Countdown Underway

Yesterday was my last Sunday hours day and I was so happy to lock the door at 4:00 pm. We were busy, we did a lot of business, but working six days a week isn't something I enjoy doing any more - at least if it is working in the shop, not working on my own writing or art. I'm happy to have this part of the holiday season behind me.

What a relief it was to turn my sign to closed on Sunday. No more
Sunday hours until next holiday season! Yippee!

All of my holiday gifts are purchased except for little 'stocking stuffer' -type gifts which I can get on Wednesday. DH's birthday is immediately after Christmas, so it's always a time of extra stress and strain, especially on my budget. Oy! But, once I survive the season, I'm on my own again for months to come. Hallelujah!

Right now. after holiday and birthday gifts, I'm focused on New Year's. Not because I want to get out there and celebrate, drink champagne at midnight, and dance with my beloved. No, because new tax laws are in place and new methods of reporting and repaying health insurance costs will come into play for my employees. It's turning into a bureaucratic nightmare. I've already spoken to my accountant once on this issue, I'll be speaking with him again today and maybe meeting with him in his office too. Making this work so that I can continue to pay for my employees' health insurance costs is important to me, but the government is making it an impossible mountain to climb and my good intentions are getting taxed back and forth with huge fines if I don't fall into line with the rest of the marchers to hell. Damn but I hate the government!

I feel like one of these Alberta Mountain Goats - just looking ahead
at narrow shelves of rock and that darned waterfall in my way. 

So here I am, trying not to overeat in a season of food, trying to do good things for people and getting shot down at every turn, and trying to sleep with stress keeping me awake. This is not a good situation. At all. I've been jumping through the hoops, but now then set them on fire. Can I just say "I quit!"?

This photo of training rescue dogs in China just about sums up my
feelings just now. 

As an aside, I've received some really wonderful and spectacular holiday cards this year from my friends throughout the world. I'll be scanning many of them and posting them next week to share with all of you. Thanks to each and every one of you who sent me such wonderful small works of colorful fun.

I'm not this ingenious. I tape my cards around the archway of my entry so that I can
see them whenever I walk through the living room. They're really lovely. 

Happy Monday to all with hopes that your Monday will be awesome and memorable.

Cold and Taxes - Winter is Finally Here

It's cold. It's so cold that it's the leading story for each newscast across the state and also across the nation. When I was driving home from work yesterday it was -5F (-23C) and it's colder than that today. Of course, as Murphy is obviously working in my back room, I have to get gas for the car today - the freakin' coldest day of the year and I have to stand outside and put gas in the car. I think I'll get a fancy coffee to reward myself for that torture.

Not that we're not used to this, it is Minnesota after all. We understand the benefit of dressing in layers and knitted sweaters. We understand hats, gore-tex and down coats, and scarfs. We know that at a certain point you have to spend time warming up the car before moving out, although I usually don't bother until the temps are this icy, and we understand the merits of warm boots. But in spite and despite all of the knowledge and clothing precautions, it doesn't change the fact that breathing in temps like this hurts and that I would much rather just stay home instead of go to work.

Even the dogs know how to dress for the cold...

The back room at the shop will be icy too - we get too much breeze coming through the gap in the back doorway. That means that I will take my laptop into the front room to work and rely on the wireless instead of the wired internet connection. I prefer wired - it's so much faster - but at least I have the option.

The IRS and the tax system in general have their

heads in the sand (actually in another dark nether

region, but I'll be nice...).

I found out from my accountant yesterday that due to a change in reporting, I have to change my year-end tax statements that I filed with the Infernal Revenue Service because I should have included my health insurance premiums. Now, the premium isn't taxable income, but I still have to go through all of this crap to amend what we already filed because...well, just because. There is nothing sensible about taxes, especially for businesses and even more especially for the self-employed.