Bancos! More woodwork. More expense. Shares needed.

Photo copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved.

I have more shots, but I'm too exhausted to deal with more than the minimum tonight. The last two weeks have required us to keep an absolutely punishing pace, and I can't do much more of this. Unfortunately, I have (at least) seven more weeks of non-stop running, and non-stop labor and stress, too.

So that up there is today's big news: Sherm and Miguel got started on the bancos. They'll have them finished in a couple of days, save for the final color coat. The two pallets of adobes were just enough, so it's just as well we had no way for them to pick up the third pallet yesterday. On the right, the wood item is the frame for a backrest; once it's all mortared and lathed and plastered, it'll be all of a piece, one uninterrupted unit, in a very traditional style. But note outlet for my laptop in the front . . . .

In the meantime, Tony and Reynaldo were staining more of the woodwork upstairs: 

Photo copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved.

Above, a distance shot of the French doors that will open onto the deck. Below, a close-up of the window sill:

Photo copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved.

Meanwhile, we had another day of non-stop errands and materials purchases, which has wiped us out in more ways than one. As I said last night, there's an unreal amount of work under way, and it's all adding up to an equally unreal cash flow (all outward), and we have to pay for it all as it comes. So we need constant, consistent shares. Here are all the links, and the cut-and-paste:

• First, to donate, the PayPal link is here. 
• Second, for sales (which we really need to make, and I'll be highlighting some of his high-end stuff on the site this week), the link to Wings's site (preferably with a testimonial, if you have some of his work), because sales are gonna keep this thing rolling. 
• And finally, the link to our wishlist (which badly needs updating), with an emphasis on the Lowe's gift cards, because those are what will help us pay for all the stuff that will make this place liveable, like a water heater and flooring and so forth. A note here: I really do dislike Home Depot, but they have a terrific tile that would work for pretty much the entire downstairs (except the bathroom) that's less than a third of the price of a lot of what's comparable from Lowe's. It's the kind of thing that we can't rationalize spending so much more on, given the differential, and so I'll be adding Home Depot gift cards to the wishlist, too, much as it pains me. [Okay, so I just checked; you can only buy Home Depot gift cards through their own company site, so they're not going to be on the Amazon wishlist. Think of it as a virtual virtual wishlist.]

As I've also been saying, we need to make some sales, and sales of some of Wings's bigger-ticket items would go a very, very long way toward this phase (the most expensive of the entire process, unfortunately). We've been blessed with a couple of sales this week, and this weekend I've posted Wings's two latest works. I haven't even had time yet to do a separate post for the new micaceous pottery by a member of his extended family. Please share them as they go up; his new work in particular is pretty spectacular. I have more work this evening, and I have to get on it. Many thanks and much love to everyone.

All content, including photos and text, are copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

To Dance In the Rain

Photo copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved.

Now posted at The NDN Silver Blog, it's a work that honors the solitary red flower that bloomed defiantly here last week in the face of winter's return. It's a reminder that, even alone, if we heed its lessons, it is given to us, too, to dance in the rain.

The post is here. Wings's main page is here. Inquiries via the site's Contact form. And, as always, sales are much needed (especially now), so shares of the site links are much appreciated.



All content, including photos and text, are copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

Woodwork, staining, bancos, and the latest septic system disaster. Shares needed.

Photo copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved.

Oh, my god, this day.

We have both been on the run, flat out, since about 8 AM. (I was up two hours prior, but it all really started to hit the fan shortly after 8:30.) First, it was a constant and confusing barrage of "what comes next," which I think we have now vaguely sorted out just enough to let me plot purchases and labor and so forth.

For today, the good is up above, with the staining the guys started on upstairs. It matches the stain we used on the front doors. 

The bad (because I didn't know the place didn't take debit cards, dammit, but the guys managed it and are reimbursed) is below:

Photo copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved.

Sherm and Miguel are working here the rest of this week. We're waiting for the pigment reorder, so they went down to Española to pick up another pallet of adobes, and they're going to start the bancos (my window seats). We also picked up molding for Tony and Reynaldo to start work soon on the crown mouldings and baseboards upstairs (nothing decorative; just plain), and we have to order the remaining doors and the flooring from Lowe's probably yet this week. And I have to finish painting as far as possible tomorrow, after I get done all the stuff I couldn't get to today.

And the really, really, REALLY ugly is here:

Photo copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved.

That's the new septic tank. Yeah, it's hooked up to the house (not to the RV), but there's no water flowing to it, because the water is hooked up to the house but not yet turned on. There's no way for it to be getting any flow from the house.

