Creative advertising gained Brenda MacDowell more calls of congratulations than offers of help in her quest to find an apartment.

Mrs. MacDowell ran an ad in The Royal Gazette on Wednesday, March 28 in which she listed the: "Top ten reasons why you should rent your apartment to me''.

These included, that she only had one husband, there were no children at home, the cat was neutered, she was financially secure, she does not play loud music, she can fix a toilet, she is settled and mature, clean and responsible, Bermudian, and desperate.'' Mrs. MacDowell said that she had received many calls from friends who did not know she had returned to the Island, and appreciated the calls from people who congratulated her on the creative ad.

She said she and her husband had been in California for the past seven months, and that after searching the paper for apartments on her return, she almost fell off her chair when she saw the high prices and lack of properties.

Mrs. MacDowell said she checked with agents and called friends, but has not been successful in finding a new home.

Mrs. MacDowell said she had used a similar ad a few years ago when she wrote a poem with much the same result, calls of congratulations, but not much luck in finding a property.

Yesterday she went to look at the most promising place yet, and despite a clash of canine and feline cultures, she said it looked promising. Despite this, she said she is still looking, and with her husband Ian and cat Leslie arriving tomorrow, time has run out.

For the time being she will continue to stay with her grandmother, and said she hopes and prays that she will find somewhere to live.

If anyone can help Brenda find an apartment, give her a call at 236 0683.