And then everything went out.

Photo copyright Aji, 2021; all rights reserved.

[Note:  This is yesterday's (Wednesday's) post, written then but unable to post because of our massive power outage. We were among the last to get power back, just before 4 PM today.  That green thing in the field is the feeder; Wings built it himself, and it was SOLID. The winds tore it off the base and deposited it close to three full house lengths  o the east.]

See that in the field?  That’s the west bird feeder.  The winds this morning ripped it entirely off its base and deposited it in the middle of the east field, two full house lengths and more over.

Seventy-plus-mph winds.  Gusts, theoretically, but when they’re sustained that long, it kind of obviates the term.  We were awakened a little after five by the storm: a little snow, but mostly sleet and hail battering the house and everything else, winds driving completely horizontal, and the most ferocious electrical storm either of us has ever seen here, not merely bolts but also lightning balls exploding in the darkened sky just outside the bedroom window, like tracers and IEDs in wartime footage.

And then everything went out.

We have no power, and no idea when we’ll get it back. The main line on the road at our west boundary was downed in the storm, but power’s also out at the south end of town (Ranchos, et al.), over to the west on Blueberry Hill and toward Tres Piedras, and then from El Prado northeast to us all the way up to the Ski Valley and due north all the way to the Colorado state line. It downed lines, yes, but also snapped poles like twigs, and the radio station’s old abandoned transmission tower three miles west of us is threatening to come down in the winds, which means a crew needs to be diverted to try to stabilize and monitor that. Which raises the question why a public danger has been allowed to stand abandoned, but you know.

Anyway, we’re lucky.  We have a warm home (upstairs not so much, but it’s fine) and plenty of firewood to feed the woodstoves.  No power, and soon no water because the well pumps are all electric these days, but we can use bottled water.  [No, I haven’t gotten a shower today; why do you ask?]  There were jut a few quick blips of electricity coursing through the circuitry while they’re working on the lines, although everything’s dead again now.  And a few minutes ago a very nice young man from tribal CPS came by and knocked at the door to check on us and make sure we were okay, since we’re “way out here.”

I have no idea when this will actually post; maybe yet today, maybe tomorrow or several days from now. So much that I needed to do today but can’t, and like so much else, it’s out of our control entirely at this point.

Speaking of health issues, our doctor's practice is a certified community health center. They are currently in the middle of their year-end appeal, and since they are a qualifying non-profit, donations are tax-deductible. They treat a large cross-section of grossly-underserved local populations, and they need help now. Since this is the doctor who saved both our lives, we'll be giving again this year, no matter what. You should, too, and tell 'em we sent you. You can do that here.

But the work just keeps piling up. So do the expenses. I'm currently waiting for delivery of the other beads and cabs that Wings needs for his next set, and for several other things in the pipeline. There was yesterday's small fortune to the doctor. And all of that means that I need to bring in enough to cover all that outlay, because none of this comes cheap.

Yeah, it always comes back to that: more sales. A lot more, because we have two years' worth of a shattered pandemic economy to make up for, by which I mean we need to gain more ground ourselves financially to be able to be sure of making it through the winter. And again, if you're planning on commissioning gifts for the holidays, DO IT NOW. [And that includes just ordinary orders for the holidays, too.] Yes, I mean NOW. We have about one more week for shipping, and then no guarantees on delivery in time. We're 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. More to the point of what customers care about, we also can't guarantee shipping times this year, because see above. But I've posted a ton of Wings's new work lately, and there will be more in the days and weeks to come. If I could sell one of the big works, like one of the belts, maybe I could get us on the drill list for the well that is the only thing that's going to keep this land alive. But I've got way too much to do and too few hours and other resources to do it. 

Anyway, I have GOT to continue to make sales, so links are here:

• Sales here; 
• Testimonials here; 
• Amazon wishlist here (priorities are first and foremost, the ladders, because see above);
• 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.