Day #893 - Called to Serve

Last night I created my Task List for today with dozens of items and such ambitious intentions. This morning as I was about to embark on my work day, the phone rang and totally changed my course of action.

One of our subcontractors called and asked for assistance with a project. She has been such a great asset to the team; I had to try and help her. That took until noon. By this afternoon, things had been somewhat resolved and I felt glad to be of service.

Things were really moving at the job site. Grader Craig was bringing in more truckloads of dirt for the front yard. The framing crew was erecting walls for the Master Bedroom and Bathroom. Minor adjustments were discussed in “nudging” some of the doors a few inches.

On the way home I realized I needed a coin for today. Was “nudged” to stop at a fast-food place by the freeway. That store usually has a long line of cars, so I was very surprised when I walked around the corner to discover no cars, just two quarters! (Coins #1&2). I knew Doc would give me grief if I didn’t collect a penny. “How can you have Penny Tales without a penny?” so I continued looking. Found a dime and two pennies under the counter at the convenience store. (Coins #3-5).

At school Doc held the end-of-term Bridge Design Competition for his students. The winning bridge weighed only 14 g, but was able to carry over 19,000 grams (42 lbs.)

This afternoon and early evening I spent a few hours working with a student on a Letter of Interest. There was no one else to help her with this task and I felt Called to Serve and assist.

This past weekend a friend asked Doc and I for a Letter of Recommendation and said she would provide more information. Tonight she called. The letter is due tomorrow! That is not what Doc needed to hear when he walked through the front door at 9:30 PM. He was tired. He brought home an empty lunch pail, lots of student papers, his monthly paycheck, and his treasured coin finds -- 4 pennies (two from the vending machine area and two from the men’s bathroom). (Doc Coins #1-4)

Total: 9 Coins P (6), N (0), D (1), Q (2) = $0.66

Lesson: Consider it a blessing not a burden when you are Called to Serve. It means you are needed, capable, and trusted.

Day #892 - Holiday?

It must have been a holiday because we didn’t get any mail delivery, but to us today seemed just like any typical work day. Our first stop was at an office supply store for a hanging file, photocopies, and two pennies. (Coins #1&2). Then Doc stopped for coffee while I collected a dirt penny. (Coin #3).

We next went out to the jobsite. The framing crew was out in full force erecting the walls for my office and the family room. When younger, Doc used to do framing work with his father during the summer months. Today he offered to help lift a wall, but the guys suggested he stand out of their way. I had Doc use his ‘pent up desire’ with me instead -- to cut and install 9 ‘shelves’ (fireblocks) in the Dragon’s Lair (project office). I was 'nesting'. That was fun.

Doc and I noticed a few wall measurements on the house which were not in accordance with our plans. I will address those in the morning.

On the way home from the jobsite we stopped at Home Depot to verify clothes dryer dimensions and look at other things. One wall of the house will need to be ‘stretched’ as a result. We didn’t even spend a single dime in the store today, but we found one! (Coin #4).

We were driving away from the Home Depot when Doc suddenly stopped the van. “I just ran over a brightly gleaming penny. Go back and get it.” And you think I am crazy? This man has severe Penny Fever!. (Coin #5)

This evening Doc went to school to prepare for his last week of classes while I spent a few hours editing a report for a friend.

Total: 5 Coins P (4), N (0), D (1), Q (0) = $0.14

Day #891 - Conjoined

Most days it feels like Doc and I are “conjoined” Definition = joined together (as separate entities) for a common purpose. Other days we aren’t quite as “in sync”. By mid-day today we had accomplished only 3-4 of the 47 items on my “To Do List” for this weekend and I was getting a bit uhh “grumpy” as a result.

This morning Doc insisted upon going out for breakfast. That was on his wish list, but not on my list. Then he wanted to detour for some Penny Finding which was also not on my list. Since the In-N-Out was still closed, he proposed I look there for today’s coin. I did not find any coins, but he found two pennies in front of the grocery store. (Coins #1&2). Later this afternoon, he and Sparky went to McDonalds for lunch and a dime. (Coin #3). I wasn’t worried yet about finding my coin for today.

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At 6 PM Doc and I headed out for our weekly grocery shopping. We pulled into the 7-11 store just to look for coins. I found one penny inside the store and a dime outside. Doc found two conjoined pennies in the parking lot. Strange to see a ‘double penny.' (Coins #4-7).

The first two grocery stores were quite deserted tonight. Pennies in two different check out aisles at Trader Joes. (Coins #8&9). At the next grocery store Doc spotted two coins as he pulled up to park the car. Sit-N-Finds. (Coins #10&11). Then when we returned to the van, we saw a potential coin under the car. Doc moved the van and I collected the penny (Coin #12).

