Precious Memories how they linger.......

Jason and Jo head to Tahiti

Lady and Starr, my constant companions

Jason and Nan share a happy moment

Sister in law Sharon and Nan by the Golden Gate Bridge

Long time friend Nate with Keanna

Nikki and Keanna share a tender moment

Mother and daughter mug show off their smiles

Keanna and Pappa

Grammy and a young Keanna

Carol Peden, Nan and Carrol Sorenson pause from visiting

A smiling Nan in her famous recliner

Daddy Steve fixes Keanna's hair while Grammy observes

Keanna, Jan, Nan under Nikki's watchful eye

Nan reads a book to Keanna and Nikki while in a hospital somewhere

Aunt Sharon, Keanna and Nikki with rest Nan nearby

Grammy reads to her girls

Keanna visits with Grammy on December 2

Barb and Gerry visit with Nan on December 2

Sharon and Keanna have special moment

Bob and Carrol Sorenson visit with Nan on Dec. 2

Jason spends quality time with his Grammy on December 2.

Lunch with the ladies

What fun, to have the excitement and energy of Keanna on board. Pictured above is Keanna and her American Girl as we are preparing to leave for church. They are both wearing dresses from the same material, how Keanna loves her special doll from Santa.

We dined on Belgium Waffles this morning and read some stories, then we drove to Tracy where Keanna went to meet with Wes, Sylvia and Rod for their class and I went to a new class the pastor is offering in finance. What I heard today really sounded helpful so I plan to attend again..

Nikki and Kallie met us for lunch at Olive Garden where the salad, bread sticks and eggplant never tasted better.

After a nap I rose to hear strange construction noises at the rear of the house. Ray was creating new steps and installing a plank so Lois and he could take their lake boat for a cruise in the beautiful afternoon sunshine. As I left for an evening of fun they were just pulling out onto the lake smiling as they cruised. It was so good to see Lois able to enjoy the boat and so kind of Ray to create a safe way for her to board and disembark when they returned.

As much as I had hoped for good news in the mail today all that came was a bill for something I had done a year ago. The last time they sent a bill was August and so not getting a bill I thought everything was paid and done. Now a new bill of over $400 hits at a terrible time. I do believe for the first time in my adult life I will miss making a house payment on time this time. It will have to be about a day late since I think funds will arrive by then from the two big lenders I work for.

I hope your weekend is going well, that you are finding good weather although I know parts of the country are buried under some pretty awful stuff. Even my brother who lives in Weed, CA had 8 inches of snow when I talked with him on Friday and in Mt Shasta City they had over three feet of snow. Wow, that is heavy.

Good night,

Love

tim

Keanna sleeps

Dear Family and Friends,
Finally it is Friday evening, the fire has turned to embers, Keanna has finally given up and is sleeping (I hope). We had a nice evening and ended it with reading some stories from her Sabbath School paper and a story about the little mermaid, nice mix.
My day started early and without much time wasted I was in Stockton inspecting a house through the fog. Then I drove right back to write the report and get it emailed out. Then I moved onto the next appraisal due today for a property located in Fairfield. By the time that one was sent the day was about over. The mail has been very disappointing this week and I started the day with 41 cents in the business account. Two major clients who have always been prompt with payments are both a month behind and it is causing major distress. Without their funds there will be no house payment and it is weighing on my mind a bit. I know the Lord is fully aware of my needs and it is always interesting to see his working.

The week has been one of crushing disappointments as well as some successes. To lose Irene was just unthinkable and it is oh so hard to accept. Someone had better have some real good reasons but we'll have to wait for eternity for those answers. Right now we can just remember Ron and Eric as they walk as if in a trance through funeral arrangements and all the vital steps that must be taken. Their grief is all consuming at this point and they just need our positive thoughts and expressions of caring and love. They have asked if friends could send photos to them and I'll go through what photos I have in my GIST file in the computer after I complete the blog.

Life has so few bright spots any more and so many dull or even awful ones. Nan and I used to look forward to cruises or even flights to see friends or family, quick trips down to see Jason or chances to have dinner with Nikki and Steve. Now there is no Nan, no cruises, no flights and I'm so thankful for trips to see Jo and Jason and little guy Timothy and to get a chance to have Keanna her or even just to see Nikki, Kallie and Steve tonight for a minute. Otherwise it would be really totally bleak.

I love my work and I love the fact that I am doing better and better work creating appraisals but its a real fight for each order and they are coming through less and less this week. I am relieved it is Sabbath so for a few hours some of this can be put on the back burner and I can seek peace in Worship and with friends.

I am very relieved that Lois was able to come home today and in general is feeling better. We are very fortunate that so far tests have not revealed heart problems after all but oh the good care she received at Kaiser, she even liked the food in the hospital! Ray is tending to her this evening and doing a great job. Their loving relationship is really special and has endured the tests of time.

So I bid each of you a pleasant good night.

love

tim

Lois rests in the hospital tonight

Dear Family and Friends,
Ken and I walked through the cold fog at 6:15 today braving the elements for some pure reason, not sure what it is but perhaps just life itself!
I worked in this morning and mid morning Lois came to visit and went to McDonalds for breakfast. When she came home she brought me a hot chocolate and then said she was heading home to go to bed. A short time later she called to ask for help, she did not feel right and was concerned about her heart. So I went over and we took her blood pressure, it was high at 161 /111. In a few minutes a young lady showed up who is a family friend and a nurse. We got an aspirin down but Lois still was feeling pretty rough. To be sure a call went out to 911 and they responded so fast and so professionally. Later she went by ambulance to the local Kaiser hospital in Antioch and is spending the night. Of course she went through a battery of tests and so far I think most things look pretty normal. Ray drove back from San Jose where he works several days a week and was with her at the hospital when I dropped by this evening to visit. She was resting well and very hungry. All good signs.
Nikki and the girls invited me to join them at our little Mexican place out in Bethel Island for dinner. It was wonderful to see them with their wall to wall smiles, happy talk and obvious love for their Pappa.
Now I'm home and very ready to head to bed. So good night my friends and lets remember Lois tonight, that God will help her have a nice night of rest and help her with her battle with smoking. She so wants to quit but it is so tough.
Love

tim

An intense day

Dear Family and Friends,
Ken and I walked at 6 am this morning which at this point seems a very long time ago. Then I drove out the driveway without breakfast as I wanted to get to Emeryville as soon as possible. Traffic was decent and the morning was filled with brilliant sunshine, that is until I reached Walnut Creek where the fog descended and changed the day. Emeryville was unusually challenging since most dwellings in the area surround my 100 year old little house were lofts and condos constructed in old industrial buildings in the last few years, certainly not comps for the subject property.
Once completed with Emeryville I headed up Highway 80 to Vallejo to do a reinspection. No one knew the code to the lockbox and things looked bleak, that is until I tried the rear slider and amazingly it was open so the inspection of the new carpet and the newly installed dishwasher went fine.
Time was passing so I made a beeline to Fairfield where I did a full inspection of a nice nearly new house that someone is purchasing. I could tell by the time I would not make it back to meet Keanna at 12:45 after school so Steve was nice enough to pick her up for me. That took some pressure off.
Once I got home there were many emails all wanting something soon. There were also new orders which I accepted and downloaded. I quickly went to work creating the Emeryville appraisal and before the end of the afternoon emailed it to the client.
This evening I've gone to the club and did an exhausting workout, then a quick trip to FoodMax for some items. Now I'm home and once I complete this blog I'll do a couple more work related things and then go to sleep. 6:15 comes early for the walk.
Irene has been on my mind many times today and I appreciate the kind messages many of you have sent regarding her passing. She was a very unique person who was dedicated to helping people and sharing her love of Jesus. I sort of felt a bit of the loss that set in when Nan passed. It is all so meaningless and a waste of outstanding people.

So I bid you each a gentle goodnight.

love

tim

Sad news regarding Irene

After I completed the blog this evening I read my yahoo messages only to discover the following message from Irene's family.

Irene passed away quietly this morning at about 11am. We will announce funeral arrangements within the next few days.Thank you all for being a part of Irene's life.

