Mm, that does take thinking then. What's your break-even usage where buying the pass is worthwhile? For my bus pass it would be 17 days, which I never feel certain I'll get to (especially as the pass is only good on local routes so anything inter-city is still extra) but half-price would be a whole different kettle of fish.

Automagically loaded has some value, too, of course, but I think we can ignore it for the initial sign up.

Well done Tep with the sorting and the not killing!

Could it be the PM just realizes what a trainwreck the whole Brexit thing is and wants to dump it on someone else rather than having to deal with it herself?

Oh, Steph, I've been there, late at night before the due date, snapping at each other. I'm so glad we can pay someone to do the damn things now.

If I realized he didn't have all his medical statements together (he has an accordion file and is generally pretty good about filing stuff right away), I would have told him to take the whole mess to H&R Block. Things just fell through the cracks this year because we've been so preoccupied with his dad.

Can your mom use the pass while you're out?

Does anyone understand the political significance of the UK prime minister calling for an early election? I understand what it is, but does the PM expect to gather more support for her party and Brexit?

The Tories have a massive poll lead and the current Labour party are a complete disaster, so May's reasons for calling an election are: (a) to silence those across the political spectrum, but particularly in her own party, who are casting aspersions on her legitimacy (she wasn't voted in either by the electorate or even by the Conservatives; she was just the last candidate left standing).

(b) To shore up her "Brexit is the will of the people" position. A vote for the Tories is a vote for her brand of Brexit, whatever that might be (nobody actually has a clue, not even the Tories, but we'll leave that aside).

(c) The sooner the better. The next scheduled election would be in 2020, by which time the UK will be up shit creek and paddleless, and the Tories would probably take much more of a kicking.

Could it be the PM just realizes what a trainwreck the whole Brexit thing is and wants to dump it on someone else rather than having to deal with it herself?

Sadly not. On the contrary, in fact.

Huh. Thanks for the explanation, Fiona

Depressing, but thank you, Fiona.

Sorry for everyone's tax woes. It was extraordinarily complex because for some reason I just couldn't wrap my head around the health insurance stuff. Next year will be even more fun because we are all on the same insurance, but the kids each file independently. The only way I managed was having multiple Turbo Tax windows open. I should have started that way.

(Bathing suits as a reward? Clearly you live in Florida, Laura...sigh)

I usually have a dozen bathing suits. But I also swim pretty much every day.

Just saw I wrote this a while ago. Ooops, have to do that post thing.

I have taken a shower and gotten dressed and kinda feel like that's enough accomplishment for one day.