Tax Hell

New Camera

2009-06-03T09:51:00.008-04:00

Recently we bought a new camera. While I have pretty much no idea how to use all the fancy settings, it's been fun trying them all out. Following are some pictures we've taken, no rhyme or reason to them, just things that have been going on lately.

The Girl made some beautiful chocolate covered strawberries. They were perfect subjects...

Alex had some of his art shown at the annual art show....The Kid has a knack for Modern Art!

My first attempt at raspberry turnovers. They were not pretty and they weren't as good as my mothers but, not bad.

The Girl baked and decorated my birthday cake. Clearly, this is my all-time favorite birthday cake. Shocking, I know!

We had some trees cut back and the tree guys were like monkeys!

I hope to get out and take lots of pictures this summer. My plan is for us to spend time with Sandy andJimmy and pick their brains about the camera. Those 2 seem to have a LOT of knowledge and I think, if I play my cards right, they'll help us out.

Missing the Boat....

2009-05-28T13:47:00.005-04:00

During Tax Hell there was a thing going around on FaceBook, 25 Random Things. Being knee-deep in Hell, I was unable to post MY 25 things. I thought I would put them up as blog post. Blog Worthy? Probably not. A prime example of the narcissist that these blogs turn us into? HELL YA.

25 Random Things About ME......

I once worked Security at Logan Airport
Pop Rocks freak me out.
I tend to give most people the benefit of the doubt.
My Mini-Cooper had a name. Cupcake. That seems ridiculous now. But it was cute then.
Harriet was the best dog ever.
The Girl is my Constant. (Lost fans will get that)
I could live on pizza. And sushi.
Starbucks over Dunkin Donuts.
I was home tutored for 2 years of High School.
Tax Hell might be crazy busy. And I think I like it!
I loathe winter and love summer.
I want to get RockBand for WII. But only for the drums.
I wish I had gone to cooking school when I was younger.
The things that are important to me are not "things"
I miss Lenore, I must call her!
My first job was at a store called, "Candy, Nuts and Books"...very descriptive.
Coke over Pepsi
My family is very close and somewhat crazy.
Not a fan of birds that talk.
I thought I was allergic to alcohol for over 20 years.
Topsfield Fair will always be special to me.
Some days I feel old.
My nephews and Niece are the best.
I have a love/hate thing going with my Blackberry.
I was 44 years old when I met the love of my life. Totally worth the wait.

This One's for Alison...

2009-05-12T13:04:00.002-04:00

The Scene:

The Girl is playing on the computer and I am flipping around, watching tv....CNN is doing a piece on the Hubble Telescope.

CNN Anchor: The Hubble Telescope is in need of some very serious repairs.

Me: Your girl is lovely Hubbell.

The Girl(distracted and not really listening to me): What did you say?

Me: Nothing.

HERE'S TWINKIE!

2009-04-25T10:28:00.002-04:00

I know it's been a long time since my last post. Tax Hell kicked my ass this year and I still don't have a camera. I have to fix that toot suite! We have a new addition to our extended family....TWINKIE! Brenda and family welcomed this bundle of joy 3 weeks ago and it's been a lot of fun having a dog around again. This is the best of both worlds, really. I get to play with the dog and I have none of the responsibility! The Girl is not a dog person but I think she likes Twinkie. It's impossible not to! Such a sweet little girl. She's a Golden-Doodle, part Golden retriever/part standard poodle. Quite a combo. The Girl thinks she's going to be a "horse". I think she's going to be a medium sized dog, probably 60-70 lbs. Judging by the size of her paws I think she'll easily hit 65lbs. Right now she's 15 lbs of sweet doggie. She's nine weeks old and just about house-broken. The whole Gharabegian clan are going to puppy-training class today, so that should be interesting.

Random things, in no particular order......

Lucas figured out the Easter Bunny is a fraud. At the same time he was relieved that Santa Claus is real!
The Girl and I celebrated our 2 year anniversary. Best 2 yrs of my life, no doubt.
Had both families for Easter Dinner. And we all lived.
From January to April 15th all I did was work. Literally. The Girl did EVERYTHING else..Laundry, cleaning, cooking, shopping. Everything! I could not have made it through such a tough time without her support. Don't know if I say it enough (or too much?!?) but she really rocks.
Found a new sushi place, Oksana Sushi in Saugus. A little hole in the wall but the sushi is fantastic.
Swine Flu pandemic? Great.
Accidentally started watching In Treatment on HBO. Can't recommend it highly enough.
Looking forward to having a vegetable garden this year. Also, the rabbit that lives in our back-yard is very excited about it too.

I said, They said......

2009-02-10T16:47:00.003-05:00

I have had some interesting conversations with clients lately....here are a couple that seem funny NOW...while I was involved in them, not so funny.

First up, an older woman with bright red hair we'll call Lucy:

me: do you want to efile?
her: no, i don't believe in it. and my son said massachusetts is not accepting anything electronic
me: that's not true, exactly the opposite but, you don't want to so, fine, paper copy for you!
her: i don't BELIEVE in all that electronic internet crap. what's the point anyway?
me: so, paper copy for you then.

Second, is an older gentleman we'll call Bob:

me: i see you had some luck at the casino, do you want to take some losses against your winnings?
him: who is this again?
me: Your Accountant....i'm preparing your taxes
him: OH...you know, your father did my taxes YEARS AGO, i was his first client
****note****MANY OLD PEOPLE TELL ME THIS SAME THING EVERY YEAR. EVERY SINGLE YEAR.
me: yes, i know....so, do you have any losses to take against the winnings?
him: what?
me: did you lose anything gambling last year, losing lottery tickets...any gambling losses at all?
him: i remember you when you were a baby
me: yes, i know...(I HEAR THIS A LOT TOO)
him: so, i went to mohegan sun and i HIT the slots!
me: i see that....that's great. did u have any losses?
him: oh, i don't want to get into all that....lets just call it a loss and call it a day, ok?
me: it's not a "loss" though...you have winnings, they're taxable. if you want to use losses against the winnings, it will lower the tax you pay.
him: really?
me: yes
him: i think we better leave well enough alone. how's your father? can i talk to him?
me: he's retired....i'll tell him i spoke with you. thank you. you'll be called when the taxes are ready to be picked up. ok? thanks again, good bye
him: wait!!!!!
me: yes?
him: whatever i lost, i lost, i don't need to report it, do i?
me: not if you don't want to, no.
him: i don't any trouble. i like things simple. you know, mohegan didn't want to withhold any tax when i hit the slots!
me: ok, thanks again.....
him: you all set now? any more questions?
me: no, i have everything i need.
him: ok....i better go.
me: yes, me too. bye.

11 Degrees.....

2009-02-06T10:39:00.004-05:00

I am just trying to keep this picture in my head. It helps to get through the 11 degree days....sorta. Tax hell has really heated up....I have many individual returns, corporations and partnerships to prepare. Most are in English, however, one "special" client gave me some of her information in French. I don't speak or read French. I understand it's the language of love but it's not the language of tax preparation! This client is an artist and she showed her work in China, France, Canada and Italy. The works that sold, that income is in various foreign currencies...so, FUN WITH FOREIGN CONVERSIONS! I know how delightful this all sounds and really, I'm such a nerd that I kind of enjoy it. A Tax Nerd, that is.
I am looking forward to spending time with The Girl this (every) weekend....had to get my ODE in!

Finally.....

2009-01-20T09:30:00.001-05:00

Most Awesome Thing I Saw This Week......

2009-01-15T11:19:00.004-05:00

Ryan high-fiving the blind guy.
I am still laughing.

Also, it came to my attention that my previous post about Oprah didn't have any Ode to The Girl! How is that possible?
Well.....since I can't go TWO posts without an Ode....The Girl and I have been together for 21 months now (I know this sounds gross) and I am happier than I ever thought I could be in a relationship. We don't agree on everything and we're just different enough that boredom is not a problem. We also don't have any drama in our life, we DO agree on the important things and I still get the "butterflies".

End of Ode.
For today.

I Hate to Complain but......

2009-01-08T09:17:00.005-05:00

Oprah? SHUT THE F**K UP! I am so over it! We get it....you lost weight, you gained weight, you lost weight, you GAINED weight! Enough! I know, this is a universal problem, people listen to you, they look up to you, they IDOLIZE YOU....just SHUT THE F**K UP about it, will ya? When you took, like a week of your show to talk about this I thought, Ok, fine..it's your show. Then, the magazine, ok....again, YOUR magazine. But last night on Larry King, he took a half hour and had on your "team." Seriously? A "team?" He had Dr Oz, Bob Greene the trainer, and the obligatory "spiritual advisor." I think it was the spiritual advisor that pushed me over the edge. Granted, I was hanging on the precipice, but still. Just take your personal chef, personal trainer, personal physician and personal SPIRITUAL ADVISOR and SHUT THE F**K UP!