Eric and Ron

The world has lost a spiritual giant and a dedicated caring daughter of Christ. I will miss her very much.

Full speed ahead

Good evening
As I wind up this eventful day it feels good to let the stress melt away. My day really got going with the inspection of a lovely 3500 sf home. It was located on the top of a hill and the views were pretty amazing. The family is on their way to Dallas due to an advancement with a large company. So now they are torn between selling here and finding suitable housing there. He told me that there are hundreds of homes to look at there.
The visit will be remembered mostly for the constant rain that fell as I was measuring. Can you imagine driving up and parking in front of a huge complicated home and knowing the second you opened the door you would be awash in rain drops. For a moment you just feel like driving home and coming back later when the rain has stopped. I've never found that solution possible. So I measured and protected my clipboard so the paper would not turn to mush and the ink run. My shoes are so old that they leak instantly so I felt my socs getting wet as I worked.
Soon I was indoors and enjoying the warmth the interior provided. The home was lovely, had 5 bedrooms and was up to date. So before long I was through and back to the car where I ran the heater to dry my shoes. I found a nice secluded spot to park so I could select comps and it looked out onto rolling hills which are green and lush this time of the year. An old time radio show was on XM and soon I was shooting comp photos and then it was done. My car swerved into the drive thru window at Starbucks and today I tried a low fat, decaf mocha. It tasted great and lasted over an hour.
By the time that hour was up I was back at my desk working, ducking phone calls and trying to settle down to get a Tracy report completed. The big problem was, this one had to be emailed through their web site using the AI format. Even though I knew my software was AI compliant I had no idea of how to create an AI document to send. By the time I was ready to submit it my software support people in the South had gone home for the day. I prayed a silent prayer and began to wade through the files that Sylvia so recently has cleaned up. Wow, what a new experience as everything makes perfect sense. I was able to locate some papers about AI with a phone number so I called. The nice lady had the answers and before long the report was burned into the AI format, submitted and I was or will be $300 richer at some point in the future. Of course the fee should have been $525 for what I did but we live in a new world. A world with thieves extorting money at every hand.
Once that process was over I was out of time to get to Emeryville for a driveby that is due tomorrow. So after Ken and I walk at 6 am in the morning I'll leave for Emeryville, catch Fairfield and then try to get back to pick up Keanna at 12:45. If I see I'm not going to make it then kind Steve will pick her up but I'm going to try to make it.
At the moment I'm about as busy as I can be but much of what I end up doing does not have a pay day connected. A whole lot of people want free advice and free information. I'm not too good at saying NO.
So for now I'm saying goodnight to each of you and please keep Irene and her family in your prayers. Her condition is very serious.
Love to all,

tim

The pleasure of work

Dear Family and Friends,
This morning we got rained out. But not to totally lose the exercise experience I dusted off the NordicTrack treadmill, climbed on and enjoyed some really good heavy breathing. While it is not as fun as walking with Ken in the morning air.
After an excellent breakfast with Steve I came back home and set to work. Before long the work began to fly out the door well actually over the Internet. As the work flowed I enjoyed the day more and more. And a quick visit to the post office for a registered letter turned out good instead of the usual letter from the IRS or some government agency demanding funds. It was a check for an appraisal I just about have completed.
This afternoon I ventured out into the horrible weather to mail two appraisals out at the post office and make a deposit. Then it was a short trip to Brentwood to shoot comps. Now I'm home with a fire burning as I enjoy O'Reilly on Fox. Funny guy. While I sitting on the couch the phone rang and it was someone from the loan company that holds the second on my little house. It turned out well and there is a good chance that they will cut my monthly payment in half for 2 years as a way of helping me stay in the house. Now that is help I can really use.
So as I sign off this evening I must say I've had a blast today, I love to work and to accomplish things. Accomplishments work to boost morale.
Love to all,

Tim

Mellow Sunday

Hello again,
I'm back and do I have a story for you? Well actually I don't. You see Ken coaxed me out of bed for a 7 am walk. The morning sky was beautiful but the air was cold. Getting back to the house seemed very nice and the furnace was on, the air was warm.
I had friend eggs with mushrooms, whole wheat English muffins and orange juice. Then after a shower in some very nice steamy water I set to work. Stripped the bed and during the day have washed the mattress cover, the sheets, the blanket and pillow case. It was really time. Tonight I'll put the mattress warmer on, I'm tired of cold sheets when I climb in. Besides it bothers Starr who is getting older.
So while the washing machine churned and the dryer chirped I worked. In the background beautiful music filled the room and before long I was fast asleep in my workchair. I would try to wake only to fall back asleep again. Finally I woke due to being cold. The house had cooled back to 62 and the little heater I had under my desk was proving to be worthless. So I brought a little heater down from upstairs that was not being used at all and exchanged them. Funny that both are working on 750 watts but this one is quiet and really puts out genuine heat. Then son Steve loaned me a heater that he has been using in his garage office which heats oil and is supposed to be great heat so now I'm set. No more cold days in the office!
This evening at 4:40 I left to travel to the club. Along the way I stopped for my little girl fix and they were both in great shape, smiling and playing and definitely feeling better. I had to stop to give Keanna her check for my buy of girl scout cookies. Keanna with her parents help and your help has sold 100 boxes of cookies. Isn't that great? She is so pleased and excited having never done anything like this before. I just love walking in to the kids house. The little ones are playing, Nikki is always busy with dinner, a project, cleaning, doing laundry or a combination of all at the same time, Steve is building cabinets, rebuilding the bathroom, doing landscaping or some other project. No one sits still, they are all busy making things happen. Its exciting.
At the club I set to work doing my routines with an eye on the clock. I've learned they close at 6 so I hurried through the sets. It all went well but this evening I've ended up with a pretty nasty lower back ache, I think from sleeping in my chair so long this morning. Oh well, pain reminds me I'm still alive.
So now we are all facing a new week, may God grant us a productive one and please remember Irene's entire family in prayer.

Love

tim

An interesting Sabbath

Dear Family and Friends,

10:30 ready to call it a day. As I mentioned Keanna came for a sleep over last night. She settled in but woke with a terrible cough at 5 this morning. She dozed a bit but had a rough morning. We met up with Nikki in Tracy where she transferred to her mom's car. Nikki told me later that after getting home she took a nice long bath and then went directly to bed for a nap. Later in the afternoon she felt better, had lunch and was able to attend the last of her friend's Birthday party.

At about the same time I went to the gravesite for Nan and was spending some quiet moments there. As I was leaving Nikki was just pulling in so we all sang Happy Birthday to mom and paused for a moment. The torrential rains had stopped and for a brief moment it was sunny and decent, much like the day of her graveside service when the could broke and sun shone through.

I spent this evening with a friend who fed me a wonderful potato soup.

I am so glad Keanna is better. I never feel as helpless as when one of the little ones is ill.

Today Nan would have been 58 years old. Had she lived all of our lives would have been richer but unless a cure had been found the additional years would have been more pain, suffering and misery for her. So on balance I treasure the years we had with her, she made her world a much better place, she lived for the adventure, for her kidos and their kidos and she took excellent care of me, I now know that since for the last 2 years I've had to care for myself and that has not been so good. Standing at her resting place today and realizing once again that she is resting there, waiting for the Lord, I just begin to comprehend how blessed we are were while she lived. I thank God for the gift of Nan which I discovered in Pinecrest Camp and experienced every day for the next 36 years. You gave us your all and we treasure our memories of you.

Love

tim

ps photo is from Jason's Facebook page of he and Timothy walking on the beach!

At last peace and quiet in my house

Talk about exciting. When Kallie and Keanna come to visit it gets interesting. Since my house is a novelty for them they seem to have a blast. Although both are coughing a bit they are doing pretty well. Kallie didn't eat much of her meal, had some strawberries, some milk, some crackers but mainly just wanted to play. Keanna watched a couple episodes of Clifford the big Red Dog from the DVR. Of course she now knows how to turn it on, find the recorded shows, select which one she wants and start it playing. She also can find her special children's program on the laptop where she can play games. Already she is correcting me when I try to do stuff for her.

Now she is settled in after we read a couple chapters in her current book of enjoyment, we have a pie plate between the two pillows so she can have her glass of water sitting there in case she coughs. She is settled in for the night.

