Random 5 for March 7, 2021 – Spring, memories, homes, Gracie, taxes

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Spring’s a coming – Although you couldn’t tell it by the 25 degree temperature we had this morning. Later in the week we are predicted to be well in the 60s. You will recognize me on the news. I will be the crazy old woman dancing barefoot in the streets with one of her old peasant dresses from the 60s. Maybe I’ll use my tambourine (yes I have one!) I’m practicing my moves! Look out for flying hips!

Speaking of old peasant dresses – When I worked, the executive secretary of the CEO always wore a black ballet top with a flowy skirt and some sort of ballet shoes. She was tall with long dark hair. Every time I saw her I heard “Gypsies, tramps and thieves” by Cher in my head. I still have a vivid picture although that had to be 20 years ago.

Don’t move – Sometimes a move is appropriate and it was in our case. My head knows that we had to downsize both the maintenance work and the cost of upkeep. But the heart and head are rarely on the same page. Sometimes they are not even on the same book! I’ve had one of those weeks when I realized that there will be a lot of work measured in years until we get the new place where we like it. Part of the problem is that everyone is updating their home. It’s a side effect of the pandemic. People are stuck at home and realize it could be nicer. It’s hard to book anyone for a project. Furniture deliveries are often six to nine months plus out. Workmen are as rare as hen’s teeth. One regret I have is that we have a few cathedral ceilings. I can’t paint those myself without serious bodily harm or a trapeze. Slapping a coat of paint goes a long way to make you feel better. Instead we end up on a queue.

Really weird stuff – Our quirky cat Gracie dumps my office trash can. It’s only paper but after living with me for many years, she has taken a liking to sitting in there without paper. Gotta love her.

It’s tax time here – I picked today to do taxes. I got margaritas; dusted off my Xanax and revisited my bad words dictionary. It’s not as difficult as it used to be but the dread is still there. I’m hoping that buying/selling a house doesn’t factor in. I hate to waste time reading up on the new regs which never apply to me. Mostly I spend time looking up terms because I’m not quite sure what they mean. It’s like when I first went to confession and wasn’t sure what adultery was. This seven-year-old wondered if I should confess to it just to be safe. My usual tax process is to get the papers out only to find out I’m missing a document. That gives me license to procrastinate.

So how was your week?

 

72 thoughts on “Random 5 for March 7, 2021 – Spring, memories, homes, Gracie, taxes”

  1. Good point about the painting – something to consider as we house look. They never have the “right” colors on the walls. We had very high 2 story ceilings in a previous house…I did manage that with ladders, very long extensions for roller but it was messy. Not doin’ that again…even with the tall stilt-like leg lengtheners that I’ve seen painters use….one broken limb in the family was enough (Cat limbs count at your house!)
    My tambourine is out. As well as the tank tops. We had 83 F. Molly is getting ready to hibernate until cooler.
    Gotta love Cher!

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  2. When I initially read this:
    Really weird stuff – Our quirky cat Gracie dumps my office trash can.
    I thought you had included the word “in” so that the sentence described an alternative litter box opportunity. I have since upped my medications in order to erase that picture from my mind.

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  3. We looked into moving and decided to just remodel our house (involving every single room – yikes!). So yes, I quickly learned that contractors are extremely busy and everything is on back order. We picked our contractor in February – he’s not starting until August! Sheesh.

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    • Good for you. I wish that would have been an option. We needed to get smaller and on one floor. Adding a master bedroom addition would have been wonderful but we would end up with a 5 bedroom house! Sometimes I wished I could just take off the second floor but that’s only an option with legos.

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  4. You do sound a little weary, which I think I can completely understand given all you’ve had to do this year. I hope that spring comes quickly and at least you’ll have weather, warmer weather, to provide a little boost. I love your analogy of the 7-year old you wondering if you should confess to adultery. Good luck with getting the taxes done. One less thing hanging over you to complete!

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  5. Ahh, taxes and procrastination. They are the perfect combination. Thank you for the good laugh about confessing adultery at age seven. Hahaha. I related, since I had no idea what I was supposed to confess at age seven.

    We moved into our house a few years ago and had planned one thing to update each year. We did the floors and painting just before we moved in with our stuff (hired people). The next year came the knocking down of a worn out deck for a paver patio (hired people). This year was all new window treatments, and now we’re in the midst of updating the kitchen (some of it ourselves, some hired). Next year comes one bathroom. Good luck with all of your updates. I know when thinking of the entire scope, it can seem overwhelming.