It's probably hard to tell but I think Oprah is amazing. She came from literally nothing, got an education and worked her way from a local tv reporter to one of the most powerful women in the world. I might have skipped a bunch a steps there but she is clearly a brilliant business-woman who owes her success to no one but herself. I admire that. A lot.

I just want her to shut it before I have an embolism.

And The Winner Is.....

2008-12-16T10:46:00.007-05:00

Sunday night The Girl and I went to Brenda's to construct gingerbread houses with the kids. This is a holiday tradition that has evolved into a "contest" of sorts. Brenda gets the graham crackers, mixed the icing and prepares the base. We bring the candy for decorating and an enthusiam to WIN! Just kidding....we also brought wine. This year was a little different with my father getting into it as well. I kept my house small (everyone else tried to build large houses, and they promptly fell apart....too bad for them!) and concentrate on the decorating details. Tha above pic is before the final touches. Oh, yes. It gets better!

Brenda had the most trouble with keeping her house standing.....she was getting very aggravated, as you can tell by the look on her face.

I just noticed that her house in that pic looks good. Trust me, it kept collapsing and she threw it in the trash soon thereafter. The big BABY!!

My father built a house. Hard to really tell in that pic but his decorations were haphazard at best.

Obviously he was extremely proud of his accomplishment. Eh...it was ok, I guess. My mother was just hoping the whole didn't end up on her head!! Now THAT would of been funny!

Here is another picture of the winning house (my house). The judging was totally impartial....I declared myself the winner and that was that. I think I did a pretty, pretty, pretty good job.

Of course I had some help from The Girl...she was sort of the runner...helping out where necessary. I find doing the holiday stuff with The Girl so twinkley....and it's a reminder (you think I need one??) of how lucky I am to have her to share it all with. I'm very lucky.

And I build a mean gingerbread house.

Things To Be Thankful For....

2008-11-26T09:22:00.007-05:00

There are so many things....thankful we have Dana-Farber so close and accessible to us. Alan is making very small steps towards recuperating. Brenda just told me he ate a small cup of jello last night. That is a very big deal for him. I'm thankful the kids are all healthy and happy, growing like weeds and each smart and funny in their own ways. Watching them go from babies to PEOPLE has been amazing. Not having kids, I feel very fortunate to have them in my life. My mother turns 70 yrs old in February. Wow! That sounds old but she doesn't seem that old. My father will turn 70 soon thereafter and he really doesn't seem that old. He golfs every day, is incredibly active for ANY age. He never stops. My mother has some minor health issues but for her age, she's very healthy. They spend the winters in Florida and I think that might be what's keeping them healthy and youngish. They certainly enjoy their life and their grandchildren. I was very close to my mothers parents and I love seeing Alex, Lucas and Ella having that same closeness with my parents. They're a big bunch of nuts but they're my nuts, and I'm thankful for all of them, even when they're driving ME nuts.
This is the second Thanksgiving for The Girl and me. I know I've said it many (very many) times before but I'm thankful for her every single day. My life is better in so many ways with her in it.
We are having the whole nutty bunch for dinner tomorrow and there's lots to do. But it'll be fun and I'm looking forward to cooking a big dinner in the new kitchen.
I hope everyone has a Happy Thanksgiving. And tell people how much they mean to you. People like that!

I'm a "bit" behind.....

2008-11-20T13:58:00.009-05:00

Ok, it has been a while. I know. Lots of things have been happening since the last post. I think it might be easier to just bullet point it. So, it no particular order:

Alan finished his radiation therapy at the end of August. He has a feeding tube and is still, for the most part, unable to swallow. He has good/bad days. Thankfully, more good than bad. We saw him the other night and he was trying to swallow a VERY small teaspoon of sherbert.

In August we made final plans for our kitchen remodel. We bought the appliances (refrigerator, stove, wine fridge, range hood) and decided on a contractor. Cabinets and granite was picked out, light fixtures and new paint color for walls.

It took us about 6 trys for the paint color. The Girl painted the walls at least 6 times before we decided on one.

On Sept. 11 our house was robbed. Various items were stolen, windows broken/damaged, door lock jimmied. Luckily, no one was home and the robbers didn't make any mess or cause the house any real damage. We had just bought a new tv and Wii system, neither were stolen. However, my digital camera WAS stolen and accounts for the lack of pictures accompyning this post.

I have to replace the camera, it's making me nuts not having one. I have my eye on a Nikon SLR.

We were very into the whole election process, watching lots of analysis. And, needless to say, are VERY pleased with the outcome.

Things with The Girl are great, as always. I know it sounds disgustingly gross and obnoxious but the longer we're together, the more I realize how lucky I am to have her in my life and how right we are for each other. I always knew, in some part of my compromised brain what I wanted a relationship to be like and now, with her, I have it. It just grows stronger and gets better as time goes by. I have never loved someone so completely and I couldn't be happier with her.

In mid October the remodel started. It took about 3 weeks, which is not that long. It felt longer but, it was SO worth it. If I had a camera, I'd post pictures. But I don't. Soon.

We went to a great Halloween party at a client of The Girl's. Sharon and Tommy had a big party and it was so nice of them to include us.
The Girl turned 38 on 11/06. We had thai food (her choice) and I gave her a gift certificate to a spa for a massage. She GIVES massages everyday so I thought it would be nice for her to receive one for a change. Alison was horrified that I'd give her a gift certificate but The Girl was very happy with it.
We are hosting Thanksgiving and all my family will be there. Not sure if Alan will come over or not. It might be too hard for him to smell all the food and be unable to eat. He has been avoiding smelling food if he can. I hope we're able to see him but will totally understand if he just can't.
After the house was robbed we decided to install an alarm system. From the time of the robbery to the installation of the alarm, I don't think we slept through the night! Every noise would put us on high alert. Now, with the alarm, we feel safe.
My friend Deb shared something last week and I was not only surprised to hear but I was also a bit concerned. She told me she subscribes to this website, flylady.com. It sounds a bit cultish to me and we might have to stage an intervention. Deb, please, step away from flylady. Followers of flylady call themselves flybabies. I'm afraid she's a short step from redhats. I was surprised because Deb and I have coffee together most Saturday mornings and she had never mentioned flylady before. Usually, she just talks about the craft fair she's organizing...her other obsession.
As for Tax Hell....I'm in Tax Heck right now. Lots of things with a 12/15 deadline. I've also been doing more Foreign tax projects than usual. I had one client that inherited property in Switzerland and she wanted me to review the paperwork. Ok, fine. Except it was in german. Sorry, I need English. I was able to convert the Swiss Franc's to $$ but that was about it. Another woman called and wanted me to review her 2007 tax return. She had a rental property in Paris and wasn't confident the accountant had handled it properly. I was able to alleviate her fears, convert the Euro's and retain her as a new client for 2008. I'm just that good. : )
In late October I had a client call and ask me who he should vote for! That was a new one. I explained to him that I couldn't, in good conscience, tell him who to vote for. I was quietly whispering "obama...obama...obama..."
I'm being sued by a pool company I had a dispute with in 2005. I'm trying to get all my paperwork together for the court date of 12/15/08. We'll see how that goes.
OH...and Monday, Alison was arrested! The scofflaw has bounced a check in 1987, for $29! She was stopped for speeding, her warrant came up and she was handcuffed and taken to court. By a state trooper. Then her fun really began. She was shackled. Brought before a judge and it was eventually dropped. Her car had been impounded and the whole thing was a goat-f**k of the worst kind. I am so sorry she had to go through that, honestly. And I might never stop laughing.
That's most of it, for now. I do enjoy blogging. I just got so far behing that it seemed impossible to catch up. Hopefully, I won't let 3 1/2 months go by until my next post!

Girls....

2008-08-06T10:47:00.004-04:00

For her 5th birthday present, The Girl and I gave Ella a day of clothes shopping and lunch at her favorite place, The Cheesecake Factory. The Girl had a cell phone to exchange so Ella and I went on ahead to The Children's Place to begin the shopping. I had been warned that Ella is very finicky about her clothes. She knows what she likes and there is NO changing her mind. We started looking around and she was immediately drawn to a display of tee shirts. Not just plain tee shirts, no. These were PINK and PURPLE! They had butterflies and princesses on them. Very sparkly. She was sure she wanted one (they were 2 for $15, I told her to pick out 2) Next, she spied a rack of skirts. I, on the other hand, was looking at a table of cargo pants. These were very cute and I thought she would like them. I called her over and pointed them out. She took one look at them and said, "Auntie, I take my clothes very seriously. I know what I'm doing, let me do this myself." Ok!! I guess she knows what she's doing then! Ella was able to find her sizes, match the clothes and give me the things to hold she wanted to try on. Glad I could be of some help. The Girl eventually met us in the store and for some reason, I'm not sure why, was able to help Ella pick out some sweater/shirt thing to match one of the skirts she had. Hmmm....wonder why MY picks were no good and The Girl was able to help?

