Tax Savings?

Last November, the good citizens of Florida passed Amendment One. This was an attempt to lower property taxes – something this state really needs.

Essentially the amendment increased the Homestead Exemption from $25,000 to $50,000 and made the tax rate portable (which is immaterial since the real estate market is so bad you couldn’t sell you house if you wanted to).

The result of this was, City and County governments went ballistic. In anticipation of decreased revenue they implemented hiring freezes, cut programs, fired non essential personnel and raised fees on all services. There was lots of pulling of hair and gnashing of teeth. Our Sheriff told the County Commission that the result of the budget cuts to his department would be “carnage in the streets”.

So it was with great anticipation that I awaited my “Trim Notice”. The proposed property tax assessment that is sent out ahead of the actual bill. This compares last year’s assessment to this year’s. I was giddy with joy thinking of all the things I could buy with my savings.

BIG WOOP! I will save exactly $116.00. Guess I’ll get a tank of gas.

All Dressed Up & No Place To GO

Storm Shutter Update

Ah - the tricks I have tried, the lessons I have learned. All I can say is WD40 is my new best friend.

Most of the shutters are up. I have nine panels left and they cover French Doors so I won't put them up till I see exactly where Fay is going.

Now that they are up, most of them will stay up till hurricane season is over. It may not make me to popular with the neighbors but I'm not going through this again.

From now on my family will refer to me as Wonder Woman. Old Wonder Woman!

Here She Comes

Get ready - the Hurricane is coming! I feel like Chicken Little running around with my head cut off. I am attempting to put the storm shutters up. Manual labor is not my thing. Last time we had to do this my son was still at home and he had them up in less than an hour. I figure it will take me about two days. I finally learned how to make the drill work with the little wing nut that holds the shutters in place - took me about an hour. Then I discovered that when we had the house painted last year and they took the shutters down - they put them back up to close to the window so now the storm shutters will not line up correctly. I spent another hour trying to bend this heavy metal in so they would fit. Then I spent some more time trying to hammer them in place. I have three windows covered - eight more to go.

I am hot, sweaty and dirty. And, of course, the pool still isn't fixed so I can't jump in there in between wrestling matches with the shutters to cool off.

What the hell - maybe it will be better if we just blow away.

If you don't hear from me again, you will know what happened.

More on the Olympics

The Olympics are all consuming. I can’t get anything else done (not that I really have anything else to do). In every Olympics I usually find some off beat sport and just fall in love with it. In the Winter Olympics it’s Curling. I love Curling! I haven’t found that quirky sport yet this year although I kind of like the guys with the shotguns and the little pink clay pigeons. The Archery is really cool also. I have tried to watch Badminton but, like Ping Pong, I don’t see the point. Are these guys even athletes? Do they lift weights or run to train for this. Really, how much does a shuttlecock weigh?

My favorite events are Diving and the Cross Country and Jumping Equestrian events. I can’t wait to see them.

World records are being broken at an alarming rate in the pool and I expect that will be the case also when Track & Field starts. This makes me wonder – is there a limit? Just how fast can a human swim, run or jump? Is there a point somewhere in time when the body will say “I can do no more” or will evolution create some kind of super human that knows no limits?

I guess France will think twice before it "trash talks" our swimmers again.

So far these games have exceeded my expectations. The Chinese people have been gracious and supportive of all the athletes and that puts a real big feather in their cap.

And then there is George. He is everywhere. Tell me – who is having more fun at these games than George?

And the Schmuck of the year award goes to

Mr. " holier-that-thou", that great family man -

JOHN EDWARDS

We all know that politicians have affairs - it's like a badge of honor with then. But really, while your wife is dying of cancer. How low can you go!

Let the Games begin

I just finished watching the opening ceremonies of the Olympics. Got to hand it to the Chinese - they did a wonderful job. Much better than I was expecting and much better than some of the previous ceremonies. In past events I found them to be way over the top. So much going on you couldn't take it all in. This was very organized and orderly and at the same time telling a story of the Chinese people and their culture. I can't wait to see how they handle the rest of the Olympic Games. One thing I did notice. In the past the athletes took an oath to compete fairley and honestly. I did not see that happen tonight. I wounder why?