My Weblog

Whatever WILL I do?

I don't know what in the world to do with my day.  I just checked and there aren't enough dirty clothes in the hamper in any category to make a load of laundry!  How will I amuse myself today?

It's not that I don't have anything to do......but, Joe left without giving me orders for the day.  How can that be?  There's weird stuff happening in this house, I tell you.

There's some good stuff too.  First, all during tax season, I hung onto every bit of cash I received from clients.  Joe deposited the checks, but I kept the cash.  It was my hope to get  a new top of the line camera, but when he heard that, he was NOT amused.  Well, I do have two decent cameras so maybe that was too much to hope for.  So, what do I do with this fistful of cash?  Well, I thought of replacing the over-the-stove microwave/vent combo that has been DOA for several years.  I have the world's smallest kitchen and having a microwave on the counter is a PAIN.  But, I decided that I might enjoy that the most but it wasn't the most urgent thing.  The most urgent thing is this very tall tree in our backyard.  We live in the desert but the fruitcake who owned this house before me planted a water-seeking tree in the back corner of our yard.  This man did many stupid, foolish things, with this tree being one of the chief among them.  It has sent roots out all over everywhere.  In the summer we see treelets sprouting all along the rootlines.  It has broken up our concrete walkway.  I am just waiting for it to:  1) lift the back corner of our house; 2) break into the neighbor's pool; 3) find its way into the sewer or water lines.  What an expense any of those would be!  So, my carefully hoarded cash is going for tree removal.  They will cut down the tree but leave the stump.  We'll have to go to the nursery and find out what kind of gunk to pour in there to kill off the roots, and one day, we'll have to get a mini-bobcat in here to get rid of the stump, but for now, the biggest part of the problem is solved.

More good news.......  For the three years we've been married, we've been saddled with huge amounts of debt, most of it left over from Joe's prior marriage.  Some of it, we have to take the blame for ourselves--we have this nasty habit of eating, you see.  When we got married, it took about a year to get Joe relocated from California to here.  For that whole year, we had his housing expense in CA and the house here.  Just as he was headed this way to start a new business, the company for which I was working went into dissolution.  I remember that in January, 2004, between us, we earned $490.  Yes, ladies and gentlemen, that's four hundred ninety dollars.  God has been faithful and we've made every payment, even during the months when hardly anything has come in.  But, we've been holding our breath for the time when we can re-finance.  And, we get a zillion mailings and phone calls about re-financing.  (Today there have been 4 phone calls!  I HATE telephone solicitors!)  Well, we got a mailer and strangely enough Joe opened it, just to see what the competition was offering.  Well, it was such a good deal that although he's a mortgage broker, he couldn't match it.  So, we're refi-ing.  Joe had estimated the value of the house at $275,000, but it appraised for $317,000.  We will get enough money to pay off ALL the credit cards as well as the existing second mortgage.  And there will be some left to fix up the house.  AND, we convert non-deductible high rate credit cards to deductible low rate mortgage interest.  Our monthly nut will decrease by a huge amount. 

