Day #1,138 - JOY Moments

Doc was definitely back on board today. He was at the jobsite by 7:00 a.m. while I went off for a mammogram. Definitely NOT a JOY moment, but completing it was. After my appointment, I stopped to see the progress on Rental Property #2. All the demolition is completed and the contractor has begun the wiring modifications, wall framing, and even some cabinetry.

At the Penny Palace there was plenty of commotion. The stone mason completed the patio cantilevered stone. JOY Moment. The upper waterfall was tested and the splashing sound was wonderful. JOY Moment.

The concrete crew poured the remaining patch of backyard pathway. JOY Moment.

The gutter team installed all the downspouts. JOY Moment. Hopefully the water from the next rainstorm will go nicely into the runoff system and dry ponds.

The countertop guys installed six counters and five sinks. They look fabulous! JOY Moment. Plus Francisco was able to use the leftover 3” scraps for an area we thought we needed to tile.

The countertop guy was cutting in the laundry room and the dust set off the smoke alarm system. Very loud and very annoying - until I changed my attitude to say Thank You for this opportunity to test the system under ‘friendly conditions’ and know that it works so well. A JOY Moment to realize another system is now functional.

In the dining room I was planning to edge the countertop with wood. It would work, but I just did not have the “it’s Right” feeling yet. I was going to settle for an A- on it. Then Francisco presented an idea which “clicked”. JOY Moment.

At sunset, Concrete Rick and I were standing on the patio admiring the back yard. One by one the dawn/dusk lights came on around us. It was a neat experience. JOY Moment.

After dark when almost everyone else had gone home, I was standing on the patio enjoying the total silence. Then the automatic sprinklers came on! JOY Moment. I had never seen (or heard) them run before. I cautiously headed onto the pathway to explore. I said hello to each sprinkler head. They were all operating perfectly and spraying into the planter areas. I walked around the entire pathway without getting wet! Definitely a JOY Moment.

***************

At 6:30 I finally locked the gates. Before getting on the freeway, I stopped at the 7-11 store. I hopped out of the truck with a SingSong, “Hey Penny Angels won’t you come out to play, come out to play …. by the LIGHT of the silvery moon.” There was a woman between me and the front door of the store. She was chatting on a cell phone, so I maneuvered wide to give her space. That caused me to walk around a wide column and right onto two pennies on the pathway - by the LIGHT! JOY Moment. I scooped them up and noticed they were warm. How strange on the cold sidewalk. From the warm hands of Angels? There were no other people near that spot. I immediately said, “Thank You so Much for Your 2¢ Worth Tonight”. At which point I spotted a dime! JOY Moment. Then one more penny. (Coins #1-4)

Lesson: It PAYS to say Thank You.

I was not really interested in any more coins, but the ‘nudging’ said to go ahead inside the store. I immediately spotted a penny near the counter. I purchase a piece of beef jerky and was able to collect that penny - along with a dime near it. (Coins #5&6).

As I was walking away, I spotted another penny, so I dove for it and the other penny nearby. (Coins #7&8) While I was reaching under the counter I spotted the edge of a silver coin. That one would take the full length of my arm with my nose nearly touching the floor. I did not want to look like a total weirdo and be nearly face-down on the floor for one silly coin. Easier to just ignore it and leave. No one would know that I left it there. But I took a deep breath, closed my eyes and stretched out on faith. I got to the truck and opened my hand to look at the coin - it was a Susan B. Anthony DOLLAR coin! JOY Moment. (Coin #9)

Lesson: Bigger rewards generally take more stretching than we are comfortable with.

Lesson: Other people may see us as strange when we are reaching for things they do not see or understand.

Lesson: Sometimes we need to close eyes and ears to the things around us and just leap out on faith.

When I arrived home around 7:30 p.m. I just wanted dinner and to take care of a few dozen Action Items from today. But Doc said he was willing to assemble the final three seashell blocks. So we did that until 9:30. JOY Moment when those were completed.

