Friday, April 6th: Today I meant to start on the taxes. It was too cold to go outside and I had several episodes of the mini-series Shogun taped to remind myself that, as bad as taxes can be, at least I’m not a woman in medieval Japan.

I can still remember the first time I read Shogun. I couldn’t get to sleep. How could such a society have ever existed? So far, I’ve only seen the first couple of episodes of the televised version but … I don’t know. It seems a bit watered down. Poor old Mariko-sana. Will she be able to escape that icky husband and get it on with John Blackthorn? Especially now that the smelly barbarian has decided bathing isn’t such a bad thing?

Monday, April 8th: What a mistake it was to do taxes on the Solar Eclipse of the Sun Day. Something must be wrong. Solar flare? Moon fart? I’ll have to try again tomorrow! Wish me luck or I’ll be joining Mariko-sana in pleading for a quick death (which, by the way, does not get you off the hook with the IRS!)