AND, there will be excess money available.  75% of this house I hate.  I bought it for only one reason--there is a 500 sq ft add on office/family room in the back which has been the home for my tax business for 13 years.  Since this is more than 25% of our square footage, I also get to write off 25% of the operating expenses for the house against the income I make.  Such a deal!  But through the years, without a husband for most of the time I've owned the house, there's been no one to help with honey-do's and fix up projects and money has been SO tight.  Suddenly, I am presented with excess funds to use to fix up the place.  To say I am stunned would be an understatement; I am almost afraid to spend it!  We will start by building in some storage and bookshelves.  I have culled through my books several times, eliminating those that were extraneous; all that's left are the treasures and I refuse to get rid of THEM.  So, we will build in some bookshelves.  I had long ago picked out a dead spot at the end of the hall as one place to build a set of shelves that will probably take close to 3/4ths of our books.  So, we will do that!  I have also wanted to build in cupboards and shelves along two walls in our livingroom diningroom combination.  Now we will do that too!  And finally, we will build in some shelves and cupboards in the office.  I am THRILLED!  We don't want anything fancy.  In fact, I will probably only look for a stained wood finish on the one shelf unit at the end of the hall.  That way it will harmonize with the wood of the linen closet and look more like it was planned and less like an after thought.  We are even talking about putting in floor to ceiling storage in the bedroom, two units, one about the size of a triple dresser, the other about the size of a chest.  I am walking on air, here, people.  Next, we will do the roof.  I did have a cut-back done on it about 5 years ago, but it really needs more.  Joe wants to move the entryway out about 6 feet which will give us more of an entryway (right way our "foyer" is about the depth of a coat closet).  He also wants to move the entrance to the garage from the kitchen to the foyer.  So, we will bump out the entryway to accomodate that.  There really is a BIG plan here......hold onto your hats.  Next, we will tear out the kitchen wall.  That will be misery for a while.  The aim is to create a more open kitchen to make the entire living room/diningroom/kitchen area look larger.  AND to give me more cabinet space and countertop in the kitchen.  With the door to the garage relocated, that space can be used for cabinets/countertop.  AND, we will build something like an island that will use a bit of the diningroom space and will contain more cabinets and countertops.  Who knows, I might even wangle a walk-in pantry out of this.......my dream.  I don't just want an island sitting out in space though.....I want at least a 4-5 ft wall to screen any cooking mess off from the rest of the house.  And, when all that's done, new flooring.  That will be cheap.......my stepson does fancy concrete work and will do a beautiful tile-looking stamped concrete floor for us throughout the office, living room, dining room, kitchen, both bathrooms and the hall.  Only the bedrooms will be carpeted and I have a client who sells carpeting.  Do I need to tell you I am ecstatic with all this?  Well probably not since I've already said that at least twice!  When we're done, I will no longer hate 75% of the house, just the bedrooms!  :)

Okay, enough of this.  I need to get on with life.  I will post a few scrapbook pages here since that is the primary purpose of this blog!

I have had this first photo open a zillion times, always trying to scrap it in color.  I could never get it "right".  I converted it to black and white and used Christy Lyle's Pacific Solace on it and I think it turned out well.  The flowers on the page are from Lynn Grieveson's Island Blues kit.

This next one was done for Christy Sturm's Butternug Squash Designs creative team.  It uses papers from her POW kit.  I loved how the bluegreen paper seems to have turned the blue of the sky to a more bluegreen shade.......

I did this next one with Lynn Grieveson's Little Captain kit.  I was prowling around on Stock Xchange and saw this photo and HAD to download it and scrap it and it seemed Lynn's kit was perfect for it.

"Truth" was done for a challenge at Butternug Squash Designs.  I used the charity kit called Eternal Hope for it.  If you click on it you can probably read the journaling.....at least I hope you can.

Lynn Grieveson came out with a kit called Backyard Explorer last week.  I started scrapping with it and I couldn't quit!  This was my first page with it, and I used photos from Stock Xchange again.  I love these photos.........

Last but not least, this page features Miss Erica Evans on "Insanity" which is a thrill ride which hangs you out over the city of Las Vegas, 1200 feet in the air.  I used the Limerick kit by Bella Gypsy Designs for the Green paper.

GO to work!