At the third grocery store Doc found a dime and a nickel before we got to the door. (Coins #13-14). Inside the store Doc spotted a nickel. (Coin #15). There were 5 rejected pennies in the coin counting kiosk and one on top. (Coins # 16-21). There were two pairs of conjoined pennies! That makes three sets of conjoined pennies today! How strange.

Thought: Reminder to Doc and I to be joined and “work for a common purpose”?

We really wanted to find a quarter, but knew we should get home to complete some of our tasks. But there were no cars at a fast food diner … found two pennies at that window. (Coins #22&23).

Then since our regular grocery store was right on the way home … we popped in there for a quick search. It was busy and I actually had to dive under a few people, but we walked away with four pennies and three dimes. (Coins #24-30).

Total: 30 Coins P (22), N (2), D (6), Q (0) = $0.92

Day #890 - Glass Drops

Another fun day.

My first appointment was at a flooring store. Met with the owner and installer to see what ideas they had and I asked them to work up a quote for the project.

When leaving the store I noticed a convenience store across the street. Might as well walk over there and claim today’s penny so I didn’t have to think about that any more. There were no cars in the parking spots, so I carefully checked that area. There were no coins found inside the store. Rats! I felt sure there was a coin there. There were now three cars parked in front of the store. As I was walking past the last one, there was a penny under it! (Coin #1) Mushroom Coin.

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I went home to do some chores, but needed some motivation. I asked Doc if he would go with me to research fireplaces when I had my tasks completed. He agreed. Early afternoon we headed out. Doc, of course, insisted upon his Starbucks coffee. I was disappointed that he parked the car instead of going through the drive up window so I could look for coins. I have never seen that store without cars in line. Today there was only one. I said, “Penny Angels, Move That Car. And give me a chance to search.” The car drove off leaving no coins, but exposing a $1 bill in its wake! I couldn’t believe it. Great!

We next went fireplace shopping. The first store had some interesting fireplace faces plus a free BBQ meal in celebration of the holiday! Score! The second shop was a small, older place with many things to observe. We looked at various fireplace displays and asked many questions.

For several weeks I have been seeking some dark amber glass pieces to look like copper pennies, thinking perhaps to inlay them in the entryway tile floor. Recently I bought a bag at the craft store, but at home they just were not the right color -- too pale and yellow. I plan to return them. Thursday I went to a stained glass shop to look for those glass pieces. The store did not carry that color and said those were not too common. Perhaps I should do some on-line searching. I left the store and said out loud, “OK Penny Angels, if you want me to use these glass drops in the Penny Palace, then I am giving YOU the assignment to find them. Today at the fireplace shop I noticed large bags of glass drops! I guess those are used for fireplace décor as well. There were green, blue, red, apricot, yellow, clear, etc. The sales rep noticed my searching and said, “we have some samples in those plastic boxes, look there.” Sure enough - - there were copper / amber glass drops! He let me have two to bring home. I laid them by the entry door and they look great! Wow Penny Angels, a two-day turn around time. Not bad!

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Our next stop at a lighting fixture store was in the same shopping center with the closed KFC where Doc went Wild on Day #750. Remember that? Doc pulled 42 coins out of a crack under the drive up window! Serious Penny Fever. The KFC was still shut down and I teased Doc about getting more coins there. I should not have done that. He pulled out the chop stick and pliers and began digging! There was a shopping cart man laying there watching the show. He did wonder what we were doing. Doc unearthed three parts of pennies and a quarter! (Coins #2-5) Cheap thrills.

Total: 5 Coins P (4), N (0), D (0), Q (1) = $0.29 + $1

Day #889 - Stairway to Heaven

How does each day fly so quickly? The clock says 10 PM and I haven’t even attempted most of the things I planned to do today.

There were a few errands this morning before we went out to the jobsite. Doc stopped for a coffee while I went next door to purchase filtered water for the construction workers. I found a dime (Coin #1).

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Our 10 AM meeting with the Heating / Air conditioning guy was great. He brought up many things we need to think about while framing. He is the brother of one of our first solar car raycing students who now teaches at CPP. Photo shows Steve (HVAC contractor), Doc, and Kevin (former student, now faculty).

Doc and I stopped for a quick Mexican lunch. Found a penny and a dime. (Coins #2&3).

