My life, for what it's worth, part 2

1.   What did you do in 2019 that you’d never done before?   We bought a piece of property and are building a retirement home.   I haven’t talked about it here, but I love it so much, and it’s so exciting to see it finally coming together!   We’ve been talking about doing this for years. 2.   Did you keep your New Year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?   I don’t think I made any resolutions for this year.   I did a big overhaul a few years back, and mostly kept them, so I haven’t felt as much urgency. 3. Did anyone close to you give birth? Michael’s best friend, who is sort of like another son around here, and his wife had an adorable little girl this year.   That’s the only one I can think of. 4. Did anyone close to you die? My Uncle Jim.   Three of my favorite clients, two of them very unexpected. 5. What countries did you visit? None but the US this year.   I did get to go to Hawaii and Washington DC though, so there was some travelling. 6. What would

The people in my house are weird about their cats.  Not me, I mostly tolerate them.  But Joe and Emily just lose their minds over them. It happened again last night.  I fed the pets when I got home.  They were all here.  A couple of hours later, Emily started looking for the girl kitty and couldn't find her.  She got Joe all worked up.  The two of them were tearing the house apart looking for her. Now, that particular cat doesn't try to get out.  If it was the boy cat, yeah, I could see maybe he sneaked out when someone came in.  But the girl doesn't try.  I figured she'd squirreled herself away somewhere and she'd come out when she was good and ready.  I continued with what I was doing. They went outside in the rain and were calling and calling.  Emily started to cry.  Joe was frustrated.  No one would believe me that the cat would come out when she was ready. And of course, eventually, the cat came out of the closet she was hiding in. Last time this happ

I spent most of the day in a snit.  I finally sent out an email last night to the people who haven't bothered to say what they want for Christmas yet.  I got a very snotty email from my sister-in-law saying she doesn't have access to the list, only my brother does.  If I'd given her access she'd have done it the first day.  She's very busy, blah blah blah.  I responded that I had indeed given her access on the first day (I'm sure she just ignored the email) and I sent her another link.  No response.  Then I got an email from my brother, her husband, that I really need to include her because he's just too busy to do these things. And then they all said they wanted Amazon gift cards.  Took a really long time to make that list. The other brother who hadn't done it made his list, and his kid who I am supposed to buy for wants a concealed carry holster.  I am wildly opposed to people carrying guns everywhere, and I'm not going to buy it.  So I guess h

Every year I say it, and every year I'm shocked at how dark and cold December is.  It's kind of like having a baby, you remember it hurt, but every time you do it again you're surprised how MUCH it hurts. So it's dark and cold and wet.  My arthritis hurts.  I came home at 3 yesterday, thinking I'd get some work done, and instead crawled into bed and slept for two hours. I've never had this much work in December, and I'm not sure how I'm going to get it all done before taxes start.  I've got five cases needing representation work, in various stages of completion.  I have two people who haven't filed for six years (each!) who need their books put together before we can start.  And will probably need some negotiating when we're done. One of my clients with the biggest messes was born in the same hospital I was, three days before me.  Since women stayed in the hospital for a week, we almost certainly shared the nursery for a few days.  Our

My siblings, in-laws and I have always exchanged gifts at Christmas.  We do a drawing for adults and one for kids, so everyone gets one nice gift.  For a long time we exchanged gift cards, because that's really what everyone wanted.  Last year, youngest brother said exchanging gift cards is stupid.  Everyone should give three ideas of something they would like, so everyone gets an actual present. I had a really hard time coming up with ideas, but I did, and it was fun.  So we decided to do it again this year. We drew names on Thanksgiving.  A Google doc was posted the same weekend for people to put their ideas on. Three families have ideas for every member.  Two families haven't even started.  Care to guess who one of the families is?  Why yes, it's the very same younger brother who came up with the whole idea.  I have him to buy for and also one of his kids.  They're taking a trip out of the country for a week between now and Christmas, so it would sure be nice i

My company decided, back in August when it all seemed like a good idea, to buy a tax practice from someone who is retiring.  It's a good solid business and comes with a bookkeeper, which we needed.  I'm sure it will turn out to be a good decision.  But oh my god has it been a week. On Monday, the movers came.  They came to my office, picked up old stuff we wanted to get rid of, and took it to Goodwill.  Then they went to the other office, picked up computers and office furniture and etc and brought it to us.  My partner K was stationed at the other office.  I was at ours.  The third partner, J, has recently felt that she doesn't want to be as involved in managing the business, so she was sitting in her office doing I don't know what.  Don't get me started on that one. So the move went off flawlessly.  Then our tech guys came in and started moving computers around.  I am getting a brand new computer, which is great except that now all my passwords are gone and I

My mother is a force of nature, as I may have mentioned before.  I really do love her, and feel so lucky that I still have her in my life.  But oh, my goodness, some days... This past summer, she told me that she really likes the clear lights that people are putting up on their decks around the neighborhood, and she wishes she could have some.  Absolutely, I said.  They sell them at Costco, I can get you some this weekend.  Oh no, she said.  I don't want to be a sheep.  Everyone else already has them, so I'm not going to get them. Okay, mom, whatever.  You're being ridiculous, but whatever.  She has mentioned several times since that she really likes them, but won't hear of me getting her any. At Thanksgiving, she was worrying that she didn't have her Christmas lights up yet, "everyone else in the neighborhood has them up already." Wait a minute, I said.  What about being a sheep?  Oh, it's different, she said.  This is something people have an