And it's got more than four feet of water in it. FIFTY-TWO INCHES, to be precise, but who's counting? This was supposed to be a hermetically sealed tank, so that even with the rerouted spring issue, absent the leach field (which is not going in until we can install the evaporative system), there's no way for water to get into the tank.

Yeah, and I'm Santa Claus.

We're pissed, our plumbers are pissed, and the supplier is going to have to make this right. But it's going to take some doing, some time, and, of course, a lot of money on the back end anyway once we have a truly sealed tank, thanks to that evaporative system's price tag.

So there's an unreal amount of work under way, and it's all adding up to an equally unreal cash flow (all outward), and we have to pay for it all as it comes. So we need constant, consistent shares. Here are all the links, and the cut-and-paste:

• First, to donate, the PayPal link is here. 
• Second, for sales (which we really need to make, and I'll be highlighting some of his high-end stuff on the site this week), the link to Wings's site (preferably with a testimonial, if you have some of his work), because sales are gonna keep this thing rolling. 
• And finally, the link to our wishlist (which badly needs updating), with an emphasis on the Lowe's gift cards, because those are what will help us pay for all the stuff that will make this place liveable, like a water heater and flooring and so forth. A note here: I really do dislike Home Depot, but they have a terrific tile that would work for pretty much the entire downstairs (except the bathroom) that's less than a third of the price of a lot of what's comparable from Lowe's. So I might need to add them to the wishlist, too, much as it pains me. 

As I've also been saying, we need to make some sales, and sales of some of Wings's bigger-ticket items would go a very, very long way toward this phase (the most expensive of the entire process, unfortunately). We've been blessed with a couple of sales this week, and this weekend I've posted Wings's two latest works. I haven't even had time yet to do a separate post for the new micaceous pottery by a member of his extended family. Please share them as they go up; his new work in particular is pretty spectacular. I have more work this evening, and I have to get on it. Many thanks and much love to everyone.



All content, including photos and text, are copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

Red Willow Spirit: Free Spirits

Photo copyright Wings, 2017; all rights reserved.

Now posted at The NDN Silver Blog, it's the last May edition of Red Willow Spirit, with a look at what the wingéd ones can teach us in a season when we feel bound by gravity and more. It's a reminder to learn from the birds and butterflies, not merely how to be fierce, but how to heal by becoming, on occasion, free spirits.

The post is here. Wings's main page is here. It's only three photos today, and as always with Wings's work, they're available for purchase in any of the usual three formats; simply inquire via the site's Contact form. Also as always, sales are much needed (especially now), so shares of the site links are much appreciated.



All content, including photos and text, are copyright Wings and Aji, 2017; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

Interior west wall done. Still a lot of work (and expense) in a very small window. Shares needed.

Photo copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved.

West wall of the house — dining area and kitchen. That was today's accomplishment. That may not sound like much, but give the labor-intensive, meticulous nature of the work, it's a big deal. We're supposed to get rain later this week, and if so, they may come back before the weekend. They've got the north wall of the kitchen, the pantry cabinet and coat closet, the bathroom and utility room, the area around the vigas across the house, and the south wall to do yet. The south wall comes last, because it has to be done all in one shot, uninterrupted. You can't tell from the photo up there, but their work is incredibly clean around all the woodwork. Where the plaster joins that herringbone ceiling? It's truly a work of art.

I got no painting done today; a migraine, combined with the need to pick up more paint and constant hijacks of every task I tried to undertake took care of that. Maybe tomorrow. Or not.

In the meantime, the regular crew returns tomorrow. They've got casing to do upstairs, among other things, and we have to sit down and plot out the order of all the many, many things that remain to be done. Which means I'll be pulled in twenty directions at once tomorrow, too. You'd think after a year of this, I'd be used to it by now, but apparently not.

Anyway, there's a long road ahead, even if we are squeezed for time at this point. We've got to figure out how to fit a huge amount of work (and expense) into a very small window, so shares are essential at this point. Here are all the links:

• First, to donate, the PayPal link is here. 
• Second, for sales (which we really need to make, and I'll be highlighting some of his high-end stuff on the site this week), the link to Wings's site (preferably with a testimonial, if you have some of his work), because sales are gonna keep this thing rolling. 
• And finally, the link to our wishlist (which badly needs updating), with an emphasis on the Lowe's gift cards, because those are what will help us pay for all the stuff that will make this place liveable, like a water heater and flooring and so forth. A note here: I really do dislike Home Depot, but they have a terrific tile that would work for pretty much the entire downstairs (except the bathroom) that's less than a third of the price of a lot of what's comparable from Lowe's. So I might need to add them to the wishlist, too, much as it pains me. 

