Had trouble finding sleep again last night. Finally took a second hot bath at 3:00 and was able to sleep after that. I got a text that woke me up at 7:00 but I was able to go back to sleep for a bit.
Having a much better day today compared to yesterday. I got triggered yesterday early and had trouble finding my grounding afterwards. I feel grounded today and have been able to do a few things.
Worked on tax prep for about an hour. I have some of the rental properties done. Need to get some paperwork from my business partner that manages the others and then I can finish that part of taxes up. Feels good to have a head start on those.
I always think about selling off the rental properties each year when I do taxes. I look at the return and wonder if I could do better putting my money somewhere else. What the return each year doesn’t show, is the increase in valve of the property. When you factor that in, it makes a difference in the return on investment.
About this time of year I consider selling this house too. I am struggling to keep it up, especially with all the hail damage stuff I continue to deal with. Not sure I see the end line of that yet. This house is way too big for two people and I could put the value of it to better use. Yet, I love living here and think I can do it for one more year. One of these years I won’t be able to say that but until I do, I guess I will stay here.
As I worked on my personal taxes I realized I didn’t have much medical stuff last year. I did have a second case of Covid but managed to get over that without needing much medical attention. No surgeries, etc. last year! Yay! I hope that trend continues for the foreseeable future. My thyroid medication is $75 a month out of pocket – and that is with pharmaceutical insurance. Yikes! Luckily the other stuff I take is cheap.
Not sure how income taxes work with the hail damage stuff. I am tracking what I have had to pay out and what insurance has covered so far. I don’t know if I get to deduct any of my losses or not. Probably not but I will take the numbers to my accountant in case.
I am always struck by how much insurance and taxes go up every year. How do people on fixed incomes afford to continue to stay in their houses? I wish there was an end in sight to the increases but I don’t see one. I hate to raise rent every year but with those two items increasing I almost have to if I want to continue to stay even.
It has only warmed up to 31 so far today but the snow is melting off the roof. There is a steady drip from the roof line. I don’t have guttering yet so the water drips off all along the roof line. I need to remember to go out and sweep off the water at sunset time so it doesn’t freeze overnight.
Need to take the girls some straw when I go down today. Their watering container leaked the other day and their floor in the coop is wet. Not a good day to clean out the coop so I will lay a thick layer of straw over what is in there. I also need to hang up the heat lamp as the forecast is calling for single digit highs later next week. When it gets that cold, I turn on a heat lamp for them to help keep their water container thawed. Today is about as nice as it is going to be for the next week so will take advantage and get those two things done.
I need to go through all my paper files and do a yearly purge of records I no longer need to keep. I quit saving so many things so it won’t take me too long to do now. That used to be a huge job when I kept the books for the stores. So grateful I no longer have that big of a task to do.
Kathy is housesitting for a friend for the next week or so. The house sure feels big and empty with her not here. Her cat and I are barely on speaking terms and he is going to have to deal with me. I’m sure he will be glad when Kathy comes back home to stay.
Got news that a dear friend’s husband made his transition this morning. I had helped them with end of life planning and am so grateful they had made decisions of what his wishes are many months ago. It makes this very difficult time a bit easier. Death is never easy but when you know what the departed one wanted, it does help make that part of it easier. It allows for the loved ones left behind to have to make fewer decisions at a very stressful time.
I am hosting a Five Wishes Workshop next Saturday at my house from 2:00 – 4:00. You will get a good start on documenting your final wishes. Cost is $25 and it is open to all. Come if you can. If that time doesn’t work for you, reach out and we will find a time that works for both of us.
Feel like I moved back up the ladder of consciousness today. Yesterday was a hard day. I rarely have those types of days anymore and am grateful it only lasted for one day.
Grateful the tax task has been started, grateful I was able to be of service to my friend, and grateful for the melting that is happening today.