Not the best of days

Dear Family and Friends,
Everything does not always go smoothly no matter how hard you try.

Ken and I walked today, that went well. Then I came back to shower and have breakfast, that went well also.

Shortly thereafter I left for San Francisco. Upon arrival I found a house that was surrounded by businesses on every side. None of my comparables I had carefully researched were located on a business street and surrounded by businesses. I also found out that the 83 year old acupuncturist was from China, spends most of his time in China and was in fact leaving for the homeland tomorrow. He had conducted his practice from a little office in the house on the street level.

After regrouping I went across the street to a Century 21 office and the agent told me that if I would ask the computer a different set of questions I would find comparables that had both small businesses and were primarily single family homes. So that meant a return trip to San Francisco later in the week, not the greatest of news.

I next drove to Oakland where I started shooting comparables for the house I saw on Sunday afternoon. While I was shooting a phone call came in. It was Mark, the agent for the Novato condo sale. He was calling to inform me that I would have to cancel my appointment for Novato later in the afternoon since the bank that holds the mortgage had not yet accepted the offer. So another change in plans.

I reached in my briefcase for the inspection I needed to do in Tracy and of course the file was still on my desk at home so that meant instead of being able to drive directly to Tracy I would have to go home. So that is what I did, I drove home, picked up the file, called the builder and headed for Tracy. When I got to the house it was locked up tight and the promised key was no where to be found, was it to be yet another strike out? I called the builder again and he confirmed that there really was a little key hidden and yes that time I located it. The home is nearly completed and is very beautiful, work is coming along nicely. But when I called the lender to report in the phone just rang and rang, they had gone home early today, of course!

The evening turned out better. Nikki thumped on my winter and wakened me from a brief nap as I waited for them to arrive so I could see Keanna swim. After my heart stopped racing from the scare I went in and enjoyed watching Keanna in the water with her swim instructor.

Then it was time for me to face my machines and since I'm starting to get a cold that was a bit more difficult tonight than normal. I made it through and now I'm glad to be home and resting. I'm off to do a nasal wash and then go to bed. I just want to recover, not get worse. It happens.

I'm grateful to be home,

love to all

tim

There is something about winter.........

Dear Ones,
Yes there is something about the winter months, chilly, breezy, brown, dormant, clear night skies, warm fires, snuggling under blankets, yes there are many nice things about winter. Daughter Nikki and I have neither been really much in favor with summer, too warm, too wet, to uncomfortable and way to expensive to keep cool with modern AC systems. There is nothing quite like measuring a two or three story home that has been closed up for weeks, measuring it on a hot summer afternoon, the air inside and upstairs is muggy, smelly and oppressive.
So here we are in the early stages of winter, not enough rain yet but still no more AC bills and a legitimate chance to light a fire, that is if the do gooders don't come and shut you down! I know I hate the smoke too but I sure like the warm glow of a nice fire.
For the last few days wind has been upon my little house by the lake and speaking of the lake the geese and ducks are enjoying the waves and white caps. The winds seem to find any little opening and blast in bringing more fresh air than one might want. I'm prone to drinking mocha drinks and I even started the day today with decaf tea which was surprisingly good. It was some sort of apple and spice flavor and quite good.
After I cleaned up an appraisal which had been lingering on my desk I prepared for and then drove to Oakland to shoot comparables and see a little house. It did not feel all that safe to be where I was so I was careful and locked up each time I went in and out. I used my wonderful new ladder compliments of Ray and Lois and inspected the attic shooting a photo to document that I in fact had been there. This little house was a typical example of when an investor buys a house that is in shambles, I mean really rough. The investor usually has a team of helpers who each know their part and within weeks the house is clean, floors refinished or new carpets laid, walls painted, kitchen has new cabinets, granite counters, baths are redone and the house is reborn. At this point in time there are multiple offers bidding on such places and the prices are rising, the investor makes a good profit and for the first time a little family owns their own home. I see it every day and so for many people the american dream is becoming a reality but of course for this to take place it means another family lost their dream home to the bank and were forced to relocate into a rental or with family.
Tomorrow I head to San Francisco where I'll be working on Mission Street. In the afternoon I'll head over to Novato to see a little condo and then come back to visit the gym once again. It should be a good day.
So my good friends and wonderful family here we go again, into another week with opportunities to touch lives, make a living and find a way to make this old world better for someone.

Love

tim

Sabbath comes to a close

Dear Family and Friends,


Its early evening, a fire is burning and I'm watching the weather channel as it tells the story of 1993 flooding in the midwest. Its an amazing story, the power of water unleashed can be so destructive.


Rod did a great job with the sermon today in church in Tracy and afterwards I wandered around until I ended up at Olive Garden. I've not been there by myself for a very very long time. Today the service was perfect the salad tasty, the bread perfect just like Nikki and I like it, I ordered a lunch portion of eggplant so I ended up walking out feeling satisfied but not stuffed.



Once I arrived home I rested and watched the christian dish channels. Now its evening and I have a little fire burning and I'm watching the weather channel. For the young readers this is what you have to look forward to. Saturday night watching the weather channel. Exciting.

So for now I wish you a good week to come.

Love

tim

Winding it down

Dear Family and Friends,
I'm just back from a relaxing (who am I kidding) evening at my club. Right now my chest feels like it has been torn apart, muscles are screaming.
I'm just home and its 10:35. For sure one pretty much has the entire club to ones self late at night. Yet this evening I had a very meaningful encounter.
As I settled in to do my reps on one of the machines the guy next to me sat down and began to pump some serious iron. I mentioned the empty gym and he commented on how good it was that I was there taking charge. In the conversation Nan came up and that opened something for him. He lost his dad less than a year ago and he says his mom who is 52 is in deep depression for the loss. We were able to talk a bit about loss and recovery and it was a worthwhile interlude in a night at the club.
The last exercise I do just kills, it is taking this stupid blue ball that is about 16 inches high, you sit down and then roll forward until you are laying on the ball keeping your balance with your feet which need to be firmly planted. Then you began to do crunches, 12 of them in a row all the while trying to not fall flat on the floor. By #10 it feels like your gut will rip open and #12 is really intense. The only time that exercise feels good is when you are done and you can put that ball away!
Ken and I pounded the pavement this morning and then I came back to find Jason and Jo up. Timothy was in his little pjs and was so cute. He has a wonderful temperament, pleasant, gentle and curious. He was eating his oatmeal and loving every bite. I made toast and Jason fried some eggs, he had found some decent coffee and we included wheat toast and OJ. It was a lovely breakfast on a cold morning. Then they began to load their things and left around 10 for home. I can't begin to tell you what lift it was to have them here at home, the house vibrated with running water, patter of feet, machines running, stair chair going up and down, Timothy loved that ride with his daddy. Jason and Jo are such bright people that one can't help but learn things by just listening.
It was with a few, well actually a lot, of tears that I watched them drive around the corner and then they were gone. As long as we live on this old messed up earth our lives are a series of hellos and good byes, its a pattern of living in a busy world but oh those hellos are so wonderful!
My dear Nikki decided to take full advantage of the sales last night so at midnight she was in Antioch at Toy R Us and then at 5 am this morning she was at Target. She managed to get everything she was hoping for but has found chances to nap today as a result.
Once Jason and family were on the road then I set to work and have written a couple reports, fixed others and made excellent use of the remaining coffee (decaf) and my time in the office. Once again checks have appeared so I will be able to make the house payment in spite of it being over $400 more since my loan reset this month.
So I bid you all a good night,

love

tim

Happy Thanksgiving

Dear Family and Friends,

There are good days and excellent days. Today has been one of the really excellent ones. Just now we've been watching a bit of TV after a very full day with family. It started with my usual walk around the lake. We walked at 7 so there was full light of day but almost no traffic. When I got home Jason and Timothy were up in the kitchen and Jason was making breakfast. Soon Jo was cooking, baking and creating all kinds of good things.

