Keanna turns 9

Dear Family and Friends,
It was a happy dinner tonight at UNOs as we celebrated Keanna's big day.  She received some nice things, enjoyed her meal and reading her cards.  One special note was a card from Kallie that she signed herself, not bad for a 3 year old.  On the way home she demonstrated that she could count up to about 30 now, another nice milestone.

I've been very busy today, this evening I've just emailed out the 4th report I've written today.  I'm getting quicker at these as the pressure builds.  I've also received many orders today so I will be very busy the rest of the week.

In the morning the motorhome goes in for its repairs.  Its time to get it in shape again.

Sending love to all, great to hear from Art and Pam this evening, how fun to be in touch with great people.

Jason called to say he is doing pretty well, very sore but managing to keep moving.  He is bummed that he made it to 22 miles, I'm thrilled that he made it to 22 miles and is OK afterwards.

Tim

Jason and Jo do great on the Highway 1. Keanna turns 9 tomorrow!

Today I think Jason and Jo will sleep well, they certainly deserve to.  They climbed out at 2 am this morning to car pool down to the staging area.  They encountered dense fog, very steep hills, cold temperatures and a time limit since the Highway had to be opened back up at 1 pm, just 6 hours from the start of the race.  Jo worked with her team and enjoyed her many miles but Jason was working alone.  Using all the techniques he has learned he managed the steep 5% grade hills, the fog, the headwinds but the time limit eventually caught up with him preventing him from finishing the last few miles.  But get this he ran 23 miles!  And not only that afterwards he walked around well and we  enjoyed a nice lunch with Clayton, Jo, Mia, Timothy and Jason in Monterey.  What an exciting time we all had.  I cannot begin to imagine what 23 miles must feel like.  The most I've ever done before was 5 miles in a run over at Half Moon Bay.
So I'm very proud of them tonight.  Jason and Jo have been working up to this for months, often Jason would log many miles on a Sunday morning and recently he ran a 1/2 marathon, 13.1 miles.  He said that at that point today he felt great so he is thinking about just doing those instead of the dreaded 26.2 miles.

After we arrived back at the house they let themselves wind down a bit and I packed up the motorhome.  It did a great job on this trip getting about 10 miles per gallon.  The power jacks worked perfectly, the awning was nice and the furnace took the chill off during my shower this morning.  Now its back in the driveway and on Tuesday I take it in for its $3400 of repairs to fix what my last renter did to it on my own block as he sideswiped a Saab.

I come home to a pretty big workload and I'll be at it early in the morning, several things are due tomorrow and a couple of them are very challenging, almost impossible, those take a bit longer.

I've come to accept the saying that chance is vacation.  I know I only drove down yesterday but so much happened that was special, it was worth the 4 hours of driving, the $100 for fuel just to get to play with Timothy and hold Mia though I could have gone the rest of my life without that diaper she presented me with this morning, not for the weak of heart!  Clayton disappears that a diaper is involved.  There is a lot to be said for potty training when the time comes along in the 3's.  Yet Mia was so helpful, she didn't move a muscle and just waited while old bumble fingers took care of it.

Tomorrow Keanna turns 9.  She is thrilled about it, can't wait and today Nikki took she and her friends to the Oakland Zoo for the day and then to California Pizza Kitchen.  Tomorrow evening we'll celebrate with her at the place of her choosing.  Hard to believe and accept that she is growing up so fast.  She is a very exciting child, does great in school, knows so much and has so much energy.  Is a good big sister and sure adds excitement to this old house when she and her sister come to visit.

Love to all

Tim

Resting at MBA

Good evening

I'm sitting at the table in my motorhome, in the distance I can hear the breakers on the beach and the night is cool and beautiful.  Some nitwit is running around setting off fireworks but I guess that goes with alumni weekend, it takes all kinds.

Jason and Jo are already in bed as they have to climb out about 2 in the morning, then leave at 3 for their ride to the start of the marathon they will be running at Big Sur.  While the course is beautiful and winds on the hills by the sea 26 miles is a very long ways.  Jo will be running in a relay race along with many others from the campus and area.  Jason will be striving for a full 26 miles but has to do it in 6 hours since they reopen Highway 1 after 6 hours are up.  He is not sure what he can do but intends to give it his best.  He has run up to 20 miles before.  As a father I just want to say, don't do this but of course my role is to be a supporter, not to act out my fears.  Clayton, Jo's brother is here to help with the kiddos and by the time they wake Jason and Jo will be long gone.

We will drive down later in the morning about 11 probably to meet up with Jason and Jo.  There are thousands of people running and the crowds will be intense.  However our job will be much easier than their job, that is running until they are at the wall and then beyond.  Please pray that God will watch over them as they tackle this milestone in their lives.

This morning I took Keanna and Kallie to Sabbath School.  Kim did a super job of teaching and I know Sylvia did a great job too.  The girls love the experience even though they sometimes demonstrate their independence.
How I love my Tracy SDA church family.  There are some really terrific people there, people who are genuine and demonstrate the love of Jesus with their whole lives.

When I arrived today I found Jason on duty at the gate and the rest of the family heading to the beach.  What fun we had at the water's edge.  Mia loves walking, picking up the little shovels and just playing in the sand while Timothy digs, runs, plays and enjoys the beautiful place.  Having already walked 3 miles this morning with Ken I just walked on the beach for a short distance but enjoyed the crashing waves, the constant noise of the ocean and the distant fog.  What a place to spend a portion of Sabbath afternoon.

The motorhome is all set up, the awning out, lawn chairs out looking at the ocean and now at 9:25 it is chilly.  I've popped some corn and will soon head to bed.  I remembered to bring my blood testing equipment with me so tested the blood before dinner, it was 103 and that was terribly encouraging.

So I say good night from one of the nicest places on earth,

Love

tim

At last, the week grinds to a halt

Dear Ones,

So glad this very frantic week is finally in the history books.  How bout you?  Was your week busy too?

Today I raced to San Anselmo to conduct an appraisal of a property selling for just under a million dollars.  Of course over there it does not take much house to be work that, very expensive area and also very nice but so much traffic on Sir Francis Drake Blvd.  its the main link and it stays busy all day it seems.