Nikki came about 8 and picked up Kallie so she could sleep in her own bed and then went back to her scrapbooking party she attends several times a year. What she produces there is amazing so it is worth it all. This week Steve and a friend have been redoing their bathroom so there has been no shortage of excitement. That and Kallie has been ill a couple days as well.

I'm relieved that it is Friday and that the Sabbath hours have begun. What an intense week I've had with plenty of work, hundreds of miles driven safely and in spite of some pretty intense weather everything is good.

Ken and I have only had one day to walk this week but I've been to the club every other day which is really paying off. For any of you who are considering joining a club with machines to exercise with I'd say go for it. I feel so much better now, stronger, more capable and more in charge. Sure it is hard to force yourself to go but it beats not going and you meet really interesting people and see even more interesting ones. Both guys and girls are sometimes sort of sleepers. They walk in looking like whimps and then they dress down and grab the weights, oh wow can they lift! You get new respect in a hurry.

I am so thankful for work, health, safety, friends, family, shelter, food, Starbucks! Just kidding.

I would ask that you join me in special prayer for Irene. An email came in yesterday that reported that she's had to be in the hospital again. Irene continues to bravely battle the effects of the tumors in her body, this time it was for dehydration, another for fluid retention. What a struggle she is engaged in.

Irene was a powerful prayer warrior for Nan for a very long time. She is a totally unique person who has touched the lives of thousands of people with her life and witness. If one were to search for an example of how Jesus would treat people just look to Irene. I personally feel very frustrated and limited in knowing how to help. Her condition makes me angry, angry at a world where such things happen to such precious wonderful people. No its not any person's fault, its the disease. GIST has to be researched until its mysteries are unlocked and it can be dealt with.

Let's just remember to keep her in our prayers this weekend in a special way.

It is an honor to have Keanna come for a sleep over. Tomorrow morning we'll enjoy Sabbath School and hope our favorite teacher, Sylvia, is feeling better and can teach the class. Both she and Joyce have experienced a bit of the flu this week and both are much better now. Its no fun to be ill even if just for a couple days.

So I send my love and appreciation to each and every one of you tonight. My Christmas letter is almost in the mail, well at least I'm getting closer to writing it!

Love

tim

ps Photos are from Tuesday Girls Scout meeting where they were awarded petals. Thanks for the orders for Girl Scout Cookies. Keanna is thrilled that someone would want to buy them. And of course you and I know just how good they are and how much we NEED them in our diets.

And then rained some more........

8:30 and I'm home at last. It all started this morning at 6:15 when the weather permitted Ken and I to trudge around the lake, our 3 mile tour. Then it was get ready to go and a quick trip to Brentwood to measure a two story home. The rain was mild during the inspection for which I was very grateful, rain can quickly cause the paper on the clipboard to become soggy and unreadable. Then with an eye on travel time and a desire to be on time for appointments I set the GPS for an address in Tracy and sloshed through the rain and wind for an on time arrival. I've got the GPS set now so once I start on a trip it tells me when I will arrive.
When I pulled up there was no one there to meet me so in spite of some pretty heavy rain I went ahead and climbed out, coated up and measured the house. How nice that they had sidewalks poured all the way around the house which means no wading through mud! Just then the agent arrived and let me in so I could do the inside. After shooting comps I found a Taco Bell for lunch, best ever! Then back to the office to see if an email had arrived about the next appointment, one in Sacramento. Sure enough I had the go ahead. This time the rain was really coming down. The levee road had pools of water that made the car slip around a lot. Once I caught Highway 5 it got really interesting. When huge trucks were around the visibility came down to nearly zero. You just kept the wheel straight and forged forward. This time I was 16 minutes late and quickly inspected the beautiful little house which was filled with fascinated children, how different it is when I ask children to step out of the picture, children are always asked to be in the picture. While I was in the house my camera reminded me that I had left the chip at home and that the internal memory was full, what to do, darkness was approaching, stores were nearby. The owners said not to worry, they pulled the chip from their camera, it fit and the day was saved. Now I'll take the photos off and send their chip back!
Finally it was time to head home and once again the rain was intense but this time I relaxed and just kept it in the slow lane, no rush.
Once in Stockton I decided to stop at the Old Spaghetti Factory for dinner. Since tomorrow is Nan's birthday and she loved to visit the Spaghetti Factory I spent a quiet dinner with a senior portion of whole wheat pasta. So good.
Once I was back in the car I decided that I would just drive directly to the club to work out. I had brought clothes and shoes in a bag. The amazing thing is, when you work out every other day every exercise is easier and you feel more strength as you work out. For fun I reversed the routine working backwards. Now I'm home and delighted to be here safe, dry and in good health. I am feeling so well these days, the weight is down a bit but my strength level is way up there. Tomorrow night I get at least Keanna for a sleep over and perhaps even Kallie. That will be great!
I want to thank my friends and family who I had a chance to talk to today while driving. You propel me forward with your support and conversations. So much so that on the way home tonight my call with Art was cut short, the phone's battery was dead. Now that is a first for a day.
Tomorrow I'm off to San Pablo, a follow up inspection in Vallejo and then comps in Oakland followed by a divorce appraisal here in Discovery Bay in the afternoon. Yes I am looking forward to the Sabbath and its change of pace, rest for the soul and body.

Love to all

Tim

No time to waste these days

Dear Family and Friends,
Wow has it gotten busy. I think the kind Lord has hooked me up with just about everyone I used to work with and orders are flowing in. It is very exciting right now.

No walking this morning due to terrible wind and rain. The rain fell in sheets and it was fun having Keanna explain what it was like with the storm hitting her school. She said it was worse there than at my house and it hit the school with loud sounds. I picked her up at 12:45 and then helped Steve a bit by taking her home and caring for Kallie too. She was sick today so could not go to the sitters. Steve is doing a remodeling job on a part of their house which Keanna finds amazing, I love to hear her explain things and with Keanna there is no calm explaining, no, it is with hand gestures and big words, changes of tone in her voice, she is an actor I tell you.

So I've managed to pretty much stay out of the rain today but it has been pretty heavy. We must have gotten several inches, the ground is soggy everywhere. This evening I have a fire burning and I've been lining up work for tomorrow, tomorrow I will not escape the rain as I have to see a couple houses that need to be measured. Oh well, its only a short time and then back in the warm car.

I'm about to leave the work chair and head to the recliner for a bit of after glow and TV.

So take care and keep watching for the Christmas letter I'm about to write, any day now!

love

tim

Winter closes in on Northern California

Good evening
I'm just in from the club and the workout went really well. When I can get there every other day things work better, I make more progress and in my case progress is good. I can tell a big difference in my ability to move, to lift, to push or pull, basically I'm regaining some long lost strength. Frankly its rewarding to feel the progress.
Today started without a walk since the wind was whipping around and the rain was falling pretty hard this morning. I had the chance to have breakfast with Steve and that was great. I am so proud of my son in law, he is just an amazing guy who can do just about anything he sets his heart on doing.
After breakfast I left for Stockton using the levee road. My little car was buffeted with winds and rain. Yet I arrived just 5 minutes late to a nicely updated house in a quiet neighborhood. The rains had nearly stopped and I measured quickly. The agent had the house open and was very sweet to work with. After completing the inspection and comp selection I drove to another neighborhood. The order for the second property had just come in this morning from New Jersey and it only needed a driveby so in spite of the rain it went fine.
I worked in for the first part of the afternoon and then Keanna had a special awards program for Girl Scouts where they were awarded petals for their sash. It was cute and Keanna enjoyed it a lot.
Then after a quick snack at McDonalds we came home to do her homework. Soon her mother arrived to pick her up and then the house resumed its tomb like stance. I worked for awhile and once 5 pm came I just had to see the results of the race for the senate in Mass. Having lived in Boston for a couple months it holds special interest for me. Of course I was thrilled to see Scot Brown win the election and I was reminded that there are special emotions that go with winning and losing. Tonight was the winning ones for me and losing ones for others. Its just the way the democracy we all love works. I sincerely hope that the ill advised health care bill can be stopped cold and that something more moderate and with fewer taxes can be arrived at. We will see.

