Taxes

At work today a little girl came to the register with a stuffed dog she wanted to purchase.  I rang the dog up and gave her the total,

Me:  That will be $6.48

Little girl:  I thought it was $5.99

Me:  It is, but, with tax it's $6.48

Little girl: (crying hysterically)  I HATE TAX!  I HATE TAX!

Me:  I think we all do 

Taxes

Am I the only person who has not done their own taxes?

You read that right.  I have never done my taxes.  When I was single, my brother did them for me.  Hey, that's what he does for a living (sort of).  < And he didn't seem to mind doing them for me.  I was looking out for him.  It was good practice.  When I got married, RT did our taxes.  He didn't mind doing them, so, I figured I would let him.

Well, I thought RT didn't mind doing them.

RT has never said anything about them (except that he hates doing them).  This year, after 20 years, he says that he hates doing the taxes and that maybe I should do them.  I said I'm not sure if I would know how to do them.  That's when &$*# hit the fan and I got an ear full of how I'm old enough and I should know how to do them and blah-blah-blah....

Somehow I let that argument settle and die out.  (meaning:  I waited a week)

When the air was clear and there were no signs of remnants of the last blow out conversation, I asked RT if he did our state taxes. 

I figure that buys me another 365 days to figure out how I can get out of doing them next year.

I am taking any and all suggestions starting now.

Tax Day 2014

Don't forget to do your taxes.  They're due today.

That's my Public Service Announcement for the day.

That is all.

Strange Emails

Lately I have been getting some odd emails.

Well, I do get the strange SPAM emails.  You know, the ones telling you you about products to use to make "it" bigger.  I'm not sure why I'm getting those.  I'm not a guy.  Unless I'm supposed to tell a guy about the product?

Then there are the ones from a girl who is "saying hello."  Or that she wants to see me.  Why is she saying hello to me?  I have no idea who she is!  And why does she want to see me?  I know I don't want to see her!  (if it is a her)

I know.  I know.  They're SPAM.  I'm just amused by them.

Recently I received an email that was titled :  All my children.  It gave a few words about a family reunion that is happening on Easter and where will everyone be on that day.  I don't know any of the other people on the list and am not sure how I got into their family emails.  I'm tempted to respond and say that I'm coming out to visit.

Or maybe I can get one of the "women" who want to see me to go see this family?

Vegetarian Diaries

I haven't had a post in awhile for my Vegetarian Diaries.  I think I'm overdue.

I'm not sure if its a teenage thing, but every once in awhile Nick asks me questions about why I am a vegetarian.

Examples:

How long are you planning on not eating meat?

Did you become a vegetarian for health reasons?

When do you plan on eating meat again?

Why are you a vegetarian?

These are all good questions that I don't mind answering.  I get asked these same questions and every time, I answer them. The problem is, Nick doesn't like my answers. 

For every answer I give, Nick shoots it down. It doesn't matter if I have facts backing it up. Tonight, after giving an explanation, referencing a movie, I was told that it was "propaganda."  

I think this is his new way to pick arguments with me. Of course if you said that to him he would say that it's not an argument.  

I think from now on, I am finally going to use that fun line that moms get to use.  When asked why I'm a vegetarian, I can reply, 

"Because I want to and I'm the Mom, that's why."

Citrus White Vinegar Cleaner

For those who know me, I'm heavily into white vinegar.  I use it for EVERYTHING.  If you saw "My Big Fat Greek Wedding," I'm like the dad.  The only difference is I use white vinegar instead of Windex.

I don't mind the smell of vinegar, but I know it turns off a lot of people.

I found this idea online and thought I would try it out.  It's very simple.

What you need:
orange peels
white vinegar
glass jar with lid
cinnamon stick (optional)

Okay.  Pay attention.  It gets tricky here.

Put the orange peels (and cinnamon stick) in the glass jar.

Fill the jar with white vinegar.

Put the lid on the jar

Wait two weeks.

Pour into a spray bottle and start using.

Phew!  I know things got complicated there, but, we made it!

The (vinegar) citrus spray doesn't have that harsh vinegar smell and it still works the same.

Try it out and let me know what you think!

Knock 'em down again

Every Tuesday is garbage day over here.  We go all out and put a garbage can and recycle bin (it's also a garbage can) out by the street.  The recycle bin is usually overflowing.  What can I say?  We like to recycle. 

Every week, okay, maybe not EVERY week, but, most weeks, Nick backs the car out of the driveway and ends up knocking down the garbage can.  (we have a pretty short driveway, so it's not like he can't see that the garbage can is right there) This week it was the recycle bin.  It was windy today and there was papers flying down and around the street.  Nick was out there trying to pick them up. 

When he came home I had to ask.

"Every week you back out of the driveway and hit the garbage can.  You know that garbage day is Tuesday, why don't you watch out for the cans?

"I didn't know that garbage day was Tuesday.  Besides, I couldn't see the can out the back window."

"Didn't you see the can there BEFORE you got into the car?  You should always look behind the car before you get in.  You drive like you're an 80 year old woman driving a Lincoln Town Car backing out of our driveway.  You don't care what you hit."

For those of you who don't remember that Seinfeld Episode,  Here is the link.  (probably best seen when on Internet Explorer)

All we can do now is hope that Nick looks when he backs up on our driveway.

Especially on Tuesdays.