Total: 10 Coins P (7), N (0), D (2), Q (0) + $1 = $1.27

Doc found his penny for the day when he went to Carl’s for lunch. (Coin #10)

Note from Wikipedia: Although it is round, the Susan B. Anthony dollar is intended to convey an 11-sided appearance, from the 11-sided rim bordering the edge of both sides. The reverse commemorates the Apollo 11 moon landing with an image of the mission insignia. The 11 sided shape matches the Apollo 11 Goodwill Messages that enclosed a silicon wafer left on the moon.

Day #1,137 - Mrs. Noah

Doc does not understand WHY I need to build this “ARK”. He is terribly uncomfortable with the magnitude of it. I don’t have answers, I just know I need to do it and each component needs to feel ‘right’ and settled. I wonder how Noah did it.

***************

There was a full crew in the yard today preparing for the next concrete pours. It was good to be on site to adjust the placement of the various areas because concrete would be really difficult for Doc and I to move later.

The back yard water lines were reconnected, the three sets of stairs to Doc’s garden were formed, and other prep activities.

The patio was saw cut with a diagonal layout 4 ft. on center. Looks nice.

HVAC Brian stopped in to say hello, Neighbor Craig came over, and Landscape Rod was on site to check on the progress.

I worked with Project Manager Daryl to compile the list of touchups for the Painter. Then I applied a wildflower border decal in the garden bathroom.

***************

I relish the quiet time in the afternoon when everyone leaves and the house is quiet. The kitchen faces West and the setting sun creates a nice glow.

***************

On the way home from work, I stopped at a 7-11 store to look for a coin. I hopped out of the truck and did a SingSong. “Penny Angels I have no time to play, no time today, so please just make it happen”. Between the truck and the door of the store, I found a quarter! I said, "but a penny would be nice for PENNY Tales". I did not even have to take a single step. A tiny edge of a dirt-coated penny peaked out from under a concrete parking barrier. (Coins #1&2)

The next stop was the tile store to pick up the kitchen counter edge tile. I also used the opportunity to go dumpster diving again for pieces to place in the tile stream. Cut my hands, but found a whole case of new tile among all the broken pieces. Hopefully it will be a good color to coordinate with the others.

I came home, ordered wall caps for the patio wall, paid some subcontractor invoices and other related stuff.

***************

This morning I asked Doc to pick up my order of kitchen faucets and return some pieces on his way to the jobsite. Of course he made a slight detour for coffee and a nickel at Starbucks. (Doc Coin #1). Once at the jobsite, I wanted his assistance in determining what to do in the two entryways, the planters, the walkways, the gates, etc. More decisions than he wanted to deal with. He was grumpy and irritating me as I was trying to concentrate on that bathroom decal, so I asked him to bug off. He went home.

This evening Doc went out shopping. When the going gets tough … the tough go shopping! He collected a penny at the 99¢ store. Next he went to the grocery store. He found a quarter in an empty aisle. He said to the Angels, “Just need a dime.” At check-out he found a dime! Then one more penny at the coffee vending machine as he was leaving the store. (Doc Coins #2-5). That gave him a Hit for the Cycle all on his own. We have not found one of those in a long time. Maybe the Angels were trying to tell him something. “All is well. Trust.”

When Doc got home this evening, I had made a sign for him: “THANK YOU for being Mrs. Noah”. That made him laugh. Hopefully he will be back on board tomorrow.

Total: 7 Coins P (3), N (1), D (1), Q (2) = $0.68

Day #1,136 - Helping Hands

I think the Penny Palace is becoming a tourist attraction. Today some out-of-state friends were visiting and wanted to see the house. Their last visit was in July, so many changes since then.

We met the VandeGriffs for breakfast. I had hoped we would find a coin while we were with them and we did - on the floor by the cash register. (Coin #1) They were going to pay for the meal, but Doc said, “Let Tina pay since I think she is planning to put you to work this morning …”

After a 45-min tour, it was time to get to work! We have shared numerous memorable activities with the VandeGriffs in the past. (such as hiking the Grand Canyon together). Today was another fun activity. They helped hang the wallpaper border in Doc’s office. With a ‘transportation’ theme, the paper was representative of the many years we spent together working with the solar car student teams. It was great to have extra Helping Hands because the 15 ft. long border kept slipping down the wall. When they left, Doc and I were inspired enough to finish hanging the remaining small pieces before heading home at noon.

