On taxes...

Benjamin Franklin once said, "Nothing in life is certain except death and taxes." Oh, Ben you rascally scamp. How true you are.

I arrived home Monday after enjoying a lovely snow day at Borders. In the mail was a letter from my mortgage company. Hmmm...never a good sign. They were increasing my monthly payment.

By $127 dollars.

While this may not seem a lot to some people, for this single woman buying this house all on her lonesome it is a big deal. A mortgage, utilities, credit cards and two student loan payments mean I have very little disposable income at the end of the month. I freaked.

After several calls to the mortgage company (a mistake in my taxes last year necessitated and increase this year, go to the city fight this assessment, etc.) and the city, I felt alone. More then figuratively. (Literally my roommate was not home.)That cold feeling in your stomach. At that moment, the reality of me being alone in this venture came crashing home. Where was my prince charming to hold me tight and tell me everything was going to be okay? We all now collectively wait for the part where he arrived at the door, rose and fat check in hand.



Yeah. I'm still waiting too. But as the deed says, Pam Howe a single woman is the owner of this house. No Prince listed. I grabbed some power tools and went upstairs to work on the guest bedroom. I had shelves to put up and decor to finish. It gave something productive for me to do. As I worked with my hands it took my mind away from the reality of my situation. My guest room began to resemble that place that friends could come and find respite from their cares. I began to transform that room into my home. Which, as my sister reminded me earlier, is why I bought the house in the first place. It was important for me to create a home. So the belt has been tightened. Expenses cut...brown bags bought.

But regardless of what tomorrow brings, additional taxes, backed-up sewers, leaky pipes, Pam Howe, a single woman will still be queen of this castle.