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    • It is overwhelming. I’ve resigned myself to doing it more piecemeal than I’d like. The bathroom was supposed to be the first project but we had to replace the heating system last week. The fridge isn’t working completely (no ice) but before we buy a new one, I want to move it to a new spot so that put the kitchen next in line. Not a complete new one but a minor redo. Bathroom is at the bottom (almost) of the list. In the meantime I’ve come to dislike the tan color that everything (and I mean everything) is painted. That will be a piecemeal deal. I’ve probably have several years booked.

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  6. Whenever everyone is using subcontractors it’s hard to get one. Then when nobody wants subcontractors, it’s still hard to find one because they all decided not to be subcontractors. :/ I used to know a dancer who dressed that way all the time. 40 years old and still dressed that way. Then I saw when she was about 55 or 60. Still dressed the same way LOL.
    So funny about Gracie. How is Miss Morgan?

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  7. I don’t think getting a home totally the way you want it ever really happens. I have been here 25 years and there are still things I would like to change. Nothing major, but still there are things on my list.
    We have had some spring weather but not much. This spring has been cool for SC. Last summer was brutal and this summer is expected to be the same so spring can take as long as it wants to warm up.
    I do my taxes online. They are pretty simple and straight forward but it is a pain getting the stuff together and sorting through it.
    Seems Gracie is making herself at home testing all the possible new favorite spots to enjoy.

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  8. We continue to have the same issues you mention with contractors, having furniture delayed for multiple reasons(usually blamed on the plague), and we have high ceilings. It’s a good thing we never use the lights in those ceilings. And you are right about it taking years to get the house where you want it. It’s requiring a lot of patience that I ran out of months ago. Look for flying hips!… cracked me up!

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    • There is some chaos in the house right now. The office area is a collection of old countertops and tables. It’s not cohesive or calming. Fortunately the living room is doing ok with the furniture. I may want to change out the loveseat for a sofa eventually but I can do with what I have now. Living with chaos rattles my innards. I’m sure you know what that means!

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        • My mantra when I moved here was that if we didn’t like it, we would move again. I’m not sure I could survive another move. It was more stressful and anxiety ridden than I expected. Seeing the house before we moved in, I didn’t think I’d need to paint as the entire house was painted the same shade of tan. Now that I’m here it’s the “wrong” tan. It looks flesh colored in certain light and sucks the color out of my watercolor paintings. I’m opting for a creamy off white shade. I may be able to manage some of it but the two story entry (which would never be my choice if I was building) is out of the question. That will need a professional but it can also wait as we will do some construction work in the front room of the house.

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  9. I feel ya, it takes a long time to get a place just the way you like it. My human said it will take a few years at least to get our new place broken in. I still haven’t rubbed my scent on everything either or picked the best spots for sun or birdwatching. I’m still just exploring and getting a feel for it. Gracie is a doll. Who cares about trash when there’s a can to sit in?

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    • Gracie is her own person….or…umm…cat. Right now she has staked out the cat bed on my office “table”. She never used it at the old house but here it’s positioned between two windows and she’s happy.

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  11. I love the picture you paint of the executive secretary with her black ballet top, flowing skirt and ballet shoes. Cher is always fun.

    My daughter lives in Carmel, IN. She said it was 60 degrees there when she called. She was out pruning trees. She and her husband are planning to put their house up for sale in April. After it sells, they’re going to move out here. No rush. They’re both working remotely.

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    • That will be wonderful for you! The kids all live in Denver and we are near Philadelphia. We’ve always wished they would move to a “drivable” place. Our local airport doesn’t have direct flights there so it’s always a long trip.

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  12. My house could use some updating, but I keep putting it off. The last time I did any painting, I swore I was not going to do it again. I’ve been doing only what is absolutely necessary, like a bathroom remodel because the floor had rotted. I can’t climb ladders any more, just too dangerous at my age.

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    • I’m a bit wobbly on ladders myself and our ceilings are tall. It’s hard to get workmen right now too. My step-daughter is coming in May and we talked about painting. Maybe but we have to figure out how to get her up there. Trapeze? Scaffolding? It’s not two story high but more than 9′.

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  13. Funny, I figured people would be painting themselves – a whole DIY project. Good luck getting that painting done. I would have thought all the projects were in 2020 so that surprised me. I’ve never done my taxes … surely it isn’t that difficult, but my parents took my taxes to their CPA when they got them done and I just stayed with the same place – now it’s his daughter. I use a cheaper guy and have just been dropping it off and picking it up when ready the last five years.

