Yesterday I did my taxes, both federal and state. I feel a sense of accomplishment. I was able to file the state online for free and will get a $39 refund. I was intent on filing the federal online as well, but for whatever reason they don't have the Schedule A ready to go, so I reverted to doing what I've always done, manually filling out the forms, which seem to increase every year.

I will get a $1,100 refund on my federal return, which I'm grateful for, but it's not nearly as much as I got last year, thanks to some tax rebates on my sunroom windows. And, I noticed that for whatever reason, my old employer took out way more in taxes than they needed to but perhaps I needed to increase the number of my exemptions.

So I have a federal tax return ready to mail but I can't get out my driveway. The last storm 2 days ago deposited a thick coating of ice on everything. I spent some time chipping away at the ice on the slope of my driveway, just 2 tire tracks, so getting up the hill shouldn't be a problem. But there's still a mound of mostly ice at the bottom of the driveway by the road. I was just too exhausted to tackle that today.

I guess mailing my tax return can wait. And maybe by the time I get it mailed (Monday?), Schedule A will be available online.

In other news, it was a productive day for the job search. I have 3 leads today that I didn't have yesterday:

1. a copywriter job for a luxury brand at an agency in nearby small city. I was excited becus I never find jobs in my field this close by.

2. A corporate writer job in same small city working for a real estate/relocation company bought out several times, now under a new company.

I feel very well qualified for both jobs and applied for both first thing this a.m.

Then I got a call from a recruiter telling me about a job in a city an hour's drive from here (or more) for a long-term contract job (6 mths to a year) for a financial services firm.

Not so crazy about that job, but i told her to go for it and send my resume on to the employer, just to see if they call. It's a really long drive and their stuff is way over my head i think. What i really need to find is a perm job becus COBRA won't last forever and the monthly cost is killing me.

Another snowstorm is coming through tomorrow. There have been a lot of roof collapses all over the state, but mostly commercial buildings with flat roofs. The roof over the main part of my house is pretty steep, but i have what's called a shed roof over my garage and family room with a fairly shallow pitch. However, after paying someone to clear all the snow off several snowstorms ago, I'd say i have an inch or two of solid ice, which is heavy, but just an inch or two.

I advised my friend who lives nearby to look into having the landscaper she does the books for to see if he can get some of the snow off her roof. She's never done that before on her ranch with shallow roof, and she estimates she's got a foot and a half of snow up there which in my opinion is way too much, especially since the topping will be ice.

Spring, and a job, CAN'T COME FAST ENOUGH.