We have light! And power. And a long way to go. Shares needed.

Photo copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved.

Yes! Lights! Also working ceiling fans, and everything else. The house is live now. Not liveable yet, but a big step closer today. They've got to come back one more time, after the deck is built, so they can get the upper exterior light installed; at the same time, they'll deal with that breaker box connector issue (the one Butthead Miskwaki loosened, which isn't a big deal but needs to be anchored), and they'll install the smoke/CO2 detectors, which are not in yet (because I dropped the ball, as with seemingly everything else these days).

That's the living room; I've got a lot more photos, but no energy to deal with posting them. Today was supposed to be slower, and it was just a repeat of every day this week in terms of the punishing pace and level of stress, and I'm still way behind. The woodstove guy came out today, and managed to irritate me ten minutes in (I really, really dislike it when men interrupt, talk over, and refuse to to listen to me, and all the more so when I wasn't talking to him in the first place, but to Wings, and mansplaining is never a good idea with me). I've mostly farmed that out to Wings, because I don't need the extra irritation right now; god knows I've got enough that is outside of anyone's control.

We were trying to itemize what's left to do a little while ago, and verbalized in one long string like that, it seems endless. It's not, but I'm losing momentum because I cannot sleep in this place any longer, and lack of sleep has my autoimmune complex out of control, and the upshot is that I can't function anymore. I sprained my right ankle again today — why? Because my balance is so bad because of my symptoms right now. Dahlia's leg is still not functional, either; Miskwaki apparently got kicked by Shade and now has a cut on his right hind; Raven and She-Wolf went running on the east side where they're not supposed to go, and now She-Wolf has a small wire cut on her left lower eyelid; and I am ready to scream. If I don't get several days' worth of real sleep soon, I'm not going to make it long enough to get into the house in the first place. Everything's still too far out.

And so now you know why whatever typos are in this post are here, and why some of the sentences probably make no sense. My cognitive issues with the brain fog are as out of control as the physical ones. So as I said last night, bear with me, because I'm going to be missing things right and left, and this flare is not going to end anytime soon. For now, here are the links (and if anyone wants to know, Home Depot cards are far and away the most useful thing right now, although eventually the plumber's are going to demand their cash):

• Wings's site, for sales;
• Lowe's cards (the physical version) via our Amazon wishlist;
• Lowe's e-cards (delivered via e-mail) here; and
• Home Depot cards via the company site. The e-version using my e-mail address is great; I take the tablet to the store with me, and they scan it off the screen.

Please share them all, as much as possible. One large sale would go a long way toward making up the difference (the water heater is paid in full, but now there's all the other stuff, including the softener that has to go in before hook-up; yes, it's expensive, but it's going to save us a ton in the long run). Love and thanks to everyone, and I'm out for the night.

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: Prayers for the Summer Eagle

Photo copyright Wings, 2017;
all rights reserved.

It's #ThrowbackThursday at The NDN Silver Blog, with a work from some seven or eight years ago, an entry in one of Wings's small signature series of summer. It's a necklace wrought in the shape of an eagle feather and set with opalized serpentine, a talisman to wear year-round in making prayers for the summer eagle to carry skyward.

The post is here. Wings's main page is here. This one sold not long after it was created, but if the style speaks to your spirit, simply inquire via the site's Contact form; as always, Wings can create a version uniquely your own. Also as always, sales are very much needed (especially now), so shares of the site links are very 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.

This day . . . . Hectic, expensive progress. A lot more to come. Shares needed.

Photo copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved.

Good lord, this day. Half the time I can barely stand right now, and yet I had to be literally on the run from about 8:30 onward. My blood pressure is not doing so hot, either (or, rather, maybe too hot), given the butcher's bill for the plumbing/septic. You can't hear the sigh that just escaped, but believe me, it was epic.

