Saturday Slight

A pretty morning at the ski hill

Emotion-filled.  Seems like that's the best way sum up this week.  Losses too numerous to mention but each so significant in their own right.  

I send condolences to all who grieve this morning for lost family members, friends, sidekicks and special animals.  

We all know that loss is a major cog in life's cycle, but it's never easy. 

On a brighter note, I'm feeling thankful this morning because of a scare with my Lily two days ago.  It's called colic, and she had it, probably for a few days as she was not acting herself.

Thanks to a wonderful vet who came when called, Lily's doing just fine this morning---ornery, bossy and eating like a horse. My level of appreciation for her good health has soared.  

This has also been the "owe-owe" week.  

An envelope came in yesterday's mail which prompted me to get two manilla envelopes and label them "2014 Income" and "2014 Expenses."  The first envelope had a cover letter and fat form to fill out before our meeting with the tax consultant Feb. 25. 

I was hoping to stretch out the period since that low moment on a high cliff in Ireland last April when a call came from the tax consultant's office in Sandpoint, telling me that taxes were completed, and "you owe."  

The good news was that it was not six figures, but I'm thinking four figures is enough. 

So, this morning there's a form in each of the yellow envelope, one telling how much interest was earned, the other telling how much I donated to a church.  

If everything were even-steven, I'd be ahead at this point because my donation doubled the interest earned.  But that's not exactly how the Feds view it.  Darn it all anyway.  

With each day's mail for the next month, I'll be on the lookout for the envelopes with the red stamp on the outside:  Important Tax Document inside. 

And, they'll go into the yellow envelopes and, with luck on Feb. 25 we can turn it all over to the tax consultant and wait AND I don't intend to stand on any high cliffs over the ocean this year when they call me with the results.  

That was a tad too precarious last year when I received such deflating news while in the midst of spending a whole lot of money on our family trip.  

Fortunately, a Guinness awaited us, and I could drown my "owe-owe" sorrows. 

In other news, we had a wonderful time at Second Avenue Pizza last night with the gang. Last night's regulars were joined by Swiss Miss's friend Selena and by our longtime family friend Mitzi.  

Mitzi showered us with lots of fun stories of what she's been up to----including some good rodeo descriptions.  She attends the National Finals every year, and this past year decided to take in the Pendleton Round-Up.  

I had no idea the Round-up takes place in a wide-open, outdoor athletic stadium with a track circling the green.  Gonna have to check that out one of these days. 

Many, many thanks to Swiss Miss for "doing the cooking" with a little help from the Second Avenue crew.

Today we'll be watching Laura play in her last home game at Sandpoint High.  Let's hope the JV B team is on a roll and that they pick up another victory against Moscow.   

We'll be able to watch the ZAGS game at 1, then head down to the school to watch the Girls Varsity, followed by Swiss Miss, the ultimate basketball screener and assist technician.  She's very good at both. 

And, tomorrow the Seahawks!  I feel a bit ambivalent but not enough to abandon my Seahawks loyalty.  After all, a lot of old Sandpoint has followed the Packers ever since SHS grad Jerry Kramer played a major role on the Packers Super Bowl-winning teams.

And, then there's Demetri Goodson, a former ZAG who's playing for the Packers.

BUT we must remain loyal, and say GO SEAHAWKS, GO ZAGS, GO BULLDOGS and GO SWISS MISS!

Happy Saturday.