Freezing fingers

Back again,
After a long day I'm finally sitting here with Starr at my side, Dark Blue in on the DVR,  and the fire is unofficially burning on this NO Burn day.  This afternoon as Keanna and I drove along I was trying to make a point to her re: dealing with authority, mainly obeying her mother and father on a regular basis.  I explained to he that I didn't like to obey rules sometimes and to make my point I told her about no burn days and how i could not have a fire burning today since it was a no burn day.  She was understanding fine up to the point where we walked into the family room and there the fire was burning brightly.  Seems the fire I had going last night simmered and finally blossomed this afternoon.  It was really funny, she was terrified that the police would come and bust her Papa so I went over and shut down the draft and of course the flame went out.  She was mollified when there was no more "fire".
This morning I drove to San Ramon and pulled up in front of a huge complicated house.  Inwardly I groaned as it was very cold outside.  I had my favorite Alaska heavy sweater on and pulled a coat on over it.  Then I started to measure this monster, I mean lovely home.  It seemed to take forever and then it would not come together.  I'm told there is a lovely view of the golf course from behind the home, of course it was totally obscured by fog so think I could see nothing.  And then there was the boxer who decided he needed to take a piece out of my leg, I felt his teeth on my ankle but it did not make the full bite before the agent showing the house came and took him and his smaller side kick to the garage.  The home was beautifully decorated inside and was one of those places you could see yourself moving into.  It even had a courtyard with a full fireplace, I wish it had been burning as the longer it took to get the home measured my fingers grew more and more stiff. 
Once I got inside it was warmer and eventually I completed the inspection taking a photo of every room in the house, we do that for relocation appraisals.  Once I was safely back in the car seat I started the engine and fired the heater up to high.  Thawing out I discovered that I was very near to being out of diesel.  I already had 521 miles on the tank so I started to wander about until the Lord delivered me to a nearby Safeway where I filled the tank and consumed a nice hot chocolate.  Finally after shooting my comp photos I turned the little car towards home.
At 2:37 I picked up Keanna at school and she played quietly while I kept at the Clayton appraisal.  It ended up having 10 comparables.  In the old days we used to have just 3 but that just won't cut it anymore.
After emailing the report to the lender on time I joined the girls in Brentwood at a great little Mexican place for dinner.  The food was super and the girls were fun too.
So the day has been an adventure of sorts, freezing fingers, report writing, fire building and looking for work.  The email brought me an order but before I could even set it up they placed a hold on it, not so fun.

At 8 am I have an appointment to see a property out in Bethel Island, a nearby waterfront community that has very few sales.  This one is for a family trying to settle an estate.  I've agreed to see the property and have the report written by the end of the day.  Of course it is COD and the account needs funds like usual so I'm very thankful for the order.  I just hope that I can see the property through the fog in the morning.

I received some very troubling news today from friend Bob in Lodi.  Carrol took a tumble in the kitchen and broke her other hip.  She has already had the repair surgery but she was just recovering from a knee replacement and before that in the fall a broken hip.  They both need our prayers.  Their spirits are really hammered right now.  Enough is enough and this is overload.  Please pray for Bob and Carrol Sorenson, dear friends for many years.  They are brave, loyal and incredible people.

Love to all,

Tim