Sleep was fleeting last night. We found out we owe even more on our federal taxes than we already paid when we filed the extension. This new tax law has really screwed us, plain and simple. I get very stressed by the knowledge that the same thing will happen next year and we only have so much money in our savings account.
But I’m projecting – I’m the Queen of Projecting – and I just have to settle down and breathe. As Don reminds me, there’s only now.
As it was, I found this out right before we were headed to bed. (Not a good idea to read those emails late at night.) I sat in bed trying to read and when it came time to turn out the light, my anxiety level was so high that I made the decision to come downstairs and take a bath. That really helped. But I woke up early and couldn’t turn my brain off.
Ah, well.
Adding to that bit of news is the fact that we have little mystery trip planned in two weeks, so the timing isn’t the best. Nevertheless, we’re going ahead with our trip because life is too short and, to sanitize what I would normally say, “Screw it, we’re doing it anyway!”
Don just left to take some pictures at the Farmers Market, though rain is expected this afternoon. I’m going to keep busy and do some chores around here. I mowed yesterday and mulched a ton of leaves. We also celebrated Doug’s birthday with some cake (I didn’t partake) and a rousing round of “Happy Birthday.”
Happy Sunday.
we have a freelancer in my family, too, and he and you, all freelancers add so much only to get this awful tax clobbering. sorry.
a mystery trip sounds fun! the timing might not be great financially, but in other ways i hope it is and that you and don have a wonderful time.
best wishes on the moving out and back in of your “overnight visitors”, sleeping better and everything else.
happy sunday.
kathy in iowa
Thanks, Kathy. I moved the plants back out on the porch yesterday. All is well.
It’s not just the freelancing. It’s the fact that performers and people in the arts are not able to take the deductions they have always been able to take in the past. We can still take them in NY, but believe me when I say, we have to pay thousands and thousands of dollars, when just last year, we got a refund.
thanks for clarifying.
just boggles my mind about such awful tax rules (when really it shouldn’t … we know who most elected officials are looking out for)! i try to avoid using my credit card, but appreciate elaine’s idea about paying that tax (or any other) necessary bill if in a pinch.
kathy in iowa
and what would life be like without the arts and freelancers?!?
kathy in iowa
I agree!
Thanks, Kathy.
Sorry about your tax problem. You know who’s fault it is but soon he will be gone. I had the same problem and went to my bank for a loan. They offered me a special new credit card which had free interest for 6 months. We used it to pay the taxes on line then paid them off in 6 months. It worked for us. Just a suggestion. Take it or leave it. Yours Truly- Elaine
That’s a good idea, Elaine Thank you.
Claudia, I’m so sorry to hear that you have again been affected by these ridiculous changes to tax laws. If it was me I’d be so angry and contacting my local representative from the government (Member of Parliament) just to let them know how grossly unfair these changes are and at the very least they should have be gradually phased in. How can it be right that a self employed person can go from being owed money to having to pay so much extra the following year, especially when their income has decreased?
There must be thousands of performing arts folk with the same situation. All to often I think those elected to public office forget (and this applies to whichever country we live in) that first and foremost they are there to represent the ordinary people and not their own political career!
On a lighter note, do have a fabulous mystery trip! I was thinking of both of you last week as there’s been lots of events on the radio celebrating the 50th anniversary of The Beatles Abbey Road album. I also finished watching Babylon Berlin, just marvellous!
Happy Sunday
Because the Republican party in this country is only concerned with tax breaks for big business. And those who earn the top 2% of income got a tax break. The rest of us are suffering.
So glad you liked Babylon Berlin! Thank you, Dee Dee.
P.S. I really should proofread before I press the submit button. There’s at least three spelling mistakesš
xo
Iām so sorry to hear about your owed taxes. I can imagine your worry about that. I only wonder how many others are affected…Iām sure hundreds of thousands.
You know I love a good mystery….Iām glad you are going on your mystery trip. Sometimes you just have to throw a little caution throw to the wind…life is short.
Iām sure your plants enjoyed their night inside! Enjoy your day! ;)
We already paid quite a bit in April, now we have even more.
The plants were back outside last night, Donnamae. Thanks.