Later I saw a little condo and then drove back to pick up Keanna at school.  We had a nice afternoon, picked up a tire for the Civic, made a quick stop at Dollar Tree and then were back home to greet Nikki when she and Kallie arrived.  They took a walk to the park to play and then Nikki left for her scrapbooking class and Steve and I took the girls to dinner in Brentwood.  We had a great evening meal.

So tomorrow its up early to take a 3 mile walk, then back to get ready for church, take the girls to SS in Tracy and then back.  Load up the motorhome and hook up the Civic for a drive to Jason and Jo's.  On Sunday morning early Jason and Jo drive the Civic to their marathon starting place.  Later in the morning Clayton, Timothy and Mia will drive down with me in the Odyssey to pick up the very tired runners.  I just pray for them as they do this incredible feat on their feet.

Thanks to many of you that were able to lend financial support to their efforts to raise funds for a worthy cause.

May your weekend be special, reach out to someone nearby and love them!

Love

Tim

Pressure

Good evening,
Pardon my being brief.  I've been at this since 7 this morning, have written reports, have done research, have inspected a 3 acre property in San Ramon with horses, huge St Bernards, attack geese and miles of driving to located comps that might work.  Then a made race to Hayward to see a house where they have converted the garage and build another garage at the back of the property, problem is with the garage as living area it makes the house bigger than any other in the neighborhood so the only ones that are the same size are much newer two story homes, lousy comps.

Then I get home and find three sets of revisions to reports I just sent out, each will take up to an hour.  I don't have an hour to give them as I will be in San Anselmo at 10 in the morning.  So it all adds up to a bit of stress and strain.  If all the lenders would just get together and agree on what rules they want followed, but no each writes their own rules and then changes them all the time.  Very challenging to keep up with the industry right now.  How I long for the good old days when we just had to please the underwriters, now we have all these half witted failed appraisers who nit pick everything.  Oh to be able to retire!

It was a beautiful day outside, loved walking the grounds of the place in San Ramon, in the hills with everything green.

Love to all

Tim

An enjoyable day

When Keanna comes to visit its always a fun day!

This morning as soon as my feet hit the carpet I was moving fast, I had lots of stuff to get written, an appraisal appointment to prepare for and its been non stop all day.  Must be interesting to work where you are required to take breaks, I'm sure I do take them from time to time but it just does not seem like it.

At 10 I was in Brentwood at the 55 and over community called Summerset.  Its a great place to visit and to live, would not mind ending up there myself.  Today after I got through the security gates and pulled up in front of the little duet unit I found the garage door open, sort of surprising because it was raining.  I rang the bell but there was no answer, then I knocked and finally I called only to discover that they had forgotten and were having a break job on their mom's car.  In a minute they called back and told me to just go ahead and inspect.  So that is what I did, quickly went through the interior, got my photos and then went to shoot the comp photos.  Little 1,000 sf duet with single car garage is worth about $195,000 now.  How times change things.

After I completed my work I drove by Starbucks and got a skinny mocha with peppermint, oh it is good and I stretched it out over 2 hours.  On the way home I drove by the new little grocery store in town.  What fun, I found fresh corn, cheap tomatoes, a little loaf of wheat bread, good cottage cheese and then headed home.  As I neared home I remembered that I had some cash on me so I stopped at the local fresh produce stand.  They had the most beautiful strawberries and they taste so good.  I got two baskets and only have about one basket left now.  So good.

Nikki texted me about 11 asking I wanted to bring Keanna and have lunch with her at Strawhat. So that is what we did.  She works so close that she can meet us for lunch and still be back in time to work.  Now that is a nice blessing.

Keanna did a great job with her homework this afternoon, then she played on the computer and watched a little bit of her programs.

Nikki and Kallie arrived at 4:30 and that was a fun time as Kallie tried to wear out the door bell, picked some roses from my beautiful front yard and generally just had fun.

Once they were on their way I settled down to work some more and I've just completed a report from San Anselmo now on a little 770 sf home with a value of $400,000.  Location is truely the key.

Well the greatest news today was a call from Jason, he called to share the good news that Jo was offered a job yesterday.  She is delighted and will be working with some incredibly nice people.  Thank you Lord for finding jobs for my precious ladies.

Love to all

Tim

Work, long hours of it

So I'm home finally, its 9:47 now.  I rolled out at 6 this morning and worked on appraisals and research for the day.  Just before it was time to leave the agent involved in the first property purchase I was to see.  He said something had gone wrong in the give and take with buyer and seller and the deal had fallen through.  Great!  I had spent an hour on research and had the file ready.

So I went back to work on more appraisal writing and left at 1:15 for a 3:15 appointment in Santa Rosa.  That one was fun and the trip went smoothly.  A good book certainly helps the miles melt.

Then it was a mad race through Santa Rosa traffic to San Anselmo.  The subject was located in this tiny little wide spot along Francis Drake Blvd which runs from San Rafael to Ross to a couple other little places and San Anselmo fits in there someplace.  The house was tiny, the lady was a hoot and then it was over.  I debated where to eat and finally speed won out so the GPS located a Burger King and I had my usual garden burger and salad.  It was tasty and in a few minutes I was back on the road.  Several good phone calls helped me get home.

Now its bedtime for sure.  While these days are hard I find great joy in taking on a mission and seeing it through.  Yes I do it for the money but I also do it because I enjoy it.  Late in the afternoon Nikki called to report that she had enjoyed her first day at her new job.  Not that everything is perfect and starting over means less vacation time, 90 days before health insurance kicks in etc but she is still very grateful to have joined this delightful company which is located in BYRON.  That is the great news.

Jason called to say that Jo enjoyed her interview and they both have hopes that something will work out.  He reminded me that he is doing the marathon this weekend down Monterrey way.  So I'll be driving the motorhome down, towing the civic and helping care for the kiddos while Jason and Jo take part in this huge event.  Fun stuff but Jason will be moving slow after 26 miles!  I just can't believe anyone can do such a thing.

Sending love to all,

Tim

On a Roll

Dear Family and Friends,
Today was a day primarily given to Kaiser appointments.  I spent perhaps 30 minutes with Dr. Gee today which turned out to be very helpful.  He took a genuine interest in the blood sugar levels and with my perpetual cough.  I think his ideas were helpful and I felt listened to after our visit.  I am to see him again in 30 days to see if some of what he has suggested is helping.