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We got on the freeway heading to school, but then realized we were just one offramp away from The Iron Shop. We got back on the freeway going the other direction and ‘played’ for a while on the spiral staircases in the showroom. As I entered the store, I had the thought, “Glad I have already found coins today, because we are not likely to find any coins here.” A few minutes later I was ‘testing’ the staircase we plan to use. Doc spotted a penny underneath it! Guess the Angels were saying “Yes! Stairway to Heaven here.” (Coin #4)

I picked up the penny and the sales rep said, “I remember you, I still have your Penny Card from you last visit right here on my desk!” He was talking to Doc when I noticed a penny leaning vertically along the wall at the edge of the carpet. Then Doc noticed a penny between a table and the wall. When I picked up that one, there was another one under the table. While I was down on hands and knees, there was another penny under a nearby desk! We were all just laughing at the Mushroom Coins as they popped up around us. (Coins #5-8)

When I exited the store, there was something shiny under a big truck. I bent to get it when Doc said, “What are you doing? The penny is right underneath you?” I hadn’t even seen the penny!

I was diving for the quarter, then the dime. I still don’t understand how that quarter could have “shone with light” when it was under the truck in the shade! (Coins #9-11)

This afternoon Doc went to get an oil change and car wash for the van. He also collected a burger and 3 pennies at McDonalds. (Coins #12-14).

I spent much of the day with the invitee list and emails for the upcoming solar car team reunion.

Thought: Many of our ‘pre-conceived ideas’ are wrong! (Like saying I was not likely to find coins at that shop). How much of our day is influenced by our very limited thinking?

Total: 14 Coins P (10), N (0), D (3), Q (1) = $0.65

Day #888 - Flavor?

Numerous phone calls and follow ups this morning, then out to the jobsite. Such fun! The attached garage walls were standing when I arrived. Numerous other walls went up while I watched. Danny and I moved the one bathroom wall 1” to give us the needed clearance.

This afternoon I went to the blueprint shop for some copies, then the grocery store. I called Doc to ask if he had any requests from the store. I told him I was getting dinner for all my “guys”. Which flavor food would he like? Lamb with rice? Chunky Beef? Or perhaps Chunky Chicken? His reply, “That’s why I don’t’ have you make dinner!” I found one penny at check out. Cashier Eddie was my witness.

Got the quote from yesterday’s bath fixture shop meeting. Comparing those numbers now …

Total: 1 Penny

Day #887 - Talegate Party

Getting home at 11 PM tonight and too pooped to write!

At 8 AM this morning we headed out to the jobsite. Doc stopped for coffee where I collected a nickel and 3 pennies. (Coins #1-4). Framer Danny and crew had laid out all the top and bottom sill plates. That brought form to the rooms.

We had a 10 AM meeting at the plumbing fixture shop. Two-and-a-half hours to further refine our fixture list and make sure things were coordinating and to see if we could shave some dollars.

We stopped for lunch. I found a nickel outside and Doc collected a dime inside the diner. (Coins #4&5).

Then we returned to the jobsite to verify some measurements. The sink spaces are just under 48”. But we need 49” if we want to order the much cheaper standard sizes vs. having custom made countertops. Good thing we are checking the details now.

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We rushed for our 4 PM bi-weekly appointment with the nieces and nephews. They all wanted to go to Jump ‘n Jamin’. The admission prices go down to half at 5 PM, so we had a little time to kill. We went Penny Hunting at a grocery store. Nicholas hopped out of the van and immediately found a dime, then Brandon found a penny. (Coins #6&7).

Hunting is tough and works up an appetite. So it was time for snacks and a Talegate Party. We feasted on string cheese and sliced apples.

We arrived at the mall and found a penny. (Coin #8) Jump ‘n Jamin’ is a play zone for kids. Adults are not meant to squirm and crawl through those tunnels and slides and cages and nets and bridges. My knees hurt, my arms are scraped, and my rump is sore! Meanwhile Doc went to the coffee shop and graded quizzes! I did find a penny when crawling on hands and knees up in one of the roped-in crawl tunnels (Coin #9). Both girls had scrambled right over it. (They are short and can walk through the tunnels versus crawling).

We had dinner at the mall. Nicholas had a homework assignment to write about his dinner tonight. So he suggested going for Mongolian BBQ. He and Doc found a penny (Coin #10). As we were leaving the mall Ashley found a penny in the parking lot. (Coin #11).

Next we headed for a library. Ashley read her book, Jaime played on a computer, Nick wrote his paragraph, and Brandon browsed. Then we had 30 minutes at Chuck E Cheese’s where the kids turned in the tickets they had been collecting for months. They now have 2600+ points!

When we returned the kids, Brother Greg was at home! That gave us a few moments to compare Construction Tales. They are just beginning the formwork for their home. Valerie has selected flooring for the majority of the house and it is almost identical to the one I selected for ours. (Oak with square wood pegs). As Doc was putting Jaime’s car seat away, he found a penny. (Coin #12).

