Dear Family and Friends,
Welcome to each of you this evening. Just another typical unfolding day here at the office and on the road. Walked with Ken at 6:30, oatmeal and toast with avocado, hot tea. Yes I finally decided to make the switch. I've known for weeks I needed to cut the mocha but I do love the taste and smooth feel of it slipping down my throat. However the hot tea was great this morning, herbal cranberry and something else. It really was quite good.
As I worked to complete the Benicia appraisal the calls started. Contrary to times in the past when the phone ringing was seen as a nuisance now it is a welcome sound, sort of like a cash register ringing. It was a desperate loan officer from a company in southern California. He said an appraiser had cancelled an appointment with a client after the guy had taken the day off from work. The loan guy was nervous about losing the deal and making the homeowner angry, of course I said I would help and took the order. As I started to do research I think I understood why the appraiser cancelled without reason. They needed a value of $240 for a little condo in Stockton yet when I looked there were 3 model match properties on the market for $179,000 and no sales that supported the $240,000 value. So I called the loan guy to report what I had found. He said the appraiser had told him yesterday morning, value is no problem. I have a model match in the project for $240,000. Well MLS knew nothing of it and that is usually not a good sign. When I checked public records I found the $240,000 sale alright but it said that the loan for the purchase was a private one for the full $240,000 price. Well that is unheard of in this market so it was easy to see that something was not right. After looking at the market for a 2 mile radius I found enough data to support a possible $200,000 but I don't think that was enough to make things work. He said he would call back but he never did. As I waited for his call back I did research for other properties and then left for Brentwood to have my blood drawn. I've been putting it off, don't like needles at all. Today's hurt a bit but after 5 vials I was a quart low on blood and left. Then I set the GPS for San Bruno and made it to my appointment to the minute on time. I had no traffic all the way through Walnut Creek, Oakland, Bay Bridge, SF and pulled up at 4 pm on the dot. The people were simply wonderful and the property was perfect, a kitchen that was Sunset Magazine, good paint, clean everything with good comps in the neighborhood. Then it was time to find food and I happened on a new Mall. Then I discovered a BJ's Bar and Grill. Nan and I often enjoyed one of several BJ's when were at City of Hope Medical Center near Glendale. so I took a chance, a great garden burger, a huge dinner salad, perfect food. Then a Barnes and Noble called to me so I found a couple more books on tape to listen to while driving, Nikki, Sylvia and I all enjoy books on tape. They were on special and with my membership I got another $3.80 off the price. Then back to the car where the weather had cooled enough that the shorts I was wearing felt inadequate. But the car was warm and the book was good. On the way home Julius Melendez called, he is the horn player that so graciously played for Nan's graveside service. He talked for 30 minutes about life. His two boys had back to back accidents on their skateboards, one with a severely bruised kidney and the other with a broken ankle, one on Sat and one on Sunday. He invited me to lunch the next time I am over that way. This guy can play the horn like Doc Severson from the Tonight Show, he is outstanding. It was nice to talk but part of the conversation was garbled, cell phone issues on both ends. He also plays with the Santana group and says he is pretty tired of traveling, he's been around the world dozens of times with the band as they are very popular in Japan, Europe, England as well as gigs in the States.
I needed to see the interior of a house in Oakley and have been having trouble remembering to stop there on my way home so late at night. Well tonight I remembered only to find out she has a fever and the flu so we'll wait for that visit.
A couple FHA orders have come in and I have to see something in Stockton soon and perhaps in Woodbridge and then Oakland, so it goes, never know more than a couple days ahead where I'll be next but thank the good Lord for some work coming in. I'm so glad I went for the FHA approval years ago when there was hardly ever an FHA order, now they are most of my work load.
Today the nice people in San Bruno came and chased me down to remind me they needed to pay for the appraisal and then gave me a little lemon cupcake thing she learned to make on the food channel, yummy and I'm sure it would be OK with LeAnn since it has fruit in it! Right. Also two checks came in the mail today, what a difference a couple checks makes in my ability to meet my obligations. today only two bill collectors called, seeking payment for medical bills from last February. They have billed me twice since then and wondered why I had not paid. A fair question really.
I think I'm in the middle of adjusting to my new blood pressure / heart medicine as I have unusual stiffness in joints and some heart pressure at times. One can never tell what's next.
I was so glad to hear from the new friend in Benicia again and also from my friend in Georgia, Karen. What an amazing world this is where distances don't seem to matter anymore due to all the new ways of connection.
So I head for bed now, relieved to be safely home again, glad that Roger and Carol are at Dollywood enjoying themselves, glad the Bob and Carrol had a great day at the clinic and that no more chemo is needed at this time. Unless you've been at that point in the medical world and get results of tests you just cannot know the anxiety you feel until the word comes through, it is either good or bad and I've had plenty of both over the years.
Take care of yourselves and if you have been mulling over starting to walk a bit find a friend or neighbor, make a deal to be accountable to each other and do it. This is great time of year to start and you will never never be sorry, fresh air, blood surging through the veins that are still open and a sense that you are doing the right thing.
Sending love to each and every one of you.
love
tim
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1 comment:
Good Morning Tim,
Good news of the checks coming in! That always makes your work worthwhile. With the interest rate dropping maybe more will be refinancing and give you even more work. One way to keep the medical bill people off your back is to send them $5 a month. They will accept anything you send them. I know it doesn't sound like much but it lets them know you haven't forgotten them. Also, if you get to the right person they may write off some of it.
Remember how much blood Nan had taken and then they had to transfuse her to put it back. Well, it wasn't quite like that, but she sure had her share of needles! Now you know how she felt.
We had a wonderful day at Dollywood yesterday! The shows from Ireland, Germany and Russia were spectacular! And of course, Kingdom Heirs is always a winner. I wanted to tell Nan they have good shirts this year and the tenor is mellowing his tone a bit. She would have loved it and understood exactly what I meant. The only thing that dampened the day was that it snowed all day. Now that isn't fair ~ it's spring! The ground was warm, so it didn't stick, but it was cold!
The "kids" did well taking care of Lakemont. They worked hard all day cleaning cottages, picking up laundry, cleaning out the garbage cans, answering the phone and even discouraged a renter that would not be desirable. They are eager to please and try hard. They are teachable, so I do think it will work out ok.
I hope you get paid something for your efforts on the property you worked on yesterday. You just can't get $240,000 value out of a $179,000 property. Not your fault.
Have another good day.
We love you ~ Carol
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