I did my taxes tonight (I know this post will be dated tomorrow). I had two rather pleasant surprises and was eager to get that Federal return in the mail. It is stamped and waiting by the door for the morrow.

I completed my state taxes on-line. VA has a rather helpful website that makes the process of filing your return quite facile.

Thus, my tax obligations are done for the year, and I am receiving two rebates to boot.

Can the evening get much better than that?

Well, perhaps if I had a Dr. Pepper in the house...

I did a fairly stupid thing. And my poor dog is suffering for my folly.

My wooden stairs are dust collectors. When they are dusty, Kashi slips on them and sort of stumbles down the last few. I am always worried that he will hurt himself. So I got the bright idea of trying pledge.

BIG MISTAKE.

They are so slippery that even I am stumbling on them. After Kashi fell the whole way down the stairs (and survived with no lasting injury), he decided that he will not go down the stairs any more. With my (and his) bedroom upstairs, this is creating quite a problem.

I cleaned the stairs with 409. And I cleaned them with soapy, piping hot water. They are still slippery. And I am having to carry my dog downstairs each time he finds himself up there and needs to go outside or just wants to join me downstairs (his soft wine while waiting for me at the top of the stairs is so pitiful to hear).

Any suggestions on cleaning these stairs?

I am ashamed for not writing...for allowing my new difficulties become crises instead of challenges.

I can say that after a two month period where I was afraid to come home for fear of finding another blue subpoena stuck on my door or another letter filled with further legal woes, I am free. The sub-contractor has a restraining order for the period of a year and a $1000.00 bond, and the civil suit was dismissed with prejudice, meaning he cannot raise the issue again. My lawyer e-mailed me yesterday that he was holding the signed, filed paperwork in his hands, and I should expect it by mail soon.

I learned more of the worst of myself during subpoena number three (He went after my medical records in the criminal case against him. I was prepared to go to jail for contempt rather than give him those.) I cried and grew rather hysterical for two full days before listening to a wise friend who told me bluntly that I had let the man win.

But alas, why write today?

Today is a momentous occasion in my life.

Today, at 36 years seven months and 19 days, for the first time...a man whistled at me! At me!

I was leaving for work when a man passing by in a car, slowed, rolled down his window, and whistled at me! Me!

Me in my prednisone enhanced girth. Me with my un-stylish waist length hair fashioned into a bun. Me with my black flowing skirt. Me. He whistled at me. Whistled and smiled when I looked back at him.

I've never had someone who's passed me by, turn his head for another appreciative look. I've never received flowers or cards or chocolates from a man.

My past dates never bought into the whole romantic thing. And I've only had sporadic first dates since the second year I was diagnosed with MS. The last being three years ago when nearly every first date ended up in an emergency room with an asthma attack as I struggled to manage a new disease. Hospital waiting rooms are not conducive to fostering notions of second dates.

I was whistled at today.