A fast pace - Loree attacks the files and wins!

Dear Family and Friends,
I wish you could have seen it, Loree with her arms flying, pitching old files in the trash, throwing boxes around like they were toothpicks, moving files in and out of the file cabinets. Wow. Loree not only came back to help out but really did a job on the whole garage storage area. And she won't let anything slip by that's not right and in the right place. What a great help she is.

My day has been filled with scheduling, researching, working the phones, sometimes two lines at the same time, putting out appraisal fires and trying to rediscover my old work ethic, something that has been forgotten over the past few months. It is so thrilling to see the fax churning out orders or read emails and find new work there too. Now if I could just concentrate and produce like the old days. I don't want to blow the confidence brokers are putting in me to get their work done quickly and correctly. Something did not work out today. This is typical of what I face. I have an order from a new client, the first one, they think the value is $700K, an appointment is made for 2:30 this afternoon and in the morning I begin to do the research. As I work I discover that the highest sale in the entire little town is $480K, no where even close to the $700K so I start calling to let them know of the problem and after several calls back and forth it gets put on hold for a bit. Time spent was over an hour with NO income generated at all. Multiply that by several times a day and it is easy to see why the orders already seen sit waiting to be written while busy work takes up the time. If there was ever a time to rediscover discipline it is now.

This morning I rolled out, punched the alarm and was so tempted to fall back into the sleep by number bed but knowing I needed to walk I stayed up, walked my 3 miles, showered and then ran over to drive the girls to their morning appointments, I was intrigued as I watched Steve brush Keanna's hair and put it into the tie, he did such a good job and watching him I learned.

I worked in trying to get something completed and finally did just that as the day progressed. I found a quick lunch in a slice from a can of vege meat warmed and placed over whole wheat buns lightly toasted. That along with a bottle of water with a little bit of Crystal Lite for taste and I was ready for the afternoon shift. At 5:15 I picked up Keanna for tumbling class in Brentwood so Nikki could attend a special class offered by Keanna's teacher at the school. Then I drove her home and went to grief group. Tonight's session was not so good, someone new was there and did a lot of talking, more than was helpful to others, perhaps it will be better next time. Cancer brings out strange things and we all express grief and fears differently.

Now its too late once again for bed, will I ever learn? I've enjoyed some very cute things, emails today from Carol, Barbara, Sylvia and others, how did we ever get by without the Internet? Could that have been why I used to get more done? Before the Internet? Mmmm, something to consider.

For now I'm wishing each of you a peaceful night, love to all

Tim