Sorry about your tax problem. Hope you have a better sleep tonight.
Marilyn
Thank you, Marilyn.
I’m glad you’re not letting the ‘landmine’ (of more taxes to pay) deter you from your trip. This is the time to do a bit of traveling, before your weather changes. You never know what kind of work you and Don will pick up in the next months to cover a subsequent year’s payment. In the meantime, because I run into this as well, just have to get creative on how to stretch the budget (grocery bill, Christmas, etc. [I’m currently stocking the pantry with some great pre-holiday deals at the market; when times are leaner, I’m glad to have pantry items to fall back on for meals]). Cut back and not make it feel like sacrifice or deprivation. You can do it! And I’ll be so happy to hear about this mystery trip.
The Gold Crown Hallmark stores have the fun Christmas ornament debuts in July and October so I went to one yesterday and had to really rein it in on what I wanted to buy. The entire store was decorated so beautifully for ‘harvest/Thanksgiving’ (even Halloween, tastefully) AND Christmas. I just kept thinking of what I already have, and that I have enough. Enjoyed the people who work in the store with whom I’ve been acquainted for 30 years and I walked away with a (for me!) very modest purchase, and I still felt good. This has not always been the case in my past (I would over-buy).
We’re facing so many expenses with our major-fixer-upper house that I can just crash thinking about it. But then we had a pleasant surprise on one thing this past week. My husband started taking apart the ‘crazed-over/etched’ double-pane windows and what we hadn’t been able to see was that the inside pane of the two is unmarred, and it’s like this on nearly every window. So far, we’ve only had to replace one pane and my husband taught himself how to do it correctly, therefore our expense has been minimal.
Just like that, we’ve gone from dual-pane windows to single-pane, but we look like we have brand-new windows now, and they’re so clear it looks like you could just push your hand thru the frame and are looking at the outdoor scene without glass. We’re sure we won’t be as energy efficient but noise doesn’t seem to be a big problem (we have a fairly-quiet neighborhood) and our air-conditioning bill was outta-sight in August & September, but we were facing a $20,000 window replacement project, so it feels like a miracle and we’ve got time to figure out how to lower next summer’s energy charges. In our last home, the small cottage from the 1920s, we had mostly original windows (I think my count was 32 windows; custom-built house and I guess they wanted a lot of windows!), single-pane and wavy, and we did just fine. SoCalif isn’t going to get the temp extremes of your Northeast.
You just never know what’s around the corner, Claudia; good OR bad. I do the projecting and so did my mother, calling ourselves good Girl Scouts in terms of prepping (mentally) although Mom would try to tell me, “Look at the glass as half full, not half empty!” (she had trouble taking her own advice). I have always done the ‘what’s the worst that could happen’ so that I can get strong ahead of time for whatever an outcome. My husband is the opposite and says that’s energy-sapping, instead just taking things as they come; he doesn’t worry or obsess and he’s not the greatest planner (but he sure is a lot calmer than I am!). Somewhere in the middle, we muddle through! I’ve been doing a lot of gnawing over my annual mammo because I have many risks for more cancer after my first bout in another part of my body. I really made myself sick over it this time (just killed my good spirits), but got the notice yesterday that, at least for a year I guess, I’m negative for signs of breast cancer. Yes, breathe. My husband never had a doubt.
He has been a full-time freelancer in his past, and has explained (tried to explain to me!) how difficult it is to deal with the tax thing, having to guestimate (he lost me in all the explanations, but I could see how even working with an accountant, you and Don have unknowns with taxes due to your occupations; like, my dad was self-employed, but it was very ‘regular’ work with no fluctuations, so he could anticipate his quarterly tax liability pretty easily, and there’s a diff because he wasn’t really an ’employee’ of his clients the way freelancers in other industries are actually ’employees’ of whatever job they hire out for; I just find this all so complicated and iffy!).
