A Thank-You, and a Request for Shares at T-3 Days

Thank you to everyone for the birthday wishes for Wings yesterday, and for helping me make his day a little happier (or at least a less stressful) with the donations to our home-building fund. About half and hour ago, I met our builder at the gate with a check for arranging the first equipment rental and picking up certain supplies for next week. I wouldn't have been able to do that this morning without help from all of you over the past weeks and months, and we're both profoundly grateful for it.

Of course, this is all far from over, and with work commencing in three (THREE!) days, I'll be flogging this a lot. Apologies in advance. However, it also looks as though Wings might actually get his knee surgeries later this year, and there will be no navigating this elevated tin can when that happens, especially in winter, so forward it is.

Today, I'm going to give folks a whole list of ways to give us a hand with this process. Not everyone likes donating through crowdfunding sites; not everyone likes donations, period. It's not our preference, either, but in this world, it is what it is, and I was forced to swallow my pride a long time ago. So here are the various ways to help:

• Donate through our YouCaring page. 
• Share the YouCaring page link with your networks: in-person, e-mail, Facebook, Twitter, other social media; There's a widget button on the lower right that will allow you post the code that produces the image shown above, with a running total.
• For those who prefer PayPal for donations, here's that link.
• For those who prefer to send a check, make it out to "Wings" and send it to the mailing address on this page.
• For those who prefer to purchase something off our Amazon wish list, here's that link. Every single thing on it is practical, either for our own health or that of the animals, with the exception of the new addition at the top. That's also practical: Wings's grinder has given up the ghost, and he really needs both that and the impact drill for both existing work around here and the new construction on the house. He also needs the cordless variety for work that needs to be done far from the electrical hook-ups. This is one the top-rated brands for quality and longevity, and given the use it will see, that makes it a far better buy over the long run. In terms of material things, it's what he really would have liked for his birthday, but the cost put it out of my reach.
• For those who prefer to exchange money for value, here's the opportunity to buy something beautiful for yourselves or for loved ones: outstanding (and authentic) Native art. 

This last method is always our own first preference. Visit Wings's site here to see beautiful silverwork by a master silversmith, Native photography with deep layers of cultural symbolism (look through the Monday Photo Meditation series on The NDN Silver Blog for his photographic work featuring a wide array of subjects). In the Other Artists galleries, we also have a stunning array of other Native art, from drums and leatherwork to fetishes and katsinam and sculpture to other jewelry and pottery to traditional weapons and wall art. 

Chi miigwech and ta'a to everyone for all you've done and all you've helped us accomplish thus far. Starting next week, I'll be able to show you photos of real progress.

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