LIVING IN THE ILLUSION

It is almost 10:30 and it is only 17.7 degrees F. The normal low for April 6 is 33. Wow, not even up to the normal low! It is not forecast to make it to the normal low; however, the Sun is very hot now and it may fool the forecasters and edge above freezing. There is supposed to be a turn around at the middle of the month. We are looking forward to it.

I was going to write about healing/learning centers, but I will postpone that discussion and tell you about my adventures in this illusion we label reality.

It was cleaning lady day yesterday. She is usually here about three hours and we go to Cambridge have brunch and shop. Yesterday we stayed home and tried to stay out of her way. [She is a wonderful woman and has become one of our great friends] We stayed home because I needed to write a letter to the county tax assessor.

Back in December we got a notice concerning taxes for 2018. It appeared that they were changing our classification and we would no longer be a farm for tax purposes. The proposed taxes for 2018 were over $500 more. When the assessor was out here, sometime in the Summer, he seemed to not think we were really a farm and didn't ask any pertinent questions.

I wrote them a letter explaining that we always raised sheep and chickens and frequently raised turkeys for sale. We were also thinking about raising a couple steers. I thought it was a pretty good letter. I emphasized the limits of our income and our dependents on what we raised. We didn't get an answer.

A couple days ago we got our tax notice and it appeared that the worse had happened. We were no longer a farm. I didn't have much time to deal with it as the first half of the taxes is due on May 15. Ever since I got the notice it had been a cloud hanging over my head.

So yesterday Morning I wrote a letter beseeching them to reconsider and enclosed a copy of my original letter. I thought both letters were master pieces and would certainly do the trick. I wanted to get the letters in the mail right away, so I drove to Mora and posted them.

When I got back home I wanted to review my letters and the material from the county. A careful perusal of the property tax statement showed that I was mistaken. They did not change our classification they added some wording [abbreviated] that was not there before. Looking through the statement indicated that the raise in our taxes had to due with increased evaluation. The room I am sitting in now was an addition about, I don't know, four or five years ago? [Time flies when we are having fun]. In any case our taxes have not increased much since building it. My error took away any indignation I might have had about the raised taxes.

I felt like an idiot! I called the assessor and told him I had just mailed him a letter and he should disregard it. He told me that someone was supposed to answer my first letter and that they have had several questions about the added language and knew it was confusing. We had a good discussion. They have no intention of changing our classification. I can't protest the increase in evaluation, I am sure it is justified.

Living in the illusion? Years ago I learned from Don Juan, a Yaqui sorcerer, via Carlos Castaneda, how to live life impeccably in the illusion, accepting it as serious business yet knowing it is unreal. We need to accept life as it comes to us. We need to deal with it, as if it was real, at the same time knowing it is an illusion of our creation. To live impeccably was to live in an unconditionally loving manner. If you haven't read Carlos Castaneda's books, you are in for a real treat.

Happy Friday!

Love and Peace, Gregg

P. S.  It is Noon and only 20 degrees.