So. A little over $15K yet to be paid to the plumbers, for everything. We knocked $2,500 off that today with a check, but the rest will have to be paid soon, too. So basically, we can pay them not-quite-all-of-it and be at a standstill (and still owe them some), or parcel this out over a longer term and get, you know, the rest of the work done so we can move in. So we're going with the latter approach. I'm hoping we can give them another $2 grand by this weekend/early next week, which will take care of one component of the overall bill, but that's not definite. On the plus side, they finished off the grading and fill where the land was so badly torn up, and you can see the results in the photos above and below. When I took the one above, it was storming, which is why it's so dark, but it gives you a wide-angle view of just how much work they did to flatten it out and distribute and grade the gravel. Here's a close-up of the new drain into the pond:

Photo copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved.

The tank itself is now completely sealed and locked and ready to go. I learned a couple of things about it today that make me feel better about the added expense. With our current septic tank (the one that was misinstalled back in '99), we have to get it pumped every six months, on average, at roughly $110 a pop. This tank will only need to be pumped once every two years. Yes, I'm sure the cost will be higher, but it'll save in convenience too, and also save the land, given that that monster truck won't have to drive onto it as often. The other thing that is especially good news? When they installed the French drain, they had also shifted to a different kind of evaporative system to deal with the groundwater. Originally, they'd planned to use one with an electrical hook-up, and I was concerned about both the power drain and whether there'd be a spike in electrical costs (and I was afraid we'd lose all the savings we're gaining on our current heating costs). But given the height of the groundwater, they were concerned that, during monsoon season, at a minimum, it would have to be on virtually nonstop (rather than kicking on only when the water reaches a certain level and triggers it), and that would burn out the motor much faster. So they switched it to a natural aeration system that works both with and against the groundwater, with the French drain diverting the runoff into the pond when it reaches a certain level. This means that there will be absolutely no electrical power associated with the septic system, which means no added costs, which means that these $500-800/month bills we've been pulling in the cold months? A thing of the past. Last month, we finally got our electric bill completely current for what may be the first time ever since we got stuck in this tin can. If we can get into the house before the cold really settles in, it should stay that way.

There was more going on than just plumbing stuff today, though.

Photo copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved.

Tony and Reynaldo got all, count 'em, all the baseboards in upstairs.

Photo copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved.

Sherm and Marcos started setting the bases and anchors for the deck posts.

Photo copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved.

And Marcos 2 and Junior 2 started installing the light fixtures. Those are the porch lights. Inside, they got a good share of the downstairs done:

Photo copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved.

That's the living room; they also got the coat closet, laundry room, dining room, two of the kitchen fixtures (it's a series of small inexpensive lights), and the side door exterior. The kitchen sink, pantry, stairwell, and most of the upstairs (including one between the upstairs exterior doors) remain to be done. They think they'll have it finished tomorrow, but I'm betting Friday. Once it's done and live, Ismael will come out to test the hot and cold water and turn the water heater fully live. Tomorrow the woodstove guy is coming out to spec installing our stoves. And at some point, Floyd and his crew will be here to start the tile.

And I am so fricking' beat, I can barely string together a coherent thought. you have no idea how long this post is taking me, because I keep screwing up my sentences. My body was not ready to have to do anything on command today, and it wasn't given a choice, so I'm wiped. I don't know how long this flare is going to last, so that may not change anytime soon, given our circumstances. So bear with me, because I'm going to be missing things right and left. For now, here are the links (and if anyone wants to know, Home Depot cards are far and away the most useful thing right now, although eventually the plumber's are going to demand their cash):

• Wings's site, for sales;
• Lowe's cards (the physical version) via our Amazon wishlist;
• Lowe's e-cards (delivered via e-mail) here; and
• Home Depot cards via the company site. The e-version using my e-mail address is great; I take the tablet to the store with me, and they scan it off the screen.

