Y'all rock.

Photo copyright Aji, 2024; all rights reserved.

See all those boxes? Both on the deck at the right and in the wheelbarrow on the left? That's what was at the post office today, thanks to a lot of y'all.  All of it is for Taos Shelter Me, the outreach campaign to unhoused folks started by a local woman who knows what it is to lose your housing.  Last week, we had two ten-packs of sleeping bags, seven small tents, and two 100-count boxes of KN95 masks arrive for this purpose. Today brought another ten-pack of sleeping bags, another 100-count box of KN95 masks, two 10-count packages of mylar emergency tents, four 12-packs of 6-hour canned fuel canisters, and nine foldable campstoves.

Y'all rock.

But for us, nothing's changed materially fro yesterday in terms of the need to make sales. I cannot believe how horrible this year has been on every level. For everyone. Or that it hasn't even improved for the holiday season. Even the folks who normally buy from us for Christmas gifts, every year in memory, aren't doing it this year, and I am at my wits' end, because we cannot make it if this doesn't change, drastically and soon. The last likely day for shipping in time for Christmas delivery will be next Wednesday at the very latest, possibly Thursday, depending on destination. And frankly, given the terrible sales year this has been, with all our income going to absolutely astronomical unavoidable expenses?  I need to bring in five figures' worth of sales between now and then.

Yeah, I know. It's not going to happen. And we're not going to make it.

And yes, I know we're lucky. The housing crisis worsens daily here. On that note, in reference to the deliveries above? Also go here, buy something, or several somethings, off the outreach group's wishlist, and you will literally be saving a life, probably more than one. It's not really possible to overstate how bad it is out there, nor how great the need is. I've sorted it in their Priority order, but there are new priorities as of what they've given out today. This is from the organizer herself:

• The bulk backpacks - at least six 12 packs
• Hand Warmers
• Space Blankets
• Pepper spray
• Money/Document belts (look like tan fanny packs, worn under the clothing  to hide and keep documents safe and protected.
• 2 person tents
• Tarps

The outreach program is giving gear out as fast as they get them, and being mostly housebound now, it's hard for me to get out to pick up any before they're gone. That's why I put some of those essentials on our own wishlist, with a note that they're for the outreach effort; tonight, i'll be adjusting those priorities accordingly, too. And if folks would like to hit it up and clear some of those items off it, either list, we would be grateful.

For us? THERE'S SO MUCH NEW WORK ON THE SITE. And I need to sell them all, because I still need to make a ridiculous amount of sales to cover all the stuff still in the pipeline that needs covering [laptop, roof next year AND now the well pressure pump, more medical, always prepaid taxes, etc.]. So: GO BUY! PLEASE. Links are here:

• Sales here; 
• Testimonials here; 
• Amazon wishlist here (Priority is the liquid soaps and Amazon cards, probably most useful at this point); 
• Patreon here;
• Ko-fi here.

After such a grim year, this one far worse than the last, we really need to end 2024 on a better footing before 2025 and taxes take every cent, so please share all of the links. 

All content, including photos and text, are copyright Wings and Aji, 2024; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.