So now I'm heading to bed, tired, sore and contented. Orders are coming out of the walls right now for which I am very thankful.

Love to all,

Tim

PS A message from Nikki for Keanna. I can so well remember Nikki and Jason selling things for school projects just a few years ago!

Dad, can you mention this on your blog?
Thanks,
Nikki
Keanna is pre-selling Girl Scout cookies if anyone is interested in purchasing them. There are 8 varieties, including:

Thin Mints: The most enduring and universally familiar Girl Scout cookie. These round, mint-flavored cookies covered with dark chocolate perennially sell the most boxes of any cookie. Thin Mints have never changed their name. Little Brownie Bakers and ABC Bakers both make Thin Mints.
Samoas® or Caramel deLites®: These are round doughnut-shaped cookies about two inches in diameter with a hole in the center, covered in caramel and toasted coconut, and then striped with chocolate. Samoas® are made by Little Brownie Bakers. The ABC version is called Caramel deLites®.
Tagalongs® or Peanut Butter Patties®: These are round cookies with a layer of peanut butter on top, and covered in chocolate. These cookies come in a red box. Little Brownie Bakers calls them Tagalongs®, ABC Bakers call them Peanut Butter Patties®.
Do-Si-Dos® or Peanut Butter Sandwich: A sandwich cookie. The round, bumpy perforated oatmeal cookie top and bottom surrounds a peanut butter-flavored layer inside. Do-Si-Dos® (formerly Gauchos) are baked by Little Brownie Bakers. ABC Bakers calls them Peanut Butter Sandwiches.
Trefoils or Shortbread: These shortbread cookies are shaped like the Girl Scout Trefoil design. Scot Teas were a similar, lighter sugar cookie made by the now defunct Burry. These cookies come in a blue box. Little Brownie Bakers calls them Trefoils, ABC Bakers call them Shortbread.


Lemon Chalet Cremes™: Featuring a design of Our Chalet in Switzerland, a beloved Girl Scout World Center, this sandwich cookie has a touch of cinnamon-ginger spice that evokes the warmth of a fireside chat on a snowy evening. They are made by Little Brownie Bakers.
Thank U Berry Munch™: New for 2010. Real premium cranberries provide a delightful tartness in these hearty cookies sweetened with creamy, white fudge chips. They come in a cranberry colored box and are made by Little Brownie Bakers.
Dulce de Leche: Inspired by the classic confections of Latin America, these sweet, bite-size cookies are rich with milk caramel chips. They come in a turquoise box and are made by Little Brownie Bakers.
The cookies are $4 per box with a small amount of each purchase going directly to her Girl Scout troop. They will be delivered mid-February. Please email me if you are interested in placing an order with Keanna.

Thanks,Nikki
You can email timmustard@yahoo.com for your yummy cookies.

Our weather turns wet

Dear Family and Friends,
How can I begin to share the multitude of feelings I have this evening? There is a perverse part of me that really gets off on a wintry day, wind whipping the white caps on Willow Lake, trees already bare from winter are pushed and pulled by the gusts dropping weakened branches everywhere, weeds long dormant suddenly sprout into life turning the yard a new shade of green. So this morning when Ken and I did NOT walk due to the weather I settled into the recliner with a fire roaring which was consuming the last piece of wood, pulled a gray blanket over Starr and me and napped. It was much later before I finally roused myself to begin work. I was sort of celebrating the winter day!

I set to work doing research for various properties that needed to be seen and meanwhile outside the rain poured. By the time I had finished doing the research and headed for the door the weather had turned. I treated myself to Red Robin today and oh was it good. Then it was onto Oakley to see a little house whose carpet was awful, will a good cleaning save it? Who knows, it is really bad. Then onto a house in Pittsburg where I discovered a brother and sister still grieving their mother who they lost less than a month ago. For estate purposes they were having the appraisal but I was able to spend a few extra minutes listening as she shared what a good mother she had lost. Then it was off to Starbucks for a decaf mocha, gotta break this habit!

My next stop was in front of a two story home located in Antioch. Reported to be going into foreclosure my inspection was just from the street and it looked fine. After I found the comps I headed home. All the while the wind was buffeting my little car but the heater warded off the cold and with XM on I listed to old time radio stories, quite rewarding really.

Now it is evening and tonight I will go to bed early, no more nocturnal wanderings about the house searching for some sort of meaning, usually I find it in the toaster!

I'm touched by Haiti, in my dreams I'm there helping people long hours a day, saving people, helping them, I think it would be nice to be able to help someone someplace at least. Is that out there in the future?

I bid you a goodnight my friends and family, because of you all I feel blessed and rich.

love

tim

A good day

Hi
I'm writing quickly as I'm wanting to make sure I get to see 24. Looks pretty exciting and I've been working all day to that end. I've done my wash, shopping at Safeway, been to the gym to do my thing, walked the three miles with Ken, had a great lunch with a garden burger, rice, sliced tomatoes and orange juice. Tasted great.

I keep expecting the rain to hit. My brother Jerry says he's had it all day in Weed but we've had very little so far.

Do you feel as excited about the upcoming week as I do? I hope so. In spite of the rain which is not easy for an appraiser to cope with this will be good somehow.

Take care,

love to all

Tim

Real preaching

Dear Family and Friends,
I always love to talk to Dana, seems I am very near to Nan during the call. Dana is a very special person and has always reached out to keep me close to the family. She called this afternoon and it was great to catch up with her adventures in baby sitting, her work cooking for a public school caf and her escapes to her gambling spot where she always wins. The most impressive thing to me is her heart, I really appreciate people who know how to genuinely love people and Dana is open, accepting and has a heart for her kidos, her kids and her family which just happens to be half of Texas I think. One can learn a lot from observing people and Dana has a heart of gold.

Ken and I walked this morning in the fog and cold and then I went to church. Arriving late I peeked through the door and observed Sylvia at work guiding the children in their Sabbath School learning. Then I slipped into an adult class catching the last part of the lesson. Loren does such a solid job of teaching!

Without the girls there I was free to attend the worship hour and it was a feast. I sat up near the front with Lloyd and Bernice White, good friends for the last 35 years. I enjoyed singing against her strong alto voice and Lloyd's beautiful bass voice. There was a baptism of two teen girls and the pastor did an outstanding job of that part of the service. I couldn't help but remember back over dozens of baptisms I had done over the 10 years I was the pastor. The 3 am trips to the church to start the hot water, to coax the heater into action, the times we did services in 55 degree temperatures, oh the times!

Sylvia led out as worship leader and once again demonstrated how capable she is at leadership. Her glowing heart of love for everyone just slips through her prayers, her comments and her leadership.

The pastor once again demonstrated why she never wastes your time when she speaks. She has a casual style that sneaks up and grabs you, with her selection of words, her stories, her use of up to date devices, PowerPoint etc. Her description of Jesus as our point man today was powerful and compelling. This lady brings you into the message and before you know it time has passed, images have been transferred and your heart has been touched. All I can say as one who has preached hundreds of sermons is Wow. She knows her stuff. I would urge you, if you've not heard or experienced the ministry of Jessica come visit Tracy SDA.

After the worship hour I had opportunity to spend a few minutes with Connie and Art and then Art and I had lunch. How good it was to see my friend and to learn that he is feeling better after his illness of the past week. What a great human being this guy is. Perfect, no way, not even close! But a great human being, another person who has this amazing heart of love for people, for family, for Connie. I feel so blessed to be in the presence of such a host of caring individuals.

This afternoon I got to talk with Joyce for a minute or two. She is on her mission of mercy visiting her kidos in San Diego. Unfortunately she came down with the flu that they all had last week. She was so ill that she could not fly home this evening but is going to extend her visit until she feels better. Yes she could have flown back but she didn't want to expose the people on the plane to her flu, there it is again, that heart of love for people. Is there a lesson to be learned about caring for people, about putting others first? Oh that more people knew these lessons in this old world we live in.

