It's always something. Still, some progress. Shares needed.

Photo copyright Wings, 2017; all rights reserved.

Yes! I'm posting here tonight, instead of being confined to Twitter. It's all thanks to a very generous soul who insisted that I could not be without a laptop. It arrived this afternoon, and I then spent an hour doing battle with Apple over ID and password stuff, because I cannot get them off my old one, and I have had to order a cable and an adapter because this one has no ordinary USB ports, but I'm back. As it happens, I never missed a single post, either those I write here or those for Wings's site; the caveat was that the only posting option available to me was via Twitter. But I will get them all transferred to both spaces, never fear, and in order, too, although it will take me a few days.

Because it's always something.

Today's setback involves the sink in our bathroom. Such sinks apparently have a standard-size drain. Not ours; oh, no, that would be too much to ask. And literally no one in town has the right size contraption to go on the underside to hold it in place. So the plumber has to hunt one down, most likely special-order and not in stock, which means that it will be next week at the earliest before we have a functional bathroom. 

Welp, the faucet in the tub still works.

Today, a couple of other things were delivered, too, including the bed platform. Fingers crossed that we can get it put together tomorrow. Our regular crew was down to two men for today; Tony and Marcos got the west side of the deck flooring all in, so all that remains now are the rails and balusters, and the stairs. Next week. Tony's also returning that shower door for us, although the two companies we contacted about one here locally didn't show, so we may have to order one from elsewhere anyway.

The big stuff is the tile. The tile crew got the baseboards complete and began grouting them this morning, as well as the backing for the two woodstoves. That photo up there is of the backing for the small stove; the one for the larger one looks like this:

Photo copyright Wings, 2017; all rights reserved.

The glare makes it hard to tell, but there's actually a great deal of color variation in the tiles. It's also an truly stupendous grouting job, particularly around the edges; neither of us has ever seen anything like it. Flawless.

Speaking of flawless:

Photo copyright Wings, 2017; all rights reserved.

That right there is the corner of the bancos, which shows you how they did the bulldozing on all the corners. It also shows you Randy's talent for choosing really cool sherds and fragments to create the small tiles needed, because that color is fabulous. They didn't let anything but the smallest sherds go to waste. The tiny ones are now adding to the gravel in the drive, while the slightly larger fragments are going home with the guys so they have them for future jobs. We're keeping the excess full-sized ones, of course; there aren't very many, and what there are will serve as replacements should we ever need one.

Oh, and speaking of talent, these guys are masters. This is what they did with the floor along the inner curve of the bancos:

Photo copyright Wings, 2017; all rights reserved.

It is truly a phenomenal job. Hard to believe that the cheapest option for the tile could turn out so spectacularly. Much less expensive than the Saltillo that is widely regarded as the local baseline for "cheap." Also much more beautiful, we think.

But setbacks there are, particularly with regard to the bathrooms, and delays, and expenses, and we're gearing up for them to install the woodstoves next Monday (we have saved one major expense there, though; the telework means that neither will require a separate hearth). But that's going to be a big hit, and it will come right on top of paying the tile crew again. So please send the links out far and wide, because we ned to keep this process moving. It was unusually warm and humid today, thanks to clouds that moved in overnight last night, but the humidity (and the rain) brings its own problem health-wise, and I'm still battling the mold in my lungs and the effects on my autoimmune disease. So, since I'm never going to get well until we're out of this tin can permanently, and we need to begin that process this weekend, please share all of the links:

• Wings's direct PayPal link;
• 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.
• Our Amazon wishlist generally.
• Wayfair gift cards, to replenish all the furnishings that the RV has destroyed in one way or another.
• Partial registry #1, from Bed, Bath and Beyond. It's not complete; what's on it so far are drapes for the upstairs, associated curtain rods, and bath rugs for both bathrooms. ]
• Partial registry #2, from Wayfair. Also not complete, but covers a number of the area rugs needed for the upstairs and some kitchen items. I have to supplement this one (and the BBB one) badly, but I've been pulled in all directions nearly every second, and I probably won't get time to add to them before late tonight or tomorrow. But about Wayfair, & VERY IMPORTANT: They make it possible to crowdfund each item. So if you'd like to help, but the prices are too much for one person? You can kick in 20 bucks, or ten, or five, on any one item; many small donations can add up to one item. And while at the moment all but one is out of stock, I believe you can fund those in advance of their restocking; also, I'll have other badly-needed items on the list before long, because the wiring and mold and lime and everything else in this toxic tin can has destroyed so much of what we used to have. I'm sickened by the amount of stuff we have to throw out (on top of the things that were simply ruined, such as the microwave fried by the wiring in this place).

Many thanks and much love from us both, for donations, gift cards, shares, recs, moral support, and just generally helping me not lose my mind. This has been a difficult day health-wise, with my flare itself seeming to flare, no doubt in part due to our high winds and drastic weather changes. But there are also the breathing difficulties, and sundry other issues secondary to the AI problems, and so I am moving very, very slowly, and accomplishing things only with quite a lot of difficulty. I'm going to be slow, and late, and unfocused; please bear with me while we try to get into a much healthier space.

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.