Please share them all, as much as possible. One large sale would go a long way toward making up the difference (the water heater is paid in full, but now there's all the other stuff, including the softener that has to go in before hook-up; yes, it's expensive, but it's going to save us a ton in the long run). Like last night, I'm going to limp out to the chicken coop and try to get all the little monsters in for the night before full dark. Then what passes for a shower in this thing, and I think I'm done. Well, it doesn't really matter what I think; my body's done, and that kinda governs. Love and thanks 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 Message From the Earth, a Prayer for the People

Photo copyright Aji, 2017;
all rights reserved.

Now posted at The NDN Silver Blog, it's a reminder from the remaining small spirits of summer of our obligation to our collective mother. It's a message from the earth, a prayer for the people, delivered in turn by those same seasonal spirits on our behalf.

The post is here. Wings's main page is here. Inquiries via the site's Contact form. And, as always, sales are very 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.

Back where we started, with batter boards and Bobcats. Shares needed.

Photo copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved.

Yup; back where we were more than a year ago, just beginning this whole process: with batter boards and Bobcats.

Only different.

I bet you don't know what it is you're actually seeing in that photo up there. Yes, the Bobcat, but that's only the means; the end is past it. Up close, it looks like this:

Photo copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved.

See how nice and flat all that earth is? That's what Junior dug up and left, scars in the earth approaching two feet deep. Senior came out today for a completely different purpose, which the electrician's failure to show yesterday largely effed up, so he went back, got the Bobcat, and corrected the mess now that the ground is finally drying up somewhat. Raven approves, clearly.

What Senior and his employee showed up to do was to get the gas to the house hooked up, tested, and live. Unfortunately, the electrician needed to have completed his part of the whole hooking-up thing, and of course he bailed with no notice yesterday, so the plumbers could do part of the job, but not all of it. They did, however, manage to get us this:

Photo copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved.

A nice new hookup to the propane tank for the house. Once Victor gets the electrical done (and he will get it done this week, because I will be his worst nightmare if he screws around), Ismael will come back out and finish it, and then we can theoretically go upstairs in the house and take a real shower, even if we can't yet live in it. Even a bath, which we have not been able to do in seven years. So you understand my sense of urgency regarding the electrical work.

Photo copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved.

The rest of the crew did a little on the woodwork today, but it was relatively minor, because mostly it was finishing up the sealing on the baseboards and small doors and setting them to dry. They spent the vast majority of the day outside, going back to batter boards. you can see them at either end of the house in the photo above. Here's a close-up:

Photo copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved.

The chickens, of course, think it's all for them, all this lovely digging and turning up of new earth. What it's really for is the upstairs deck. This morning, Wings and I went to Olguin's to order the posts that will anchor the whole thing. Everyone assumes twisted posts, but no; we did price the ones with the least amount of carving on them, and they're three times more expensive than plain 16-footers. That's a whole appliance, or half the bathroom tilework, so, nope. We're going with plain old 6Xs. [Later on, Wings also ordered the first round of lumber from Olguin's, because it turns out that the local hardware and lumberyard to whom we've given so many thousands of dollars in business over the past year sells "units" of the relevant size for a smooth three grand. Nope, nope, nope. There are a few areas where we've paid out more to upgrade something that will be of considerable use to us or will save us a lot in the long run, like the water heater, but for the basics, we're keeping stuff as stripped-down as possible on expenses, and this is a perfect example.] At any rate, there's not much to show for the day visually, but the guys got a long, long way on getting the groundwork laid, so to speak, for the last of the actual construction. Once it's up, they'll be able to do the color coat and paint the trim much more easily, too.

I am still, however, battling this exacerbation. I have no idea what the specific trigger was, other than, most likely, the cumulative effects of lack of sleep. But my entire body seems to be rejecting, well, pretty much everything, from eating to sleeping to moving around. Going to Olguin's was a big thing for me today, as absurd as that sounds. I'm wiped, so here are the links (and if anyone wants to know, Home Depot cards are far and away the most useful thing right now):

• Wings's site, for sales;
• Lowe's cards (the physical version) via our Amazon wishlist;
• Lowe's e-cards (delivered via e-mail) here; and
• Home Depot cards via the company site. The e-version using my e-mail address is great; I take the tablet to the store with me, and they scan it off the screen.

