Another day, another dollar

Hi Out There,
A productive day and I have the sore backside to prove it. I walked this morning and came home very sore, some days go better than others. It was a lovely morning with just the right temperature, no wind and sunny skies. As the day wore on the skies gradually darkened to overcast but I hardly noticed. I was glued to this chair in an attempt to get several appraisal written and out. I've sent out 6 today so there has been a degree of success. Unfortunately the only money that came in the mail was a check for $75. I had hoped for more.
I've had the privilege to talk with Nikki a few times as she cares for her sick family. Steve and Keanna have been so sick, fevers and hardly out of bed for 3 days running. Nikki is not much better, coughing and miserable. I was able to bring them some things they needed tonight which I hope will help in their misery.
Tomorrow morning I go back to the doctor who did the colonoscopy for a followup visit. Then I see two local properties, FHAs have arrived even here in Contra Costa County as values have dropped so much. Yes things are selling and I took in 5 orders today but all are FHA sales, bank owned and being purchased far below the market of 6 months ago. Its hard to believe how far things have dropped. This is not a good time to sell. And a great time to buy if you can qualify for the loan you need. Suddenly the 100% financing is gone having been replaced with more prudent 80% loans requiring a real downpayment. How novel!
I've had good food today, oatmeal for breakfast along with banana and some vege links, griller and salad at lunch without bread, V8 juice to drink, then for the evening frozen peas and corn, potato patty, cottage cheese.
Tomorrow I see the Dr and then the local houses and then I hope some more appointments will come through as I hate to waste any time when the orders are in hand.
Aunt Ann, my dear prayer warrior sent an email today. I hope it will transfer over to this blog page. Here goes:
Subject: HOT CHOCOLATE
HOT CHOCOLATE



A group of graduates, well established in their careers, were talking at a reunion and decided
to go visit their old university professor, now retired. During their visit, the conversation turned to complaints about stress in their work and lives. Offering his guests hot chocolate, the professor went into the kitchen and returned with a large pot of hot chocolate and an assortment of cups - porcelain, glass, crystal, some plain looking, some expensive, some exquisite - telling them to help themselves to the hot chocolate. When they all had a cup of hot chocolate in hand, the professor said: "Notice that all the nice looking; expensive cups were taken, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones. While it is normal for you to want only the best for yourselves, that is the source of your problems and stress. The cup that you're drinking from adds nothing to the quality of the hot chocolate. In most cases it is just more expensive and in some cases even hides what we drink. What all of you really wanted was hot chocolate, not the cup; but you consciously went for the best cups... And then you began eyeing each other's cups.
Now consider this: Life is the hot chocolate; your job, money and position in society are the cups. They are just tools to hold and contain life. The cup you have does not define, nor change the quality of life you have. Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the hot chocolate.
The happiest people don't have the best of everything.
They just make the best of everything
that they have.
Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly...
And enjoy your hot
Chocolate.
I think that was a great message and one I am trying to learn. This whole process of having the thing you love most, in my case it was Nan, to have her ripped away by cancer has created long sessions of thought, of trying to understand how to go forward in spite of everything that says, stay where you are emotionally, don't leave her behind. I guess it is not selfish to need to survive for awhile and then eventually venture out into life again.
Tonight I am grateful for the hundreds of gestures of love and support our family has received from you our family and friends. You have been the arms and voice for the Father as you gently encouraged each of us to hold on, keep on and move forward. What would we all do without you?
Please pray for Nikki, Keanna, Steve and for Timothy who is coughing again and having a hard time sleeping. We all need God's special healing as we pass through the flu season.
love to all, special thanks to Irene, Art, Nikki, Jason, Jean, Loree.

tim