!!!"
"What fish?" the Cajun asked.

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The RunnerDuck Goodies Store

     Check out our cool polo shirt at the RunnerDuck Goodies Store. There are lots of other neat RunnerDuck items also.

   THIS WEEKS FREE RECIPE

French Dressing

• 1/2 Cup Sweet Pickle Vinegar
• 1/2 Cup Catsup
• 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
• 1 Small Onion, ground
• 1/2 teaspoon Celery Seed
• 1/2 teaspoon Chili Powder (if desired)
• 1/2 Cup Salad Oil
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt

Put all the ingredients in a small jar and shake well.
Pour it sparingly on your salad and enjoy.

Thanks again mom for being right!

Remember, if you have a recipe you'd like to share please send it to marilyn@runnerduck.com.

     Every month we post a new recipe on our web page. Be sure and check out our NEW September recipe at the RunnerDuck Kitchen Store. We'd be happy to post your favorite recipe there or in our newsletter and give you credit. Just drop a line to marilyn@runnerduck.com

      Just when we were getting all cocky about our salad dressing we find this great recipe book called "The Book of Light Sauces and Salad Dressings". This dazzling array of sauce recipes for meats, vegetables, pasta, and desserts that are low in fat and calories, as well as reduced-fat salad dressings, offers flavorful combinations so exciting no one will realize they are saving calories with every bite. Each recipe is illustrated with three step-by-step photos to make preparation almost foolproof.
      You can find "The Book of Light Sauces and Salad Dressings" at the RunnerDuck Cookbook Store this week for $1.51 off the regular price, great savings!

The RunnerDuck web site is hosted by

Name Puzzle

     As we mentioned earlier this week was our grandson Camden's second birthday. Since the terrible two's are such a learning age we thought this puzzle with his name was just the ticket. We got a new scroll saw and were looking for a project to use it on. This turned out to be just perfect.

Click on the picture for a bigger view

Here's what you'll need:

• 1/2" X 6" X 36" Poplar or other nice finish wood.
• 1/4" X 6" X 24" Poplar or other nice finish wood.
• Glue
• Stain
• A nontoxic finish.

NOTE: You may have to buy longer wood if the finished name you are making is longer than about 16". We found a font on the computer that we liked and blew them up until they were about 4" high and printed them.
We traced the letters, using carbon paper, onto the 1/2" board one at a time. This way we were able to get the letters really close together, saving wood.

We cut them out with our scroll saw. You could also do it with a band saw (small blade), or hand coping saw.
After all the letters are cut out place them on the 1/2" board spaced the way you want them.
Trace all around each letter with a pencil.

Very carefully cut all the letters out staying just to the outside of the lines. I say carefully because now you are working on one piece instead of individual letters. One good screw-up and you get to start over. You want to stay to the outside so that the letters will loosely fit in the holes later.
Trace the insides of the closed letters like "D" and "O" onto the remaining 1/2" board. Cut them out and staying to the inside of the lines again so the letters will easily fit over them.

CAUTION: I would not cut out small center of the "A" because we will be gluing these onto our backing board and if it came off of the board a small child could get it caught in their throat.
Sand all the edges, inside and out, and round over all the edges.
Align one end of the 1/4" board with the "name" board and lightly mark the letters using a pencil.
Remove the "name" board and apply stain in the areas of the letters. I didn't apply stain to the whole surface so that the glue would stick better.
While you are staining, stain all the individual letters.
Align the 1/4" board with the "name" board and glue them together. Clamp them good and allow the glue to cure.
For letters like "D" and "O", place them in their holes and align the center pieces. Glue and clamp them in place.
Using my miter saw and table saw I cut all the edges a tiny bit to make them perfectly flat.
I used a router to round over the top edges and corners.
Finish sand and apply a nontoxic finish.
Here is the real finished project!!!

     We are always looking for new projects to feature in our newsletter. If you have a project that you would like to share please drop us a line and we'll help get it published in the RunnerDuck review. We are looking for woodworking, gardening, crafts and kids projects so send us your thoughts at projects@runnerduck.com.

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CONSERVATION TIP

      With the first day of fall only two weeks away it's a good time to start thinking about sealing up the house a little bit. The high heat of summer can wreak havoc on of the sealing materials around the windows and doors. If the sealing compound is loose then remove it and apply new. A lot of cold air can come in around these seams so get them plugged up while the sun shines.

If you have a conservation tip please send it to conservation@runnerduck.com and we'll post it in our newsletter.

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Until Next Time...

      Wish me luck and a speedy recovery. I'll try to get things back up to normal as soon as possible. Any of you could really help by sending us your kids projects, gardening tips or woodworking projects. It's really pretty easy to do and our readers would love to hear someone else's ideas for a change.

     If you want to talk about something just drop us a line any time, we like to talk about most anything. We are always looking for content for our newsletter so if you have something to add we'd love to publish it. Assuming it meets our strict family oriented requirements!

     If you forward these newsletters to your friends just drop us a line and we'll do it for you. Just send us their email address and we'll do the rest. Remember, we never share our email list with anyone, period! Just drop me a line or go to our registration page and sign up your friend.

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