It seems I have been doing nothing but errands - to the vet, the drugstore, walking the three dogs…today was my last watercolor class. I have to say I really enjoyed it. My quick landscape of vibrant colors:
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I am trying , for the second day, to e-file with the same darn free fillable forms we have used for a decade. For whatever reason, it wouldn’t let me make an account, then wouldn’t let me log in, and NOW it says I can’t log in because I have tried to log in. I actually broke down and called my Rep. The irs helpdesk is an email address; their response? Many people are having this problem and “there is currently no fix”. Then it gives you a link to paid tax prep. Signed, I am totally serious, “Mr Smith”.
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That’s what happens when an organization loses a quarter of it’s employees.
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I am aware that part of the Trump/GOP reason for eliminating many free eFile options was due to major donors in the tax prep industry. Can you imagine printing forms and mailing them in? (That’s another suggestion from the irs) Currently installing another browser, and after that I will use another laptop. To eFile now, you also have to have an email address AND a cell phone number. Both. Thank goodness my mother has an accountant…
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I did have to print and mail mine last year after Turbo Tax did some kind of update when I was in the middle of doing mine and I could not get it to work…
Yesterday was the worst day. Raining in Queenstown, checkout of room by 11:00, shuttle to airport 12:30. So too crummy to go anywhere else than the skimpy Ramada buffet for breakfast. Then sitting around the hotel lobby occasionally chatting with other members of the group. Then sitting around the airport waiting for our flight to Sydney (which was early). Then the over hour long taxi ride because (1) torrential downpours at rush hour and (2) driver wouldn’t take toll road unless we paid the tolls beyond the fixed $60 fee even thought the rules said he was required to. But that only cost us maybe 15 minutes extra; traffic was at a standstill all over the city.
Then we tried to go to 8:15 dinner reservation via Uber. Ordering info was inaccurate so we canceled and walked in the pouring rain. Husband was directing via phone map which sent him in the wrong direction first, then he couldn’t find the right street, then the restaurant texted me they stopped serving food at 8:30 and it was past that anyway. I was exhausted and hot and dehydrated and starving. We tried to get an Uber to the hotel but got cancelled out. Started walking to look for a taxi, found ourselves in front of the Marriott Marquis, I said maybe they had a restaurant open, and so they did right in the lobby. Whew. My hysterics were calmed.
Then we had no issues getting an Uber back to the hotel, driver explained why drivers sometimes will cancel their acceptance.
Today we’re doing a bus tour of Sydney. Not sure how it will go if the rain doesn’t stop, but better than our original choice of ferrying to Manly for the day. We’ll do that Sunday instead.
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Mostly a typical day. Workout, work, dreary/rainy day. Item of note… I spent a good chunk of the day going through my drawers in anticipation of the big office move! I am so very excited. No move-in date yet, but they are painting now! in almost 30 years, this place has not been painted - nor was it anywhere close to new when I got here. They did patch the large holes in the walls 10 years ago and we got new carpet, albeit a doo doo brown.
I have a drawer where I throw my pennies, so I wrapped all 300 hundred of them and sorted the rest of the change. After lunch, I brought some more from home, but I still need 7 dimes and 15 nickels to make another $7. There are plenty at home to fill the bill, so I’ll bring them in tomorrow, and then take them to the bank. I will have almost $25 dollars! I also found a spoon from home. Feels good to go through things, but it’s kicked up my allergies.
Our metal roof over our master bedroom closet started blowing off a couple of days ago. Got that fixed today. Yay! If it’s not one thing, it’s ten others.
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Just got back from errands. While out, I went to Costco and found they stopped carrying cordless phones over a decade ago. (They still have them online). Got some marinated frozen wild caught salmon, some green veggies, some bread, eggs and Miralax. Then went to CVS to talk with my favorite pharmacist and asked him to have his store order Ensure Max Protein Vanilla that has 30grams of protein and tastes like vanilla cream (according to picky teen male athletes)! Picked up some Rx for H and now I want to go out for lunch or dinner with H. We shall see. 
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Not good here. I had my 10-tooth bridge permanently placed yesterday and today I’m having pain on one side. I’ve been popping ibuprofen all day long. The dentist said to give it a few days. Fingers crossed this goes away.