Please share them all, as much as possible. One large sale would go a long way toward making up the difference (the water heater is paid in full, but now there's all the other stuff, including the softener that has to go in before hook-up; yes, it's expensive, but it's going to save us a ton in the long run). I'm going to limp out to the chicken coop and try to get all the little monsters in for the night, then limp back in and make dinner (I may not eat it, but Wings needs to eat, at least). Miskwaki, by the way, is mostly limp-free now; Dahlia is walking even worse than I am — okay, she's not walking at all; she's hopping on one foot — but she's covering some ground, and if she can keep at it, I guess I can, too. Love and thanks 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: Praying Season, and a Dream for Days to Come

Photo copyright Wings, 2017;
all rights reserved.

Now posted at The NDN Silver Blog, it's the last edition of Red Willow Spirit for August, a month that encompasses many seasons here. We close out its waning days amid the praying season, and a dream for days to come.

The post is here. Wings's main page is here. It's all images again today, and as always with Wings's photos, 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 very 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.

Floor done (mostly). Baseboards and stairs and deck on deck. Still horribly sick. Shares needed.

Photo copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved.

The flooring is done. Well, on the floor per se, anyway. They're starting baseboards tomorrow, and then they have to do the stairs. But the upstairs floor itself is in.

I'm less pleased with what else was supposed to happen today, since the electrician was supposed to be here this morning; never showed, and couldn't be bothered to call. He says Wednesday now, because he's "busy" (cry me a fucking river; you hassled me all over the place last month and demanded money, so you can get your ass out here and finish it now). He says it'll be done by the end of the week. He's got that right, whether he knows it or not. By week's end, we WILL be shut of this wiring clusterfuck once and for all. Yes, I'm somewhere way past fed up with this hot mess.

On the plus side, here's some finish work from today:

Photo copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved.

Transition strips between the bathroom tile and the hardwood flooring on either side. At least the main crew's got everything going right. Tomorrow, Tony and Reynaldo will continue with the baseboards and other woodwork, with some help from Marcos. Sherm is going with us to Olguin's to choose posts for the decking (deck/balcony off the doors upstairs). Then Sherm and Marcos are going to get started on building it. We had also planned to go to Santa Fe this week to take care of some other finish-type stuff via Lowe's and Home Depot, but that's out now — first, because of the electrical crap, but also because there's no way I can make the trip right now. The guys are gonna have to wait around for me while I hobble at Olguin's tomorrow; I'm barely moving. I have not had a flare this bad in longer than I can remember, and I feel about as crappy as I did when I had pneumonia back in February. Unfortunately, with this, there's nothing to do except ride it out, however long it lasts.

That means I have no energy for anything beyond copy and paste tonight (and it also means that nothing on this front is going to change as long as we're in this tin can, so it becomes ever more urgent, with winter looming, to get the house finished). I'm just gonna repeat what I said last night; no, I'm not even gonna bother block-quoting, because I'm literally too wiped out. As I've been saying, we have to figure out how to do all this labor, the cabinets, the appliances, the water softener, and the fix of that damn septic system now. I have no idea how, but we're going to push as far as we can. And as I also said, this means that the pressure is now on me even more to make sales to make up the differential. It also means that the Home Depot and Lowe's gift cards become ever more crucial, given what we still have to buy to make the place livable. Right now, Home Depot cards specifically are absolutely the most valuable thing in the world. So here are the links:

• Wings's site, for sales;
• Lowe's cards (the physical version) via our Amazon wishlist;
• Lowe's e-cards (delivered via e-mail) here; and
• Home Depot cards via the company site. The e-version using my e-mail address is great; I take the tablet to the store with me, and they scan it off the screen.

Please share them all, as much as possible. One large sale would go a long way toward making up the difference (the water heater is paid in full, but now there's all the other stuff, including the softener that has to go in before hook-up; yes, it's expensive, but it's going to save us a ton in the long run). Much love to all, and maybe send some good vibes of you got 'em to get me through this autoimmune flare until we can finally move in, however long that takes.

