Office #3

office #3 is up and running ... I truly didn't think we were coming out here today -- but here we are -- amid the clouds and spitting rain showers .. Mom is watching TV and I set up my mini office .... still need to bring out a scanner and then I'm ready for just about anything.  

Just spent $1,035 on continuing education -- well, registered for a 2 hour gig and 40 hours of "you pick" your seminar hours .. nothing is inexpensive any more -- at least I don't have to travel for most of it ... 

down the dock shot

and the fishing people have been at it all weekend long -- the fishing pier got knocked off it's footings by ice -- but the bank is loaded up with people ...

while the sun was shining this morning (and mom was still sleeping) -- I managed to vac up a zillion dead lady bugs in the basement and then moved to the porch -- argh the buggers are everywhere .. I'm behind on my cleaning rotations ...  way behind .. depending up when we get home I just might tackle the garage floor -- the porch could use another pass also .. 

the only good thing about a dirty porch -- all that dirt got deposited in the porch ----  not the house ... the basement is looking better ... I've been hauling stuff to the trash / recycling regularly -- I might even have time for a spot of sewing tonight .. time will tell -- next up is a nap -- 

every Sunday afternoon should include a nap.  

 

Road trip

we had a little road trip Friday night -- we got to meet baby Mara -- she's pretty darn special .... skirmy for 24 hours old ... 

we trekked over as a group -- had supper, brought supper to the parents ( better than hospital food )  and hung out .. I think she might be coming home today 

we came home across the field -- the planted into soybeans 10 days ago field ... I hadn't paid attention but Kevin said it was planted 10 days ago -- a glimpse of northern lights (camera only) and I thought this might be a cool shot when loading up and heading into the house .. it was .. 

today was Betty's funeral -- 5th funeral in 6 months

 .. it was a nice celebration of life

 ... I also got up and watched a bit of the Pope's service

 .. a lot of ceremony happing there

 .. I can't believe they loaded him up on a white Dodge Ram truck and hauled him over to the final resting place .. seriously, a somewhat plain with Dodge Ram truck

 . I wasn't seeing things I was awake at that point.  

Mom and I are at the lake -- she's napping, my devices are charging and I'm surfing on the laptop.  Life planning is about to commence.  My document management software sunsets on 12/31/27 .. which in the grand scheme of life is a pretty good date for an aging CPA.. it's a lot further out than I was expecting .. I think I'm okay with it -- still digesting.

 

hump day, I think

repeat pix -- can't find the goofy one I downloaded from the internet

this weeks issue ... can't seem to remember what day it is or isn't 

it's bad, really bad 

I can kind of see the top of my desk ... sort of see the top of my desk -- that only means I stashed the projects .. I need to set myself up with a better daily routine 

still working nights on projects -- less distractions at home

antibiotics are working on the tooth abcess -- still need to schedule the oral surgeon -- I did get the repairman for the washing machine scheduled -- at the same time as Mark's funeral .. the date/time struggle is real -- 

had meeting in Mkto after the board gig -- the preliminary plan was to stop and scope out Joann Fabrics on the trek home -- rolled with the traffic and rolled past it at 40mph might be the best thing of yesterday .. took a peek at the sewing space this morning -- need to dedicate some cleaning time in there tonight ... argh  it just piles up ... and gets stirred up 

need to find Ruby .. and get her out and running -- might help with attitude adjustment issues

less whining and back to work 

M

 

found it!

and so it goes

Easter Sunday -- I still rise at 4:00am .. but -- yesterday I hit the recliner with my laptop, coffee and cookie -- caught up on the newspaper reading, a spot of blog reading and a spot of shopping 

we made it out to the cabin with a hot ham in a pot, a pan of bars and a tote bag of "stuff" .. leaves got picked up, sticks got picked up the huge burning pile got burned in the fire pit .. sheets on the beds, counters scrubbed and the toilet issue seems to have been resolved ( sticky float ) ... 

more cleaning and yard work to come -- but I managed to snatch a nap and then it started to rain .. so home we trekked -- to more rain ...