This afternoon we tackled many projects around the house (laundry, cleaning, yard work, bills, rental property issues, travel agendas, etc.) Doc even cleaned out the van and took it for a wash. Three pennies found at the car wash. (Coins #2-4).

We had a 5:30-6:00 meeting regarding an upcoming trip. Then we were off to the bank and to Michael’s crafts for more glue before the store closed at 7 p.m.

We did our standard 3-store grocery tour. One penny at store #1; four pennies at store #3. (Coins #5-9). We rushed home so we could assemble another two seashell blocks this evening. We are now over half way done with those.

***************

Spending time with long-term friends is always enjoyable. Sharing conversation over a meal is pleasant, but I like to do things together which provide more memorable and lasting experiences.

Total: 9 Pennies

Day #1,135 - Clean-Ups

We witnessed another beautiful sunrise on the way to the Penny Palace. That is too many early mornings in one week.

We stopped at Subway for breakfast sandwiches, but they did not open until 7 a.m. So Doc and I walked over to the McDonalds instead. Doc found two pennies and I found one in the parking lot. (Coins #1-3)

By 7:05 we were working with Tile Bob and Tony. They were putting down the plywood underlayment for the kitchen countertops. Bob had a “better than the standard” idea for the high countertop. It was the installation method I had hoped for, but other persons said that was not typical. Tile Bob also mentioned that I could either pay his time to RedGard the counters, or I could do it myself. I had no idea what he was talking about, but if it would save a few bucks, then I could probably learn it. (See video).

Concrete Rick power-washed the patio. Doc says, “I don’t get it. We paid extra for the color additive, then more for it to be blasted away to leave a worn look?” The “acid wash” finish does complement the stone inlay. The powerful stream of water however, resulted in a really big puddle in the Master Bedroom. Good thing Doc and I were there to Clean Up the floors otherwise there would have been significant damage.

Tile Bob left at 10 a.m. and Handyman George arrived a few minutes later. We worked on the tile base for the Garden Bathroom; a little Clean-Up to what I had already done. George completed the Aussie bathroom base and a little Clean-Up caulking. Doc headed out for coffee and bagels. (He needed to Clean Up the leftover cream cheese from yesterday’s bagels). He found two pennies at the grocery store. (Coins #4&5).

Doc and I spent the afternoon Cleaning Up the Penny Palace. There were pebbles, sawdust, and debris throughout the house from all the activities. There was concrete in the grand room, electrical clippings, cut tile, trash and just general dirt. We were expecting afternoon guests.

At 4 p.m. the Rotunni family (friends and colleagues) arrived. Their last visit was in September, so there have been many changes since then. Son, Kevin’s favorite part was the visit to the dungeon. After the tour we enjoyed a delicious Italian meal. The food was great and we had no trouble Cleaning Up the various plates of food on the table. John is also a devoted Penny Finder and when we entered the restaurant he was bragging that he would outfind me in quarters this month. The whole evening I was quietly hoping to find a coin just to ‘cap off’ our delightful time together. As we exited the eatery, Doc found a shiny Quarter. Perfect ending to our date! (Coin #6)

When we arrived home at 8 p.m. Doc proposed that we go out - to the garage and begin working on those seashell blocks for the Aussie bathroom. I told him I was not interested in his offer. I had a dozen other things to do this evening. He would not take ‘no’ for an answer. There are two blocks now setting up overnight.

Doc has now retreated to the Man Cave leaving me to Clean Up all sorts of unfinished chores.

Total: 6 Coins P (5), N (0), D (0), Q (1) = $0.30

Day #1,134 - No Mercy

Today there was a gorgeous, angelic sunrise as we approached the Penny Palace. Things were looking great for the patio concrete pour. We exited the freeway and started up Haven Ave. The winds got stronger and stronger …. by the time we reached the house, the gusts must have been 50-60 mph. Not good at all. Santa Anas according to Wikipedia “The original form may have been an Anglicized version of the Spanish,

Satana's winds, from the Spanish vientos de Satán ("winds of Satan").