After time with Dr. Gee I went right down to meet with LoGina, the diabetes nurse.  This lady really knows her stuff and she refined what the doctor had suggested into a plan.  Her explanations along with her reading the blood sugar machine through her computer were very helpful.

It took much longer for the visits than I had expected but I felt good as I was leaving.  Once home I went back to work and opened the mail.  I was just about to toss a form letter from some lender when I went ahead and opened it.  It was pink and looked like a bid to refi my house or something.  Actually it was payment for two appraisals, $550.  That along with the other check certainly improved my bank account.  Its been a few days since money came but today was good.

I had an appointment here in Discovery Bay on a property that I've seen many times before.  So when the owner was 5 minutes away she called to let me know.  I met her there and shot a new set of photos of the house.  Then I left for Hayward, to catch the one that I totally forgot to do yesterday.  Nikki wisely suggested I check out sunset times for Hayward on the Internet, I did and learned that the sun would set about 8 pm.  It did!

I used a technique I have refined over the years.  When approaching a house at the end of day shoot exterior photos of the subject, then leave and shoot photos of all the comps, then come back and measure after dark if need be and shoot interior photos after dark.  So had you arrived at the house on Sulphur Street in Hayward you have seen me measure by penlight and then using the same little flashlight open the lock box and get the key.  Then using the little dimming light unlock the house and finding the power on I turned on all the lights inside and completed the inspection.  It may be true that the last couple comp photos I shot may not be the best but I do know how to lighten photos if they are visible at all. 

On the way home I text ed Steve to see if he could write up the appraisal for me, he said yes so I just dropped it by and by tomorrow night he will have it done for me so when I get back from Santa Rosa and San Anselmo I can finish it up and ship it out.

Ken and I walked this morning and the morning was perfect, no coat, no gloves, just a nice morning.

Well its bed time here.  I am so thankful that Nikki begins her new position tomorrow at a business located right here in Byron so no dangerous commute for her.  We are very thankful to God for His guiding and the opening of doors.  Now we seek God's direction and help for Jo and Jason as they move forward with their lives.

Tomorrow will be another long day and I'm so thankful for the little VW, for its great fuel mileage and for the comfort and ease it affords.  I know there will be a day when it become tired but at 264,000 it seems to be going strong and still hands me about 560 miles on each tank.  Talk about blessings.

Sending love to all,


Tim

A different kind of day

Dear Family and Friends,
Sometimes in life we end up moving out of our old comfortable ways.  Today was one of those days.

Having loaded the motorhome with boxes of things Nan had collected over the years this morning I drove it to Brentwood Elementary where Nikki had rented a space at a huge rummage sale.  I arrived later than I should have and it took awhile to get the boxes unloaded.  There was a whole lot of stuff to be sure.  Finally we took time to set up the awning so we could have a bit of shade as the day and the heat progressed.  Steve dropped the kiddos by around 8 and they enjoyed the experience.

What a hoot to mee the public, hundreds of people passing by, exploring, sniffing, testing and bargaining.  At around 1 we loaded all our leftovers back into Nikki's van and the motorhome.  Many many empty boxes were evidence that we had some success.  Also there was enough funds to cover Keanna's soccer season payment, that was the great news.  Nikki is so good at this kind of thing, she knows when to bargain down, most items sold for a dollar.  We struck up a friendship with the people who had the site next to ours and they were great, friendly and helpful.

Once we were loaded Nikki went to sign up Keanna and we met at Red Robin.  Todays garden burger was so good, just amazingly good and the salad was fresh and tasty.  We had a nice time together, we were all sunburned and very tired.  Finally we parted going our own ways and I drove the motorhome back enjoying the AC and just sitting on a nice leather seat. 

Then it was time for a bit of rest.  You see it was a different kind of day, no Sabbath School and the girls missed that but I knew the funds would help for a very worthy cause and I also knew Nan would have enjoyed having her stuff help out like this.

Tomorrow will be a different kind of day.  Central to the day is Morgan Hill at 11 and Gilroy at 1 pm.  I hope to see a property on the way down and another on the way back so the day could mean 4 total.  We will see as there is a lot of travel involved and this heat does not help with the measuring at all.

I'm not sure if the blog looks different but they changed the format I use to create the blog.

Let me know if there are problems, I'm at discoapp@comcast.net.

Love to all,

Please join with me in praying for Jason and Jo, they needs God's guidance and help opening doors.

Tim

A great day for rejoicing

Good evening
This has been a very busy day.  I was in Fremont at 8:20 this morning inspecting a perfect little house, then it was up Freeway 680 and 4 to Oakley where I inspected another nice home.  Then to Brentwood where good things continued to happen.

I stopped at a funky little tire shop and gas station where a fast talking young guy runs a business that mostly sells fancy wheels to low riders but he is easy to work with.  I went by to order a new rim to replace the one I bent in Oakland.  After a quick look he scoffed, we can fix it he said and a few minutes later it was back on the car.  While I was there I asked how much to rotate the tires?  A few minutes that was done as well and we moved the most worn tire to the trunk and have the better 4 all rotated.  Then he quoted an even lower price for the work, $30.  Before he could change his mind I quickly paid.

Then it was on to the $11 car wash and tonight the car is clean.

This afternoon I drove up to Roseville to celebrate Barb Lammerding's birthday at Olive Garden, family was there and we enjoyed our time together.  Gerry even gave me money for fuel for coming up.

A real high point for the afternoon was a phone call from Nikki sharing how her first day is Tuesday at her new position as accountant for a company based right here in Byron so no more nasty commutes to Livermore every day.  I thank God and you for your prayers for the family.  I am so thankful that Nikki has been able to make this work move to a place that gives every indication of being an office where people work as a team instead of a gotcha mentality.

We still need your prayers though as Jason and Jo are contemplating a major change in their lives but Jo finding a position as a school teach is needed and so far that is elusive.  Lets pray with all our hearts that God will guide Jason and Jo in the days ahead.