As I've also been saying, we need to make some sales, and sales of some of Wings's bigger-ticket items would go a very, very long way toward this phase (the most expensive of the entire process, unfortunately). We've been blessed with a couple of sales this week, and this weekend I've posted Wings's two latest works. I haven't even had time yet to do a separate post for the new micaceous pottery by a member of his extended family. Please share them as they go up; his new work in particular is pretty spectacular. I have more work this evening, and I have to get on it. Many thanks and much love to everyone.



All content, including photos and text, are copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

Monday Photo Meditation: Becoming the Hawk

Photo copyright Wings, 2017; all rights reserved.

Now posted at The NDN Silver Blog, it's a photo meditation for a memorial Monday, one in which the winds of war loom large. It's a reminder, too, that there is always time for fighting, but there must also be time for freeing the spirit, time for becoming the hawk in a way far different from the usual meaning.

The post is here. Wings's main page is here. As always, Wings's photos are available for purchase in any of the usual three formats; simply inquire via the site's Contact form. Also as always, sales are much needed, so shares of the site links are much appreciated.



All content, including photos and text, are copyright Wings and Aji, 2017; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

Exterior base coat DONE! Interior plaster and painting continues. Lots more to be done; shares needed.

Photo copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved.

That is what the remaining two sides of the house look like this evening. Philip brought a couple of extra guys today, and they had the west side (that's the shorter side, on the right) done within two hours. He also brought barbecued brisket for them to eat, plus dessert made by his wife. We've already scheduled the color coat: July 7th, which, if memory serves, will be exactly one year and one day after the first physical construction began on this house. 

There's still a long way to go.

In the meantime, remember that terrible patchy east wall in the kitchen? This is what it looks like now:

Photo copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved.

In addition to the nine guys on Philip's crew, Sherm brought two with him, so we had a literal dozen people working here today. And Sherm and his guys were rockin' the slick finish. Because of the exterior plaster, we've had to take the front door off the hinges and leave it off, and the wind is drying the interior plaster really, really fast. They made it look like silk and velvet simultaneously. There's a lot more to go, but they made serious progress today.

We made . . . hmmm, a little less progress, but still progress upstairs:

Photo copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved.

I got the two biggest walls covered with the metallic finish. I still have to do the other three, and while one is completely doable, the second can be done only part of the way, and the third (a small space) not at all. The ceiling is also not complete. Why? Because we ran out of paint, and this is a small town, where the hardware store closes on the Sunday of a holiday weekend.

Theoretically, it should have been more than enough paint. But with the texture on the walls (and with the heavy-nap rollers that have to be used as a result), it's impossible to gauge perfectly. This time, we were off by maybe a third of a gallon. Tuesday.

Speaking of what else couldn't be done today, and what did get done in spite of all common sense (or at least fear on my part):

Taping off the back wall of the stairwell. No, I didn't do it. Wings did it: on the right side, with the tall stepladder; on the left, with the extension ladder placed about four steps lower, and with Sherm holding it from the front and me holding it underneath. And I sweated bullets every second he was up there. Of course, I'm going to have to go up there, but the guys are gonna build me a scaffold to do it. Because the two side walls? The blue/silver/blue combo. The back wall? All metallics, in a neutral tones-ish combo. Which means that I have to be the one to do it.

This has been an incredibly expensive weekend here, with a big check out the door to Philip today, and more for Sherm's crew tomorrow. Tony and Reynaldo are back on Tuesday to pick up on their part of the work. We've got a long way to go to be able to live in it, which means that we continue to need consistent daily shares. Here are all the links:

• First, to donate, the PayPal link is here. 
• Second, for sales (which we really need to make, and I'll be highlighting some of his high-end stuff on the site this week), the link to Wings's site (preferably with a testimonial, if you have some of his work), because sales are gonna keep this thing rolling. 
• And finally, the link to our wishlist (which badly needs updating), with an emphasis on the Lowe's gift cards, because those are what will help us pay for all the stuff that will make this place liveable, like a water heater and flooring and so forth. A note here: I really do dislike Home Depot, but they have a terrific tile that would work for pretty much the entire downstairs (except the bathroom) that's less than a third of the price of a lot of what's comparable from Lowe's. So I might need to add them to the wishlist, too, much as it pains me.

As I've also been saying, we need to make some sales, and sales of some of Wings's bigger-ticket items would go a very, very long way toward this phase (the most expensive of the entire process, unfortunately). We've been blessed with a couple of sales this week, and this weekend I've posted Wings's two latest works. I haven't even had time yet to do a separate post for the new micaceous pottery by a member of his extended family. Please share them as they go up; his new work in particular is pretty spectacular. I have more work this evening, and I have to get on it. Many thanks and much love to everyone.



All content, including photos and text, are copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

A Transformative Spirit

Photo copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved.

