Do you realize how early Easter is this year? It's March 23! Easter is always the 1st Sunday after the 1st full moon after the Spring Equinox (which is March 20). This dating of Easter is based on the lunar calendar that Hebrew people used to identify Passover, which is why it moves around in date on our Roman based calendar.
Based on the above, Easter can actually be one day earlier (March 22) but that is rare. Here's the interesting info. This year is the earliest Easter any of us will ever see the rest of our lives! And only the most elderly of our population have ever seen it this early (95 years old or above!). And none of us have ever, or will ever, see it a day earlier!
Facts:
1) The next time Easter will be this early (March 23) will be the year 2228 (220 years from now.)
2) The last time it was this early was 1913 (so if you're 95 or older, you are the only ones around for that!)
3) The next time it will be a day earlier, March 22, will be in the year 2285 (277 years from now.)
4) The last time it was on March 22 was 1818.
I created this blog to record our RV trips and ;morphed into life in our retirement lane and telling my tales of life. Now my tales of life are on widowhood, my new and probably my last phase of l I have migrated to Facebook where I communicate daily, instantly with family/friends all over. I write here sometimes. COPYWRIGHT NOTICE: All photos, stories, writings on this blog are the property of myself, Patricia Morrison and may not be used, copied, without my permission most often freely given.
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Monday, March 10, 2008
Tax Time
I'm in a bad mood. We just picked up the bad news from our CPA on our taxes. Seems the feds need more of our $$ to distribute to the least. This federal money laundering program has to stop. Adding insult to injury because we owe too much we get a penalty for under payment. How gross--did we know we'd get those capital gains? Fortunately we had some capital loss offsets too!
I especially hate paying income tax on Jerry's Social Security. After all, he was self employed paid the whole thing himself and we have already been taxed on it.
Well we bought the motor home end of the year so there will be far less interest to be taxed on next year. Our Brokerage accounts did well last year--but so far the market slumps will wipe that out in 2008.
I suppose some say be grateful that to pay income tax it shows we have income. That is not the point. We worked for this every bit of it! And just think if the Bush tax cuts are not extended we can pay more!
I especially hate paying income tax on Jerry's Social Security. After all, he was self employed paid the whole thing himself and we have already been taxed on it.
Well we bought the motor home end of the year so there will be far less interest to be taxed on next year. Our Brokerage accounts did well last year--but so far the market slumps will wipe that out in 2008.
I suppose some say be grateful that to pay income tax it shows we have income. That is not the point. We worked for this every bit of it! And just think if the Bush tax cuts are not extended we can pay more!
Sunday, March 9, 2008
1510 Cedar Drive inthe snow
Taken Feb 18 2008 Snow on the roof which may not melt until April at the way this winter is going. See the high snow fence that lines the driveway. Too much white this year.
this is snow
Recently frends in Ohio have had snow--14 inches. Well this winter we got that much and more. Jerry is using the snow blower here and see these snow banks from blowing the snow out of the driveway? Well five foot high and more. So high that I can't see above them when I back the SUV out of the driveway. Now we have had snow. Today is March 9 and the snow is still 4 foot high in piles. We are supposed to get a couple days in the 40 degrees this week and that will really feel warm!
Friday, March 7, 2008
Change
This frustrates me because I always was one for change. But today some improvements are just not change for the better. Why can't they leave well enough alone? Now I know I'm getting old.
I've always been a champion for change, most often led change efforts at work, at church, in organizations, in life. At Curves, every month we change direction and order of our workouts--it keeps us thinking. Don't even get used to the layout of the grocery stores. The theory that abides, the more walking through the store, the more purchases one makes. One exception is our local grocery store in town--it's too small to mess with so familiarity rules. They can hardly move the bakery, deli, meat counters, or refrigerators, so we are fairly set.
But most changes evoke my "grrrr." My ISP claims to have expanded and improved its service. Not so! Now instead of emails coming directly to my inbox from folks who have emailed me forever, they get hung up in the ISP spam report. This means, I have to look at the daily report, which arrives in my own spam filter folder thanks to Nortons. Once there I have to either allow, whitelist, delete, blacklist, etc. One at a time. Why I ask my ISP do you have to mess with me?" Oh, it's a greater service. "No it's not," I say, "it's a pain in the neck. Can't you just bypass this on my system?" "Oh no, that's part of your service."
