My Viewpoint on Matters in July 1981

     "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times!  " We are all fairly healthy--no dire diseases of any sort and we have means whereby we live ok--the girls can go to college--we can buy gas for the cars and we eat well--too well.

     I've become a poor cook since working the last year at the Jones Mortgage La Jolla office--we seem to snack more than eat a meal.  However, in spite of our health and poverty,  there is an air of gloom of doomsday around our house.  With good reason.

     Jones Mortgage and California Mortgage (does the discounts) have had many foreclosures which they have had to bring current to protect their investors and then try and sell fast to keep cash flow.  It is very difficult for Richard and Bill.  Besides, the loan business, as they have been doing it (requiring only equity on the home and not stringent enough credit for the borrowers) has got to change, it is too risky, and it has been hard to figure out how to change it and still get business.


     They purchased two franchises with Equity 1 for $13,000 each hoping they would be of help in funding creditworthy, long-term loans but it fizzled into nothing.  Now there is the talk of selling the company--in the meantime, there needs to be business--also the escrow officer quit and so Richard has had to monitor escrows--a new headache along with everything else.

     Richard is overweight and obviously very preoccupied with business problems--how he avoids a heart attack under all this stress I don't know.  We only talk about the necessary business and avoid all talk personally or church-wise to keep stress down.   

      The children somewhat perceive this gloom as lack of caring about them and the Gospel but it is not true--only preoccupation with problems that have to be solved economically..and...now!     The girls both work for Jones, one at the La Mesa office and one in La Jolla.   I don't think they like it all that much but both are excellent workers.    Linda and Maria have both applied to BYU Hawaii and so we hope they will get in and be able to enjoy that.  Jimmy is headed to high school and is fairly untouched by all these business problems the rest of us are working in.

      Since I was released as Relief Society President in order to work at the office, our time spent in doing church work is less and less.  Richard is a membership clerk and I write the ward newsletter. He does not enjoy his calling as it is all secretarial, work which I must do.  He set up the plan though and I must say our records are excellent.  Since I have such little contact with organizations it is becoming very difficult to write the newsletter, though.  I have tried numerous ways to get information back from people but unless you sit on the phone for hours and write while they talk it is impossible.  I also find it difficult to do my visiting teaching.  I am too tired at night and they all work, too, so that I can never find them at home, when I do have a little time.   
   
   I don't see Meagan as much as I would like but she does act as if she likes me and I adore her and wish I could see her more.    John is making good money preparing the property for sale and helping with Help-U-Sell, but it is hard with his schoolwork, marriage,  and doing property work.  

     I've decided to break the "doomsday" feeling by working on fixing up the house and yard "as if all was well".  I worked the 4th of July weekend in the yard and accomplished a lot.  Richard did all the hauling away of diggings and pruning, etc. and is interested in moving the jacuzzi.  It is not too popular and is expensive to run but really helps my aching muscles.   This week I hope to buy paint and begin doing all the hall woodwork.

     In September we are going to Hawaii for a week.  We have our tickets bought because we were offered a house to stay in over there (a client of Richard's) but I wonder if it will come to be. 

   

     
       How I miss the enjoyment I had in working with other people in the church--being Relief Society President and Stake Primary President were two very enjoyable times.  It was fulfilling the way a career can be I suppose when you are successful, you could see what you had accomplished and were so filled with love for the Gospel and people.  I remember my counselor in Primary saying she felt more appreciated for the work she did at church than she ever got at home.  There is that, I suppose.

     When you are not a part of things, you feel left out and it is easy to stop going to events and feel critical of others.  Church jobs and involvement with others is such an important part of the Gospel, it is hard to separate the two.   

      Richard is always reaching out to help everyone but he cannot do it all and so it is frustrating to him when it does not go as planned.   Problems everywhere it seems,  economical, that is.

   We are so blessed that we have such a lovely home to live in but we have been here almost 12 years and there are things we need to do and so little time and thought can go to that.

My Views in October 1983

Letter to Mom and Jeanne...

We attended a Seminar in Las Vegas with Mr. and Mrs. Jones put on by the Mortgage Broker's Institute.  It was all about the heavy regulation in the business and the necessity of having all forms and disclosures correctly done.  And, of course, representing things accurately to your clients.  lt was very informative.  Richard is the one who appears to be in charge of this so it was especially important for him.  You can be liable so easily if you do not know what you are doing and saying.

I get very depressed because I do not really like the business and every day l have to be something I am not and it is fatiguing.  There are not many women in this business but there are getting to be more and more.  All of them seem to be somewhat frustrated because of the way things are and just not sure where they are going.  The days of the loan on the house alone are over and credit on the borrower is getting more and more important.  It is good we have learned how to broker FNMA loans but I was really inspired, I think, on the way over to Vegas with an idea for the business.   Richard and Jones are both excited about implementing it immediately.  Richard makes me feel so necessary that I can't even think of quitting even if I could make money doing something else.  Sometimes I get so miserable I think I can't possibly go through another day but I pray about it and something always keeps me going and makes me feel enthused again for a while until I get discouraged again. 

