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| Photo copyright Aji, 2020; all rights reserved. |
This was yesterday's haul. [I should have been getting photos all along, but just like with my beadwork, I forget. Finally remembered to get this bunch, at least.] Nine of them. If my hands were less of a problem, I could probably crank them out faster, but it is what it is. These are the N95 style, 1 large, 1 small, and 7 mediums. The large is one unto itself. It contains four layers before the addition of the filter, because I wanted to see how the layers would all work together. It consists of premium cotton on the front, the same cotton for the filter pocket, a middle layer of antimicrobial cotton canvas (it's a special lightweight thing, feels like paper but is actually fabric), and the liner layer is lightweight antimicrobial flannel. I have activated charcoal filters (some, at least) to go into the pockets, too. Another round coming this week, probably mostly like the large one (top at upper left in the photo) in construction albeit with a bunch of different fabric patterns (and with pipe cleaners for the nose bridge), to give to medical personnel who need them. The others are just the cotton outer layer, the antimicrobial canvas lining layer, and the cotton pocket. But they fit, they work, and that's the main thing.
And I still have to chase sales. I've set $3,300 as a sales goal for this week. We paid off 2019's taxes four nights ago. Meeting the goal will cover that balance for 2019 and the first two quarters of 2020. If I can just sell one or two of Wings's big pieces, we've got it handled until October's payment comes due. None of that allows, of course, for all the costs coming shortly, and they are legion.
We basically shot our whole monthly donation budget on the first day of the month, and then some, but it was for an Indigenous recipient dealing with a real emergency. Also, one of the washer/dryer hoses began leaking suddenly four nights ago, and while it sounds simple, it's not; it's one of those things that will require a plumber to fix. We do laundry nearly every day, just because of the nature of the daily work here, but also now because any exposure to the outside world requires it. No date on when he can get out here yet, but the upshot is that we need to have take care of all of the existing problems from the old plumbers' negligence while he's here to avoid repeated exposures down the road, so it's going to be a big bill. Well into three figures, at least. We need sales badly now, so please share the links, and if you've been thinking about buying something for a while? Now would be the time. Because there's more. Of course.
Over a week ago, my laptop blew an A/C port, which means 1) I can no longer cool it while running it, and 2) if I need to plug any kind of USB thing into it, I have to take it to battery power. In the process, it borked both my sleep mode AND my e-mail, so if you've sent me a message and haven't heard from me, that's why; I can get incoming, but can't send outgoing. I tried to fix that the other day, got it to work briefly, but now? Who knows? It seems to be hosed all over again. I'm at the end of my rope on it, and I cannot be without a computer. It's our whole livelihood, wrapped up in this little metal envelope-type thing.
On top of all of that, my camera is on its last legs, there's no such thing as a bread machine anywhere (the one I really want, and cheaper, too, is this one, but out of stock until mid-June everywhere, apparently) and barely any paper towels to be had. The vet will be out for the horses later today (vaxes, etc.), and we have to schedule a farrier followup for Miika and vax appointments for the dogs. The mower repair a week and a half ago was just shy of $500, cash on the barrelhead. We still have to pay Ivan to till and disc and plant the fields. (And no, we have NOT gotten any stimulus check, natch). We also both have doctor's appointments this coming week (telemedicine, but they still cost). On top of that, I need to place another order for fabric and materials to make masks, because it's taking a good four weeks and more for fabric orders to get here.
Three weeks ago I featured, on Wings's site, some of his most valuable (and highest-priced) works (concha belts, necklace, earrings, etc.). If we could sell them all, we could sock 90% of it into savings and be assured of making it through the rest of the year and into the next, barring disaster. I don't actually have any real hope of doing that, but if you're one of the folks who's been looking at these works and thinking that someday you might want to invest the money in one or more? Now would be the time; it would help ensure our survival through this pandemic and likely to the first of next year, and help us to be able to help other folks in our community here who are going to need it badly. So please, this week especially, share all of our links, because while we're all in isolation? Income is already at virtually nothing, and we can survive the isolation, but not the inability to feed the maw of all the bills. The links are here:
Note: For now, please don't buy anything off the Amazon wishlist; to do so would be crossing a picket line, and some of their workers have struck this morning to fight for safer working conditions because their lives are being put at even greater risk during this pandemic. If you find one of the items elsewhere, wonderful (there's even a wishlist function where you can note that it's been purchased somewhere else).
Other than that, please share everything. Thanks.
All content, including photos and text, are copyright Aji, 2020; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.
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