The pack. Loss and mourning and a lot ahead of us. Sales and subscribers and shares all needed.

Photo copyright Aji, 2018; all rights reserved.

I have no idea what it was, but I also have no doubt that it was something appropriately, rapturously disgusting. That's almost the only time they roll with such abandon.

Yes, that's the pack now: from left to right, Cricket, Raven, Coyote, and KitFox. The boys mostly (Cricket entirely) stay outside; Raven sleeps on his bed on . the floor at the foot of our bed now, and Coyote? She bogarts my whole side of the bed, stretched out or curled up against my knees. Still no word on Crow and Blue, and probably no hope, either. Hope has likewise just about run out for our friend in Paradise; a confluence of events over the last two days, while not overtly confirming it, seem to be making that conclusion unavoidable. She was supposed to come and visit us the next time she traveled back this direction. I think we've all lost our chance. So this is a time of mourning for us in another way, beyond the usual.  

As I said, busy week (good for distracting me briefly from grief, if nothing else), about $1,200 in mostly one-off expenses due by week's end, and so I have to make some sales this week no matter what. As I said, we had a chance to score the last of the area's decent-quality grass hay, and given that not taking it would have meant running out in the depths of the winter cold, with no grass hay anywhere to replace it (and the fact that it was two bucks less a bale for top-quality stuff than the rest of it around here, and we know the source) we had no choice but for me to shuffle a bunch of stuff so we could grab it. It's set us back $560 at one shot, and I've pushed back that much and more in one big bill for the time being, because the animals have to come first. I also have more cooking and other stuff to do today, but most of all, I'll be spending the dady (week, month, remainder of the year) chasing sales, 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? And let's make sure Sally has enough to start anew. Their survival matters 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.