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    • If I could find a “cheaper” guy I would do that. At this point our taxes are not very complicated. Much of the data can be transferred into TurboTax so there is no data entry. Last year it took about 2 hours but I have memories of spending hours trying to figure out cost basis (this was back before computer programs did that) of stocks sold and the irony was that I wasn’t wealthy. I had some savings in a brokerage account for my retirement.

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      • Same with me with the retirement funds … that I am not sure of and now they say to wait until March 15th as RBC generated an amended form March 15th last year, two weeks after we e-filed. I am glad I have the cheaper guy … he was the original owner’s son-in-law, who owned a grass cutting and snow removal service until he was urged to join this family biz.

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  14. You are certainly right about hiring craftsmen. They’re nowhere to be found. Although I truly love to paint, I have a couple of areas I can’t reach with a step ladder so those are definitely of play for me. Loved seeing and listening to Cher though. 🙂 My week was okay especially since our taxes are done.

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  16. I’m grateful that my husband did our taxes as usual. Yes, adult words were involved. Our taxes seem to go up annually, but particularly the past two or three years. I hope your computations go better than ours did. As a child we would dance in the streets whenever it rained, because it happened so seldom!

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  17. It seems contractors are always in demand. After the freeze and so many people with broken pipes, it is the plumbers who are in demand. Luckily, we did not have any broken pipes!

    You go out and do your dance! After not going out much in the past year, I wear what makes me feel good. Good luck on tax time. I missed volunteering doing taxes this year.

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  22. I was mostly focused on the secretary’s outfit (wondering if that was for special holidays only), but now I’m left wondering about little seven-year-old Kate. So did she confess to adultery?

    I’m worried that post-pandemic — if that time period actually does happen — whether we’ll be able to find someone to renovate our kitchen. I suspect you’re right that too many people are already thinking about that. – Marty

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    • In my area, it’s hard to find renovation people who are available any time soon. Some folks are doing large scale renovations that take many months tying up workmen. They like that kind of work because it’s steady.

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  24. Sounds like you’re feeling a bit overwhelmed about the logistics of feathering your new nest. Keep breathing. Life takes practice and patience.

    BTW: I went on-line and requested the necessary tax forms, booklets, and instructions from the IRS. Now I can procrastinate and WAIT until they show up via snail mail. Unlike waiting for contractors to appear on my doorstep, I’m happy to wait my turn. NO RUSH. 😀

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  25. “This seven-year-old wondered if I should confess to it just to be safe.” LOL. Nearly spit out my coffee when I read that. Woulda paid good money to see a priest react!

    The older I get, the more terrifying ladders become. I’m glad my house is just one story, but I have to haul out the ladders for gutter cleaning and tree trimming.

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    • You would have enjoyed the discussions amongst us young’uns prior to confession. We were to scared to ask the nuns what the various words meant so I’m sure there were all sorts of confessions to things that couldn’t happen to a 7 year old. Take coveting thy neighbor’s spouse. What does coveting mean? Honor thy father and mother — does that prevent you from talking back or sneaking out. These were such great dilemmas at that age.

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  26. I’m hearing the same thing about the difficulty in booking anyone to do any remodeling work right now. I normally do my own taxes, but because I didn’t receive the second stimulus check, I walked a block down the street and had H&R Block do mine. I’m pretty well set up so that I break even on taxes every year, (don’t pay, don’t get a refund), and for me, it was worth paying $60 to get my $600 stimulus check.

    Good luck with everything!

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  27. You’re right about home updates…..all day long there’s a steady parade of trucks, vans, etc. through our neighborhood – new sidewalks going in, new landscaping, furniture deliveries. We’ve done a bit of updating I’ll admit but it’s just stuff that hubby and I can do easily like new bathroom towels and rugs. Make sure and have someone film you dancing in the street barefoot in one of your 60s dressed in the good weather!! I should have saved one of my old 60s outfits to celebrate the return of WARM too (if I could fit in it of course).

    Hugs, Pam

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    • Not sure if filming it is a good idea but you never know. There is a lot of updates going on in my neighborhood too. We are still trying to figure out a plan so we haven’t gotten on a queue although we had extensive electrical work done and the heating system replaced. The electrical was was about a three week queue and the heating just a week.

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