Now posted at The NDN Silver Blog, it's Wings's newest work, completed only yesterday. It's a piece that summons the power and radiance of the storm, a transformative spirit whose power has much to teach us.

The post is here. Wings's main page is here. Inquiries via the site's Contact form. And, as always, sales are much needed (especially now), so shares of the site links are much appreciated.



All content, including photos and text, are copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

A little respite, and more sanctuary blues. Shares needed.

Photo copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved.

Today was the first day in more than a week that we had no one — no one — here in our faces today. It was like a mini-vacation, just Wings and me, with the place to ourselves for once. Originally, Sherm and his crew were going to be here to work on the interior plaster, but we all forgot what today was, which was the local high school graduation, so they bumped their work to tomorrow and Monday, and we canceled the other two folks. Tomorrow will be crazy-busy here again, with Philip bringing two more guys on his exterior crew (for a total of nine), and Sherm with his two guys. 

It'll be crazy-busy for us, too. I got those two additional walls in my writing refuge painted today, but that's only the base color coat. Tomorrow, Wings will do the ceiling while I'm sponging on the metallic coat (my custom mix of silver and pearlescent white). Monday for the dark blue sponge-off top coat. But there's a catch: Two of the other walls are in the stairwell (one partly; the other fully), and because we've changed our minds on the back wall of the stairwell, I have to be able to tape that off before I can do even the base color. I can't do that until our regular crew is back on Tuesday; Tony's promised to build me a quick-and-dirty scaffold for my stairwell work. But I need to get the walls that include windows and doors done so that he can finish casing them, and since one of those walls (the east one) extends into the stairwell, I've had to stop partway along and will have to do all three coats, leave an area just primed, and then go back to it later. And cross my fingers and pray that I can make the patterns random enough to match.

This is an incredibly expensive weekend here, not because of any celebrating of the legal holiday, but because of the cost of all the plaster work inside and out. We'll be writing one big check tomorrow, and then more on Monday. And while what's going on now represents a huge step in the whole process, it's only that — a step. We've got a long way to go to be able to live in it, which means that we continue to need consistent daily shares. Here are all the links:

• First, to donate, the PayPal link is here. 
• Second, for sales (which we really need to make, and I'll be highlighting some of his high-end stuff on the site this week), the link to Wings's site (preferably with a testimonial, if you have some of his work), because sales are gonna keep this thing rolling. 
• And finally, the link to our wishlist (which badly needs updating), with an emphasis on the Lowe's gift cards, because those are what will help us pay for all the stuff that will make this place liveable, like a water heater and flooring and so forth. 

As I've also been saying, we need to make some sales, and sales of some of Wings's bigger-ticket items would go a very, very long way toward this phase (the most expensive of the entire process, unfortunately). We've been blessed with a couple of sales this week, and today I posted the first of some of Wings's newest work, completed only today. Tomorrow, I'll be posting another piece (one more fabulous yet that I freely admit to coveting, but it's meant for someone else), and also some new micaceous pottery by a member of his extended family. Please watch for both posts and share them; his new work in particular is pretty spectacular. For now, I have more work to do yet tonight, plus dinner to fix. Many thanks and much love to everyone.



All content, including photos and text, are copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

A Work of Dreams and Open Skies

Photo copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved.

Now posted at The NDN Silver Blog, it's one of Wings's brand-new pieces, completed only this morning. It's a work of dreams and open skies, of the promise of endless possibility and the infinite reach of existence.

The post is here. Wings's main page is here. Inquiries via the site's Contact form. And, as always, sales are much needed (especially now), so shares of the site links are much appreciated.



All content, including photos and text, are copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

UPDATED w/more photos. Looklooklook! It's starting to look like a HOUSE! Shares still needed.

Photo copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved.

Here's the east side of the house; they did indeed get two sides completed today. Below is a corner view, showing the front (already drying, courtesy of the ever-increasing wind), and the new work on the side:

Photo copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved.

These were the two most difficult sides, with the big windows and the doors and the fancy lintels that had to be bullnosed. 

Here's a front view, showing the drying in the patchiness of the finish. When they come back Sunday, they'll hose it down and skim it again, too.

Photo copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved.

It was a hectic day of absolutely beautiful work, and a mostly good day, except for the fact that we lost one of our little girls about noon today:

Photo copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved.

It's hard to tell in the photo above, but if you click to enlarge it, you'll see that among the larger golden and charcoal-colored chicks, there are eight small black ones, the Australorps. One of those turned up inexplicably dead within a very short space of time today. If I had to guess, I think she got stepped on — one of the hazards of baby chicks is that they run around like, well, the proverbial chickens, and they run over and under each other constantly. They also step on each other, and sometimes the larger ones plant a big foot on the necks of the smaller ones. Sometimes, the results are quick and deadly. 

