Taxes

Continued my income tax crap-gathering, still brooding over not being able to find my 2014 return. As a last resort, I thought to look under the bed (in an apartment this size, that's a good source for storage). Found a box labelled "past tax returns" and happily hauled it out. Found it contained from 2000 to 2009 and that was it--damn! It was the same box I had already examined and put under there a few days ago!
Thought I might as well see if there was anything else under, so got a broom and pushed them out. Happy day--there was a similar box with 2014 and other returns--finally.
Anyhoo, after a bit more picking and choosing what to take, I went up to Michelle's at 3:00. Met her ex, with whom she's obviously friendly (they have a grown daughter together), who was just leaving, then we settled down to paying Uncle Sam. There were a few things I didn't have, notably my many donations to thrift stores. Michelle said the rule is to ascertain how much the stuff would have cost new, then you can declare 10 percent of that. She told me to provide the names and addresses of the thrift stores, along with an estimate. I researched out the info last night--had to call my friend in New Mexico to ask where she took some of my stuff--and will e-mail to Michelle.
I was happy to be interrupted by a web cam call from that little boy so far away. He and Daddy were on the roof waiting for Uncle D. and family to visit. K. was lively as ever, chattering away and discussing the colors of different trains, which he identifies by number. I was sorry to hear that K.'s grandfather has to go in the hospital for a serious operation. I wish him well.
Betty called and we talked a bit. For some reason, she's having a continuing problem with her crawl space: She said that Dave--once her bosom buddy, now the devil incarnate--put the insulation in upside down. She then hired somebody else and the floor's still cold, so she thinks he did it wrong. She's now going to hire George Wimberg's teenaged grandson (??) to crawl under and look at it. Okay..moving right along...