Me, alone. Life after loss.
Death and taxes may be inevitable, but they shouldn't be related. ~ J.C. Watts, Jr.
This quote perfectly describes how I feel about death and taxes right now. OK, so when your spouse dies, you are single, right? Which means that not only are you sad and grieving your spouse, but now you have to pay more taxes!
Those of us who were here in 1963 will never forget
At least they call you single at the IRS, not widow. The first time someone called me that, I almost protested because it just didn't seem to fit me. It conjured up pictures of widows of the past. On our street in Sweden, back in the early 1950s, a woman lost her husband to a sudden heart attack. She dressed in black forever and wore a black veil, don't know for how long the veil lasted, but I do know she scared me.
With Mary at the nuns' place.
In blue jeans, with Rachael and the statue of St. Francis
So glad jeans, boots, and sweaters are now acceptable wear for widows. Yes, I did get used to widow, but wonder why it's necessary to have that box on so many forms you have to fill out at different places. Maybe your doctors should know, but for the rest I would go with the IRS and rather be single.
Well, on second thought, maybe the IRS could have a box for widows to check and have it mean less taxes for us. Maybe?
If not, I'm with Snoopy:
Dear IRS, I'm writing to you to cancel my subscription. Please remove my name from your mailing list. ~ Charles M. Schulz (Snoopy)
Hi Inger - the JFK photo is so touching ... such a sad time and the world would have been different. Your Swedish lady - yes I think I'd have been scared too ... I only remember my great grandmother in her wheel chair in black feeding the birds ... one of those strange coincidences that she was on my father's side, yet they didn't have connections with Cornwall - those are my mother's.
ReplyDeleteYour taxes thing ... I agree with you and Snoopy ... and that thought of being a widow - a sudden change in nomenclature ... not easy - and yes 'single' is good ... I'm the other thing and always am required on the forms to clarify .. Divorced ... not Widowed.
Take care and I love the photos of you with Mary and with Rachael ... and jeans be fine! Cheers Hilary
I love that last quote from Snoopy... i think the widow box is so they know you had another name or names.. to check credit and things like that. like for women they ask for mothers maiden name, but they don't ask for it on bob.. so what is up with that. the class at church was called Single Again and it was full of widows, but also divorced women..
ReplyDeleteHow funny! Both you and Hilary mention divorce, something I completely forgot about, and once also was. Divorced. I never minded that, so maybe this widow thing is because it is so definite, so involved with the loss I'm feeling. Don't know really.
DeleteThanks for pointing out the very good reasons for having those boXes on the forms. I never took it one step further.
I am a big snoopy fan and think he usually gets things right. I can understand why you don't care for the word widow.
ReplyDeleteSuch lovely pictures!
It is good to see you smiling.
ReplyDeleteI never much thought of it this way. But, then, I still have two teens that I can claim on my taxes. Do you want to borrow one?? I can send you a teen girl!! LOL Good post for the X's
ReplyDeleteHow I would love a teen girl, as long as no eye-rolls.
DeleteI don't like checking the "Divorced" box. It's no one's business. And I have to pay taxes on my maintenance, while my ex-husband gets to deduct it. Not fair.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Janie
Are you kidding me?! That's terrible!
DeleteIf only we could do that like Snoopy, but alas, the IRS even harassed Thoreau. . .and Canada Revenue is about the same. Love those purple-blue flowers in the foreground of your banner image! I remember Kennedy, Inger. He was one politician I liked, although he wasn't perfect either.
ReplyDeleteIt must be very strange to be referred to as 'single' as though you are not still in a relationship.
ReplyDeletelovely pictures, I like the snoopy quote
ReplyDeleteI hate those boxes that label us - for me, my pet peeve is them asking your religion! - what business is it of theirs
ReplyDeleteAnyway - it's good to see you smiling :) And Snoopy definitely has it right when it comes to Taxes.
It is good to see you with two such great friends. I don't mind the boxes too much and have to check that divorced one. Too bad we can't claim our pets as dependents.
ReplyDeleteLove the photos with your friends Mary and Rachel!
ReplyDeleteI like Snoopy quote, I am a fan of him!