Wednesday 6-25-08

Big news today is that the tax war between Kansas & Missouri is over. Kansas residents who work in Missouri can deduct their property tax (real estate tax??) on their MO tax return that was paid for non-MO property. This will primarily affect Kansas City tax payers on the KS side, Johnson County, etc. Now for the big test in ethics. These same taxpayers will prob need to file an ammended KS return as well to reduce their credit paid to others states. And even more interesting….how many KS taxpayers even bothered to enter the property tax addition on their nonresident MO tax return in the first place.

What a mess!!!

Going thru bank statements & endless credit card statements to make sure I have all the EOY outstanding checks & CC charges entered for one Quickbooks client. One very late CC transaction hadn’t been entered yet (over $2000). That’s why I like to go over things carefully before I deliver a tax return.

Wheat harvest in full swing and another hot day to keep it that way.

Went for my men’s meeting at 6:30 at Center & then a singspiration led by Dwight Miller. Many gone, prob due to wheat harvest. An impromptu song by those with March birthdays (not many), November birthdays (not many more) and then July birthdays. Now it started to fill up the choir up front.

Slept at Willards till 10:30 since pain meds are starting to wear me down. Feeling better & took another load of Jim’s things to his new place in Salina. Had an early AM breakfast at Grandma Max’s. YUMM. Good to see Bunny there again.

mikey

 

Tuesday 6-24-08

Happy Birthday Jacob! 16 today

Mom & Aunt Loretta took Rebecca & Eric back to Oakley (halfway point to Rush) to meet Elizabeth. Left at 7AM & had a early Noon meal at Subway at Mitten Truck Stop. Very nearly missed a collision at the construction area in Hays. Someone came barreling onto I-70 & just barely missed them. Reminded me of my metal cruncher on I-135 at Magnolia when that road was under construction in 1998. For some reason I felt something strange when they left (yes, I was up at 7AM to see them off!!) and felt the need to pray for their safety & remember hugging Mama before they left.

Slept some more & then ran all kinds of errands today. Moved another load of Jim’s things to his new place in Salina & ran around getting utilities set up and all kinds of things like that.

More tax work & software updates later in the day, then some weed pulling to top it all off.

Wheat harvest going well and moving right along. Dad spends a lot of time moving & dumping trucks at the farm bins. So far asthma hasn’t bothered me this year.

mikey

 

Monday 6-23-08

In response to Allen Thiessen, I prepare income tax returns and I have a lot of bad checks given to me. It’s less headache & less stress to cash these checks rather than to have them deposted and bounce, costing both me and my client bank fees and all sorts of grief. I cash most of these and I DO report them as income, lest anyone get the wrong impression. I treat my cash like I would any other bank account & record ALL my transactions. I try to make these check cashing trips when I have other duties & don’t generally make a special trip just to cash checks. Yes, travel is expensive these days.

I’m wondering, Allen, if you have relatives in the Hillsboro area.

Wheat harvest is moving right along. Started at our north corner about mid afternoon (it rained last night) & then moved to the west bank of the farm.

Eric rode the combine & enjoyed that. Rebecca helped pick cherries and that was a big help

I am trying to stay away from wheat dust as much as possible & plodding along with tax return extensions & trying to sort thru a lot of clutter. Desk is looking much better tonight. Went to Conklin to get a flat repaired & ended up needing a new tire. This seems to happen more often than I think it should & wonder if I should have my flats repaired elsewhere.

Eric & Rebecca leave for CO tomorrow.

mikey

 

 

Sunday 6-22-08

Today was our last SS lesson in II Pet, vs 10-18. Glad to have Caleb join us today and appreciated the comments he had in our discussion today: I don’t have to be a Beachy to be a Christian, so…why be a Beachy?

