I made some progress on stuff over the weekend.

First off, I did my taxes. They're not that difficult for me as I never have enough deductions to make a schedule A worthwhile, so the Schedule D (capital gains and losses) is the most complex thing I have to do.

I computed my taxable income, read it into the tax table, and then came the moment of truth - comparing my tax with the withholding to see what I owed.

And I had a "What the?" moment. Not only did I not owe, I was getting a nice chunk of change back. Strange. I've always owed money before, at least as long as I've been gainfully employed. So I called my financial advisor (a/k/a dad) and asked him "where did I mess up?" and he told me: "look at the copy you kept of last year's forms"

So I did. And you know what? My income in 2002 was less than 2/3 of what it was in 2001. No, I did not take a pay cut or change jobs or anything. It's the recession. (and the fact that I owned Worldcom stock, at least up until August of last year).

So I was probably right in my calculations. Not that I'm going to stop this Lenten-not-buying thing, the purpose of that was not entirely to save money (although, I might allow myself a "vacation" from it next week when I am visiting my family over spring break...). I do owe my state $92.

I also got a lot of progress made on the feather and fan socks - just a few more repeats and I can do the toes. I also finished a small (54" by 54") quilt top I began back in January. This one used Michael Miller's hydrangea print fabrics in rose pink and purple. It's a very simple pattern, alternating 6" blocks of each fabric. And I have a different hydrangea print for the back.

and all this while worrying about my 80-something friend D., who fell on the stairs last week, shattered a vertebra, and is going to have to be flat on her back for 3 weeks even before they can decide if they need to operate....(I plan to visit her tomorrow).