Meow meow

Dear Family and Friends,

Finally a reason to smile today. As I came in this evening I heard a loud meow, I had heard that same meow last night but decided that it was a strange cat who had slipped into the house and thought nothing more of it. Well tonight I decided to investigate, where could the loud meow be coming from? Not the bathroom or the office, what about the dryer? Why yes there is a kitty in the dryer, a black and white one and look how he is blinking in the bright light, see him stagger as he walks............. yes somehow Moomoo had found the door to the dryer open with a load of linen inside and climbed in. I don't think he had to experience a cycle or the heat would have killed him but he was sure glad to be out.

Mostly the day has been one gloomy moment to the next. Without Ken to walk with this morning I just showered and did final prep for the meeting in Stockton this morning. That meeting was less than exciting but it was determined that I really need to attend yet another meeting tomorrow morning at 9 am with a group of people who are the major players in the purchase program, spending 12 million of your tax dollars to purchase foreclosed homes that no one wants. So tomorrow I must be prepared with materials for up to 15 people and answer some key questions regarding the appraisal process. Then I'll scoot to San Jose which is about 2 hours away for an appraisal, then to Oakland and then back home.

After the meeting this morning I was prepared for a nice whole wheat pasta lunch at the Old Spaghetti Factory. But when I arrived I found the place dark. A small sign on the door informs all potential lunch seeking patrons that they do not serve lunch during the week anymore, only nights and weekends now. Yet another sign of the times. So I found that Marie Calenders does serve lunches and their potato soup was great and the salad tolerable. Then home to do value checks which did not work out, then to Brentwood to do an appraisal for a cute little house, then back to Discovery Bay to photograph a townhome and then Lois and I went back to Brentwood to do a fun thing, watch Keanna have her swimming lesson. That was a kick. It was a pleasure to observe Keanna be able to use both her arms again, no pins, most of the stiffness gone and swimming her little heart out.

While yesterday was a warm one with a functioning furnace today was different. The furnace blew lots of air, all cold so back to the little space heaters again. Thanks George and Yvonne for that CostCo heater you brought last winter, it is doing daily duty now and the dogs and I thank you for the warmth! Loree came to work in the lower office again today and when told the furnace was not working she said, no problem, she had worn double layers of clothes. What a great attitude!

Little Tracy had made the news. The boy who escaped from being chained up and walked into the health club came from a home right in Tennis Village, a very nice neighborhood. What a sad story that people can be so inhuman to one another.

This week I'm dealing with more flashbacks it seems, I find myself remembering little moments from a year ago and our working through the final days of Nan's life. I am also remembering happier times from different phases of our life together, graduate school, camping trips, cross country trips, Hawaii, shopping, when the kids were little, when we were learning the appraisal business with Howard and Dolly, so many little moments keep popping up. Could it be just the mind working to prepare us for the 4th?

This has not been an easy week so far but then what do I expect, easy street all the time, life has dips and peaks and there are no options, one must plow through.

This evening I'm thankful for thousands of blessings, most of which I can't recall at the moment but I know I'm surrounded with these blessings, thank you Lord.

love to all,

Tim