I spoke too soon : - )

I should know better... I wrote that Spring is coming and so instead we had snow, hail, rain, and something akin to rainy slush come down the last few days.... No fun and very cold.

But ski season at some areas will extend well into late Spring as Mt. Hood is still getting FEET of snow!

And we down stream keep our fingers crossed that there is not a quick melt and run-off........

Oh well - I can still sit and look at the Spring blooms and the promise that it will warm up and the sun will again shine....

Spring! Yea!

Except for the icy ramp and deck yesterday and some falling slush today - we really are into Spring....It started arriving back in February and then took a detour...but the actual calendar is in our favor : o )

Trees are in bloom, bulbs are flowering, and the mallards are looking for where to lay eggs and also where to sun when they have the babies with them..... My boat ramp has been a spot they love so today they checked it out!

Not to worry - they won't lay eggs here as they know about the dog and cat!

Tax Season is IRS scam season

A new "IRS" scam...

First - the IRS knows your name! You are not "user."
And if you were due a refund of over $9,ooo - duh! you'd know.
And lastly - don't you think the IRS knows how to correctly spell it's own name?

Aside from all the above, the IRS does not send email - it just sends you the refund if it is due you or a "polite note" if you owe them!

I left the links clickable - if you look at the click here link - it asks for your credit card info..another thing the IRS will NEVER do-

The IRS does not need your credit card info to procees a refund!

These above are also good reasons why it's safer to e-file and have your refunds done as an automatic deposit. Then you know for sure what is a scam...

BEWARE - tax season is a good time to SCAM

From: Internal Revenue Serevice

Sent: Saturday, March 15, 2008 6:15 PM

Subject: Your Tax refund Notification...

Dear User,

After the last annual calculations of your fiscal activity we have determined that you are eligible to receive a tax refund of $9,390.00. Please submit the tax refund request in reply to our e-mail and allow us 2-3 days in order to process it.

A refund can be delayed for a variety of reasons. For example submitting invalid records or applying after the deadline. Click here

Regards
Internal Revenue Service

Newest Scam - I am an appointed something!

This one is hilarious:

I give these scammers credit for creativity. Hey - I am "enlisted for foreign appointment" [whatever that means]

So I should call and/or email these persons who do not even know my name yet anoint me to some position? Yeh- right!

By the way why do they use all caps and why is always mentioning Nigeria?

[formatting left as it was received]

Read on:
SENATOR DAVID MARK.
HONORABLE SENATE PRESIDENT
NIGERIAN SENATE COMMITTEE (FGN)
DATE 18/02/2007.


RE: NOTIFICATION OF YOUR FOREIGN APPOINTMENT AND COMPENSATION PAYMENT 18-2-2008.

ATTN: HONORABLE BENEFICIARY,

I AM OBLIGED TO INTRODUCE MY SELF TO YOU; I AM SENATOR DAVID MARK, THE SENATE PRESIDENT OF
NIGERIA. I AM CONTACTING YOU WITH REFERENCE TO THE NEW FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FOREIGN DEBT SETTLEMENT POLICY
WHEREIN YOU HAVE BEEN ENLISTED FOR FOREIGN APPOINTMENT AND $100.000.000.00 MILLION UNITED STATES
DOLLARS AS COMPENSATION PAYMENT BY BENEFICIARY NOMINATION,THUS YOUR INFORMATION IS CURRENTLY ON THE
SENATE COMMITTEE COMPUTERIZED DATA BASE FOR ACTIVE PAYMENT THIS 2008 .


I ARRIVED LAST WEEK FROM ECOWAS STATE MEMBERS SUMMIT WHERE WE HELD TALKS ON MATTERS REGARDING ALL
NEWLY APPOINTED FOREIGNERS FOR FOREIGN APPOINTMENT AND INTERNATIONAL CONTRACT APPOINTMENT WITH
COMPENSATION PAYMENT OF $100,000,000.00 MILLION.

YESTERDAY WE CONCLUDED A SENATE COMMITTEE MEETING, WITH THE FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTER AND DELEGATES
FROM THE WORLD BANK GROUP, PRESENTLY OUR TOPIC OF DISCUSSION WAS ON ISSUES CONCERNING
APPOINTMENTS OF FOREIGN REPRESENTATIVES AND IMMEDIATE COMPENSATION PAYMENTS FROM THE NIGERIAN
GOVERNMENTAND WORLD BANK GROUP IN ZURICH SWITZER LAND. TODAY YOUR MEMORANDUM FILE WAS PASSED TO MY DESK FOR
REVIEW AND ENDORSMENT CONFIRMING THAT YOU HAVE BEEN SHORT LISTED FOR COMPENSATION OF
$100.000.000.00 MILLION USD.

