Watch those trees!!

Dear Family and Friends,
Having the whole day to relax and work on appraisals I intended to do the lawn and trim the tree in the back. Recently while sitting and watching the sun set it became obvious that there were just too many branches obscuring the view of the setting sun over the island and lake. So this afternoon after tired of balancing the checkbook and writing appraisals I waited until the temperature dropped to 70 and headed out with saw, gloves, plastic sack, extension cord, clippers. I studied the tree and decided that two branches had to go so reaching up with the sawzall I cut them off. The result was an immediate opening up of the lake view. Then I set to work trimming the little branches off each limb and cramming them into trash sacks. Several phone calls gave me welcome breaks and suddenly it was dark with the sun having set while I enjoyed a call. As I was nearing the end of the call I noticed that my left elbow was wet, I was curious how that could be so I reached with my other hand and when I turned the light on my hand was covered in blood. A branch had poked a pretty good hole in my arm near the elbow and blood was streaming out. Well that ended the phone call and I set to work washing it off and then stanching the flow of blood. In a few minutes it had stopped and I was able to retrieve the tools and roll the trash can to the street for tomorrow's pickup. I've been noticing that I bleed very easily now and my skin appears to be thinner and easily damaged. This growing older should be avoided if possible, things change even though you don't feel a day older, the body changes.
How like life to be surprised by an unexpected injury. I was wearing gloves, I was being careful and at no time did I feel a branch attack me but the bleeding was proof that in fact a branch had fought back. Many times when we are sure we have every possibility covered something totally unexpected hits us in shocking ways. I remember the experience of learning to drive way back then and learning to keep looking when you are backing up in a parking lot, just checking once is not enough as other people are on the move too.
As I look forward to this week some special people are going to make it great. On Wednesday Jerry and Donna are planning to drive down to pick up Suzie and her furniture and then drive back on Thursday. That means I get to see them all on Wednesday night. What fun it will be to have every room used in the house, to host guests! Sometime this week I will have lunch with one of my clients who I have worked with for months but never met, just emails and faxes. She says we should meet and it sounds great to me, another client has also ask if we could do lunch and I know I will enjoy seeing her again after nearly a year since that last time we met just briefly. This is such an impersonal world, faxes, emails, phone calls with little time to connect.
Are there times when you feel like you live in a world now that has gone over the edge, become crazy. Advertising is all aimed at kids and young people, popular music has little beauty in it anymore, more like noise to a beat. All around everyone is texting, phones are glued to the ears or ipod earphones prevent any conversation or even a meaningful hello to fellow walkers in the morning. The government is spending huge amounts of money when they in fact are out of money, acting as if there is no tomorrow. We have to buy these stupid light bulbs that cost a fortune, last even shorter lengths of time and are horrible to dispose of, yet that is progress, everyone wants things to be green but one gets the sinking feeling that we are spending a fortune on a fad with little proof behind it, as regular people lose their jobs, lose their houses the number of federal employees is skyrocketing, why?
In my own world I am forbidden to communicate with clients I have worked very hard for 22 years to care for, now orders have to come from third party clients who don't care at all just want a cut for existing. Appraisers are quitting in droves as the job and meaning has been forced out by FNMA, the very people who did a lot of the bad things that caused the current crisis, now they dictate future behavior.
I sometimes am drawn to the big band sounds, of meaningful vocals, of decent jazz. I appreciate good service at ACE or at Olive Garden and I hate the phrases like "no problem" or "you guys" when some in the group are ladies.
Its easy to be critical of the new generation, its been true as long as time existed. Yet there are some basics that seem to be slipping away that are based on eternal principles that cannot be changed. How refreshing then to find young parents trying to instill values and meaningful self control in the little ones.
As I worked this afternoon by the lake and felt the breezes move the warm air, watched as geese passed by with their young, as fish jumped for flys, as my animals stayed near enjoying my presence outside on their turf, it was a refreshing experience. In my aloneness I search for meaning and hope and treasure little moments that remind one of the goodness of life, that the race against financial ruin is worth fighting, that there is a tomorrow when perhaps I'll not be alone forever.
And so it goes, watch those trees, and watch the waves and listen to the ducks quack and the geese honk and the little birds tweet. This business of living, always challenging, sometimes rewarding and on occasion worth it all.

love

tim