Remember the "Mad About You" episode where Paul doesn't want to go shopping for a sofa on Saturday because, he
tells Jamie, "Everything takes four hours." I wish that weren't true in real life and I wish my own evolving maxim that
"everything involving updating a web site takes four weeks" weren't true either. But here it is, the end of June
and we're STILL updating.
Of course, the good reason is that we've added new products and categories. Scooter now has his own favorites
after we came upon a marvelous manufacturer in California who sells adorable little "camping" tents for dogs. My dad
always called a small tent a pup tent which I think must have come out of World War II vocabulary. So, we are now featuring
Hummingbird Creations' doggie tents and doggie clothes. We're starting two patterns of tents and with the "sailor"
suit for the Fourth of July. Check it out at Scooter's Blog
We're very excited about IQ Solitaireand have been developing a version for customers to try out. The trial version allows you to play several times
to see if you love the game as much as we do. If you'd like a copy sent to you, just email: billie@windmillworks and type free trial version in subject line and your name and address in the body of your email. If you
like IQ Solitaire please spread the word. We are a small company and you are our greatest ambassadors.
We are also excited about the discovery of a timely use of our Four Year Journal. While parents have been enjoying this means of recording weekly recording of their child's development, gardeners,
bird watchers, and other naturalists finding this journal especially useful to keep track of changes that may be occuring
because of global warming. Entries made this year about flower blooming, bird nesting, etc. can be compared to the same
week next year, the year after, and the year after that - all visible in one glance.
Finally, we have been busy creating a spectacular end-of-the-school year sale for all of our Deaf friends
and colleagues. Phenomenal savings on our software for a limited time.
Have a wonderful Fourth of July. Oh, and check out the GREAT 4th of July e-cards at jacquilawson.com.
And remember, if you like our products, please tell your friends. You are our best resource!
Welcome to the new look of Windmill Works! We're hoping you'll like it and find shopping more convenient
with this new design.
This is the first non-canine entry of our updated website. (We've kept the ever-popular "Scooter-the-Dog Blog" on the site. Just click on Scooter's picture above, and you'll be reading Scooter's thoughts
of love and life from two feet off the ground.)
It's always labor intensive to create a new look to the website. We'd love to hear your thoughts about the
site as we've redesigned it. Just email us at the "Contact Us" link.
On a personal note, I'm hoping the updated design helps customers to find our newest software easily.
It's exciting to have created something that you're proud of, and Mike and I are proud of
IQ Solitiare. Years ago, I created the deck of cards, "Presidential Solitaire"
which sold at Games by James in Minneapolis and at the last Democratic Convention in Boston. I had always wanted Mike
to create a computer version, but I had kept him much too busy creating our other software focusing on deaf
and hard of hearing language learning since that is the field in which I was trained.
Well, finally it's here, and to tell you the truth, I'm addicted to my own game. I find it very challenging
to remember which president came before Jackson and who came after Van Buren. I try not to use the help card.
I also love IQ Solitaire - Academy Awards Best Picture. We're going to soon create the IQ Solitaire
- The Colonies and IQ Solitaire - Inventions. (It all takes a lot of time!)
Actually, while IQ Solitaire might seem mentally challening, the act of memorizing items in order is not high on the Bloom Taxonomy of Intellectual Skills. It doesn't involve the higher level problem solving skills like analysis, synthesis, and evaluation that helps
us to figure out how to solve environmental and social problems and how to stop wars, but it does exercise our mind in a way
that regular solitaire does not. (I personally hope that playing this game creates those new nuero-pathways in the brain
that are so desparately needed to ward off my own mental deterioration. I may have invented my own cure!)
Of course, inventors aren't marketing people, so we will rely on you to tell your friends if you like IQ Solitaire. Our customers are our greatest advertisers! (If any of you happen to be skilled in marketing, we wouldn't
mind it if you threw us some ideas for links or strategies for promoting our game!)
Well, it's time to go back to our "Site Builder" and add more text and pictures so that this site will be highly
functional. Perhaps next blog, I'll tell you how we ever came up with the name "Windmill Works". Until then,
here's a little Billieism:
if you happen to be feeling unloved, unaccomplished, un-something or other today. just think back to the
last lovely compliment that someone paid you and hold on to those words to get you through.
