It's Tax Time Again

It's tax time.

Michael pours over papers, peers into the computer screen, and shouts out questions - "so when does your credit card charge you?", "why did you make two entries in two different months that are exactly the same?"  Exasperation exhaled with his every word. 

When we met, I had a handy little system to deal with taxes.  Everything had an envelope with a title.  Medical bills, rent, utilities.  It made perfect sense to me (and still does!).  At the end of the year, I'd take each receipt's amount, write it on the outside of the envelope, total the envelope and then total up all the individual envelopes and deliver them (with pride, by the way) to my tax guy in Dubois.  I found Jerry in 1995.  We still have Jerry doing out taxes.  He called me the Envelope Gal.

Our taxes have gotten a bit more complex since then.  This may be the apex year of complexity.  The rental in town up to the middle of last year and then the purchase of the Freedom property.  Now a new rental, a farm, and a house.  There are 1099s that must go out (did you know you have to have one for your lawyer? - even the government doesn't trust lawyers!), credit card bills that have to be sorted out (thanks to my continued inability to make sense of Quicken), and a whole bunch of other stuff that I have stayed far, far away from.

I think he is getting close to being done.  The questions posed with disbelief at my lack of understanding are beginning to wane now.  Addressed envelopes are to be delivered to the post office. 

Every year I try to improve.  I try to get checks entered into the Quicken account.  I try to get bills paid on time.  This year's improvement plan includes turning over the monthly credit card statement to the internal accountant - Mike.  I am hopeful that next year will be easier come tax time.

Meanwhile, I continue to create.  That's where my brain is its most happiest!  Dreaming of a new kraut recipe, making some kind of goat cheese with the half gallon of goat milk staged in the refrigerator, and tending to the work of a Fire Marshal and Battalion Chief. 

Here is a photo for the day.  Dreaming of warmer days ahead.