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At 10 PM we stopped to do some grocery shopping; our fridge was pretty empty. A nickel outside the store and a penny inside. (Coins #13&14)

That is enough Penny Tales for today. Now I must email the framer, plumber, roofer and a few others. Later!

Total: 14 Coins P (9), N (3), D (2), Q (0) = $0.44

Day #886 - CPP

Constant Positive Progress (CPP) in many areas today: framing, cabinets, catwalk, electrical, banking, plumbing, flooring, invitations, etc. Nothing Earth-shattering.

Had a 9 AM meeting with a cabinet builder to discuss the laminate counters and some of the things which can’t be done using standard cabinet pieces. We will see what he comes up with. I found a penny on that excursion. (Coin #1).

Then it was back home to deal with many different things. The framer had questions regarding the cantilevered upper walkway. So that meant calls to the Structural Engineer, a review of the spiral staircase design, a look at the hold down design, issues of a support post, etc.

This afternoon some electrical work was done - but on our current house, not on the new one.

Around 5 pm I headed out to deposit a check and transport something to my mom’s house. On the way home I was ‘nudged’ to pull into a gas station. I argued for about a mile, then pulled in. I found a dime there. (Coin #2).

This evening was a series of small tasks: adjusting the plumbing list, compiling the flooring list, counseling with a friend, etc. Exciting to read the incoming RSVP emails for the 20 Year Solar Car Team Reunion.

Day #885 - Torn

There is an oldies song “Torn Between Two Lovers”. Today I was torn between two Loves -- and neither one was Doc!

We awoke at the hotel and headed outside to the hot mineral pools. We were able to hide in the shade of some trees for an hour, but after that, the pools were in full sun and we were out of there. Breakfast time.

During breakfast Daryl texted to say that the City Inspector had signed off on the insulation installation and that it was raining on site.

After breakfast we had an hour until we needed to check out. I was really torn. In the lobby was a good-size desk with a computer station AND a tall rack of post cards with a stamp dispenser next to it! Two of my favorite things -- checking emails and sending postcards. Which to do?

We eventually did check out and headed home. It is a 90 mile drive and neither Doc, nor I like driving long distances, so there were three stops along the way. The first was Hadley’s Fruit Orchard; no coins, plenty of snacks. The second stop was a gas station. Coffee for Doc; penny for me (Coin #1). The third stop was at the construction site. Danny and crew were working.

This afternoon Doc headed for school. His McDonalds stop yielded two burgers and 3 pennies. (Coins #2-4). I spent the afternoon working on the upcoming solar car team reunion.

Total: 4 Pennies

Day #884 - Desert Fun

On Day #870 I was ‘nudged’ to buy a swimsuit even though I haven’t worn one for 5-6 years. The next day we received a Gift Certificate from a friend for a stay at Miracle Springs Spa. It had to be used within a month. Today we used the swimsuit and the Certificate.

We began our trip by fueling the van. Found two dirt pennies at the gas station. (Coins #1&2)

Doc had not yet found any coins, so he cruised the high school parking lot. Two dimes, three pennies. (Coins #3-7). One penny was a Sit-N-Find.

We arrived at the hotel around 1 PM. Official check in was not until 4 PM. What to do? Lunch and Penny Finding of course! So we explored Desert Hot Springs.

The nearest 7-11 was just across the street. Three pennies to be found there. (Coins #8-10). Lunch was at Sidewinders Café. A very local old place. As I was ordering my food I noticed a penny under a nearby table. (Coin #11). After lunch we cruised the town. There was another 7-11. One penny there. (Coin #12).

Our next stop was Kmart. I forgot to pack sunscreen and knew it would cost more at the spa. Sure enough $5 at Kmart, $16 at the spa. (I couldn’t help checking the price at the spa gift shop). When Doc walked into Kmart he immediately spotted a silver. I collected a penny. Then Doc found another dime in almost the same spot when departing! I must have walked right past it. (Coins #13-15).

We had time in the pool and a lovely dinner. Went for a short moonlit walk. Returned to the hotel lobby. I checked emails for a few moments while Doc sat patiently and watched me. Until he spotted a penny under the table, then he was all action!! (Coin #16).

By then it was 9 PM. Doc got into pajamas and watched TV. I went to the lobby to read, people watch, research fireplace inserts and embroider.

Total: 16 Coins P (12), N (0), D (4), Q (0) = $0.52

Day #883 - Helpmates

This morning Sparky assisted Doc in ‘hunting’ for breakfast at Johnny’s Burgers. He is such a great helpmate to Doc. They found a quarter. (Coin #1) Good start to the day.

Mid-morning we headed out to the jobsite to check on insulation installation. We stopped at a 7-11 store just to look for coins. There was a Sit-N-Find penny as Doc parked the car, then a dime inside the store. (Coins #2&3). The cashier was very nice and I gave her a Penny Card to explain my actions.