It took me til 9AM to shove Joe out the door this morning.  That is way too late for my satisfaction.  He makes me a nervous wreck and I am always anxious for him to get the heck out of here so I can be sane.  It occurred to me this AM that he is a very bossy controlling OCD person and I am ADD.  This is quite a combination in the same house.  This morning he proceeded to outline what my priorities should be for the day.  Well, gee, if only I were capable of making those decisions.......grrrrr.  He has only some idea of what is on my plate, not complete.  But that doesn't stop him from trying to be "in charge".  Two of the items he brought up were already on my to do list.  Another isn't a priority for today at all.  In fact, the client says take today, tomorrow, and the weekend to get it done.  So I have 4 days to accomplish what is admitedly a monumental task, but Joe says "And of course the XXX project is your priority for today".  Bull****.  Finally, he tells me I'm to spend 2 hours, one this morning and one this afternoon, working on the YYY project.  Well, excuse me!  So, by now, he's given me about 12 hours of work to do today which does not include picking up after him throughout the house, laundry, and the thousand and one other things that REALLY need to be done TODAY.  There is a great danger that he will end up working from home as of May 17th.  I will no doubt be suicidal on a daily basis.  Oh, Lord, help me!  If there was ever a time I needed You to put Your hand over my mouth and keep it there, that will be the time.  And, Lord, I'll need a daily dose of valium to boot.  Everytime I think about it, I see this red neon "DANGER" sign flashing in my head........  I'm sure, Lord, you must have a better plan....

I have to change the subject.  The very thought of having him home all day, every day, yelling into the phone, with the TV turned up way too loud, bossing me around is more than I can stand. 

Okay, regroup.........  I made this really scrumptious pie last night.  I'll share the recipes here.  First, I always had problems making pie crust.  But, years ago, I found a recipe that worked.  The interesting thing is that it requires making 10-14 pie crusts at once.  No problem.  That's why I have a freezer.  This comes from a book called Make-A-Mix Cookery by Karine Eliason, Nevada Harward, and Madeline Westover.  Believe it or not, the book is copyrighted in 1978.  By now the pages are coming loose so I need to either put them in sheet protectors and into a binder or hole punch them.

Moist Pie Crust Mix

5 # all-purpose flour

2 T Salt

1 (3#) can vegetable shortening

3 C cold water

1/4 c all purpose flour, if desired.

Combine flour and salt in a very large bowl.  Mix well.  With pastry blender, cut in shortening until evenly distributed.  Mixture will resemble cornmeal in texture.  Add cold water all at once and mix lightly until the flour absorbs all the water and texture resembles putty.  If dough is too sticky, sprinkle a little flour over the top and mix until the dough barely clings together in the bowl.  Divide dough into 10 rolls.  Wrap each roll well and freeze.  Use within 12 months.  Each roll should be enough for a double crust pie.

So, I defrosted a roll of pie crust mix and mixed up the following (recipe from Paula Deen).  1 C sugar, 1/2 c self-rising flour, 2 eggs, 1 c pecan pieces, 1 1/2 c chocolate chips, and 1 c melted butter (cooled).  You pour this into the pie pan and bake for 50-60 minutes at 325.  It is scrumptious.

Well, I need to go start a load of laundry and get started on my day.  I'll come back later and post some pages.  Have a blessed day! 

TG it's over

Well, I really did not like yesterday.  What a wasted day.  I reported to the Regional Justice Center early.  That was the only way to avoid the traffic.  I was not selected for a jury.  I was not even one of the 50 or so they marched out in two different groups to be considered to be part of a jury.  (Infantile.....now everyone line up single file and follow the bailiff....)  Instead, I sat in that lousy jury room from before 8AM til 4 (excluding lunch).  BORING.  I took a book but there was too much coming and going and ringing of cell phones to concentrate.  I finally got desperate and downloaded a video game to my cell phone which I played so much that I had the beginnings of a callous on my thumb by the end of the day.  Probably the most frustrating thing about it all is that they tell you nothing.  They marched out 2 groups of about 50.  That left 13 of us sitting around.  And we sat around from 11 on.  When they sent us to lunch, they told us that when we got back, they'd have an update for us.  No, that didn't happen.  Now, if it takes 50 for a jury pool and there are only 13 of us left, we are not likely to be the next group called for a jury.  SO, why are we just sitting there counting the spots on the ceiling?  Well, as we finally learned about 3:50PM, the two groups who were marched out were going through Voir Dire and they thought they might need the last 13 of us in case the judge or attorneys eliminated too many people from the 50 to have enough left to make a jury.  For that, we sat all day.  As far as the jury thing was concerned, the most exciting thing that happened was that I wore a blister on my foot walking from the parking garage to the courthouse!