Naan

2008-07-31T14:54:00.003-04:00

I made Indian Pizza's for dinner last night. I know that sounds odd but I used Naan as the dough. I had done this once before and went with the traditional toppings of tomato sauce and cheese. This time, I wanted to do something different and zippy. Zippy is good! So, I topped The Girl's with carmelized onions, ham and mozzarella cheese. I think goat cheese would of been a better choice but, The Girl is not so much a fan of the Zippy as I am. For my Indian Pizza, I chopped some garlic, cleaned some shrimp and combined that with olive oil and grated romano cheese. This mixture I spread on the naan and topped it with some shredded Mozzarella. Into a
450o oven they went for about 15 minutes. OH my. This was so good I wish I had made an extra one for lunch.
Live it.
Learn it.

FIVE!

2008-07-29T11:19:00.010-04:00

My blogging has been spotty, at best. I have not been feeling very well lately. Since we came back from Vegas I've had some kind of bug that I just can't shake. This week is Ella's birthday....she's FIVE. Last night was her family party which was a cookout and cupcakes in Topsfield. Today is her friends party, theme....UNDER THE SEA! And Friday is her ACTUAL birthday. Brenda decided to celebrate a little early because Alan starts round three of Chemo on Thursday. I have pictures of the family party, the cupcakes Ella made herself and the beautiful fruit salad The Girl assembled.

That Girl....she was quite a catch!

A Few More....

2008-07-17T09:04:00.008-04:00

I still have a few more pics from Vegas. I've been sick and got a bit behind. I am on a high dose of Prednisone so that's always fun! Let's increase the dose and see what happens. I know I've outlined the side effects of the Pred. In all their fun and glory. This time, in addition to the sweats and hunger and puffiness, I seem to be somewhat depressed. I know I'm not really depressed and it's just a short-term effect but, wow. I get things in my head and they go round and round. Like a loop. Fun times.

I Love Lucy....The Lucy Show.............HERE'S LUCY!!

Trevi.....Lunch at Caesars.

I enjoy making The Girl stand and point at things. Here she is, pointing at things, at The Wynn. And her and Abe. For some reason, she's pointing at herself!

My least favorite pic. Funny but not. I'm kidding. It's funny.

I guess.

Leaving Las Vegas...

2008-07-11T08:52:00.014-04:00

I did like the "Wheel of Fortune" slots......FREE SPIN, FREE SPIN!!!

Me and Georgie.....

The Girl and her Cats!

It was so hot out when I took this pic, I wanted to jump into that fountain.

Us at M&M World

She's a natural daredevil.

The BlueMen freak me out a little.

I prefer Mini-Golf....I LOVE the windmill!

The Girl and Jessica Simpson...I have to say, not Madame Tussauds best effort.

The Girl in Fake Paris. It was very cute there. Just like her!

We went, we saw, we played, we ate and we came home and BOTH got sick! The Girl and I are not great travelers. I had to go the dr and get the meds (HELLO Prednisone!) and The Girl is feeling like crap and running a fever (she still will work and most likely mow the lawn). The pictures show us when we were young, carefree and still had our health! Before Vegas kicked us in the ass.....

And We're Back......

2008-07-08T12:52:00.006-04:00

Lots of pics to post....I'll start with these few for today. I am very tired and I think I'm getting sick. I still need to grocery shop and do some stuff around the house. I got caught up at work so I think I'm leaving here soon....I need to pick up an inhaler and breathe!

What Happens In.......

2008-07-02T20:43:00.003-04:00

Will not stay there! We are off to Vegas for the weekend and I plan on taking lots of pictures. We have our roll of quarters and we are ready to hit the casino.

Big gamblers? Not so much. We'll see a show or two, eat at some great restaurants and hopefully have lots 'o fun!

This is the first "real" trip for The Girl and me so I'm very much looking forward to the time alone together. A little anxious about all the flying/travel. Vegas is WAY out of my circle but it's good for me to push the circle a bit.

Pucci/Trull OUT!

Wordle.Net.....Try it!

2008-07-01T09:30:00.001-04:00

Things I .....

2008-06-25T10:13:00.010-04:00

Right now, in no particular order, I am Loving:

Finding a non-stop flight for our return from Vegas.
Summer weather (thunderstorms and all.)
Our flowers blooming
Farm Strawberries
My new CROCS!
Katy Perry kissing a girl and liking it
Lime green Vespa's
Floppy shorts
Iced Coffee
The Girl (Let's play....STATING THE OBVIOUS!)
A clean pool with no dead animals floating around
Getting ready for vacation
Fast Verdict for Neil Entwistle
Big Brother starting soon!
Buying locally grown veggies
Dana-Farber Hospital
Watching The Girl cut the lawn
Iced Tea/Lemonade
Grilling
Mondays off
Monday, coincidentally, is The Girl's day off!
Vacation next week!

NOT LOVING:

The Gloucester Pregnancy Pact...ENOUGH ALREADY!
Figuring our how much liquid you can carry on a plane
All Dunkin Donuts employee's
Clumps of cat hair
Elliot Weinstein
Flying next week
Summer re-runs
Dead animals floating in pool
Waiting for my requests to come in to the library
Red Tide, I want my bivalves!

Alan Update

2008-06-25T09:54:00.004-04:00

Alan has finished his first round of chemo. Now it's very important that he stay well hydrated and take the myriad of meds he's been prescribed. Brenda has been extremely positive and a great support for him. Lucas and Ella really don't get what's going on but Alex sure does. He's a sensitive kid generally and this has turned his world a bit off its axis, I think.

There are 2 more rounds of chemo Alan has to go through but the really good news is after just the first round the swelling in his neck has gone down a LOT and the pressure in his head has been alleviated. The nausea is starting to get the best of him and this morning Breda said the mouth-sores and throat-sores are making it increasingly difficult for him to eat/drink. If he's unable to drink the fluids required he'll have to go in for IV fluids. All the fluid is very important to keep his kidney's flushed. That chemo...it will either kill ya or cure ya.

The pic is from November 07, when we were all in Florida and out to dinner at Shrimpers. The Girl is sitting next to Alan.
This couldn't be ONLY about Alan, could it??

A Little Meandering.....

2008-06-15T22:53:00.007-04:00

It's late and I'm tired. We had the whole clan over for dinner....still cleaning the kitchen! But it seemed like everyone had a good time, good conversation and the kids were very well behaved (as usual!!) I have some pics from the kids swimming during the short lived heat-wave we had last week. Last week I went to Lucas' second grade science fair. He built a wheel of fortune type thing. You spin and he asked a question regarding great white whales. If you got it correct, you won a tattoo! It was very cute and he was excited to show off his work. Unfortunately Brenda was with Alan while he had his surgery that morning so they couldn't attend. My father, Ella and I went and Lucas seemed happy about that.

Cat TV.....

2008-06-04T18:50:00.007-04:00

Now that we have the doors open to enjoy the spring air, Sammy and Charlie love to look out and enjoy the view. The Girl calls it "Cat TV"....It could be the chipmunks or birds or squirrels. We're not sure. But they DO love it. And it apparently puts them in the mood to show a little love to each other. I'm a tried and true dog person but even I have to admit it's pretty cute.

Want To Take a Dip??

2008-05-30T10:51:00.006-04:00

We had the pool opened this week and this is the result of heavy shocking, algaecide, back-washing and the filter running 24/7. This is about 75% better than it did look, so there's that. We bought new chair cushions and arranged the table/chairs a little differently this year. The girl is very fengISH...it's a word! Or a concept, not sure.

We also bought a new car this week, a 2009 Toyora Corolla. Hopefully, The Girl will save some $$ on gas. Now we are going to concentrate on selling the Mini....

It's Been a Week....