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: A Message for the Summer, a Prayer for the Fall

Photo copyright Wings, 2017; all rights reserved.

Now posted at The NDN Silver Blog, it's a photo meditation for a Monday in a time of sharp winds and heavy storms, when hope is often in short supply. It's a reminder to heed the season's messengers, small spirits who dance upon the winds of change and bear upon their wings a message for the summer, a prayer for the fall.

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 very 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.

It's caught up to me; full-blown flare, and I'm sicker than . . . well, you know. Shares needed.

Photo copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved.

Nope, not yet. No functional bedroom, and thus no sleep, and now I'm paying for it with a full-bore autoimmune exacerbation. For those of you who don't know what this kind of autoimmune complex does, put it this way: Among many, many, many other things, it makes me feel as though I have a fever all the time, only without the fever (i.e., no actually change in body temp, but all the pain that goes with it anyway). You know the horrible all-over body aches you get with a fever? I have those, all over, 24/7/366 (yes, leap year too). The difference between my baseline and full-blown flare is, say, the difference between the pain that accompanies a fever of 99, and one that accompanies 105+. Now, it's actually never that low in terms of pain, but you get the idea. I often say that I'm non-functional, and I'm not in the way that, for example, any employer would expect and demand, but on days like today, I'm not functional at all. It's a product of too many months (more than a year) of pushing it and pushing it and getting virtually no real sleep; lack of sleep is about the most damaging thing there is for folks with autoimmune complexes, because it's the only chance our bodies get to heal.

So, no; no new photos, no nothing tonight. I will note that Miskwaki is much improved, and while I wouldn't go so far as to say that about Dahlia, she is a fighter and she is determined to get herself around. When I went out to check on the chickens for the night, she's long since gotten herself into position inside the coop — after, it seems, having laid an egg in the opposite corner. 

So here's the copy and paste: I'm just gonna repeat what I said last night; no, I'm not even gonna bother block-quoting, because I'm literally too wiped out. As I've been saying, we have to figure out how to do all this labor, the cabinets, the appliances, the water softener, and the fix of that damn septic system now. I have no idea how, but we're going to push as far as we can. And as I also said, this means that the pressure is now on me even more to make sales to make up the differential. It also means that the Home Depot and Lowe's gift cards become ever more crucial, given what we still have to buy to make the place livable. Right now, Home Depot cards specifically are absolutely the most valuable thing in the world. So here are the links:

• Wings's site, for sales;
• Lowe's cards (the physical version) via our Amazon wishlist;
• Lowe's e-cards (delivered via e-mail) here; and
• Home Depot cards via the company site. The e-version using my e-mail address is great; I take the tablet to the store with me, and they scan it off the screen.

Please share them all, as much as possible. One large sale would go a long way toward making up the difference (the water heater is paid in full, but now there's all the other stuff, including the softener that has to go in before hook-up; yes, it's expensive, but it's going to save us a ton in the long run). Many thanks, especially to CS and to BM; we're profoundly grateful to you and for you. Much love to all, and maybe some goods vibe wouldn't be a bad idea since I'm not in any position to do work related to the house tomorrow, and I have no choice.

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 Gatherer, of Messages and of Life

Photo copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved.

Now posted at The NDN Silver Blog, it's a work that embodies a strong feminine spirit. She and hers will soon gather in the lands to the south, the better to ensure the survival of their kind, but for now, she remains here in her role as a gatherer, of messages and of life.

The post is here. Wings's main page is here. Inquiries via the site's Contact form. And, as always, sales are very 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

Refuge. Not there yet. Plus a horse and a chicken in need of good vibes. Shares needed.

Photo copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved.

That's from a few days ago. It's just the late-afternoon sun shining through the west window of my hopefully-soon-to-be writing refuge, pure golden light on the wood floor. It has the same effect on the woodwork, and I love it.

