Taxing Shades

Another errand day yesterday in advance of yet another weekend snow storm – this one ended up being only six inches which for this winter is no big deal. I felt the need for companionship so I put the back seat cover in the Camry and Buddy accompanied me on all of the errands. This meant any pedestrian foolish enough to approach within fifty meters of the car was roundly castigated.  This was the first time in over a month I took the Camry out of the garage because for the first time in that month the roads were down to the bare pavement.

The snow came in overnight which meant another session with the driveway from hell this morning. It was a rare opportunity to do the snow blowing during daylight hours which was welcome. Another sign of how extraordinary this winter is trying to be is that I’ve reached a point where the snow blower can no longer throw the snow over the built up snow banks at the end of the driveway. That’s never happened before. I would never use the flatlander technique (which used to piss me off so much in Virginia) of throwing the snow out into the street so I am now moving the snow twice – I throw it up the driveway far enough to escape the huge drifts at the bottom and then again out into the yard. This is the winter that just keeps on giving.

Trusty Snowblower at Bottom of Driveway In Front of Drift Too High to Throw Over

Yesterday was also the day I dedicated to the annual battle with the ever complicating US tax code. I remember the quaint old days when you had to go to the library or post office to get the needed income tax forms to fill out before everything was so electronically inclined. I still do my own taxes because my life financially is comparatively simple, mainly due to my own complete lack of any financial acumen. A few years ago I started using the H&R Block tax software which takes even an accountancy challenged fellow such as myself through a fairly easy process. It’s still a process though as I was poring through bank statements and half-remembered charitable donations trying to wring every last deduction. It took a couple hours, done while one of my favorite movies – Aliens, was playing in the background. I pushed the button to file the returns electronically just as Ripley and the Queen were duking it out.

Taxes - The Aftermath With All Relevant Documents Expertly Organized

I had a nice talk with my daughter who’s moved her annual Academy Awards party to the left coast this year. In fact she’ll be partying just a few miles from the actual awards ceremony. As a fellow movie geek we compared notes and she revealed the snacks she was preparing. Each year she tries to create snacks emblematic of the best picture nominees – she promised me pictures tonight. One of them will be red, white, and blue jello shots for - American Sniper.

My wife decided to blow off her high school reunion which surprised me since dancing was involved. She later decided the dancing portion of the reunion at the legendary Joron Zepeda was too much to pass on so she rallied some of her gang and set out to dance.

My Wife Looking Tropically Hot in Panama Yesterday

Before the snow flew I snuck out to see what all the hub bub was about Fifty Shades of Grey. Since I’m male I have not been allowed to read the book which seems to have been some sort of mania over the past couple years. Since its a bona fide movie phenomena I was going to see it. I was one of two males in the nearly packed theater which included a lot of fairly loud conversations between the clutches of females. I’m more than certain that a number of these ladies fortified their attendance with some adult beverages ahead of time.

I’m still mystified after the movie. I don’t get it, maybe it’s the Y chromosome I’m carrying around. The movie seemed kind of tawdry. It’s the same type movie you’d see late on any Friday night on Skinemax only with higher production values. I guess I’m not meant to get it – but the ladies certainly seem to enjoy it.