2008-05-30T10:23:00.007-04:00

So last week was my birthday, I think I've mentioned that. On Saturday afternoon I went to my sisters house and she made lunch, we had a key lime pie, they sang...candles...the whole magilla. My parents were there, Brenda, the kids and Alan. The Girl was working so her and I had plans to celebrate that evening. It was all great fun, nice weather, good food. Everyone seemed to enjoy the afternoon, lots of laughing and some crying (Ella got stung on the chin, see pic of her with ice-pack)

Saturday nite The Girl and I started out at Kowloon (I wanted a Blue Hawaiian), we had some thai apps and played some keno. Then we went to have a real dinner at Carrabbas (Sangria this time!) We had a great nite and I remember thinking how much better this birthday was than my last(had to put Harriet to sleep)

Sunday morning we get up and start to make breakfast. I see I have a voice-mail so I listen to it while still in my happy birthday to me place. VM from my Dad...he took my mother to the hospital late Saturday nite with bad pain in her stomach. Turns out she has gall stones and pancreatitis! She was admitted to the hospital and heavily drugged. I call my sister to see when she's going to se my mother, I thought we could arrange to go at different times. She tells me she's taking her huzzband to the ER, he's having pressure/pain in his head. (He has a lump on his neck that he was supposed to get removed last week)...So, off they go to the hospital and they bring the 3 kids to us. I have to go the bakery because my family was supposed to come to our house for my birthday party Sunday nite. The cake is lovely. Oh, wait...that's not how you spell my name!!

As it turns out, my mother had her gall bladder removed. She'll be fine. Alan (The Huzzband) is the one we're worried about. He had a cat scan that showed a mass in his head/neck that they found suspicious. Then this week he had 3 biopsies that came back cancerous. He's scheduled for an MRI tomorrow (Saturday) and surgery June 10th. The silver lining is the Dr said this type of cancer is "highly treatable." We are all very worried about him but he has a great attitude and we are all there to help them in any/every way.
It's just so weird that last Saturday we were all having lunch, everything was so...NORMAL (as normal as it gets in my family!) and the next day, BOOM...

Kids...They Say Stuff We Think

2008-05-23T10:22:00.003-04:00

I was on the phone with Ella yesterday.....

Me: "Are you coming to my birthday party on Sunday?"

Ella: "Yes. My mommy is 40 and my daddy is 41, how old are you Auntie?"

Me: "How old do you think I am?" {this is a bad question to ask ANYONE, especially a 4 yrs old!!!}

Ella: "18?"

Me: "yup...that's right!"

Ella: "Auntie, are you fooling me? How old are you really?"

Me: "I'll be 46 yrs old"

Ella: "OH MY GOD!!!!"

The Cat In the Sink....

2008-05-23T10:03:00.005-04:00

Meet Sammy. Sammy likes to sit in the bathroom sink. She'll sit there all day if you let her. It's not like she has anywhere to GO...or anything else to DO (except sleep.) Sammy likes running water. She has a bowl of fresh water on the floor next to her food dish. That water, for some reason, is not good enough for her. Running water seems to be the key. She drinks the running water from the bathroom sink as if she's on the verge of dehydration!
For laughs, sometimes while Sammy's sitting in the sink, waiting with baited breath for the water to magically start running, I'll put the water on FULL-FORCE!
Let me tell ya, that cat can RUN!

It's Not Always Worth a Thousand Words.....

2008-05-22T15:12:00.010-04:00

Took some pictures recently.....
This is the pond at my office park. While everything is nicely landscaped, the fountain is cool....the water in the pond is dyed! They put green dye in it once a month....very natural, dontcha think?

Next up is Alex at his Art Show at Topsfield Library. His Art class has a show each year...they hang the work and have snacks. It's very cool to see kids so excited about art. Give me Art over soccer any day.

That's Charlie, our big, fat, white cat. With different color eyes. He's a good boy. Not like the other one....

Couple of pics of the house with the new plants, mulching and shrubs removed.
The Girl is multi-talented. (you didn't think I was going a WHOLE post with no Girl-centric comment, did you?)

Apropos of Nothing....

2008-05-21T14:36:00.005-04:00

Just a random pic of The Girl...taken in the back yard, spring 2007. I don't think she knew I took that picture....I'm sure she'll be pleased that I've posted it!

So much time has passed since my last post that I don't have any idea where to start!
The Girl and I (mostly her) have been doing a lot of yard-work. We pulled out shrubs/bushes, weed-whacked, mowed, planted, mulched and used a blower. As I write this, I realize how little of this I have actually done. It's all her. And it looks great...I wish I had photo's to post (I will soon.)

We have decided The Girl needs a new car. Her commute is 60 miles per day and her Tribute is a gas beast. We have looked at Honda's Fit, Toyota's Corolla and Yaris. The Prius is what I think we both really want to get, however, the price is almost double the other options. And this car is really just to commute and keep the gas cost as low as possible. We actually put a deposit on a Honda Fit last weekend but have since decided to try and sell The Girl's car first and then buy. It's a nightmare process, as anyone who has ever bought a car knows. These sales-people talk and double-talk so much you agree to anything just to get the hell out of there!

I talked to Gretchen on the phone for the first time in, oh, about 10 months. 3 days later I receive a 4 page letter from her that was quite odd. Guess I won't be talking to Gretch anymore!

The Vegas trip is fast approaching and we have decided to see Le Reve. This is what they say about Le Reve:
French for "the dream," Le Rêve is a stunning journey of the soul. Through amazing acrobatics, aquatics and even flight, it explores concepts of damnation, redemption, lust, love, loss and laughter.

Tax Hell seems like a distant memory. What I'm left with is more a a Tax Heck. Tax Hell Lite. We have 3 audits going on, I'm working on a new client that hasn't filed corporate or personal taxes since 2004 and some other things that are more aggravating than heavy-lifting. It's good to have the work though. Every client I talk to is complaining about NOT having work....not getting paid.

I turn 46 this coming Saturday. That sounds old. I guess I am getting old. The Girl is 37.
She says that makes ME a cougar!
I'm probably also in BIG trouble for posting the above picture.
Oh well. :)

The Weekend That Was.....

2008-05-06T13:53:00.006-04:00

This past weekend was a busy one. The birthday party alone was, well..it was 17 8 year old boys. And my family. And Ella. I think The Girl was somewhat horrified! Her position is that children are Aliens. Like, not of this world. I have to say, this group did nothing to dissuade her of that opinion. I have some photos of the event. And one of The Girl looking, as I said, horrified. Also, I'll probably be in trouble for posting her pic but I think she looks GREAT in all pics, so, there's that.

2008-05-02T16:11:00.005-04:00

Thinking about getting a Tat...some INK! I've been thinking about this for a long time, actually. I now know what I want...I just need to work out the details, colors, size and placement.

The idea is a Hula girl...not the traditional dark-haired girl but, a blonde one. I can imagine how shocking that must seem...but, yes, MY hula girl is blonde. I want a coconut bra, grass skirt...maybe a Lei...not so sure about that just yet. I'm hoping to be able to get this decided and make an appointment to get it done for my birthday. My original idea had been a birthday party at our house, "CLINK & INK" I thought that was a GREAT idea! And then we realized tattoo artists, good ones, will not work in houses for liability reasons. So, it's off to the parlor for me.
I'm getting inked.
At 46. Better late than never.

My friend, CT Matey, once said to me, "a tattoo is a waste of perfectly good skin."
I like to think it's making a small patch of skin a bit more interesting, not wasted at all.

Days of Whine and....

2008-05-02T15:29:00.003-04:00

This past week has been busy and the weekend doesn't seem to be offering us any relief. With my parents home and my nephews birthday (Clown's son!) parties (yes, plural...they get 2 parties; one with their friends and one with the family), it's been no down time for the weary tax preparer and The Girl. Last night I had my parents anniversary party at Clown's house, tonight it's back to Clown's for Lucas' birthday cake with the fam , tomorrow The Girl and I are taking Mother-of-the-Girl to dinner for an early Mothers Day get together and Sunday is Lucas' birthday party with his friends. It's being held at Monster Golf, a new place in Peabody/Danvers. 15 8 year old boys, wielding MONSTER sized golf clubs! That sounds relaxing, huh?
I'll have pics of the mayhem on Monday.

So, when do The Girl and I have some time to relax and reconnect? I proposed a little getaway next weekend or staying home and pretending we're on a getaway. No phones/texts/computers. We plan a day trip...act like tourists and have dinner at a new place we've never been. So, that's the plan.

And wine...lots of wine. As a matter of fact, I think that can be arranged for THIS evening.

Maybe It's NOT All About ME....?

2008-04-25T08:31:00.003-04:00

Yesterday, I had a mission. About a month ago The Girl and I decided to cancel our home phone. We both have cell phones and it seemed like a waste of money to keep the house phone too. We never used it, I rarely answered it and I was glad to be rid of it. The less money we have to pay to Comcast, the better. I received a letter from Comcast stating I needed to bring them the phone modem my April 24th or they would bill me $80 for it. Not so "Comcastic" of them, was it?

So, my mission yesterday was to return the modem. During lunch I went to the Comcast office in Peabody. On the door was a notice: OFFICE CLOSED, MOVED TO SALEM.
Ok, I read and re-read the directions to the Salem office...there were about 8 lines of directions. This wasn't working for me at all. I don't KNOW Salem that well...I have a terrible sense of direction....this had craptastic written all over it. I called my office and had SECRETARY call Comcast and find out if the Saugus Comcast was still open. I knew where that was and it was more or less near my office. I got the word the Saugus office was open and I knew exactly where it was. I set off for Saugus. I figured I'd be back at my desk in less than a half hour. I was very wrong.