::Sigh:: today has been one of ups and downs, but the biggest down is that Wings and I are both suffering from raw exhaustion. We only got a few sprinkles of rain here and there, but plenty of up and down in temperature, humidity, barometric pressure, and wind (and the flies and mosquitoes are a horror show right now), and that plays hell with our bodies at this point. And I'm still not really sleeping, which I suspect will not change as long as we're in this tin can, because calling the sleeping area a "bedroom" distorts the word beyond all meaning. Even the word "bed" really doesn't apply very accurately. But until we can move in, our health will continue to suffer, and autumn is well under way here now.

I'm just gonna repeat what I said last night; no, I'm not even gonna bother block-quoting, because I'm literally too wiped out. As I've been saying, we have to figure out how to do all this labor, the cabinets, the appliances, the water softener, and the fix of that damn septic system now. I have no idea how, but we're going to push as far as we can. And as I also said, this means that the pressure is now on me even more to make sales to make up the differential. It also means that the Home Depot and Lowe's gift cards become ever more crucial, given what we still have to buy to make the place livable. Right now, Home Depot cards specifically are absolutely the most valuable thing in the world. So here are the links:

• Wings's site, for sales;
• Lowe's cards (the physical version) via our Amazon wishlist;
• Lowe's e-cards (delivered via e-mail) here; and
• Home Depot cards via the company site. The e-version using my e-mail address is great; I take the tablet to the store with me, and they scan it off the screen.

Please share them all, as much as possible. One large sale would go a long way toward making up the difference (the water heater is paid in full, but now there's all the other stuff, including the softener that has to go in before hook-up; yes, it's expensive, but it's going to save us a ton in the long run). Many thanks and much love to all.


P.S. If you have some good vibes to spare, please send them along to Dahlia, one of our adult chickens: As nearly as I can tell, in all the jockeying for position that goes on atop the coop where they all sleep, she fell off it onto the ground. At any rate, I found her there, hopping around with an injured left leg and left wing, and she's able to put virtually no weight on the foot. I've checked her out thoroughly, in the fading light and under attack by mosquitoes, and I can find no gashes, bites, or broken bones, so I think, as I think is the case with Butthead Miskwaki, she's just sustained sprains and maybe a bone bruise. She's tucked in the corner inside the coop now, and I hope she stays there all night and recovers a bit by tomorrow. I just buried my horse; I can't lose another of our animals right now.

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.

  

When Hearts Gather

Photo copyright Aji, 2017; 
all rights reserved.

Now posted at The NDN Silver Blog, it's a work that embodies our existence, our ways not merely of surviving, but of living and thriving. It's a manifestation of the dance, the song, the coming together that sustains our peoples, because when hearts gather, love and life follow.

The post is here. Wings's main page is here. Inquiries via the site's Contact form. And, as always, sales are very 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

Nights are getting cold now; winter is coming (literally). We need to be in the house before it hits. Shares needed.

Photo copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved.

Photo from Wednesday, the view coming up the stairs. I had to run over and check early this morning, because last night was the second in a row that we got wave after wave of massive thunderstorms, all with rain driving hard from the east-southeast, meaning aimed straight for the windows and doors above the new floor. We had some leaking a few weeks ago, but Tony added silicone caulk along the floors and it seems to have taken care of it; no leaks. The other thing I learned this morning is that, while our 46-degree temperature meat that this tin can was absolutely freezing, the house was cozy and warm with no heat source other than the sun.

We really need to get into it before winter hits. [And here, the first snow will be in October; sub-zeroes no later than November.]

There's a lot to be done before that can happen. And as cold as it's getting here now (with a lot of trees already gone from green to gold), I'm getting nervous about making it. We cannot do another winter in this thing.

