Bonus Day
2005-04-01, 4:51 p.m.

Day 223 Bonus Day

Not like today is an extra day or anything. It's the day my employer annually pays out a bonus based on company performance during the past calendar year. This year it amounted to 5.6% of our "participating wages" for last year. Due to a minor lack of foresight on my part, it will manage to cover this years Federal Taxes and leave several hundred dollars left over for fun things like re-roofing the house or re-painting or replacing a few windows. Unless state income taxes manage to claim the rest. Guess I ought to get that figured out.

Actually, one window is already spoken for. We'll be replacing the big picture window in the family room this spring. The main sheet of glass is about 3' x 3.5' and there are two 21" wide double hung windows on either side. We normally have a couch parked right under that window set. In the winter, when the wind really gets to howling, you can actually feel a breeze coming in from around the window trim. Not real good when it's 0 degrees outside. So that's going. C's dad Christmas present to us was a Pella advertisement for new double hung windows. He told us to get the windows we wanted - he'd cover the cost.

Now, we may also be able to re-roof and paint the house this year too. Also due to my father in law. It's a little known fact that my FIL is Mary Tyler Moore's first cousin. FIL's & MTM's aunt, Bertie, was an executive for CBS for years. Aunt Bert used to make annual trips out to visit us. Even played golf with her one time. She was 74, I was 28. She almost beat me. (She was pretty good for her age, I kinda sucked). Anyhow - Aunt Bert never married. Enjoyed a successful career as a TV executive. Passed away last month. She was kinda loaded in the monetary sense. My FIL is listed as one of her heirs. He seems to think he's in line for a substantial inheritance. If so, he told us that we'd be doing our roof this summer, as well as painting the exterior. Sounds like fun to me. I kinda get the sense that FIL may take what ever he gets from Bertie and split it between C and her brother W.

FIL heads to San Diego next week to attend the memorial service for Bertie and be there for the reading of the will. He was listed as the executor, but due to his shaky memory status, asked to be removed. FIL may be suffering from Alzheimer�s. Certainly has some of the early symptoms. At any rate, by next weekend, he ought to know how all that will play out.

Three days after FIL gets back in Fla, C and I are due to arrive at his place. Little vacation we've been planning since Christmas. We'd like to get some business taken care of while down there. Like getting HIPA forms signed & filed. Need to make provisions for power of attorney - and state specifically that C and her brother are co-signers on any power of attorney matters. For some reason, I was named executor of my in-laws estate. Now that it�s just my FIL, he�d like to keep me on as executor. Fine with me � but the executor has no power over anything until after his demise. That�s the reason for a power of attorney and all the other schtuff. Also need to help make the decision about whether or not to keep his house - a beautiful 2800 sq. ft., 4 bedroom place on a 1/2 acre lot in a gated subdivision, less than 5 miles from Ft. Myers Beach. Also have his long term care to consider and how to shelter his estate from nursing homes. All in all, this trip to Fla isn't going to be all fun & games.

In other good news, C went to the gym all by herself for the 2nd day in a row. Her gym bag was also mysteriously missing this morning, so there�s reason to believe she may be headed there again tonight. I think being able to get on the weight machines has piqued her interest some. Plus, this allows her to work on specific areas that she�s particularly concerned with. I am cautiously optimistic about all of this. Need to be careful and nurture this along very carefully. Too much all at once could cause burn out. One thing that would help keep up the interest is some easily measured parameter where improvements are readily noticeable. Like weight. Probably ought to invest in a decent scale.

Just swapped some emails with C. I�m kinda bummed. She was planning on hitting up the gym again tonight until I suggested dinner at NOLAs BBQ tonight. Not Emeril Lagasse�s NOLA, but one of our very own here in Rochester. All Cajun/creole cuisine, right up near Lake Ontario. Gonna be a fun evening. Might have some trouble sticking to the diet tonight, but we can always do double workouts over the weekend to pay for it. While we're painting our bedroom. Oh - the hall and stairs are finally done. Looks really nice too.

223 days down. One bonus coming up

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