As I hit Central Street in Saugus, there were police cruisers, fire engines and ambulances tearing down the street. Something must have happend, I thought. Have I mentioned how incredibly perceptive I am?? First I could smell the smoke...then, I could see it. Thick, black, oppressive smoke. I closed the car windows and sun-roof. It was hard to see the car in front of me. Traffic came to a dead stop. People were running down the street, toward wherever this smoke was coming from. Then I noticed the helicopters, hovering. Not to be overly dramatic but it looked like a scene in a movie. There were fire engines from Revere, Malden and Lynn trying to get through the traffic. All I could think was, I'm stuck in this smoke, I can't get to Comcast, this is killing me. I was very aggravated.

This morning I read that an elderly woman, a DOUBLE AMPUTEE, had to be rescued from the top floor of a 3 family house. While I was sitting there all put out by this terrible inconvenience to MY day, a woman, WITHOUT LEGS, was trapped in a burning house.

Maybe I'm the craptastic one.

One Word Only Please.....harder than it seems!

2008-04-24T16:00:00.003-04:00

1. Where is your cell phone? Desk

2. Your significant other? Perfect

3. Your hair? Longish

4. Your mother? Loud

5. Your father? Louder

6. Your favorite thing? Time

7. Your dream last night? Nada

8. Your favorite drink? Coke

9. Your dream/goal? Ongoing

10. The room you're in? Office

11. Your hobby? Cooking

12. Your fear? Losing

13. Where do you want to be in 6 years? Home

14. Where were you last night? Home

15. What you're not? Mean

16. Muffins? Tops!

17. One of your wish list items? Dog

18. Where you grew up? Leafy

19. The last thing you did? Type

20. What are you wearing? Glasses

21. Your TV? Smallish

22. Your pets? Cats

23. Your computer? Filthy

24. Your life? Happy

25. Your mood? Delightful

26. Missing someone? YES

27. Your car? BLue

28. Something you're not wearing? Skort

29. Your summer? Short

30. Like someone? YES

31. Favorite color? Yellow

32. When is the last time you laughed? Always

33. Last time you cried? Never

34. Your favorite blogger IN THE WHOLE? Dooce

Out of The Frying Pan.....

2008-04-22T09:38:00.011-04:00

I like to cook. I like to take pictures. Here is a sampling of me combining these two hobbies.....

Oh Those Crazy Cats

2008-04-22T09:19:00.002-04:00

I'm a dog person. I've had dogs my whole life. There are people who say SOME cats act like dogs. I've never really bought into that theory.

The Girl has 2 cats. I should say, WE have two cats. The handsome white fella is Charley and that other DOG-like creature is Sammy. Sammy will play fetch. Seriously. See that hair elastic on the floor in the picture? If you throw that thing Sammy will fetch it, bring it back to you and drop it at your feet. Dog-like.

The other day, standing at the front door, I waved good-bye to The Girl. As she drove away, I shut the door and headed to the shower. As I was moving around the house getting ready to go out, Charley was following me around and making a real nuisance of himself. He kept meowing, LOUDLY...just being a pain. Usually, he reserves that behavior for meal-time(I don't always remember to feed them!) So, he's under my feet....making all kinds of noise. I am finally ready to leave, I open the front door and there's Sammy! When I shut the door, I had locked her in-between the the screen-door and the front door. Good thing the screen is on the outer door.....

I would never have expected Charley to react like that.

Almost Dog-like.

It was cool....well, not for Sammy.

Finally.....

2008-04-15T14:38:00.003-04:00

Well, another one is done. It seems like there will never be enough time and then, boom...done. Every year I say, "That's IT...I don't have another tax season in me." But, as it turns out, I do. I finished the LAST return a half hour ago. I have been trying to finish it for about a week now...I kept calling the client and leaving messages. Today at NOON, she finally calls back...she's in EUROPE! Just lollygagging her way across Europe....not really concerned about her taxes. Ok, guess I should stop worrying about it too. She can pick them up tomorrow, Not my problem anymore.

I'm off till next Tuesday. "Till Tuesday"...good name for a band, huh? (that's how burnt out I am, making LAME-O till tuesday jokes!)

What else can I say about TaxSeason 08? It was great to be with The Girl (this was our first real tax season together.) She really picked up the slack around the house...doing all the laundry, food shopping...just taking care of everything. She's a true "partner" in every sense of the word. Though, as a rule I'm not crazy about that word. Sounds very officious to me. Not at all Twinkley. And I'm all about the Twinkley!

Tomorrow I have a massage and pedicure. The Girl is a massage therapist.

Serioulsy, how lucky am I??

Alec, Billy, Stephen and Daniel

2008-04-03T08:52:00.004-04:00

Ok, so I wake up 5:30ish because TaxHell can't start too early. I had a dream that I was in a diner. The diner was long, narrow and very shiny. I was standing near the counter, watching the television that was up on the wall. I seem to remember it being steamy or cloudy in there, not sure which. Anyhoo, who comes walking up to me but Alexc Baldwin! He was in a tuxedo and he seemed to be in character from 30 Rock. As Alec (first name basis, he WAS in my dream!) approached me from the other end of the diner I could tell he was going to talk to me. I'm now face to face with him and he says, "You have beautiful blue eyes" and he kept walking!
I called out to him, "My eyes are brown!" For some reason, this cracked up all the people in the diner. Fade out.......

Now, it's early this morning, The Girl is awake and she says, "I had a dream about one of the Baldwins"......her Baldwin dream was like this....
The Girl and I were at the movies and this Baldwin sits in front of us. At the end of the movie this Baldwin stands up and says to The Girl, "Would you like to go to the next movie with me?"...she answers, "I can't, I am with someone and we have plans, but thanks!". I think I might have been in the bathroom during this exchange, I can't remember what she said now. That's not what's important. There are 2 points here that interest me:
1. We BOTH had dreams about BALDWINS! That's crazy random, right? Granted, different Baldwins but Baldwins none the less. Kismet, I'm telling ya.
2. When this random BALDWIN asked The Girl out, her response was , "I'm with SOMEONE"
Is it me or is that an odd answer? "someone"...I"m "someone." Ok, so this was a dream. And imagine my angst if she had accepted the invitation? Oy....the "processing" that would of taken place.

Back to TaxHell....

One Year Later....

2008-03-26T08:31:00.002-04:00

Today is our One Year Anniversary! I really had no idea how happy I could be in a relationship. As I'm sure all 3 of you know, I could (and have!) gone on and on about The Girl. Today, I'll just say this....being with her makes me happier than I ever thought I could (or would) be. I never take that (or her) for granted. And I know how lucky I am.

OH Hell

2008-03-15T10:28:00.003-04:00

I may have under-estimated the time constraints of TaxHell. And being sick. And having clients that seem intent on making me crazy. Things that have happened/are happening since my last post:(in no particular order)

March 15...filing deadline for Corporations with a 12/31/07 year end. Two clients we have been trying to reach for WEEKS, with no response, called me early this am, freaking that they don't have their estimates. Well...isn't that too BAD. NOW, I have to re-arrange my day and get their stuff done. And I have to be nice about it too...customer's always right and all that stuff. Cherry on the sundae....they both owe me money. I need to breathe.
Went for Sushi with Alison the other night. It was SO good. It was nice to see Alison too.
Alex turned 10! Hard to believe. We are giving him binoculars. He'll love that, trust me.
Hmm up to #4 and no mention of The Girl!?!? Whattaya think about THAT Deb??
My CT Matey is back with the Red QTip. That worries me. But I get it.
Easter is next week and both families are coming to our house. This is both exciting and a bit unnerving. I'm looking forward to it though.
If I hear the clip of Obama's pastor ONE MORE TIME......that radio is going out the window.
I can remember when Geraldine Ferraro was nominated by Mondale. It was so cool....I loved her. Now, when they call her racist? Are they kidding me? Hillary should of stood by her. Lost a little respect for her there.
I can't f'n believe it's snowing.
The Girl and I are planning a trip to Vegas. We can't seem to decide on a hotel. We go back and forth between The Venetian and Mandalay Bay. Should be the biggest problem we ever have. : )
And March 26 is our 1 yr anniversary. It has been the best year of my life. No doubt. I look so forward to the years to come. I know this sounds sappy but it gets better every day. Mock me if you want but, seriously, I never thought I'd have love like this in my life and I'm grateful for it every single day.

Must be Feeling Better.....

2008-03-06T08:44:00.000-05:00

I am ready for sushi.
Alison? We need a plan.