You will clear this hurdle, Claudia. I’m so sorry you got the bad news when you were already feeling somewhat anxious in general (I understand ‘anxious’; it’s my DNA). Just keep busy; use the blog here as your journal to de-stress; enjoy Don’s guitar or put some vinyl on that turntable you got; look forward to winter baking with Stella; read-read-read; pray. (I sound like the eat-pray-love thing, but there’s merit to that phrase/concept/ideal!) Get cozy with Don on that lovely, new, cactus-green loveseat; enjoy its good support for a sore back. (I can hardly control my excitement for getting my sofa back from the reupholsterer; any day now. Poor old thing deserved an overhaul after 37 years!) Throw a snowball this winter. and dig in to doll houses (I can’t wait for that; you’re an expert at it!).
Your human house really couldn’t be more perfect; you have it decorated so warmly and welcoming. It seems very complete, inside and out. And in the last couple of years, you’ve made those necessary home improvements, like didn’t you repair a stovepipe (roof) or something to do with the chimney, and you got the snowblower, repaired the driveway; you’ve done quite a lot to keep your property maintained, which I’m sure is comforting, as it can be soul-disturbing to have projects like that nagging at your well-being. After you get back from your trip, just tuck in for the coming winter (and I’m so glad you have Don home in that regard; nothing like that awful winter when you were alone and I think he was working in Boston or something; I really worried about you that winter and your readers here were giving you tips on what they do to brighten a dark-winter mood, like eating off sunny-yellow tableware which I thought was brilliant; lots of good tips and I took them all in!).
Thinking of you; sending a cyber hug today.
Firstly, I’m so happy to hear your tests were negative. Wonderful news.
And thank you so much for this kind and compassionate reply. You brought tears to my eyes. It’s been very difficult for me lately and the news yesterday sent me over the edge. I’m a bit better now. Thank you.
Don turned down an audition for a play that would take him away to Syracuse NY in February/March. It’s a few hours away, but he said, “Do you really want me away from the house in February and March?” And my immediate answer: “No.”
Thanks for caring about my mammo, and I’m glad you’re feeling better after bad news. Sometimes when bad news happens, it takes awhile to digest, then get to a place of peace about it, knowing you can deal with what hit you. I’ve been reading you enough over quite a few years to be able to remind you that you are a resilient person, Claudia. You are strong. You are unsinkable! And you’ve got one heckuva good partner by your side. Nothing can take away from these good years you’re having together; like I always quote, half the pain and twice the joy. I’m glad Don didn’t go to that audition. Something else will come up that’s better.
Thank you, my friend. xoxo
Claudia…..first time Iāve written. I enjoy your blog so much. You are so honest and down to earth . I love hearing about your life and the daily things you do. I am so sorry about your tax situation. It is not a just country. At least for now. My mother used to tell me at times like this,āthis time next year, it wonāt even matter.ā Most of the time she was right. Letās just hope we chase the grifter and the nightmares away Election Day. Again,as my mother used to say, ākeep your chins up.ā
Your mom was right. I will do my best to remember that, Ginny.
Chins up is right, too, much I hate to admit it!
Thank you for writing. It’s so lovely to hear from you!
Don gives good advice. āThere is only now.ā I will try to remember that. I spent too much of my energy worrying about things that ended up turning out fine. Sorry about your tax issue. I know the feeling.
You are still sugar free? That is amazing. I wish I had your willpower.
Happy Birthday Don!
Enjoy your trip.
Kay
Same here with worry, Kay.
I’m still sugar free and I’m proud of myself, especially since that birthday cake was a flourless chocolate cake (my favorite.)
It wasn’t Don’s birthday Kay. It was Doug’s.
xo
I’m so sorry about the tax surprise; that’s the worst kind of surprise. Crossing my fingers things work out in the end.
I love a surprise trip. Did you book something with Pack Up & Go?
Have a nice Monday.
No. It’s something we’ve been planning for a couple of months. All will be revealed. Thanks, Suz.
That’s a horrible thing to discover right before bed. I wouldn’t be sleeping well either. That tax bill was bad for so many of us. I’m sorry it has to happen to you.
But you’re smart, doing the trip. These days with so much bad around us and the world swirling out of control, we need to get our joy and fun where and whenever we can get it. Can’t wait to hear what you do!
Thank you, Jeanie. I agree. We need it, we’re doing it, and we’ll be happier for doing it.