Life moves on and on

Dear Family and Friends,
8:05 and I'm just back from dinner with Keanna, Kallie and Nikki. It was delicious and such a great break to a rather boring day. I've spent most of the day attempting to discovery what dozens of properties would likely appraise for if and when an order is placed. Of course this kind of work yields no income at all and its all done on the chance that there might be upcoming work. The results are terrible for many of the properties as values have dropped in half over the past year or so in some of these Oakland neighborhood where the really awful loans were pushed on the people. A high percentage of the loans made in this great social engineering idea dreamed up by people in Washington have failed. The poor people could not handle the payments and the resulting reality for these people is far worse than if they had never been tempted with a house purchase. Their lives are broken, their credit in shambles and no one in Washington is going to jail. When Enron failed people were tried and went to jail, not this time yet the effects of decisions made on Wall Street and in Washington are much more drastic. Few people have even fessed up and admitted making mistakes. It is very hard to take and I'm afraid we are in for much worse times ahead. It is hard for me to accept that for many of the past few years my little company has made enough income to qualify as rich, that I needed to pay more taxes. Amazing, like the huge tax bill I was paying was not enough. I've got to admit I have no interest in building the company back up to its former levels for just that reason. When one is a success it is like he has a target painted on his or her back, come tax me more. Pay health care for all employees, pay, pay pay. No thanks. And the idea of asking the current health providers to suddenly extend their same level of care to 46 million more individuals. Its not going to happen. There are reasons people who are in dire need of health care and can afford to, travel to the US for treatment. We met some in Boston, they got tired of waiting 6 months for routine care for cancer and could afford to come where they could get it. It will have to come to rationing. If you are old or have certain diseases that are not deemed economically treatable then you won't get the care you need, there is not enough care to go around so you treat the young who have a long life ahead and don't get some strange disease, no way.
I was very pleased to see the stock market find some courage today, its a sign of hope, could be a false hope but at least it moved the right direction. America for all its problems is so far ahead of the rest of the world in its quest for freedom and being there to help no matter what disaster strikes anywhere in the world. I am thankful on a daily basis to be able to have the privilege of living in this great country.
I miss Nan so much at times, she was such a great calming influence and her inner faith was so strong. She knew her Lord and trusted that He knew what He was doing for her and life in general.
Last night I was ready to go to bed at 10 and then discovered that the bread had 1 more hour to go before it was completed. It is not a good thing to leave the loaf in the machine when it is finished so I settled down with a mocha, Starr and watched a very interesting episode of CSI Miami. I turned up the sound system including the woofer and enjoyed the sound track. At 11 the little beep sounded and the bread was completed. It was the finest loaf yet, it filled the entire chamber and is so large slices won't fit in the toaster. What a winner!
Lois, next door neighbor, is back from San Jose and was kind enough to give the back deck a very complete scrubbing today. She hates spiders and webs and really attached them. She is going to give Lady a bath soon, Lady seems to be coated with grime and is itching a lot right now. Its nice that Lois knows so much about dogs and is willing to help out with them. The dogs love her, could be the treats she often throws over to them!
I'm trying to put the finishing touches on a duplex appraisal located in Oakley near Freeway 980. All of the sales I'm using as comps are bank owned, its so sad.
So life continues to move forward, like a glacier, it moves slowly forward whether we are prepared to move or not. There are so many things I long for, some I can't have, some I should not have and some I've had before and miss. Yes I've noticed the sage words of both Sylvia and Sharon always do come true, God does supply our needs, not our wants, not our excesses, just our needs.
So my friends and family members, good night to all.

love

tim
ps Tomorrow I'm needed in caring for the little ones at 6:30 am and then after school. Yes Keanna went to the doctor today and has been released to go back to school but is not to play rough or move fast for now, the fear is of falling and causing more damage to the arm. She enjoyed getting back to school today to see her teacher and her friends.

Quickbooks is up to date, yea!

Dear Family and Friends,
It started last night and slowly became an obsession. Yes I did have to write two appraisals today, no I have not done that but I stuck with quick books pro, an accounting program I have in all my computers which tracks the business income and outgo, more outgo than income it seems. Nan used to keep it reconciled faithfully but after she became to weak to sit in her work chair it lapsed. It is not the easiest work to do but as of tonight I'm 100% update to date, have every month reconciled and the great news is.................. I'm $17 overdrawn. Not the outcome I had hoped but I'm still jazzed about the progress. So I guess I'll be writing appraisals tomorrow on a full time basis.
Ken and I walked this morning at 6:30, it was dark and it was very cold. I had moved up to sweat pants and sweat shirt but quickly discovered I was very under dressed. I was cold the entire time around the lake with the wind whipping around. Ken meanwhile looked like he was bound for Alaska with plenty of warm clothes. He was the smart one. It felt so good to get home and then to my amazement the furnace decided it would work this morning so the entire day has been spent in very comfortable temperatures. After I completed the quick books pro project I decided to go get some yeast so I could make a loaf of bread, great idea but $81 dollars later I almost forgot the yeast. The bread is baking now, the kitchen is clean and when Lois came over to say hello after returning from a week in her other home in San Jose I invited her in to share a cinnamon roll fresh from the Safeway bakery. Then we tackled a project, putting the decorative ruffle back above the windows and doors in the kitchen and family room. Sylvia had so kindly taken them down and washed them but we needed to let them dry naturally, well that was two weeks ago and they are dry now. So this evening two of the 4 windows have their ruffles back in place.
I'm getting ready for the bread to finish. It always smells so heavenly when its baking. While I was shopping I got bananas, 1% milk, strawberries, apples, pears, low fat string cheese, whole wheat buns for garden burger lunches, yogurt and orange juice, some frozen vegetables and low fat wheat thins. I'm set for a few days now. Starving is constantly on my mind but so far I've managed to avoid it.
I stopped by to see the girls for a minute after shopping and you would not know Keanna had recently been injured and operated on. She was racing through the house with a broomstick attempting to fly, Kallie was on a blanket on the floor loving all the action and Nikki was just enjoying her girls.
So we all are off to a new week, lets make it a good one, touching lives, helping where we can and sharing God's external love.

