Feeling more normal

Good evening,
As the days go by more normalcy sets in. I don't think a human being can be in crisis forever no matter what he or she faces. I had a very nice confirmation that I'm on the right track today with a call from someone at the office of Dr. Savage, the cardiologist. She called to tell me that my stress test was NORMAL what ever that means, normal for a guy at 59, normal for someone 75 lbs overweight, or normal for an average person, well who cares. I'll take the normal and run with it. And tomorrow I'll find a way to get to Stockton to pick up my new glasses, first off they will help me see much better, secondly I will get rid of a severely scratched left lens, thirdly I think they look a lot better than the ones I have had forever.

Ken and I walked in the cold this morning, then I made a typical breakfast, then sat down to wade through mounds of paperwork. Well tonight most of it is gone and along with progress in paper work I've also seen three properties all within 10 miles of the house. What a blessing that is and Steve is being kind enough to see one also located nearby. As many people are stumbling through this terrible foreclosure mess my heart often goes out to them. Yes people made huge mistakes in buying homes with weak loans, yes mortgage brokers sometimes did what was right for their paycheck, not right for the clients but many honest people got sucked into a situation where they now are trapped and have no way out other than to mail in the keys to the house. Many many of the bank owned properties are now in contract and some have already closed escrow. Buyers are snapping up the bargains and even now there is some bidding on the part of buyers which will in time restore some of the value to properties. How long? One to two years and even then the values will not be back where they were before for a while. However I expect some improvement by the fall of this year.
I was thankful to be able to make my house payment today on time and on line. Every month the house payments are the real challenge and once again God has blessed with work and payment. We were paid for an appraisal that we completed at the beginning of 2007. We just received the payment on Saturday and it was $500. That certainly covers the cost of the stamps we use to mail statements and I thank Loree for her help in getting them out to people. How different my life would have been and Nan's too if Loree had not been here to help us with everything. She is a real helper.
Friend Art could not sleep so left Indio at 4:30 this morning and arrived back in Gilroy at 11:30 this morning. Then on to a dental appointment this afternoon. I am thankful that he had a safe trip and I know he misses Connie already.
My (our) friend Karen who has supported us so much with her prayers, books and encouragement has suffered a serious of strokes which put her into the ER and then a hospital bed for several days. With new meds she is getting better but I'm sure would appreciate our including her in our prayers that God will hold the surprises, she says she had had enough for now and give her the peace her heart craves.
This morning Ken and I discovered some fool was pouring a lot of water down the curb this morning, on closer examination that fool lived at my house. A pipe had broken off cleanly at a joint and water was gushing out. So this evening when I was in town to observe Keanna at tumbling classes I included a stop at the Ace hardware store. Of course I could not remember if I had used 1/2 or 3/4 inch pipe so I had to buy two sets of fittings to repair the damage. I was going to do it tonight after dark and Art suggested I might want light, put it off until tomorrow. That made great sense so I settled inside with a hot chocolate and this computer screen. I like the way he thinks.
This afternoon I had the privilege of seeing a house no more than a block from my own. From the street it looks fairly average but once inside it is slate, marble, granite, stainless steel, designer sinks, designer colors, Brock decks and docks. Wow what a place and one of the nicest things was, the owner paid me in cash. You know there is nothing like greenbacks to lift ones spirits. Sure they make the wallet fat and uncomfortable but its OK. In fact mighty nice.
So now its bedtime, do you know where your loved ones are? Do they know they are your loved ones? Have you reminded them lately?
Our loved one Wes has promised that with tax season over he will be back to put in a few words at times. Lets hope he does, I for one miss him and his pithy comments.

love

tim