So little Iris, who was actually one of the larger 'Lorps, is buried next to little Sunflower, the Americauna who fell and died in the first go-round of this lot. They're also buried near Sky, and Stormy, and a few of the other larger ones who have left us in recent years, all around Carter's little spruce at the edge of the west garden. It's a beautiful spot in view of the pond and the willows. My one consolation is that, based on her appearance, it was instantaneous and she didn't suffer.

__________________________________________

Photo copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved.

That's where they started this morning: on the roof. It hadn't even occurred to me, but of course, the inside of the parapets need to be plastered, too.

Philip and the first of the crew were here at 7:10 this morning, 20 minutes early. The full crew consists of seven guys (including Philip himself), and right now, they're all sitting inside on the stairs where it's cool, eating pizza. They need it; this is hard work. It seems to be a mix of older experienced guys and young ones learning the trade, and they're doing a fabulous job. Here's how they do it:

Photo copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved.

Yup. The old way — raising the mud in buckets via a rope, then lowering the empty bucket to be cleaned and refilled.

Here's a close-up of the completed float finish (the base coat):

Photo copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved.

And here's the difference between scratch and float — i.e., what it looks like when it's first troweled on, and what it looks like once they've floated it:

Photo copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved.

Before they broke for lunch, they'd already gotten the mud troweled onto most of the front of the house:

Photo copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved.

And they say they expect to get one of the other sides done yet today.

Tomorrow is graduation here, so they'll be off celebrating with family members who are getting their diplomas. They're coming back on Sunday, and Philip says they should be able to finish the whole house then. They are skilled, and fast, and I believe him. Then it has to sit and cure for a few weeks before they can add the color coat. While that's happening, work on the interior will continue, provided we can fund it; once the color coat is on, Tony and the other guys will build the balcony/upstairs deck.

Of course, none of this is free. It's not cheap, either. But what it is is sturdy, and incredibly energy-efficient besides. It will more than pay for itself in the relative short term; over the life of the house (which will far outlast us)? It's a huge bargain. But in a place where there's no such thing as financing, it takes a lot of cash up front. And we've got a long way to go to be able tot live in it, which means that we continue to need consistent daily shares. Here are all the links:

• First, to donate, the PayPal link is here. 
• Second, for sales (which we really need to make, and I'll be highlighting some of his high-end stuff on the site this week), the link to Wings's site (preferably with a testimonial, if you have some of his work), because sales are gonna keep this thing rolling. 
• And finally, the link to our wishlist (which badly needs updating), with an emphasis on the Lowe's gift cards, because those are what will help us pay for all the stuff that will make this place liveable, like a water heater and flooring and so forth. 

As I've also been saying, we need to make some sales, and sales of some of Wings's bigger-ticket items would go a very, very long way toward this phase (the most expensive of the entire process, unfortunately). I'm off to a thousand other tasks preparatory to more painting upstairs tomorrow. Many thanks and much love to everyone.




All content, including photos and text, are copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

Friday Feature: A Song for the Waters

Photo copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved.

It's our Friday Feature at The NDN Silver Blog, with a work from this month's featured artist that evokes the feel and sound of this day and season. It's an image of a traditional flute player beneath a riverside arbor, one who plays a song for the waters, and for the world.

The post is here. Wings's main page is here. Inquiries via the site's Contact form. And, as always, sales are much needed, so shares of the site links are much appreciated.

 

All content, including photos and text, are copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

Exterior plaster prep; upstairs tile mostly done. Issues, problems, expenses all day long. Shares needed.

Photo copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved.

Yesterday I said today would be crazy-busy. I had no idea. This day has been a theatre of the absurd, and on a day with both a migraine and pain levels jacked to eleven, so I'm doing well to string two words together at this point.

Philip and Steve showed up at 8 AM, and from that point on, it's been just ridiculous. In addition to them, we had the gravel guys with the load of sand, and the guys from Randall's with the pallets of Portland cement and lime:

Photo copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved.

The tile guys got here not long after, and they more or less finished off the upstairs bath. The sealant isn't here yet (see below; if I'd known, we would've brought it home with us on Tuesday, but whatever), but that's all that remains to be done, and it couldn't've been done today anyway, since the grout has to dry first. The sealant will give it that nice dark shiny look.

Photo copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved.

Then my b-i-l showed up with the three nieces in tow to pick up some ramps to work on his daughter's car. The girls wanted to pet the chickens (meaning the baby chicks), and the youngest managed to get herself stuck in the bathroom. Yes, she's out now. She has a new nickname.