At 7 a.m. the concrete crew was desperately trying to prepare last minute details before the concrete truck arrived. The winds would not allow that. The gave the crew No Mercy. Every time the crew taped off a section of the house, the winds would immediately rip off the protection. I think the crew finally gave up on the idea and tried to be extra careful when pumping.

When the 14 cu. yds. of concrete arrived, it was all hands on deck. The winds were blowing the concrete overspray on waterfall stones, the bridge and other places we didn’t want it. Twigs, leaves and the recently-placed planter mulch were blowing and embedding themselves in the fresh mix. Not nice. Not the finish we wanted on the patio.

Landscaper Rod was there to oversee his part of the pour. He suggested an acid wash finish on the patio whereas Concrete Rick had planned for a broom finish. I was undecided which way to go. Rod said “Hop in my car and I will show you a nearby residence as an example”. The owners were not home, but that did not stop Rod. He took us in the backyard and showed us an immaculate patio, pool, spa and plantings. I liked the acid wash finish, but also respect Concrete Rick’s opinion. Thus I said, “Penny Angels, how do I choose?” I remember laughing and thinking, “Don’t be silly and expect a penny just sitting here in the middle of someone’s pristine yard!” We walked out the gate and in the driveway was a penny! Rod walked over it, but I pointed it out to him. He accused me of planting it. Doc came to my assistance saying, “No she did not. And there is another one behind her now!” (Coins #1&2).

Inside the Penny Palace there was also plenty of activity. Countertop Francisco dropped in to pick up the templates for the sinks. The Slagle brothers hung the café doors in the bathroom, installed the baseboard in the loft and cut the opening for the oven. The electrical team placed a box in the arbor, installed the oven, adjusted light sensor sensitivities and occupancy sensor time delays.

At 1 p.m. I met with Iron Jim regarding the driveway gate and the upstairs railing. A few nights ago the railing design finally “clicked” in my head and I was able to create a sketch for review. It has to do with our “Hart and Sol” theme as well as Pennies (of course). It looks very feasible! Yipppee!!

By 2:30 Doc had reached the grumpy-hungry level. So we headed to Jack’s. The drive up line was very long and I was tired and impatient. Doc suggested I hop out of the van and walk over to the 7-11 store to search for coins while he was in line. I looked at Doc and said, “I don’t want more coins today! That just means I have more to write about tonight and quite frankly I don’t want to see any more coins today!” Then I turned away from him and stared out the window in protest. There was a penny next to the van! Dog gone those Angels. No Mercy! (Coin #3)

Total: 3 Pennies

Day #1,133 - Decisions

Today it seemed like there were so many decisions to be made: tile colors and style, walkway outlines, concrete color, boulder placement, lighting placement, tile cut locations, flooring layouts, cabinet stain, door styles, cabinet hardware, floor tile, countertops, moldings, concrete saw cuts, and on and on. The number of questions and decisions was somewhat overwhelming.

8:00 a.m. Placed order for kitchen counter tile at tile store

8:30 a.m. Stopped at 7-11 store for banana and two pennies (Coins #1&2)

8:45 a.m. Met with Finish Carpenter

9:15 a.m. - 6 p.m. At job Site

Handyman George worked on the Grand Room belly band, the tile pedestals under the topiary trees, and the tile base in the Aussie hallway.

Electrical team ran wiring from garage to lawn shed, from house to driveway gate area, and installed a line to the Arbor.

Concrete Team was finalizing details for tomorrow’s pour and continuing the preparations for the driveway.

Landscape Rod was on site to check on things before tomorrow’s concrete pour.

Flooring team completed the upstairs solid wood planking! Now all the flooring in the house is in place -- except for my tile stream.