love

tim

Keanna recovering fast....

Dear Family and Friends,

I'm just back from a very nice day spent with Nikki, Kallie and Keanna. We have planned to go to Apple Hill as is our family tradition for the past 35 years. This is an area with many apple orchards that has joined forces and now have different features at different farms. While all sell apples and apple juice one has a lake with trout for the kids to fish for, dozens of craft booths, apples pies, apple donuts and a host of other things.. One farm has a little train ride while another has pony rides. The weather usually cooperates and with just a hint of altitude the days spend there are usually wonderful and refreshing. We were not sure if Keanna was up to such a long trip so soon after her surgery but she woke this morning asking her mom if we could go after all. So we left Discovery Bay at noon and drove there, encountered repair work on Highway 99 and very slow traffic on the country roads as we entered the Apple Hill country. Finally we parked and joined the fun. There were thousands of people milling about and after an apple donut and milk Keanna had face painting and I stood in line for a frozen apple pie to bring home to Steve. All in all we had a wonderful day. Keanna never complained of pain and has done an amazing job of adjusting to moving about with the use of just one arm. She is amazing and such a little trooper!

I've included some photos from today. The photo of Kallies footwear is showing little slippers Dana purchased for her in china town last summer, they are so cute.

love

Tim

Tim

Home at last

Dear Friends and Family,
Friday night 10:05 and its cold here. I'm reminded that the furnace does not work and for the first time in many months it would be nice to have some heat. For two days the wind has blown nearly constantly and has sent a chill throughout the house. Even the dogs are noticing the change in temperature.
Most of today has been spent driving. My good friend and client Bob Johnson who lives in Oakhurst had a person needing a reverse mortgage who resides in Rohnert Park. I was scheduled to go yesterday but when Keanna needed me I put it off a day. So this morning after nearly freezing all night under a summer blanket I rose, showered and drove for a couple hours. It was a pleasant trip with a new book playing the time sped by rapidly. The visit was another of those very special ones where the owner is such a sweet person, the property so perfect that my job is made easier. After I finished my GPS told me an Olive Garden was nearby so it was time for soup and salad. Feeling full and ready I next set the GPS for an address on 87Th Ave. in Oakland. The lender had requested I reinspect the property. They gave me no clue as to what I would find. What I found was a house that had been transformed. It is now a very attractive home with new paint and stucco, new high quality fencing, near rear deck, new floor coverings inside, updated bathroom, new kitchen. Wow, what a change and the people are so proud of their home now. I timed it just right so I would have terrible traffic all the way home and that is just what happened. Finally reaching home I eagerly scanned the mail but alas no checks, only a 48 hour notice from my good friends at PG&E. As I entered my office my computer was emitting some terrible noises and it has kept doing so from time to time this evening. I'm guessing a fan is starting to have bearing trouble, just one more little issue to deal with.
Nikki said that Keanna is doing pretty well, is resting with her arm elevated a lot and is moving around easily. She is making rapid progress but still has some pain. She refused to report the pain though as she does not want to take the pain meds.
I'm glad to be home tonight though coming home means little now compared to the prior life. One just has to deal with the process of always being alone, its sort of like a sentence, a punishment and you can't escape it for long, you just endure it and try to find diversions along the way.
Here's hoping you have a great weekend, enjoy this wonderful time of year, it is very special.

love to all,

Tim

Keanna comes home

Dear Family and Friends,

Keanna was released from John Muir Hospital in Walnut Creek this evening and is sleeping in her own bed tonight. Today she had to cope with her little body's reaction to the morphine, throwing it up, having the IV removed and getting fitted with a sling to hold the repaired arm. She watched TV and colored many pictures with her one good arm even thought it was forced to stay straight due to the IV. Nikki had to scratch her nose, wipe tears from her eyes and feed her as she could not reach her mouth at all. Nikki was a real trooper and Daddy did the Kallie care. Seems that Kallie was so glad to see daddy last night at 1:30 in the morning that she woke and stayed away for nearly 2 hours much to Steve's despair. Finally at 3 this morning she fell asleep and so did Steve. Today he mowed 19 lawns for his landscaping business, managed to get Kallie to the sitters and then to pick her up late this afternoon.