We put Timothy down for a nap but he was too excited to actually go to sleep. He had enjoyed the Macy Day Parade and playing. When we finally decided that he would not sleep we headed over to Nikki and Steves where Keanna and Kallie greeted us. Roger and Jill were there along with Kevin and his daughter. We played, watched football and spend a lot of time in their beautiful back yard. Kallie especially loves to be outside and the kids played in the sand box, did the slide, rode little cars and enjoyed the beautiful day.

Suddenly it was time to eat and we all found our places at the long table, a table that strained under the bounty of so many wonderful things to eat and drink. Joyce's apple pie was there along with Mary's pumpkin pie, Steve's two turkeys and host of magic things created by Nikki and Jill.

After a nice time of eating and conversation it was time for desert and then a playing of Polar Express, a very enjoyable movie featuring the voice of Tom Hanks. Finally as little ones began to tire we loaded up and came home. Now this magic time is coming to a close and Jason and Jo will head home in the morning and I'll be back at work.

I am deeply thankful for my family, for each of their talents, contributions, personalities and love for each other. God has blessed me with wonderful people.

Love to all

Tim

The family gathers

Dear Family and Friends,

As I write this evening Jason and Jo are cooking and baking in the kitchen, Keanna and Timothy are playing and the dogs are happy as clams. The home is warm with a fire in the wood stove, wood which came from Jerry and Donna's home in Weed.

Ken and I walked this morning in the crisp air and upon my return I came directly to the office and began work on conditions and then an appraisal for Carmel Valley. I completed that appraisal this afternoon at 1:20. That's how long it can take to get appraisals written these days with the new requirements. One just cannot be too careful in what is said, how it is said, making the right value decisions etc.

Mid day Jason called to say they were on their way. They left MBA early to avoid the traffic which gathers in the late afternoon. I was actually in the shower when they arrived after running the vacuum, cleaning a bit here and there and pulling two little ACs out of the windows in the guest bedrooms. Funny thing is happening to my body, with just a few workout sessions behind me I'm already much more capable of lifting heavy weights, bending and working than a few months ago. I feel more stable on my feet, I'm not falling asleep anymore during the day as I work, things are better!

And now I'm going to give it up for the evening. Ken and I are hitting the pavement at 7 in the morning and then I'll return to a day of joy with this precious family God has granted me.

Love to all and happy thanksgiving. In spite of so many things that are going the wrong way this is still a wonderful place to live, the USA and people are precious. May your day be special and enrich your life.

Tim

Working out is really hard work!

Dear Family and Friends,
I'm just in from a workout session at the gym in Brentwood. I just carried my clothes in the trunk of the car and when I ran out of time doing appraisal work due to no light I turned for home. After working my way through a traffic maze I stopped at the club where I was greeted warmly by the front desk and went to work.
What starts to benignly at first turns into burning muscles by the last of the 3rd set of 12. Sometimes I think I can't finish but so far I've been able to. On some of the machines I've been able to increase the weight while others remain a huge challenge just as they are. After completing my round of the 8 stations I decided to take a peak at the racquet ball courts and I could hear from the distinctive sounds before I even arrived that games were going on. Due to the way the club is organized the walkway takes you by the courts at a level at the top so one can peer down and observe the game that is going on. In one court a lone woman was just practicing but in the other court a game of cut throat was going on. Cut throat is played by three players and one person serves but must defend his or her round by playing the other two players, then when the serve is lost the players rotate and then next steps up to play alone against the other two. It is a very lively game and loads of fun. However at this point I would not last even a few minutes, not in shape enough yet to tackle it but soon, very soon I'll be in there playing again. It is my favorite game since one gets such an excellent workout yet you don't waste your time chasing a ball like in tennis. This is intense and a wonderful way to gain exercise.
This morning Ken and I walked in some chilly weather and discussed carbs of which I know nothing, seems I need to but at this point all I know is they are bad, nasty, evil things that we all need to stay alive.
I cranked appraisals out this morning in my newly cleaned office and then left to do field work. On the way I made a deposit (yes, praise the Lord), filled up with diesel and drove to Concord to collect a check for work already completed, then to Richmond to see a nice little place and then it was getting dark so the rest of the planned day will have to wait.
For those of you considering starting a more vigorous exercise program I urge you to join me and take the first step. Club, walk in the park, go up and down your stairs, lift the remote above your head 50 times, whatever take the challenge.

And now I bid each of you farewell and good night.

Tim

Normal at last

Dear Family and Friends,
This has been a really nice day. It started with the customary walk with Ken through the artic air at 6:30. After a lively discussion of our love for the computers we work with every day Ken came over after the walk and helped me find a solution, we switched the default browser back to Explorer from Chrome, that little change has helped my day go so well.
After Ken left I headed upstairs to shower but turned off at the kitchen. There waiting silently for me was my mug of steel cut oats. I retrieved it from the hot water and added cinamon, sea salt, flax seeds and a bit of low fat soy milk. The resulting meal was outstanding. One could not ask for better oatmeal.
Once fed I ended up going back to the office which is now a pleasure to enter, all tidy with space to move about and set to work. I wrote several appraisals and the computer worked quickly letting me find the data, plat maps, photos, maps that I needed. How nice to not have to wait while it cranked. Today even the phones worked well and they rang a lot with new work, conditions on old work and some telemarketers.
As the day progressed I realized that I'd not checked the mail. With what came in the mail today it looks like I can pay the house payment, yea! I mean praise the Lord.
This evening I had the high privilege of being invited for dinner to Mary's home. She was Nan's mentor in the travel business and became a dear friend over the years. Her faithful visits to Nan week after week were something Nan looked forward to with anticipation.
Mary turned out a wonderful meal with so many good things, fine cottage cheese loaf, kiesh, veges, soup, whole wheat buns, fruit, pumpkin pie and salad. What a feast and what fun to chat with everyone that was there.
Now I'm home and I'm going to work a bit more tonight as I want to be able to see properties tomorrow which are located miles from each other. Richmond, Campbell, Oakland, Hayward, yes all over.
I was struck today with the kindness I experience from so many directions, from Ken helping with the browser this morning, to Ray finding just the ladder I needed for FHA inspections, from Lois who jumped on the internet and located a salt water source much closer than the normal Dublin place I go to, to Nikki finding a good microwave at Target for $49, to Joyce feeding me soup and apple pie, to Debra from Benicia with the steel cut oat cooking suggestions and that is just in the last few days. Then there is the bag of special ingredients in the frig from Sylvia for future bread making attempts! How does one live without the input of friends, how can one survive without the sage wisdom of an Art who tells it like it is but with kindness or freshly trimmed rose bushes at LeAnn's hand. Wow wow wow I am blessed. And I'm surrounded with pictures created by Keanna and paintings from Timothy. How fun it was to sit in the Sabbath School class taught by Loren and hear input from friends that go back 35 years or more.
And then there is the daily dose of wisdom and love from my brother Jerry.
So next time I get down and depressed will someone remind me to just open my eyes and feel the love.
Good night to one and all, Thanksgiving is on its way and its coming to a table located near you.

love

Tim

Comcast comes through.......