So, as I've been saying, we have to figure out how to do all this labor, the cabinets, the appliances, the water softener, and the fix of that damn septic system now. I have no idea how, but we're going to push as far as we can. And as I also said, this means that the pressure is now on me even more to make sales to make up the differential. It also means that the Home Depot and Lowe's gift cards become ever more crucial, given what we still have to buy to make the place livable. Right now, Home Depot cards specifically are absolutely the most valuable thing in the world. So here are the links:

• Wings's site, for sales;
• Lowe's cards (the physical version) via our Amazon wishlist;
• Lowe's e-cards (delivered via e-mail) here; and
• Home Depot cards via the company site. The e-version using my e-mail address is great; I take the tablet to the store with me, and they scan it off the screen.

Please share them all, as much as possible. One large sale would go a long way toward making up the difference (the water heater is paid in full, but now there's all the other stuff, including the softener that has to go in before hook-up; yes, it's expensive, but it's going to save us a ton in the long run). I don't think we'll have another storm tonight, but I wouldn't put money on it, either. And I have a lot to get done, both tonight and this weekend. Many thanks and much love to all.

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 Gathering Heartbeat

Photo copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved.

It's our Friday Feature at The NDN Silver Blog, with a pair of purely traditional, wholly indigenous Pueblo drums. These are works by a master, made the old way, a gathering heartbeat for the earth itself.

The post is here. Wings's main page is here. Inquiries via the site's Contact form. And, as always, sales are very 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.

And the exhaustion hits. A lot looming. Shares needed.

Photo copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved.

That in the photo up there is one of the reasons for going with this model: an estimate of $168 per year in total operational cost. It's Energy Star-certified, and it's got better functionality than most much larger tankless heaters, at a fraction of the energy cost. But it's wiped out a good chunk of what we had set aside. And there's another $1,700 in water softener costs that it will need, which will ratchet up to about $2K when you factor in sales tax.

Speaking of wiped out, that's both of us today. It was a good week with regard to progress on the house, the kind of progress that inspires and motivates, and yet we've been running nonstop for three days straight. That's the way it is here; everybody needs something, usually answers of some sort, and there's always something else that has to scheduled, planned, fixed, or paid. We arranged for the lighting install to be completed next Monday while the crew is working on finishing up the upstairs flooring, and we're waiting to see when Randy will be back to start tiling the downstairs bath. Wings also called one of the local chimney guys today to schedule an appointment to look at the place and give us an estimate on what will be required (both materials and total costs) to install our woodstoves. Those, by the way, we already own, and have had them in storage all these years. The larger one is slated for the southwest corner of the dining area, to heat the whole front section of the house and the kitchen and shoot the heat up the stairs by way of the ceiling fans. The smaller one is set to go in the corner of the living room on the east side, between banco and utility room wall. That one will heat the rest of the living room and the back of the house, particularly north and east sides.

Now, I'm waiting to hear back on the cabinets tomorrow, although we likely won't have the actual quote until sometime next week. As I said last night, we have to figure out how to do all this labor, the cabinets, the appliances, the water softener, and the fix of that damn septic system now. I have no idea how, but we're going to push as far as we can. And as I also said, this means that the pressure is now on me even more to make sales to make up the differential. It also means that the Home Depot and Lowe's gift cards become ever more crucial, given what we still have to buy to make the place livable. So here are the links:

• Wings's site, for sales;
• Lowe's cards (the physical version) via our Amazon wishlist;
• Lowe's e-cards (delivered via e-mail) here; and
• Home Depot cards via the company site. The e-version using my e-mail address is great; I take the tablet to the store with me, and they scan it off the screen.

Please share them all, as much as possible. One large sale would go a long way toward making up the difference (the water heater is paid in full, but now there's all the other stuff, including the softener that has to go in before hook-up; yes, it's expensive, but it's going to save us a ton in the long run). We are surrounded by storms on all sides right now, as we have been all day, and I need to get some outdoor work done before they hit or before my body gives out, whichever comes first, so I need to get on it. Many thanks and much love to all.

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.

  

#ThrowbackThursday: Gathering Earth and Water, Light and Time

Photo copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved.