This afternoon I pulled out the blanket, stole two pieces of wood from Lois and Ray (don't report me, I confess) and turned on the great programing from Loma Linda on the satellite dish, watched their even song program and then this evening caught up on Bones and Mentalist, favorites of mine. For dinner I had one of those new very thin buns, very low in carbs with a Salisbury Steak on top and soup. Nice meal.

So now its off to bed after a very rewarding day filled with friends and special calls from Jason and Nikki as well. How I get to be so loved I don't know but I'm not fighting it, I'm loving it and it helps me deal with my poor appreciation of being alone. For those of you who are sometimes tempted, even dream of just being alone, well temper your dreams, its not all that great, its just empty.

Good night to one and all,

love

tim

What a week!

Whew, the week has finally wound down to the softer hours of the Sabbath.

Today was another busy day, filled with productive motions. A 9 am meeting this morning in Livermore that could yield future orders, then back to put some final touches on a local appraisal, then off to Oakland to see two properties and finally the golden moment when I can ask the GPS to guide me home, how I enjoy that moment.

Tomorrow the kidos are busy with appointments so I'll venture to Sabbath School and church by myself, I'll miss them but I'm just delighted Nikki and Steve let me take them most of the time. It is always the high point of the week for me.

I think I'll get to see my friends Art and Connie tomorrow for lunch which will be very special. I'm ready to experience some of that good rest that the Sabbath promises to deliver. Its been a very big week with huge steps forward. Of course the largest is what Sylvia did for the files. It is truly remarkable and a very big help. Gradually I find myself slowly crawling upward, the pace is maddeningly slow but I still see signs of progress. More bills are paid than not, more checks are coming in than a few months ago and due to going to the club I no longer feel unstable on my feet.

For life I'm thankful! For friends I'm grateful! For family I'm indebted forever.

Love

tim

An incredible day..

It started before there was light, the dogs opened one eye, wrote me off as crazy and went back to sleep as I showered in the blisteringly hot water, one of my favorite moments of the day.
Then it was a quick bowl of Life cereal, a banana, Stripples and a piece of Sylvia's bread she had left behind.
Soon I was wandering through the fog over the levee road, bump, bump, thump. To the minute I arrived at the front door of my destination and the owner huddled nearby waiting for my arrival. Through the fog I shot photos, measured and crawled through dense vegetation called landscaping, quickly walked through the interior to find I could not inspect the bathroom, seems a daughter had decided to shower at that moment!
After determining where the comps were located I quickly found and shot photos of them and reclaimed the freeway for Citrus Heights. Traffic was light and I used the time to catch up with friends and family using the blue tooth. The property in Citrus Heights is heading into foreclosure so I just inspected it from the street, shot the comps and very soon was once again on the road heading back to the office.
Once I arrived home after being greeted by the dogs I settled in for report writing. I decided to write the Citrus Heights one first as it was destined for the east coast with the three hour difference in time. It went well and then it was lunch time. Following the good example of Sylvia who yesterday made a tasty and balanced lunch I heated up a mixture of steamed veges and wonderful red brown rice that Joyce had given me sometime in the past. A little low sodium soy sauce gave it just the right flavor.
The second report too longer as it was a full one with sketch and comments regarding the interior as well as the exterior but soon it was completed as well.
As soon as I opened the web site to send the second appraisal I detected that there was a new order that had just been placed there for anyone to grab. Since I was there I grabbed it and will see it tomorrow in Oakland. Then I emailed the report to the company. Once it was gone I quickly set up a new order for a local property and went to see it before dark. Then it was time to either eat or go see Keanna at gymnastics class. The girls were a delight as usual.
Once I bid the girls a farewell I drove over to the club and did my workout. Like usual it was very challenging but rewarding.
Now I'm winding it down and heading to bed. What a day this has been! It is really only fair to report excellent days since I faithfully report ones that are not so hot.
Love to all,

Tim

Sylvia rules

Hi
This will be short as I've got a very short night ahead before hitting it hard tomorrow. This has been a great day in so many ways!
Sylvia arrived this morning with boxes of my files that she has been totally organizing and updating. I can't begin to explain just how wonderful what she has done is, everything makes sense, she is tireless and no she does not come cheap, she does it with the love in her heart. This wiz managed to take years of neglected and jumbled files and turn them into sense, plus she has emptied piles of old stuff out of the office so live begins to be easier to live and manage. She was here until just a few minutes ago yet has to teach tomorrow. She genuinely loves to do this and she has helped me so much, it is just amazing. Thank you Sylvia from the bottom of my heart.

In the morning I'm to be in Stockton to see a place at 7:30 and then rush on up to Citrus Heights to see another place, then rush back to write both during the day, wow right now its busy!

This afternoon Keanna came to play and do her homework. She and Sylvia know and love each other and so they did the homework together plus Sylvia managed to find time to prepare lunch for Keanna and me both. Mine was outstanding!

Then Sylvia made bread in the breadmaker and it tastes great! So the house has been full of fun with Lois coming to visit, Keanna playing, Kallie coming to play, Nikki visiting and Sylvia making it all fun, wow!

So love to all,

Tim

Facing the big one

Dear Friends and Family,
I've just hung up from a conversation with our friends the IRS. After days of total denial and finding every excuse not to call I finally just faced it. I've spoken to you before about certain times when you just have to face it, walk forward into whatever it is and endure. So on impulse I dialed the number and was startled to be speaking to an agent in less than 2 minutes. She sounded like the girl next door but knew her business and in a few minutes put me at ease, renewed the agreement even telling me several places I could make the payments on line and we were done. I felt the load slip from my shoulders much like Pilgrim in Pilgrim's Progress where he faces the cross and feels his heavy pack slip from his shoulders.

Ray arrived at just the same time as the call was being finalized and we went to the family room and watched NCIS in celebration. Procrastination has always been my companion but moments like this evening remind me what it is better to face things sooner than later. She told me as we closed the call that it was nice to speak with me and that her days get long, sometimes she says she is close to tears after she hears the terrible stories people are sharing in this awful times. This is certainly a different IRS than the one I dealt with years ago where the caller was abusive and threatening. She said they had discovered that they got further toward their goals by helping people rather than being nasty. I told her I was going to share how nice she had been and she thanked me for doing so.

Today has been a non stop day. First Ken and I walked through the mist and fleeting raindrops this morning. Then it was off to Stockton to see a house after which I raced back to write up the report. I emailed it to the lender at just the time I had to leave for the airport to meet Pam and Terry from Wales. They came out to the curb when their luggage cleared and we had a delightful trip home in the van. Then they went their way and I came in to begin working again. I discovered I was hungry so I toasted some little thin buns that Joyce told me about. They are great and have much fewer carbs than regular buns. I had one with tomato and another with sliced up scallops, oh so good.

Tomorrow is a big day. Sylvia is coming to return some files and complete her magic in my office and then Keanna will get to visit with her for a little while. Keanna is looking forward to seeing Sylvia as they used to have good times playing games and sorting toys etc.

I continue to be very busy with new orders coming in. How long it will last I don't know but for now I'll just do the best I can to get them completed in a manner that is honest, helpful and supported. Of course the checks coming in have been very helpful as well.

So I bid each one of you a good night or good morning and again I want to thank you for sharing in this blog experience. I'm sure Nan would have been very pleased to know we've stayed in touch. How I wish Nan could have met Kallie. They are alike in so many ways including being very gungho about living, playing and loving.

Good night to all

Tim

working

Dear Family and Friends,
Tonight I'm tired so this will be very short. When I walk in the morning and then work out that evening I get pretty tired. I've just come from grocery shopping which I find very tedious and time consuming as well. Ran into a good friend from the grief group at Safeway and that was pleasant as she is a very nice lady!
I've tried to keep warm today and just kept cranking out reports. With son Steve's help several have gone out today.

Tomorrow Pam returns from Wales and I pick her and cousin Terry up at the airport around 2:30 providing no bomber tries to destroy the plane. They are flying out of Heathrow so they will be tired when they arrive. In the morning I'll walk with Ken and then hit the road for Stockton to see a house that needs the appraisal to be completed by night time. We'll see how that goes.

