Windy days of spring

Dear Family and Friends,
So the evening darkens on another day of life.  Did I do anything significant today?  Probably not.  I've written a report for a property that is as near to perfect as one can find located in Mountain House.  Over $90,000 spent in the backyard and it shows very well.  It seems Safeway has been sold to a group of investors and with that happening other grocery and food distributers are involved in a the resulting shakeout of the industry.  The owner of this property I'm working on is high in the food industry and had an opportunity to return to Chicago and out of this turmoil so she took it.  It is doubtful if my work is really going to be needed since several offers have already come in on the property and I'm just finding a value that the owners employer would pay for the home if it did not sell.  It has been a nice challenge to try to get it right.  These appraisals pay well and promptly so I always love to do them.  This morning a different client sent an email asking of I would consider doing a relo in Mountain House.  It was interesting because that is exactly what I was doing today, writing up a relo in Mountain House.  So of course I responded with an affirmative answer and I hope I'm chosen to do a future relo appraisal there.

A couple orders came in today and I'm seeing one tomorrow at 1.  They are paying a rush fee and I'll need to have it completed by Friday morning before I leave for Lincoln for Gerry's graveside service.  I enjoy deadlines a lot, they keep me working and focused in a manner that I don't do well without them.  If I were leaving for Hawaii in two days I'd have a clear desk, yes I can do more when I'm facing a hard deadline.

I've been enjoying fresh strawberries from a little fruit stand that is located west of Discovery Bay.  I've purchased food items from them for years, they are always very nice to work with and have great food.  The strawberries are just amazing.  They only last about 2 days as they are so fresh when purchased they won't last.  But who cares, I eat them for Breakfast, lunch and dinner and can't get enough of them, so good, so special.  As a little boy I grew up on a 80 acre ranch with creeks, wide open hay fields, deer and cattle, an old barn with hay to slide down.  We had a huge garden area with berry plants extending as far as a little boy could see.  We had raspberries, strawberries, black berries and oh they were so good.  What a blessed way to grow up.  So loving berries is a natural for me and so finding wonderful berries takes me back to a more innocent time.

Still battling the huge desire to eat eat.  After so many months of being on time of it and losing pounds every day now its a challenge.  So far I'm holding and that is good but I'm wanting to head on down to 175 while I'm in the process.

Sending love to all and especially to Barbie who has been thrust into this world of being alone day and night.  Its not all bad but its sure not all good either.  I will not be alone for much longer, let me just say that.

Tim