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My sister and I are 67 and 69 respectively. Mom is 87. My daughter lives in California; my nephew 2 hours away.

I am TIRED of spending holidays in the same predictable way: we eat, and then each goes her own way. My mom and sister typically take a nap with their TVs on, so I end up going home. Yippee! 😐

I would like things to be a bit different.

Making options difficult is a sister who has mobility issues related to a leg that has damaged veins: she suffers quite a bit of edema with resultant pain and a great deal of discomfort. So, I understand her hesitations about driving 45 minutes to a restaurant, etc.

i just feel luke I’m getting sucked into a lifestyle with deciding priorities I don’t want

What suggestions do any of you have?
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It's rainy and I've been sitting in front of the computer all day. The only remotely appealing activities available would be driving to the grocery store or the coffee shop or putting something together for supper, all of which involve food I don't need.
sigh
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Happy filing my American friends, we have until the end of the month. There is absolutely no way I could do a paper return any more, everything is just too complicated and I like how the tax software does all the calculations and automatically fills the extra forms if needed. This year there is even a neat feature that you can import all the information on your tax slips directly from Revenue Canada if you've signed up for that (I haven't). And there is free software available too.
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I use ink too. Just cannot understand the form 1040, why is it 2 pages, filling only 1/2 page ? So strange!
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Stood in line at the post office and paid $15 to send taxes certified return receipt
I still do mine in ink just as a little gift to the government
unfortunately the IRS will be sending me a gift back
I owe a penalty due to changes in the tax code but the IRS will calculate and Bill me - oh joy
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Send - Disneyland is supposed to be the happiest place on earth. Not. The most stressful amusement park is more fitting. Not only that, you have to pay through your nose for the admission.
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After waiting in line 2 hours just to get to get into Disneyland, and 4 more hours for the ride, Pirates of the Carribean!

That is some kinda stress.
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Stress is worse than walking the plank in the morning after pirates have taken over the ship.
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Sorry Send- four days late on the raspberry pie, I am a little behind. Honestly, I have never made a raspberry pie, But I can.

I would make you one Gershun.

You all make me so glad I did my taxes months ago. I definitely couldn't handle that added stress right now. :)
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File IRS form 4868 to file an extension.
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I’m an accountant - my busy season. Don’t know why but I don’t seem to have as many last minute filers. No idea why, but it’s a pleasant surprise. I have a list of all my clients whose taxes I did last year and a few are missing, but most I can account for; moved out of state, deceased, etc. Everyone seems to be on top of things. Also, not as many people filing for extensions.
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Cwillie,
From what I am reading, as long as you did not sign as his tax preparer, you are ok, he filed it himself! YAY!

And by posting this today, you have motivated me to research my taxes! Thanks CWillie! And, I remembered to look up the tax schedule, we will not owe any taxes. Another big Yay! Going to library to download the form 1040, and EIC info.

PEOPLE!
THERE ARE ONLY 7 DAYS LEFT (USA) TO FILE YOUR TAXES BY APRIL 15, 2019.
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Technically those people who netfile are supposed to have done their own taxes, so IMO it's all on him as I was never involved (LOL). He and his GF should have claimed as common law spouses, and although he gave me rent receipts I'm not sure whether or not she already claimed any part of that. This is the last time I'm doing this for him, he either does it himself or hires somebody next year (yeah, I said that last year too).
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CWillie,
Was researching online what your obligations might be as a tax preparer, and I could not find out. If nephew did not give you the correct information, maybe he won't get a refund. Maybe it is totally on him.
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Gershun,
Yes, I am mostly kidding too. Now that I have my boundaries book, even helping a friend from a long distance will be a questionable activity. I used to enjoy making impossible things happen, such as healing soup delivery for my sister when she was sick with a flu (long time ago), before co-dependents anonymous. Lol.

MsMadge,
Sprouts also has wonderful soft and chewy oatmeal raisin cookies, and I buy those now instead of my favorite, chocolate chip cookies. Was right next door, on my way to Sprouts Saturday, when all if a sudden, strange as it always is, out of t h e blue, abruptly had to go home, taking hubs with me.

