Stepping

I am again glad I chose "Baby Steps" as the name of my blog.  It is definately the only way things seem to get done in my world! 

The above photo is the front of my house the day I put the offer in.  The plants in front of the wall are in pots, and there is nothing but dusty dry soil below.

That was three years ago.  I have wanted to do something about it for all those years.  However, feeding living beings, mowing grass, riding horses and raising my son have eclipsed this "job". 

This weekend I finally got some horse manure toted up there, ran a tiller and dragged the stone up from the barn (one wagon at a time).

It isn't done, plants come next, but again my steps are baby ones....but I refuse to stop stepping! 

This photo is horrendous, but you get the idea.  I can't wait for it to be full of hostas and impatiens.  Looks alot more like the cottage I am growing it into.  Now I just don't know if I wan to sit on my back deck or in my front yard more.  It's a good problem to have!

I promised more

A few posts ago I promised I would tell more about my "rewarding" work. It's basically done now! I rebuilt my back deck. My husband helped some and my neighbor helped with the last few boards, but I claim many miter cuts and much of the labor. I have to admit that tearing out old wood, ripping up nails, cutting with MY compound miter saw etc...
I love the feel I did something tangible!
Now for the flowers.

Going mobile

If I can post from my iPhone I might become quite a prolific blogger!

Rewarding work

I will post more later, but this is what I did for Easter!

Piles of Paperwork

I love what I do for a living. I am a self-employed Pet Stylist. I love MOST dogs and MOST owners and I enjoy making a silk purse from a sow's ear on a daily basis. It is rewarding, busy and I make a good living while being able to raise a special needs child. I don't know what I would do if I didn't groom. I'm even pretty sure I would do it if I was "independantly wealthy" all the sudden. Maybe not the grumpy dogs or clients.

The thing I hate is paperwork. Every year this time I ask myself who this "Uncle Sam" guy is related to and how to I disown him? I have no problem paying taxes, putting my money to the building of roads, educating the future generation etc.. What I hate is the tediousness that goes along with tax time.

Every year I swear I will "do better" and keep receipts in my computer program on a monthly basis and so on. Every year in April I am already 4 months behind for the current year as I pound away on my keyboard for little 5 and 6 dollar cash receipts. You would think I could remember cotton balls when I bought bleach, but apparantly not.

This year has added to my problems. I got a letter from the IRS saying they never received my 2009 taxes. WHAT? They cashed the check that was in that mailing, weird how that happens. So, I have to redo that paperwork. Then I realize while doing this years taxes, that I also have an itemized expense that I hadn't been taking. It is a significant number so I need to refile back to 2008. I have until the 15th of April to get 2011 and 2008 taxes in to the IRS. Then I have to refile the 2009 ones, and file 2010 in order to get the deductions I was due. In the end it will likely get me money back and be worth it, but as I dig through my files all I can think is I wish I had someone else do this. I would much rather be under piles of dog hair that paperwork.

I'll see you again after the 15th!