Something Squirrelly this Way Comes

I'm one of the thousands (mayhap millions) of folks who filed an extension on their taxes. The extension deadline is August 15 (that'd be Monday). I got my bottom in gear and did them last night (weird to do your taxes with the AC blowing on you and not the heat) so that I could mail them today (which, if you think about it in the proper way, I had mine done Early). I had to go to the post office to mail them as I didn't have any stamps and I wasn't sure if the state taxes would require extra postage or not. I weigh my stuff and everything is under an ounce (more than ounce requires an extra $0.23 in postage) and since there were several folks in line and only one clerk, I opted for the stamp machine.

I feed in my $20 bill and buy a book of stamps. It wasn't until I hear the cacophony of coins that I see the little sign that says "All change in coins" my heart drops, I think I have $12.60 in quarters (except for the dime, of course). Then I think, well, at least I'll have plenty of money for laundry.

I kneel down to get my change (why is the change slot always at the bottom of machines? Usually only a foot or two off the ground. Is it for gravity to help dispense the change or do the desingers of vending machines not realize that most folks are taller than four feet??) and realize that the quarters are funny looking. This is when I notice a sign saying "All change in one dollar coins". I got twelve dollars in one dollar coins - some with Sacagawea some with Susan B. Anthony. Most are first issues of each coin (1979 and 2000, respectively). The US Mint has a nifty webpage on comparing the two coins.

I've already spent four of them when I stopped off at the drug store to grab some food for lunch. I got up late and didn't have time to pack a lunch and since I was spending my lunch break running to the post office, I had to get food then or wait until after 4:00 pm. (I'm sure I could've worked the word lunch' into my previous two sentences a few more times! *grin*)