March 2022 – Barbara James

With March’s arrival, spring is right around the corner. How about this for a commemoration? Shamrocks and butterflies, cookie cutters to mark two noteworthy dates in March.

As for the rolls and croissants, DH finds that 1/4 cup of yeast is too much, the taste of the yeast is too strong. I’ve hit upon a better measurement: 1/8 of a cup. He doesn’t want as much croissants and pretzels, though. So I’m making more whole grain rolls and scones.

What else is happening? A writer friend introduced us on Facebook to a company that sells gourmet items that we can order by mail. Was I on this or was I on this? I ordered a specialty cake that’s been truly delicious. I permitted myself merely a sliver at a time, just so that I could savor it.

What’s happening in the writer’s life? Well, I’ve been preparing submissions for my critique groups. I then took several weeks off. I was reading, mostly romances and craft books.

It’s time now to revise the next work in progress so that I’ll be ready to get into critique group mode once I’m done with the current manuscript.

Otherwise? My alter ego, the stay at home wife with the heart of an accountant chief financial officer, has been in full gear. Our taxes have been prepared, and we’ve paid this year’s estimated taxes to the feds and the first installment to our state.

Take a look at this chart. This is where our federal tax dollars go:

Now, turning to my state. This is from their website:

During 2020-2021, the tax department collected $80.4 billion from state-imposed taxes and fees as follows:

personal income tax—$54.9 billion
state sales tax plus excise and user taxes—$15.3 billion
business taxes—$7.5 billion
property transfer taxes—$2.5 billion
other taxes and fees—$0.2 billion

How about my local government? Almost half of its income (48%) comes from property taxes. The local tax department website explained that the state collects sales taxes, beer and liquor taxes, and motor vehicle registration taxes. They also administer the municipal income tax.

Individual tax payers can do their best to minimize their income taxes on the federal and state level. But no one can escape the property taxes they owe.

Then, I got a package in the mail. It’s time to restate my writer’s retirement account.

Huh? I was reeling. Deciding it had been a long day, I took a nap, woke up, then got to work.

I read the forms they sent and looked up the unfamiliar legal terms. Yes, the deadline is in June or July, but I’m an INTJ type. This isn’t the time to procrastinate. I filled out the forms so that I could send them out as soon as possible.

What else is new? Well, one or two of the romance novels I’d been waiting for finally became available, so I purchased them with the Christmas gift money I had.

It’s true, I held onto the money for all these weeks! Then I saw that a craft book I heard of some time ago was available for borrowing and downloading from my local library. I never bought it, so I borrowed it and spent a week reading.

Have a great month!

Here are all the books: