A Family on the Move

Dear Friends and Family,
This has been a big day for all of the clan, Nikki came home early this afternoon to register Keanna in Kindergarten in the Byron School District. It seems only yesterday they were bringing her home from the hospital. Now our little girl is growing up, way to fast. Jason called and was on his way to Alcatraz with members of Clayton's class. Steve was busy as usual getting ready to tackle a tough appraisal in San Jose, build his landscaping business with new clients and Jo was busy with her students. Timothy is reportedly crawling all over the place now having found new mobility on his hardwood floors. Steve and Nikki visited the birthing center which they will use in about 7 weeks.

Loren arrived on time this morning to ride shotgun on a day of inspecting homes. We traveled first to Newark and found a carefully maintained home with pool, lots of color blooming everywhere and a quiet neighborhood. Then after a nice lunch at Olive Garden we drove to Hayward to see yet another carefully maintained home with a beautiful back yard, plants and color galore. Then we drove to a duet in Oakland through some pretty rough neighborhoods. The lady got the time of the inspection wrong and was not there. Then we drove to a home nearby where we could not get in. I called and found the gentleman home but in a wheelchair. He told us to just push the gate, we did and it opened. I remembered him from our last visit years ago. Recently Obama was on TV at his home fixing him breakfast of pancakes and eggs. He says he is not sure who he will vote for but like Obama's cooling. He was so much fun to talk to we could hardly get away. What a great spirit in spite of the wheelchair and a fairly lonely life.

then we headed home dreading the potential of awful traffic but it did not happen. We sailed right through the tunnel, through Walnut Creek, through Concord and only slowed for a bit near Antioch.

Loren had mentioned that he wanted to try UNO's deep dish pizza so it was so late in the day that we back tracked and had dinner there. Poor Emily must have wondered where her wonderful husband had gone. Then we stopped at Trader Jo's and picked up a few things and finally made it home a few minutes ago.

I am thankful for a safe day, a productive day and for a good friend to ride along with me enduring the tedium of the work. I think he is tired and I know I am. One of the highlights of the day was a simple thing, Loren brought more applesauce, you just cannot know how much I love the stuff and to see two more cartons of it, well that was very nice. I know I must be cutting into their private reserves by now.

My friend Karen wrote from Georgia to let me know that tomorrow's test, echo cardiogram will be something I enjoy. I certainly hope she is right. I have surrounded the the test with appraisal work so the day will be full.

Thanks for the emails today both through the blog and otherwise. I love hearing from you.

So good night good friends and family, and Marilyn, be good to little James, he is just a little boy and needs your most gentle touch you know!! And Dana be kind to your little boy as well, he was ill you know so he needs a new video game or something.

Take care

love

tim