I’m a notorious procrastinator. I have been all my life. It will come as no surprise that much of yesterday was spent doing taxes, even though we’re expecting to get a refund. This is actually a step up from the last two years, when I did them on the very same day they were due.
I thought I had everything ready, but when I was doing our stocks (Steve did a little trading last year) I hit a snag. I had all the basis points and assorted financial junk prepared, but there was a new situation I hadn’t encountered before.
One of the stocks he purchased was in a company which was later bought by another company. Our stocks in company A were converted to a lesser number of stocks in comapny B. Therefore, on our brokerage statement, it looks like we sold about a hundred shares of stock A for $0, then purchased about 50 shares of company B a few days later for $0, before finally selling it about a month later for a reasonable price (albeit at a small loss). I am baffled as to how to record this.
I think maybe it would classify as a wash sale, since it looks like we took a major loss on stock A then bought stock in a substantially similar company, stock B. But it still looks odd, and frankly, while we have nothing to hide, I don’t like the thought of getting a letter from the gubmint calling us in for questions.
Add to this the fact that the company he works for was bought last year by another company, which makes all the stock purchase stuff a little crazy, although I think I can still manage it.
I think the best solution is just to never, ever buy stock in anything ever again. And now, back to the tax mines. Le sigh.
That’s about where it hits, if you can tell from the pic.
I got a lot done today, but it seemed there were long lines and lots of traffic everywhere I went. However, I did get to go out to lunch with the hubby. We grabbed some very lunch at Nikko sushi bar. I had to wait through two rotations of the same traffic light and circle the block for literally 20 minutes trying to find a parking spot. Finally, I parked in a reserved space across the busy street and went into that office office to beg them to let me use their parking lot. They agreed.
By the time I got into the sushi restaurant, Steve had been waiting about a half hour and the waiter was a little ticked because he’d told someone else to wait while Steve sat there at the table nursing his mug of green tea. He got a good tip anyway, since he’d had to turn away another fare, as it were. Up side: the sushi was very good!
Tonight, paperwork and maybe some knitting. Woo.
So, question! Here’s the bit I’ve knitted so far on top another one of Emily’s sweaters. Do you think the stripe is too low?
The hills are meant to be uneven. I’m torn on whether they’re too pointy. There will be little flowers embroidered above the green. Bear in mind that the sweater won’t really be laid flat when she’s wearing it.
So: Question!
[Jaedren] Hitting the west side of Crossing with the Goblin Horde very shortly.
[Jaedren] Cue: The Drums.
[Tvini] How come it’s always the drums. How come you never hear the fearsome piping of the War Ocarinas?
[Jaedren] proof, please? “The distant rythymic toot of the war ocarinas can be heard coming from the west.”
[Tvini] You’re crazy.
[Jaedren] proof, please? “The distant rythymic beat of drums can be heard coming from the west.”
[Tvini] That looks fine.
[Jaedren] Heh.
Cribbed from .
Planning your summer vacation?
Try this:
1. go to http://maps.google.com/
2. click on “get directions”
3. type “New York” in the “from” box
4. type “London” in the “to” box
5. click on “Get Directions”
6. scroll down to step #23 and off you go!
I hit the 50% off sale at Stitch today, along with an astonishing array of other knitters. Sadly, I left my bullwhip and chair at home, so I had to mingle with everyone else rather than hold them at bay as I had planned. I got all the yarn I’ll need for my father’s sweater, as well as a nice variety of Mission Falls wool and a skein of brown Lamb’s Pride Burly Spun for another Fisherman’s Rib scarf. The line to check out was a good 15 minutes long. Not to get all TMI, but I was really wishing I’d gone to the bathroom before braving the store. I was not, however, about to leave my yarn unattended! The shoppers were all quite polite, but there was a lot of “is this someone’s basket?” so why tempt fate?
Last night I swatched the Encore I’m going to use for my daughter’s sweater. I think I got spoiled working with 100% wool. This stuff’s all right, but you can tell it’s mostly acrylic. It’s not a texture I’d choose for myself, if I had the choice to make again. Maybe I’m just a yarn snob now. Well, at $2.50 per 200 yards, the price was right, and it’s not bad to knit with.
The fabric was too loose on the recommended size 8 needles, so I dropped down to a size 7 and got about four stitches per inch. After washing and drying, it’s 4.5 stitches per inch. Now I just need to chart out where the grassy hills will go, do the math and cast on. Unfortunately, I’ve got a Girl Scout district meeting tonight, so I probably won’t have time.
Emily had a hard day at school today, especially in art. I asked he what happened, and she said her clay wouldn’t get soft. We talked about what to do in those situations – again. I’m going to hope it’s just a case of a rough transition back from Spring Break.
Tomorrow’s Girl Scout meeting will mostly be about what it means to be a Girl Scout. The co-leader has some ideas, which is good, because I’m pretty low at the moment.
Hats up for: CA, NC, CA
We’re still on Spring break, so Boo and I are still palling around. We’re about to head to the post office, where I have four kits and one hat to send off. The kits are going out later than I’d hoped, so I’m bumping their shipping up to priority.
I’m taking the advice of Jane Prater (master knitter and my former Girl Scout leader and eighth grade English teacher) and knitting my father’s sweater flat instead of in the round. In order to practice my colorwork, I’m going to try a smaller version of a sweater with a wavy band around the middle. To the left is a sweater I’ve designed for Emily as my practice work. Note my mad art skillz. It’ll be knitted with a chunky yarn so it should go fairly fast. Emily saw the drawing and asked who it was for. I said, “would you like it?” and she said she would. Up side, even if it looks horrible, she’s growing like a weed so she won’t be in it for long.
By the way, Jane is clearing out years’ worth of books and magazines at cheap prices, so check out her sale and pick up an out-of-print bargain.
After the post office, we’re going back to Discovery Place to see the puppet show again, as promised!
Hats up: NZ, CA, NC
My daughter won’t eat chocolate candy…
…but she just ate an entire egg’s worth of Silly Putty. For those wondering, “It tasted bad.” At least it’s non-toxic and non-irritating. Except to her parents, who had to run around figuring out what the heck to do.
Happy Easter, everyone!
ETA: She had another egg she was playing with, and we went over and over and over with her that she shouldn’t eat it. One guess as to whether she ate it.
ETA: ETA: What the hell?? We found a third empty Silly Putty egg. “Did you eat this?” “A little.”
She’s been banned from Silly Putty for life, and we took away her Play-Dough,too.
