It's Been a Good Week ......

...... relatively speaking.

I'm trying to think of what I accomplished this week.   Ummmmmm ......

.... I interviewed/hired a new accountant.  Which required me to drive to the other side of Houston, which I did, successfully ..... and on time.
Huge.

I had to fire my previous accountant.  Things seemed to be going along swimmingly, which is to say that they seemed to be doing their job without bothering me.  I am the easiest client ever.  I don't want to attend meetings, I don't want to answer phone calls, and I don't want to be bothered with silly questions that can be taken care of without my input.
So.
Very.
Easy.

As long as I can trust you.

I received a nasty letter from the IRS several months ago.  Well, actually ...... I didn't, but Daughter #2 did.  But it came to my house.  So I opened it, as I open any important looking mail for any of the kids.
It was not a nice letter.
They told D#2 that she had not submitted her 2010 tax form.  And that she'd better submit it ASAP or she would receive the full brunt of the IRS' anger and retribution.
OK, it didn't really say that in so many words ..... but it did imply that.  And threatened fines, jail time and expulsion to Antarctica.
OK I made up that last one.
But I wouldn't put it past them.

I thought, "What a load of crap." because I knew that those tax forms had been done and sent in.  So I tossed said letter.

Then a couple of months later, another one came in the mail.  Saying pretty much the same thing, but adding that water boarding would not be far off if that damn 2010 form wasn't sent in.
Or not.

At that point I thought, "Hmmmmmm.  I wonder what's going on?  Maybe I should contact the accountant."
But I didn't.
And a couple of days letter, 3 more letters came from the IRS.  On the same day.
But they were sent to Daughter #3, Son #2 and Son #3.
And I wondered, "What the hell?"

So I called my "money guy", who happens to be a good friend and takes care of things that I really don't understand and don't care to expend energy understanding.
He then contacted my accountant (whom he had suggested hiring).
And this is what he learned:
The accountant submitted my, and my six children's, tax forms to the IRS electronically.  As many accountants do now.
Only the IRS decided to kick them back.  And they did.
But, for whatever reason, that's where my tax forms ended.  Kicked out.  Dumped.  Forgotten.
But not by the IRS.
Oh, no.  They don't forget a thing.  Unless it's owing someone money.  That they forget pretty damn quick.

So .... no one thought about my taxes until my "money guy" called to ask what had happened.
Oops.
So yeah ...... my 2010 returns were then submitted post haste.  But through snail mail.  And I wrote several checks.
But I did not pay the penalty fees ....... or the accountant.
They did my 2010 taxes (a second time) for free.
And ...... my 2011.
I think.

Now, being the easiest client on earth is a title that I hold dear.  I didn't call this accountant and complain.  I didn't say a word.  But I was told that he would call ...... and would say several words.
In a groveling kind of way.
As well he should.

I would then forgive and forget and go on my merry way and know that this kind of thing would never happen again.
But ...... he never called.
He never apologized.
He never said, "Oops."

And so I fired him.

It takes a lot for me to fire someone.  Really.  A lot.
But he should've had the equipment needed to pick up the phone and say, "I goofed ...... and I'm very sorry."
And all would've been right with the world.
Well, kind of.

But he didn't.
And so I moved on.
And hired a new guy.

So ...... if for some reason I end up being on the news because I'm being sent to a federal prison ...... you'll all know that it was not my fault.

And before I go, I'll be sure to post the name and address of the man who did not do his job.
So that he can be "Peeped" for the rest of his life.
Whatever that means.
I'm sure that you all can figure that out ....... while I'm in the clinker.
The big house.
The rock (once a slang term for Alcatraz but later used for any prison).
The farm.
The pen.
Stir.
Up river.
The joint.
The slammer.
The icebox.

I think you get the picture.
I think you got the picture several lines up.
But I was on a roll.
At least in my eyes.

Well, that was a long one item accomplishment.

I also unpacked; did laundry; grocery shopped; ordered and picked up prescriptions (which is a bigger job that you think it is); hosted Circle; went to 4 movies in one day (yes, I'm going to gloss right over that one); got addicted to a new TV show (thanks to Son #3 and the HBO hit, "The Newsroom"); went to tennis drills in 134 degree heat (or close to it);  got acupunctured; cleaned out two closets (a bigger job that you think it is ..... again); paid bills (without crying); wrote 3 blog posts; trimmed three huge trees with a 10 foot pole and a saw blade on the end; got a humongus blister on my finger because of said tree trimming (which popped before I stopped to take a look at it);  made three piles of tree limbs that were as tall, or taller, than I am;  cut up said tree limbs and put them all into three large trash cans/bins (that's a shout out to my English Peeps  :);  watched the US Open when I remembered that it was on (which is a bigger job than you think it is);  Skyped with my kids; went to a movie with Son #3; and went to a surprise birthday party.

I'm exhausted.
And am hoping that I somehow managed to avoid getting the West Nile Virus in my own backyard.
It's a lot of work to live in Texas.
And survive.

I can no longer remember what I thought I'd write in this post when I started.  But I know that it wasn't supposed to be a post about hiring an accountant.
Or firing one.
Dang.
Getting old sucks.
Or maybe it's the pernicious anemia.
I also did a lot of research this week.

Oh ...... and here's the kicker ...... I managed to stay gluten-free for a 4th week.
No, I haven't written about this before.
I didn't want to talk about it.
It's boring.  And can be obnoxious.
As well as depressing.

It hasn't been as difficult as I thought it would be ...... for me, a person who loves carbs and salt.
A lot.
But I've done pretty well.
On the advice of my acupuncturist.  She thinks that the rheumatoid arthritis (or whatever the hell it is that's giving me almost constant pain in my toes and fingers, and now wrists and feet) is being caused by something I'm eating.
Since I quit taking the chemo-drug and fired my rhuematologist, I'm willing to try almost anything (note the key word here:  almost) to get rid of this pain.
I think it may be a wee bit better.
But it's hard to tell at this point.

If gluten affected my gut and intestinal tract, I'd be able to tell a difference pretty quickly.  But with inflammation and autoimmune problems .... it takes longer.
I really hope it's the gluten.
Because I can totally control that ...... and am willing to do that.

We shall see.

OK, that's it.
Yes, I know that you're glad.
You have other things to do with your time.
Like go to the bathroom ...... or watch paint dry.

Have a great last day of your weekend, Peeps.
:)