I DID get to have lunch with DD and DSIL.  He works downtown, so I asked Joe to call him and suggest he take his mother-in-law to lunch.  Joe did call him, but he never answers his cell phone and either doesn't pick up his messages or ignores them--we're none too sure which it is.  So, Joe called Jen to clue her in.  So, I ended up spending my lunch time with them.  That was not wildly exciting, but, of course, I'm always happy when I get to spend time with Jennifer.  She did have one great piece of news--she had her LAST Law School CLASS yesterday afternoon!  Of course, she's taking the Bar Review (and has been for several months), but at least classes are finished!

She went yesterday morning and met with the judge for whom she is supposed to be clerking from August 2006 to July 2007.  There was concern because she is pregnant and would miss approximately 2 months of work which would not be a likely cause for celebration on the judge's part.  They negotiated a deal.  Jennifer will start in March 2007 and stay til July 2008, giving her an 18 month clerkship instead of the expected 12 months.  And that will give her about 3 months with the new baby which pleases her.  She's decided she'll try to pick up a part time job after the Bar Exam in August.  She's been SO busy for the last 7 years with working, school, baby, husband, etc., she would probably go nuts just being home waiting for baby.  And the extra money will be a good thing for their budget as they will shortly have to begin paying on her student loans while they are still paying on his. 

I have been trying to get more exercise and be more careful about what I eat.  I would have hoped that would show up on the scale.  However, I walked about a mile and a half yesterday between the treadmill and my hike to and from the courthouse.  And I ate a salad for dinner with one TINY piece of bread.  Nevertheless, I weighed 1 pound more today than previously.  Now what's that about?  I swear, I consume so little food and nothing changes for the better in this body.  Maybe it's because I didn't get my water yesterday?  I tried, I really did.  I tried to buy a bottle of water from the vending machine (cheapskates--they didn't even have free coffee) but it was sold out.  Yeah, at $1.50 a bottle for 20 oz, it must be REAL popular!  Oh well, today is our fasting day.  We will eat only dinner.  I wonder if I will gain another pound by tomorrow?  Knowing my body, probably.

Okay, I have to get some work done.  It took me forever to push DH out the door this AM so my day started late and I have got to get SOMETHING accomplished today.  It was obvious from my last post that I just do not know how to make my photos and the descriptions of them line up, and I don't have time to try to figure that out this AM, so you'll have to tough it out.  Here goes.

First layout is with a kit by Bella Gypsy Designs and was done as part of a Creative Team assignment.  I thought it turned out pretty cute.  This is an old picture of Will.  He was only about two when the photo was taken. 

The second photo is a very current photo of Will, taken at school.  I thought it was really neat that they took the photo outdoors.  You probably can't see them, but he's getting freckles!  They look so cute, marching across his little nose.

The next page was done for Christy Sturm's Creative Team at Butternug Squash Designs.  This is another of the killer photos I got of Jennifer then night she and Jason went to the Barrister's Ball.  I used Christy's Brick Coffee House kit for this one.

I'm pretty proud of the next photo.  I took it in a restaurant with very low light.  It's actually a darn good close up of DGS.  I used a bg paper from Gina Miller and the ribbon and bow are by Mo Jackson.

This next one was fun.  I did this just for me!  It's a picture of Punkin trying desperately to lick Joe's face.  He was trying to hold onto her and to keep from drowning and laughing up a storm.  She was wiggling and pouncing on his face and having a good time.  I actually added motion blur to the layout because it just seemed appropriate given the way they were moving and carrying on while I was taking the pictures.  I loved the stark stripped down look of the layout.

Last but not least is a photo of Will and the two sons of some friends of Jason's taken at Disneyland in Spring, 2005.  Will is really hamming it up for the camera.  The kit I used is Bella Gypsy Designs "Crayons" kit.  I LOVE that primary-colored striped paper for kid pages. 

