Usually we celebrate our 2nd New Years on April 15 but we could not this year. We had to wait until today because everyone gets extra days to file their taxes since there was a holiday on April 15 in Washington, D.C. Goody gum drops for everyone except us and all other accountants (and their families). Our big celebration will have to wait.
Usually I call the end of tax season another New Years for us. Brad becomes a hermit from January 15th to April 15th and to some degree I do too (although I would never miss my Saturday Coffee Club or Tuesday night Mah Jong game). So on most years, Brad feels like a different person on Aprill 16th. But not this year, he would have to wait til April 19th. Bummer
Like most people on January 1, we make resolutions. Well honestly, I make resolutions for both of us. And since April 18th was similar to a New Year for us, I thought we should review our Resolutions and make sure we were proceeding accordingly. Brad explained very nicely that he had no time for this nonsense and whatever I said was fine (maybe he said this or maybe I am paraphrasing?!!). You all can just imagine he said whatever you want. It doesn't really matter anyway. I was going to review them regardless.
This year in January, I made a Resolution that I would not buy any new clothes all year for any reason. I decided that I had enough clothes so of course, this was going to be Brad's New Year's resolution too. If I wasn't going to be able to get new clothes, neither was he. He was not happy and even worse he was not confident that either he or I would be able to keep this resolution. I counted his shirts and he had 50! He was a clothes whore and he definitely did not need any new clothes.
I explained to him though that there would be caveats to this Resolution. Aren't there always caveats to any Resolution?
We could buy clothes for each other but only on holidays. If you remember, Brad bought me clothes for Valentine's Day. That's allowed. Birthdays are definitely allowed. Mother's Day too.
I had told my friends about this Resolution and they laughed and made jokes over and over again. Eventually, they supported me like friends are supposed too (I am sure though they still think its ridiculous). So for my birthday, they got me clothes and gift cards. Those are allowed too. If we get gift cards then we can use them for anything even clothes.
Also, for holidays that involve a gift for me I can put items in a cart and alert Brad to the stores that have full carts and he can choose presents and use his credit card. It just can't be my credit card. I know we have joint credit cards so this rule is kind of blurry, but it works for me. Of course he can do the same.
Brad was hoping for a gift on Groundhog Day but I definitely had certain standards for what qualified as holiday!
Well it's April 18 and we are still have not bought any clothes for ourselves (sort of). Yea for us (I think)!!
Happy New Years and Happy Empty Nesting!
