You think

I don't know about your area, but here the mortgage rates are really falling. I am thinking about refinancing my home even. But my question. The value of homes have dramatically dropped in this new market when the bottom fell out. So, shouldn't we be able to have the tax assessor come out and give us a new tax assessment with our new lower valued houses thus lowering our taxes? Why continue to pay the same taxes for a house they say have decreased in value?

I am writing our city tax assessor with this same question. Should be interesting to get the reply. I can almost guarantee they won't readjust my taxes. My sister lives in Hawaii. She paid $450,000 for her home at the height of the grossly inflated housing scam, it dropped shortly after. I doubt she could sell it for half that now. Will they reduce her taxes? Bet not.

Think of all the things that went way up when gas got so expensive. Groceries, postal rates, clothing, transportation, just everything you can think of. Has any of it dropped now that gas is cheaper? No.

I have been getting some great emails about how we are all getting taxed to death. Thing is people complain and moan about it all the time but we just put up with it. I have a printed out list of everyone of my Iowa representatives by my computer so I can email and write them and voice my concerns over their blindly taxing us to pay for their over inflated lifestyles, do you know they gave themselves a raise again. Do you ever even hear about this crap until after the fact? I want to know before they do it what they are thinking about and loudly voice my protests before it gets written into law. We are all to quiet about letting them tax us into the poor house. Why is that? They are suppose to be their for us, not legal pickpockets which they all have turned into.

So. You must all think I am just the angriest person. Truth is I am not. I am just tired of all this and think if I am going to complain I have to complain to the right people. And at work they all think I am pretty even tempered which I am. But when something is wrong, its wrong. And I think wrongs should be righted. Right. So write your congressmen and senators because even though it is not a election year the voice of the people has swayed them before. If we sit here and say nothing, well, you might as well just forward your check to Washington.

Bye all, time to go to work so some fat cat can make his jet payment. Peace and love.

Friday already

The older I get the more amazed and distressed, LOL, I am about how time just seems to have sped up to warp speed. I remember long lazy days of my childhood and hours out in the sun for fun. Now I sleep though the most of it or work. I guess I am grateful just to be alive to enjoy the short time I have right!

Back to work, its the same old fun filled nights, and otherwise not much going on. My wrist feels broken and is swollen quite a bit so I am forced to wear my brace 24/7 now. Its a serious pain at work, having to shove gloves on over it and removing it a million times a night to wash my hands. But....not wearing it is no longer an option, at least this week it seems. Maybe too much photo shoots.

I have been asked to take the photo's at a friends wedding and to take family photo's for another friend. Well, I am OK with the family photo's but not to sure about the wedding pictures. That is their big day and I am no professional. I told her no but she said to think about it as I have 8 months. I will practice and practice and give it some thought.

I have decided to do a new tax watch week. The new tax laws are being proposed right and left. Send me any new ones you hear about. The new ones since yesterday, the federal government is proposing a 10 cent gas tax increase! Now I told you Oregon is proposing a driving tax because they are making so little on the gas tax since people have cut down on their driving. Will they then still put the gas tax into effect? You bet ya. So thats new taxes on driving and then new taxing because your not driving enough. That way they get both sides. Makes my bike look more and more attractive but I have a feeling they way come up with some way to tax that. Maybe I should add that to my list of predictions for the year.

Anyway, have you all heard of any that I have missed. Working and sleeping so much on my long week I miss a lot of news. Maybe that is good. I am so tempted to just turn off the world and live in ignorant bliss for awhile. Enjoy my money thinking it is mine, LOL. Not that I have much.

27 days until D-Day
Things are going to start getting busy this month as my surgery gets closer. I have pre-0p visits, have to see my asthma doctor and make sure I won't die on the table, have to get all the short term disability papers and FMLA papers filed and get my hair done, must look good and remember, I will down to one arm for a few weeks. Last time I couldn't even close my fist. And I have to clean my house top to bottom.

Something about not being able to clean my house always brings out the housewife in me. I hate being laid up in a messy house. Must be clean and Rick just isn't Mr Housewife. Besides selective hearing he has selective vision and always thinks the house looks just dandy as long as the dishes are done. Sigh. I should have married a neat freak but I guess I'll keep him.

Well, this is taking for ever with one hand. Time to call it a day. Take care all and enjoy the weekend. Send me those new tax increase news.

2009

Happy New Year.

Well the last day in 2008. Personally this year was maybe better for us then last year. No one died this year, we got to take a vacation, I made slightly more money and actually paid off quite a few bills. Of course I lost a ton of money on my stocks, but I no longer count that as income, hurts too bad to think about it. Both my sons are healthy and happy and Zoey is still here demanding our attention. I have a new roof literally over my head and wheels to last me a few years, oh yeah, things could be worse.


Rick is feeling better today. So, we have a free turkey coupon that if we don't use it today, we lose it. Of we go shopping. And to the mail and and and. Last day off and lots of running around to do. It is cold outside so I want to make it quick.


One of my predictions is coming true. Now they want to have a city tax. That is a tax on top of our state tax and on top on our federal tax! I paid 12,685.00 in federal taxes last year. I paid 5482.oo in state. And now they want to add another tax on top of that! Now I love my state but not so much that I won't relocate in a heartbeat if they keep this crap up. Because remember...... my insurance has already gone up starting tomorrow and paying less, my internet bill went up, by electric and gas went up starting tomorrow. The government wants to tax how far I drive and my city wants to tax me on how much I make. Kind of takes the joy out of those raises ya know.

So this next year should be interesting. I heard the other day I will have to work until July to break even on all the taxes I will be paying and they may move that back. Now that just isn't right.

