P A S S E D ! ! ! !

To be honest, most of you who read this are already aware that I passed the RTRP test.  That stands for Registered Tax Return Preparer test.  This is a test administered by the IRS and will allow me to work for H&R Block after December 2013.  For me it was a big deal.  I have not taken a registry test since my early 20's and the fact that I was facing a 2 1/2 hour test covering the general tax code was daunting to say the least.  Block had practice questions that I could run through repeatedly and that helped somewhat.  Most of what they covered was not necessarily on the test.  However it did help with monitoring my ability to pace through 120 questions in the allotted time and to use IRS Publication 17 on line to look up solutions to questions I was not sure of.  As you noted in the previous post we did go on a brief vacation to the Greenbrier.  Once home, I played golf on that Wednesday and attended a talk on the War of 1812 Northwest Ohio connection that night.  After that I was in for 4 out of 5 days prior to the test.  I went out briefly on a Sunday because I was getting too uptight (imagine that!).  The test was last Tuesday.  We found out immediately after and so at least there was an end to the suspense and tension.  Now I can take care of the house (it got a bit cluttered during the studying period) and start my next several projects.  Although I just got a notice for petit jury duty.  It was for November and that was not going to work so I can postpone it for one month.  So I have to be available for jury duty all of December.  Yuk!

FALCONRY

This past Sunday through Tuesday JR and I went to the Greenbrier in West Virginia for a bit of R&R.  We did not (I repeat NOT) take our golf clubs.  The last time we were there we did golf and also take a tour of the Bunker.  As an FYI, that was built to house all of congress in case of a nuclear strike.  This time we decided to participate in falconry.  It was an hour class and involved a talk from the birds of prey expert and then that was followed by an outdoor exhibition.  Falconry really involves more than just falcons.  Owls and hawks are used extensively in the sport of falconry.  In our case a Harris Hawk was used.  The outdoor exhibition was neat.  At one point, the men in the group lined up on one side with the women facing them.  The hawk then flew between the two.  The space between the two was increasingly narrowed until you could feel the wings as he flew between.  We then moved to an area that was more meadow than where we had been.  That was the time when if you wanted to you could put on the glove, food was put in your hand and the hawk flew to you, landed on the glove, ate the food and then flew away.  Well yours' truly was the first to volunteer.  It was really cool.  I am including pictures of both JR and myself.

HUMID

It always amazes me when the week flies by.  I played in a two day tournament Wednesday and then (of course) Thursday.  It was a stableford point tournament.  So instead of each net stroke counting as one there are points assigned to the net score:  example a net par is 2 points and a net birdie is 3 points.  I played ok and was middle of the pack.  The humidity was horrific.  Wednesday is was 95%.  By the time I was out there 4 plus hours (warm-up, lunch etc), well to say the least I was drained.  Plus the course was wet due to lots of rain and that is not my favorite playing condition.  However I do love love summer and it is always nice just to be outside and playing golf with friends.  JR played in a two day tournament this weekend so my weekend was spent cleaning and getting ready for me to host my "bridge" group tonight.  I put it in quotes because we long ago quit playing bridge and just meet for supper.  I am one of three original members of the group and the group has been around for 22 years.

I was able to take a great picture of an osprey with fish and will probably post it tomorrow.

RABBIT WRANGLER STRIKES AGAIN

Last week during all of the drama of the still not closed house closing, our grandson showed his rabbits at the county fair.  He did not place in the showmanship category but his doe and litter came in third.  He called to tell me and then said that the meat pen rabbits did not come in third.  I asked where they placed and he said FIRST.  Yes once again he has been declared the Grand Champion Meat Pen Rabbits and received the blue ribbon.  His rabbits were auctioned off Labor Day in the Grand Champions auction.  We did not go down for the auction and we heard that the weather was deplorable with tons of rain all day.  I tried to set it up so that they would call us and then we could hear the auction but it did not work out.  However a consortium of buyers won the bid for $850.  At least that helps pay for the feed.  He usually does have to pay his dad for the feed used.  The last time he also had to make a charitable contribution to the 4H club and put most of it in his savings account.  He does get some to spend any way he wants to.  We are so proud of him.  Not just that he is the grand champion but that he does take care of the rabbits:  feeding them, keeping them cool in the summer heat and cleaning up the rabbit droppings.

Our granddaughter plays soccer and this past week in a scrimmage, she scored two goals.  That is a nice enough feat on her own but the scrimmage was against a boy's team.  Girl Power!!!!!!!!  They both start school today so it is now back to the real world.

RNC

For one of the first times ever I watched a convention.  I caught most of the speeches and I was impressed by many of the speakers.  I thought Susanna Martinez was superb and of course Condalezza Rice is fantastic.  I thought the republicans did an great job showing the world that they are not just a bunch of stuffy old white guys.  There are many powerful and dynamic women in the party as well as some great young politicians who are dynamic.  Great job RNC.

On another note, we are trying to close on the sale of my father-in-law's house and I have to say whatever bank is handling the buyers loan is very inefficient, unprofessional and disorganized.  Examples are:  on one of the potential closing days they suddenly needed a copy of the buyer's tax return - this is a disorganized example, it is something that should have been known about and received prior to a closing date.   For the closing the bank told the buyers to bring a check for "X" amount of money for the closing costs based on what the bank estimated the cost to be, the buyers did bring the correct check.  The closing costs ended up less that the "X" amount and now the bank wonders where the extra money came from AND may not loan the money since they don't know how the buyers came up with an extra $1500.  I mean really!!  The incompetence of this bank knows no bounds.  What they are doing to an 88 years old man who just wants to sell his house is appalling.  It is the vacillating and inefficiency that is driving us crazy.  Either give the loan or not but to drag all these people through all of this in a long drawn out scenario is ridiculous.