It will be nice when the weather changes. Being no more than 44 all day today is very un California and downright miserable. I measured a house this afternoon in the cold and I was very very glad to grap a hot chocolate when I got home. I know we are really having it mild compared to the terrible weather elsewhere. Roger and Carol are fighting broken pipes but leave on a cruise tomorrow, they deserve it.

So thats it for tonight, lets all get some rest including Art who has been battling illness. He says Connie is marvelous in her care of him. That is great!

Love

tim

Recharged

Dear Family and Friends,
As I write this evening I'm reminded of how complicated our lives are. As we grow older we long even more to be of help to our families and do those things we could do when we were young yet many of the helping things have slipped beyond our grasp, now its up to the next generation. For those of us who tend to keep people close to our hearts we feel the pain that others are going through. Oh to have the heart and mind of God, the ultimate lover, the peace maker, problem solver.
For those of who live in the valley our world is one of gray and damp cold. Not like the cold that grips some of you, really dangerous cold, no ours is just annoying and discomforting, not life threatening. Yet our cold and dark world begins to get at you after days of the same. For me I have escaped to the sun both Thursday and Friday as I ventured nearer to the coast. And now of course since we are overcast and the air is stagnant the "wise ones" have decided that for a third day we can have no cheery fires to lift our spirits, to remove the gloom from our living room.
After Ken and I did our route this morning I came back to a bowl of oatmeal, stripples and wheat toast with a huge orange from Joyce's own tree. It was excellent. I set about trying to make the coffee maker create some decaf but my first attempt failed completed and I had to dump it all down the drain. However the second time it worked well and I had some pretty decent tasting coffee to hold off the chill that envelopes the room. A property in Riverbank now has a completed report, a second one in Petaluma also has a completed report.
Late this afternoon the motorhome called to me so I dumped its tanks and drove it back to storage, made a deposit of a couple checks, met with Lois and Ray at McDonalds for some apple dippers and hot chocolate. Once I had arrived back at home I enjoyed some Masterpiece Theatre. I enjoy the work of Judi Dench very much. I enjoyed her in the Bond movies and I enjoyed her tonight in a touching little bit of old England.
This evening I gave the dogs a special treat. A while back I found some dogs soft food in little packages for .59 each. So about once a week I split the tiny package's contents into two bowls and let them enjoy something different. They love it and lick the bowls for hours afterwards.
My office feels so open now that the whirlwind Sylvia has passed through, one only can guess what is in the trash but oh how heavy the can was as I rolled it to the street!
So a new week begins for all of us. May God guide us into His paths this week so that we can be a little kinder, more caring and find ways of using what we are blessed with to touch the lives of others.

love

tim

Little girls go to church

This morning I picked up my two little cuties and we drove to church. Keanna had brought her new Bible and read stories while we drove. She said, Pappa did you know Adam had two sons? Then she read about the flood and Noah. It was like beautiful music to hear her reading the bible stories. Afterwards as she was talking about the bible stories she mentioned Sylvia and her sharing Bible stories and she knew they were true because Sylvia said so. That is powerful and very special.
While Keanna went to her Kingdom Kids Kallie and I went to the room for the little ones. Today Kim was teaching and did a superb job of making Noah and the Ark come to life. Kallie enjoyed all the many activities and was happy, even joyful the entire time right up to and including the snacks at the end.
I am so thankful to Steve and Nikki for allowing me to take the girls to Sabbath School. Jesus loves their precious little family very much and has blessed them with many many talents and abilities. What a blast it is to get to have them on my own turf, its at least one thing I know I can do well, being a Pappa.
This afternoon Ray and Lois came over and brought a really cute movie about polar bear cubs. It was really enjoyable and we munched popcorn and had no fire thanks to the stupid do gooders with the air quality board who have declared three days running no burn days. I can see that in the middle of the city but here we are on the edge of hundreds of miles of open space where the smoke can easily dissipate and we could get busted for having a simple fire. I'm not impressed with government when it gets this intrusive.
After Ray and Lois went home I made some excellent pancakes from a box of mix that Ray gave me for my birthday last summer. So good!
This has been a very special Sabbath thanks to the precious gift of little ones and their excitement and zest for life. How rich I am in the important things.

love

tim

At last its Friday evening

Dear Family and Friends,
This evening I'm so tired I can barely sit up. It's been a long and stressful day yet filled with beauty and opportunity.
This morning I drove to SF to inspect a loft that is located in an old brewery which is located about 4 blocks from the bay. The building is beautifully redone and has a large atrium center that has mature palm trees, fountains, gathering areas and seating. The unit was perfect with everything updated and appealing. She owned a English Bull dog who was so fun and happy and who loves her home. The owner was a nurse practitioner in oncology so we had lots to speak of as we worked through the property. The inspection took a long time and then locating the comparables sales took me up, over, down and through the hills until I was finally finished and could head back over the Bay Bridge once again. Then it was a little home which is about 80 years old that has been totally updated and is in a transitional area meaning some dives and some great houses nearby. The comps for this one seem to take forever and then the battery failed in the camera and that took some doing to locate a store nearby. Finally I was able to head through the tunnel where I left the glorious sunshine behind and entered dense fog for the rest of the day, seems the valley is solid fog and the city was sunny!
This evening I got to meet the girls at Chucky Cheese where we all ate too much pizza and enjoyed the girls playing on all the little games and rides.
I think all the driving in the cities with constant alertness required to avoid hitting someone or running over someone wears one down after a while.
Right now I'm heading to bed. In the morning I'll take Keanna to Sabbath School where Sylvia waits with her well planned programs.
Today Sylvia came to my office and created magic. Gone are the piles of long delayed sorting as she has taken it all home to sort and file properly. What a great blessing this was, thanks Sylvia, I don't know why you put yourself through these things but I'm sure appreciative that you do.

love to all

Tim

Bouncing back

Dear Readers,
What a day, first a freezing walk in the dark, then a long drive to Richmond, then on to Petaluma afterward a long drive to Sacramento and then dinner at a friends. An the day produced payment for 3 reports and what a boost that is to the old business account! For while I was out having fun today Blue Cross slipped in their monthly chit at the bank for $840 and turned the whole thing upside down, bummer!
The GPS faithfully guided me to about 20 locations today without a hitch. The drive this morning was through fog and very cold conditions, that is cold for California! But the trip went smoothly as I was listening to a great book. Its the one Nikki gave me for Christmas and is about the famous raising of the flag during world war 2. The book traces the lives and experiences of each of the men who ended up in the photo on the top of the mountain after so many days of terrible fighting and slaughter.
As I listened today I learned about how Marines become the special dedicated men and women they are once they arrive at the battle. Young people are punished and beaten down by long hard work, hikes, war games until they are puddles, exhausted and discouraged. Once down then the marines begin to rebuild them into team players and proud warriors with strong ethics, loyalty to country and incredible personal strength. How like what our king Lord allows us to experience. We don't even know we need the Lord until we are really down and beaten and then He lifts us and gives us depth that we would not otherwise learn. Are we sort of like Marines for our God in a way?
In Petaluma I found a perfect property with proud Greek owners. Every thing was in order, clean and updated. Then it was on to Sacramento where I found yet another perfect home. The owner had lost her dear husband about a year and a half ago and is still rebuilding her life. I enjoyed our visit so much and the house is perfect in every updated way. It has a huge back yard with rose trees, new sod and a large covered rear patio. Inside I found a new kitchen and restored antique bathrooms, hardwood floors, crown molding, new paint and new lighting fixtures. Once I pulled myself away and back to the car I found I had little time left for shooting comps so I hurried about finishing my work. Then in desperate need of fuel I found a station that had diesel for $3.19 a gallon. Well that is too high so I just bought three gallons.
Joyce had said she was having friends over for games and that I could stop by for dinner. What a feast it was, everything was perfect as usual and her friends were cute.
Now I'm home and to my delight I found two new orders. There would have been another one but you have to be sitting on the computer when it becomes available to grab it or someone else snags it so I lost that one. I've been delaying replacing my phone with one that has the ability to connect to the Internet, today it would have yielded a $500 fee if I had grabbed the order first. I may reconsider!
So this evening I just say thanks to God for a safe day with hundreds of miles driven, money coming in for a change and new orders.
Love to all,

