My Class Action Settlement Finally Came In

I received this last week. (Click on the image to see the amount.) I think that I'll pass it along to my grandkids for their college education.

I think this has something to do with my American Express credit card and charges I made outside the U.S. Not sure what I submitted or when. But it was sure worth the trouble!

Interesting Government Action in 2008

The IRS works in strange and expensive ways. A few months after we submitted our taxes in 2008 we received a letter from the IRS saying they had made a mistake and that we were owed 79 cents. Of course they sent two letters, one to me and one to Jane. They apparently can't trust the spouse on large financial matters. The letters also explained that their policy was not to pay amounts less than one dollar unless the taxpayer requested payment.

Being me, I requested payment.

A few months later we received two more letters, one to Jane and one to me, explaining that there would be a delay in payment, but we would receive our payment in the near future. Finally, in September we received our check for 79 cents shown above.

I estimate that letter materials and postage for the 79 cent payment was about 10 dollars. The cost of the labor for IRS employees to process can only be quessed.

Seems they should change their policy to "Just pay it!"

Happy New Year!

Art’s and Jane’s
High Points of 2008
* James and Eli becoming great karate kids!
* Finishing the basement!
* Skiing Aspen and Telluride.
* Beanie and Griffin catching all those field mice!
* Sarah’s 2nd birthday and learning that she’s going to have a sister named, we think, Zoe.
* Nice vacations with Liz and Rick – January in Kauai and December in Tucson (and Jane's correct guess on the "halfway to Hawaii game" on United - got 1st place - off by ONE second! - got a box of nuts!)

* and of course, the positive world happenings - Obama, humor where we can find it ...

Low Points of 2008
* Griffin’s death.
* Barb’s family's health problems.
* The black cloud over Jane’s group at work – death, disease, disability and divorce …
* Art’s poor health in December – in the hospital for 2 days at SJMC.
* Jane’s rotator cuff tear – from yoga stretching – no golf, swimming, or yoga for 3+ months.

Here's hoping 2009 is much better for all of us - better health and more happiness.

Ciao~

July ... and we're done with the basement!

Hi everyone~

We're celebrating this weekend! The basement is finished! Art put the finishing touches to the sauna, which we turned on last night and proved that it works:-) not that we need more heat and steam (it's been a lovely summer so far - but we need rain). We've now got about a 10 degree difference between each floor of the house.

Here's the video -


So, we can check that off our to-do list, but like everyone else, other tasks have somehow appeared on the list.

We had a fun but very short visit/lunch with Alyssa and her friend Dawn last weekend, in Vail, after their morning of mountain racing! Over 7 miles up the mountain, running/power walking, with hundreds of others - Alyssa did it in just over 90 minutes (and I'm proud of myself when I go up 4 flights of stairs at work!).

Finally, a few more shots of how pretty the poppies are this summer. That's Griffin peeking over the railing looking for the resident mouse. Without the dogs in the back yard, we've got quite a few more meadow critters who have decided they like to live under our deck - a bunny and a few mice. Beanie catches the mice - I make her drop them out of her mouth - they survive another day until the next morning ... what a rat race (hmmm).

Hope you're all having a bloomin summer!

wing-flew

We're back to springtime in the Rockies!

The winter was a cold one, except for a January thaw in Kauai.

Now, we're coming out of our winter hibernation now, in a flurry of activity!

First, there's the long-awaited project kickoff of Finishing the Basement.

We have the BEFORE shot and we'll show you the AFTER shots in about 5 weeks! The big pile in the corner is the mound of stuff we were allowed to leave ... most everything else ended up at various donated agencies.

(bye bye Barbies!)




PLAYING IN THE SNOW!

While that project got underway we were able to get a couple of great ski trips in and hit two of the all time best CO ski resorts - Aspen and Telluride - in March. Here's us atop Ajax Mountain in Aspen.

Then, to celebrate many March birthdays (Dave, Jane, Alyssa - just missing Jamie!), we spent a fun weekend with Alyssa and Dave in Telluride. Those two are hard to keep up with on their snowboards!

Here are two videos, one with Dave's commentaries.

and last but not least!

Global warming hasn't hit us too bad up here. By the Flewelling almanac, the pond's ice went out 5 days later this year compared to last year. Will be looking for the hummingbirds to arrive in about 3 weeks.

Till then ... get outside, enjoy the sun, dig in the dirt and have some fun!

Bugling Bull

They kept this noise up all night. Jane got to see two bull elk banging heads.

Give me some Global Warming Please!!!!!

The hummingbirds have arrived but I think they're pissed. These were taken Sunday morning May 6, 07.