Match met, and more progress, but a HUGE amount to do in three weeks. Sales/shares (including the registry) badly needed.

Photo copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved.

No new photos from today, but that up there from yesterday is why I'm able to be typing this now. Yes, we put the router in my writing space, because eventually, once we can get it furnished, that will be where I spend most of my time and do most of my work. [And once there's a desk in there, the router and booster will go on it, and by then, the boxes of nails will be out of there.] Also no snow, except for traces on the peaks, just a very deep cold this morning. It warmed up quite a bit later in the day, but as soon as th3e sun starts to drop, the cold returns.

We unpacked the kitchen sink today, and it's sitting in the kitchen awaiting an install. The appliances are supposed to arrive tomorrow (except the range hood). We spent a lot of time today unpacking stuff and sorting through stuff, and it's a good thing, because once again this morning (as happened last year when the weather turned really cold), the front door popped out of place on the RV. Last year, after a couple of weeks of doing battle with it, we got it rigged to function, at least; this year, it's pretty obvious that it's done for. I have a big bag of stuff propped against it on the outside to keep it sorta mostly closed overnight.

Fortunately, we are not in it, even for dinner tonight. I just made soup and sandwiches and brought them over to the house, and we sat with our ancient and rickety tray tables in front of the TV, which I hooked up earlier today. And now, I have had a very hot shower and didn't even have to hurry through rinsing my hair; Wings has gone upstairs to take a nap; She-Wolf is on the dog bed by the stairs and Raven is on the rug at my feet; and I am on the couch with my legs stretched out in front of me, laptop on my lap, writing this with both a fire crackling behind me and college football on TV in front of me.

I never thought I'd ever be able to do this again.

And that is no exaggeration. You really can't imagine the despair, the sense of hopelessness, that has been a part of our every waking moment these last seven years. Because there was just simply no way. Except apparently, there is, and we're almost fully in. It's still completely surreal, this notion that we're living. in a. house.

But we are not fully in here yet, and there's a huge amount to do before we can really say that we're truly living in it. Things like kitchen cabinets are months out yet, but we have to finish, at a minimum, the exterior, the shelves and closets, the stairs, and the kitchen sink/appliance set-up within the next three weeks. That's a lot in a very short period of time, and we have no choice but to find ways to push through it.

We made last night's match, so more than half of next week's labor is covered. Sales are going to be crucial to finishing this over the next few weeks, but we won't turn away donations, either. But the registries have suddenly become particularly important. The most immediate needs are listed first, although in no particular order: the tables, the lamps, the rug for the entryway (it's that beige rectangular one with the turquoise branches here and there on it), the cabinet and shelves for the downstairs bath. And as always, they can be crowdfunded, so kicking in $10 or $20 on an item is extraordinarily useful; a few donations that sized to a single item, and it's fulfilled and on its way. All of this, of course, means that we still need shares, daily. So here are all 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, bath rugs for both bathrooms, and doormats and a few other miscellaneous items. Most important: hold-backs and drapes for upstairs.
• 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've finally added a bunch of items to it, although nothing in the way of small tables or lamps or kitchen items beyond three basic things, because yesterday proved to be a time-suck of epic proportions, and today was more of the same. What I did get to is all of the rugs for the whole house, and a few basic furniture items. But about Wayfair, and 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. Even the backordered/out-of-stock items can be crowdfunded in advance. Right now, the most pressing items are the ones outlined above. I've just added the furnishings for the rest of the upstairs (i.e., the guest room and my writing/office space, which also includes the desk and chair further down the list, and the last three rugs on the list, two of which are back-ordered). The chaise and daybed are for the two upstairs rooms: the latter for the guest room, the former for my office, which is where I will be spending most of my time, and my AI issues require working on a laptop with my legs outstretched, so that's why it's a pricier piece; it'll probably be the primary means to my role in our living. There will also be more items that fall into the badly-needed category (coffee/end tables and lamps, particularly), 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).

Thank you all, once again, for everything you've done over the last 16 months to get us safe and keep me sane. We are both so thankful for each and every one of you who made it possible for us to sleep (and shower!) now, for the first time in seven years, in a safe and healthy (and warm!) place. But we have a long way to go, and this night, at least, is going to be very, very cold again, a reminder that we have to get this done, and fast.

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.