Worth Defending

 What do you consider to be worth defending? 

There's a sign in a window I've only seen once... I'll paraphrase because I can't recall the exact wording... 

                                                  "I defend marriage." 

I have met the person who put up that sign but I haven't, yet, had the opportunity to have a in-depth conversation with that person regarding that strong statement but that is what I find fascinating about that person.

I, personally, defend the freedoms I wrote about May 5, 2026. I believe that the freedom from fear is almost impossible to uphold or experience. When I wrote my novella, The Red Dust Healers, it started out as an exercise in 'healing of memories.' I actually wrote this novella before I wrote my novel so, when I couldn't decide if I thought it was good enough to publish, I started writing the big project novel, The Orchard Walk by El Dueck.

Quoting my novel, page 109-110... 

"I have spent my whole life conquering fears, one at a time. That's what Simmy's Adventures is all about."

"Was it your publicist who renamed the book? 'The Red Dust Healers' seems so poetic,... thought it would be more sale-able if we called it Simmy's Adventures." As she said this quietly, her mind was already focusing on the book and absorbing the emotions of the compassionate creativity that had driven her to write it. "We'll need to get the book from the Hummer." (As a aside... I owned and drove a H3 Hummer during the time I wrote my novel so I just wrote my vehicle into my book. I have since crashed it and no longer have it but I did for quite a few years.)

                                      "Simmy's Adventures- Chapter 1- Sugar Justice."

So, what I would, definitely, say is that I would defend my writing and my ownership of property, over time, and my ownership of my intellectual property... my novel, The Orchard Walk and my novella, as yet unpublished, The Red Dust Healers.

When I finished writing, although I keep adding possible chapters to this, as yet, unpublished work... I realized that all the chapters had a very central theme of overcoming fears. 

If you knew how many crazy people have said things like... 'I'm going to publish your novel and put my name on it,' I can't even believe people would say something like this... never mind, actually believe that they can steal my work. Now, I think someone who considers doing this is supremely lazy, lives in a world of make believe where they impersonate someone they must surely greatly admire to wish to steal their work. I, personally, am way too busy working on my project... which I find endlessly fascinating, to care what someone else is doing.

At first, when I started writing my novella... and, by the way, I had this thought, already, when I wrote my published novel... 'What if, I, Elfrieda, want to publish my novella at some later date? Well, to ensure that it is a seamless transition... I'll quote from my own book to my own book. Brilliant. I mean, what better way to defend and prove your writing could there be?

P.S. Wouldn't it be great if someone thought... well, I'll just donate a new H3 Hummer to Elfrieda because she did buy one (a 2008 purchased in 2009) and... maybe she needs a new vehicle... those are just my wonderful thoughts... I am certainly not the kind of person who wants anyone to suffer working endlessly for a material thing.

Night from hell

 Well, this is the worst night I have had in the last three days. 

So, food is the topic these days. My people in Winnipeg are starving. They aren't getting any food. I didn't think this type of thing could happen in this day and age. It is absolutely evil to let people go hungry. 

So, I have 7 brothers and sisters who should be able to help but, it appears, they have gone missing. 

I just phoned Red River Insurance @ 1- 204- 371- 5835 to ask why I wasn't responded to when I tried to insure my quilt/ pillow case/ novel inventory three years ago. I would not suggest you call this number because the man who used to be working for Red River Insurance lived in Kleefeld, not Altona, and his name was Dave Dueck, not Abe Dueck as the voicemail says. Furthermore, nobody would ever be 'calling home' if they were trying to reach this company but that is what my phone said... when I called that number it said I was 'calling home.' Now, there is something very wrong with my I-phone if it thinks I am 'calling home' when I call that insurance company.

Just to see if they're still in business, try calling that number if you have Red River Insurance... to see if they're still in business. 

Whoever calls, please check the policy for 225 5th Avenue, N.E., in Dauphin. This tiny house was insured by Red River.

Freedom of...

 When I went to McNally Robinson for the debut of my novel, in May of 2013,                                   The Orchard Walk El Dueck, had come off the presses in December of 2012. The reason I put 2013 as the year of publication is because the company I hired to print my novel said they couldn't guarantee that it would be ready for Christmas. So, I self- published my novel and all the myriad decisions that I had to make all hinged on 'when the printer could get my novel ready for me.'

    If you look up my Pinterest page 'Quilted Stories,' you will find some fabric examples that I used in the 'representational quilt' I made for that time. I purchased a 'Four Freedoms' fabric and incorporated it into this quilt and there are some more that I photographed during that time. The photo of the quilt I had 'in progress' is also featured under the heading 'Testing out a quilt pattern... The Orchard Walk quilt.' https://ca.pinterest.com/eldueck/quilted-stories/  Scroll over the light grey link to go to the page mentioned.

    Freedom of... all the good things we all celebrate and value was a very central theme of my novel. So, the 'four freedoms' fabric was one of the many fabrics I chose for this particular quilt... I have made so many more since this time. I currently have many finished and am always working on 'another one.' Some I've given away, some I save for the 'representational' value of linking my writing with my quilt making and pillow case making.