That's it for today, folks.  TFL, Marci

Took a Vacation, so to speak

Well, not a REAL vacation, but I kind of laid off a few things til I got myself back together after tax season.  But, I'm back at full throttle now--til tomorrow.  Tomorrow I start jury duty.  I'm praying I don't get picked.  I DON't have time for that right now.  AND, I DON't want to drive downtown in the morning and afternoon traffic, park in a public parking garage, hike to the courthouse.  I so wish this hadn't come up.......the timing is awful.

I've had a chance to begin to pull the house back together again.  That's a blessing.  The bathroom is much better.  I've done mountains of laundry including the down comforter and the quilt that was on our bed.  The Dining Room and Living Room are in good shape and the kitchen is improving.  We have such a nasty habit of plopping things on the kitchen table.  I've made a significant dent in the piles there, but it will take another few passes to get it clean.  One of the most difficult things for me is deciding where to put "stuff".  I don't think I got that gene......  My desk is still piled high, though I've spent a fair amount of time working on it.  Still SO MUCH work to be done in the office, including hours and hours of shredding.  I have to keep copies of clients' tax returns for 7 years.  I'm so grateful when the 8th year rolls around and I can start getting rid of another year of old stuff.  I vow, here and now, that I will NOT be keeping paper copies next year.  I will NOT!!!!!  I am sick of having three file cabinets stuffed full of people's old returns!  In fact, if I get some extra time this year, I'm going to start scanning and saving to CD and shredding everything shreddable.  What a relief it would be to be out from under this paper monster! 

We actually did a "real" grocery shopping yesterday.  For months (tax season), we have just run to the store for emergency supplies.  But, I actually made a menu plan and a grocery list and Joe went to the store and bought what was needed.  I'm kind of being broken in easy since he will be busy 3 nights this week and we are taking DSIL out for dinner for his birthday on Wednesday.  So, I only have to cook three dinners.  I cooked last night and actually enjoyed being back in the kitchen.  That's a good sign, but I don't know how long it will be til the novelty wears off.  However, cooking is sure easier on the budget than going out, so I will try to focus on that, now that people aren't coming to the house daily to give me money.  :)

I've done a lot of scrapping since I last posted.  I'll start by posting the newer ones and then go back and finish uploading the "older" ones (all of maybe 2 months old).  Anyway, this first one is of Jason and Will practicing for Will's Bubba Ball games.  Poor Jason worked all day, then came home and played with Will outside in the dark.  The man deserves a pat on the back for that.  Here's Play Ball.

All of the "ball" related stuff comes from Dani Brath at SBB.

I loved the photo of Jen in this next layout.  I joked that it was all those modeling classes I paid for paying off.  Jason wanted to be "team mom" for the Bubba Ball team, but he didn't like the title.  So, he just volunteered to bring a cake.  Unfortunately, he forgot what he volunteered for.  So, next practice, Jen had to ask what he was supposed to bring.  The coach told her he'd volunteered for a cake, which, of course, meant Jen would be baking the cake.  She created this little cake, shaped like a baseball mitt and ball.  She is so creative......  This page was done with a combination of Lynn Grieveson kits--Little Captain and Old Farm Kitchen. 

Jen took this picture of Bea and Bubbles laying in the sun in her bedroom.  I like the way the vertical blinds effected the light.  This was done with Tracy Ann Robinson's Malvern kit.  The flower is by Andrea Burns and the doodle by Taran Conyers.

This is a photo Jen and Jason took while visiting San Francisco.  In fact, I think that little person sitting on the trolley car on the right side is her, but without a magnifying glass I can't be sure.  When I posted this layout, someone said it looked like a picture postcard.  It IS a really good photo.

 

The Trolley Car page was done with Christy Sturm's Arizona Adventure kit.

These next two I'll deal with together since they are both done with Lynn Grieveson's Chocolate Marshmallow kit.  The first is a photo of one of Will's little friends.  I took the photo and am pretty proud of the way it turned out.  The second is a photo of Joe's and my hands on our wedding day. 

