Here's a fun fact: today is the last Zero day for me until... April 13th. That means that from tomorrow onwards (until the 13th) I have at least one grandchild and sometimes a whole bunch more in my schedule. This is significant for many reasons, but one especially stands out: taxes! I need to devote time to doing them because those free days aren't there for me between now and mid April. And so, when Ed asks (full of hope and curiosity) -- what do you have scheduled for today? I have to say, very reluctantly -- I have to do my mom's taxes.
Now, this isn't a huge deal. It's a pain, it's boring, it's a waste of time (why do we do this each year? everyone elsewhere on the planet has found an easier way, why do we torture ourselves with such stuff?), but in the scheme of things -- it's just something that you need to muddle through. Still, I'm a little glad that it's not a beautifully warm day out there, because then I would be doubly frustrated, bored, pained. (I'll do my own on April 13th. Something to look forward to, right?)
As I said, a meh day weather wise.
(the new ones still choose the tall firs as their daytime safe haven)
I drive out to get bakery items, looking for that little pick me up that transforms our breakfast table into a feast (at least in our view).
And then -- to work.
When I do the tax forms, I fall into an "I'm determined to get this dumb work done" mode and that provides enough motivation to see me through to the end. So, too, today I set as the goal finishing up my mom -- both federally and with the state of Wisconsin. Turns out the feds were easy. One hour and ten minutes. Done.
Then comes our beloved state.
A new e-filing system is in place. (This is where I start repeating "I should have just done the paper forms and sent them in.") And it is clumsy. You think you're merely filling out basic questions to see if you can e-file and suddenly you find yourself typing in numbers that are part of the filing procedure. And doing worksheets. And calculating social security deductions and medical insurance deductions. Wait, did I just fill out a form? Or was it an initial request? What the hell just happened? And then suddenly I click on next page and I can no longer go back and I get an email telling me that I have just filed a return. Really? Where is it? How come I'm not seeing a copy? Where are the calculations? And where is my damn personal copy to print out and treasure and sleep with, tucked under my pillow for safekeeping?
I should have done the paper forms and sent them in!
The point is, the new system leaves you feeling incomplete. You dont know if you've filed (and if I did file, how come no one asked me to pay the $100 that she owes?). You dont know anything! Now, I am no tax accounting expert, but I've filled out these damn forms for 52 years of my life (and for a bunch of years for my mom), and I am an attorney and thus not terrified of legal forms, and if I dont understand what just happened here, then I can assure the Wisconsin Dept of Revenue that there will be others equally or even more confused.
So I need to go to my happy place. Without Ed, because he, wisely, waited until I tested the tax waters. Besides, he has many Zero days to plunge into the tax inferno between now and April 15th.
It's very late in the afternoon before I head out, because the Wisconsin whatever it is that I did, added a few more hours to my ticking tax clock for the day.
And the wind perked up, and it was cold. But so very beautiful!
These two kept me company.
Oh, and I should report on what's blooming out here, on farmette lands: the first Syberian Squill is emerging out front, under the maples...
And I think we can officially call tomorrow the beginning of our daffodil season. I mean, this is almost open, no?
Evening quiet. Everybody, everybody, everybody, everybody, everybody loves Saturday night...