    People might say that 'freedom of speech' is most valuable. Well, the fact that a 'unknown' writer, such as myself, can produce a 'historical fiction novel' and self- publish it, following the rules of publishing within the 'district' that the laws encompass, is evidence of the fact that I do, indeed, live in a free country where free speech is still valued. One 'avenue' of free speech, these days, might be your cellphone. Can you use your cellphone to reach out to someone who might be able to help you? Since, possibly temporarily, moving almost four hours away from my home town of Winnipeg, I send a lot of text messages.

Some might say 'freedom of worship' is most valuable.

Some might say 'freedom from want' is most valuable. That wonderful depiction of a big turkey being brought to the table and a group of people all enjoying so much food is what can always be enjoyed in a country that values the freedom to live. Plenty of food is often the evidence of a society that has the freedom to work and produce. A time of war creates 'want,' it doesn't relieve 'want.' 

    'Freedom from fear'... oh, this is a very precious freedom, indeed. This may just be the most difficult freedom to uphold. This freedom cannot even be absolutely proven but there will be many signs if a person is living in fear.

    So, let's talk about what people fear and how we can ensure that we protect our children and grandchildren, let's say. I will relay a little of my own life story to apply this directly to myself and my children and grandchildren. 

    I have feared being harmed by other people... hit, assaulted in some way, abused in some way. I know my children have feared these things as well. One thing a abuser will often say to people they are manipulating is, "Don't you say...," in a threatening voice. I have defended a person was crying, holding broken glasses and nursing a face wound. I was big and pregnant at the time but there was nobody else around to help so I only had two choices, help or ignore what was happening right in the home I was in at that time. I don't really know what it is about people who help versus people who ignore but, I would suggest, that instinct will, in a moment of 'surprise attack' show who will do the right thing.

The book I am writing

 The book I am working on is going to be all about my sons, Scott, Tyler, and Jordan. I am going to write about their childhood and how they were raised. 

The foundation of faith is going to be detailed. 

I am writing about how they decided to follow a certain career path and how things went terribly wrong at times.

I am writing about the churches we  attended and people who influenced them, and myself.

I will need to interview them many times.

I am their mother.

"Who, who, who Gets?" Contest Winnings

         Food- First order of each day is... deliver food to Jordan, Scott, and Tyler. Thank you.

    So, somebody said there was a contest. Nobody knows what to do with a huge Dodge Ram that Dodge donated because Elfrieda had an accident with her Dodge Ram and then 'they' didn't know who to give it to because there were so many men who wanted it so I came up with a solution... 'Whoever' gets anything... just paint a 'slogan' on every vehicle... each make and model.

                     "Somebody said I won this in a contest nobody can prove ever existed so,                                                                       therefore, it could ever be won."

                       What do you think? Is this a good solution to the problem of 'who gets.'     

    When I was at Riverwood, somebody said there was a 'house' that was in the contest that doesn't exist. I haven't seen it but I heard someone built one an hour outside of Winnipeg. I say, 

                                                                "Prove it."

    Now, Riverwood just said, "Prove it" so I would have to call my 'witnesses' Bruce and Betsy Hiebert to see if they know anything about the 'workings' of Riverwood. I don't think Bruce is an elder there anymore... he may have been for a short time. Possibly, Betsy still does her 'small batch' cake mixes for 'gluten free' baking. 

    My son, Scott, bought a huge amount of cupcakes from Betsy, when she still had her cafe on Tache... (no longer there), Scott bought these cupcakes and had the cafe put... 'Will you marry me?' letter by letter on the cupcakes to propose to Tammy. What's really amazing, to me, about that, is... Scott was buying from a woman, Betsy, whom I attended Sanford Collegiate with and he had no idea that I knew Betsy and I had no idea that she had set up a bakery/ cafe. Sometimes, a coincidence might be a God designed appointment, as Todd, from Riverwood used to say.

Sons, My sons are the three sons of Elfrieda Guenter (maiden name) The Orchard Walk El Dueck

 Food- First order of each day is... deliver food to Jordan, Scott, and Tyler. Thank you.

My sons

 My sons have been employed in electrical jobs and glasswork.

My journal says that I called 'Border Glass' on February 5, 2025 to see if my son was working. I was told he wasn't on the 'list.' Now, I don't know what list 'said person' was talking about. I mean, my son has or, for sure, did, work for that company for 17 years. So, I don't think my son is working for that company anymore. I also called the Winnipeg police on the very same day to put in a 'victim report' for 775 Fleming so I'm sure you won't see any Border Glass people there anymore... or any other dangerous person either.

I know of another 'family' marriage connection that another son connected into... that man also worked for that company for a lot of years. I was in a Riverwood Bible Study when he was leading it quite a few years ago.

Now, I'm certainly not putting in a plug for the company unless my son reaches out to me and I start hearing some really good things about the company. Feel free to contact them and ask about my sons to see if they are very well looked after. Has anyone checked the BBB- Better Business Bureau to see what their rating is?

I am just a bit worried that he doesn't have the phone I am used to contacting him with.

I think they were in business last year because I did see a vehicle, here in Dauphin, on Main Street but, alas, I'm sure it couldn't have been my wonderful son. He would have stopped in.

I know... Hmm, a few months ago, there was a white Ford, same as his brown Ford, but, maybe newer, in his back yard... but, I knew the company paid for that because it had a logo on it.

So, just a little check up to see if things are going smoothly at my sons' house.