Well that's it for now.  My primary client sent a truck over here last week with 11 boxes of invoices, cancelled checks, paid bills, etc all to be booked by little old me.  I will be spending a lot of time on that for the next who knows how long.  Pray for me......these days I HATE doing this stuff. 

Have a good day. 

April 12th

Well, ordinarily, having typed that date up there, I'd be looking at only 3 days left of tax season after today.  But, since the 15th falls on Saturday, tax season is extended through Monday night, the 17th.  So, 5 days to go.  I guess I'm grateful for the two extra days--I'll be doing extensions all day Sunday to mail out Monday and God Forbid anyone calls me for an appointment either of those two days!  Turned out two very hairy returns yesterday along with the others I did.  Printing them was like printing War and Peace!  We have got to do the backup digitally next year or I'm quitting!  I'm chewing through paper and ink like a mad woman.  But, praise God, this is the first year in a good long while that my main printer hasn't turned up its toes and died during tax season.  THAT is a blessing.  Joe gets stuck running to the closest office supply store and buying whatever he sees just to get me through.  Inevitably, it is NOT what I want.  The one I'm using now has the tiniest paper tray.  I'm filling the paper tray 3 and 4 times a return!  The way the printer is set up, I have to walk around the desk and two client chairs everytime I need to add paper.  Since the dogs jump up and try to follow me everywhere I go, getting back from the printer is a challenge......requires getting all 3 dogs to back up!

Joe just announced that "we" must finish up some laundry in the next coupla days or he will be going out of town with no clothes to wear.  He leaves very early Friday morning and returns late Sunday.  His mother is in New Mexico visiting his brother and SIL, so he is going to spend the weekend with them.  Originally, they were talking about driving up here.  What an abortion that would have been!  I wouldn't even have been able to take time to say hello to them!  They certainly could have picked a better time for all this.  I'll be saddled with fighting the dogs to get to the door all on my own to hand out tax returns and collect money.  I'll also be spending Easter alone..........  Oh well, alone is quiet and relaxing, so that is one benefit and, if Joe is taking a day off from work, that is a good thing.  He really needs it. 

I learn the most interesting things from my clients.  I had a lady in here yesterday who was telling me all about a new lens that is being used in cataract surgery.  It requires NO glasses.  It's even yellow to filter out the UV rays!  In the past, a person with cataracts got a lens suitable for either close up or distance and had to wear glasses for the other.  This lens does it all.  I'm going to make sure I tell DD about this as I know she is pining to have Lasik surgery.....but, according to my client, this lens can be used in lieu of Lasik.  Might be worth checking out.  Client even had pamphlets and brochures with her all about the surgery. 

Well, I have to get hopping.  After all, in addition to being an extraordinary tax accountant today, I must also be a washerwoman and finish that laundry.  Don't want DH running around New Mexico naked--believe me, it would cause a local panic.  I'll leave you with some scrapbook pages. 

7........er 8

Well, counting today, 8 days left of tax season.  My desk is trashed.  I can't seem to finish a load of laundry.  I can't see the surface of my dresser.  I have no energy left.  I'm so ready for tax season to be over.  I just want my time to be my time again!  I have a million little things to deal with before I can get from here to there though.  I got a box full of "stuff" from some clients on Saturday.  The wife is in the hospital and has been for some time (like 2 months).  The husband has Alzheimers, and HE is in charge of getting me what I need to do a tax return.  Yeah......right......  I've thought about an extension, but I don't know if that will help.  The wife is VERY ill and I wonder if she'll ever make it home.  If not, will he be in worse shape AFTER April 17 than he is now?  I don't know.  But, I can't in good conscience print this return out and send it to him as it is.  I'm missing way too much information........

My good friend, Fran, is back in town.  Sadly, she is reeling with some really bad news.  I have no idea how the future will work out for her and am having a difficult time coming up with positive things to say to her.  Maybe I should just shut up and hug her and let it go at that?

Phew!  The phone just rang.  I've had one return partially done for days, waiting for additional information from the client.  I'd called her over and over, but just now heard from her.  That's another one I can check off my list. 