We do our banking online. Jerry started that long ago in CA. And just recently our bank, in the spirit of improvement changed all the screens again. It's not an improvement--we liked the old way better.
Our brokerage account also "improved" which now means I have to flip through a menu to get what used to display automatically. And I have to check multiple screens. I want it the way it used to be!
When did they quit making so many conveniences just to improve the products. Doesn't it cost to retool and aren't things expensive enough! Leave it alone already. Recently Jerry's 91 year old mother wanted Vaseline bath oil beads. She's used them for years. But now, huh unh. Try to find them--we did yesterday accidentally at a close out sale in Wal mart. Just one small thing they no longer are making.
Fortunately I have little desire or need to shop for clothes. Now this is a significant change to my life. Shopping had been a big recreation for me. But with retirement the wardrobe needs are sparser--jeans, shorts, t shirts, some sweaters. For this change I am thankful--because have you noticed the fashions? Why does every woman or girl have to wear maternity tops? Why when we work out and try to stay in shape must we wear sacks? Clothes are way beyond ugly. I thought the torn jeans were bad enough--look now at the resurgence of the polyester 70's. And the colors! Ugly! Fashion is not a positive change influence.
This weekend heralds another major change event--the changing of the hours of the days and nights--daylight savings time or whatever they call it!~ Why can't we just be allowed to naturally adjust to nature, sun, light? Why must we be forced to change time to save daylight? So Saturday night we have all our watches, clocks, alarms, etc. to set forward. Only the computer and the cell phone automatically reset themselves. The rest will all require us to make the adjustment. Another tinkering piece of change which now happens earlier in the year and lasts longer in the year!
Things that I wish would change don't and things I wish would stay the same don't. What's going on here! And by the way, when did I start resenting change!
I've always been a champion for change, most often led change efforts at work, at church, in organizations, in life. At Curves, every month we change direction and order of our workouts--it keeps us thinking. Don't even get used to the layout of the grocery stores. The theory that abides, the more walking through the store, the more purchases one makes. One exception is our local grocery store in town--it's too small to mess with so familiarity rules. They can hardly move the bakery, deli, meat counters, or refrigerators, so we are fairly set.
But most changes evoke my "grrrr." My ISP claims to have expanded and improved its service. Not so! Now instead of emails coming directly to my inbox from folks who have emailed me forever, they get hung up in the ISP spam report. This means, I have to look at the daily report, which arrives in my own spam filter folder thanks to Nortons. Once there I have to either allow, whitelist, delete, blacklist, etc. One at a time. Why I ask my ISP do you have to mess with me?" Oh, it's a greater service. "No it's not," I say, "it's a pain in the neck. Can't you just bypass this on my system?" "Oh no, that's part of your service."
We do our banking online. Jerry started that long ago in CA. And just recently our bank, in the spirit of improvement changed all the screens again. It's not an improvement--we liked the old way better.
Our brokerage account also "improved" which now means I have to flip through a menu to get what used to display automatically. And I have to check multiple screens. I want it the way it used to be!
When did they quit making so many conveniences just to improve the products. Doesn't it cost to retool and aren't things expensive enough! Leave it alone already. Recently Jerry's 91 year old mother wanted Vaseline bath oil beads. She's used them for years. But now, huh unh. Try to find them--we did yesterday accidentally at a close out sale in Wal mart. Just one small thing they no longer are making.
Fortunately I have little desire or need to shop for clothes. Now this is a significant change to my life. Shopping had been a big recreation for me. But with retirement the wardrobe needs are sparser--jeans, shorts, t shirts, some sweaters. For this change I am thankful--because have you noticed the fashions? Why does every woman or girl have to wear maternity tops? Why when we work out and try to stay in shape must we wear sacks? Clothes are way beyond ugly. I thought the torn jeans were bad enough--look now at the resurgence of the polyester 70's. And the colors! Ugly! Fashion is not a positive change influence.
