Markers mostly for good.

Photo copyright Aji, 2021; all rights reserved.

I got up early this morning to catch the sunrise. This is the month when we get the fire in the morning sky, and this day represents our first real such dawn of the season. 

Today represents other things, too, markers mostly for good: a new moon; the fourth anniversary of the first night we slept in our home. It's also a morning when I have the weight of one bureaucratic burden off my shoulders; yesterday afternoon I got through the third of what was at least four, probably five or six or more steps in the process, and at two minutes to five yesterday afternoon, I received a notification that I didn't need to worry about the rest. However, this morning I'm going to drop off extra documentation, just to make sure all bases are covered. Still, it's a huge weight off, one that would've been a 7+-months-long burden.

We also need to do grocery shopping. Fortunately, that's covered; last month, the tribe distributed gift cards to two grocery stores, so we can fill our nearly-empty freezer again. They also gave us a generous pound (by which I mean it's more than a pound) of ground buffalo and a buffalo roast. I wish colonial governments would care about their people even a fraction as much.

Still. I'm paying quarterly taxes today, and I have most of our regular monthly bills yet to pay, plus vet fees for the pups' shots at the end of the month. Wings has his audiology follow-up on Friday, and if they think we can pay $1,200 for those aids they're very much mistaken. One form said they were approved, so I'm hoping that means the cost is covered, but I know better than to bet on it. Meanwhile, I still have not scheduled my eye appointment, which I need to make sure the lupus meds aren't damaging my vision (and to reorder lenses I'm a year overdue in ordering), because the whole thing is likely to set us back another grand.

But the worst is the constant fight to keep the land alive, and the animals, and ourselves. We need that well, and we can't even get on the drill list. Oh, and now? Saturday I had to order a new burner for the propane tank that heats Wings's studio, another $100 our the door, because the one we bought last year is deader than a doornail, and in this season, there will be no silverwork without heat.

I've got to bring in more income, and without sales, there's no way to do that. We're also dealing with the same supply-chain issues as everyone else, and at some point soon, Wings is going to have to get silver and stones to produce holiday inventory, and I'm hearing that the price is already spiking on the metals. I've posted a ton of new work by Wings: another new pair of silverwork earrings Sunday night, here, and three all new pieces here two nights ago, in addition to other recent ones here and here (one of those is now sold) and here, and here. If I could sell one of the big works, like one of the belts, maybe I could get us on the drill list. But I've got way too much to do and too few hours and other resources to do it. 

Anyway, lupus pain is spiking badly and I've got a ton of physical stuff yet to do, including errands, so links are here:

• Sales here; 
• Testimonials here; 
• Amazon wishlist here (priorities are first and foremost, the ladders, because see above, and coffee coffee coffee, which we're finding it harder and harder to get locally);
• Patreon here;
• Ko-fi here.

And if you've been contemplating a purchase? This would be a very, very good time to do it; I've got to cover all this staggering outlay somehow and get us through what's left of the year. And right now? I have no way to do it.  But there's lots of fabulous new work, so please share all of the links. 

All content, including photos and text, are copyright Wings and Aji, 2021; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.