But I did go to the gym, went to a lunchtime book club meeting, and took the dog to the woods. I’m going to go lie down.
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Medical appointment for me this morning. Evidently I now appear my stated age which is an unfortunate development ! Then a day of herding the three Labradors. Definitely my circus and my monkeys, but three dogs is one too many. Perused real estate listings. Typical day.
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Great sleep, did my puzzles and learned that my online trainer canceled class. So solo workout, lunch, watched TV and then dh and I watched episodes two and three of Lonesome Dove. We are enjoying it!
I am having extra caffeine so I can stay awake for tonight’s UT women’s bball game that starts at 9. What??? Zzzzzz
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I was supposed to walk with a friend today, but she wasn’t feeling well so I walked alone. That was fine as it was a decent day( sunny, not too cold, more snow melting). Went to the lake and partway around it and back.
My strength class was this afternoon and then Mahjong later this afternoon. I enjoy both activities and the friends and community.
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Somewhat better today although rain continued until mid afternoon, so views were less than stellar. We started with breakfast at the mezzanine cafe of a lovely bookstore, which was a charming start. Then a very well narrated bus tour around multiple Sydney neighborhoods and viewpoints, including a touching visit to Bondi Beach. Driver didn’t say a thing about the memorial or reason for it, which was disappointing, but we contributed at a nearby booth and were given Shabbat candles.
The best thing about the tour is that the driver looked for tall people for the front seats, I guess because they were a bit lower, so he waved at husband and we ended in front left seats with great views through the windshield. I tried to get some shots between the wipers clearing raindrops.
Bookstore, we ate upper left.
Digitally enhanced; looked much more dreary.
Bondi
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Definitely do that ferry ride. It’s fun. And on the Manly side right in the ferry terminal, there is an excellent gelato place with tons of flavors!
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Good productive day, but not a for-pay-work day!
Obligatory exercise this morning, Zumba followed by a really nice “just a touch of spring” pup walk. One of our spare bedrooms is getting refreshed with a new bed and a couple other items so did some bedroom mattress/box spring switching today along with refreshing bedding.
It’s quite nice so spend some time outdoors picking up sticks from around the yard and went down our hill to see “what’s up” near the water (river) - the ice broke open this week and it’s about 80% open water now.
Because no day is perfect, also listened to H going off on insurance about a dental charge. 
Baking some healthier banana/date/nut bread right now - afterwards I think I’ll go for another walk/podcast listen. Chicken Tika for dinner - found some frozen sauce in the freezer. Traitors Finale tonight!
Pic of us out enjoying the day. No snow, no coat, blue skies! Finally!
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Went to CVS to buy some Ensure Max Protein French Vanilla (it tastes like eggnog & has 30 grams of protein in 11oz)! I had coupons so price was “only” $2 per container instead of closer to $4.
Then went to local grocer to get pork butt @$2/lb. I mistakenly bought small one because I thought it was same price/lb as large one but no, $4.99/lb for small one so exchanged it for large one and got refund. Then went to visit niece (& her newborn) and give her one of the containers of Ensure and 1/2 of the pork butt, so win/win (ended up with about the amount I had wanted).
I air-fried firm tofu and had it, rice and veggies for healthy lunch. Will see how H is to decide what we want to do about dinner.
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Spent the day cleaning walls and baseboards removing stubborn spots and scuff marks with touch-up paint so they all look new again. My equilibrium has been restored. For now.
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Spent some hours with a close friend who had surgery yesterday for an aggressive glioma, probably glioblastoma. She has no kids so I have been going into the city every day this past week. I have been helping her for a few months thinking she had rapidly advancing Alzheimer’s. She kept cancelling appointments so got her to the ER for MRI and they found a tumor. Post surgery her brain is swollen and she is unable to communicate. She is an acupuncturist and has never used mainstream medical care and resists everything. If anyone has dealt with a glioma, please feel free to PM me.
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It’s supposed to be in the high 50’s today here! Woohoo!!
I have a meeting, that I don’t want to attend, at 2:00. But I’ll be there!
Nothing else exciting on the calendar except maybe a phone call from my college roommate. Hope that does happen!
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Happily, I will be playing PB as a sub in a regular ladies group.
I have been on this list for a year or more and this is the first time I’ve been called. Hope it’s an omen.
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