Olympic Tourch Relay Procession comes to Derby

Raph Bruhwiler Surfs with Olympic Flame

From the Desk of the Bookkeeper in Derby

For a couple of months now I've been having trouble with my diary - the days have been a bit floaty - if you what I mean.  If you don't then basically I lose track of time.  Apparently (according to daughter number One) this is not uncommon in the elderly.

For instance, just the other day we got several free newspapers shoved through the door.  And as usual I just moved them directly into the blue bag for recycling.  Obviously unread - but very good for wrapping up food leftovers for adding to the composting bin. 

However, one publication did catch my eye:  Your Derby produced by the Derby City Council.  This one did actually get read... and I have to say there is some good stuff in there, including a Guide to the Olympic Torch Relay Procession complete with a Brazilian themed party 9pm till midnight in the Market Place on Friday night.  Who would have thought Derby was such a hip hop happening place?!

"Ohh" I thought - "that's typical - this event has completely passed me by.  Odd that - didn't see anything in the papers."

 It wasn't till 'im indoors set me straight and pointed out that this grand event would be happening in and around the Derby Town centre THIS WEEKEND.

Mind we still going to miss it - we off up to Yorkshire to do a spot of camping and visit the other relatives.

BKD

For a full timetable of events visit:  Derby City Council: Torch Relay Comes to Derby


Thought for Today:

" Children are the best teachers!"  Author Unknown

PHISHING / SPAM ALERT!

From the Desk of the Bookkeeper Derby

The thing I have noticed  about my clients is that any communique they receive from HMRC is taken very seriously.  They sort of go into hot flush / absolute panic mode.  They find themselves sitting up  sit up straighter and hold the letter with the reverence/fear that any believer might give to their sacred scriptures.

Until the other day, I would not have attributed the word 'excited' to a client receiving a HMRC email.  But there it was - my client was positively humming with joy at an email he'd received from HMRC telling him that he'd was due a sizable rebate and could he kindly click on the link provided to confirm his details. 

As happenstance would have it one of the things that I am DEAD keen on is NOT CLICKING on any links provided by helpful looking emails.  For my clients I must seem like a record that has got stuck...

The lesson worked though - client duly forwarded me the email and with a bit of due diligence on my part quickly confirmed that it was a phishing email and I dispatched it over to the HMRC Spam Alerts asap.

Also very happily - client had not opened the link.  Whew! 

Just so we are very clear on this subject:

HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) will NEVER send notifications of a tax rebate by email, or ask you to disclose personal or payment information by email.  Do not visit the website contained within the email or disclose any personal or payment information.

For more information on Phishing and other Bogus efforts visit  HMRC Security

BKD

Thought for today: 

"Carry out a random act of kindness, with no expectation of reward, safe in the knowledge that one day someone might do the same for you."

Princess Diana

of revamps, new clients and cabinets

From the desk of the Bookkeeper Derby


It's always exciting when my business moves into new, unexplored territory. 

I think.

Yes, (nods to self reassuringly).  So then, whats new?

Well, I've been invited to apply for Fellowship membership at the IAM.  This is a truly double edged sword.... whilst I am truly chuffed to pieces at the prospect of being  a 'F' - my accountant swooned (he tends to do that a lot around me) at the amount they charge for the privilege of being elevated to the aforementioned giddy heights of the 'F'.

On a different tack and good news for my long-suffering-swooning-accountant, I am now the proud owner of my own .com address along with a newly made over website - its nearly finished.  It would be finished already but my new to me webmaster is now on leave in Spain for two weeks.  Still I have a short time to look over and make some changes.

Actually, I haven't worked it out yet - but ball park this new website and hosting is going to save me some 90% in web fees this year.  I can see my accountant beaming from where I sit.  Well not literally - he's based in Yorkshire and I'm based in Derbyshire - so it is purely figurative if you know what I mean....

It's always nice when new to me clients come on board and my latest ones are totally sweet and have some of the most complete sets of day books that I have ever seen.  Still I searched hard and came up with a couple of improvements that they seem quite delighted to adopt.  I've been invited to attend their next committee meeting to present the final accounts.  This put me in a bit of a flap... what on earth does one wear to a Tenants Association meeting of the Committee?  Drop me a line if you have any suggestions.

Whilst it's excellent news that my business continues to expand I am beginning to find my office space is becoming a little cramped.  In fact there has been a sort of paper explosion and I've ended up with little heaps covering most of the empty surfaces.  This is not good.  So at the weekend off we went to Ikea to source a new filing cabinet.  Now everything is in little heaps INSIDE the cabinet..... guess I ought to put aside a day to go through the accumulated paper work and give it a little spring clean. 


.....  hummmm

I wonder if my accountant would suffer a fatal heart attack if I brought a new summer house cum office space? 


BKD


Thought for the Day:

In politics, if you want anything said ask a man. If you want anything done, ask a woman.
-- Margaret Thatcher