I spoke with Lowe's at 8:45 AM, and they said delivery was scheduled for between 8 AM and noon. Gee, nice of you to let us know about the 8 AM thing, because the gate's not usually open then, but whatever. They never showed. I found out, close to 6 PM, that something's still not in, redelivery is scheduled for Sunday, and they were supposed to have called Wings to let him know but no one did. That's not a "but whatever."

Philip and Steve will be back at 7:30 AM tomorrow, which means I have to get up and around even earlier to get stuff done before they get here, and they'll finish the final (west) wall of upstairs lath and start plastering. They had to do some extra stuff on the lower level today, because the crew skipped a step, apparently; that's handled. Starting tomorrow, the house will begin to look very, very different, with the base coat going on; they expect to get two sides done tomorrow, and the rest on Sunday, if the weather permits. It'll be gray, but the paper and lath will finally be covered; the color comes in a few weeks.

In the meantime, this happened, which points up the necessity of scrounging up the $12K to fix the problem with spring flooding the new septic pit:

Photo copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved.

So we need shares. We laid out an unholy amount of money today, and there will be more on Sunday, and more still next week, and none of that touches the septic system fix. We're back to needing consistent daily shares to keep the work going; otherwise, we'll be calling a halt next week. Here are all the links:

1. First, to donate, the PayPal link is here.
2. Second, for sales (which we really need to make, and I'll be highlighting some of his high-end stuff on the site this week), the link to Wings's site (preferably with a testimonial, if you have some of his work), because sales are gonna keep this thing rolling. 
3. And finally, the link to our wishlist (which badly needs updating), with an emphasis on the Lowe's gift cards, because those are what will help us pay for all the stuff that will make this place liveable, like a water heater and flooring and so forth. 

As I've also been saying, we need to make some sales, and sales of some of Wings's bigger-ticket items would go a very, very long way toward this phase (the most expensive of the entire process, unfortunately). And now, I have to figure out something for dinner using a brain that's no longer functioning, and then I have more work ahead of me tonight, so I'd best get on it. Many thanks and much love to everyone.

All content, including photos and text, are copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

#TBT: Calling the Water, Touching the Sky

Photo copyright Wings, 2017; 
all rights reserved.

It's #ThrowbackThursday at The NDN Silver Blog, with a work from about a decade ago that holds multiple meanings. It's a pendant that symbolizes the power of medicine and holds the power of the vortex, a work for calling the water, touching the sky.

The post is here. Wings's main page is here. This one sold long ago, but if the style speaks to your spirit, simply inquire via the site's Contact form; Wings once executed a small but substantial signature series of hand-related works, and he can create a version uniquely your own. And, as always, sales are much needed (especially now), so shares of the site links are much appreciated.



All content, including photos and text, are copyright Wings and Aji, 2017; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

Shower base tiled; tomorrow gets crazy-busy (& crazy-expensive). Shares needed.

Photo copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved.

They got the shower base tiled today, and the curb. Tomorrow, they'll grout all of that and the bathroom floor. Meanwhile, Philip's coming to lath the upper-level exterior preparatory to the plaster base coat, and if we're lucky, Sherm and his guys will be here to work on the interior plaster with the Red Top mix.

It's endless.

So are the costs, and as I said last night, the septic system mess (the one time when a spring is not good news), combined with all of the materials purchases and labor costs of the last month, have wiped us out. We're back to needing consistent daily shares to keep the work going; otherwise, we'll be calling a halt next week. Here are all the links:

1. First, to donate, the PayPal link is here.
2. Second, for sales (which we really need to make, and I'll be highlighting some of his high-end stuff on the site this week), the link to Wings's site (preferably with a testimonial, if you have some of his work), because sales are gonna keep this thing rolling. 
3. And finally, the link to our wishlist (which badly needs updating), with an emphasis on the Lowe's gift cards, because those are what will help us pay for all the stuff that will make this place liveable, like a water heater and flooring and so forth. 

As I've also been saying, we need to make some sales, and sales of some of Wings's bigger-ticket items would go a very, very long way toward this phase (which is by far the most expensive, as all the guys are so fond of reminding of us : "Oh, you thought you had the expensive part done? Hahahaha, it's just beginning!"). I'll be highlighting some of his pricier works on the site this week, beginning with today's post, and it would help us a lot if folks would be sure to share those links far and wide; you never know who might be a collector, or just moved by a particular piece and inspired to buy. I also will, if the evening goes smoothly enough for me to squeeze it in, be posting a new pottery piece from a member of his extended family, one whose work we've only carried in miniature form in recent years. This is a full-sized piece, and it's fabulous. 