This weekend heralds another major change event--the changing of the hours of the days and nights--daylight savings time or whatever they call it!~ Why can't we just be allowed to naturally adjust to nature, sun, light? Why must we be forced to change time to save daylight? So Saturday night we have all our watches, clocks, alarms, etc. to set forward. Only the computer and the cell phone automatically reset themselves. The rest will all require us to make the adjustment. Another tinkering piece of change which now happens earlier in the year and lasts longer in the year!
Things that I wish would change don't and things I wish would stay the same don't. What's going on here! And by the way, when did I start resenting change!
Thursday, March 6, 2008
Adult Children of normal parents.
Today I'm having several thoughts--none of which are life changing. It's Caesar Day for us --the day to give to Caesar the things that are for Caesar--and today to give a little more than what should be Caesar's. Income Tax Day--a quick meeting with our accountant, here in La Crescent. We'll get the rest of the bad news in a day or two. Larry chatted a bit to remind us how much better off we are here in the tundra--away and out of the clamor and clatter and over population of California.
In another post, I mentioned responsibility and I wonder if guilt has any place in that. And for parents, especially for career parents--those who never give it up--what an awful thing it must be. That a parent is forever, we know, but that a parent is the scapegoat, bearing the guilt for the mistakes of the children--when those children cross into adulthood, I don't think so. I'm not sure if it's responsibility or guilt. Or an absolute inability to let go!
I meet people who absolutely define themselves by their kids--never mind that these people are in their 60's or 70's--their conversations are first and foremost about their children and then by extension their children's children. Heck I'm related to people who do that! I don't think these people ever had an accomplishment that was not child or family centered. They often travel in a pack through life with those kids--they often are the ones who suffer most from an empty nest.
When a "kid" screws up, the parent (most often the career mom) takes offense, takes the blame, takes up for the kid.. I don't get it, why isn't the kid allowed to take their own blame? I'm talking about adult kids which generally means anyone over the legal age. When they clearly are responsible for their own actions or lack there of. When my son screwed up, did I defend him--heck no! I was old school, you got a double dose of the punishment and maybe learned lifelessons. As he screws up today, do I feel the need to rush to his defense? No. I can't--it's his path even when it's rough. Listening is one thing, but taking it on our own shoulders--not.
I have heard some parents who are new to the world of adult children brag that if children are brought up right they will always do right! Oh please! Get a life yourself! What about outside influences--what about the kid choosing to be a buffoon! Why do adult children of outstanding parents become delinquents, maladjusted and whatever even worse. And should that parent feel guilty--I think not.
Isn't there a time when the apron strings are cut--when Johnnie or Janie really have to do it on their own, when they have to grow up and fess up? Maybe that's part of what's wrong today--no one grows up--Peter Pan rules! Instead of raising the fledglings for independence, Peter Pan's parents settle for co-dependence. Perpetual Peter Pan parents---that's what they are.
We do what we can when we raise them. Often this is doing the best we can with what we have and what we know at the time. With the exception of psychopaths, no parent sets out to deliberately screw up their child's life. I prefer to be around adults who can actually discuss, talk, and think about something beyond their children. Barring that--give me a good book to read, or a keyboard---I have a thought to blog.
In another post, I mentioned responsibility and I wonder if guilt has any place in that. And for parents, especially for career parents--those who never give it up--what an awful thing it must be. That a parent is forever, we know, but that a parent is the scapegoat, bearing the guilt for the mistakes of the children--when those children cross into adulthood, I don't think so. I'm not sure if it's responsibility or guilt. Or an absolute inability to let go!
I meet people who absolutely define themselves by their kids--never mind that these people are in their 60's or 70's--their conversations are first and foremost about their children and then by extension their children's children. Heck I'm related to people who do that! I don't think these people ever had an accomplishment that was not child or family centered. They often travel in a pack through life with those kids--they often are the ones who suffer most from an empty nest.
When a "kid" screws up, the parent (most often the career mom) takes offense, takes the blame, takes up for the kid.. I don't get it, why isn't the kid allowed to take their own blame? I'm talking about adult kids which generally means anyone over the legal age. When they clearly are responsible for their own actions or lack there of. When my son screwed up, did I defend him--heck no! I was old school, you got a double dose of the punishment and maybe learned lifelessons. As he screws up today, do I feel the need to rush to his defense? No. I can't--it's his path even when it's rough. Listening is one thing, but taking it on our own shoulders--not.