Dear Family and Friends,
After a very disappointing experience with Comcast yesterday with them handing me a "new" modem that did not work, had a 9 volt power supply and needed a 12 volt one, after that and leaving me high and dry last night my impression of the overpriced Internet service was pretty jaded.
This morning Ken dragged me around the lake at 6:30 in the very cold morning air. It took a stocking cap, gloves and my ski coat to make that fun. After the walk I decided since I could not begin work on appraisals that I would work on the office. It was stacked high with boxes, trash, the vacuum cleaner, the old lap top bag, a folding table I used to hold my brief case, the little frig and an empty fish tank and a lot of things left over from when Nan used her area for work. It has her desk, her computer with a pug cursor and had become a spot just to stack things. With Starr watching over me I began to pitch things, vacuum, sort and clear. The little frig had been running for weeks with no one even opening the door, the waters were half empty, the ice teas were old and who knows where they came from. So I decommissioned it, took down the little table and found lots of stuff that could go in the trash. Now the floor is clean, there is open space to enjoy and it just feels better. At about the time I finished my work the repair guy arrived from Comcast. For working a Sunday he was very pleasant and fortunately sharp too. He could not believe the modem they had thrust on me and just shook his head. He brought in a real "new" one and in a few minutes had things working again. Now even my phones work better and the computer speed is much better.
Once he left I settled in to create appraisals and as of now, evening two are done and emailed out. I decided that at 8 I would run in and work out at the club but once I pulled up I found that they were locked up solid, whoops, guess 11 pm is not for weekends.
Today while I've been working I've tried to clean up some habits as well. So for lunch I made a huge salad with fresh carrots chopped up in the little chopper, torn Romaine lettuce, chopped up tomato and some zero calorie salad dressing. It tasted great. Mid afternoon I grabbed an orange and peeled that, wow was it a treat. This evening I put one little pizza bread in the microwave and had that.
Today has been challenging as I had a hands on experience with many of Nan's things on her desk. While it did not cause a meltdown it did make me pause and remember how absolutely wonderful it was to work together in the same office with her. She always carried her own weight work wise and was pretty amazing in what she could remember and accomplish. I've never met anyone even remotely similar to her and I do have very warm memories of her. Mostly I'm just so proud of how she lived and loved life itself.
Well a new week has arrived and this week contains life's biggest treasure, family. We'll gather at Nikki and Steve's for Thanksgiving day and Jason, Jo and Timothy will be with us. I hope it works out that they can stay over and I'm starting the cleaning process in anticipation of that event.
I've heard today that the gentleman who had the health crisis at the end of the concert has recovered and is fine even singing a concert on Sabbath. That is wonderful news.
Well I'm about to call it a day and in many ways it has been a good day. While I worked this morning cleaning the office the temperature fell. The timed furnace turns off at 8:30 and the outside chill creeps in. I decided it was time to built a little fire so I collected a couple pieces of wood that I brought in the motorhome from my brother Jerry's house and in no time the room was 72 and has stayed comfortable all afternoon. Then I lite a little candle in a metal can that's on my desk and so the aroma of the office was greatly improved from dog kennel to classy resort! I even located a little dog bed and brought it into the office and Starr has been in that bed all day long.
So my family or friend, thanks for reading my thoughts and please be kind to those you love, extra words cost you nothing and yet can do wonders for someones heart nearby. Loving people is the great commission and we can do it every day in so many different ways.
Take care,

love

tim

A great day

Dear Family and Friends,
What an exciting day. Nikki, Keanna and Kallie went to Sabbath School and both little girls had a great time. Kallie really got into the program and she and Nikki had a blast. Keanna was a big girl and let me go to an adult class for the entire time. Wes said she got very involved in Sabbath School.
Since the girls were with their mom today I stayed for church. How that lady can preach. It was a very nice service with lots of singing.
After church I had sung up a storm and was hungry so I went to Texas Roadhouse. They have really good sides and so I enjoyed a baked potato, veges and a salad.
When I got home I rested for a bit and then I went to Brentwood where I traded in my modem at 4:45. Comcast had told me to trade it in for no charge. I did so and then Ray and Lois and I went shopping for groceries. It was my second time to WinCo and I think we found bargains.
When I got home I eagerly hooked up the new modem. Would you believe it not only did not work but soon the sound of burning electrical was in the air. That left me without any Internet.
So how am I writing this blog? I'm at Steve and Nikki's so I could communicate with you my faithful reader.
Well I made an anxious call to Comcast this evening and after their first suggestion that I go buy a new modem which I rejected they agreed to come to my home between 10 and noon tomorrow to bring a new modem and fix things. Since I had a huge day of work to accomplish I sure hope they show up.
Well I'm going to sign off now.
Love to all,

Tim

Alls well

Dear Family and Friends,
Talk about a day when few things went right? Since I managed to stay up too late last night I didn't climb out at my regular 6:15, no it was much later and leaving a warm bed to step into a freezing cold room required some thought.
I decided to speed things up so I just had a yogurt for breakfast and sat down to work, first the Internet would hardly work and kept hanging up on normal programs, then the phones would not work properly again today, I couldn't decide which appraisal to write and I tried to pay a MLS bill but of course the money needed to cover the charges was sitting on my desk in checks to deposit so I raced down to the bank in sweats to make the needed deposit. Of course the bank would not indicate that the money existed until Monday so that took care of that objective.
Then an agent called to say he had arranged for me to be in Stockton as soon as possible to see a house, the lady was just home from a night shift and wanted to go to bed. This was totally different than what we had arranged two days ago, he was to meet me late in the afternoon.
So I dropped everything and tried to do the final research for Stockton but every step on the computer and the MLS program took minutes to load and process. Finally it was done, the printer cranked it out and I could leave.
The tenant was gracious and friendly, the house was fine and its outstanding feature was an Oak tree so huge that its branches covered the entire house from front to back, its great while it stands but the house is in major trouble if it ever falls!
Then it was back to the house and the mail but it contained some less than friendly information which sort of set me reeling for a bit. All the while I was looking at 3 reports that were to be prepared and out today, none of them went out. Fortunately Steve had been more industrious than me and he emailed me the report he had been working on and it went out.
I had planned to leave the house by 4:30 but that did not happen.
This evening the Christian Edition, a wonderful men's chorus, were singing in Lodi at the Fairmont SDA Church. I invited Lois to go with me and we met Joyce and her mother in law at the concert. The music was wonderful but at the very end as the men walked off one older guy was left sitting and it soon became evident that he was not well. Doctors came forward to attend to him and a 911 calls was made. I'm not sure of his condition but the pros were working on him the last I saw. It was a very frightening way for the concert to end and the music had been so wonderful.
Now I'm back home and ready to find solice in sleep. So in spite of a less than stellar day the conclusion is fine.
May you find peace, fellowship and enlightenment this weekend with friend and family.

Love

tim

A big day full of beauty

Dear Family and Friends,

For those of you who are retired what I am about to describe will make you very tired and glad you no longer work for a living.

Ken and I walked in 33 degree weather this morning, then I quickly showered and discovered two new orders had come in during the night. They were both for drivebys in San Jose and Campbell. I quickly loaded them into the system, did research and still got to my first appointment which was with Steve at a local home. He finished up that inspection and I left for Carmel. My GPS said it would take about 2.5 hours and I arrived just about on time. What a beautiful trip through cool weather, light traffic, yummy water and mocha on board. Carmel Valley is a beautiful place and is located about 12 miles from the ocean.

The property was average but the people were very nice. The property backs to a river which a few years ago overflowed and flooded them out. The town is filled with little stores and deli's. Even the Chevron had a deli where I had a rye and cheese sandwich. As I was driving around shooting comps I encountered a very strange and seasonal moment. As I drove up Country Club Drive I was stopped by three very agressive Turkeys, yes literally. One would not let me pass and started attaching the car over and over again. Finally I just had to take a chance and I drove slowly forward until they finally gave up. It was a wild experience and it made me smile.
After I finished searching for the comparables I left the area and headed back through beautiful valleys and hills to San Jose. I did the first driveway of a beautiful and huge home in an upscale area and located all the comps. By then the sun was setting so I was not able to conduct the second appraisal. However I was able to meet an agent who recently ordered an appraisal and picked up a check. That was nice.
At this point with darkness creeping in I set the GPS for my favorite setting, home. However the traffic was not going to cooperate. It was very slow going for dozens of miles over the Sunol Grade. Finally I reached open freeway and completed the trip. As I came to a halt in the garage I mouthed the simple words, thank you Lord for one more day of safety on the busy roads. There really is no better place than home, oh vacations are great and travel is incredible but home is in a whole different league of locations.
After taking a few minutes to recoup and opening the mail I reloaded my body into the car and went to the club. For those of you who go to clubs you know the burn that takes place when muscles are pushed further than they like. It is a burn that shouts out, stop this now or I will break, I will bleed, I will quit. I experienced that 8 times as I moved from workout station to station. I went in tired and I could feel the fatigue as I worked out yet I walked out very very proud of myself. This is a good thing, a very good thing.
Now I'm heading to bed and oh by the way I was not alone at the movie! Which made it an even nicer evening.
love to all

Tim

Amelia

Dear Family and Friends,
I'm just back from seeing a movie I expected to be good but it was great. Beautiful scenery, music and excellent story line. This is one I plan to purchase.
I've worked in this morning and then at 1:45 I picked up Keanna. We journeyed to McDonalds where she devoured her chicken mcnuggets, had two apple juice boxes and enjoyed letting off some steam in the play area.
By the time we reached home she had her homework done and then she started on the jello supply. She enjoyed watching some episodes of Clifford the Big Red Dog that were on the DVR and then I drove her to the bagel shop where she attends a special music class. She talked me into a mini bagel before class. This girl has learned how to eat and is growing stronger every day. What fun she is to have around and to hear all the new expressions, to have her read nearly everything we pass, its all grand.
Tomorrow I drive to Carmel to see a house so the travel should be enjoyable.

Good night to all,

love

tim

Good times at Mustard Estates

Dear Ones,
9:40 and I'm about to give in to sleep. Ken and I walked in some very cold crisp air this morning, at least cold for here, about 38 degrees. It was a perfect morning and a very nice start to a productive day.
I have to give a real genuine thanks to my friend from Benicia, Deborah. She frequently shares encouragement and has a very interesting blog. She responded to my comments about steel cut oats with a suggestion that is so great I've got to share it.
She guided me to a article she produced for her web site about how to prepare the best steel cut oats. First you get out your slow cooker, then a deep mug which you fill with 1/4 cup of steel cut outs and 1 cup water. You sit it in the middle of the slow cooker and surround the cup with water that is the same level as the oats and water are in the cub. You put it on low and as she says, remember to plug it in.
This morning I woke to the best oatmeal I've ever had in my life. The oats expand and fill the cup with wonderful tasting oatmeal. I didn't even begin to feel hungry until about 1:30 this afternoon. You have just got to try this. Finding the steel cut oats is a bit of a challenge but they are out there if you look hard. It is well worth it and this is going to become a stable of my diet from now on, its that good, better than regular oatmeal, way better. She suggests adding dried fruit and a dash of salt. Friends this is a find, a real discovery.
Loree came in to work today with the files and bookwork and of course that makes the office smell so much better. An order came in and I was able to reach the contact so this afternoon I drove up to Sacramento to see the little house. When I got home I had pizza and salad with Lois and Ray at Aladinos and then raced home to complete the report. It is already shipped to the lender. Its my 12 hour turn time!
So having shared these tidbits of wisdom with you I'm going to call it a day.

Love to all

Tim

Many miles driven safely

Dear Family and Friends,
I continue to be amazed at life, its turns and twists, its ups and oh yes its downs as well. Today was a good day.
*Completed a San Jose appraisal and was paid COD
*Collected payment for a completed appraisal in Concord
*Reached Bank with 3 minutes to spare to make a needed deposit of the two checks.
*Filled bug with diesel after driving 563 miles, got just under 46 mpg
*Found the microwave Nikki had located on line for $49 at Target.
*Had dinner (garden burger) at Mimi's
*Had a good workout at the club
*Had excellent conversations today with Mary from Discovery Bay Travel, she has retired
*Talked to kids which is always a high light of the day
*Ken says we are walking in the morning at 6:30 yikes that is early
*Mail produced more checks, made the little house payment
*Going to bed, love to all.

Tim

Lois walks on water briefly

Dear Family and Friends,
What an interesting day this has been! Jim, my wonderful IT guy just introduced me to Google Crome which is a different way to access the Internet, different than Windows Explorer 8 which I am currently using and dislike. And yes it is faster by far but I could not access the blog since I have no idea what my google password is, that will have to come later.

This morning while I was outside preparing the motorhome for the storage facility Ray walked over to say good morning. While we were talking I pointed out the broken shroud on the passenger side mirror. It has been broken for years since I managed to just tap a protruding piece of metal on the second bridge coming home from Stockton on our lovely levee road. On my recent trip home from Jason and Jo's place the shroud / cover started to flap in the wind and it was a bit frightening, I thought it might break. Ray took a close look at it and together we went to work. I said lets do it someday and Ray said, lets do it now. He won and so did I eventually. We were able to get a couple screws into some hidden places that now hold it securely and firmly. It was nice to have it fixed.

After we completed our work he had me call Lois who was reading the paper at McDonalds after her breakfast. She agreed to meet me at the storage facility so I was able to get the motorhome out of my driveway before the local association started sending me letters.

When I came home I made breakfast, some very heavy and tasty waffles full of oats and good things. Then I set to work doing filing and starting to work. Before long an IM message came in, would I like to go out on the lake in their new pontoon boat, I said no I could not and then changed it to yes. We had a very nice time circling the 90 acre lake, the weather was perfect, the geese were everywhere. When we rounded on corner we found a huge tree on one of the islands filled with cormorants, I mean filled. When we arrive home Ray brought the boat in next to the dock and as Lois was stepping onto the dock she ended up in that terrible place all boaters have been in, one foot on the dock, one on the boat and the boat is going away, suddenly she was down in the cold water gasping. So all three of us worked for some time helping her get back onto dry land, what a frightening and freezing experience. Her cell phone got wet, her bluetooth earpiece got lost and her coat must have weighted 30 lbs when we finally got it off her back. She was very brave but it is a hard position to be in. When I checked later she had showered in warm water and was tucked in bed getting her warmth back. That was a little more excitement than any of us had planned for.

This evening I made some wheat penne with some mushroom soup, corn and tomatoes. I found the sauce growing some lovely white flowers so I forgo that experience. Over the weekend the microwave of 22 years has died. So I'm searching the web for good deals and I'm amazed at the low prices compared to when we bought the last one.

Well tomorrow its back to the grind, San Jose at noon is confirmed at the moment and of course the relentless search for money. In general I am feeling much better. I had only a couple bouts of hard coughing today and less headache pain. Perhaps a corner is to be turned, I hope so.

I had a conversation with Keanna on the way to church on Sabbath morning. I mentioned to her how often I longed to be able to sit on a park bench with Jesus and just have a question and answer session. There is so much I don't understand and I often feel like there are so many things wrong with the person I have become that it is almost hopeless. How did a life of productivity slip away? I'm not giving up, I have a family to live for and to enjoy but how I wish I was just better at everything from social graces to money management, from dressing properly to knowing my way around the kitchen better. I would love to entertain but I am pretty unsure of myself at the whole process. Just musings of a less than perfect guy.

So I send my love and deep appreciation to each and every one of you who read, may you find joy in this day and a powerful reason for living.

love

tim

A happy day

Dear Family and Friends,
Ken and I walked this morning, it seems so long ago now.
I took Keanna to Sabbath School which she really enjoyed. Then we checked out the local McDonalds in Tracy near 205 and found it to still be under renovation, not open so at Keanna's request we drove to Brentwood to a nice new McDonalds where she ordered her happy meal herself. We settled in next to the indoor play area and Keanna started to eat. After a few bites she was off to play for a bit and then came back for more bites. Soon the food was gone. Meanwhile a nice grandmother sat next to us and we started to talk. Keanna knew her grand child from preschool and in the course of the conversation I learned grandma has 15 grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren. She lost her husband a few years ago and has had some tough readjusting to do. She was a delightful lady of Greek descent and obviously adored her grand daughters. There was another lady nearby who daughter Keanna recognized from the gym where they play together. The three story high play structure rocked with the screams and yells of the many kids playing there. Everyone had a great time. Keanna nearly wore herself out playing and finally she agreed to head home.
At home Ray and Lois came over to clip Starrs toenails, one had grown right into the pad of her paw. Lois knew just what to do to clip the nails and Starr seemed to appreciate getting rid of the pain in her paw.
I rested for a bit and watched the christian dish programming. At one point this morning Dwight Nelson was preaching on two different channels, the programs were from different weeks. He is the pastor of Pioneer Memorial at Andrews University where I took graduate work for my MDiv. He is a great communicator. Then I watched an evensong from Loma Linda University where the church organist was playing some really great works on the pipe organ.
Nikki to called to ask if I would take Keanna to the Harvest Festival at the Tracy SDA gym and I agreed. We are just back from a lot of fun at a very well planned program.
Now its bed time and I'm so ready.
This has been a great Sabbath and I even got to sit in the adult class for awhile with Loren teaching, that is a special experience!
Love to all,

Tim

A first!

Dear Family and Friends,
How thankful I am that the Sabbath has arrived. I hope Keanna decides to go to Sabbath School in the morning.
Last night after I blogged and went to bed I fell asleep quickly but shortly thereafter I was awake and not at all sleepy. As I reviewed the evening I realized that the 42 Oz's of Coke Free probably had something to do with it. When I drank it I thought Free meant free of both sugar and caffeine but Lois corrected that misunderstanding. The 42 oz really did a job on my sleeping. Finally I gave up and came down, climbed under a little electric blanket Nan used to use in the chair and watched a couple programs off the DVR. The dogs were confused but came down and joined me with wonder in their eyes, what is going on with our daddy? Finally at 1:45 I felt sleepy and went back to bed, then I slept until 7:15 and I've not been sleepy today.
Once I was up and awake I loaded up and set the GPS for Fairfax in Marin county. I arrived 30 minutes early. What fun this inspection was! The owner's dad had constructed the house many years ago and everywhere was evidence of excellent woodwork. Although dated by today's standards the home was in perfect shape and beautiful. Bright blue tile lined the bathroom floor, shower and counters, a deep pool glistened in the back. But what was so special, a first for me was located beside the house. There stood a bomb shelter. Yep, just like it was built in the first place which gives you an idea of the age of the house. Of course the buyers are thrilled and plan to turn it into a wine cellar of all things.
The property is located in a wide valley with sweeping vistas of steep hills on both sides. These tree lined hills were green and inviting.
After a quick and unremarkable lunch at Pancho Villa's I set sights on a house in Pittsburg. This bank owned property was 3200 sf and in perfect condition and yet was selling for half the price of the house in Fairfax. Location is still vital.
As I was completing the appraisal Pam called to say she was in the area and invited me to dinner. We met at the Cheesecake Factory in Dublin and had a lovely meal even splitting a pumpkin cheesecake desert. Wow will that help the weight! It was so good.
Now I'm home and heading to bed now, 9:50 and intend to sleep undisturbed for a while bunch of hours.
While this week has had its challenges I'm thankful that it is over, I'm sure you are too.

Love to all,

Tim

Staying warm, brrr its 52 degrees!

Dear Family and Friends,
Ken and I walked this morning and when I came home the house was warm and cozy, that is until 8:30 when the furnace quits for the day. I've been working in the office all day and my feet have been cold the whole time. Is it a senior thing?
For a change I did not go out today to see a property. Instead I stayed in and did value checks for possible deals, worked to clean up my desk and finally booked a flight for Christmas. I have sorted this over for a long time and decided that I could spare a few days away with the family in a warmer climate so Kona it is on the 12Th of December.
This evening Lois offered to let me use her router to see if that would help my system work better. After we hooked it up nothing would work but finally after prayer and switching cables over and over it now works again. Then Lois asked if I was interested in Subway, suddenly that sounded very good so we went to have a sandwich and the break was nice. I took the van so I could use the heated seats. Besides its not been out of the garage since Marilyn left.
Tomorrow I'm off to Marin county to see a sale in Fairfax. Comps look good, the house is cute so it should be an enjoyable day. I always love to go to Marin, beautiful views of the bay and values are strong there.
Right now I'm giving it up for the day. In general I'm feeling much better, less headaches, less coughing and a lot more energy. Even the one workout session has made it easier to move, to stretch and to live.
I did an amazing thing today, I forgot I had put eggs on to boil and the next thing I knew there was a small explosion in the kitchen as eggs began to pop since the pan was out of water. Funny how fast the water can be gone at a full boil.

Love to all

Tim

Club One

Dear Family and Friends,
It is official, I've just come from my first full workout at the gym and it is a real workout. Different muscle groups are tingling as I write, not complaining yet but certainly awake and on notice.
Milan has me set up to do 8 different workouts with each machine totally dedicated to just one muscle group, one pulls, one pushes, they work my upper body, my legs, my core. She carefully laid out the settings for each machine, the starting weight, the number of reps etc. On some of the machines I can tell that I'll be able to increase the weight quickly while others are just about all I can do, yet none really hurt, they just make the muscles burn and strain. I did three sets of everything except the big ball which she uses for me to do crunches. Now that one is pretty interesting, you have to stay balanced and then do the crunch while being balanced.
My entire time there was about an hour and people around me were helpful when I had question or two. But mostly I could figure out what I was doing and I just worked at keeping my heart rate up.
I may not have mentioned it but when I weighted this morning I was down 6 pounds from my highest point a few weeks ago. That in itself is a huge boost in morale and offers hope for the future. In retrospect how I used this Wednesday evening at the club was much more helpful than the grief group has been lately and my coughing did not offend anyone at the club since you have so much space between machines and people and I hardly coughed anyway.
Ken and I walked this morning and it was cool out. Our walk went well with reasonable effort. Then I had steel cut oats, one piece of wheat toast with peanut butter. Over the oats I put fiber and the little seeds, can't think of their name right now. I use soy milk now and only a tiny bit of it.
Shortly after breakfast I left for Oakland where I saw a very strange house. You start with this very old house in the Oakland hills near Mills College and Highway 13. It sits on a downsloping site which extends down into a running creek. At some point someone has added an addition to the back of the house which extends off the basement. As I walked under it I could not believe that the flimsy support system of a few boards and beams would hold anything up. At first the kid inside would not let me in even though I was there on appointment. Finally he relented and I entered a world of the stuff of young people, incense burning by an open window, unmade beds, guitars and mostly stuff. There was one room he would not let me into saying it was filled with personal stuff! OK, wonder what that was about. The most memorable things about the whole house was that it was not level. Everywhere it was slanted. When I started training with Howard and Dolly Vogel a long time ago they told me that one should carry a large marble or steel ball to drop on the floor, if it rolled then the house was not level, not good. Well a steel ball would have gained enough speed to crash through the western wall the house was not unlevel. No wonder a contractor who recently inspected the house said that perhaps the best thing would be to tear the house down and build a new one in its place. So how does one come up with a value for such a property? Well very carefully. The bank that holds the note thinks it is worth $350,000 for sure and based on the comps I saw and the condition of this old house I think $225,000 to $250,000 max. We will see what develops. Anyway properties like this sure keep my job interesting.
When I was finally able to leave this are of Oakland I set the GPS for Bird Road in Tracy. I'm doing a construction inspection for Wells Fargo bank as the house progresses so they can release more funds from the loan. The house is amazing and today non English speaking tile installers were everywhere doing a splendid job with huge 18" tile. What a nice place this will be when completed in a few weeks. Authentic Spanish design throughout with heavy beam ceilings, fancy interior texture to the walls, solid stained doors about 10 feet tall, beautiful cabinets throughout and a very interesting design.
After leaving the job site with some trash wood in the trunk of the bug for morning fires I drove to Sylvia's. She has located a thick book with hundreds of recipes for making bread in machines. She gave me the hard to find ingredients for several different types of bread I can make once my copy of the book arrives at the Library. No one has a heart like Sylvia. I really doubt she could be mean even if she wanted to, she was just born to build, care, diagnosis, help and support. What a incredible woman!
From her house I next drove to Stockton where I shot two more comparables for an appraisal I have yet to complete this evening, yikes! I had dinner with the girls at Strings and then hit the club. When I filled today with diesel I discovered to my delight that the last tank yielded an amazing 46 miles per gallon. Mind you that is with 207,000 on the motor. Like Sylvia says the Lord has been very good to me in many many ways.
So good night from here,
love to all

tim

A big day

Dear Family and Friends,
10 pm and I'm out of energy yet the weary state comes from accomplishing a lot today. I've just sent out an appraisal for Patterson, imagine 2,800 sf of beautiful home for $190K, only problem you have to live in Patterson, a cute little town that is about an hour from anything and 2 hours from the Bay area via a nasty commute. Thousands of homes have gone into foreclosure there many of which are still standing empty for forlorn. Gradually deals are being made and buyers who desire a nice home but can't afford one anywhere else are taking the step and buying in Patterson.
Earlier I emailed out on for a condo over in San Jose in a very nice little development of 228 units. It was 1000 sf and sold for $395K, once again location is king.
This morning I woke up, chatted with the dogs for awhile and finally came downstairs. I made steel cut oats this morning, they were very good. I left shortly thereafter for Oakland and then Richmond. My phone was busy today as there are lots of things happening many at the same time and all needing attention. Unfortunately this has been a day of intense coughing and headache but I just had to set how I felt aside and keep working. The Richmond house was much cuter than the Oakland one and both sold way above their list prices.
My good book by Dan Brown has ended so I'm back to listening to the talking heads on XM with some music tucked in between. Today I even listened to country for awhile. Pretty good stories in those songs.
So now its time to give it all up and go to bed.
So I send you my best, Ken just called to ask me to walk so I know how tomorrow starts! Cold, brrr.
love to all,

Tim

Milan lays it out

Dear Family and Friends,
I've just come from the Club One where Milan kindly led me from machine to machine and then proceeded to find every wasted muscle in my body and stretch it. The equipment at the club is excellent, comfortable and unrelenting. She used a mixture of humor and experience to find the right weight, the correct settings and then wrote it all down on a form. I enjoy walking through the door and I think my body will respond to the machines rapidly as it has done before.
Today was a very busy one with last minute research at the office, then a trip through traffic to San Jose to see the first of three properties. It was a very attractive townhome in a nicely developed project.
After leaving San Jose I drove to nearby Palo Alto where I found an overbuilt home in a very nice neighborhood. The home showed lots of wear and tear.
Then it was on to Discovery Bay for a quick check of the mail, yes finally a couple checks. I quickly made a deposit which was needed since the Blue Cross monthly premium had hit the bank and $840 needed to be covered. From the bank I drove directly to Stockton where I say one of the nicest homes I've seen all year. The owner did a great job after purchasing it and it is turn key perfect.
Now I'm home after my session at the club and I'm already starting to feel the burn of muscles that are not happy, yet it is a wonderful sensation reminding me that I even have muscles that are waking up. When I leave the computer I'm going up and filling the jetted tub in my bathroom with hot steamy water and relaxing for a bit. I think I've earned it today. I'm thankful for the checks that came in and for work to see and do. Truly I live life day by day without a great deal of future planning. Long term I see myself at about 175 lbs, financially climbing out of the abyss and eating more salads, veges, fruits and feeling better in general. I look forward to doing some traveling again, even cruising.
My life is so enhanced by the love and concern of my great kids. They treat me just right, they help, they suggest, they include and yet they can live their own lives without placing undue stress on me. They are great, all four of them.
Sending love to all,

Tim

I don't like the Heathcare destruction bill!

Dear Family and Friends,
I woke this morning to hear the sad news that another piece of the American dream has been trampled under the feet of Nancy and her gang. In a misguided effort to duplicate the healthcare systems of England and Canada the house has moved forward with this horrible mishmash of taxes, restrictions and government mandates. It has darkened my whole day. Freedom seems more and more under attack as the do gooders in Washington move to punish achievement and reward non producers. And the idea of slapping a fine on anyone who does not get health insurance, even sending them to jail, well now there is a great idea we can believe in. It really makes me want to run right out and build a successful company and hire new people, not!
Other than the depressing news out of socialist Washington the day has been great. The weather has been cheery and I've been able to get some important work accomplished along with doing some slacking too.
I tried to make coffee this morning. I found the coffee pot had old coffee grounds in it and stale coffee so I cleaned it as best as I could and then found the grinder and ground a few beans and made a couple cups. Shortly there after I remembered why I do not drink coffee as a rule. My heart raced and I didn't feel that great for a couple hours. I think my coffee making will be confined to decaf from now on.
For most of the day I enjoyed music from the direct TV dish, concert hall music and it was grand.
This evening just as I was getting ready to dump some noodles into a pan of boiling hot water the phone called me away. It was Nikki and she told me, stop, don't cook. So I got to go her the kids house where I found the girls playing, laughing, enjoying themselves and the house was full of cooking aromas. Nikki had prepared a wonderful meal and it was a very nice time to unwind with the precious 4.
Now I'm home preparing for tomorrow. First to San Jose in the morning, then to Alameda for a triplex and then to Stockton by 3 pm. Then to the club at 7:30 for a meeting with Milan, personal trainer. It should be a great day if the headaches will just stay away and the coughing cease.
Sending my very best hopes for an excellent week for you. My Benicia friend is starting on a Vegan diet and I wish her well. Hope she will share more of what she is actually doing!
Love to all