Well, I wish I could just continue to pour our my little heart here, but I've got to get crackin!  On top of everything else, DD just IM'd me and asked me to watch DGS til around 4PM.  He'd better be on his good behavior! 

Here are some scrapbook pages.  One day soon, I'll catch up on my "regular" pages and then I can start playing catch up on my CT pages.......

10 and counting

Well, only 10 days left til tax season ends.  I'm so glad to be getting close to the end.  I'm really tired of having people tramping in and out of my house.  As soon as someone pulls up outside, the dogs bark.  They bark again, like it's the end of the world, when people leave.  We can't figure that one out.  We understand that they SHOULD bark when people come,but why bark when people leave?  Anyway, they're all big or good-sized dogs, so it about rattles the rafters when all 3 bark at once.  I am dying for some peace and quiet.  And, where does it say "Bring your accountant food??"  People insist on trooping in here with the most fattening stuff!  The last lady brought this really sinfully rich caramel corn.  I can't possibly spend enough time on the treadmill to offset this stuff! 

We are supposed to babysit DGS tonight.  I have mixed emotions about TV when he comes here.  He has many videos at his house, but no TV.  SO, when he comes here, he is ecstatic to be able to watch TV.  And, it's no trouble.  He just sits in there and watches.  I only hear from him if a) he's hungry; b) he's thirsty; or c) he wants the channel changed.  Tonight, I'll be busting my buns on tax stuff so it will be a good thing that he is entertained.  However, sometimes, it would be nice if he would just play a game with Grandma!

Well, there's good news here.  Last Friday, one of the two partners who own the company for which Joe works came into town and asked him to lunch.  Though I'm sure he's known for months, he proceeded to tell Joe that while his license to lend would still be valid in CA, it would not be valid in NV.  After three years, he's finally gotten a significant account here in NV and the loss of it would hurt us a good bit.  Worse, this account has just started hiring additional sales people, so the potential for more money is pretty strong and we were thrilled.  We have significant debt, most of it left over from Joe's prior marriage, some of it generated just trying to live very conservatively while he got his business established in NV.  We don't feel that for us bankruptcy is an option and our constant prayer has been that God would give us the ability to pay off these debts.  Until last Friday, this looks like OUR year.  I was rocked, feeling a great deal of fear.  That was made worse by Joe's inability to communicate what he's thinking or planning.  I get an "after action" report, but i am never in on the process.  I'm just left to deal with my own questions.... But, as of yesterday, things are looking up.  Sunday, while doing a little sales research for his NV customer, we learned of another company here in town who has access to the same lenders Joe's been using.  He contacted that company and is now on board as their independent representative.  He can continue to handle loans for his NV customer.  He will net slightly less, but it beats starvation.  I am so grateful for God's faithfulness in directing us and taking care of us in this whole thing.  Better yet, he may be hired as Sales Manager for this NV customer over and above the lending.  That could mean even more money.  What a deal!

Well, I have to get back to work.  Here are some more catchup pages for you.  I hope it remembers it's supposed to post them in a larger size!

 

Please disconnect my phone

Well, Tax Season lasts about 75 days.  That means, everyone should have their W-2s and 1099s by the first week of February.  I MUST ask--why do so many people wait til the last minute to get their taxes done?  By now I am worn, stressed, frazzled, tired, disgruntled, overwhelmed, etc.  I almost hate everyone who calls or knocks on the door.  I REALLY hate the people who show up at my front door without an appointment but with a grocery sack full of s**t for me that has to be booked before I can do their tax return.  Honestly, do I look like superwoman?  I don't think so! 

The weather has been weird.  Today's forecasted high is 61 and it's windy.  It was forecasted warmer yesterday, but it was VERY windy and felt much colder than the thermometer said.  Tomorrow we're supposed to be back up in the 70's.  It's so changeable that you really do need to check the forecast before you get dressed in the AM.  I am SO ready for one season, not this mix of winter and summer that passes for spring in Nevada.  I am NOT ready for the summer's power bills though....they're raising our rates ANOTHER 15%!  AND asking to raise them again in August.  No question about it, I'm going to have to raise my rates if this keeps up.