One day you can be working on a million dollars in loans and the next day you have lost most of them for one reason or another.  There is so much competition in the business and it has changed so much--that is why everyone is so discouraged and then, of course, the foreclosures.  A lot of the seminar was about the foreclosures. etc.  You have to be somewhat aggressive in this business to make it and it is just not my nature but you can be that way if you have too--it is just hard, I would so much rather be doing something else.  And I feel so bad that I am such a bad homemaker and never have any decent meals on.

Speaking of meals, Richard and I kept eating the buffet there--twice a day--much too much food as you can imagine but cheaper than the restaurant and very good.  They had apple cobbler that I wish I knew how to make--and I think it was like your bread pudding with apples and raisins in it and a little juicier--where would I find that recipe??

Jimmy was home working on a research paper when I got home--he has taken a real interest in doing his school work this year.  John had had him using some of John's college books to read and Jimmy did very well with his paper.

Instead of going to a  show this year at Vegas, they are all the same and so expensive, we took $20 to play on the dollar slot machine and the last dollar I won $20 more and then we played and played for about a half hour and went home with $65.  l should have quit when I had a hundred!  I have never won like that before but they say the dollar machines are the best to play.  I should send some to Maria for her birthday, I know she likes school, but she really liked working and having her own money!

Jimmy is working as a photographer for the yearbook and tomorrow he and his friend are being disc jockeys at school, I do not know if that is for a long or just a one-time thing.  He does get out and do a variety of things and enjoys life.  He was nominated "Class Flirt".  He has also been doing some construction work but I wish he would keep working at Sea World,  he just doesn't like work all day Saturdays and Sundays, which I can understand.

Every time I come back to San Diego I realize what a gorgeous city it is,  Las Vegas is so ugly I can't believe it.  Lots of loan rate sheets waiting for me when I came back and I need to get them all looked at and in my notebook before tomorrow or it will never get done.

Thanks for sending me the money but I do intend to send it back, you need it as much as we do I am sure.  I have got to be careful not to call you when I get depressed.  I do wish I had someone to talk to, there just is no one,  it only makes Richard feel worse to talk about the problems and now Maria is gone and Linda is so far away and I see no one in the Church anymore except the young gals in Primary.

About the Business 1984

In late 1984 everything began to fall apart when Richard and his partners had strong differences of opinion as to the direction the business would take.  For one thing, the partners did not understand the first trust deed side of the business that I and other agents were into and so the partners decided to close the La Jolla Office.  Certainly, I could understand when we are not making money things have to be done but we had finally trained a "full-time processor" (very time consuming) had good calls coming into the La Jolla office and with some good agents could really have made it go.  I figured out how much I alone made for Jones Mortgage and I was covering the cost of the office.

When the office was closed without so much as a word to me after giving so much time and effort (never compensated for), I felt it would be best if I worked where I was just bringing in income and not involved in donating my time for someone else.  By this time I had sold whatever assets I had to keep us going.  Our house was fully mortgaged, there was not enough income to cover 1/3 of our expenses, our personal life was a disaster, and my frustrations were greater than ever--of the two "best " opportunities I had, I guess I chose the wrong one.  If I had gone with Fouts, retired football player who was starting his mortgage company and asked me to join him, I would perhaps have stayed there, however...

At La Jolla Newport it was great for a while.  They bought me a new desk, a Xerox memory typewriter and all I had to do was bring loans in--all processing was done by them--they were completely computerized.  Everything was great, except the way they treated clients and other agents.  They were very kind to me, but... I finally could not work any longer where clients were intimidated and spoken nastily to, and put down, mostly because Don, as smart as he was, had serious problems.  Because of their attitudes, they cost me at least $3000, but I did earn over $3000 net in the two months I was there anyway.  After I left I again could have gone straight to Fouts or ICA or who knows.  I didn't try to go anyplace, but the opportunities were there.

What I did is work from home for awhile but the plan was forming to split with Jones Mortgage.

So with the situation the way it was, Richard eventually split with Jones Mortgage and we formed our own company, Choice Mortgage Inc. and began to look for an office.  Two of the Jones employees followed Richard and one of the LJN employees followed me.  The partners in La Mesa accused Richard of possibly leaving them with liabilities and doing things for himself when he opened the La Jolla office when actually his whole time and effort had been spent in trying to make Jones Mortgage work.  All our personal life had been completely turned upside down because of his financial involvement in Jones and his working all hours of the day and night to see properties and collect rent, etc. and then they accused him.  It was unbelievable to me.

I do think his partners were probably not happy that so many of Richard's relatives were working in the business.  It certainly was a challenge to see that everybody got the income they needed.  So many problems, it is hard to know for sure what the right solution was but a new office and business is what we did.

Office Doing Well and other Tidbits, 1986

This last weekend we had Carole's daughter Stephanie and her two children, Maria, Mark and Michael of course, and Carole, Len, Eric, David, Jon and Chris all living at our house and four families in one house is a bit much.   