I was having difficulty keeping up with all the questions and decisions, so at 10:30 a.m. I called Doc and ‘politely requested’ that he come to assist. (Read between the lines there). He stopped at Starbucks on his way over. One penny in the parking stall next to where he parked, then a dime as he came back out of the café. He must have walked right over it when entering the store. (Coins #3&4)

6:30 p.m. Doc stopped for dinner on his way home. A penny spotted when going through the drive-thru, then a dime spotted as he was retrieving the penny. (Coins #5&6)

7:00 p.m. Meeting with contractor for Rental #2. I chose kitchen cabinets, kitchen counters, tile flooring, laminate flooring, bathroom vanities and counters, plus more. All in 30 minutes! So why has it taken me months of investigation and planning to make similar material decisions for the Penny Palace?

Total: 6 Coins P (4), N (0), D (2), Q (0) = $0.24

Day #1,132 - UFO

Three different trades were working at the Penny Palace today. The concrete team was putting in formwork and rebar for the Patio pour. They also created formwork for the Dungeon entryway and for the slab under the HVAC unit. The Slagle Brothers created the shelving for one of the Master bedroom closets and for the garage. The flooring team finished the new wood insert area upstairs.

A few other beings were on site as well. Doc and Sparky dropped in for a little while. Doc delivered the 5 bathroom sinks, the laundry sink, and the corresponding faucets. Project Manager Daryl came to check on things. HVAC Brian stopped to check on the formwork for his slab.

At noon Doc headed to CPP to do some work. He stopped at McDonalds for some burgers and a penny.

After leaving the Penny Palace at 4 p.m., I went to the cabinet shop to resolve the issue about the oven cabinet opening. There was one round UFO (Unidentified Found Object) of some sort in the dirt. It is a very dark brown color. Could it be a slug? Foreign Coin? Not sure. I need to go wash it to find out what it is …… I left that soaking while I continue this Penny Tale.

I was hungry so went into the grocery store for some beef jerky. No coins there. There was a self-serve car wash near where I had parked Pippy, so I wandered over there. I didn’t have much luck at first, so I did a SingSong. Found a penny right away. I said, “Angels, only ONE penny today?” and immediately I found a second penny. To which I said, “Thank you for your 2¢ Worth!”

Let’s go see about that soaking disc … It is a quarter! That is a surprise. Didn’t think quarters could turn such a dark brown.

Total: 4 Coins P (3), N (0), D (0), Q (1) = $0.28

Day #1,131 - Popping

This morning we met Handyman George at 9 a.m. We spent the morning working with him to install the microwave (which had a significant shipping dent in it) and the range vent hood. Doc said we must ‘test the system’ so he pulled a bag of microwave popcorn from his backpack and a few minutes later we were all enjoying hot popcorn!

Doc made a quick run to Home Depot and returned with a power cord for the vent hood plus two pennies (Coins #1&2).

At noon we made a quick run for the Tuesday 2-for-1 taco special. I had just been telling George and his wife Anna about Penny Finding when I nearly stepped on a penny which was in the grass next to George’s truck! (Coin #3)

Project Manager, Daryl brought a guest, Hal to the PP. Hal is in the construction trade and very much liked the things he saw at the PP.

There was one landscaping guy on site today. He was power washing the boulders and rocks along the stream. One electrician was working today. He was connecting all the wiring for the phones and internet, de-bugging some non-working outlets, and trying to install an oven which was way oversized for the cabinet opening.

After the Penny Palace, Doc and I headed out to Rental #2. We were driving two vehicles at the time, so we parked Pippy. Doc arrived first and ‘guided’ me to an available parking spot. I had a very strong thought “For fun, guide me into a spot with a penny!” As I was turning into the spot, Doc had me pause so he could retrieve a penny which was there! We were both surprised. (Coin #4).

We went to Rental #2 to select the roofing material. There were large piles of carpeting, cabinetry, and stuff outside the house. Much demolition occurred today.

Next we stopped at the Fixture Shop to pick up the four sinks which were ordered yesterday, two additional sinks, and the six faucets for them. Progress!

Tonight there are various letters to write (Homeowner’s Associations, etc.) Management Companies to respond to, subcontractors to schedule, glitches to resolve (the kitchen oven does not fit into the cabinetry), creative things to design (the upstairs railing) and friends to help (letters of assistance, editing, etc.)

Life is Good - things are Positively Popping!

