A lot to be thankful. Grief, too, and a lot else to worry about. Black Friday is Native American Heritage Day; support a Native artist with the sales we so badly need.

Photo copyright Aji, 2018; all rights reserved.

We have a lot to be thankful for.

First and foremost is that we have each other; second, that we have a home at long last, with safety and, this time of year, warmth. That was yesterday's meal; we typically eat holiday dinners around 5 PM, since it's just the two of us. Our small turkey, lightly brined; mashed potatoes; my signature cornbread and wild rice stuffing and herbed sweet potatoes and squash; homemade turkey gravy; what might be the best yeast rolls I've ever made (thank you, real oven!); the rest of the cornbread; maple-infused cranberry sauce; and homemade pumpkin and pecan pies with whipped cream. And the vast majority of it was made with staples; a lot of these are traditional foods for Wings, for me, or both of us. It is, however, three days of cooking and prep, because I don't have the energy anymore to do it all in one day.

No snow yesterday; the forecast was way off, except for the lovely clouds that made it feel like, well, Thanksgiving to me. Snow now alleged for tomorrow night, but I'll believe it when I see it.

We have a lot to be thankful for, but we also have a lot to worry about. the plumber will be here at 9 to see what this ghastly leak is all about and how to fix it, and it shows all the hallmarks of being both a massive mess and an equally massive expense. The owl returned yesterday (you can read about that here if you so choose) but not in a good way; a raptor got it, and then dropped it where we would find it. Under the circumstances, it feels very much like a sign, and we're both grieving. We have the saving grace of forced distraction, between the plumbing work and medical expenses, and we need to make sales consistently now to get us through the winter. This is both Black Friday and Native American Heritage Day, so if you want to start your holiday shopping, support a Native artist and his work here (contact me to commission something uniquely designed). This day is going to be very busy, so most of the rest is cut-and-paste.

A couple of things: First, go to Cherie's GFM page and kick in some scratch. We've already donated more than we could afford, and we're tapped out on that front; half a dozen things coming due for us over the course of this coming week, to say nothing of what's lurking on the medical front, all adding up to huge dollar amounts. We also had to help Wings's clan brother the other day; he needed to get down to Santa Fe for emergency surgery and follow-ups after injuring his hand a few days ago, and it's something they can't do here in town. But Cherie can still put the funds to use, so let's make sure that she gets to keep her home, hmm? Their survival matters too. it's Thanksgiving; if you have a home to be grateful for, kick in $2 or $5 or $10 or $20 (or a lot more) to make sure she has a chance to keep hers. It's winter in Nebraska already, too.

Second, we need sales desperately now; outside testing doesn't pay for itself, nor do taxes and other obligations, nor does the wood or the hay. Wings has just finished his next collection, and I've posted it and the previous one already, plus all his new earrings. There's also a change to the links in the list: I've moved the gift cards for Lowe's and Amazon back up to the top of our Amazon wishlist, because we're at the point where more things that need finishing on the house require purchases we can't afford. Finally, if you're contemplating commissions for holiday gifts, now is the time to get hold of me, because the creative process takes time. Wings can create something spectacular for you, unique to you or to the recipient of it. Also, briefly, a note on the site itself: In an effort to get current inventory up front, I've reordered the first pages of several of the galleries, so you will see a mix of high-end pieces, some of which have already sold, plus inventory currently on offer, both new pieces and less so.

Most of my attention has to be focused on bringing in money, through sales or subscribers or any other means, because the bills don't pay themselves, either, and the heavy burden I'm carrying on that score is inhibiting my ability to heal in a not-insignificant way. Please share these routinely:

• 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).

Please share the links. We're now officially into holiday order season, because commissions take time, so if you're planning on holiday gifts, please keep Wings's work in mind. And given what we're up against, we won't turn away donations, either, because we simply can't afford it.

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.