working 6:30 am to 10 pm

Dear Family and Friends,

Well this has been a get down and work day. Ken called this morning at 6:20 to inform me that due to falling rain our walk was cancelled. He told me to go back to bed. Instead of reclaiming the warm covers the dogs and I headed down to the desk and started writing appraisals. By noon 2 were already done and emailed out, by 4 2 more were completed. I'm now working on #5. I've not been this focused for the past year and of course with few phone calls to interrupt I was able to just immerse myself in the work. Frankly at this point it feels really good to make this kind of progress. During the day I've been hampered by bouts of coughing, chest pains and an Internet that quit for 30 minutes this afternoon.

this evening Nikki tempted me out to watch Keanna at tumbling and then we had dinner at La Villa. Now I'm back cranking again.

I am so thankful to find appraisal orders coming in, some with cod payment ordered as well.

On my favorite subject, Nan, I am discovering that as time passes the process changes somewhat, the process of remembering. I've recently signed up for the Christian singles Internet connection, wow has the box been full and as people have been writing in I can sort of learn a bit about them. They are all lovely people I'm sure but I sure don't see any Nan's in the mix. Perhaps it is like this for every person who has lost a precious long time spouse. You've become so used to and dedicated to that other person that anyone else seems to pale in comparison. I know I'm not supposed to compare, I'm supposed to just keep an open mind and let God lead and I'm fine with that, just saying when you live with a person like Nan who is so outstanding on so many levels including courage, appeal, genuine, loyal, fun it just make it very hard for anyone else to catch ones attention.

I'm remembering different things about Nan, about our travels, about her energy level and excitement for seeing new things, buying new things, creating a special moment no matter where we were, in the cabin along the inland passage in Alaska, trying to find a comfortable place in a terrible bed in Sydney Australia, making a shower work in London, eating bread in the middle of the night, wide awake due to jet lag laughing and trying to find a channel on TV in English, traveling across the country on a train with the two little ones in tow by herself. Driving a new car all the way to the middle of no where to a summer camp where Jason was working, never stopping to rest and then driving another car all the way back, by herself. Wow this family was blessed to have this lady, I was lucky to have her beside me no matter what.

So on hard days when little hope can be found we still have our rich memories to buoy us along.

Love to all

tim