Still Kicking.....

2008-03-05T20:24:00.002-05:00

It has been way too long since my last post. I have been crazy on prednisone, anti-biotics and cough syrup with codeine. Oh, and I've had a good case of bronchitis too. To make matters worse, The Girl also got sick. I missed a couple days of work and the feeling of being behind during TaxHell is not good. I've tried to slowly build back up but I'm very tired and tapering down from the drugs is making me shaky and sweaty. Nice, huh? OH...and when I talk? I cough.
Deeply and loudly.
I"m a pleasure to be around.
Don't forget sweaty and shaky!

Prednisone...It's a Jagged Little Pill or Fun with Side Effects!!

2008-02-27T13:47:00.004-05:00

Common Side Effects of Prednisone:
Check with your doctor if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome:
increased appetite -Yes, this bothers me!
indigestion -nope, not yet anyway
nervousness or restlessness -This is bothersome to The Girl
flushing of face or cheeks -Not so bad....easier than going to a tanning bed.
hiccups -this sounds almost cute compared to the rest of the horrors.
increased sweating -As fun as it sounds.
sensation of spinning -Without having to drink!
Decreased or blurred vision -where are my glasses????
frequent urination -I must have a tiny bird bladder.
increased thirst -Is this connected to the urination?
confusion -Seriously, I've always been a bit confused so it's hard to tell if I have this one!
excitement -If The Girl's around, this is impossible to determine.
false sense of well-being -I don't think it's false....besides being sick, I DO have a sense of well-being.
hallucinations (seeing, hearing, or feeling things that are not there) -Not yet but I'm optimistic.
mental depression -I've never been a mental depressive.
mistaken feelings of self-importance or being mistreated -Don't look at me like that!!
mood swings (sudden and wide) -Sudden and wide? Isn't that the DEFINITION of mood swings??
restlessness -see above
filling or rounding out of the face -Classic Prednisone effect....hoping to miss this one.
reddish purple lines on arms, face, groin, legs, or trunk -I wonder if they make a picture? Or a map? Maybe I DO have the confusion thing...
trouble in sleeping -the codeine helps with this
unusual increase in hair growth -PAGING Cousin It...
unusual tiredness or weakness -nah, i'm tired now till april 15th
vomiting -should alleviate the weight gain.
weight gain (rapid) -Yippee!! I like fast things!!

Sick, Tired and Nebulized....

2008-02-25T15:18:00.003-05:00

I am sick again. Back on the nebulizer....puffer as my Matey calls it! Today has been a constant fight with the phone. And I'm not winning. Every client with a real or imagined problem has wanted to talk, the IRS agent, the one who said the audit was OVER and then changed it to "just one more issue"...ya, her. She called, emailed and faxed. Apparently she had more than ONE more issue. I have tried, literally all day, to call my doctor. From 9:30 to 12:30 the line was busy. 12:30 to 2:30 they were closed for lunch and it is now 3:22, and the line is still busy. I think I might need another run of prednisone to open my lungs/airway up. However, until I can get through to the dr, I will just wheeze.

The Girl and I went to a funky little restaurant in Beverly on Saturday night. The Wildhorse Cafe. It was different. All the tables were different with big upholstered chairs. The Girl picked out a nice Australian Shiraz, I don't know much about wine so I leave it to the expert. For an appetizer we had seared sea scallops with butternut squash ravioli's. Topped with a bacon/cider demi sauce.

The entree's were equally good...Grilled rack of lamb for me and Filet of beef with Lobster bisque sauce and a few good chunks of lobster meat for The Girl. Both came with a twist on mashed potatoes...The Girl had grilled asparagus and I had some julienned veggie's. Desert was best part of it all, I must say. Grilled banana's with a silky caramel sauce topped with vanilla bean ice-cream and home-made whipped cream. Decadent and worth it.

What People are Doing....

2008-02-22T20:08:00.002-05:00

I spoke with my mother today. She related the following information from Florida:

Alex was at his golf lesson.

Lucas was in the pool with Brenda.

Ella was in the jacuzzi.

====================================================================

Me? I'm in TaxHell. In a snowstorm.

Oddly oxymoronic, isn't it?

If anyone's keeping count, that's the last 2 without an Ode.
I'm thinking the next one will be very Odeish (that's a word!)

Harriet

2008-02-21T08:47:00.003-05:00

I miss having a dog. It's been 9 months since Harriet's been gone and I still think about her most days. Is that weird? Maybe, but Harriet and I went through a lot together. She was with me for the beginings and endings of relationships, births of nephews/niece and everything else that happened in my life for the past 11 years. She was a great listener, always available and very empathetic. She always knew when I was getting ready to go out and would look at me, hoping she was coming along for the ride. And she was ALWAYS ready to go along for the ride. I would take her to Starbucks for coffee. Well, coffee for me, lemon cake for her. Harriet was quite popular at Starbucks. Most people that walked by the car would stop and pet her....she would lick them and give them her paw. It would be hard to find a friendlier dog. Seriously, look at that picture! I always called her a "super-model" dog.
And she was. Super.
Now, I'm a dog person. The Girl...not so much. She only knew Harriet at the very end of her life and The Girl was great with her...cooking for her and helping me give her a bath. That was interesting! But The Girl feels and I mostly agree, that a dog is such a huge responsibility that to get one now, considering our lifestyle, would be a mistake. Every once in a while we bat this issue around. We'll see. Maybe someday.

So, while I miss having a dog, I think, really, it's that I miss MY dog.

Kids....say stuff

2008-02-16T10:33:00.002-05:00

I haven't seen the monkeys this week. I've been sick and they're leaving for Florida today and my sister (Clown) didn't want them around a sicky like me. So, they'll be gone for a week and I will miss them. I started thinking about some of things they and other kids have said. I wish I had kept journal through the years but, it's never too late to start.

Alex(then 4)"Auntie, where's your husband?"
Me:"I don't have a husband"
Alex:"why not because only girls live in your house and even Harriet's a girl?"
Me:"yes, only girls live in my house. Some families are all girls, some all boys and some boys and girls"
The funny part of this is how random a question....I've been involved in this kids life since day ONE....it's not like he ever SAW me with a husband!
====================================================================
Lucas(then 5) to his friend, while standing in his driveway with Brenda as I was pulling in.
Lucas:"That's my auntie. She's married to a girl. I know it seems weird but that's how it is in my family."
====================================================================
The day after my girlfriend of 6 years had moved out. I was at my parents house with the kids.
Lucas(6):"So, I heard you and Chris got a divorce."
====================================================================
Lucas was 4 and at my parents house in Florida.
Me:"how's your vacation going?"
Lucas:"I'm not on vacation"
Me:"Your not in florida?"
Lucas:"Nope"
Me:"where are you?"
Lucas:"I'm staying at the airport"
At this point in his vacation, Lucas had been to DisneyWorld, SeaWorld and Universal
Studios.
Later in the conversation
Me:"Have you done anything fun?"
Lucas:"Nothing! I told you I'm at the airport!!"
====================================================================
Rosanne, my friend & co-worker, trying to play a game with her 4 yr old grandson Dean.

Dean:"Nana, read the rules"
Rosanne:"I don't have my glasses and I can't see them"
Dean:"If you can't see and I can't read, how are we gonna play???"
====================================================================
So, this has been about neither taxes or The Girl. Though, my friend Deb says if I say a post is NOT about The Girl, then it's still an Ode.
So, Ode.
You know it's all Ode all the time in my head anyway.
That much is clear.

Happy Valentines.....

2008-02-14T08:33:00.002-05:00

This week has been Tax Hell and MORE! I'm sick too! I came in late a couple of days but haven't really missed too much work. I can't. More and more work comes in everyday. February is a very difficult month. March 15th (corporate deadline) is fast approaching and it feels like I'll never get done all that needs doing.

More importantly, today is Valentines Day. This is the first "real" Valentines Day The Girl and I are spending together. We knew each other last year and we actually spent Valentines Day on IM, while watching Lost. Not as romantic as this year but it had it's charms.

To The Girl I say...I love you and as I enjoy this Valentines Day, I look forward to all that are to come.
Seriously, did anyone think THIS day wouldn't turn into an ODE to The Girl??

"Am I gonna have to pay?"

2008-02-08T10:35:00.000-05:00

We found out today that the audit we've been working on for over a year has come to an end. The verdict? NO CHANGES! This is very good news for a few reasons.

1. It means we were able to justify every single calculation on many various returns (personal, trusts, s-corps and LLC'S) over a number of years.
2. No Appeals process necessary.
3. The Client will be loving us for a long time to come.