Sending love to all,

Tim

Fun day

I would like to know why I am feeling so well today, what has changed and given me new energy?  Could be some good things happening!  Could be enough rest!

This morning started off with my jumping up before the alarm went off, then quickly down to make Oatmeal and Stripples.  After that I went to work and finished up a report, logged yet another report and then got all of the 11 orders scheduled, a first for me.  I wrote up another report and shipped it out and then did research for Castro Valley and Oakley.

Castro Valley turned out to be a cute little place with a nice older lady, sharp and friendly.  Then it was on to Oakley which is located in East county near where I live.  The traffic was unbelieveable but taking back roads I made it, used my electronic lockbox key and inspected the large home.  I felt myself beginning to slow as I worked and once the comps were shot I really wilted.  Grabbed a bean burrito at Taco Bell and drove home.  Its been a warm day, for me the first day of work with shorts, felt good and the new wheel is so precise.  Its a pleasure to use.  While moving things in the garage last night I located another wheel, not sure why its there as it seems to work properly.  Oh the many surprises one finds in the garage.

Now its time to finish up another report and get it shipped out and then head to bed.  I am so thankful for God's blessings.  One very nice blessing was a cell phone call this afternoon from Dr. George.  He was calling to encourage me to keep digging in the boxes in the garage, seems the video tapes we shot on a trip to Israel long ago are still in one of the many boxes in the garage.  George and I shot those tapes and he can edit them into something worth watching providing I can find them and providing that they are still good after so long in the hot and cold garage.  We will cross our fingers.

Well good night to each and every one of you.

Love

Tim

Cranking

Dear Family and Friends,

So I'm finally winding down now.  Our weather here has been amazing, my front yard is ablaze with color, bright yellow roses, red ones too, Marigolds trying to grow, lilacs and some stunningly beautiful purple flowers.  The flowers that Nan planted so long ago are up, I think they are called glads and they are beautiful.  I worked in this morning setting up 10 new orders, inspected a 5,200 sf home on the golf course, picked Keanna up at 12:45 from school and then popped her some popcorn which she devoured as she did her homework, played on the secondary computer in the office and played games on her ipod as well.

Nikki was in San Jose at a special sale of children's items, she has a couple hundred she is selling there so this evening I picked up Kallie which is always a hoot.  She is so genuinely delighted to see me, no one could fake that.  Then I ventured into Safeway with the girls for a couple things and resisted their calls to buy nearly everything they saw.  We left with just a couple little books.

At Nikki's I had a chance to catch up with her, she was so tired and Kallie insisted I read the book we had just purchased.  That is such an honor to get to read to little ones. 

On the way home I was so low physically, I picked up an infusion with a skinny peppermint mocha at Starbucks.  In a matter of minutes I had energy and felt ready to tackle the project of the year, moving stuff out of the garage and into the motorhome which I will use to transport it all to the sale.  I am always amazed at just how much stuff, junk, precious items, you know the drill, that 36 years of marriage can create, especially when your loving spouse loved to shop, to buy, to experience it all.  Every box is a new adventure!  Now I've just called a halt to it tonight, I was tired sweaty and I can pick up the process tomorrow morning.

The other challenge that was holding me down was how to get the 10 orders seem, written and to the lender on time.  Finally I just waded into the process.  First I wrote them on the board, the town, the street, the appointment time and date and when it is due.  Then I started calling.  Sometimes I had two calls going at the same time as people responded.  Now I only have 3 that are not confirmed out of the 10 which is very good news.  The places I must go stretch from Santa Rosa, San Anselmo, Castro Valley, Fremont, Gilroy and Morgan Hill.  Locally there are two in Discovery Bay, one in Oakley and one in Antioch.  What a huge blessing these orders are, about $3,000 dollars worth, it will come in handy in about 3 weeks when the payments come in.

I'm thankful for many things, for many people, for Ken who joined me for a nice 3 mile walk this morning, for Ray that brought me bananas tonight, for a chance to check in with the kiddos.  For a nice place to live here on the lake.  In the near future I'm going to get my ducks in a row enough to host an afternoon of fun for friends and family, there is work to be done first but I'm anxious to share this fun place with people who might enjoy the paddle boat or float on the lake in a raft or just relax in a deck chair or sit in the spa.  God has blessed me with this and I want to share it, its time to think beyond myself and reach out to others.  I have been treated so nicely by family and friends over the tough years, no complaints at all.  I think of the tireless hours Sylvia gave to helping me clear the house and get things ready to sell or give away, of my brother who came with a truck load of firewood, of Gerry and Barb who came when I was ill and helped me, of Pam who calls and encourages me all the time, of Art who is a steadfast friend, like a brother.  And the hug from Dr. George at the end of Sabbath School.  George and Yvonne are like an institution in my mind.  They are solid, positive and have been a huge support system helping keep me on track.

And soon we will be on another church campout and that means time to spend with life long friends who are a huge treasure for eternity.

So a day that started hard, the walk was a challenge due to breathing problems, has ended up very positive and the garage is starting to yield up its treasures!

Love to all,

Tim

Almost never boring, my life

Good evening,
I'm so glad to be back here with you and of the streets.
I spent the morning writing reports and fixing things, then rushed out the door at 1:10 for a 2 pm appointment in Oakland.  First I had to pick up the May bank statement for last year, then finding the tank empty I had to fill with diesel.  Then I was really ready.

Arriving in Oakland I found a very nice looking home on a narrow lot, it had fresh stucco, new windows and was attractive.  Inside I found more of the same, a total remodel with everything in great condition and up to date.  I also found an "office building" out back that was legally constructed as an office building but is now a full out studio unit with bath, kitchen, tile floors and all.  Will be interesting to write up.  As I was driving through the narrow Oakland streets to shoot comps I managed to not see a center divider and plowed into it with the left front wheel of the bug.  A man yelled that the tire was losing air and I should go to a station.  I pulled off the concrete piece and pulled over only to discover no hub cap and a very bent wheel with air rapidly escaping.

So in a block I was forced to pull over and off the street as much as I could and change a tire, something I've not done in many years.  The spare looks brand new and is a great tire but was very low on air.  So I limped down the road and on the corner was a Midas.  The manager could not have been nicer and at first we thought it was losing air but he filled it and it held.  So a few minutes later I was on my way to the property in Orinda that I was stood up at on Monday.