When we arrived at the jobsite, Framer Danny and crew were working away. The screw gun machine was fascinating (see video). Danny said screwing takes considerably more time than nailing, but should eliminate squeeky floors. They were running out of adhesive, so Sparky, Doc and I ran to Home Depot for a case of it. Such great helpmates. We found a penny there and shared the moment with cashier Marsha. (Coin #4)

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Insulation was supposed to take a half a day. Yesterday the workers worked all day, then ran out of materials. So this morning they were back on the jobsite. We just missed them. I noticed quite a bit of leftover scraps around the jobsite, but didn’t take any action.

Got home to do some chores, but kept wrestling with the images of insulation scraps blowing into the neighbor’s pool. Got my gloves and knee pads and headed back to the site. Did not want to go alone, so took Dundee along. He and Pippy were great helpmates with the work.

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This evening I uploaded some photos and had them printed at Target. They were printed within 15 minutes of placing my order! Norman begged to go along for the ride. We got the prints along with a dime and a penny. (Coins #5&6) Such a great helpmate. Our next stop was the grocery store for a turkey breast. He begged to be my helpmate in eating that, but Doc is Alpha Dog when it comes to food and he must eat first.

Isn’t it wonderful to have great Helpmates - and also to be one for others to count on?

Total: 6 Coins P (3), N (0), D (2), Q (1) = $0.48

Day #882 - Magical

The day was simply MAGICAL! There was progress, joy and laughter all day.

Doc and Sparky collected their penny and breakfast at McDonalds, then Doc and I headed for the jobsite. The insulation was FINALLY being installed. It’s strange. I brought some Penny Palace magnets to the jobsite today. I was ‘nudged’ to walk over and give one to the insulation guys. My logical side kicked in and argued, “You really think these guys are going to care about Angels? Don’t bug them when they are working. Do you think you’re going to just walk up and start talking about the Magic of the Penny Palace? Guys like that aren’t going to care about sappy stuff like found pennies.” How many times have we learned this lesson? Listen to the nudgings! Don’t use your reasoning. I went over to take pictures. I met Kerry from San Gabriel Insulation and 5 minutes later he had a Penny Card and Penny Magnet. He was sharing some ‘good news tales’ of his own with me!

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At 11:30 we met Truss Greg at the airport. He flew in from Wisconsin on his own time to see the construction site and ‘wrap up’ this project. From the moment we met it was hugs and Joy. He has been working with us for 4 years and it was good to finally meet him. Emails are OK, but nothing compares to hearty hugs, genuine smiles and just plain silliness together!

We stopped for a quick lunch, then were on the jobsite for our 1 PM meeting with Framer Danny and Project Manager Daryl. Great time going over the plans and framing details. We actually had fun taking measurements - like kids on a playground! Magic Moments.

Truss Greg is the one who proposed the addition of the window over the garage toilet. It has been dubbed "Greg's Dunny Window.

By 3:30, Greg’s work on-site was completed. He will now tweak the truss designs slightly and get those trusses into production. The trusses will take 7-10 days to manufacture, then they will be trucked in from YUMA. The trucking fees are actually less than California sales tax.

It was now time for coffee. Doc took Greg to Bad Ass Coffee as a change from Starbucks. Since I had not found a coin yet today, I wandered next door to the CVS Pharmacy. Found two pennies under the photocopy machine. (Coins #2&3). Now it was a challenge. The guys found a nickel at the grocery store. (Higher value than my 2¢) (Coin #4). Then Doc spotted a dime which I retrieved for him. (Coin #5). Greg was laughing at this silliness. Of course we all realized, “We still need a quarter!”

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We brought Greg to our current Pomona house and gave him the tour. Then Doc took him for a ride in the 1938 Chevy. After that, we had a really delicious Peruvian dinner and returned to the house to review more house design concepts.

At 8:30 PM it was time to head to the airport. Doc and Greg insisted upon a Starbucks stop. Doc asked which one to visit? My reply: “One with a quarter! We chose a Starbucks right off the freeway. Greg wanted to go inside to get his order and be able to add the condiments. I was a little disappointed because I wanted to use the drive through in order to look for coins. That Starbucks has always had 4-10 cars in line at the window. While the guys were ordering their coffee, I could not help but walk around back through the narrow drive lane. There were no cars there! Magic! Unbelievable! I saw several shiny dots and thought “liquid drops from engines, but might be a coin there.” I walked closer to discover a dime, then another, then another …(Coins #6-8). Headlights were approaching and I needed to get out of there before getting run over. But there were two more dimes and a penny! (Coins #9-11). Now the car was getting too close. I said, “Thanks Angels. I really wanted a quarter to show Greg how this works, but 5 dimes is not too shabby.” I turned to make my hasty retreat and there was a quarter under the window. (Coin #12) Magic!