Jan was busy checking in with me on Friday and Saturday .. well, I'm still on work time .. but I did not go to the office on Saturday morning until after 8;00am ... horrors!!!  Home with a tote bag of homework .. the faster we catch up the sooner I can play -- the home desk is also crowded ..

the office desk is always a mess 

Friday was entertaining -- the dentist has me headed to the oral surgeon -- "crater cavity" under an old crown (30 year old crown) and an absess (can't spell it) on said tooth -- antibiotics and referral -- antibiotics seem to be working with a side of advil/alleve for pain .. 

all in a day of my crazy life

 

signs, they are everywhere

the owl that swoops me all the time

generally at night on the homebound 

going up the hill ...

best I could get with my phone and iPad .. it just sat there and watched me ....

I should have went back with my "real" camera 

Wednesday night at the beach .

supper and sunshine 

(leftover's from the fridge -- but they taste better at the beach)

doctor appointment yesterday -- lose weight / walk more ... eat better

dentist gig today -- my new crown keeps zinging me .. or something else on that side is goofy .. finally gave in and called the dentist -- ( Jan told me too ! ) 

Happy Friday!!!

 

and the rest of the year begins today

 

I thought a last day selfie was in order

we don't selfie very well 

need to work on that 

or maybe not 

ever

my own tax return gets a pretty binder 

today's mood

1,496.25 Hours

1,358 Returns ( i think)

explains the mood -- maybe age explains the mood

if I had to sum up 2024 return season in a couple of phrases --- 

1) disorganized -- no one seemed to have their ducks in a row -- constant search / calls for missing documents .. "yes, I need that" seemed to be the phrase of the season .. and "i don't care i need that" the current economic climate breeds distrust in policy and procedures 

2) I was disorganized -- always searching for documents -- those i didn't have and those that dropped off later and files that seemed to lose their tags .. need to find a better labeling /  organizing system .. the constant wait for "stuff" always throws me for a loop I really need to live by the FIFO system .. not the "it's due tomorrow and you dropped it off today" system

3) I try to do too much -- I should schedule "down" time and take it and I should learn to ask for help when I need it and I should delegate more .. I really need to hire a "proofer" .. one person who just proofs the input work .. at least the basic input work or design a better checklist / input system 

4) extend baby, extend --- so many extensions -- I have a love / hate relationship with extensions

and on the positive side of the last 105 days ---

1) one snow "morning" 

2) other than one fractured vertebrae and one infected gallbladder no one was "sick" beside the normal sniffles and/or lung hacking -- I had a Sunday morning mini-bout of spinning dizzies -- other than the lack of sleep and bad diets -- we were pretty healthy

3) a lot got done -- a lot ....

and today is the first day of the rest of the year ... making to do lists, project lists and life planning today 

I am grateful  I am blessed

t g i f

I should be sleeping

shots from the phone this week

cruising has begun

damn those sunsets are killers

even the moon is cool

love notes from clients?

evidently the client "engagement letter" in his document packet meant something else to Steve -- now if he turned in his stuff earlier .... 

breakfast of champions

 

signs, reminders, blessings

thru the season, I frequently call clients in for "clarification" on stuff/transactions/activities ... yesterday, I had scheduled an appointment with D -- land sale, wasn't making sense in my twisted mind --- well, I'm getting my questions answered and rolling thru my list .. and he asks me "will this be done today?" .. "I won't be around much longer and we need to finish this today" .. 

long story short -- last year he was battling throat cancer and the C returned -- liver, lung, pancreas .. chemo wasn't working and he opted for quality over quantity and getting the tax returns done was on his short bucket list of "things" ..   -- we got it done.  

I'm constantly reminded of the strength of people -- life challenges and changes certainly bring out the best ( and worst ) in people .. I am grateful to spend a brief amount of time with D .. -- hoping for a miracle, yet at the same time knowing his final days are filled with love and laughter -- and according to him -- "one last pontoon ride on the lake - too early to fish and they won't be biting -- I'll need a ride instead" ..