Once I arrived any bad feelings quickly melted, the owner was a beautiful young mother with two kiddos playing in the background.  Her english was broken but her eyes were amazing.  Its not just every day that you stumble onto such a stunningly beautiful woman.  She and her husband purchased the property a couple years ago and she said it was like a haunted house, terrible.  It is amazing now, light and totally updated with a stunning view of the distant mountains and the valley below.  What a kick to find such a great house.

Once I left her, I mean the house I enountered heavy traffic so I turned into Walnut Creek and decided to use the back road.  Applebees in along Ygnacio Valley road and I stopped, sat down at the bar and ordered an old favorite, grilled cheese with tomatoes, side salad and decaff.  Before long a lady appeared on the chair next to mine and we had a great conversation.  She is a nurse and has lived in the states for years, spent 10 years in Hawaii and is originally from New Zealand.  We had such fun chatting about nearly everything.  Thats why I love the bar, its like a lottery and you stand a pretty good chance of having an interesting conversation.  I wish we would have traded phone numbers but I sort of rushed away, not so sure how to do things yet but I'm learning fast.  I'm finding the world is filled with very nice women, its rough work but someone has to do it.

This afternoon my phone rang and it was a very nice lady from Property Sciences, when she calls I take note as she calls with orders.  I ended up accepting about 8 orders from her.  Sure enough when I got home here they are, all ready to put me to work.  Wow, I've been praying for work and here it is.

Please keep those great prayers coming for my family.

Sending love to all,

After changing a tire, changing my hand color to solid black and nearly being run over by drivers as I worked I ready for some rest and unwinding.  Once again I'm thankful to God for His covering hand.

Tim

Less than stellar day

Good evening
Up early, showered and on the road on time, arrived in Orinda to find no one home, no one answered the phone, message machine full so entire morning was a bust.  The I drove back, had lunch in Antioch, arrived at Kaiser on time only to be told my appointment was next Monday, bummer big time.

Drove home and did some office work, chased elusive comparables, tried to solve conditions but finally got to do something productive, took Keanna to eat and then to swim class so Nikki could get some more work done.

Now back home to discover that my savings account no longer shows when I go online with my bank, bummer as I need to move money over tonight, savings account has disappeared from the banking site, first time ever this has happened and tonight is when I need to move money.  What is going on?

So I think I'm going to go to bed, its something I can still do well, sleep!

Love to all and more than ever we could use your prayers.

Tim

Beautiful Day

Good evening
I've just completed the arduous process of entering every transaction in the business account dating back to May of last year.  You do know if you keep up with these things you can transfer all this from the bank to Quick Books directly in one electronic action but of course that is only good for 3 months at my bank so there is no going back to collect it in an easy manner now, so I entered each check, each charge, each painful overdraft charge but at this point I'm done, feels very good and it seems the Lord has arranged for me to not be so busy this week that I could take the time to do this vital task.

Of course at this point my eyes are crossed and almost not working.  Not that I've been at it all day.

This morning I rose early, showered and drove down through the beautiful valley to 152, crossed over the pass to Hollister and arrived at Pam's beautiful home which is located directly on a golf course.  We drove to the Elks lodge or whatever it was and found ourselves in a very long line of eager and hungry supporters of the cause.  The line moved rapidly and before long we stood with plates of eggs, potatoes and pancakes in search of a table. Soon one opened up and we enjoyed a great breakfast with local farmers and business people.  It slipped out that they are hoping for a change in presidents this fall, either than or they may have to go out of business, its that critical for thousands of business people, people who find themselves competing with people in dozens of other countries who can produce beef or crops without all the layers of control our government piles on the backs of our own citizens.  It was a great breakfast.

Once it was over we drove back and I headed back home up Highway 5 with green crops everywhere, 70 degree weather and little traffic.  Arriving home at 2:35 I set to work on the data entry challenge I faced and now at 8:30 I'm done.  Of course I was supposed to write two appraisals today, they will have to wait into tomorrow afternoon as I'm to be in Orinda at 9:30 in the morning.  I've been waiting 2 weeks to get to see this home as the people were traveling.  Then at 1:35 I have an appointment with my Dr. at Kaiser and I have a number of questions to run by him.

This week I'll be pulling things out of the garage in anticipation of a sale coming up soon where I hope some of the items can find new homes.  Nikki is such a big help, she is an expert on marketing things so I rely on her and Steve a lot.

I have little work to get scheduled but I anticipate more coming in soon, at least I can hope for more.

Love to all and we appreciate your prayers at this time.

Tim

Great Day

Good evening,

Just ended doing data entry for my business account, catching up from August on,  I really thought I had downloaded all of this but can't locate it.

Took the girls to SS in Tracy today, they were angels, then we went to lunch at Olive Garden, angels again, then I allowed them to spend some time at the dollar store, they love it and each selected three things, made great choices, Keanna selected glue sticks for school, pencils and a drawing pad, Kallie picked a little book, a little horse.

Once I dropped the girls off I've rested and enjoyed the day,  This evening Ray surprised me with some of the mocha I love that I usually buy at CostCo, he found it without sugar and it tastes great.  That is a nice addition to my life.

This evening I've tried to watch the movie Titanic and work but I just can't do it, I get glued to the little TV on my desk and stop entering data.

Tomorrow morning I'm up early and driving down to join Pam at breakfast, its a fund raiser at her school in Hollister.  I know a long ways to drive for pancakes and eggs but it will be great to see Pam again and catch up with her and her busy life there.

Sending love to all especially my precious family,

Love

Tim

Venturing out

At 5:15 this afternoon you would have found me sitting at the bar in the Sports Bar here in Discovery Bay.  I was meeting someone who I first met this week over a seniors site on the web.  My friend turned out to be delightful, a former appraiser turned Special Ed teacher she lives here in Discovery Bay and has had a very interesting life.  As you might imagine I was a bit nervous, especially as things did not turn out as planned.

I had a 11 am appointment in Livermore, that one turned into a very long appraisal, interested owner who is from Holland and though little has strong opinions.  It was a very interesting time spent.  Once I left her home I drove directly to the Pleasanton Library where I met a lady who had a device which you can connect a car seat to, it has wheels and it become a sort of stroller I think.  Because it had a flaw she gave it to Jo and Jason and I was there so I could pick it up.

