"Congress does some strange things. It puts a high tax on liquor and then raises the other taxes that drive people to drink." ~ copied

Yep. I have taken care of providing my share of the national treasury. I thought you would enjoy my personal touch on the envelope. I'll let you find the irony, and, yes, I did intend it. It's Thursday, April 11, 2019, and I know what some of you are thinking, "What in the world will this fellow come up with next?" I can't blame you because I actually feel the same way. Most of the time. You notice I didn't use the words 'fair share', but, I'm not opposed to paying, I'm mostly disgusted with how it is spent. Since the folks in charge of the budget are elected, why not just get rid of them? That's how it is supposed to work, and, it occasionally does work that way, but, not often. Many of those in high positions within the Congress came there with next to nothing and now they are a part of the mega-rich crowd. Someone explain to me how that works. I guess they end up being in the right place at the right time. Or, something like that. There is one area that has always bothered me. I had a discussion with my eldest recently about me paying taxes on the social security income I receive. Those monies were withheld from my gross pay at a percentage rate. I didn't have use of that money. It was collected. I now fall under their formula for how much I will receive based on what I paid into the system for some 50 years. Yet, because I have other pension-related income they penalize my social security and after waiving a small portion, they tax the majority of it as regular income. I don't know all the reasons why, but, it just doesn't make sense to me. It doesn't. My son tried to give me his take, but, it didn't help. And, I would guess there are many others who would love to have my problem. I get that. However, I still do not agree with taxing the majority of my social security as regular income. It feels like I'm doubling up. That's my thoughts on it. In case you were wondering.

I know some will be glad that I'm done with all my tax talk for a while. However, last week I did receive my new appraisal forecast for my property taxes from the county. Just add another $10,000 to each category and all will be fine. Whatever it was that was frozen when we turned 65 hasn't really done much for the annual payout. I'm not being negative. Just telling the truth. I also have stuck in my head a speech I watched on the internet a few years ago where the tax assessor was talking about people's response to having to deal with paying their taxes. He laughed and said one of the common complaints is how the house and property could not be sold for what the county says it is worth. He more or less said that was inconsequential since the only way to do anything about the increases is to file a protest. He said when a homeowner tells the arbitrator they will sell the house to the county for what they say it is worth, that, by the way, is a non-starter. I didn't really like the fellow's demeanor or his seemingly glib attitude, but, maybe I was thinking about that notice I get each year where you just add $10,000 to every category and move on. Since I no longer drive in to work each day, I can now join my brothers and sisters in the 'fixed-income' coalition. Supposedly, that gives me much more of a right to complain. And, I do believe in exercising my rights.

Mr. Bentley featured as our Conehead Doggie!

I now pause to bring you a medical bulletin regarding the health and well being of Mr. Bentley. I was told that whoever takes him to the vet for this type of surgery will be the one he will take it out on. That would be me, myself, and I. I've heard people talk about something called Mad Dog 2020 and I know that is a type of wine with fortified or high alcohol content. But, we have our own homegrown version called Mad Dog Mr. Bentley. He has to wear the collar for at least 10 days. He can't have a bath for 14 days. By then he will become Biblical in that, like Lazarus, he will already stinketh. He is beginning to show some affection but only when he forgets that he is still mad. But, he's our little cone head, angry, doggie and we will get through this. People sure were right when they said puppies act a lot like children. I told the wife that if we lived through the pain, back in the day, of our Jimmy dealing with his dental retainer after each episode of tightening, I think we can endure a little anger out of Mr. Bentley. We are seeing the Shih Tzu innate behavior coming to the forefront. Okay. Enough about Mr. Bentley. I do hope you have a great rest of the day. And, may God bless each one. Amen. ....More later.