Total: 4 Pennies

Day #1,130 - Night Moves

This morning we met with the contractor at Rental Property #2. When we were initially considering purchase of the property, we did a preliminary estimate of repairs that were needed. Today we fleshed out and increased that list of fix ups.

Before meeting with the contractor, Doc stopped for a coffee and a dime. (Coin #1) After meeting with the contractor, we stopped for another coffee and three pennies. (Coins #2-4). Then we went next door to the Walgreens Pharmacy for diaper pins. They did not have any! Don’t people use diaper pins anymore? We did find a penny there. (Coin #5)

Since I could not find appropriate hardware at Home Depot, I thought diaper pins might work for the needed light fix. Since I did not find those pins, I went to a fabric store and obtained some large safety pins. We shall see how those work.

We went to the Penny Palace at Noon. I had planned to work there today, but it was very cold and raining. I went home instead. Doc had planned to spend the afternoon at Cal Poly Pomona. However, too much coffee and fast food seemed to disagree with him. He claimed that his recliner and the TV were the needed medications.

This evening around 7:30 Doc decided it was time to make his move. He would FINALLY go outside and cut the pieces for the shell block molds as promised. Of course he wanted me to be out there working with him. Although I was glad to finally get his help, being outside in the dark and cold (46 F) did not excite me. Why couldn’t he cut the pieces in the afternoon when we had sunlight?

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

Day #1,129 - Paradise

This morning Doc took me to Paradise … Cafe. He was there to eat. I was there to do our weekly planning session.

At Rental House #1 Doc did a walk-through with the contractor while I broomed overhead dirt and cobwebs out of the garage trusses. Yucky. Then we met with a potential renter. We liked him and hopefully that arrangement will begin February 1.

Doc and I stopped at a 99¢ store on our way home. Doc wanted a calendar. I searched and searched for a coin. Nothing. I said, “Look Angels, with all this trash and stuff there MUST be a coin here”. Behind me and way under a counter, was a quarter! Yesterday I told Doc we hadn’t found a quarter yet this month - something was amiss.

We arrived home at Noon and Doc headed for his man cave and the football games. I was just getting started on some tax stuff when an email from the Phantom Plumber arrived. “I am on site now, do you want to come out and discuss things?” Needless to say, I grabbed my gear and headed to the Penny Palace. Plumber Bryan had installed the tub and shower fixtures.

After leaving the Penny Palace, I stopped at Home Depot for lumber and supplies. Then Michael’s Crafts for the bonding agent to create the Aussie Seashell Blocks. By 7 p.m. I was home, hungry, tired and grumpy and Doc was asking me “What’s for dinner?”. He could eat dog food as far as I was concerned.

Tomorrow morning we have an on-site meeting with the contractor for Rental House #2. Documents need to be prepared tonight for that new project.

Total: 1 Quarter

Day #1,128 - Counters from Heaven

Remember last week we obtained a quote on the four bathroom countertops? I was very discouraged by the price. I asked the Penny Angels for assistance. Thursday we visited a slab yard and discovered pre-fabricated quartz countertops. I could not believe that 3 of the 4 samples we brought home looked great with our decor! Today we spoke to a fabricator. The cost for using this material with installation is about 40% of the previous quote. Yippee! Thanks Angels for helping with that search.

This morning at 8:15 we met the contractor working on Rental #1. He has almost completed the work. Tomorrow we will show the house to a potential renter.

At 9:30 we stopped at Home Depot. Seems to be a daily ritual. Then Doc wanted a coffee and mid-morning snack so we visited McDonalds. We each found a penny in the drive-through. (Coins #1&2)

It was cold and rainy at the Penny Palace today. The Landscaping guys did some clean up work and removed their tools from the Lawn Shed. Guess that means they are mostly done. Doc and I conducted both interior and exterior checks of the house to see how the rain was affecting things. Inside everything seemed to be dry. Found some areas which may need some additional gutter work outside. And I discovered a turtle in the yard! (See video).

Doc and I came home to work on end-of-year finances, tax prep, and other small tasks. Then at 2 p.m. we headed back to the Penny Palace. Met with a countertop fabricator. That went really well. So well that we decided to use the quartz in the laundry room instead of the laminate we had planned to use!