Then it was time for lunch at Red Robin, a quick drive back to Livermore for fuel, shoot comps and then head up the Altamont, Highway 580, to Manteca for the next appointment.  Well traffic stopped, miles ahead two cars had crashed into each other and I had to drive very slowly all the way up the highway to the top and down the other side before passing the accident site.  It cost me an hour.  So I arrived in Manteca when I had planned to leave which made it very tight to meet my new friend in Discovery Bay.  And certainly did not give me a chance to drive home and change into nicer clothes.

We shared drinks, I think hers was a bit stronger than my cranberry juice over ice and had some deep fried asparagas, talk about good!  Later I joined Nikki and the girls for pizza and salad.

Now I'm tired and looking forward to putting the clean sheets back on the bed and sleeping all night.

I hope you enjoy your weekend, your loved ones and life itself.

Love

tim

Saint Helena whirlwind trip

Good evening
So this morning I dragged myself out of bed when the alarm went off at 6.  All night I had heard the rain pouring and the wind whipping about.  Shortly after rising I was on the way and at first there were just sprinkles on the window, then the torrent hit and for an hour I drove in intense rain but once I reached the outskirts of Saint Helena the rain had stopped.  Arriving at the very nice property I found the pool man there and the gardener but the house was empty, seems the owner had passed some time ago and while they thought the son lived somewhere nearby they did not know how to reach him so I had to just be content with an external inspection.

The home had a beautiful setting adjacent to a large vineyard and then in the distance the coastal mountain range could be seen.  I had written most of the report but needed to drive each one of the 6 comparables and take careful notes on their condition, their setting and appeal.  I was through about 10:45 and on the way out of town stopped at the Taylor Refresher, a locally owned place which has served great food for many years, all the way back to when I was in college and I graduated in 1971.  I had the best and messiest sandwich I believe I have ever experienced.  Filled with cream cheese, fried egg,  acocado, tomato and on a thick english muffin it was incredible.  But oh so messy, I should have eaten it with a fork.

I had an uneventful trip back with little rain as I was driving.  Since it was the middle of the day I had no traffic and arrived home at 12:40.  Then I completed the report and emailed it to the client.  I've pretty much taken it easy since then.  I went to Brentwood to WinCo for groceries and ended up with some beautiful strawberries, huge tomatoes and yummy bananas plus the best 2% cottage cheese around.  Ray showed me that in that store it is less expensive to purchase 2 small cartons rather than one large carton, for some reason their pricing is really screwy.

Once home I found I hardly had enough energy to carry the groceries in, just so wasted for some reason.  I've coughed all day and been wheezing a lot lately.  Plus every time I take the blood test the numbers are very high.  Its just depressing.  This evening friend Sylvia called and she is such a great person to bounce how you feel off of and get down to earth great advice.  She helped a lot as we worked through various things I didn't understand very well.

This evening I've been enjoying Hawaii 50, I just love that show with all the shots of the beautiful places, the clouds, the water and mountains, what a special place.  Could I suggest to you that Hawaii is a place that is worth saving your money to visit.  While my family has been fortunate to go there often we've learned that it does not need to be expensive.  If one can forgo eating meals in high end places by the water's edge then one can eat and get by spending very little money.  Its the ticket to get there and back and those prices are down to below $300 if one watches carefully.  Hawaii is more than a place to visit, it is a state of mind as well, warm gentle breezes, light showers, huge flowers, bushes, trees, great fruits to eat and little ABC stores all over the place to buy mats for the beach, towels to bring home, nuts to enjoy and of course a calendar.

Well enough with the Hawaii talk, been there, done that and will do it again as soon as possible.

Well tomorrow I'm back on the road again to see a place in Livermore at 11 and then manteca at 3.  I'm so thankful for work and I'm praying that God will see fit to bless Steve and I will a whole lot more.

Love to all

Tim

This is a picture Kallie created for me before leaving last night.  Notice she uses stamps she found on the work desk along with her own ideas.  How I love these creations from a 3 year old artist.

Keanna and Kallie take turns visiting

Good evening,

Before long I will be asleep as I slept poorly last night, perhaps the two glasses of diet coke did have an effect!

This afternoon I picked up Keanna and we met Nikki at Strawhat for lunch specials.  The food was so good and its always enjoyable to catch up with what is going on in their busy lives.

Then Nikki went to meet with Kallie's teachers for a parent teacher conference.  Keanna did her homework which is now so far beyond me that I can only shake my head, they have new ways of solving old problems.  She was able to download a new addition of Angry Birds so enjoyed that.

Later Nikki brought Kallie and I offered to keep her here while Nikki and Keanna went to swim team, little Keanna swims outdoors in a cold pool, brrr.  I fed Kallie and she played, we rented a movie about the easter bunny which I ended up watching with her, very cute.  I made her a waffle, she had soy milk, jello and other things.  I've just returned from taking her home.  She stated about an hour ago, I've been here a long time, even after the sun went down and the moon came out.  She is a bright kid and so enjoyable.  They are both a hoot to have around and certainly the day takes on a different hue when they are aboard.

Now bed and early to Saint Helena to do a driveby of a nice place.  I have the report prewritten so once I get back tomorrow I'll be able to finish it up and ship it out.  I want to impress this new client.  I'm amazed at the prices, between $720,000 and $3,200,000.  Wow, pricey stuff.

Well for now I'm giving it up, still fighting to manage the blood sugar levels, not so good today.  Pretty discouraged over how it is going.

We could all use your prayers,

Love


tim

Long day

Dear Family and Friends

Once again its time to fold it in and sleep.  I'm so ready.

Today has been a less than inspiring day, seems the empty board with almost no new orders sort of gets to me.  I much prefer it full of orders and the pressure that goes with being busy.

I am thank for the one order that did come in today, must not forget to count blessings.  I've been trying to monitor my blood sugar today so have multiple sticks on my arm to try to discover what is happening in my body before and after I eat.  I did little brilliant things like boil eggs, not hear the timer and boil them dry!  Or spend half an hour on the phone with Kaiser trying to arrange a payment plan for the bills connected to my surgeries.  There were so many low points, hard to remember them all.

