Tuesday 6 May 2014

Tidying up loose ends.

There is something very satisfying about tidying up loose ends don't you think?   I have a tidy mind and if I get too many things left half done I tend to get stressed out, so my motto is usually to set aside a day to square everything up.   Today was such a day.

My first job was to enter the VAT quarter on line.   Writing the very words fills me with a kind of dread - I never do it right first time.   The trouble with doing things on line is that is does not allow the tiniest error; there is no human there to just alter it a bit for you.   This morning, when I had finished entering all the relevant information the site told me I had made an error.  I read through all the figures several times and could see no error, so I deleted the lot and re-entered them.   Still the site told me I had made an error, and also my time slot had run out, so I had to log off and start again.   Finally I found it - eureka - I was leaving a space between the decimal point and the pence!   Job done, lots of sweat and toil, but job satisfaction number one.

My second job concerns my driving.   Because I was ill nine months ago I had to stop driving.   Although I did not reapply, thinking I just would not bother again, I had a letter from the Licensing Authority to say that I could drive again.  It happens to be time to renew my Driver's Licence, so I determined today was the day to fill that in and send it off.   I will not go into the trouble I had filling in the form (sufficient to say I think you need at least one degree, probably two, to fill it in easily).   I sent off the form.   Job done.

Then it was off with friend W to our Exercise for the Over 60's class.   A marvellous, if exhausting, hour of concentrated exercise which leaves me completely knackered if you will pardon the word.

After lunch it was over to our County town to take our Year End books to the accountant.   I am always pleased when I do this because it means I have balanced the books and sorted everything out.   Handing over the full file of stuff is very cathartic.

I had made a list of all these jobs, which I intended to do today, so I have just been able to cross them all out on the list.   That (and I know this sounds daft) is a most satisfying thing to do.

Then coming back home, I drove and immediately felt OK again about driving.   Only two complaints about my driving by the farmer - once I was going too fast and once I was in the wrong gear.  But that is pretty much par for the course.

10 comments:

Rachel Phillips said...

I used to do the VAT return. You can put 00 in one column, the word Nil in another and neither in another. I remember it well. It is not something about the farm that I miss.

Sue in Suffolk said...

Glad we don't do VAT those percentage sums would defeat me!

Arija said...

I feel just like you where filling in forms and doing tax returns are concerned and their associated rising stress level. I suppose your VAT is like our GST statement. Mine is done but I still let my accountant do the lodgement, that way I don't have to do the balancing. Next stop after the accountant, the June end of year returns for farm and personal. Nothing like a double whammy!
Congratulations on clearing your slate and driving again.

Joanne Noragon said...

How wonderful to be able to get behind the wheel again!

Cloudia said...

A GOOD day!

Oh I know what you mean abut on-line forms! Grrrrr.

And crossing them off the list IS sweetest of all. Have a glass of; you've earned it




ALOHA from Honolulu
ComfortSpiral

=^..^= <3

Virginia said...

How lovely for you to be driving again! It will give you such a feeling of independence, and how great that you took to it again so easily. Well done! And double well done for the VAT forms, online - why can't the site just tell you as soon as you press enter that you've made an 'illegal entry', so you can sort it immediately. Surely the boffin who designed the site ought to be able to upgrade it.... can you complain / "give feedback" somewhere ?

inquisitive1ady said...

Delurking.....

Not to be a worry wart but I think you have to wait for them to actually reissue your licence before you drive?

Again not sure but would hate for you to be pulled over for the sake of a couple of days wait?

Regards
Pat

Thickethouse.wordpress said...

I'm so glad you were able to get your driver's license renewed. It gives you much more freedom, even though you had wonderful friends who helped you when you were not able to drive.

It's always great to be able to cross things off the "to do" list.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Thanks for calling in.

Unknown said...

It's a good thing you didn't get frustrated with filling up the form online. They should've made the website point out what's wrong; some websites have already done this. Anyway, accomplishing all of these jobs sure sends anyone a sense of satisfaction. Getting the taxes organized does help the accountant make their jobs easier, and helps in preventing mistakes.

Patrice Mills CPA, Inc.