FURTHERMORE THE SENATE COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN DEBT HAVE COMPREHENSIVELY SCRUTINIZED AND CERTIFIED
CORRECT AND VALID, ALL DOCUMENTS RELEVANT TO YOUR INHERITANCE/CONTRACT PAYMENT AND COMPENSATION
AWARD WINNING FUNDS AND IT WAS RESOLVED AND AGREED UPON THAT YOUR INHERITANCE/CONTRACT PAYMENT AND
COMPENSATION AWARDED FUNDS WOULD BE RELEASED ON A SPECIAL METHOD OF PAYMENT, TAGGED NAMED THE UNITED
NATIONS AND WORLD BANK GROUP ONLINE PAYMENT


IN VIEW OF THIS I WISH TO INFORM YOU THAT YOU HAVE BEEN NOMINATED AND APPOINTED TO BENEFIT FROM
THE PRESIDENTIAL COMPENSATION PAYMENT APPROVED TO YOU BY HIS EXCELLENCY PRESIDENT UMARU MUSA
AR'ADUA.
NOTE THAT ALL HONORABLE MEMBERS OF THE NIGERIAN SENATE COMMITTEE HAVE ENDORSED YOUR COMPENSATION
PAYMENT APPROVALS AT THE MEETING HELD IN THE SENATE COMMITTEE LIAISON COMPLEX YESTERDAY, ALSO HIS

EXCELLENCY PRESIDENT UMARU MUSA YAR'ADUA HAS GIVING A MANDATE THAT ALL WHO SHOULD BENEFIT FROM THE
APPROVED COMPENSATION PAYMENT OF $100.000.000.00 MILLION US, SHOULD BE CONTACTED TODAY AND THERE
PAYMENTS SHOULD BE PROCESSED AND PAID OUT BEFORE THE 30 /02/ 2008

I HERE BY ADVISE THAT YOU OPEN A COMMUNICATION WITH ME TODAY FOR DIRECTIVES ON HOW TO PROCEED TO
RECEIVE YOUR COMPENSATION PAYMENT FROM THE WORLD BANK ONLINE PAYMENT TODAY ASAP.

BELOW IS THE CONTACT OF THE APPOINTED ACCREDITED PAYMENT COORDINATIOR FROM THE WORLD BANK TO THE
OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENCY ON ALL INTERNATIONAL COMPENSATION PAYMENTS

CONTACT DR PETER LAIN ON HIS CONTACT INFORMATION BELOW,

THE WORLD BANK 15TH FLOOR,
NEW ZEALAND HOUSE HAYMARKET
LONDON SW1Y 4TE, ENGLAND
TEL: + 44-70 3192 6898
FAX: + 44-20 7930 3222
EMAIL: worldbankpaymentcoordinator@yahoo.co.uk

HE WILL PROCEED WITH THE PAPER WORK AND PROTOCOLS INVOLVED IN EFFECTING THE COMPENSATION PAYMENT
FROM THE WORLD BANK SWITZER LAND OFFICE WITH OUT ANY HITCH, AND ALSO ASSIST YOU TO RECEIVE YOUR
PAYMENT WITHIN 96HRS AFTER CAREFUL SCRUTINY TO RECONFIRM THAT WE HAVE CONTACTED THE ORIGINAL
NOMINATED REPRESENTATIVE WHOM WE HAVE APPROVED FOR COMPENSATION PAYMENT FOR MORE CLARIFICATIONS ON
THIS.

NOTE YOUR PERSONAL COMPENSATION PAYMENT INDEX PIN CODE ( DW-401-LND )


EXPECTING YOUR URGENT EMAIL REPLY CONFIRMING YOUR CONSENT TO ENABLE US PROCCESS THIS PAYMENT,
REPLY ME TODAY. senatecommitteepaymentcode_2008@yahoo.com

BEST REGARDS,

SENATOR DAVID MARK.

March

Since living out West - it's hard to gauge the adage: In like a lion; out like a lamb for March.

We had such lamb weather to end February - that the March "lion" only feels cold in comparison.

Trees are beginning to get leaves; my bulbs are blooming and we were all in short sleeves the other day. Today tho is back to heavier sweat shirts and warmer socks : - )

When I was a kid I loved winter, snow and cold. As I got older and had to shovel walks and paths and heat my houses - I began to have a very different take on winter. And living in Vermont for several years sort of filled any desire I ever ever had to have snow around me for long periods of time. It's not just my aging - there are many older than I in northern New England who still shovel all that snow and love the cold.

I have quite readily adapted to a very different climate. Granted I am beginning to dislike the cool damper days - that sort of cold feels colder than the 25 below back east.....but like March lions and lambs, those cool damp days go away...and we get sun and a pretty dry summer.

So here's to March - lions, lambs and all