Keep Cricket Warm!

I am Sam. Sam I am. (no, that never gets old.)

Many of you know that I moved to my grandparents' five-acre homestead in the Oregon mountains this year, and I'm working hard to restore it. My little cat and I have settled in pretty well, but due to some wrong information, lack of foresight, and bad suppliers, I find myself starting a snowy December with very little wood to heat the house. Well, let me correct that: I have three cords of wood, and about two more waiting to be brought in and split, but only a half cord of that is dry enough to burn. What you see in the cover photo is all the damp or green wood, stacked to dry in the carport. Most of it will need at least a year.

I've insulated to a fare-thee-well, I've checked alternatives (running electric heaters to keep this house at 55F costs at least $500/month), I've tried to conserve, but I came to the inescapable conclusion that I need to buy wood. It's scarce and expensive right now, but the vintage wood stove can keep the house at an even 60-70 degrees far more easily than the electric heat can, and it's proof against power outages as well. I got a quote for two additional cords of hardwood for $950 delivered; given how far out of the way I am, that's competitive. Two and a half cords would buy me more than two months, possibly all the way through to spring depending on how well it burns and how cold the winter is. Worst case, some of the damp wood stacked in the living room would have had a chance to dry out, and the temperatures in March are a little warmer than they are in December.

My income is very small, as my full-time job (fixing up the house) pays only my rent. This year I've spent my savings on new tires, car repairs, registration and insurance, and moving expenses. Most of the rest of my funds have gone toward working kitchen appliances, a chest freezer, and other such frivolities. I'm tapped out. So I find myself turning to you, the people who have supported me and cheered me on during the Three Creeks saga, to help me gather enough money to keep myself and Cricket warm this winter.

All of the funds donated here will go toward paying down the credit card charge for firewood I'm about to incur. If by some holiday miracle folks contribute more than that, any excess will go toward the $250 electric bill that taught me how much it costs to try to run the heaters here. And you will have my deepest and warmest thanks. (see what I did there?)

If you want to read the free quarterly newsletter I use to keep people up to date on my progress, head to https://threecreeks.substack.com . Cricket and I thank you for your time. :)

--Sam (MxTorquill)