One bright spot.

Photo copyright Aji, 2019; all rights reserved.

I meant to post this the other day; that's what the woodstoves look like after the chimney people clean them and the flues. Ours were in good shape, albeit definitely due for their annual cleaning. From the sound of things, I guess a lot of people don't bother until they start having trouble with keeping the fires going, and then when the guys come out to take a look, there are inches' worth of creosote build-up flash-burned into the walls of the flue. Ours were simply dusted with a thin coat of dry, powdery soot, the kind of consistency you want (and that you don't want to go any farther). It's a significant cost, but it's worth it for the safety and functionality. We also got twice as much off as I expected (I thought the coupon was for $50 off, but it was $50 off per stove, and we paid only about 2/3 of what it cost us last year). We spend so much less on heat than ever before, since we're not dependent on either electricity or propane for it. One bright spot in all the current expenses, even if the photo looks drab and gray. 

Yesterday was also the first day all year (yes, all of 2019) that we haven't had a fire in at least one of the stoves. None today, either, but that's likely to change again tomorrow. Shows how much our weather/climate/temperatures have shifted again this year. Meanwhile, Ivan's finally done; he picked up the bales yesterday around midday, so his cattle have some free feed and we have fewer places for snakes and mosquitoes to hide. That, too, is another byproduct of climate change; two years ago, those fields were rich with alfalfa, but last year's drought burned them, literally, and so badly that most what's growing there now is weeds (the kind that are unhealthy for horses but will probably survive the apocalypse).

I'll be making those two big payments this evening (turns out I can do both online, apparently), so that's $2,700 between quarterly taxes and biopsy bills going out the door today alone. We sold two pieces a few days ago, coming to something less than a third of that two-bill total. But I've got to make some sales this weekend to cover the rest of this, so what follows is all the cut-and-paste: sales here; testimonials here; wishlist (such as it is still) here. Thanks to the two folks who sent in testimonials; once again, I'm going to try to get them up tonight, although it all depends on how the rest of the day goes. We need more folks to send them in, too. Wings dropped his new bead pieces (two necklaces; four pairs of earrings) a few days ago; you can find the summary post here. Please share their individual links, and be on the lookout for the other new works, especially the belt, which he hopes will be done finally this week. He also has two new cuffs (which, if all goes well, will drop later today or tonight, so please be on the lookout), two new necklaces, and a pair of earrings in the works. [Edit: Also, his new beads are waiting at the P.O. box here, as noted above, so he will no doubt have more in the new series of necklaces and earrings soon; these are from a U.K. lapidarist, and they are a phenomenal selection, so you'll want to watch for them, as well.] And while I spend every spare moment chasing those sales, there aren't many spare moments for me these days, especially with my ongoing breathing issues and whatever else is going on that they haven't identified yet. So please, help us get the word out. I've got to bring in more sales somehow.



All content, including photos and text, are copyright Aji, 2019; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.