Some Days Are Like That

Some days I'm home all day and the phone never rings. In fact, I call people and they're not home. I leave messages and they don't call me back. It happens. I know they're busy. I don't sit around worrying about it. The only reason I mention it is that we went for a drive today and ended up being gone for several hours. While we were gone, two of our sons called (and didn't leave messages) and one of my dearest friends called and did. She said that that she sure felt bad that she finally had time to call and I wasn't home.

Guilt. I guess we didn't need to go anywhere today. It was a matter of wanting to get out and doing it. I spent a really long day yesterday working on the taxes, and then this morning I was up at about four, finishing them. We left the house around ten o'clock, and didn't get back home until almost four in the afternoon. Up until then, I'd only had one piece of toast with peanut butter, so we actually came home to eat. Of course, John had a better breakfast than that, but I was busy. 

The good news of the whole day was the outcome of our taxes. We did really good this year. We'll get back a good portion of our travel expenses for John's work at the missile base, and that helps our bottom line—big time. Some questions about unpublished writers I wasn't able to answer, so I just didn't deduct my stuff. Hopefully it won't matter next year. Perhaps you'll get a kick out of this next thing, perhaps not.

Remember the big upset about some of the comments made in the critique group I was attending? The leader of that critique group is a tax consultant. I know she's busy, but I figured she could give me a quick yes/no answer. Here's the email thread:

Me: Can an unpublished author deduct the cost of writing expenses, particularly writing seminars, from income taxes?

Her:  My hourly fee for tax consultations is $100 an hour. Let me know if you would like to make an appointment.

Me:  I'm retired, not retarded. I just thought you'd know. Thanks anyway. Blessings, Kathleen.

No wonder I stopped attending the group. We did fine without the deductions. I should pay $100 an hour to deduct a $400 seminar? I think she would have been kinder to ignore my email, but that's just me. The really good news is that we'll be getting enough back to pay the State and buy the laptop I've been drooling over, and that's what John wants to do. We're still talking about it. We'll decide this week, but I think it's going to happen. Apple Store, here we come.