child is away.....

The bus left the church at 1:10 this afternoon, and with that, Cassie is away for the week until next Saturday morning. It is good for Cassie to be away on her own. The past few years, she has always gone away to two different places. Usually almost 2 weeks in Florida with my mother and step-father right after schools ends, and then another week or two at sleep away camp. Was not sure if wither of those were going to happen this year with so much going on, but we were able to get both done, even if they are only one week each.

It is also good for Morgan and I to have the time free. We really only have 5 days this time, as my brother and friend were here when Cassie was in Florida, and do not have anything real special planned, but it will be nice to just have it the two of us for a few days.

There is an email sitting in my inbox from what I thought was a former/lost client, asking me to prepare numerous returns. I say "former/lost" because I did a piece of work for them in early January and was paid, so all seemed normal. Then when I was supposed to take care of three corporate returns, plus her personal return, I never heard from her. None of the emails sent during tax season were ever answered. Not even with a "real busy, will get back to you" reply. With the move, I just figured she did not want to work "long distance", but never got that feeling before, as we always worked "electronically" through emails and faxes. So, as with other clients that I do not hear from by April 15th, I just delete all their information the next week or so after tax season and move on.

Now I am looking at a significant amount of billings, but I am getting a "don't want to be bothered" feeling coming over me. We could use the money from this billings to give Morgan spending money for her Ireland trip, and I was trying to rationalize it to myself for that purpose, but it just does not feel right. I'll have to think and pray a little over this and see where I am at tomorrow when I get back to my office computer and answer this email.

I know I will have to increase billings and clients over time, but I want "good" clients who I give direction to, and then they work with me. I don't want to "chase" clients for information just to get a billing. I can honestly say that I "like" all my clients. They may not all be perfect, but for the most part, a pretty good relationship between myself and them. Plus, I know that the real "base" of my clients will provide me with other good clients for that needed growth when we return to NC, and I crank up business one final notch.

Yes, I am going to talk about it again. Last night, Morgan and I finished watching all six plus hours of Long Way Around, and did we love it. Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman are great together, and you see a great friendship between the two of them. You also see some areas of Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia, and North America, and plenty of local characters and charm. There is many droppings of the "F Bomb" (as an adjective) during it, so if looking for it, you may want to find the TV edited version.

I will say that now besides wanting a touring motorcycle for myself, I do want to take more little trips. Again, I'm not good for long times away, but I think I can ease myself into smaller visits and over night stays.

OK, as I'm typing this, I received a call on the business line. Yes, on a Sunday, but I waited for the machine to pick up to see who it was. Well, it was an income tax client, who is a r/e agent, and he had a question for a client that was moving from Arizona to NC. Looks like I might have a new income tax client, and a clearer view on the decision I was discussing above.

- Still #1 at box office. Will see it this week.
- Favre should reconsider staying retired, or face "The Curse".
- The Olympics start at end of week.

Until the next time.....