With nothing better to do for so long, I grinded the relationships to ridiculous levels. I kept thinking there was something I was missing. I've got 4 of the characters up to 4 digits! Then I found this site and learned more about how developers can sometimes hit snags in their games.
I don't have the wisdom or inside knowledge to know why or what causes these gaps in development. I know the common assumption is something nefarious. I simply pause my patron support until the creator appears back in the saddle.
That said, going a month or so without any Patron communication is poor customer support. The only thing really needed to keep loyalty among supporters is regular communication (one could say it's the only thing needed to keep ANY relationship healthy).
So, I still peek in on the Patron page from time to time, but I've moved on until further notice. The other good thing about this site is that it's allowed me to sample so many other wonderful games, some of which are now getting my support.