New Year Ducks -

I think that it is safe to say that everyone approaches a New Year in a different way - ;))

For me - when I was working - the last week of the year - the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day - was always busy.

Back then I thrived on the stress - now, not so much - ;))

Since I retired - I intentionally take that week to PLAY with new Christmas toys and just fiddle with stuff - no WORK is allowed - ;))

And I believe that saying -

“What you do on New Year’s Day is what you do all year long.” -

So on New Year’s Day -

As Gene said to LindaJ - HERE -

I sleep in -

I don’t go to work -

And I SEW - ;))

Then on Day 2 - I start to play with the “ducks” -

Those pesky little buggers that need to be put ”in rows” -

So that they behave -

Because I was taught that I had to do my chores -

Before I could PLAY - ;))

First of the month - first of the year - time to pay some bills -

One of the first things I do - and have done for years - since I still pay bills with checks and not online - is to go through the checkbook and enter the New Year’s last two digits - 14 - on every check in the pad so that I don’t mistakenly enter last year in that space. By the time I get to the second pad of checks, I’m pretty sure of what year this is - haha - ;))

Then I start to work on our tax stuff. I figure the sooner I get that stuff done - the sooner I can SEW. And this is in NO WAY intended to be tax advice - I don’t DO that anymore. If YOU need any tax advice - find yourself a tax professional who can advise YOU on YOUR particular situation - ;))

For our taxes - I go through the calendar and calculate the medical miles for the year. Checking the calendar is the easiest way for me to tell how many times we visited the various doctors - ;))

Then I make a spreadsheet and go through the checkbook and list all of the tax-deductible stuff - Date - Payee - Amount - with columns for the various categories. I make a summary sheet and print out a copy for the accountant. And no - I don't do our taxes anymore, either - what's the point of being retired if I have to keep up on all of that stuff? - ;))

I keep a large envelope labeled - "Tax - 2013” - handy and put copies of tax-deductible stuff in it as I go along every year. I’ll add a copy of the DMV renewal when I pay it - so that I don’t have to go digging for it later. I’ll add a copy of the accountant’s bill when I pay it so that I don’t have to find that either. And no - I can’t rely on them to just add the amount themselves - I entered it one year on the “organizer” and they missed it - must have seen a “squirrel” or something - ;))

Then I wait for other tax-related stuff to come in the mail - make copies - and add them to the envelope. When I have everything - I fill out the “organizer” - and off it goes to the accountant - then it's their problem - they can deal with it - ;))

And it is SO much easier to quilt as a hobby than as a business - not as profitable, of course - but MUCH easier. I don’t have to try to sell people stuff and keep track of the income - and I don’t have to try to keep track of my stash or my travel expenses or the cost of all of the sewing machines that I bought - ;))

But then again -

If my quilting WERE a business -

Those expenses MIGHT be tax deductible - ;))



Talk to you later - gotta go - gotta sew -