One of the more interesting parts of running this business is dealing with the customers. Being an online-only home-based business, this works out to be 99-44/100% by email, a very rare phone call, and an even rarer face to face encounter with customers in the Greater Houston area who also happen to be personal friends.

I had an email from someone this weekend who wrote: “Do you realize that you’re selling counterfeit PWD products?” I wrote back to this person, “Honey” by name, and explained that I buy those brands from an authorized PWD distributor who has them drop-shipped to me from the PWD warehouse in Indianapolis. I also asked if he or she had any further information to back the “counterfeit” claim. “Honey” wrote back and told me, “My boyfriend bought some from you, that’s why.” No further details. My response was that I was expectinig evidence that the product was counterfeit so that I could review it with the distributor. I also told “Honey” that the boyfriend should contact me directly about his order so that I can make arrangements to either refund his money or provide some other product.

At this point, of course, there’s been no further word from “Honey” or the boyfriend. I do stand by the authenticity and the value of the products I sell. And, when my customers have problems with their orders — as inevitably happens from time to time — I’m committed to working with them to make things right. It’s what I expect from the retailers I shop with, and it’s the best I can I do for you.

Meanwhile, another customer wrote today to tell me how impressed he was with the web site but that he was disappointed that so many of the poppers were out of stock. He was very understanding and supportive, even saying “Please don’t go out of business.” Rest assured everybody, I have no intention of that.

What is happening is that I’m moving in the next couple of weeks. I’m not able to re-order inventory from Europe until I have a firm date for when I’ll be able to start accepting deliveries at my new location. Meanwhile, one US vendor has had a few delays in getting my orders filled, leading to some shortages of Amsterdam and some of the other most popular items. While all this has been happening, my partner also just got out of the hospital a week ago and is now getting into physical therapy to regain his strength and reduce chronic pain. I’m working, and I’m also packing up a home and a business basically on my own.

It’s a busy time, and I’m not always here to take care of business — but the business is not going away, and I’m taking care of my customers every day. I appreciate your support and your loyalty. And once I get established in the new place, by late February, I hope to expand and improve the web site and the products available. Stay tuned.

If you’re ordering KIX this week, you’ll find that I’m now out of stock. Some of the other most popular products are running low, and I may have more backorders than usual this month.

Why? I’m getting ready to move — maybe — and I’m not in a position to order large amounts of merchandise from my vendors. This is especially true for the ones in Europe which have longer shipping times. I’m not sure yet exactly when I’m moving or where I’ll be, and I don’t want a big box of poppers to be sent to the wrong place.

What’s going on? My partner is in the hospital again for the second time in a month. We have a contract to sell our house, with a closing date next week, and we’re attempting to postpone it. We had a contract for another house to buy closer to Houston, but we canceled it because of very expensive problems that came up on the inspection report. We have sort of, almost, located another house to buy in an ideal location, but had to put everything on hold due to a wide array of crises and issues. Partner in hospital. Elderly mother in hospital last month, then just moved to nursing facility. Questions and second thoughts about the house. And more…

The bottom line for GayHankies.com is that for at least a little while, I’m keeping the minimum amounts of product in stock that I have to have to remain in business. I can’t order too much, especially if it has long delivery times, because I’m moving sooner or later. Hopefully within a month or so. Maybe longer. Maybe not for awhile.

My partner has severe hip pain on both sides now. He can barely walk across a parking lot. No luck taking him into the home-improvement warehouse or the super-duper-mega-mart. And a night at a local leather bar — yes, with all that standing — is out of the question, since it leaves him out of commission for a day or two afterwards. He’s having a series of tests at the hospital this week, and after that, well, perhaps we’ll know what the doctors can do for him.

As for you, my customers: I’ll be here every day, or almost every day. It’s about 1-1/2 hour to 2 hour round trip to the hospital in Houston, so if my partner stays up there awhile, I may be away now and then. I hope you can be patient if I don’t ship your orders every day, but I’ll do the best I can. And, as soon as I can, I’ll get things back to normal, both in business and in personal life.

I’m back from my holiday break, and I just got back from mailing a couple dozen packages at the Post Office. I may have been gone for a week or so, but you guys have kept on coming — thanks! However, I may be coming and going even more in the next few weeks. There may be some occasional delays in processing your orders and getting your packages in the mail, and if so, I’ll let you know.

What’s going on? I’m selling my house in Galveston and moving close to Houston. My partner is about to go in for further medical tests and procedures with his doctors in Houston. And my mother in San Antonio, chugging along at 83, has been hospitalized for about a month now. She’s looking at either home health care or a rehab facility stay when she gets out this week.

It’s going to be a busy month. Packing. Moving. “Being there” for everyone who’s depending on me. Plans are made and changed from day to day, and I might not be able to be here to “run the store.” As always, I appreciate your patience and support, and I have confidence the coming year will bring better things for us all.