It was a very happy reunion when we arrived home, Steve, Keanna and Nikki were shedding a few tears of joy to have her home once again safely. This will be some recovery, the pain is pretty severe and she does not care for pain killers orally. Tonight will be the worst night. I've included a couple pretty cloudy pictures I took with my phone this afternoon after I arrived back at the hospital. Nikki stayed with her continuously and was a great source of encouragement but it took its toll on Nikki who got very little sleep and was emotionally drained by the suffering Keanna has been through. How we all appreciate your messages of love and support.

Once again we are all reminded of how special it is to be a part of a caring family and each do our part to help the whole. What a blessing God has given when He created families. Relationships, people sharing ideas, hopes, dreams with each other. Where ever, when ever that can happen good results.

In Tracy for the years Nan and I were the pastor team of the SDA church we fostered a concept loved by many of the church members, that of going on church sponsored campouts. Where ever we went fellowship resulted, people sitting in canvas chairs or hiking down trails deeply engrossed in conversations, learning, helping newer members feel welcome and learning from the wisdom of an Dr. Glover. I remember Jason being taught how to handle a knife by Roland Coleman, the group enjoying water vegetables (freshly caught fish) compliments of Dick Lanza, singing by George Miller and so it goes. Inter generational exchanges were common and we all grew because of the time spent. Some had pup tents, some had wonderful motor coaches but once we were camped everyone shared what they had and everyone was equal in importance. Who can forget Fern and Becky leading out in Sabbath School in the cool mist at MBA or in the shade at some warm mountain beach near a lake or the potlucks that had everything one could imagine to eat, where did it all come from?

What an environment to raise children in, what a boost to church morale, to "come apart and rest awhile" as Jesus told his disciples.

Ever look back and consider your proudest moments, was it because of some thing you purchased, won, stole, borrowed? Or is it when you helped another human being reach for his or her potential. Growing people is such an incredible adventure, Jesus was the master of it, taking rough fishermen and carpenters, tax collectors and turning them into men of stature who would change the entire world.

People matter, possessions, not so much.

What an honor to have you as a friend, a family member. You are better than gold!

love

tim

Keanna out of surgery

Dear Family and Friends,

I'm just in from Walnut Creek having brought Kallie back home to her daddy for the night. Nikki is sleeping in a little cot next to Keanna's bed. Keanna fell over a bike stand today fracturing her left arm just above the elbow. Because of where the break occurred the ortho dr felt the best outcome would result from surgery, placement of two little pins and a sling sort of arrangement for the next month. She was in surgery for about 40 minutes, Nikki's friend Stephanie brought us Taco Bell so we had some food while Keanna in surgery. Then the phone rang and Nikki was told to come back up, that Keanna was waking up.

She was a very precious and brave girl as we waiting about 6 hours in the ER. She had to endure the installation of an IV in her little arm but refused any pain meds, she said she would end up spitting them out. They kept her warm and there was a little TV with the Disney Channel, that helped a lot. Who would have guessed that Hanna Montana would have come in so helpful.

Daddy steve was working in Felton without any phone service all day so did not know what was happening until late this evening.

I'll cancel my day tomorrow and go back with Nikki's car when they are ready to come home. Nikki handled everything very well and was super supportive to Keanna.

Special thanks to Jason who blogged earlier this evening letting you all know what was happening. At that point I thought I would be staying the night at the hospital too and wanted you to know unfolding events.

I guess this will let caregivers know that just because a child can make a fist and move their hand, that does not mean nothing is broken, that was the story from the WMCA day care she was attending when this happened. However we are not upset with anyone, accidents happen and tonight Keanna is starting to heal. We thank the good Lord for His special attention to Keanna's needs today. What a great team we experienced at John Muir Hospital in Walnut Creek.

So good morning my friends, it is now 1:30 and I think I'll catch some winks before morning.

love to all,

Tim

Keanna needs your prayers tonight

Hello everyone,

Tonight it's Jason that's chronicling the Mustard life. Sadly, I'm writing tonight under very stressful and painful circumstances for my oldest niece, Keanna. 

Earlier today, while Keanna was playing at recess in Kindergarten, she took a fall. At the time she felt some pain, but her teachers didn't think that it was that serious. After Keanna got home, the pain in her arm was still bothering her and it was getting worse, not better. 

Now remember, this is the little girl who decided to do a bodyslam off the couch when she was two and ended up with a bright pink cast to prove it. Unfortunately, it looks like she'll be wearing another cast pretty soon.

Dad and Nikki took Keanna (with Kallie in tow as well) to the hospital in Brentwood right away this evening, but they told my family to continue on to Walnut Creek for proper treatment. So, it's about 8:45pm and the current verdict is this: Keanna's arm is broken just above the elbow and she's currently got an IV going in preparation for a necessary surgery to repair the damage.

Obviously, our family is hurting for little Keanna and we're just asking that anyone who reads this sends up a prayer for this tough little 5 year-old. Dad says that Keanna has handled everything very well, but our family is facing a long night in the hospital. 

I'm sure Dad will update you as soon as possible. Until then, God bless.

Jason