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Greg flew into Ontario (15 minutes from the job site), but his return was from LAX. Uggggg. That place was very busy even on a Friday night. There was a HUGE line for luggage check in, but thankfully Greg had no luggage and already had his boarding pass. Within moments of entering the terminal we found the security area, he gave me a quick hug and disappeared! Magic.

Total: 12 Coins P (4), N (1), D (6), Q (1) = $0.94

Day #881 - Quality Work

The insulation installation was delayed until tomorrow, so inspection and floor sheathing were also put off. Thus, I thought today would be a quiet day. Wrong! I feel really blessed to have such a great team working on the Penny Palace.

There were numerous calls and emails this morning. Responses on flooring quotes, plumbing fixtures, Truss Greg’s arrival in the morning, and more. Doc, of course, went off to work to avoid all the chaos. At 10 AM I finally headed out to the jobsite.

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Noticed no cars were at the Carl’s Jr. window around the corner. Quick stop. I knew once I got to the jobsite and then with Mom in the afternoon, I would not even think about coin finding. The drive through area had just been washed; however I found a drowned dime there. (Coin #1)

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I was surprised when I reached the jobsite to see the gate was open and there were vehicles up and down the street! Grader Craig had equipment out and was scraping the front yard, then bringing in truckloads of dirt. Danny and framing crew were there. They were starting on the garage walls! (Don’t need insulation under that floor). Then the truckload of lumber arrived. It was the Major load. Wow. Daryl was on site and we were told that Inspector Mike and been there in the morning. Lots of activity.

This afternoon I took Mom to appointment #3 for her dental work. It was late in the afternoon and the waiting room was filled. I was anticipating a very long wait. Her appointment was for 3 PM. She was seated immediately, by 3:01 the temporary cap was removed, and by 3:10 the dentist arrived to finalize the deal. The new crown was slightly lighter in color than her other teeth. I told her to drink coffee using that tooth or maybe acid wash her other teeth. She was willing to accept the crown (after all, what can you expect when you go to a discount clinic)? Dr. Shakespeare would not accept that. He said, “If it has my name associated with it, I want quality work. The crown goes back to the lab!” It is really nice to deal with people who take pride in their work.

On the way home, Mom and I stopped at the construction site just to take a photo for you, the Penny Pals. That way you could see the first walls in place. (See photo).

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At 9 PM on his way home from school, Doc stopped at McDonalds for a burger and 9 pennies!

So who wins? 9 coins vs. 1 coin, but 10¢ vs. 9¢

Total: 10 Coins P (9), N (0), D (1), Q (0) = $0.19

Day #880 - Glitches

That shipment of laminate flooring was supposed to be delivered today. I waited until noon then left Doc in charge while I ran some errands. I returned the tile sample board, then stopped at CVS Pharmacy, Trader Joe’s, Old World Deli, a lighting store, and appliance store and more. Finally found a penny at Michael’s crafts. It was behind a register, so I traded the cashier - a Penny Card for the found penny. (Coin #1)

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I returned home later afternoon. I called the plumbing supply company to see where my quote was. It was supposed to take a week - it has now been four weeks. Glitches. They were to call me right back.

After a few minutes, the phone rang. It was not the plumbing company, but rather the shipping company regarding the flooring. They wanted to deliver it tomorrow morning. No! Doc won’t be available and that is when the floor insulation is being installed. Glitches. Doc and I decided to drive to the distribution center and fetch the flooring ourselves this afternoon.

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We stopped to put air in Pippy’s Tires and prayed she could handle the 995 lb. load. While Doc was pumping, Daryl called to say the insulation company decided to bump our installation until Friday! Glitches. Framing Danny and his crew were going to lay flooring Friday, Truss Greg is flying in Friday morning to take site measurements, and the City Inspector was scheduled for Thursday. Glitches.

While Doc was pumping the tires, I strayed through the car wash area. There were a bunch of parked cars. “No cents looking there.” Wrong. There was a penny next to a big SUV. Then a penny under a parked car. I kneeled down and stretched for it. As I went to stand up, there was another penny. (Coins #2-4). Next I wandered through the wash bays. One penny, then a Quarter! (Coins #5&6). There used to be 3 vacuum canisters which were no longer in place. Just three blobs of dirt there -- and seven pennies embedded in that dirt. (Coins #7-13). Meanwhile Doc found a penny of his own. (Coin #14). Coin Mine.