Now, it's back to the salt mines, and evening chores besides. Many thanks and much love to everyone.

All content, including photos and text, are copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

A Grateful Spirit

Photo copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved.

Now posted at The NDN Silver Blog, it's what I have long regarded as perhaps Wings's greatest masterwork to date, one that braids ancient and modern together into a perfect expression of gratitude. It's art as offering and offering as art, one that reminds us that a grateful spirit is what enables us to survive storm and season.

The post is here. Wings's main page is here. Inquiries via the site's Contact form. And, as always, sales are much needed (especially now), so shares of the site links are much appreciated.



All content, including photos and text, are copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

Home again, and wiped out. It starts all over again tomorrow morning. Shares needed.

Photo copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved.

We had to be gone all day picking up materials; just got home a little while ago, and we're both beat. While we were gone, the tile guys got the bathroom floor laid. They'll grout it tomorrow, and lay the tile that goes on the shower base either tomorrow or Thursday.

Up above is the view, as of tonight, from the doorway on the east side. From the west side, it looks like this:

Photo copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved.

Those were taken with the flash up, obviously. It wasn't pitch dark yet, but there's no power to the house yet — Victor can't do that until Sherm's crew is done with the interior plaster (and the electric is another $1,700 in the offing, natch).

Also, we had a visitor: When we got upstairs, a starling was frantically bouncing between the French doors and the east windows of the master bedroom. He either got in under the tarp across the front, or he sneaked him at some point when the guys had the side door open. I let him out the French doors.

And it all starts again bright and early tomorrow. I am so freaking tired. Also worried about the situation with the septic system, which just jacked our overall cost by a huge amount, and we don't have any options but to roll with it. Roll to the tune of an additional $12K, which is fine if you've gotten a huge construction loan and hired one contractor to deal with ALL of it, but this is tribal land, and there's no such thing. So I'm going to be more than a little stressed for the weeks to come.

As I said last night, the septic system mess (the one time when a spring not good news), combined with all of the materials purchases and labor costs of the last month, have wiped us out. We're back to needing consistent daily shares to keep the work going; otherwise, we'll be calling a halt next week. Here are all the links:

1. First, to donate, the PayPal link is here.
2. Second, for sales (which we really need to make, and I'll be highlighting some of his high-end stuff on the site this week), the link to Wings's site (preferably with a testimonial, if you have some of his work), because sales are gonna keep this thing rolling. 
3. And finally, the link to our wishlist (which badly needs updating), with an emphasis on the Lowe's gift cards, because those are what will help us pay for all the stuff that will make this place liveable, like a water heater and flooring and so forth. 

As I also said last night, we need to make some sales, and sales of some of Wings's bigger-ticket items would go a very, very long way toward this phase (which is by far the most expensive, as all the guys are so fond of reminding of us : "Oh, you thought you had the expensive part done? Hahahaha, it's just beginning!"). Later this week, I'll be highlighting some of his pricier works on the site, and it would help us a lot if folks would be sure to share those links far and wide; you never know who might be a collector, or just moved by a particular piece and inspired to buy. For now, I have to get back to the task list (and people) hectoring me from the sidelines about a thousand and one things, so many thanks and much love to everyone.

All content, including photos and text, are copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

Red Willow Spirit: Water, Stone, and Sky

Photo copyright Wings, 2017; all rights reserved.

Now posted at The NDN Silver Blog, it's an edition of Red Willow Spirit for a day when spring has finally come into its own. It's also a day when the spirits of water, stone, and sky converge in the oldest of ways, and a day when we make our own way in their presence and their protection.

The post is here. Wings's main page is here. Today's post consists of two photos, available in any of the usual three formats, and an image of The Waters, one of his newer works, also available for purchase; simply inquire via the site's Contact form. And, as always, sales are much needed (especially now), so shares of the site links are much appreciated.



All content, including photos and text, are copyright Wings and Aji, 2017; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.

UPDATED: It's not a zoo; it's a disaster. It's a zoo. Septic system install, & new expenses looming fast. Shares needed.

Photo copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved.

UPDATE: It's officially a disaster. There's a very temporary fix, for now, but we're going to have to go with the permanent fix sooner rather than later, and it's gonna cost us. Big.

This is one of those things from the genuine "no one could have predicted" files. That water in the put, shown in the photo below, is not merely the water table; it's fed by a spring, right there. All these centuries, and no one ever knew that there was a spring in that spot; hell, if Wings had known, he might have sited the well differently, as well as a few other things. Anyway. None of that matters now, because this is where we are.

