Busy again, still coughing

Dear Family and Friends,
What a blessing life is and this evening as I dined with Kallie, Keanna and Nikki at LaVilla in little Bethel Island I just had a slice of the really good life. These precious girls are so bright, no engaging and so fun to be with. None of us felt really well, Keanna is battling a nasty cold, Kallie is a tiny bit stuffy and Nikki is also battling a runny nose and of course there is Mr hack hack pappa. Yet in spite of not feeling great we enjoyed our pink lemonades and little burrito dinners, Keanna had rice and Kallie had some sort of pudding which she seemed to enjoy. Nikki brought the little high chair device that attaches directly to the table, has no legs and holds the baby securely. Kallie enjoyed it a lot. She loves to sit up and be apart of what is happening and she also enjoys smiling at anyone who will look her way.
I started my day with Ken at 6:30 this morning. It was cold, intensely so and dark when we started. Only crazy people do such things but as we walked we warmed and the morning light began to break around us. I only coughed once but the cold caused some mid level pain in my chest. I managed it fine and then came home to sit in the recliner under a blanket and watch as the fire warmed the room.
After breakfast of oatmeal, flax seed, rye toast and stripples I headed out to Lodi to do a construction inspection. The foreman is such a nice person and makes the inspection enjoyable. Then I left and drove to Rio Vista where I had a quick bite for lunch and then drove to Brentwood to see a bank owned home. It was a beauty and had a black bottom pool with waterfalls. Then it was home to the office for a few minutes and then back to a newly completed 1.7 million dollar home here in Discovery Bay. It is a masterpiece and has nice touches like a pizza oven on the back deck as a part of the exterior kitchen, a firepit filled with shattered heat treated glass, 7 flat screens, several fireplaces, a master bath with 8 shower heads, incredible attention to detail in the trim, kitchen appointments, fixtures, high ceilings, crown moldings, just an amazing home. Its great fun to inspect such a house. Then it was time for me to come home to my humble abode, be greeted by the dogs, begin doing laundry and start working through a 5 inch pile of paper and files on my desk. I'm about to head to bed and the pile is about half as deep now.
I've called for another doctor visit tomorrow as I'm not well, still coughing and in general not feeling well. In the morning I inspect a local farm, then back to the office for some work, then to Tracy for Dr. appointment with Dr. Makker and then a quick trip to San Jose to see a property there. My friends urge me to just stay in and rest up. I'd love to do just that but right now I'm blessed with the biggest work load I've had all year and I simply cannot let this opportunity pass by and let all these people who are trusting me down. So I try to do a blending of rest and work, sip water and work.
So my family and friends as we draw close to the end of this year and move into 2009 we face intense challenges and great opportunities. What does the Lord really have in mind for each of us for this coming year? What do we need to learn, to experience, how can we better help those who are hurting, hungry, deprived?
God will lead us if we will follow and trust. He is a parent God who wants us to do our best and then better and better. None of us are too old to learn something new, to experience new relationships, even the challenge of having new pastor who happens to be a woman presents us with marvelous opportunities for growth.

So I send my love to each of you, family and friend alike. You are the greatest! I am the luckiest!

love

tim