A nice moment for me is to hear from my family and I've had several emails back and forth with Jason, he is encouraging.  And a nice phone call with Nikki who reminded me that tomorrow is already Wednesday and that is my day to pick up Keanna from school at 12:45 so tomorrow will be bright as I get to catch up with her highness as she races through life.

This afternoon after I finished writing my last appraisal I went up and did the tread mill for 30 minutes and then a quick shower, felt so good.  Then to join Ray and Lois who finally decided to come home after visiting their San Jose home and then Sacramento too.  We enjoyed discount night at the pizza place and I ate a huge salad and more pizza than I should have.  It was good to catch up with them and I'm glad they are home again.

Some days are difficult to cope with.  I have this A1C hanging over my head, always financial obligations to care for that surpass my ability to create income, a house that desperately needs paint before it falls down, a VW that needs a new timing belt but that is about $750.

Please continue to pray as my family members do interviews, make plans etc.  How we all need to see things God's way, if only we could.

Love to all,

Tim

Reaching out

Dear Family and Friends,
Its 9:32, Ray and Lois have returned from their pilgrimage to a year Sedar dinner held near their home in San Jose.  They enjoyed themselves very much and then they had a second one at their son's house in Sacramento.  While they were home I managed to mow their lawn, sort as a thank you for Ray taking me to deliver the motorhome and then again to take me to retrieve it.  I appreciate his help and now his lawn is knocked down to size.

I'm still so sore I can hardly move at the waist just from getting up and down so much when I was weeding and planting flowers.  Yet I feel good feeling sore knowing that I made a little progress.  In my front lawn area right now I have yellow roses bursting into bloom and the other rose bushes are ready to bloom as well.  I have purple flowers on a bushes on both sides of the yard and more purple flowers on a bush in front of the front window.  I love color, wish I had more of it.  At the moment I'm inspired to get out and do more, I might even tackle an old boat that sits against the fence, last time it was in the water it sank, not sure where it came from but perhaps it could be made to float again and with a bit of a little electric motor it could be fun to explore the lake on lazy warm afternoons.

How is your week going?  I'm actually getting caught up with a board that is almost empty.  Today an order came in for Saint Helena.  That is a sleepy little wine town located in the Napa Valley.  Its downhill from Pacific Union College where Nan and I went to college.  It will be fun and they are actually paying a fair fee so it will be worth the day to explore and work at the same time.  Now if I just had a traveling companion.  Wonder if I could tempt Loren out of retirement for a day!

Well its bedtime now.  I've been to Livermore and Stockton today so its been an easy day.
The blood work is in and my A1C was a huge disappointment.  I expected it to be 7.5 but it was 9 which is not good at all.  I wonder what else I will have to cut out now.

Well good night and please continue to pray for my family.  In one way or another we all need it.

Love

tim

Short and sweet

Good evening
I'm sliding on out of here soon.  I'm even more sore now than last night.  Using the rototiller I worked up my garden spot and have some Marigolds in now and a few other flowers.  Moving is difficult and getting up and down is not fun.

Ken and LeAnn took pity on my and brought out some wonderful desert this evening,  a nice break from planting flowers and tilling the soil.

I napped in my chair, had waffles from breakfast and had a lazy day.  I enjoyed shopping for the flowers and put down something that kills the seeds of weeds before they start growing again.  See I can learn new things thanks to  Steve who clued me in.

Well here is hoping for a good week,

love to all

Tim

The photo shows us on our way to the park on Sabbath morning.

Good evening,
This is how I got to spend my morning, with the angels and the Easter Bunny.  Plus hundreds of other children.  What fun!  Nikki arrived at about 9 and parked in my driveway as the park is only about a block away.  We walked down, had hot chocolate, the kids played at games that were offered by the boy scouts and at 10 they let the mob enter the area where a whole lot of eggs had been hidden in plain sight.  Kallie was able to snag 6 and Keanna found many more.  This year Kallie was not frightened by the bunny, progress!

Once Steve and Nikki had left with the girls I looked at the clock and decided there was time to make it for the sermon.  I arrived just after she had started and I'm told it was a very good sermon but I kept nodding off, at least friend Becky told me I did.  That is awful, I finally get to a sermon, its a very good one and I fall asleep.  Just not right!

Dick introduced me to the husband and wife that will be sharing the motorhome with me at the church campout and we ended up at Olive Garden with Dick and Becky and the new friends.  It was great getting to know them and at the end of the meal a very attractive young lady came over with an attractive daughter.  It was Michelle Dutra, the same one that I had performed a wedding for years ago in Tracy in a backyard someplace.  I went to Costa Rica to do her sister Melissa's wedding and enjoyed a week in paradise with Roxanna and Rick, Ron and Lydia and others in the wedding party as well as guests.  Michelle had lots of news, Melissa is pregnant, Rick has sold his company to HP, a long term goal of his and can not retire, perhaps even back on the west coast.  It was so great to see Michelle.  I remember when she used to be one of the youth on our campouts and she was always an incredibly nice and helpful person to have along.  Now she lives on a ranch with her husband and family in Tracy.

Late this afternoon I waded into the weeds that taunt me every time I drive into my driveway.  They will taunt me no more.  My hands and fingers are so sore I can hardly type this evening.  I pulled the weeds, mowed the lawn, ran the edger loaned to me by Jason, then used it as a weedeater, then as a blower.  I dumped the tanks in the motorhome as it was rented this week, then opened the aging gates and backed it in.  This time it was dark and I was a bit uneasy about doing it in the dark but turns out the brakelights light up so much that I can see the fence clearly as I near it with the back of the motorhome.  Now its tucked away safely and off the street and driveway.

When I came in my blood sugar was 89, my lowest point in a very long time.  So I drove over to the Boardwalk, a local eating place by the Marina and had pasta primivera, so good and reasonably priced.  Now I'm heading for the jetted tub in my bedroom.  I think I've earned it.

A few minutes ago I got to talk to Art.  He is through with the medical reasons he was at Loma Linda and soon they will connect the truck to the new 5th wheel and head home.  It will be great to have them back home but they have enjoyed Loma Linda so much and love the church services there.  He said that today's services were incredible.

