Tax Returns Hell / W2W15 Loot Part 1

I've been in a foul mood because I've never felt less inclined to do my tax returns, ever.

My "business" is so tiny legally I don't have to file, but I have a wonderful accountant, (who is also a painter,) who recommends I do because I some years I get some money back. I pay her more, so there must be another good reason which I don't understand, but more than a few times they've been able to make hefty bills from the government disappear. (ACC invoices, Kiwis.)

Still, it's supposed to be a yearly maintenance of some sort, being reminded I don't make any money weaving; theoretically I can check the trends/changes/increases in our cost of living. Theoretically I'm supposed to fine-tune my goals, aims, target, I guess. And I do have this compulsion to be in the system for when I reach pension age, although I don't know if this is a good thing or a bad thing in New Zealand. Let's call it Lent in an otherwise cruisey life.

One reason why I'm so frustrated this year is the decrease in paper bills/statements and the need to go to gazillion websites/accounts to print out necessary as evidence. As you all probably know. All websites are different and ever-changing at the pleasure of their IT depts. More websites/companies no longer consider the need for printed statements, so for example with Audible.com, (I love their products and their staff; they help you by chat, immediately,) I have to go to the membership record for the monthly credits paid, and another to see all purchases including paid purchases and freebies but excluding membership/credit payment, and the only way to print paid purchases is by screen capture, not necessarily with the Audible logo.

Some years I tried to work my accounts incrementally, but because international payments didn't appear on my bank statement for a while, (and the bank's calculation always different from mine,) because bills didn't arrive consistently/regularity, etc, etc, it was easier to work once a year. My account could be done in two days if I hunkered down anyway.  

I had some inkling last year, and I tried to purchase books from a small number of companies for e.g. but this year I spent one and a half days printing out bills/statements to check duplications with paper receipts/statements/invoices and emails. Plus I have Japanese documents in YYYY/MM/DD format; US and Japanese receipts in MM/DD/YY; Kiwi, Aussie and UK and one Japanese company using DD/MM/YY; and this time one Canadian and one Italian.

Starting in April, I'll try what Ben suggested; work on accounts monthly, one or two months after the fact, so all statements/bills/invoices are available.  After having wasted four halfhearted days this week, I think I've two more to go.  (Insert naughty words.)

Anyway, with the end in sight, I thought I could open one of the two W2W15 envelopes as a reward. So look at what Margery sent me!!

I opened it just now so I haven't given each item due attention, but my favorite is her handspun Merino/Tussah; dreamy lovely colors and texture; it gives me an appreciation for the kind of texture her woven scarves might have. No, wait, the woven sample in colors sympathetic to the Floria postcards, in the same weave structure as the fabric covering the notebook she gave me, but in a different scale; you have got to feel this to fully appreciate it. No, the tiny seashell sitting on the magazine. No, the elegant long leaf pine leaf on the brown envelope; at first I thought they were delicate knitting needles. But I love the colors in the purply postcard, and Margery used a magenta pen. OK, so my favorite may not be the gator.

Thank you, Margery. A good end to a taxing day.