CWillie,
Still worried here about my taxes. With Social Security and hubs part-time employment, the forms were changed (1040A) taking away the separate calculations for SS. If we owe, we cannot file an extension without paying.
I think the days where we could just mail it in and have the IRS complete the calculation has passed. Good for you, do you do taxes online or mail it snail mail?
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I just breezed through my taxes as well as those for a couple of relatives, now all I need to do is review and file. I'm not certain about some of the info given to me by one nephew, but I can only work with what I'm told, right😰?
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Sprouts also has good chocolate chip cookies- soft and yummy 🍪
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Yeah, we do Send but I was mostly kidding. I hope I'm not that far gone yet. lol Our grocery store is right across the way from us too so if I can't get my lazy a** over there now then I really am in a bad way. But as for baking a cake, don't feel that ambitious yet.

But there is that service here.
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Cancel the raspberry pie, that much Vitamin K could lower your B/P.

Mousse anyone?

Maybe we could mail the things you need, or have Grubhub deliver?
Do you have online grocery delivery in your area Gershun?
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Could one of you just bake me a raspberry pie and chocolate mousse cake. I'm just too tired to do it. :P

I'll be eternally grateful and when I get my energy back I'll return the favor tenfold.

Honest...


;)
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Smeshque,
Will you be baking your Raspberry pie?
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There is an app for that!
I can scan the raspberry pie for calories, and eat some, but hubs will get most of it.
Thanks for that suggestion, he will feel special, and can eat anything and not gain weight.

Gershun,
I thought I was your personal assistant, unpaid of course! Lol.
MsMadge always gives good advice....And there is iron in raspberries!
 Eating one cup of raw raspberries will provide 54 percent of your vitamin C needs, 12 percent of vitamin K, 6 percent of folate, 5 percent of vitamin E, iron, and potassium, and 41 percent of manganese needs for the day as well as lesser amounts of thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, vitamin B-6, calcium, ...
Ha ha ha.
I really do believe food heals!
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I recommend sprout's raspberry pie
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Erectile dysfunction...... Yes, that must be the one........lol.

Sorry, not meaning to make light of a serious problem. But I've found saying "no dear, not tonight" works wonders for that. lol

Send, can I just make you my personal assistant and be done with it. :)
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Unbelievable, the auto correct dysfunction!
I wrote orthostatic hypotension, not orthodontic hypotension.
C r a z y. If there was really such a thing, huh?
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Gershun,
Sounds like orthodontic hypotension, also known as postural hypotension.
When standing from a sitting position, the B/P drops.
Considering that the average normal B/P reading is 120/80, a diastolic reading of 84 is not low. However, one needs to he careful about the symptoms of dizziness and weakness. Get up slowly. We often forget the basics when it comes to ourselves.

Medications can cause this. If your doctor says you are fine, he may mean that medications he has prescribed may have these side effects, but doc has determined the side effects do not outweigh the needs for the medication.

Drugs that have hypotension as a side effect, including nitrates, erectile dysfunction medications, drugs for Parkinson's disease, antipsychotics, neuroleptics, anti-anxiety agents, sedative-hypnotics, and tricyclic antidepressants, as well as others not mentioned.

Maybe a medication review (if even with your pharmacist) is in order, with special emphasis on the most recent medication added as suspect. If mixed with anti-anxiety meds, the side effects will be more, and concerning.

Trust that you will take care of these issues, as you know yourself best, better than the doctors. I do not recommend self-treating, but yes, get a doctor on board who understands the whole person.

Not advising this to you, but if it were me, I would report to M.D., and also decrease the doses of any meds taken p r.n. (whenever necessary). Because it is a medication that the patient chooses how often to take it.

Of course, eating a proper diet can heal, imo.

Do treat the anemia, imo.

And may you be so blessed, fully recovered in just no time!
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Thx Willie and CM. Yeah, chocolate mousse. Sounds good.

I haven't changed anything in my diet or lifestyle recently so that is why I have been a little baffled by this drop in my BP. Mind you, it has always been on the lower spectrum it's just that now I have been feeling really tired and dizzy as well so that is a bit concerning to me. My mom had really low blood pressure all her life and had a history of syncope so I may have just inherited this wonderful experience.
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I did a lot of research on BP because of mom's low numbers - low BP is usually seen as a good thing, it is only too low when you get negative symptoms. Are you keeping well hydrated? Are you sure some of your medications don't lower BP as a side effect?
As for anemia, there are different fixes for different types - make sure you are pairing iron rich foods with an acid for best absorption, maybe try sublingual B12, or ask your doctor about iron supplements.
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Eggs and dark chocolate are good sources of iron. I've got a good, easy chocolate mousse recipe if you're interested..?
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I'm not a meat eater so I probably forget to get my iron from other sources. I do eat raisins almost everyday and eat a lot of yogurt, cottage cheese etc. I'll work on it.
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