There are options for dealing with it, but they're hugely expensive. All that can be done, at the moment, is to proceed with the install as-is; it'll be at least a couple of months before we can move in anyway, and so there won't be any flow to the tank. Junior also ordered us the hermetically-sealed variety, rather than the two-piece version, which is a bit more expensive but much safer, and that's exponentially more important now. 

These situations are actually apparently fairly common, even here in the high desert, and they have a specific means of dealing with them; they install an evaporative system that takes care of the water inflow into the pit, and keeps it from overloading the system. But — and it's a big-ass but — that's a $17 grand system. 

Yes. Seventeen. Thousand. Dollars.

We don't have it.

Relocating it's not feasible; it'll be what we're already paying, again (save the tank cost, obvs), and there's no guarantee before they dig that it won't have the same result. What we're going to do, for now, is deal with it as-is, and if we have to pump it more frequently before we can convert it, that's what we'll have to do. But within six months (preferably sooner), we'll need to get them back out here to open up the pit again, install the evaporative system, and then dig the leach field. The good news is that it's $17K less what we've put into it, and today will not be $4,100, since they can't complete the leach-field part of the install. But we're still going to need to come up with $12K dedicated just to this. And no, none of this is them trying to bilk anyone; they're actually giving us a break, having just billed someone elsewhere $24K for a similar system. It really was something entirely unpredictable; no one has ever known of a spring on this land within six feet of the surface.


And yes, it took every ounce of self-control I had not to burst into tears when he said $17k. Not enough to keep from blurting out "Holy fuck," and then collapsing onto the nearest seat, though. But as with everything else, the process is under way, and there's no way out but forward at this point, so, hey, guess what, we've going to have to tack on another $12K to everything else we have to raise to finish this house. But it gives us a tiny bit of breathing room for the rest of this week, even if the bigger bill down the road will be a nightmare.

Anyway, yes, here's that PayPal link. Gah.

Photo copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved.

This day was ridiculous by ten o'clock. More on that later. for now, this is how it begins, with the excavation. The guys were here at 8:30 ON THE DOT this morning. Their company name is In & Out, and they absolutely live up to it: No wasted time, no dragging stuff out. They also know their stuff, and while they're a little more expensive than some of the other area providers, they're right in line with most of them, and so we always go back to them for whatever's needed.

So, they got four feet down, and hit this:

Photo copyright Aji, 2017;
all rights reserved.

That's the water table in that spot. They're going deeper than four feet, but for now, they've got to get the water out. Wings's pump wasn't strong enough to handle the vertical slope, so they had to go back and get theirs. In the meantime, it did this:

Photo copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved.

That's up and entire foot. So they're pumping and excavating kind of simultaneously. In the meantime, this showed up:

Photo copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved.

That's the actual septic tank. Here's a close-up, for those of you who, like me, have never seen one before:

Photo copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved.

And this stuff is something called EZFlow, which is being used in the install:

Photo copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved.

They're long duffel bag-like tubes of foam pieces, much like those styrofoam "peanuts" used in packing and shipping. These, however, are made of something different, something high-tech and supposedly more environmentally friendly than the old fills and liners. They're also supposed to be safer in terms of protecting the tank, even apart from the eco stuff, so I hope they're as good as they're cracked up to be.

Another $4,100 will go out the door this afternoon.

::Pauses to scream internally::

::Deep breath::

Okay. Back at it. It's just endless, and there are so many more expenses coming down the pike. As in this week. We've been fortunate that Wings received the commission that permitted us to do this, and start the other big-ticket item, the exterior work, but that's only a start. And this, combined with all of the materials purchases and labor costs of the last month, have wiped us out. We're back to needing consistent daily shares to keep the work going; otherwise, we'll be calling a halt next week. Here are all the links:

1. First, to donate, the PayPal link is here.
2. Second, for sales (which we really need to make, and I'll be highlighting some of his high-end stuff on the site this week), the link to Wings's site (preferably with a testimonial, if you have some of his work), because sales are gonna keep this thing rolling. 
3. And finally, the link to our wishlist (which badly needs updating), with an emphasis on the Lowe's gift cards, because those are what will help us pay for all the stuff that will make this place liveable, like a water heater and flooring and so forth. 

We need to make some sales, and sales of some of his bigger-ticket items would go a very, very long way toward this phase (which is by far the most expensive, as all the guys are so fond of reminding of us : "Oh, you thought you had the expensive part done? Hahahaha, it's just beginning!"). Later this week, I'll be highlighting some of Wings's pricier works on the site, and it would help us a lot if folks would be sure to share those links far and wide; you never know who might be a collector, or just moved by a particular piece and inspired to buy. For now, I have to get back to the task list (and people) hectoring me from the sidelines about a thousand and one things, so many thanks and much love to everyone.

All content, including photos and text, are copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.