Tim

Keanna comes to visit this afternoon

How can a day be all bad when 1/3 of it has Keanna in it? Well it can't be.
This morning I was out in the cold at 6:30 but there was no Ken. I could see from the lights that he was in the shower upstairs so I gave up and did the walk by myself. It was cold and damp for the first 1/2 of the walk but then the body caught up and began producing heat so the rest was better. I know it is the right thing to do but it would sure be easy to skip the walking in the cold! I've not heard from him yet to see if he plans to walk tomorrow or not.
I wrote an appraisal this morning and then headed out to make a deposit, pick up 2 letters from the IRS, errr, do a field review of an appraisal that was completed recently in Discovery Bay and then pick up her highness. She was fired up and ready to go with ideas, plans and excitement. I know she enjoys Wednesdays as I am different than her normal routine.
We headed to McDonalds where I had a huge salad and she enjoyed playing outside and eating her lunch. At a nearby table there were about 6 boys all acting like boys, Keanna leaned over and said quietly, "teenagers" and then outside called them rowdy teenagers, it was very funny.
We arrived home and she played her new DS for awhile and then announced she was doing her homework and would I like to help. She made quick work of it and then switched to playing a Dora game page on the laptop. I did some work and sweated over the IRS letters. They do not sound good at all. Not sure how this next chapter will play out.
Tomorrow morning I leave for Petaluma and then drive to Sacramento. Both appraisals are orders that have just come in and I'm thankful for the work but it will be a very long day and now diesel prices are going up again. At this point I spend about $37 for each 550 miles. For awhile it was less than $30 and that was really great.
At this moment I've just arrived back from the gym. Same gym but a new name, its no longer Club One but now Diablo Valley Club or something like that. Tonight there were quite a few people working out and oh how some of the machines causes my muscles to burn, you just think you cannot push one more time and yet you do. I was very glad to leave and drive home, talk to my brother and now relax here at home.
Some of the emails that arrive at my desk are so filled with meaning while others are trash. Today I really enjoyed a couple that had deep meaning.
Well good night to one and all,

love

tim

Facing a barrage of reality

This has been another challenging day yet remarkably rewarding too. Ken and I braved the cold and damp morning to walk in the dark, only nuts would do such a thing but then no one ever affirmed my sanity.
The warm shower felt so good I was very reluctant to leave it. The mug of steel cut oats waited and was so good. Then a few minutes in the messy office and I was on the road. Today it was to Martinez which is 50 minutes distant. Arriving on time I began to measure what turned out to be a very large home built into the hillside. I had expected a partial payment as I was leaving but that was not the case. That was a blow and it took awhile to recover mentally from it as I knew the account needed feeding. Upon arriving home I found a check in the mailbox and that helped.
The huge piles of papers that needing filing and even just credit card slips that needed to be thrown were a menace that needed to be faced. I took a few minutes and sorted, pitched and filed until gray desk is once again visible. Then I sat to work writing an appraisal that was due today. It went very smoothly and now is at the lenders via email.
This evening Ray and Lois tempted me out of the house for $5.00 pizza and I had a salad and some pieces. It was a nice change from the day.
Since my friends all insist on making lists every day I decided to try it today. My list for the day is almost completely marked off now and that feels good.
In my business just finishing a report does not mean that is the last you hear of it, hardly. I am working again this evening on tweaking an Oakland report that I've tweaked several times already. Frankly I'm tiring of it and one can only tweak so much. Underwriters just need to make a decision and move on.
The nice thing about this year so far is the 6 orders that have come in. I certainly did not expect such good news and now my joy is tempered with the realization that they need to be seen and completed soon. Still it is very good news and many are COD.
Today I ventured out and called Kaiser to get the ball rolling for a switch from Blue Cross to Kaiser. Here's hoping that they will take me and that it is a good idea. The second call was to the lender for the motorhome. I had applied for a 3 month extension during which I make no payments but I had heard nothing. When I called today the computer told me that the next payment due was in March. That is good news.
Well it is once again time to think about getting some rest. I'm feeling pretty good now with little residual pain in the jaw. Getting used to chewing without the tooth is taking some time to adjust to and long term I hope there is some sort of dentist answer to the gap.
I've tried to hold onto a bit of the serenity I enjoyed at Jason and Jo's. I'm not doing too well with the retention but I am fairly much at peace this evening all things considered.
Love to all,

Tim

Facing the music with music

Well I hit the road running this morning, actually walking. Ken, the drill Sargent, had me out walking in the total darkness this morning, it was cold and I questioned my sanity for the entire 3 miles. I told him Jason provided a much nicer backdrop yesterday, the Pacific Ocean complete with breakers and foam.
After the walk my steel cut oats were ready for me in the slow cooker. They were perfect, fluffy and warm.
I only worked briefly in the office before heading out to see properties. First it was Richmond. The cute little house was about 20 feet wide, had been updated inside and was charming in a sort of minimalist way. I was glad for a jacket as it was cold and foggy as I measured and inspected. I never could find access to the attic, what is it with these houses? They just box them in with no way into the attic yet FHA requires an inspection of the attic and I have to use my nifty new ladder that Ray and Lois provided.
Next stop was 104Th in Oakland. Now this is an area you really have to think about. The area includes the most heavily guarded and fortified McDonalds I have ever seen. Needing to use the bathroom today I found you had to be buzzed into the bathroom and then buzzed back out. Of course the buzzing system was broken. For the little house on 104Th there was a sign that promised a pit bull in the back yard and even the MLS printout stated that a guard dog was loose in the back yard. Well it was false advertising fortunately. The house had been fixed up and the attic welcomed my intrusion.
After Oakland one always lets out his breath having lived through yet another day in the trenches with the pimps and their $2,000 wheels on their cars, street people and downright bad thugs you try to avoid.
Next stop was Hayward and the GPS guided me to 8 comparables all located in the hills with huge sites. Finally it was time to punch the home button on the GPS and I glided home with little traffic. All day it had been bright sunshine and 60+ degrees but as the little bug crested Vasco Road a fog bank swirled about and the temperature dropped over 15 degrees as I finalized my trip home.
Starr and Lady were ready to greet me along with a notice from the IRS, can you guess what they want from me? Could it be something that is always in short supply?
I've spent the evening fixing something that a client wanted different than what I presented in the final version. So I spent an evening of free labor trying to make something work out for the buyer. I can only hope it flies and is helpful in the long run.
Now it is very near that wonderful time when I can put all the stress and strain of trying to hold it all together aside and sleep. I know why MBA is so cathartic, for a short time I can just forget the many acts I continually perform, balancing money, client needs, nutrition, rest, exercise, sanity and relax. I'm so glad I have a place to retreat, today I've been thinking of finding a life where I can live that way every day, not now, not sure how, but someday things will get better. God has been my constant holder of the umbrella that keeps the really terrible stuff from destroying me and I thank Him for all He has done. I long to love everyone I meet like He wants them loved, the kidos, my great kids, my tremendous friends and extended family. I want to be positive in your life, to help you. It remains my hearts desire.
So for now I send my imperfect love to each and every one of you. Someday I might even get my Christmas cards out!
love

Tim

MBA does its magic

Dear Ones,

9:50 and I'm back. I know I only left yesterday afternoon but so much has happened since then. This morning Jason woke me for our walk. We headed out through the cool morning to the beach where large breakers attacked the shore. For me it was a tough time with so many conflicting emotions roiling around inside. As Jason and I walked the tear dam broke and the cleansing power of the sea, the love of a son, the release of pent up pain, disappointment, loneliness, economic fear, it all slipped out and disappeared into the damp sands. We walked and as so often happened before Jason's carefully chosen words were the right ones and the trip back up the hill was with a lighter load. I can't explain it nor do I need to but life seemed more doable, likable and worthwhile as we headed back up the steep incline to the wandering fields of MBA.

Jason prepared a scrumptious breakfast of avocado and fried egg over toast and the day was bright. I fact it was bright. My laptop told me it was 41 degrees in Discovery Bay but the sun was bright, the air warm at MBA. Timothy was everywhere, riding his car, playing with his new set of toys from Nikki and Steve, playing his piano, climbing in the stroller I had brought. He and his daddy came outside to find fresh air and he explored the yard, his slide and watched as his daddy attacked the hated clover that was once again growing in the yard.

