A teeny little tax rant...

I wonder what kind of tax code results in a husband and wife owing more taxes than the previous year when the year's income went down and the main breadwinner suffered unemployment?  Ah, the tender mercies of bureaucracy!

It was ignorance on our part, really.  We did not realize the child tax credit goes away the year the child turns seventeen, so hadn't adjusted our withholdings accordingly.  Also, it is a little known fact-- at least it was little known to us-- that unemployment benefits are taxable income, although the government does not offer pre-tax withholding on those benefits.

At least now you know and won't be surprised. ;o)  Forewarned is forearmed.  Although it may change at any moment.  The tax code is a seething morass full of writhing legislation suddenly shifting ...  I vote for a flat tax on purchases rather than income.  Even a graded tax on purchases rather than income would be easier to understand than what we have currently.

In light of the happy list, I'm trying to move from anger to the idea that we have a front-row seat in which to watch the Lord work.  We're currently praying that the vehicle doesn't break down and nobody needs a doctor until after we get the taxes paid.  :)  Actually, if that could go on indefinitely, it would be great.

The Lord is amazing... we have had our van almost eight years and it has over 175,000 miles and it still runs well.  The other day I averaged our last nine months of van repairs, and our repair bills are still less than a car payment. Of course, it may die tomorrow.  But so might we all. :D  Then we would be in heaven with the Lord, which is more than I can say for our get-out-of-debt van or the tax code.

And that is my happy thought for today.

Term 2 Exams: Composer Study

This is LittleLa's description of her favorite piece by a member of the Mighty Handful:

Mine is "Flight of the Bumblebee".  It starts out straight to the point.  The eighth note is always accented.  It is very fast.  Mrs. M. says they usually take it at a speed of 152 at least.  There is no part in which it slows down.  It was written by Rimsky-Korsakov, the most famous of the Mighty Handful. This piece's name has something to do with being chased by a bee; that is my impression.  The orchestra is doing the wave with their instruments:  violin, cello, bass, flute and clarinet, over and over again.  It is a very continuous piece.  The piece ends with one pluck of your instrument.

Term 2 Exams: The 11yo's take on Austen's Emma...

I asked LittleLa to tell what has happened so far in the novel, Emma, which all of us ladies are reading together.  Here is her written reply:

Frank Churchill left after they planned a ball and does not expect to be back soon.  Mr. Elton is married and brought back his bride from Bath, Mrs. Augusta Elton.  She thinks she is the best thing that has ever happened to anyone.  Emma thinks Jane Fairfax and George Knightley have something going.  Emma thinks her recreational date is Frank Churchill!