Taxes Done

 I finally got the taxes done.  That State return was so much easier because the software imported most of it from the Federal return.  I was going to snail-mail it Monday, but realized that it was a Federal Holiday and the Post Office was closed.

And then I thought about it more.  To snail-mail, I had to print an official copy, sign it, write a check (increasingly difficult for me these days), drive to the Post Office on the last day possible, pay for postage, pay for "proof of sending", and driving home. About an hour's effort and some gas too.

I decided e-filing for $20 wasn't that bad a deal after all!  It only took about 15 minutes.  I received an email saying it had been transmitted after 1 hour, and that it had been accepted about 4 hours later.

And maybe I will use software again next year.  Now that I understand a few of the new financial items I have to deal with, it will be a lot easier next time.  

And I noticed that my mutual fund has adjusted its reporting to make it easier to fill out software forms.  I used to have to manually add up columns of numbers and figure out where to put the various results.  Now, they give me the details, but also add a summary of what to enter in the tax forms by block numbers.  As in "enter this is block 1a, this in block 4", etc.

So NOW, I am free to get back to regular home projects.   And I have plenty coming up soon!  500 various  Spring bulbs (daffodils, hyacinths, and crocuses) will be arriving in a few weeks.  Well, I was feeling ambitious last Spring...

I need to build memorial boxes for Laz and Ayla.  I kept putting it off, mostly because I can't find brown resin 8-12" cat statuettes to match the existing ones.  If you know of a source, please let me know.

I'm taking  a previous box apart to copy it.  And this time I'll copy the pieces in heavy cardboard or masonite so I can do it easier next time.  Sad to think of, but I still have 4 cats and they will each need a memorial box of their own someday.  I don't think I will have a need for more; I'm getting too old.

I am back to cooking again.  I just didn't do much while all stressed about the taxes.  I used up most of my frozen leftovers the past couple weeks.  The tax stuff really stressed me that much.  Now it is time to start building up my supply of good frozen meals.  

Along that thought, I made bread yesterday.  I use dark beer instead of water, and I add a lot of onion and garlic powder and oregano to the mix.  When it cools, I slice it up using a spacer I bought.

Then I freeze it all.  I used to have a problem with the slices sticking together, but I but up a plastic placemat and put a piece of that between each slice.  Works great!

OK, that's all for today.