As the day progressed Jo created a wonderful lunch that was perfectly delicious. Then we drove to Trader Jo's for needed supplies and topped it off with a quick stop at Whole Foods. Jason pointed out that were he rich he would shop more at Whole Food but they were expensive.

We drove back and it was time for Timothy and Pappa to take a nap.

With the nap out of the way Jason decided to take on one of those long desired repairs on Jo's list for the home. We headed back to town for supplies, got the screening material and went home to repair the front screen door. Jason made quick work of it and now the flies are totally excluded from entry once again.

By this time Jo had vegan pizza ready and it was really good. Observing the time I prepared the motorhome for flight and sadly left my precious little family waving from the front porch.

What a different trip home for me than the one just yesterday. No more chest pains or fatigue, just optimism and problem solving. Nikki had given me an excellent book for Christmas and I now have the first part completed. It is a compelling story about the men, boys really, who raised the flag during the war. It is well written and packed full of information I doubt you would discover any other place. It made the miles go by rapidly as I drove. Once again I kept it warm for the doggies and they loved it settling down by the heater outlet as we drove home. The travel was uneventful which is just what you want when propelling a 12,000 lb vehicle down the road and over Highway 17 with its curves and steep downhill lanes.

Now I'm home, unpacked and ready to head to bed. How can a 24 hour trip change things so much? Well it actually doesn't change anything, just the perspective but how important that is especially when so much of my life is spent alone with no opportunity to bounce ideas off anyone else.

How is your week lining up? For Jason and Jo it means school is back in session. Tomorrow afternoon Jason faces his many teens who are just back from various vacations experiences and his goal is to guide them into a more educated future, to know more and to know how to communicate it better. It is a lofty profession and I am proud of him for trying.

For Nikki is is back to work with the Department of Energy, attempting to make sure government programs use their funds wisely and properly for she is an auditor. Its not easy work but oh so important in these times.

I spent some time being thankful for my 4 kids and their 3 kidos as I drove home. Perfect, no way, but really really special, you bet. For as they live their lives it is an extension of my life in a way and that makes me really proud, grateful to have had a part.

Love to all,

Tim

The incredible power of kidos!!

Dear Family and Friends,
As I sit here this evening in the motorhome at MBA I am at peace. What a wonderful day it has been in spite of some disturbing chest pains. You see I've had that great medicine called kido power.

Ken and I walked this morning which proved to be quite a challenge after so many days of not walking. When I got home Nikki called to say that Keanna was still sleeping but Kallie was up and dressed and would love to go to Sabbath School. We I quickly rose to that wonderful opportunity and by the time I got there to pick her up Keanna was up and dressed as well.

So both girls went to Sabbath School and I spent my time with Kallie. She loved the activities, all the songs and actions and had a great time. Keanna loved being with Sylvia and had a great experience with Sabbath School as well. She was very sorry that she forgot to take her paper with her at the end of Sabbath School.

We met Nikki for lunch at the Olive Garden and just sitting and eating with the girls is always a trip. They are so bright, so aware and can get into trouble so fast. We had a blast and I got to catch up with Nikki a bit too.

Then the girls went with their mother and I headed home. Upon arrival I started the process for coming to MBA. I had presents to wrap, minimal packing to do and shortly after 2 pm we drove out. It seemed to take forever to get here but finally we arrived and parked. Jason helped carry the presents in and Timothy had a blast tearing paper and being wowed by the gifts. Nikki and Steve had given him an airport set with cars, track, bridges and he just loves it. He played and played until it was finally time for him to got to bed. Jason and I sang songs with him in the darkness of his room and finally he fell asleep.

With Timothy in bed we were able to watch Angels and Demons, the new movie Nikki had given me for Christmas. What great entertainment, its just over now and we are settling in for the night. When I say we I mean Starr, Lady and me. How they love to travel and now that I don't drive so fast in the motorhome it is less bumpy and they enjoy it even more. I ran the heat fairly high and they found the main outlet and just soaked in the heat. Now they are signalling that their bowl is empty and they would like some more. It is a lovely moon lite night here at MBA and in the distance one can hear the breakers on the shore.

I've had a troubled week with pain, fatigue, shortness of breath and at times really did not feel well at all. I've had very little internal drive and have spend a lot of time sleeping when I should have been working. When I was packing the motorhome I lifted a box with a few food items and felt a searing pain in the left side of my chest. I think it is something left over from our wood splitting yesterday, anyway It was pretty intense for the rest of the afternoon and I can still feel it now although it is much better now. All and all it was not fun to experience, you always wonder if something bad is happening.

At this point I'm going to bed, I feel better than earlier in the day. I've had the high honor of seeing my kids and my precious kidos. For those of you who have little ones you know and for those of you who don't you will someday. It is great stuff.

So I send my love to all, its nice to be on the road again.

Tim

Low key day

Dear Family and Friends,
What a wasted day! For some reason which I can't explain I have no drive, not desire to move or do anything, when I do I'm winded or need to rest. This morning Ray came over and we ended up splitting some wood. It felt really good to hit the wedge deep into the wood and see the wood pop into two or three pieces. What was alarming was the reaction in my chest. After a few swings I could not catch my breath, I started sweating and I had to rest often. Is it really that bad that I can't split wood any more? But in a less dramatic fashion I sort of feel short of breath all the time. I was alarmed enough that I checked my blood pressure. 120 / 60 which is pretty amazing considering the way I felt.
Joyce had some insight this evening, she reminded me that I've just been injected with a lot of pain killer to deaden my jaw twice within a few hours, that I've taken Vicodin repeatedly and other pain meds as well, that I'm on a strong antibiotic and Sylvia mentioned that what I've been eating is certainly not the normal.
This afternoon in a desperate attempt to accomplish something I drove down to the RV storage lot and found all three batteries were 100% dead, not even a flicker of power. I drove back home for the battery charge device that pumps tires and provides a jump for dead batteries. I found it was in need of a charge so I settled down and wrote an appraisal while it charged. Finally I drove back to the lot but the charger would not start anything, not the engine and not even the generator. So then I drove to town and purchased a good quality set of battery cables with #6 wire. Back to the lot again and now the key turned on dash lights but would not start the engine so back to the car and run the engine at 2,000 rpm for a few minutes and finally the engine started. I gingerly drove it home not wanting it to change its mind and quit. Now it is hooked up to the house current and is charging everything up. That process took hours to accomplish.
If Keanna does not wake up by 8:30 in the morning then we'll forgo Sabbath School and I'll load up and drive to Jason and Jo's home for a couple days. I am anxious to see my little man there who is growing every day.
Ken just called so we'll try again to walk at 7:30 in the morning. This morning we tried and as we reached the curb in the front it started to rain, either of us wanted to walk in the rain so we gave up.
So far the new year has not been that exciting. I guess its up to us but for me I've got to find an energy source to wake up and get going again.

love to all
Tim

A new year arrives

So here we are in a new year. When we pause to add up the last year its pretty depressing in some ways, more stress than rejoicing, more worry than release. What a year.
So here we go again, for me I've faced this moment 61 times before. Many times Nan and I would just roll over in bed, hold hands and quietly announce to each other, its a new year, other times we were out doing exciting stuff, some years there were wonderful things to celebrate like the years that brought us Nikki and then Jason, talk about excitement, new human beings under the roof, what would they be like when they grew up, or could talk or go to school.

So this is the year I learn to live with less, to do better with the use of my time, to find news ways to succeed, I look forward to working with Steve to build business for both of us. I desire to spend more quality time with each of the kidos. They are a precious place to invest energy, love, knowledge, my heart.

I'm just back from a delightful party in Lodi hosted by Joyce and attended by several of her friends from there and Sylvia and myself from outside Lodi. There were great soups, cookies, dips, vegetables, breads and then the white elephant game. It was crazy and for a while quite sedate but then it got wild and people starting trading gifts and it lasted for hours. Joyce had her house decorated for Christmas in a beautiful manner.

Now it is time to get some rest so one can be ready for this exciting new chance at life.

Love

tim