SOS re the IRS

Dear John,

 

It was an odd day. There are two threads of news here.

 

First-up this morning was my coming out here last night - most of the world now knows that I am a Democrat. The reaction has been heartening. I've found a few more closet Democrats, even in the family, which is a delight to my heart. Some of my Republican friends have been concerned about having offended me - a thing which is terribly difficult to do. Twenty years in critical care make you very hard to offend! Yes, I do care about politics. But I care much more about the people I love. And I really do think that we see the same problems - we just envision different paths to a solution. The parties have become so polarized that most of us are much closer politically to each other than our parties are. Facebook has been very entertaining today.

 

Second-up this morning was picking up mail at the post office. We got a letter from the IRS about our 2010 tax return, saying we didn't pay taxes on an investment we cashed in. I know how careful you always were about that, so I'm going through our 2010 things to find that particular one - if I can't, I'll contact Raymond James. I will probably run this through Michael - a CPA seems in order here. They're saying we owe them $7000 if we pay in full by October 4th, $10,000 if we pay after that. Interest and penalties and all.

 

I know you'd take one look at it, know exactly which one they are concerned about, and have the documentation to them in two minutes or less. I came to visit you today and brought the letter with me, but you didn't volunteer any assistance. Our division of labor worked very well for us. But there are times now when it has its disadvantages. I'm just glad you always kept very complete records.

 

And then I went grocery shopping, and Meijer was playing old love songs overhead. I miss you tonight. In lots of ways. I miss the man I love, I miss my tax preparer, I miss my best friend, I miss the person that love songs make me think about. I think I'll go to bed and put my hand back into the dip your shoulder left in the mattress.

 

Love you more than life,

Joan.