***************

On the way home we went grocery shopping. Three pennies inside and one outside of Store #1. Three pennies inside Store #2. (Coins #3-9)

This evening I have just sent emails to order the countertops and the bathroom sinks. CPP!

Total: 9 Pennies

Day #1,127 - Garden Angels

This morning Doc and I stopped at Lowe’s to pick up the wood flooring planks for the Loft area. I checked in at the service desk and was told to bring my car to the doorway. After waiting for quite a while I finally enquired and was told the product was waiting for me at the other side of the store. Grrr…

Doc demanded his coffee before he would do anything else. While waiting at a red light, Doc collected a median find. Then at the convenience store, I found a penny and a nickel. (Coins #1-3).

Project Manager Daryl was waiting for us at the Penny Palace. He helped off-load the flooring and then we reviewed the current status of the various projects. At one point Doc and Daryl were up on ladders. For just a few moments today, I let them think THEY were the Higher Management. After that, it was business as usual. LOL

While fetching something from the van, I found a dirt penny in the yard. (Coin #4).

Those four samples of quartz we got yesterday? Three of them look great! And they are much cheaper than the other quotes I had. Plus, Doc and Daryl both liked them as well! Tomorrow we meet with a fabricator to see his costs.

***************

This morning our Landscape Architect (Rod) asked me to stay on site for a few more hours. He said no looking in the back yard because the Garden Angels had a surprise for me. They were just finishing their “wrapping” of it. I literally walked backwards when I had to go out to the garage so that I would not see the yard.

Around 2 p.m. Rod said I could look in the yard. The stream had Arizona pebbles in it, filler stones were placed attractively, and there were PLANTS! Doc and I had not planned to put in plants until well after we moved into the house. (Maybe a year from now). Rod put in several small trees and numerous shrubs. He said those were a gift for us. He also had the irrigation lines hooked up to a timer and said everything would be watered on Mon, Wed, and Fridays! WOW. See photo. Rod looks more like Santa Claus than an Angel.

***************

After work, Doc and I stopped for lunch. I went next door to the CVS Pharmacy to get Doc some distilled water while he waited outside. There was a penny as soon as I walked into the store. As I passed the photocopy machine, there was a nudging: “Check the coin return”. Tina:

“I do not like sticking my fingers in the coin returns”. Nudging “Do it”. Tina: “Doc usually does that, so I will do it on his behalf”. There was a nickel there! Nudging: “Check Again”. Tina: “C’mon once is enough”. Nudging: “Try again”. There was a second nickel!

***************

The next stop was the lighting store. I needed to modify one light fixture. As I hopped out of the van, I found a penny - good omen. Inside the store I asked the Assistant Manager for ideas to correct the problem with the light. She told me it was not possible. I again explained the situation and said I thought it could be remedied. She disagreed. She did give me a business card for a lighting repair man. His business was 30 miles away! I did not like that option so I asked the Angels for assistance. Immediately Maria was brought to the front desk and within moments she had the light disassembled. She said employees were not allowed to alter lights, but she could instruct me as to what needed to be done. She gave me the necessary threaded rod, the verbal instructions, and her good luck wishes. Thank You Angels!

***************

This evening Doc and I have been doing a few things for the rental properties. Oh yes, we closed escrow on Rental #2 this morning! Tomorrow morning we meet with the contractor for a walk through of Rental #1. Sunday morning we are to meet with a potential renter for it.

***************

Lesson: Rather than getting “frustrated” (the nicer way of phrasing it), keep asking for assistance throughout the day. It is truly amazing the results you will get. There have been a number of manifesting stories this week. Too many to write about. Sure makes me smile at all those “COINcidences”.

Total: 8 Coins P (5), N (3), D (0), Q (0) = $0.20

Day #1,126 - Appliances

Got a call at 7:30 this morning that some of the kitchen appliances would be delivered around 8 a.m. (They were ordered at Thanksgiving time). I grabbed my gear and was off and running. By 8:15 the boxes were nestled in the garage.

The flooring guys installed the remainder of the Dining Room flooring. The only flooring left unfinished is the wood planking in the loft.