All sorts of good news in this household.  My personal good news is that I was selected for Lynn Grieveson's Creative Team.  I just LOVE her stuff and I am so thrilled to be able to scrap my little heart out with it.  Here's the first page I did as an official creative team member........

I got this photo e-mailed to me by my cousin.  It was tiny (reduced to about 2 x .75) so I'm really glad he scanned it at 1200DPI.  I thought the page turned out well.  It was so easy to put together, like magic.  I think that must be related to my attitude.  I love Lynn's stuff so it just flows onto the page. 

Another piece of good news.  I'm supposed to have a very special birthday present this year.  It'll be the most expensive birthday present I've ever received but well worth the cost!  I'm going to have a new grandchild!!!!!!!!!  I'm SO happy I'm almost delirious over it.  What makes it hard is that my son-in-law is out of town and doesn't know yet, so I have to not say anything anywhere he might look.  But, he doesn't follow this blog, so I'm safe here.  I love my DGS, don't get me wrong......he's a little sweetie.  But, I am so looking forward to a little girl.  Please keep your fingers crossed for me or, way better, pray about this.  Jennifer lost a baby in September and we'll take whatever we get with joy as long as it's healthy.  Funny thing is, by Jennifer's calculation, the baby is due on my birthday!  Now that'll be a present to remember! 

Okay, well I'd better toddle off.  Mucho to do.  Must call clients and ask last minute questions, finish returns, print them, review them, assemble them, etc.  That will definitely keep me out of trouble for hours and hours and hours.........  Still playing catch up in posting scrapbook pages so here are a few more.

All Sizes

Well, we did something last night that was a lot of fun and good for us.  We went to a "Bubbleball" game.  It's my understanding that it's like T-ball except without the Tee.  DGS had his first game last night.  It was so funny.  First, we joked that baseball players come in all sizes.  There were some teeny, tiny little guys and some that had to be at least 1 1/2 feet taller than the little guys and a bunch in between.  The littlest ones were funny because, literally, they were shorter than their bats.  Good thing they used plastic bats--they were too little to lift wooden ones!  I was shocked that some of the kids "got some wood on it" except in this case I'd guess that would be "got some plastic on it".  There were a lot a decent base hits.  Of course there were also a lot of what DH calls "8 foot home runs".  One little guy, instead of running to first base after his hit, ran to the dugout.  We, of course, kept an eye on Will.  He played both catcher and some variation of short stop.  He was pretty funny.  They had a much older kid backing him up as catcher, so he just stood around with his hands in his pockets and let the older kid catch.  When he was in the field, he twirled around in circles and played in the dirt, building "sand castles"; the one time a ball did come his way, he paid NO attention.  I saw shades of Jennifer many years ago when she played soccer--she memorized the sky and the trees and never paid the least attention to where the ball was.  He was at bat 3 times and got a hit each time.  Way better than his grandma ever could have done at his age or any other........  So, we laughed and laughed at those kids.  Even though the wind was blowing dust around, we had a good time.  I tried to get pictures, but we were all the way over at the far end of the dugout, so who knows how they'll turn out. 

Well I got an "official jury summons" in the mail.  I knew it was coming.  I'd received the original summons to appear for jury duty on 3/10/06.  I called and begged off--being a self-employed tax accountant means you do NOT do jury duty in March if you want to eat in December.  So, they signed me up with a reporting date of 4/25/06.  I'm not thrilled about it, but as former "law enforcement" there's a good chance I won't be picked anyway.  Guess I'd better make sure I have a good book to read when the time comes. 

Well, I'd better post some pages and get to work.  I'm trying to find things I can do in the morning before Joe leaves that will allow me to get a start on my day.  They have to be easy things because I definitely am not a morning person--practically a danger to myself for a good hour after I get up.