We have Internet at the house! Also, there's a $500 match on offer. And a winter storm brewing outside. Shares/sales needed.

Photo copyright Aji, 2017; all rights reserved.

Know what that is?

That's our Internet! Yes, we have Internet access in the house now. A MUCH stronger signal, too, so the new equipment must be more powerful. It took some figuring out on their part when they showed up suddenly yesterday, because of the misinstall last year (of which the state inspector had made us aware on his surprise visit back in June, actually). At any rate, the two techs came up with a game plan, but they were missing at least one crucial piece of equipment, so they asked us what we thought about them coming back early this afternoon and doing it all at once. We preferred that, too, so it was settled. They made it an hour early this morning, and one of them told me they had been instructed to charge us by the hour, but because of what we'd had to put up with it, they had refused and were only charging us the single minimum flat rate of $60 + tax (i.e., the minimum for any fraction of one hour, even if it's five minutes).

I will be able to catch up on stuff in bed now, either at night or when I wake up in the morning. I can also sit on the couch, or the bancos, and do my work between wood fire and windows whenever I want. That is a gift of indescribable value.

But as I said last night, all this activity, especially with regard to scheduling and Internet transfers and so forth, means that everything's ramping up hard and fast now. And we're losing time rapidly; our first real winter storm is supposed to hit tonight, and while we may not get a lot of snow here (although the peaks should get quite a bit), we are slated for high winds and a massive drop in temperatures. The wind is already rising out there, and the temperatures have dropped significantly, so snow might be possible even here. We have to hurry now, and we that means raising enough scratch to keep the guys in the materials they need, and also to keep them paid. To that point, my beloved Ono has put up a diary for us tonight, so please go T&R and share it. There's also a $500 match on offer; if it gets made, that's $1,000 toward next week's labor, and it covers more than half of that, so it's significant.  

All of this also means that I have got to get my shit together with regard to the registries, because one thing we are absolutely going to need for any gathering that might have to be brought indoors, depending on the weather, is tables and lamps. So expect to see the tables added over the next day or so; some lamps are now on it, and they and the entry rug will be priorities. I'm going to try to add the tables tonight, so check back if you're so inclined. 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 (and thank you to everyone who has fulfilled items off our registries). And don't forget, as I said: They can be crowdfunded! 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 two most important items are probably the first four or five that show at the top of the list. 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.