Tim

Keanna goes to church

Dear Family and Friends,
This has been a really interesting day! Keanna and I had Belgium Waffles for breakfast and then drove the 30 minutes to church. I stayed with Keanna through the first part of the program where Wes and Rod interacted with the kids. Then the groups divided into age appropriate classes and Sylvia and Keanna were in a class by themselves. I slipped away and joined Loren Dunston's class of adults. After an interesting discussion I sent back to find that Sylvia now had about 6 or 7 kids in her class and it looked like they had a great time. Each child had drilled a hole in a block of wood, hammered a nail into it and screwed a screw into the hole they drilled. So Keanna left with a beautiful rose, two orchid blossoms, the block of wood and her story filled paper. She played for a bit with the toys in the classroom and then we left for Olive Garden. Nikki and Kallie drove in to meet us and we had a great lunch together. However when Kallie was through eating she began to hurl food items so I took her outdoors for a bit to literally cool off. At that point we each went our own ways.
I came home and collected all Keanna's things, packed them up and took them over just in case she and her daddy needed anything for her father and daughter event at her school. Then I came home and relaxed for a bit and perhaps even nodded off.
This evening I have caught up on several programs I enjoy watching off the DVR, Mentalist, CSI, NCIS etc. In the later afternoon first friend Art called and we chatted for awhile. Then a call came in from Jerry who was cooling his heels after a day in the garden and walking the woods. No sooner than we stopped talking and it was Sibyl, my sister from Ohio and we talked nearly 1/2 hour. What fun to catch up with friend and family.
I hope your day went well, this is such a great time of year. My weekend was sure enhanced by Keanna coming to visit. She is a bright, active idea generator.

love

Tim

Keanna comes for a sleep over

Its 9:10 and I think she has fallen asleep. One never knows with a 6 year old. She arrived early evening and Nikki stayed for a bit and then went to her scrapbooking marathon. Keanna and I made pasta, lots of it. She had brought a cheer leading outfit and a DVD with elementary routines to learn. So Keanna complete with pompoms and her cheer leading outfit worked for a long time attempting to match what she saw on the screen. It was really well done and she seemed to have a blast. I kept refilling her plate with pasta and she kept making it disappear. Then she started on the strawberry jellos and enjoyed several. She also made an apple juice disappear. Finally she was so tired from her big day at school her early wake up this morning and the cheer leading workout that she headed for bed. We read a couple books and prayed and I hope she is asleep.
In the morning we'll have breakfast and head to Sabbath School where Keanna will enjoy her time in Sabbath School. She mentioned Olive Garden but we'll see what develops.
This has been a day which started early as I cared for the girls. Keanna was great this morning and helped a lot. She even brushed Kallie's hair and then her own.
After I had them safely delivered I came home and had breakfast, cleaned the kitchen and wrote an appraisal for the Mountain View condo. It was very difficult and I just completed it before going to Brentwood for a haircut from our favorite lady. Then it was back home to tidy up the house a bit and relax before I heard the front door open and suddenly she was here, fired up and ready to enjoy her time at Pappa's house.
Just now I've had a chance to catch up with Jerry, my brother and Art my other brother. Now I'm heading for some well deserved rest. Good night all,

love

tim

To the Mountains....

Dear Friends and Family,
Its 8 pm and I'm writing early tonight as I really plan on going to sleep early. This has been a pretty interesting day.
I rolled out this morning and seeing the sad faces of Lady and Starr I relented and took them to the park. After a brisk walk in the chilly air we returned to have breakfast of oatmeal and dog food respectively.
I set up orders and sorted papers that cluttered my desk, finished researching for the day and then set out for Mountain View. The trip was totally pleasant as my Dan Brown book on tape regales me with the adventures of its characters. His books never bore a person and this one is certainly exciting. It is set in Washington DC, involves Masons, the CIA, wealthy patrons of the arts and has its scenes in the capital, then the capital basement, then the Library of Congress and moves on the National Cathedral. I'm on about CD 9 of the 14 now and really hate to leave the car, its that good.
When I listen to well written books they always prompt my thinking about life, my life, the ways I tend to limit my life and possibilities that are out there.
When I arrived in Mountain View I found a townhome, that is a two story structure which is attached to units on both sides but has a site, they own the ground vs a condo in which ownership is airspace, you own a certain percentage of all the ground but not the site you are on. This one was a townhome and was in decent condition. However a part of my appraisal is to consider a contractors written estimate on what the buyers want to do to the place and that amount is also roped into the loan. They are called 203(k) loans are not done as much anymore. I saw little wrong with the place but the buyers envision a much nicer more upgraded interior. The purchase price is $407K and the costs of updating is about 25K. My appraisal will consider a value as if the work was already completed. Comparables suggest high $400s to low $500s for this 1200 sf home. After a quick lunch at Taco Bell I headed next to another mountain, Mountain House near Tracy. Mountain House is a community that has been on the planners desks for years, many years. Eventually it will be a huge community with thousands of homes and residents. Right now it has a lot of homes, more than I realized. Pulte has built a lot there. The house I saw was over 3,800 sf and sits on nearly 1/2 an acre. From the street it looked nice but then I drew closer, yikes. The notice on the door said eviction Nov. 4. Once I located the key and went in I was shocked. Personal things from clothes to computers, printers, furniture, pots and pans, trash was spread through out the house. Even outside stuff was strewn everywhere. Here is the wonderful huge house and it is just filled with trash and many good items too. It looks like they left with an hours warning or something. However aside from needing paint and carpet cleaning I don't think the house is damaged much at all. Since I was working for a bank who now owns the house I have to report what they should price it at and how much it will cost to make it whole. Amazingly it will not sell for as much as the townhome in Mountain View even when fixed up perfect. Yet it sold originally for over $700K. These are tough times for a majority of people I think and nothing is getting better fast.
Washington is doing all the wrong things to promote jobs and to built the country up, you don't tax, you give people a break. You don't add new programs, you try to be frugal. I think the citizens of the country get it, just the politicians don't get it but they will soon. Even today over 20,000 people visited congress to urge them to slow the spending.
This has been a good day, I've had heavy coughing spells but I have just kept moving. Can you imagine measuring a 3800 sf house? Lets just say it takes a bit.
This evening I met with Milan, who is a personal trainer at Club One. We went over the details about me even measuring various parts of my body, that was interesting! My body density was 38.5, not good at all. Next Monday night she will help me learn the machines and get me started.
Tomorrow night I have little visitors, Keanna and perhaps Kallie too. That will be an adventure, it always is. Fun non stop!
Good night to all,

love

tim

Keanna brightens up the scene

Dear Family and Friends,

I'm through, once again I ended up on the end of "advice" and putdowns from the leader of the grief group this evening and I'm done. I love the people that attend and I've gained much from interaction with them but I have an ongoing conflict with the leader. When Dan was in charge on Thursday nights it was always helpful and a high point of the week but when our little group broke off as a group of survivors who had lost their spouses Pastor Dan was not the leader. The leader was self appointed and is a really good guy. For some reason I feel a total lack of respect or even of basic concern from him. I waffled for quite a while tonight about going because around 6 pm I had a really bad time of coughing and the leader really hates to have me around when I cough, he's made that clear, well when one has a lingering cough for months one still would like to attend the group. As I got closer to the 7 pm time I remembered that a lady is attending who lost her husband recently and so I decided to go out of respect to her and to support her as she struggles to cope with her loss. She is a great lady.