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As we drove away from the car wash, Doc was chastising me for wasting time on penny finding when we had things to do. While telling me his thoughts, he looked out his window (we were stopped at a red light) and exclaimed, “Penny!” The Penny Angel’s cents of humor and timing is cute. Doc put Pippy into neutral and hopped out of the truck to collect the coin - it was a barely recognizable dime. (Coin #15)

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We then proceeded to the distribution yard. It was difficult to find the yard entrance. Finally got inside, then found the building front door locked. Glitches. But Jackie said she would be there until 8 PM and it was only 4:15. We rang the buzzer and a voice said there was no Jackie in that building - try in the shipping yard. We did locate Jackie and our shipment. It was loaded by forklift onto Pippy. Just as the load was being placed, my phone rang. Our renter in the Duarte townhouse had an issue needing attention. More Glitches. I told her I would need to deal with her shortly, because at that moment I was concerned about Pippy’s strain under the load. Pippy is a real trooper and did OK.

We drove to our storage unit where Doc and I began offloading and stacking the 36 cases one by one. It began drizzling, then raining. Glitches.

This ‘discount’ flooring has been quite a challenge to acquire. Several years ago there was a similar story with the wood flooring for the Grand Room. That flooring and the new flooring are sitting together tonight. It seems each component of this Penny Palace has a story of its own.

When Doc and I went out for dinner, we found a dime. (Coin #16).

Total: 16 Coins P (13), N (0), D (2), Q (1) = $0.58

Day #879 - Car Wash Coins

No rain at our Pomona house and fairly dry at the construction site - until the lumber delivery came. Then it rained on Danny as he was unloading the shipment.

This afternoon I went to a tile store to pick up a sample I had ordered a few weeks ago. I have looked at hundreds and hundreds of tiles. I am hoping this will be the one.

On the way home I was talking to the Angels:

[T] I will be home in a few minutes and don’t plan on going out again today. Would you like to provide a coin before I get home? If so, let me know where to stop.

[A] Nudging to pull into the self-serve car wash.

On a rainy day the car wash wasn’t crowded. I parked the truck and saw something. It was a candy. So I began looking through the wash bays. After 2-3 minutes I said: “Look, you nudged me to stop here. I did. Just show me the penny ‘cause I really need to pee and I want to get home. Stop playing with me!” Instantly there was a penny in my path. “Thank you Angels, I’m outta here”.

I got in the truck, started the engine, began backing up and looked out my window. Dog gone it, there was a penny right there! Cute Angels. I put the car in park and retrieved penny #2. After that I rushed home.

Total: 2 Pennies

Remember a few weeks ago I had that challenging episode when ordering the laminate flooring for Doc’s office and family room? It was supposed to arrive today. I finally called the shipping company. For quite a while they could not locate it. Finally found it in the Pomona warehouse really close to here. The paperwork is incomplete so they can’t release it. Should be resolved tomorrow.

Day #878 - Rain in May?

It Never Rains in California - except when we don’t want it to. We did not put floor insulation in last Thursday or Friday because of the anticipated rain over the weekend. It did rain. Today the weather was gorgeous. Tomorrow we planned to lay the insulation, but rain is expected tonight and tomorrow night. Not good. Now we are looking at floor insulation Thursday. Keep in mind that we have Greg flying in Friday from Wisconsin in order to finalize the truss measurements. The floor sheathing is supposed to be in place and the wall lines marked. But first the Inspector must check the insulation which goes down on Thursday. Inspectors do not work on Fridays. This equation is not working like it is supposed to.

Monday morning. I did not like it. Doc dragged me against my will to go for breakfast with him. It was 9 AM. I had already eaten my breakfast and was ready to “go to work”. He demanded I keep him company while he went out to eat. Grrr. When I arrived at my first stop, there was a sign on the door: “Needed to run an errand. Be back in an hour. Sorry for the inconvenience”. Grrrr. The next 3-4 places did not generate any coins either. Grrrr.

When I got to the jobsite, grader Craig said that he would need to trench down and cut into the sewer line. What? Why? When doing the water pressure proof test, an inflatable bladder was inserted in the sewer line to block the water so it didn’t just flow out continuously. When the plumber tried to remove the bladder it failed leaving part of it stuck in the sewer pipe. Now surgery is required.

Around 1 PM today another load of concrete was poured. I didn’t expect this. It was great to see the front 3 pillars taking shape.

On the way home I stopped to get some filtered water. There were no cars in the Carl’s Jr. drive up window next door, so I ran over there. Two pennies at the window area. (Coins #1&2). I laughed and said “Hi Angels, Thanks for your 2¢ worth”. Then Iooked in the planter and found 2 dirt pennies - one was way behind some plants. OK. Double 2¢ Worth.