OK, this wasn't going to be a rant but I have the radio on and they just announced that new city tax and I am sitting here fuming where I had been all peaceful and happy just seconds ago. Such is the way of the world.

I hope everyone has a wonderful and safe Happy New Year. To all my friends over seas. Happy New Year to all of you, some are already celebrating. It is all my blogger friends all over the world that keep me in hope and give me faith that the world is really a wonderful place. If we just get rid of a few rotten apples. Every country has some of those.

Didn't this year go fast

Well today Rick is sick. We share everything, LOL. He is pretty miserable and unfortunately he has the stomach flu which I didn't have so I suppose that is next. Oh boy.

Yesterday we went to Harold's and I got a new camera bag. They were on sale so I spent a lot less then I was afraid I would. Then out to practice with my new lens. Didn't find much to take exciting shots of but I do have some posted on my photo blog. Its a learning experience. I need lots of practice. I took the shot above but it didn't turn out to my liking so I played with it until I liked it. I would prefer a perfect shot right out of the camera but it is fun seeing what you can do with some of the programs out there.

We went out with friends last night and then to the boat to waste $20. I don't go very often, about once or twice a year but I was glad I went last night as I won $281.00. More then payed for my bag plus dinner and money back in the bank. I was smiling all the way home.

Today I cleaned house and did laundry while Rick slept his life away. Sure hope I don't get that one as I hate getting sick to my stomach. It's just not natural. And I do not want to miss work when I have all that lovely extra pay built up.

A new year. I wonder what it will bring. I have predictions and they are all grim. I hope I am wrong. I predict.

1. Taxes will go way up on everything. Did you see they are thinking about taxing how far you drive! Oh boy. Glad I don't have a global positioning unit on my new van.

2. By the end of the year I predict we will be hearing about he failed policies of President Obama and people will realize he had no intention of paying off their mortgage.

3. We will be attached in our country. Sure hope I am wrong about that but I hear they are already planning it, course they always are planning it. Can't we all just get along.

4. Insurance companies are going to demand people lose weight, quit smoking, exercise etc.... or they won't cover you. And they will insist everyone have health care coverage.

5. This is already happening, but even more businesses will go under thus increasing unemployment which will be blamed on the past administration for at least 3 years.

6. Yellowstone will have a huge earthquake and old faithful will be faithful no more.

7. People around the world will still be decent and for the most part just want to live quietly and raise their families without hurting anyone. They will love their children, worry about bills, and help a stranger. And I predict faith will increase the more it is tried to be written out of our laws and constitution.

8. There will be no new advances in health care treatment as Doctors will only get reimbursed for how successful their patients do. So they will refuse to take a risk on the very sick and ruin their statistics. Because believe me, we are seeing that already.

Gee, its late and I can't think of any more terrible predictions to add but they will come to me. The good thing about predictions are they are things that haven't happened. I pray they won't. But next year. I am going to see how many have come true.

Did I end this on a sour note. Sorry. Hope everyone else has better predictions for the New Year.

Tomorrow we are staying home. I don't go out on New Years Eve but I would like to try and get firework pictures. Decisions decisions. It depends on how Rick feels and if I catch his flu.

Wonderful Monday

Because I feel 80% better. I still have a slight earache and my chest is still sore but the fever has broken and along with that lots of the body aches that go along with it. Yesterday I slept off and on most of the day and when I was up I just read posts on line or read a book. Nice lazy day. Rick made chicken and noodles for supper last night and that always makes me feel better. So.....



We have some sunshine out there today and I actually might go out with my camera. I need a new camera bag as this setup has outgrown my old bag. So much of our snow has melted and the predicted snowfall this week as yet to arrive so things actually look pretty ugly out there, black sludge on the roads and dirty snow. But....if I drive out a country road I might see something worth taking a shot or two of.



I had fever dreams yesterday while sleeping but not nightmares. Some were so interesting I was happy to be spending my day off in bed dreaming away, LOL. There are worse ways to spend the day right.




I decided to post some flower pictures to reflect my happy mood since I am feeling better today. I miss them and can't wait until it is flower time again. Can't you just smell them.

Sunday Already

Sunshine today. I have been feeling just really under the weather so just can't quite get up the energy to go out and take shots so have been framing some old ones. My pleurisy is now a chest crud and I have a major ear ache and head pain on top of that discomfort. I am finally going to call the doc tomorrow but the way things work at that office it will probably be a few days until I can get in. I went to the drugstore to see if they had anything for ear aches but they don't really cover anything so I just got by on tylenol and a warm compress. The type of headaches I get with these are what I think it must feel like to be hit with a stun gun on your head. Or an electric prod. Very sharp, painful, but brief but it keeps occuring if you move wrong. So I haven't been doing much but reading.

I am reading Michael Savage's Savage Nation right now. Very interesting. I am also reading What It Means to Be a Libertarian by Charles Murray as I think I lean more to those political beliefs the anything else. Don't think I could ever vote a straight party though but I certainly believe in what the arthor of this book believes. Less government involvement. Less taxing. Less in your face.

I have a few more books I am going to read after this if I get through these soon. When I feel like this I just want to curl up in my bed and sleep. May do that soon. Sure been not good for much else the last few days. Work called me and wanted me to work any and every day this weekend but I just don't feel up to it so passed.

I am hoping to feel better soon so I can start the reverse process of taking down the tree. Wrapping all my ornaments and packing them away. Then cleaning and dusting. If I don't do it by Thursday they will be up for another couple of weeks as I am anal about getting my ornaments put away correctly and Rick doesn't dare do it wrong, LOL.

It is a month until my surgery. I hope it helps as my wrist is kicking it up pretty good. But you know when you have a temp everything aches. So that is part of it.

Well, time to take a small nap. Take care all.