We had been up to Park City but not much snow till it was time to leave.  Gary and John talked about their Sierra plans.   

Maria and I looked at houses and condos in Del Mar.  I still feel very strongly it would be smartest to sell this house, pay off the mortgages and buy a new, smaller place that would be the size and price I could eventually live in alone.

Gary and Linda are a happy family doing what they should be doing, we enjoyed seeing them.

Michael is a charmer.  He really is into music, moves his head and body to the beat.  Mark and Mark are doing very well, too and are looking to buying their first home this year.   

James is doing well on his mission and had a nice Christmas.  I sent him a little of the Stephen Covey philosophies that I am using in my business.  Perhaps it will help him in the mission field.

We have a great group at Choice Mortgage.  Connie is my right hand and works from 3:30 pm to 9 pm.  She is a secretary at one of the schools during the day.  She also has a part time assistant who is excellent.  I have a new gal Charlotte during the day and she is a really good worker.  We got the accountant's compilation and after all debts, bills, salaries, etc we still had $4000 profit so that is good.  I made very good money this year which has helped terrifically in paying for everything.  It was very good for us to go on our own and leave Jones Mortgage.

But I really want to have less we have to come up with every month.   Living in this house costs $3,000 a month with mortgage, utilities, taxes, maid, gardener, etc and after James goes back to college we really do not need it.  My plan is that in the summer we will strip all the wallpapers, except playroom and paint the house one shade inside so it is not so difficult for someone else to envision living in.  Then I think we should sell and rent while we take our time and find a good place to live.

Sunday School this year is the New Testament and Kaye is an excellent teacher.  I hope to follow along better.

James is getting good experience for being a parent or boss.  Getting others to do what they should is not easy.  Example is still the best teacher and love the best method tempered with discipline.  He seems to do it well as a missionary leader.

Happenings in 1987

News of 1987:

Maria came down and went to Church (La Jolla) with us and then she was tired after Sunday School so I was going home with her and the two babies  but Michael did not want to leave the Nursery--when Sis Jensen tried to move him over to us he defiantly said, "NO!" so I stayed at Relief Society and he got to stay till the end. Sis Hunsaker and Jensen are running the Nursery now and it's very organized and the children really enjoy it!!"

May 1987...Janet wrote to Jimmy(on his mission)..."John was here this weekend and Maria told him and  Ladd about all the letters you sent home so they wanted to read them from your girlfriends.  I told them they were just jealous and they said they were!  Anyway, they are both madly in love with Cathy--says her letters are so witty and full of personality!"

May 1987....Janet wrote to Jimmy..."All is well here, working very hard and paying off debts.  On Friday nights Richard and I go to a movie at Horton Plaza and have a bite to eat after work.  It is a fun, alive place with lots of people watching!

Carole was working at a flower shop today to see how she likes it, won't make much money but, Len still thinks he is going to make $5000 a week.  That would be nice!!!"

"I tell you Jimmy it is a real blessing to know how to work.  I am sure you can appreciate that in working with the other missionaries if you have a laggard or two.  You children area all so great, I want you to know how much Richard and I appreciate being the parents of children who know how to work."

July 1987...Janet wrote to Jimmy..."Maria is really getting me going on fixing up the house.  Yesterday we stripped your bedroom and the downstairs bedroom of their wallpaper...going to paint them white.  We had to steam and scrub, what a job, I'm so tired.  

Michael is such a happy boy all the time it's easy to do things and still tend him.  Maria is making the house child-proof and we're getting ready for Linda being here."

August 1987...Janet wrote to Jimmy..."It has been a zoo with workmen at the house and with Linda and Gary here.  But we do think of you all the time and talk about you--you are so special to us, we love you very much and enjoy hearing about you.  I like the phrase "Pied Piper" that the mission president calls you.  That does seem to fit."

"Meagan is now seeing a doctor about her cholesterol.  She has the same thing as you, John,  Linda and Dad.  Hyperlipoproteinemia, where the body not only doesn't use the cholesterol, it manufactures its own.  Evidently there is pretty good medication for it now and maybe you will all have to go on it.  When you come home we should have you tested again and see how you are doing.  We will see what they tell Meagan.  Anyway I am taking her to the nutritionist for Jennifer so I will see what the new word is.  In the meantime, eat well and stay away from the fats and sugars."

John and Meagan

"Craig is really a happy smiling boy who they feel looks like you!  He is very shy though so I haven't had a chance to get too well acquainted yet.  With all the work being done at our house Linda and Gary are out to El Cajon a lot. 

This last weekend the two workers were putting the tile in the kitchen and the one fellow and the boss had an argument and so they had to bring in someone else to finish and it looks terrible!!!  The rest of the house is looking pretty good excerpt for the shutters are bad, they said they can fix them, we will see.

Christmas 1987

1987  in Illinois

Lagonita Lodge 1998

In the summer I kept our timeshare time at Lagonita and had a wonderful time with the grandchildren.

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Since I was now working with WMA and James and the guys I obtained my insurance license also.  I also have my securities license and I did use it when I invested the $25,000 I received from selling the house.