Well, sending love to all and wishing each of you a Happy Easter.  When we think of the events of that fateful weekend so long ago, a moment in time that provided our salvation, how can we be anything but grateful for a love that encompasses the world and all of us in it. 

Love to all,

Tim

Hello from Chucky Cheese!

I'm here watching the girls have a fun time. The salad was really good and the pizza so tasty. You get lots of tokens and then the kids enjoy playing all the games. Lots of fun.
Earlier in the day I had blood work done at kaiser. This time I did not feel the stick. Pretty amazing.
I was working up a report and discovered that my measuring wheel was so bad that I could not do the sketch. I ended up driving back to mt house where I discovered just far off I was. That blew an hour. At least it is right now!
Tomorrow morning is the Easter egg hunt at the park. The girls love it and often the Easter bunny shows up. A kodak moment!
This morning after kaiser I visited the Rv store. We r all set to have it repaired April 26th.
Might be nice to get it fixed up for summer.
Here's hoping that you will have a blessed Easter weekend!
Love,

Tim

progress

When I have the IRS hanging out there it effects me.  For weeks I've had IRS documents on my desk, I knew I needed to call but I also knew it was a 2 hour process and I wasn't sure of the outcome this time so I did what I do best, put it off, avoid it, dodge it, hide the papers.  Now I know some of you won't even begin to understand what I'm talking about.  You are so organized that it would be a horror show for you if you put off something this important even for one day!  Well I don't begin to understand how anyone has that much guts, to just face stuff!  I'm so impressed and a little bit suspicious to be honest.  Do you have other lingering issues that you don't own up to?

So this morning I came down and called the insurance company that is supposed to be paying to get my motorhome repaired.  The expected bill will be $3400 and the insurance company has had the estimate for over a month and nothing has happened.  Last time I tried I found a phone tree that would not let me through at all.  This time I was told the phone lines were down to the adjusters!  Right.

While I was on a roll I just dialed the number for the IRS before I really thought it through.  It rang and after a few minutes of wandering through their voice tree I finally was hearing the music and the waiting began.  About 20 minutes later I was speaking to a lady who then forwarded me to another lady who began to work with me.  She was good and laid out the situation for me, just as we were getting ready to make a decision about how much money I would have to find in the next two weeks the phone line went dead.  So one hour wasted.  Well I dialed right back and after the same amount of time I ended up with a super nice lady, her numbers were much different than the first lady and now I have an agreement, I could feel the weight lift off my shoulders.

Once that was done I turned to getting a report out before 1 pm.  At 12:55 I emailed the report to the client and went to meet Steve at a local house.  While Steve did his work I chatted with the owner and he ended up talking some serious stuff about diabetes and showing me his insulin pen, what a nice device and I'm going to lean on Kaiser to get one.  He got his from Kaiser so I know it can be done.

Then it was back home after a quick Subway lunch.  Once again I faced a deadline for an appraisal that I have been putting off writing.  A very tough one in Berkeley where the young people have been remodeling and rebuilding.  They tend to think they are about done and all I see are unfinished projects.  Well at 5:15 I shipped that report out the door, it felt so good to have it gone.

Then I dialed it back a bit, rested and watched some Fox news.  Nikki called to invite me for some cottage cheese loaf.  Wow what a meal, loaf, mashed potatoes that Kallie helped prepare, Lima beans and it was all great.  I've not had a meal like that for awhile.

Now I'm back and heading to bed.  Are there any more mountains to climb?  Oh yes but at least today I climbed some of them and it feels very good.

Love to all, lets keep praying for God's answers!

Love

tim

Late

Wow, here we go again, determined to get into bed at a decent hour but then reality comes and pushes itself right into the office.

So this evening Ray and I drove over to Pittsburg and picked up the motorhome from Ron.  He has been living in it while his house was tented for termites.  So Ray was kind enough to drive the Civic home and now the motorhome is back in the driveway again, always nice to have something work out well and I'm $300 dollars richer.

This afternoon I got to meet some great people who live on the golf course here in Disco Bay.  He has spent his life in the car industry and has worked for Toyota for years.  It was just so enjoyable to meet such great people and of course it didn't hurt that he handed me an appraisal just completed on his house, he changed lenders and they demanded  a new one, how crazy is that!!

It was a good work day with lunch with Keanna and Nikki, the high point of the day!

So I've just completed the report for the property I saw in San Francisco and now I'm finishing up one that Steve wrote up for me from Vallejo in Glen Cove.  I am so thankful for the work that keeps coming in.  However with the spike in rates that might change as usually rates effect our orders.

I'm thankful for work.  Please keep our family in your prayers, that God will guide as we are in the midst of changes.

I had a nice call last night from Dana, Nan's younger sister who lives in Houston.  She is coming to visit this summer and that will be great, that girl can cook and she is crazy, just what this house needs.  Ronnie will come too as he has already taken vacation time.

Well its bedtime.

Love to all,

Tim

Good evening

Well I'm told I've missed the last two nights.  Sorry to say but I was unaware that I had missed, that's how tired I was and how out of it.  I'm probably not on a good path at this point but I'll be getting blood work done soon at Kaiser and then I'll have a better idea of where I stand.

One thing had happened, one of my meds ran out and I didn't realize it as I take so many.  Once I discovered that it was missing I picked up a new prescription today.  I worked with Steve this morning on a house in Pittsburg and then had lunch with Nikki.  Then I headed to Mountain House to see a house and at that house I discovered my measuring wheel had failed.  I started out measuring one wall and found it to be 58 feet long, later I measured it again and it had shrunk to 49 feet, then the next time it was 51 feet.  Now that is a problem!  So I started checking other walls and found they ranged from 15 to 20 feet.  So just now I've ordered two new wheels from two different sources just to be safe.  No wonder I've been struggling with the sketches at my desk trying to make them come out right.  What a terrible shock.

Well I'm heading to bed soon, I'm beat and totally worn out.  Somehow I need to discover some more energy.  I'm so thankful for an excellent work supply, now to get it done on time!

I would like to continue to seek your prayers for our family.

Love to all,


Tim