Also in Tax News.....received a call from a gentleman referred to me by a long time client. This man, I'll call him "Tim", asked me 2 questions..."am i gonna have to pay" and "how much do you charge" I told TIM that it's impossible for me to answer either question! He wanted me to tell him he'd have zero tax and would owe nothing! I have NO idea what his tax situation is. Or how much work/time is involved with his personal and corporate returns. Yes, Tim has a corporation. Also, when a prospective client asks "how much" in the first 5 seconds, they will be a problem.

Tim also told me that the accountant he's had for 8 years has disappeared. Can't find him or get him on the phone.
Hmmm.....wonder why that is??
So, there you have it. A post that's NOT an "Ode".....and it's killing me.

Ode to....

2008-02-07T11:42:00.000-05:00

Originally, my goal was to post something here Monday, Wednesday and Friday. If possible, once on the weekend. Well, seeing how it's Thursday, guess that plan is kaput. I have so much to do and once again I have several projects open at once, all waiting for the information necessary to complete them. So, what can I do but start another new project and hope everything I need is here to finish it, bill it and get it out the door. The billing is the key. Without that, we're all out of a job. This time of year is tricky. We're working extra hours, the majority of my tax/accounting hours are billed between January and April. However, with so much on hold, we can't bill the job. So, I try and get out as many indivdual tax returns as I can. The ones that are in this early are the easy ones...they don't take much time, I can get quite a few out and bill them immediately. I actually enjoy doing taxes. It's the administrative aspect of running the Practice that I don't love.
I've been accused of using this blog as an Ode to The Girl. Well, to that I say....SO WHAT?
What do you think I'd rather think/write about? Taxes or The Girl I had to wait 44 years for??
So, there's that.

Down The Chute...

2008-02-04T13:40:00.000-05:00

Who do you trust to pack your parachute? Who do you trust, quite literally, with your life? This person hands you the parchute, you strap it on and you jump. You don't check it out. You trust that they value your life just as much as YOU do. You know when you pull that cord, the chute will open. And if it doesn't, you have NO doubt the back-up will.

I think there is a couple of ways of looking at this. Would your parachute-packer be the person you believe loves you the most? Or the person you find most competent.....or both? Would those same people trust YOU to pack their parachutes? I think most people would say their parents could pack their parachute. And that's most likely true. For me, I would trust The Girl and my sister, The Clown (she's a clown. I'm not kidding.)

When we get on a plane, we're trusting the pilot to "pack our parachute." I think we accept that and the risks associated with it. However, what about when we get our car brakes done at Midas/Meineke/Jiffy-Brake......are we trusting the 19 year old kid that's fiddling around under our car, talking to his buddy, texting and smoking a cigarette, all at the same time he's installing the new brakes? He's packing the chute too, in a way. That's scarier than my sister being a Clown!

All in all, if we have one or two people in our lives that we would trust to pack our parachutes, I would say we're very fortunate.

So, to The Girl I say, I know how lucky I am to have you, the person I trust most, to pack my parachute.

Leap....

2008-02-01T14:51:00.000-05:00

New month, a LEAP month/year. That's great...an extra day of TaxHell. Oh well, I suppose I could use the extra time. The Girl and I usually eat out once a week or so. I've made a list of the restaurants we went to for the month of January. This is not so much interesting for the 2 readers I MIGHT have as it is a way for me to journal what we've done.

January 2008

Calitri's in Peabody MA-Had eggplant pizza with Deb (Hi DEB!!) Not great, would probably not return.
Petrillo's in Peabody MA-The girl had eggplant rolitini and I had veal parm with fusili. Excellent!
Blackwater Grille in Salem NH-Met The Girl's family for dinner at this excellent little place. We both had steak (ribeye, I think) and it was FANTASTIC. Sweet potato fries and a very fresh, crisp salad.
Siam Delight in Beverly MA-The Girl and I had Pad Thai and a few other dishes that I was not a fan of, at ALL. I will absolutely go back and will only order shrimp pad thai and a sapporo beer.
Sushi Island in Wakefield MA-Alison and I met and had spring rolls, a couple orders of Philly Rolls, Avocado & Shrimp Maki and we tried to be adventurous and we ordered the Sweet Shrimp Nigeri. This was a great, big, RAW shrimp! We both picked it up, smelled it and returned it directly to the platter.
Angelas Coal Fired Pizza in Saugus MA-This place is my favorite for pizza. It's crispy and flavorful and just perfect. The girl and I had their signature chicken wings(also roasted in the coal oven, with a marinade of olive oil, lemon, rosemary and salt) The pizza was meatball and ricotta cheese. So good.
China Sky in Winchester MA-I already covered this place in a previous post. Not my favorite chinese food and would not want the sushi again. But, the company more than made up for the food.

I hope to do this at the end of each month. And if anyone has any suggestions, I would love to hear them.

I plan on working all weekend and I hear there's some game on Sunday. I don't know. I'm more interested in re-watching the Lost season premiere! That show is such a mind-f**k! I LOVE it.

I'm not that big of a sports fan.

It's Getting Hot in Here....

2008-01-30T10:16:00.000-05:00

Well, what do you expect? It's HOT in hell and Tax Hell is no exception. Monday and Tuesday were crazy busy but not in the usual way. We have a client that's being audited by International arm of the IRS. This has been in process for over a year and I can tell you it hasn't been pleasant for anyone. So, that's been taking up a good amount of my time. Personal tax clients with kids applying for financial aid need their returns immediately so they can complete the financial aid forms. The problem, not everyone has all their documents yet. That's the part I can't seem to make people understand. I would LOVE to get these returns done early and off my desk. I do need the information though. People don't get that. Not sure why. They want what they want, WHEN they want it.

My back is has been killing me since yesterday. Woke up yesterday with the pain in my lower back and radiating down both legs. I have a LONG history of back problems, going back to when I was 18 and had a spinal fusion. I was missing bone in the base of my spine and they took bone from my hip and fused it to my spine. This was supposed to protect the exposed nerves and I guess it did. However, now I'm left with so much scar tissue that a whole different problem has resulted. In any event, sitting is a problem. And for a tax preparer(hi matey!), that's a problem. I was going to stay home for most of the day today and just ice it and take muscle relaxers but even doing all that doesn't make that big a difference in the pain level. It's going to feel like this until it doesn't anymore. So, I could stay home and worry about the work piling up and still have the pain. Or, I come to work (which I did), and get stuff done. Truth be told, staying busy can take my mind off the pain.

And I know, when I get home there's a muscle relaxer with my name on it.
And The Girl(hi alison!). I always feel better when I'm with her.....she's an Elixir.

Monday...Monday......

2008-01-28T09:28:00.000-05:00

Everything feels new on Monday mornings. A new week, a new chance to be productive, a clean slate in a way. On Monday mornings I organize and plan my week. What projects are due, what needs attention, what calls to make and usually a bunch of follow-ups from the previous week. I plot this out on my white board, all color coded (remember..big NERD here!), and I get ready to make a dent in all that needs doing. Then, it happens. One phone call and the whole colorful, carefully plotted plan turns to crap.

Today, the phone call was from a client with VERY PRESSING QUESTIONS! That's how he speaks....ALL CAP'S!!! The questions were complex and covered a lot of gray area's, tax-wise.
I won't go into details but suffice it to say, most of my day will be spent researching these questions and then trying to explain to this VERY CONCERNED client, that there is no ONE answer to his VERY IMPORTANT ISSUES.

The weekend was good...kind of low-key. On Friday night The Girl(hi alison!!) and I stayed in and watched tv(Matey, you sleeping yet?) Saturday we both worked and at night we met Alison, Darcy and Kristen for dinner at China Sky. This was a Chinese/Japanese place in Winchester, tucked away off the main drag, behind a corner. Without MapQuest, we'd still be driving around the bowels of Winchester! The food was good...we had shrimp tempura for an appetizer and sesame chix with veg. rice. The others had sushi and gave me some to try. While it was fresh and different, I think I'll stick to Sushi Island in Wakefield for my sushi needs. Can't be beat, in my opinion. It was great to see Kristen & Darcy. They are great company, fun to be around and a very cute couple. Sunday I food shopped, The Girl (hi alison!!) cleaned and then I baked a banana bread and made a pot roast for dinner. We watched a movie, did laundry and that was the weekend!
I should really post a warning on this blog.....CAUTION!!! YOU ARE ABOUT TO READ THINGS OF A VERY EXCITING NATURE. ENTER AT YOUR OWN RISK.
I'm a nerd.
I know.
I want to start a Word of The Day.....and here's the first one:
Vertiginous.

Dinner....

2008-01-25T14:49:00.000-05:00

I have no idea what to make for dinner tonight! This salmon looks very good but The Girl is not a fan of salmon. I could do sauce, pasta, sausage...that sounds good too. Though, the lemon in the pic is making me want something lemony (that's a word) I could do lemon chicken, with a light lemon sauce over noodles....Hmm....that's it. Lemon chicken.