This evening we had dinner at the Cuisine of the Foothills fundraising event. Nibbled our way through dozens of food stations. Now feeling REALLY full.

Total: 4 Pennies

Day #877 - Domesticated?

Did not see much of Doc today. He left early to help son, Brian install a sliding glass door. He was supposed to be home by 1 PM, but returned at 3:30. He changed clothes and then headed to school to prepare for the coming week. Meanwhile I spent much of the day trying to locate alumni for the 20^th Year Solar Car Team Reunion which I am organizing.

When Doc finally arrived home after 8 PM he stood in the kitchen with a look of bewilderment! “What did you do with my wife? Where is she? This looks like something from the book/movie Stepford Wives”. It took me a few moments to look around and understand what he was saying. The sewing machine was on the table and I was mending his pants. The ironing board was out and his shirts were hanging. The clothes washer and dryer were going. The vacuum cleaner had just been used. The dishes were done, the dogs were fed, and there was a plate on the table for his dinner. Not what he is accustomed to seeing.

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Doc quickly ate his sandwich and we headed out for our weekly grocery shopping. Doc had found a quarter at his breakfast McDonalds stop. (Coin #1). As we were checking out at the first grocery store, the cashier asked if we had found everything we were looking for. I bent over to retrieve a dime, showed it to her and said, “Now I have”. Gave her a Penny Card and told her the story. Shared smiles. Then before we left the store, Doc spotted a penny and we shared the Find with a second cashier. (Coins #2&3).

As we approached the next grocery store, I said, “Let’s get a Nickel here”. There was a filtered water vending machine near the door, so I checked the coin return. Nothing there. I said, “Doc, you are the expert on silver coins, YOU find the nickel.” He took a step back and said, “Look under the machine for it”. His nickel was there! (Coin #4).

That made a Hit for the Cycle in just four coins! What is the probability of that?

Inside the store I collected two dimes and a penny before we began shopping, a dime and two pennies as we were checking out, and a penny in the lot as I was returning the shopping cart. (Coins #5-11).

Total: 11 Coins P (5), N (1), D (4), Q (1) = $0.75

Day #876 - 3 Months

It’s been three months since Valentine’s Day when we broke ground on the Penny Palace. During that time we have been taking photos and Doc has printed out a number of them. He shows them off like a proud parent. He unfortunately did not put any dates on them and it was driving me nuts when he was showing them to people in random order. So tonight we dated the photos. It was a fun trip down memory lane.

Penny Finding:

This morning Doc went for his coffee. He dragged me along and tossed me out of the van at the shopping center near the coffee shop. I found four pennies at the closed In-N-Out, then one inside the grocery store. As I emerged from the store, I was planning to go left, but then noticed the newspaper stands to the right. I thought, “If Doc were here, he’d look there for his silvers”. So I looked there and found a dime for Doc. When Doc arrived, he pulled into a parking spot and as I was getting into the van, there was a penny by my door.

Total: 7 Coins P (6), N (0), D (1), Q (0) = $0.16

Photos: Valentine's Day, Concrete Pour at Month #1, Floor joists now.

Day #875 - Friday the 13th

Friday the 13^th turned out to be a really great day.

Yesterday I wrote to you: “More follow through needed tomorrow. Need Angelic assistance on that call”. This morning I had my “case” prepared and my notes written. Doc said I was expecting way too much and should be prepared for the worst case scenario. I should be willing to accept that. I said a prayer and made the call. Doc was on the other phone for support. The call went nothing like we expected. Within the first few moments, the company owner made a surprising comment. Doc and I just gave each other that ‘Knowing Look’. “Uhh Ohh, How the heck can we respond politely and firmly to that comment? Now what?” I responded with humor. The next 15 minutes were nothing short of “inspirational”! At the end, Doc sat there with a blank stare and I was filled with joy-tears. We would have never imagined such an overwhelmingly positive experience. My heart was dancing!

After that super charge, Doc and I headed out to the job site. Stopped at a 7-11 to look for coins. Found a penny in the parking lot. Bought another banana in order to claim the one penny under the counter.

At the jobsite we found Miguel and Serafin building the forms for the three front columns. That was a nice surprise.

Back at home Doc graded papers, I worked on airplane flights for Truss Greg’s site visit next week and a few other tasks.

Then we headed to Temecula for the Annual Michelle’s Place Spring Fling. Michelle was a friend of ours who died of breast cancer at the age of 26. Her family used their grief as fuel to establish an amazing network of resources to help other women and their families deal with breast cancer.

Photo with Fil and Teresa who are former students. Teresa thankfully is a breast cancer survivor.

Where do you channel your passion?

Total: 2 Pennies