The Landscaping crew applied concrete to the lower pond and continued who-knows-what more.

Doc and I visited a stone slab yard. Hundreds and hundreds of granite slabs; from blacks to purples to reds. We are not planning to use any granite, but it was fun to look. We did find a few pre-fab quartz countertops and have brought home four samples. Anxious to see how they look at the Penny Palace.

Doc mentioned that we needed a coin for today, so he stopped at a gas station. He obtained a dime and a coffee there. Then we cruised the Park and Ride lot to look for coins. I found a Sit-N-Find penny.

Today the monies were wired to escrow for Rental Property #2. Tomorrow the keys should be ours!

Total: 2 Coins P (1), N (0), D (1), Q (0) = $0.11

Day #1,125 - Nice Things

When the new year arrived, I promised Pippy she would get cleaned. (Nice Thing). I figure she deserves a bath at least once every six months for all the dirt she deals with. This morning after I took my shower, I took Pippy to the Car Spa. While waiting, I did a Singsong to the Penny Angels. Found two pennies in the finish-cleaning area. (Coins #1&2).

At the Penny Palace the flooring guys placed the cork underlayment in the dining area and then placed half the laminate flooring. Finish Carpenter David installed heavy duty door stops on the two main entry doors. Those should be effective in keeping the doors from damaging the walls. (Nice Thing). The landscape team was putting wire mesh and concrete in the bottom of the upper two ponds. Now we will be able to walk in those. I applied a decal to the Garden Bathroom wall. (Nice Thing) It looks like a window box and is above where the toilet will be.

This evening my friend JJ (who currently lives in Texas) was in town. (Nice Thing). I was anxious to show him the Penny Palace since he has been hearing about my dreams for 15 years. As usual, he was running late for our appointment, so I used the extra time for errands. One penny at the paint store, one penny at the party supply store, then a dime and penny at Target. (Coins #3-6).

After dinner (a Nice Thing) JJ and I headed to the Penny Palace. He said the Penny Tales photos of the fireplace don’t do it justice. It is better in real life. Then we went outside to see and listen to the stream. (Nice Thing).

Since I bought dinner and there is no such thing as a ‘free meal’, I asked JJ to install the Penny Pendant light (he is a former electrical engineering student). It took us several attempts, but we finally got it in place. I forgot to buy candelabra lightbulbs, so we could not illuminate it! However, it is attractive even without being lit.

Total: 6 Coins P (5), N (0), D (1), Q (0) = $0.15

Day #1,124 - Streaming

After six weeks of moving boulders, surveying final grades, trenching for pipes, placing liners, installing pumps, camouflaging equipment, building bridges, channeling water flow, mortaring stones, dumping dirt, adding topsoil, laying trails and more, we now have a running stream at the Penny Palace!

Today I was only expecting the Landscaping crew to be working on site. However, Sparky (our Chihuahua) came to visit and made things happen!

The Slagle Brothers showed up and installed more baseboards, shaved tight doors, installed a wall cabinet in the garage, re-hung closet doors and more. That was a nice surprise.

David and Carlos from the electrical team were on site all day. They put on cover boxes, hung light fixtures, found electrical boxes hidden under drywall, and conquered at least half the remaining action items on the two-page list Doc generated last Saturday.

I spent most of the day dealing with the various people on site as well as arrangements and deliveries for later this week. Doc set up the tile saw and cut pieces (quoins) to be glued on the bathroom walls to create the illusion of a building exterior.

***************

This afternoon we were asked to do a walk through with the contractor at Rental House #1. We created a list of 20-30 remaining items for him to complete so that we can get this unit finished.

This evening we signed and FAXed documents for Rental House #2 which is now scheduled to close escrow on this Friday.

Doc came home totally exhausted today and pretty much “checked out”. I took a one-hour break and got a much-needed quick haircut. The stylist said it had probably been six months since she had seen me, I must be really busy. No kidding.

***************

Oops! Almost forgot the Penny Finding part.

Three pennies for me when Doc stopped to get his coffee on the way to the Penny Palace this morning.

Total: 3 Pennies