As for work, we are getting slammed. Clients calling, coming in, work piling up. I'll be working tomorrow for sure. Today has been taken up with lots of calls and some admin. stuff to finish up before the end of the month. Everyone wants time and there is only so much to go around. Hopefully, tomorrow will be quiet and I'll be able to get through some of these corporations, trusts and partnerships.

The weekend plans so far are:

Saturday work for The Girl and Me
Early dinner out Saturday nite then The Girl is off to do her "thing" (maybe more on that in a later post, I need clearance first!)
Sunday...not sure yet. Maybe a movie, shopping....we haven't made a plan

As always, I look forward to the weekends, regardless of what we do or where we go. It's when The Girl and I get to spend the most time together.

Game, Set, Match.....

2008-01-24T14:32:00.000-05:00

I've mentioned The Girl in most, if not all of my posts thus far. A brief history of The Girl and Me:
We "met" on Match.com in September of 2006. We met IRL in October 2006. Our first date was a Friday night and we went to the Topsfield Fair. After we walked around, had some fair food, saw the very large pumpkin and watched the tractor pull, we left to go for pizza. I was incredibley nervous. I was not new to the blind-online dating thing but, I knew from our emails and long phone conversations that The Girl was special and I felt a real connection to her from the very begining. I've always heard that when you meet "the one" you just KNOW. Well, I KNEW! And my nerves were getting in the way. As a matter of fact, my nerves were making HER nervous. The Girl fondly remembers me tapping the knife against the bread in a way that made her excuse herself and rush off to the ladies room.

So, we ate our pizza and I tried to not make a total ass of myself. We drove to my house where she had left her car. I pulled up in front of my house and while what happened next is subject to some debate, MY memory is The Girl JUMPED out of the car before it came to a complete stop and hightailed it to her own car. I realize there is another contradictory memory for this but, since it's MY blog, I get to use MY memory.

That was our first date. There were Giant Pumpkins, roasted nuts, frazzled nerves,tractors, pizza, wine, knives and The Girl jumping out of the car.

In October of 2007, we made our second trip to The Topsfield Fair. There we again saw the giant pumpkin, ate the food and watched the tractors. There were no nerves, knives or jumping from moving vehicles.

There WAS going home together, going to sleep and waking up together.
Which, for me, is the best part of it all.

I Guess I Forgot.....

2008-01-23T10:50:00.000-05:00

I don't think blogging during Tax Hell is going to be as easy as I thought. I seem to be slammed with work right now. I have corporate year ends to start, audit's that have been ongoing for over a year that are NOW starting to heat up and require more work & research, more than one client in the process of financing/refinancing some properties that require us to prepare financial statements and all the other administrative stuff I just LOVE. I sometimes have trouble finishing one job/task at a time. I try and start things and work as much as I can on them, then go to the next job and try to get a jump on that. In this business, you don't always have all the information you need to prepare something from start to finish. As a result, you end up with many jobs in progress but not really feeling like you've made ANY progress.

On the personal front, the Girl and I have decided to have Easter Dinner at our house and invite both our families. This will be the first meeting and I'm very happy/excited about this. Talk about a big bowl of "mixed nuts!" I'm kidding. I kid. I'm a kidder!

I might have to come up with something else to call the Girl. She's more than that. I'm not a big fan of "girlfriend" either.
She's also more than that.
Way more.

ShakeyField

2008-01-21T09:58:00.000-05:00

We went to see Cloverfield yesterday. "See" is somewhat of a misnomer. We FELT it! It was shot with one hand-held video camera. Add to that lots of running, yelling, things exploding, jets screeching and a very unpleasant monster destroying Manhattan and you have 2 very nauseaus movie-goers. This was the herky-jerky philosophy of film. At one point I looked at the Girl and she had her eyes closed and her hands over her ears. To be honest, she had her eyes closed for about 90% of the movie. When we left the theatre we had to sit in the car and wait for our stomachs to settle.
I think I can speak for both of us when I say NO thumbs up.

The First of Many

2008-01-19T10:31:00.000-05:00

Today is the first Saturday I'm working in this new tax season. I do enjoy Saturdays at home but, it seems like I am able to get more done on a Saturday than during the week. In a couple of weeks I'll start working Sundays too. That's really a drag. Thankfully, the season is short and it IS winter. If I had to work weekends during the summer months I don't think this would be the business for me. I have about 10 folders on my desk that are demanding my attention so I had better get to it. More W-2's to prepare, a couple of trusts and 3 years of a non-profit. I wish I had something amusing or insightful to write but I don't. I just have to get through this work then it's out for sushi tonight. After all that, the girl will come home.
That's always the best part, when the girl comes home.

50 Things

2008-01-18T14:46:00.000-05:00

I'm 45

I am in love with a younger woman (37!)

Pizza is my favorite food. And Sushi. And eggplant.

I have 2 nephews and a niece who crack me up.

I think my Mini-Cooper looks like a cup-cake.

George W. Bush should be impeached and imprisoned.

I'm not holding my breath waiting for this to happen.

I love to cook.

I sometimes take pictures of the food I cook.

I'm a nerd.

A Tax Nerd, doesn't get much nerdier than that.

I had to put my dog, Harriet, to sleep last year.

On my birthday.... :(

I am very interested in photography and I plan on buying a new Nikon to pursue this.

I never wanted to seriously consider getting married. That has changed.

2007 was the best year of my life. (see #2)

2007 Was the one of the worst of my life. (see #'s 12 & 13)

I have one sister who is the center of my parents universe.

I don't mind. I'm the black sheep. The nerdy, gay, black sheep.

My favorite authors are Wally Lamb and Richard Russo

I should also include Jeffrey Eugenides (READ MIDDLESEX)

Maureen Dowd rocks...as does Arianna Huffington

Tax Hell is here and I just want to get through it as fast as possible

I would love to open a restaurant

I was able to say The Pledge of Allegiance at 18 months old.

I peaked early.

Half of my tongue is numb from wisdom tooth extraction.

It still works well.

If I get another dog, and it's a boy, I want to name it Dyson.

A girl I would name Zoe.

My favorite tv show of all time is a toss-up between Mary Tyler Moore and Seinfeld.

All In The Family rounds out the top 3

I love to read, almost more than anything else. ( I said "almost")

For many years I thought I had an allergy to alcoholic beverages.

Turns out I don't, thank GOD.

I have no use for organized religion.

I believe very strongly in Karma

My nephew is a bit of a math savant, for real.

I don't make good use of my ipod.

I'm a news junkie.

I miss The Office, I wish they'd settle that f'n strike already!

I love Kennebunkport Maine and hope to buy something there someday.

Nothing feels better than clean sheets and freshly shaved legs.

I wish more people cared about this atrocity of a war and less about Britney.

I will happily and confidently vote for Hillary.

I like gadgets.

I loathe the winter and LOVE the summer.

Tulips are my fave flowers.

I am finally happy.

I so in love that I can't believe how lucky I am to have her in my life.

Monkey Work

2008-01-18T10:31:00.000-05:00

Today, tomorrow and probably for most of next week I'm preparing W-2 forms. This is not that intellectually taxing (i DO love those tax-puns!) As a matter of fact, it's most monkey work. I'm not trying to insult monkey's, god knows. I'm a BIG fan of the primates! I got a really cool monkey painting for Xmas. Can't really be desribed...must be seen to be appreciated. My girlfriend, she doesn't really appreciate it but, that's ok. She's young. Hasn't really developed an appreciation for art yet.

I have yet to mention the GF. She's 37, blonde, green-eyed and hot. And SMART....and funny!

And not a fan of monkey paintings.

And the fun begins....

2008-01-16T16:08:00.000-05:00

This is probably not the type of thing most people are interested in. Hell, sometimes I'm not all that interested but it's what I do, so, I'm going to share the excitement. You have no idea how much fun it can be here....preparing tax returns, telling clients how much $$ they owe, dealing with IRS agents. Oh, yes. It's like Christmas everyday. As we head into the busy season, I have staff issues, clients not paying and just a general feeling of malaise. (Good word, huh?)
I will probably have to start working weekends this coming weekend. What I'm trying to decide is what I want this blog to be about. Do I want to whine and complain or do I want to offer helpful tax advice?
I think whining wins.
Hands down.
: )
No, not really. I think I might like to offer amusing client stories (no names!), record some personal info and give book recommendations/reviews.
I have experienced some MAJOR life changes this past year.....I have a lot to reflect on and much to be thankful for. As we go along, I'll pick a topic and get it all out.
You, lucky reader (maybe ONE will show up!), get to come along for the ride.
I'm thinking there will be bumps.