It's #TBT at The NDN Silver Blog, with a throwback only to the beginning of this month. It's a commission by a dear friend in the form of liminal spirits, gathering earth and water, light and time.

The post is here. Wings's main page is here. As a special commission, this design will obviously never be duplicated, but if the general shape or choice of stones speaks to your spirit, simply inquire via the site's Contact form; Wings can create a version uniquely your own. And, as always, sales are very 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.

We have a water heater! More big expenses looming before it's useable, though. Sales and shares needed.

Photo copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved.

Yes! We do. It took every single dollar we had in reserve for it, double what we expected, plus an extra $22, but it's done. It's also incredibly energy-efficient. This model is estimated to cost $168 a year (not a month; a year) in usage. It's hooked up, but the gas isn't live yet; that'll happen in the next few weeks. Unfortunately, we really do need to get a water softener for it, which is, parts and labor, another $1,700. Our water here is the best-tasting stuff in the world, but it's extremely heavy on lime, and things like this with small, delicate components get corroded and damaged much faster than in places like, say, NYC. After just a couple of uses, a new coffee pot is rimed with white, to give you an idea of just how heavy it is. I have no idea how we're going to manage it, but then again, I have no idea how we're going to manage installing an actual kitchen, either, and we need to do both, so we go forward.

That was not the only bit of plumbing today, either:

Photo copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved.

In theory, the upstairs bathroom could be used now — well, aside from the lack of 1) a toilet seat; 2) a sink; and 3) hot water because of that whole gas-not-hooked-up-yet thing, but still. It works. So does the tub. So, presumably, does the shower, but since the crew had stashed boxes and other stuff in it, we couldn't test it.

Speaking of the crew, they got almost done with the upstairs flooring:

Photo copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved.

The open area at the head of the stairs, otherwise known as my writing refuge, is done all the way back to the stairs (and the other two adjoining rooms). Sherm got started on the spare bedroom (which, in this photo, is out of camera range on the right):

Photo copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved.

That's about, hmm, a third of the way into the room, mas o menos, as the guys say. The reddish stuff in the foreground is not the red paint that's on the walls, but bright pink underlayment. Meanwhile, Tony was rockin' on the master bedroom, hall, and closet. Hall and closet need another hour's worth of work or so:

Photo copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved.

But the master bedroom is done:

Photo copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved.

Tony also picked up the rest of the moulding for the baseboards on his way in this morning, and Reynaldo alternated between staining them and cutting flooring planks to fit in the small spaces (Marcos was tasked as go-between and helped Tony finish laying the bedroom).

On Monday, they'll finish laying what little is left of the floor, finish staining and sealing the baseboards and get them installed, and begin work on the stairs. Sherm will begin spec'ing out the deck, which they're going to install before doing the color coat, so as to save on scaffold requirements. Victor will be here to finish off the lighting install. And Randy may be back yet this week to begin tiling the downstairs bath. 

In the meantime, I got approvals on the kitchen cabinetry sent back last night, and they will likely be sent out for the quote on Friday. We have to figure out how to do all this labor, the cabinets, the appliances, the water softener, and the fix of that damn septic system now. I have no idea how, but we're going to push as far as we can.

Of course, as I said last night, this means that the pressure is now on me even more to make sales to make up the differential. It also means that the Home Depot and Lowe's gift cards become ever more crucial, given what we still have to buy to make the place livable. So here are the links:

• Wings's site, for sales;
• Lowe's cards (the physical version) via our Amazon wishlist;
• Lowe's e-cards (delivered via e-mail) here; and
• Home Depot cards via the company site. The e-version using my e-mail address is great; I take the tablet to the store with me, and they scan it off the screen.

Please share them all, as much as possible. One large sale would go a long way toward making up the difference (the water heater is paid in full, but now there's all the other stuff, including the softener that has to go in before hook-up; yes, it's expensive, but it's going to save us a ton in the long run). And I have more work to do, so I have to get on it. Many thanks and much love to all.

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.