Alive.

[dancinghorse]

Still breathing. Still in HouseMageddon Hell (89% done, says Mr. Boss Contractor Man). Dog's eye still a problem dogdammit--he was perfectly fine until the day before his allegedly final vet visit, when he injured it all over again and went all the way back to square one, and we're all the way back to meds four times a day and vet every two weeks.

Am getting basically a new house. They're (vinyl) tiling all but the library and guest rooms. Kitchen, laundry room getting new subfloors as well as new (vinyl) tile. That's this week. Allegedly. If insurance coughs up the rest of the money. Master bath nearly done, I'm told. My living space gets smaller and smaller as I condense everything into the parts that will keep their carpeting. When (if)(no, WHEN!) it's done, I shall explode outward like a supernova of books, furniture, clothing, animals...

My best guess is that it will be done by Labor Day. Then Camp Lipizzan opens for the winter. Anybody who comes will find all kinds of shiny newness and Extreme Pretty (and an Epic China Cabinet that just begs for a disco ball). We're taking reservations. Email or we can talk in comments.

Meanwhile, a question for the hive mind. Patreon: threat or menace? It's been suggested I try it to help with the dog's bills, which are back to considerable, between the meds and the vet's across-the-board price increases. I'd need to figure out what people would like by way of perks, and whether it would be worthwhile to jump on a bandwagon already extensively jumped on. Then again, I support a few myself, for a tiny amount each, and they do add up--and the perks are lovely. So: would this be something I could venture into?

I'm in a sine wave of I Can't Even/I Shall Go On, as HouseMageddon and DogsEyePocalypse spin on and on and forever on. From fetal curl under the bed to Warrior One, back and forth. It's an adventure.

Comments

[badgermirlacca.livejournal.com]

Additional data re Patreon:

http://bibliodaze.com/2015/01/stacey-jay-and-the-politics-of-the-crowdfunded-author/

I am sorry about HouseMageddon (although when, finally, It's All Done, I hope you will be very happy with it) and even more sorry about DogsEyePocalypse (why are critters so reliably dumb? Surely they can't really think the Humans are smart enough to deal with *everything*?). May it all come right in the end.

And if you'd like to bludgeon the next person who chirps, "And if it hasn't come right, it isn't the end yet!", here's my virtual club.

[dancinghorse.livejournal.com]

Thank you.

That is a useful article. Supports my observations/experience.

[editrx.livejournal.com]

I hear some petty good things re Patreon if you know how to fly it. Copperbadge may be someone to ask.

I still owe you earrings. I have strep, a small case of mumps (!!!!!) and bronchitis. Still mostly flat, but I keep hoping tomorrow's the day I can stay upright long enough. For the time period you've waited, you get a second pair, though I have no idea what my brain will come up with.

Patreon

[starrcat.livejournal.com]

I give a very small amount to various people/things and from what is reported, the small amounts add up. With no perks except for supporting things I believe in.

[themis1.livejournal.com]

If I was in the right country, I'd be there like a shot - if only to see the outcome of all this building work!! I have to confess I would be a nearly zero horse experience person, though. Our neighbour uses our meadow to put his children's ponies out, I go and say hello to them now and again, that's the extent of my knowledge!

[sartorias.livejournal.com]

Oh, looking forward to Horse Camp! (Well, I always look forward to it.)

I wonder if there is some way to put a Patreon around your wonderful horse blogs? So you reflect them somewhere besides BVC?

[rolanni.livejournal.com]

I wonder if there is some way to put a Patreon around your wonderful horse blogs?

This is a good idea. Or perhaps the dog would like to chronicle his adventures for the entertainment of those who are supporting his recovery.

We put up a Patreon account in April at the urging of many, and we did it wrong. We were on deadline for a book and didn't have the spoons to offer Patreon-only goodies. We were also in a bind, so we just asked people for money. We had. . .overwhelming success, and now that book is handed in, book tour is over, and checks have arrived, we're putting together some goodies, to thank people for their patience and support.

I would be upfront with people and explain the situation, and the vet bills, and I would let people choose the amount of their pledge. When we started ours, back in April the minimum auto-pledge the Patreon plugs in at the top of the patron page was a buck. I see today that they've upped it to $5, probably because some of the credit card companies don't want to handle micro-transactions.

Our page is here, if you want to take a look at what we did/are doing: https://www.patreon.com/leeandmiller

Good luck -- and good health to the dog.