One humous event today: Titus N saw John Yoder during our opening and he asked him to lead the prayer before leaving for our various classes, fine & good, except….John & Jeremy were in the men’s restroom in the midst of potty training at the time. After a painfully long wait and no prayers ascending to God, DLM took the initiative and delivered our prayer for us. Oh, we all needed a good laugh today!!!

Gary had the sermon today and it probably had one of the longest titles I ever heard, one that he assigned to it himself. I don’t remember the title. I do remember it had to do with forgiveness. Joseph forgave his brothers for what they did to him when they came to him for food during their famine. David Y pointed out later that for every misdeed commited against us we will have to pay one way or another. Pay by forgiveness and accepting the pain we received; OR…pay by having a grudge/hatred against the offender. The 2nd option would be much more damaging for us. This is something I need reminding of time and time again.

Counted the offering with Harold. Many extra checks today and much generosity for the designated funds. I enjoy seeing the Lord’s work and provision with this assigned task given me. Later I was asked by certain youth group agers…would I consider being a married usher???? I don’t  see any prospects to make this a reality. And I would also caution…I think the desired characteristics are wisdom and maturity, neither of which I believe I have achieved given my very advanced age.

A delicious meal with Willard & Fannie and traditional after dinner chat with Willard. Set my alarm at 4:15 so I could attend the meeting at Center being conducted by Ben Sullivan (name ?). I awoke a bit after 6 pm and have no idea how my alarm was turned off. Glad this didn’t happen on a work at Hillsboro Sunday. Anyway with this disappointment I went home & checked in on Jim for a bit on his moving arrangements, etc.

Enjoying the several days that Rebecca & Eric can be here. They are planning to go home to Colorado on Tues.

Oh….Joshua David Yoder, you missed a big Volvo car show at Midsommers Day in Lindsborg yesterday. Now why would they choose Volvo???    

mikey

 

 

 

Saturday 6-21-08

Midsommers Day!!!

Went to Salina to make some connections regarding Jim’s new duplex. Met the landlord & picked up some pointers for myself regarding my tenants.

Back home for dinner & we went to Lindsborg for Midsommers Day-longest day of the year. Watched the Swedish Dancers & Eric & Rebecca weren’t to be persuaded to join the fun. Listened to John Berquist tell stories & met various friends & relatives. Rebecca & Eric went to the pool to swim. Eric really likes Thor’s Revenge & was soon up the stairs for yet another ride down the winding chute. I went on home & took the scenic route-Wells Fargo rd & very nearly mired myself in some sand right in the middle of the road. Not a good thing since there is no cell service here & no humans within appx 4 miles in all directions. Spun my way up the hill & glad to still be moving.

Wheat harvest for our farm started today. 60+ bushel yields & test weigths about 62#. Several started yesterday.

mikey

 

Friday 6-20-08

Went for my routine chiro appt at 11:30. Much more sore lately, but I don’t have to come back for 4 weeks, unless I feel I need to.

Went home to sleep & back to Conklin for an oil change for my Civic. Spread out at a table looking at rent ads. When the car was done I went to MP to eat at the German Buffet with Jim. I had only 2 heaping plate fulls, so I overcame temptation & didn’t overstuff myself.

Jim is moving to Salina so we looked at about 6 rentals. The first one was picked. A few are in some really seedy neighborhoods & much too dangerous to be out on at night. A murder in the middle of 10th street occurred earlier this year so to one open appt. Of course that one wasn’t picked.

My parents went to Oakely to meet Eliz & pick up Rebecca & Eric who will be here over the weekend. They arrived home this PM. Good to see them.

mikey

 

Thursday 6-19-08

Slept in till Noon & thot I was going to HCMC for a normal, mostly boring shift.

Little did I know that the news of the day is that HCMC has been sold to HCM/CAH of Kansas City. Only the acute care part has been sold. Everything else will remain as is. A new hospital will be built at the SW corner of Hwy 56 & Industrial Rd. We saw a suggested floor plan & a community news release in Q/A format.

