TAX TIME ALREADY??

Luckily for me, I now use a CPA to figure things out.  It's a shame that so many of us cannot do our own tax returns.  All my eggs are in one basket at Schwab.  I always file late because they usually send at least one corrected 1099 and usually more.  Just got my third one at the end of March.

Turbo Tax and I do Kate's return.  She makes so little for having two dependents that she always gets money back despite letting her employer know to deduct 3.  I usually break even.

The whirlwind visit with my sister + family was fabulous (they know all the super great restaurants in my town!)(because they are usually out of my price range).  This time they chose an Italian fusion place.  The five of us shared three appetizers, four salads, five main dishes and four desserts. SOO decadent.  They are mostly vegetarian so it was fun tasting such interesting combos.  A beet salad that was smoked and topped with a mustard gelato, for instance.  Every single bite was incredible and the conversation boisterous.  

We hosted them one night with bake-your-own pizza in our small Clubhouse Room.  I put out some munchies ... 3 kinds of nuts, potato chips and pretzels and Jesse opened a bottle of Prosecco (I can only have sparkling wine when I have company ... even when recapped it loses the bubbles).  They brought the salad and I chose frozen mini eclairs for dessert.  Cute and delicious.  And then an hour or two of Uno.  We had the gas fireplace going.

My visits with Janet will be fewer in the future as her daughter and bride are moving to Seattle for Audree's residency.  Tahlia works remotely.  They have their small 100 year old home to rent as well as the Tiny House in their backyard.  Good thing they are young and can handle all the ups and downs of a busy life.  Janet owns the house next door to them and is using it as a short term rental (one month minimum).  So if she stops in Portland, we could drive or take the train to Seattle together.

I've been nominated for a Board spot for WLLO Village.  I will be even more of a Keyboard Koala (snuggled up at home and always clickin' away) keeping up with the added responsibilities.

My kidults are charging into Spring with creative crafts using native plants.  They have gotten so much interest they are going to make it official and a get a business license!  Still trying to decide on a name!