So its Friday evening

Dear Family and Friends,
Just home out of very slow traffic from Oakland.  In Oakland at 3 pm I pulled up in front of a little house, I had been warned that the occupant was hostile so I slowly trudged up to the front door with my ladder in tow, the purchase was with a FHA loan so an inspection of the attic was required.

Yes, the man answering the door was abrupt and not happy.  So what approach was the right one, silent treatment, forceful and rude, kind and thoughtful?

First I measured around the outside, did not take long, it was raining lightly, not enough for a coat but chilly.  then I knocked again and entered.  I mostly listened.  This young man had lived in the house with his grandfather at times, the grandfather had been there 35 years.  Others in the family wanted the money selling the house would bring, our young man felt betrayed by family.

It was quickly established, he worked long hours, was hoping to start his life over in this little family house and now it was not to be.  I listened and he warmed, I learned a lot, we shared observations about the women in our lives, he has a girl friend too and a 17 year old son.  Since it was a little house it did not take me long to finish my inspection, he was a friend and friendly as I left.

Confession, this morning when I was asking God for His blessing, safety, health and praying for Moon and her family too I stopped and simply said, God if there is anything I can help with today let me know.  I think my visit to this little home in Oakland was that appointment and I felt good as I drove away to shoot comp photos and then enter the freeway to deal with traffic all the way home.

Moon taught me that yesterday was a day when all Asian people wish each other happy birthday even though it is not their real birthday. Its a part of the New Years celebration.  This evening she was going to friends for dinner and to celebrate birthday party, not sure if real or part of the New Years ongoing celebrations.  Crystal, her 20 year old daughter was performing this weekend again with her beautiful and gentle voice.  Moon wants to be home with her family so much right now, last year she was here with me.  Every day we wait for a letter from immigration which will invite her to one last interview with officials and then she can fly home to Singapore.  We have waited over a year for this final step and she is just bidding her time in Houston waiting to take the next steps.

Today was a day of doing needed chores, first I shot comparable photos in French Camp, the to a Staples for toner for the very busy office printer and to turn in 5 used cartridges for a small refund.  Then it was to Manteca Camper and RV to pick up the cover for the AC system in the motorhome.  The high winds has blown the fiberglass cover off and shattered it the night I was in the hospital after the heart Ablation, LeAnn, my faithful neighbor called to tell me that it was in many pieces so now I have it, just how to get it up on the motorhome without me falling off.  I move so slowly right now and have such pain in my legs that are still bruised from the heart procedure.  Not really fun to live right now.

Work is extremely slow right now, hardly any orders and I'm so thankful for a company called United States Appraisals, without them I would be out of work.  After a year of turning down many orders every day now any order is such welcome news.

I've been invited to go to Kallie's basketball game at 9 in the morning and then care for Keanna in the afternoon, its a huge blessing to be so near my precious family.  Moon always reminds me to be thankful my family is so near.  She is very right.

Thankful for another week, for work, food, warm house and the people that make life real, enjoy texts and visits with my family, with Art and with Jerry my brother who lives in snow country.

My hope is that you have a good, solid, caring weekend, love while you can, say good words while you can speak them, be kind and gracious.

All my love
Tim