I feel a great sense of loss at losing the group but I can't take it, to feel like my feelings or concerns are never the right ones, that I spoke out of turn. For heavens shake I taught small groups, I've led them for years, I do have some awareness of how they function. So instead of making waves that help no one I'm going to use Wednesday nights for the club from now on.

Tomorrow evening I meet Milan, she will be my personal trainer at the club. She will go over my goals, show me how to use machines and weights. 5 pm Thursday, you can be sure I will be there!

Today Keanna came to spend the afternoon and we did homework, ate red Jellos, ate popcorn, watched Clifford the big red dog, drew pictures and then it was time to drive her into Brentwood to the music class she enjoys. She is a delightful little powerhouse, never short of ideas, loves learning, challenges me to move more, listen to her. I've included one photo of her at my desk doing homework. I've also included a couple photos from Jo's latest photo sharing on the web. One shows the motorhome all setup and facing the ocean. There are some really wonderful shots of Jo with Timothy and one with Jason, Timothy and me. Photos elicit a powerful set of memories, good job Jo.

So that's it for tonight. Life has us moving forward, some forward steps, some detours, some slips and some just resting. Just now Jason called on his way home from his first lesson in Scuba, getting his certificate. They really put him through his paces and he is feeling the burn.

Good night,

love

tim

Pleasant day

Dear Family and Friends,
It started so early, this day with a horrible buzzing that turned out to be my alarm clock. I bounded out of bed into the chilly room, some nut had left the ceiling fan on all night! Ken and I both found the 3 miles long today, seems we've been doing other things, like getting sick and traveling.
After an oatmeal breakfast I quickly did some office work and loaded up for the trip to Sebastopol, about 1 hour and 45 minutes. The morning was perfect and I have the latest book by Dan Brown, all 14 CDs to listen to so I loaded 8 of them up and headed out. Traffic was light and soon I arrived. I found a 30 year old home with a perfect setting at the end of a little lane. The house has stood empty for a year after it occupants died. Now the family was beginning to sort things and get it into shape so it can be rented. There were evidences of a rich and full life everywhere and I walked through a house filled with memories for the son who inherited. His wife met me and she was lovely, helpful and warmed me of black widows. I measured the house trying to avoid the alleged spiders and then left. After another hour of driving to locate comps I left the area, asked the GPS for a Taco Bell as I was feeling the effects of lowering blood sugar, had lunch and then drove to Oakland. What a contrast to the quiet pastoral scene I had just left. Here everything was in a hurry, noise permeated the air and the streets were too narrow to allow safe passage. Of course the house I had come to inspect was NOT completed, still boarded up and someone is not doing their job of getting it done. So after shooting some comps for yet another appraisal in the area I headed home.
A phone call alerted me to a Thursday evening session with a trainer to get me started on the machines at the club and then I was home.
This evening I've written up the property I saw today and now it is finally time to go to bed. I feel much better this evening with less nasty times of coughing. My eyes are very tired and one is filled with blood as it has been for the last few days, not sure why.
I want to once again state for the record how much I appreciate phone calls from friends and family. What a lift to a dull day to hear from a friend, you may not be a person that enjoys standing in front of a crowd or a power broker but you can call a lonely friend and make a huge difference. I am blessed with such friends and family, wow it is nice.

Love

tim

A people day

Dear Family and Friends,

Jason rolled me out this morning about 8. I had been up at 6 since the dogs were very thirsty and insisted on a drink, then a trip outside. After a good dose of cold and early morning mist the bed felt good again. You see last night late I had to raid Jason's dog food behind his house as my planning had not included enough food for my ravinous dogs. When they eat late then they wake up early thirsty.

Jason suggested we head to the beach and it was very beautiful. It was a real privilege to spend this time with him and I think we both enjoyed the breakers as we walked. After we returned he had to go to work so I showered and prepared the coach for travel. You would not think it takes much to get ready but here are a few of the steps. Unhook the electrical power and stow the cords, activate the slide out making sure there is nothing in the way, open the front curtains, turn the front chairs forward, wind down the antenna, lock all cabinet doors, double check the frig for open food containers, put away the toaster, wind down all ceiling vents, clear the table, bungee cord the chairs in place, place water and drink near the drivers chair, drive forward and stow the plastic leveling devices after digging them out of the yard, sorry Jason and Jo, double check everything one last time, say a sad good bye to Timothy and Jo and DRIVE!

This time I used Highway 129 and stopped in Gilroy where I got to see Art and Connie. They are just back from a trip to San Martin and are tanned and fit looking. Art and I went to lunch nearby, they had whole beans, yea!

Then I headed home. The trip was uneventful with a few phones calls from clients. When I neared Livermore I called Nikki and confirmed that our newly completed Vasco Road was open. It is amazing, you feel like you are on the top of a mountain with valleys on bothside. Very nice and gives one another place to pass.

Finally I arrived home at about 3:15 and to my delight found some checks in the mail, enough to cover the last of the house payment. I raced down to the bank to get them in just in time.

This evening Ray and Lois came over to welcome me home and to watch me unload. It always seems like there is so much to move back into the house for such a short trip. Now its all back in where it belongs, the dogs are glad to be home and I'm in the office planning for tomorrow. I'd rather be at the beach for sure but duty calls.

I wish I could report that all the pains and problems were gone. I came home with the constant headache, sore chest and coughing. The neck is sort and stiff, same as the last few weeks. My left eye has blood from a broken vessel and probably looks worse than it really is. At this point I'm not even sure how to proceed, how to get help. All I know is that this is no way to live. The time spent with Jason and Jo was wonderful and relaxing, like a mini vacation to a foreign shore, it was hard to leave.

So I'm wishing each of you a pleasant evening.

love

tim

time with Timothy and parents

Dear Family and Friends,
As I type Timothy is clearly winding down, he has had a big day. This morning Jason invited me up for breakfast which he had prepared. Then we took a break where I checked out the computer. Later we loaded up and went to CostCo where we all found things we vitally needed.
Our next stop was at VHM, the school where Jo used to work. They were having a huge fall festival with boths and loads of fun. Timothy enjoyed himself as he worked his way from booth to booth. Finally we drove home which was just in time for me to dress and head to an appraisal in Felton. The people were lovely, the house in perfect condition nestled in the redwoods just above the railroad yard for the local railroad that offers rides. When I left to shoot comps I discovered that Jason's car was out of fuel so finding a station was first. Then I set the GPS and waited for it to guide me to the comps. It just stalled and would not work so I had to try to find the comps blind. NOT fun at all. Then Jason called to say I was needed back at home as they had to leave shortly for an evening out to a birthday party.
Now Timothy is waiting for me to slip him into bed.
Tomorrow I'll head back to the real world but this reprieve has been wonderful.
Love to all,

Tim