Visible progress. Markers and distractions and the never-ending chase to pay the medical bills. Sales and subscribers and shares needed.

Photo copyright Aji, 2018; all rights reserved.

Visible progress! As of a few moments ago, that's what the stairs look like. The difference damn near defies description, going from bare wood on Monday to stained yesterday to first coat of sealer today. They're using gym sealer because it's a lot more efficient, in terms of time, labor, and cost, than ordinary sealer for such a high-traffic area. They say it may need only one more coat. For the rest of today and most of tomorrow, they'll be working on the balusters, sanding, staining, and sealing, in Tony's workshop: plenty of room to spread everything out, let them all dry, and keep them from getting rained on if the forecast is actually accurate. They won't be able to install them or do the upper banisters until next week, but that's still pretty fast.

I'm outside today, sitting in front of Wings's studio, because the fumes are just too much. I don't think they're actually as bad today as yesterday; it's more that yesterday has sensitized my already-screwed-up lungs that much more. Also, distractions are good today, since today is another one of those markers: the twelfth anniversary of the death by slow alcoholic suicide of my other sister (the middle one; the one who hated the very fact of my existence, which somehow makes it harder, not easier). The rest is cut-and-paste; I've been having a hell of time health-wise for almost a week now, and all my concentration has to go into work, and into chasing sales to pay the medical bills and everything else.

There are a lot of ways to help out. First, obviously, is sales; purchases of Wings's work (and/or work by the other artists whose art we carry) is always the first option, and it was the baseline for the construction in the first place. Second is subscribing to my Patreon page, which gets updated regularly with really cool imagery and a good amount of really good writing; if you now for September, you won't be billed until October 1st. Below there's also a link for "coffee," which allows folks to make small donations, and a couple of wishlists for keeping the animals in kibble and filling out needs around the house. In the middle is the link to Wings's PayPal account, and no, I won't turn away any donations, because we have to get this done and I have to have some peace of mind over it because I have none over my own survival these days). The only fundraising we'll be doing is right here; nowhere else. So here are all the links; please share them around, and if you are able to purchase, subscribe, donate, whatever, we'd be profoundly grateful:

• My new Patreon, The Interstices (Writing Between Worlds);
• Wings's site, for sales, with new items posted;
• Wings's direct PayPal link;
• A way to buy me coffee (which actually goes to all of our medical bills, which continue to mount);
• Amazon wishlist, which mostly consists of animal and household stuff;
• Partial registry #1, from Bed, Bath and Beyond. There are new kitchen-y things on it now, stuff that I didn't realize we'd need to replace (either because the RV ruined it or because we gave it away when we had to downsize).

That all I've got. I'm going to be back under the gun for the next several weeks. Thanks to everyone in advance. And special thanks to one person; you know who you are, and you know why.

All content, including photos and text, are copyright Aji, 2018; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.