The estate of affairs

I’d say I’ve been as busy as a beaver, but I avoid trite phrases like a plague.  Ahem.

That said, I have been hustling to complete my work as executor of mom and dad’s estate before I depart for Korea next week.  They didn’t leave a large estate but it has been a pain the ass to deal with regardless.  I closed the savings account out yesterday and mailed checks to my brothers.  I’ve been getting forms notarized and “medallion stamped” in a complicated process to get ownership of several small stock funds transferred.  We had an auction house handle all the household goods but things sold for a tiny fraction of their value.  Ah well.

Still to come is an auction for my mother’s doll collection.  She had several hundred and by the book they should bring a pretty penny.  Unfortunately, no one pays book value and in this economy people just aren’t spending money for vintage dolls.  I feel bad about that, because mom always thought she had made a wise investment with her collecting hobby.  I take some solace in the fact that folks are getting bargains and mom always loved a bargain.

Monday I will visit my probate attorney and sign the “final accounting” papers for the estate.  I guess it turns out to be true that there is a final accounting at the end of our time on earth.

I also met with a CPA today to get my personal tax situation squared away before I fly.  Uncle Sam has traditionally  given me a good rogering at tax time.  This year South Carolina is poised to bite me in the ass real hard as well.

Anyway, things are what they are I suppose.  Once I’m in Korea I’ll  be able to think about something else for awhile.

Low tide West Sea

For some reason I seem to prefer the East Sea to the West Sea.  Well, I’ve been to the East Sea several times, and the West Sea only once, if that’s an accurate measure of preference.  But truthfully speaking, they are both equally nice.  I guess I just enjoy the mountain drive to the east coast better than the somewhat shorter drive to the west.

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I don’t know why, but no matter which Korean coast I’m on, it’s cloudy/raining.

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The view from the room…

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Jee Yeun soaks her feet in the West Sea.

Prescott, Arizona

I lived in Prescott in the late 70s/early 80s.  It was a happy time.  At least looking back on it.  But then again, there was a divorce and a broken heart to deal with.  Still, I was big into softball, x-country skiing, and I was the local union president for the National Association of Letter Carriers.  And I really loved the beauty of living in Arizona’s Mile High City.

What’s the point of getting old if you can’t look back on fond memories?

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My modified A-Frame at 1980 Shadow Valley Road.

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Our first little house at 785 Western Avenue.

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Me on skis.  Imagine that…