2025 is here

Happy New Year! I remember when the year turning 2000 was such a big deal (mostly for the computers!) and here we are now a quarter of a way into this century.

Yesterday was more relaxing and less work, since all the Christmas decorations were put away. I spent a good part of the day reading. I do need to vacuum, but wanted to give my back one more day of rest before I tackle that, so I'll probably get the downstairs vacuumed up today. I'm still finding those pesky little green pieces off the trees on the floor.

One more year done and closer to retiring, is how I'm looking at life now. 6 more years, max. I know it will go by fast. Fortunately, I love my job, so it should still be an easy 6 years to manage. 

For this coming year, I need to (again) make sure I am taking all the PTO time I earn. I almost took it all this last year - then the company decided to give everyone a couple more days off between Christmas Eve and NY and I ended up with 2 days not used, haha. I haven't even begun to get into all my accrued time on the book (over 300 hours). But between now and 6 years, it could all pretty easily get used up if I got sick or if dh got sick and I needed extra time off. I'm also fairly certain that when I retire they will pay me out a good portion of it, as a retirement "gift". I will have worked there 26 years, if I retire in 6 years. This year is my 20 year work anniversary - oh gosh - please don't give me more PTO LOL. (they added a week ever year when I hit my 15th anniversary). I need to look at the calendar and at least get most of the days requested. Tomorrow and Friday are 2 days and I now also have to take off the 9th, for dh's endoscopy next week.

I've been watching the upcoming weather predictions, since I will have to drive us home, after the procedure. I've been stressing it's going to end up a very snowy, awful roads day, but so far so good. Still no snow predicted and so far it's showing next Thursday as a 40 degree day. Whew! Keeping fingers crossed. I wish they were doing this procedure at the GI's endoscopy center (like the first one was), rather than at the hospital. It was much easier going there, but they must not have the ultrasound type of endoscopy equipment at their own surgery center. It is going to be the same doctor who did his EUS a little over 3 years ago, when they determined his gallbladder needed to come out. 

I still have to do my mom's last tax returns (state and fed), as soon as I get her tax document. It should only be the 1099-R from her retirement IRA account, where I had taken a distribution just a few days before she passed. I did an estimate and looks like she will be getting back about half of the taxes that were withheld from her distribution. Hopefully, it won't be a hassle to get that fed refund, like it was a bit last year (I still haven't received her last SS payment). I didn't have any issues getting her state refund last year. When I filed I didn't put deceased on either return, because she didn't die in the year I was reporting (2023) but this year will be marked deceased on both returns, so hopefully it will all go smoothly. I sure would like to get these returns/refunds and that SS payment off my "to-do" list.

DH can't figure out his game camera's - they work off a cellular service. The cameras come with 100 free photos each month. If you want more you can pay for the service monthly. We are just giving the 100 free a try, first. But, the cameras are not consistent for sending the pictures for him to view on his new account with the cameras. One time it will transmit a photo to his "gallery" right away. Another time a picture will show up hours, even a day later, with a time it was taken before another picture that showed up right away. It doesn't make sense. And he certainly won't take the time to try to learn/research about it.