the tax man cometh...

I found out a couple days ago that our property taxes this year are going to be approximately $15,000. Divided on a monthly basis our property tax payment would nearly mirror our house payment. I am at a loss. How is it I have to pay the government so much money to live in my own house? Our house will be paid off in six years, but the taxes will never be paid off.

I love my house, and even more I love our property. I could rebuild the house on another piece of property, but it wouldn't be the same. It isn't the house I would miss...it's the lakefront lots. But, is it worth it? I'm in an in-between place...hating the price of living here, but not wanting to leave; not wanting to disrupt my life anymore than it's already been disrupted the last few years, and not wanting to add anymore stress to an already over-loaded life.

I told the hubby that maybe it's time to go buy a 40-acre chunk of land, put in a garden, buy a cow and some chickens, and live off the land. He said the taxes would probably be too high.

work, work, work

Looking at the calendar I guess it's been three weeks since I last posted on here. We were gone for almost a week on vacation, most of which was spent sleeping since I was 1.exhausted and 2.sick.

We got home and I spent the next week working every day and then took off again for three days to Portland, OR for the Women of Faith Conference. It was excellent, as usual, but again, I came home exhausted. I'm noticing a recurring pattern here.

The last week has been spent working, working, working. Our hard work has begun to pay off, though. Slowly I've been able to make some improvements at our laundromat, including some new equipment, hiring a new employee, seeing some long-awaited improvements done on our building, and streamlining some procedures in order to make us more efficient and better-managed.

Business has been picking up and income is improving. It's a good thing. At least it was. I won't even get into what happened today. I will say that working with family is sometimes difficult.

One day at a time...

Monday: Up and at 'em early...move essentials out to the trailer, the wood floor guys are here at 8:45 a.m. to start the refinishing process. Oops, fridge is still in the kitchen, didn't I mention that to the hubby on Friday?

Go to the laundromat...nothing to do in the trailer...no internet, no cable, forgot a book, hubby forgot movies...spend all day putzing around the laundromat doing this and that, then work from 6 to closing. Stop for a video on the way home and some chips and salsa...not feeling so good, sore throat and tired.

Tuesday: Ugh, staying in the trailer is not nearly so fun when it's parked in the driveway. Take a shower in a 12"x24" shower, try to keep the plastic shower curtain from molesting me...feel awful. Throat is on fire. Spend all day putzing at the laundromat again, supposed to work 6 to closing, only I leave at 8 and call someone in, cause I'm feeling awful!

Wednesday: Work early, feel like cr*p, drive the grandson to the soccer field to meet his coach and get a new uniform; evidently baby sister threw his away, drive an hour to his soccer game, only to have just 4 kids show up from their team so they have to forfeit. What's that all about? Kids don't play soccer if it's 50 degrees outside and pouring down rain? They play anyway with a borrowed player and get creamed 20-3. (Guess who scored the 3? uh-huh, you got it, my favorite little boy!) Feel like I'm a walking zombie...throat is beyond painful...can't breathe...no energy. One more night in this trailer and I'm going to lose it.

Thursday: Go to doctor, diagnosed with pnuemonia, second time this year...what's up with that? No, I don't smoke. Spend $30 on antibiotics, along with $90 on my regular prescriptions...so much for this week's paycheck. Supposed to be leaving on vacation on Monday...can't work, better get better or I can't fly, much less go in a smoke-filled casino...ha! I'll drive if I have to...I'm going! Get a pedicure...makes me feel better, sorta, go home to the house...we can go in! Ack! Almost have a stroke from the fumes...back to the trailer...floors look great though!)

Friday: Meds are starting to kick in. I slept last night, finally, sorta. Take a bath in my bathtub..ah! Go to the laundromat, get online, balance the checkbook...ack, too much eating out this week. Go to Oly, get a new pair of shoes for my trip. I'm done in...back to the house, go online, post on my blog for the first time in a week...heading to bed. I feel human again, but barely.

That was my week...like they say, tomorrow's another day! Hopefully by Monday I will be well enough to fly.

Conversation overheard

Yesterday, while I was at work, I was sitting on the floor between two rows of washing machines, scrubbing and polishing them, when I overheard this conversation between two of our customers, who were in the row behind me.

Hey! How are you? Where are you living these days? Oh, I'm waiting for a place up to open up, up the canal. It's really nice...it's a park-style trailer and it's in my price range... if I heat it with propane, I have to pay for it, but if I use an electric heater, the electricity comes with the trailer for free! Until then, I'm tenting it... Oh really? That sounds great, I hope you get it...where are you at in the meantime? Behind WalMart. That's where tent city is now. They moved us out of the other place, across the highway.

It put a whole new perspective on some things for me.

I am so spoiled and so fortunate.

Sco-o-o-o-o-re!

We took the boy to his "away" soccer game last night. When did eight-year-old boys start having "away" games in the middle of the week? 6:00 pm at a field an hour away? Makes it a little hard on the working parents, don't you think? Which would be...well....every one of them!

Oh well...we made it in 49 minutes...sure glad the hubby noticed the brake lights on the vehicles in front of us coming around that corner just outside of Montesano...we were barely speeding as we passed that stater!

They won...20-0. They played the second half with one less player than the other team so as to give them a better advantage; it still didn't work. They are 4-0. They've won their games 7-4, 12-2, 9-1 and 20-0. Geez, it's nice to be on the winning side of something for once, even if it is only kids' soccer.

On the down side, i met my hubby at his office and left my car parked there. All night. We completely forgot to stop on the way home and get it. My old car is still in the driveway, but the keys are...you guessed it...in my other car. The one at my hubby's office.

So here I sit. Waiting for him to come and pick me up. Just how long does it take to drive 5 miles? Twenty minutes, so far.