I have heard some parents who are new to the world of adult children brag that if children are brought up right they will always do right! Oh please! Get a life yourself! What about outside influences--what about the kid choosing to be a buffoon! Why do adult children of outstanding parents become delinquents, maladjusted and whatever even worse. And should that parent feel guilty--I think not.
Isn't there a time when the apron strings are cut--when Johnnie or Janie really have to do it on their own, when they have to grow up and fess up? Maybe that's part of what's wrong today--no one grows up--Peter Pan rules! Instead of raising the fledglings for independence, Peter Pan's parents settle for co-dependence. Perpetual Peter Pan parents---that's what they are.
We do what we can when we raise them. Often this is doing the best we can with what we have and what we know at the time. With the exception of psychopaths, no parent sets out to deliberately screw up their child's life. I prefer to be around adults who can actually discuss, talk, and think about something beyond their children. Barring that--give me a good book to read, or a keyboard---I have a thought to blog.
Wallow or move on in gratitude
Sheila Walsh is a Chirstian woman who often emails just the right thought when I need it. The italics are my thoughts the regular type is from Sheila.
Often at Buble study we talk about grace and gratitude. We can never be thankful enough to repay grace. Grace is a magnificent gift. For a long time when I was heavy into my career I kept a daily gratitude journal. Somedays would be tough and all I could be gratful for was that I got through that day! It was over, tomorow starts anew.
I learned that at least I can be grateful to be through with it. Whether it's a miserable experience or just a bad day. Gratitude for the endurance.
Recently Sheila wrote about a talk radio show, where the host's main concern is to speak the truth, however painful that may be to hear. And at times the truth is fairly brutal. The woman caller was very upset at her stepmother who had never lived up to the daughter's expectations of what a mother should be. The caller had never known her own mother, and for thirty years she had allowed herself to be wounded over and over when her new "mom" didn't measure up. I felt real sympathy for this woman. There are so many things in life that are just not fair.
(My comment here is notice that Sheila says, "allowed: herself to be wounded." This reminds us that we can't be wounded if we think about it--we have to allow it. We can certainly be hurt, but we can get over it!)
Life seems random and cruel to many people. The host didn't appear to share my sympathy. And I was struck by her simple message that has enormous potential to impact our lives. I'm paraphrasing a little, but she said something like this: You have a choice. You can spend your life being angry at what you did not get out of life or you can count your blessings for what you have. I thought about what she said for some time. We all have losses in our lives. But if we choose to feast on them every day, they numb our souls to all the good that God pours out on us every day.
We can choose to remain in a "stuck" place regretting what is not, or we can become alive and fully awake to what is good and true about our lives.
Sometimes we are so aware of what is not there that we miss what we have. Yet the very act of being grateful for what we do have multiplies our gratitude and opens our eyes so that we see that we have even more than we thought we had at the start. Can a grateful heart change our actions and our relationships?
Choose to act with a grateful heart. Cultivating gratitude removes us from being victims to being free to love and act as we are called to do. I believe that living with a thankful heart is a large part of that process. Waking the soul is more than a one-time conversion. It is a daily turning from what is destructive to what is Christ like.
That practice of gratitude is something I've kind of taken for granted here in retirement--even here in the tundra! What a great reminder of being thankful, of moving on in gratitude and of not wallowing.
Often at Buble study we talk about grace and gratitude. We can never be thankful enough to repay grace. Grace is a magnificent gift. For a long time when I was heavy into my career I kept a daily gratitude journal. Somedays would be tough and all I could be gratful for was that I got through that day! It was over, tomorow starts anew.
I learned that at least I can be grateful to be through with it. Whether it's a miserable experience or just a bad day. Gratitude for the endurance.