My big question is how this will impact my job! Changeover is to occur within the next 30 to 60 days. For me personally this will mean 2 W-2’s for 2008. My 403b plan (nonprofit) must be changed to a 401k plan (for profit). At this point we are being told current staff will be retained. Of course there is no guarantee.

With only 1 pt tonight this all seems hard to grasp. Wonder how it will all work out.

mikey

 

Saturday 5-31-08

Slept right up to time to go back to work, well past 1PM. Daylight when I finally got to bed last night.

Back to Hillsboro for another shift. The young pt that came in last night was doing worse when we came on, so that many vital sign checks among other duties. About 5 hours later there was a big change for the better & he was finally initiating conversation which he was too sick to do up until now. So gratifying to see such a dramatic improvement and all in a small rural hospital.

Only 1 minor ER & kept at various paper jobs such as replenishing form slots & making requisitions for more forms, finding an air mattress in a large long box that appeared to only have the pump part. The pad part was stuck further inside the box. Went down to purchasing & looked high & low, found another long similar box & finally gave up & asked for directions. I spose it would seem logical that the pad part would be further inside the box, but I don’t think logically.

Lots of news & gossip at work. Out at 11PM & home early to study the SS lesson for tomorrow.

mikey

 

Friday 5-30-08

The siding men are still here, but only 3 of them. They are still putting up siding & up underneath the overhang & things like that. I think they will be close to done by tonight.

Went over missing items for a very large tax return that needs to be done to keep a banker happy. Dropped off an extension copy at the bank for another extended return. Finally have my list & made my call-missing credit card statements & 1099’s & a few other odds & ends.

Went to Hillsboro to work today because of a trade so another worker could have the 3 day weekend off. Worked fine for me. Fewer pts today than yesterday & we also dismissed 2 just as we came on. One pt & his wife was not happy at all to be leaving, 8 days wasn’t long enough for them & they griped all the way out & had a general self-pity party. This really got on my nerves. These are good friends of mine, so that created conflicting reactions in my mind. Maybe I would have felt the same way if it was happening to me.

A young pt arrived by EMS & was admitted with an interesting diagnosis & it’s this kind of thing I really enjoy about my job. Not appropriate to say more here, but it was a good learning day & I’m glad they weren’t quick to transfer him to another facility. Most of the nursing staff was in ACLS training, so I was privileged to work with my former DON & an agency nurse. A very out-of-the ordinary day, but it was one that made me appreciate my job & coworkers.

mikey

 

Thursday 5-29-08

Spent most of the night up last night, so it was a short AM today. Seamless Siding is putting up the new vinyl siding today. We hear them talking outside the house & wonder what they are saying since it’s mostly all in Spanish. Mom knows a few words here & there & I know fewer. At times it gets animated & then they really talk fast.

Finished up another tax return & this one needs to be delivered to Wichita. I swung around by MP after dropping off several letters at Roxbury PO. Jim picked up a few things & I was off to Wichita. I was running low on fuel & the route takes me on 21st St to Broadway & S to Jabaras & then SW a bit further. I was wondering how dangerous it would be to run out in this area. Thankful it was still daylight.

My tax stop went well & good to catch up with these friends again. He is a pastor of a local Menn Church in this neighborhood & she is a nurse I used to work with at Hillsboro years ago. They have 2 teenage daughters & are in the midst of age specific challenges.

Had a good meal at Auntie C’s in Park City just off 61st St. A real cowboy place, but quite expensive for the quantity I rec. Saw tornadoes on Storm Track while I was there & later found out Jewell was hit VERY hard. This general area N of Beloit was hit hard about 3 weeks ago with another tornado.

Did some sightseeing later while it was still daylight, but too embarrassed to mention where I went. Got really sleepy on the way home & stopped at Alexanderwohl by the tourist sign & slept almost 2 hours. Glad I wasn’t bothered by anyone. Still sleepy the rest of the way & went to bed about midnight.

mikey