I repotted our blooming Primula the other day, because the hanging basket where it was living was several years old and disintegrating. I found this little ladybug (ladybird, if you prefer) nestled among the foliage. More evidence of things coming to life at this time of year.
Yesterday was a day for dealing with bureaucracy! I needed to renew my US passport, which meant filling out an online form, downloading it, printing it (one-sided only, please), signing it, having my picture taken according to US (not UK!) specifications, paying $130 on a US government website, and then mailing form, photo, evidence of payment, expiring passport and a self-addressed special delivery envelope to the US Embassy in London. At least I can do it by mail, which is better than taking half a day off work to go stand in a queue.
We also signed our US taxes, which means they can now be electronically filed via our accountant. I did our taxes myself for years but starting last year, having inherited some investments from my mother, I began having them professionally done. They are officially too complex for me now.
I'm relieved to have both those tasks completed. Whew!
Dave, meanwhile, is off to The Hague in the Netherlands today on a school trip. The entire high school is on trips this week, which means traffic in the library will be significantly lower than usual. My boss is away too. Maybe I can actually read a book!
Sounds like you're in for some welcome down time at work this week.
ReplyDelete130 $?! That is a LOT of money for a passport! The German one my sister and I had to have made in order to be allowed into post-Brexit UK a few years ago was somewhere around 65 €, I think.
My American Passport is $165!
DeleteMy British one wasn't cheap either, as I recall.
DeleteAustralian is now $AU 422 which is apparently about $US 280-300 or 220 UK
DeleteI dislike the process of renewing my passport as well, simply because of all the time it robs me filling out the form, taking the picture that meets the very specific specifications and getting it all together in the correct way to mail off. However, I still continue to do my own taxes with the aid of TurboTax which is way cheaper than hiring a tax accountant to do the same thing, i.e. entering numbers into a computer when prompted, and TurboTax has kept the same price for years. Back when I had a tax guy, his price increased dramatically every year.
ReplyDeleteI've used Turbo Tax (and H&R Block software) in the past, but my taxes are too complicated even for that now.
DeleteWell for what it's worth, I have inherited investments too from my grandparents and Turbo Tax has been able to deal with them easily.
DeleteSomewhere I have my expired passport, which I stopped renewing since I don't travel. This might cause some election complications, who knows. I can't say I'm adding that to my worries right now.
ReplyDeleteDo you have a driver's license, still? You may need some kind of current legal ID if the Republicans have their way!
DeleteThat reminds me, I soon need to renew my driver’s license. Passport’s good for a while. Enjoy your week of freedom (maybe) at work.
ReplyDeleteDo you have a Spanish license? I can't remember. I still don't have one here but that might be one of my retirement projects.
DeleteYes, we have Spanish licenses. Can’t live here and drive without one.
DeleteEnjoy your quiet week.
ReplyDeleteHere's hoping!
DeleteNow you can relax.
ReplyDeleteOh, there's always something to do. :)
DeleteNo way will you be able to get away with reading a book Steve. BBW has installed secret mini-cameras to monitor your activity. Just look around you man! Also the idea of reading a book in a library is appalling. That is not what libraries are for.
ReplyDeleteRight?! What am I thinking?!
DeleteFrom what I've gathered that is far cheaper than NZ and Oz travellers have been quoted for a UK passport renewal when they are dual nationality. Also a huge charge to give up UK nationality..they can't just send it back and say thanks but no thanks!
ReplyDeleteI weeded the grass from my Alpine Strawberry bed the other day..and left much of the old strawberry foliage as ladybirds were sheltering there..and we are bsck to Winter!
I don't remember how much my British passport cost but as I recall it wasn't cheap. I suspect I'm in the same boat as dual nationals from other countries.
DeleteThat does seem expensive, but it's good to have it done and off your mind.
ReplyDeleteYes, exactly. It had to be done.
DeleteI hope the renewal goes fast and painlessly.
ReplyDeleteFingers crossed!
DeleteOoh, the ability to be able to sit and actually read a book while you're at work would be amazing for you. I do hope there are nearby coffee making facilities, and who knows maybe the odd cookie or two. :-)
ReplyDeleteWe do have coffee, but a cookie might be too much to hope for. LOL
DeleteI'd say a quiet week at work with no boss for a bit is a very good way to wind down your last week(s) at work! Maybe two books! I need to check my passport renewal -- I think 2029 but I get 9s and 6s mixed up when I look at them, so I'd better double check. Also the electronic travel Visa for England. That primula is pretty!
ReplyDeleteYes, double-check! You don't want to let it expire because that makes renewal more complicated after a while.
DeleteWhen the cat's away the librarian will read, or something like that!!
ReplyDeleteHa! I like it!
DeleteIt's so good to get those tasks done. Hope you enjoy your quiet week in the library.
ReplyDeleteI do like crossing things off my "task list."
DeleteOkay, you've officially made me feel way behind. I haven't done my taxes yet and I need to renew my passport too and ran into a snag with the website being down. I thought it was because of the NHS funding issue but if you were able to get on line, maybe it's just me. Some friends told me to drive to Tucson (100 miles away) and do it in person. I'll try it again on line and see what happens.
ReplyDeleteYes, definitely try online. If I could do it I imagine you can too. The only difference is for me I mailed my passport to the embassy, as opposed to a State Department office in the USA.
DeleteMike and I have GOT to get our passports renewed! We're not planning to go anywhere, but I'm afraid I will eventually have to have it in order to vote. Grump grump grump.
ReplyDeleteAlways a good idea to have an active passport. You never know when you'll want to travel!
DeleteEnjoy this quiet time.
ReplyDeleteThanks! I will do my best!
DeleteGetting your new US passport entirely by mail is great.
ReplyDeleteTax season keeps the accountants busy. My accountant is still processing mine. I could not submit the paperwork to him until March 11. Some companies are slow to provide data.
I was also slow to provide all mine. It took a while to get everything together.
DeleteI hope you enjoy your quiet time and get some reading done! I feel like I'd better check my passport expiration date. Yikes. It sounds like a lot of work. I use a tax professional too since my taxes are too complicated for me to do. It's mainly the rental and the gifting to kids.
ReplyDeleteIt's a sign that the US tax system is completely off the rails that normal, educated people can't do their own taxes.
DeleteAfter we retired we officially don't make enough to have to file income tax. I have to renew my passport. Not looking forward to the picture of a 76 year old woman. Hated the last pic and I was younger then.
ReplyDeleteReally?! I didn't know there was a minimum for filing income tax!
DeleteI love the perfect imperfections in your photo! It's beautiful.
ReplyDeleteWabi-sabi!
DeleteA new term for me!
DeleteWell done on getting the bureaucracy sorted.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your quieter time.
All the best Jan
I'm glad to have it done!
DeleteAlways good to see a ladybird.
ReplyDeleteI agree! They seem like a sign of good things to come.
DeleteThey can make things complicated.
ReplyDelete"They" being bureaucrats, you mean? Indeed they can!
DeleteI have never had a passport, when we came from Germany I was listed as "infant" in my mother's passport with a photo of a toothless grinning me. I will probably never have a passport unless I win lotto and want to travel.
ReplyDeleteWonder if any of your students came through Washington Tuesday evening. Had a school group on the flight. Also had a large and extremely well-behaved school group on the flight from Venice to London. They were Brits; they'd been on a skiing holiday in the Dolomites. All four of the flights I was on were very full. Students on each of them. On a side note, I saw GB Paralympics' team in Venice as they were returning to the UK on the plane I'd arrived on from London.
ReplyDeleteAs for passports, I've had one since I was two years old (in my eighth decade). Never been without one.