Recently Sheila wrote about a talk radio show, where the host's main concern is to speak the truth, however painful that may be to hear. And at times the truth is fairly brutal. The woman caller was very upset at her stepmother who had never lived up to the daughter's expectations of what a mother should be. The caller had never known her own mother, and for thirty years she had allowed herself to be wounded over and over when her new "mom" didn't measure up. I felt real sympathy for this woman. There are so many things in life that are just not fair.
(My comment here is notice that Sheila says, "allowed: herself to be wounded." This reminds us that we can't be wounded if we think about it--we have to allow it. We can certainly be hurt, but we can get over it!)
Life seems random and cruel to many people. The host didn't appear to share my sympathy. And I was struck by her simple message that has enormous potential to impact our lives. I'm paraphrasing a little, but she said something like this: You have a choice. You can spend your life being angry at what you did not get out of life or you can count your blessings for what you have. I thought about what she said for some time. We all have losses in our lives. But if we choose to feast on them every day, they numb our souls to all the good that God pours out on us every day.
We can choose to remain in a "stuck" place regretting what is not, or we can become alive and fully awake to what is good and true about our lives.
Sometimes we are so aware of what is not there that we miss what we have. Yet the very act of being grateful for what we do have multiplies our gratitude and opens our eyes so that we see that we have even more than we thought we had at the start. Can a grateful heart change our actions and our relationships?
Choose to act with a grateful heart. Cultivating gratitude removes us from being victims to being free to love and act as we are called to do. I believe that living with a thankful heart is a large part of that process. Waking the soul is more than a one-time conversion. It is a daily turning from what is destructive to what is Christ like.
That practice of gratitude is something I've kind of taken for granted here in retirement--even here in the tundra! What a great reminder of being thankful, of moving on in gratitude and of not wallowing.
Responsibility
Just the other day Jerry & I were talking about the big R word--responsibility. It seems that today it's popular for no one to assume responsibility for their own decisions, actions, choices particularly when the outcome is not all that positive. It's acceptable to be a victim or to blame someone else. It's acceptable to expect someone to do for, give to, etc, usually the government is expected to take care of.
Sometimes I get beyond annoyed with our son who in his 40's falls into that poor me syndrome. He's made some horrid choices and is paying a heavy price today. But there is no real way anyone rescues an adult. We have to suffer along sometimes and watch. We have to know when enough is more than enough.
Recently a friend emailed about his personal philosophy, reflected in the Henley poem, "Invictus." That poem centers on "I am the master of my fate".....responsibility. A recent Wall Street Journal article about Supreme Court Justice, Clarence Thomas, Mr. Constitution, emphasized responsiblity. Justice Thomas says that what's wrong today is people all want the benefits without taking or showing any responsibility first.
I posted something on this blog that really backfired when family read it. Not at all what I intended but it created bad hurt feelings. So I pulled that post. After all it's hardly going to get the literary award and why keep something that's perceived offensive even if it is so not intended to be so. Maybe that's chickening out.
But who's responsible for that--well I am. I wrote it. I posted it. I shared the blog and I got the big cream pie in the face. I got chastised for putting it out there. I think I can write/say whatever I think. Especially at this age. Beyond it all is the responsibility. A heavy word.
Sometimes I get beyond annoyed with our son who in his 40's falls into that poor me syndrome. He's made some horrid choices and is paying a heavy price today. But there is no real way anyone rescues an adult. We have to suffer along sometimes and watch. We have to know when enough is more than enough.
Recently a friend emailed about his personal philosophy, reflected in the Henley poem, "Invictus." That poem centers on "I am the master of my fate".....responsibility. A recent Wall Street Journal article about Supreme Court Justice, Clarence Thomas, Mr. Constitution, emphasized responsiblity. Justice Thomas says that what's wrong today is people all want the benefits without taking or showing any responsibility first.
I posted something on this blog that really backfired when family read it. Not at all what I intended but it created bad hurt feelings. So I pulled that post. After all it's hardly going to get the literary award and why keep something that's perceived offensive even if it is so not intended to be so. Maybe that's chickening out.
But who's responsible for that--well I am. I wrote it. I posted it. I shared the blog and I got the big cream pie in the face. I got chastised for putting it out there. I think I can write/say whatever I think. Especially at this age. Beyond it all is the responsibility. A heavy word.
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