Moving Along!

Another week has passed and finds us relocating from the shore of the North Saskatchewan to the shore of Lake Wascana. Thanks to Mike's help, we cleaned up a number of tasks and moved on to Regina. Our main work there included the erection of a garage/shelter for them, along with the demolition of the existing dining area, kitchen, bathroom and laundry room, and the installation of a new bathroom and laundry room. In the photo, you can see the new bathroom, including a shower. Behind that wall is the new laundry area. We feel confident that it will prove useful, and that the space has also been opened up to build the new kitchen. 

Bailey new Bathroom

Temporary Kitchen

We have mostly been resting here, but issues continue to find us! We have begun the installation of the new vanity here at Erin's place. I removed the old one, and located the new one, but now the painter is hard at that part of the assignment. Anyhow, we are feeling much recovered, and have been able to get some jobs done here as well. Today, we travelled to Bengough with Bern & Alicia to help the Taylor family celebrate Aunt Grace's 100th birthday. It was a wonderful family time.

Her Majesty, Their Majesties!

We plan to head east next week as I have a dentist's appointment coming up soon. Along with painting, Wendy has been able to help Kristian get a few things done. Eric/A, Liam & Mercedes are on the tour west, including Vancouver Island, and we expect their return early next week. In the meantime, we are enjoying the batches of pictures they've sent our way. Mike has kept up with his thesis work and has also contributed to the home renovations. Erin and Kristian have hosted us luxuriously here—thanks! The world situation remains in chaos as Trump has pushed forward with his meaningless tariffs, inflicting major new taxation on the USA folks. The investment pundits hope the additional certainty of the taxes actually being imposed will play out beneficially for the markets, but so far the indices are unconvinced. It appears that Trump is prepared to throw Ukraine to the wind and award part of their land to Russia in return for a truce—that is not how both countries, along with the UK, promised to make this work. After the fall of the USSR, in the 1990s, the UK, USA and Russia promised to protect the territorial integrity of Ukraine if they would give up their nuclear weapons. Now, it seems that at least Russia and USA are breaking that pledge. Shame! In the world of sports, the first place Riders have the bye week. The Blue Jays had a good series in Colorado, but are finding the Dodgers a much more challenging opponent. As a result the surging Boston Red Sox are closing in on first place. 

Travis, Joanna and the dogs are enduring a hot summer in Thunder Bay with frequent storms and thunderstorms. The forest fire activity continues to be elevated. We look forward to seeing them in another week. 

And that's enough for this week. 

Developments

Another week has passed on the shore of the North Saskatchewan River. The weather has turned uncomfortably hot, and we grow weary even more quickly each day! On Wednesday, I advanced to the grand age of 75, and that development also leads to more frequent rest periods. We made good progress on the bathroom, the laundry room and the destruction of the area that will become a kitchen. The plumber delayed us all week, but finally arrived on Friday and completed the work we've been expecting of him. He left us with some problems due to his relocation of the shower. We feel we have a solution for that, and began work on that today. Mike arrived on Friday, and he has proved very helpful. Wendy keeps working on insulation and vapour barrier and on cleaning, cleaning, cleaning. She has dedicated much effort to making the destroyed ktichen back into a functional unit. We have been able to do several loads of laundry in the new laundry room. The back door is installed, the sidewalk motion light is active again, and I may obtain some progress on the siding tomorrow. 

Bathroom is functional

Mike & I installing the ceiling

In world developments, the Orange Menace is back with tariff threats, now scheduled for Aug 7th. He has walked back his promise of 90 deals in 90 days, having not obtained any, and now avers that his announcement of new tariff levels is actually a deal! Of course these threats are subject to frequent revisions, and many countries are beginning to just ignore him. But, it is also the case that these import taxes and hitting the USA economy hard resulting in rising inflation, reduced jobs numbers and are hitting the stock market hard. The Blue Jays have fallen off their torrid pace, but remain in first place in their division and in the league. The Riders won again today in Montreal, and they also remain in first place in their division and in the league. 

Eric, Erica, Liam and Mercedes packed into the car and headed west on Friday with plans to make it to the Island to visit Haaken and the family out there. They also expect to drive up Island to visit Parksville area where they lived for a while. In anticipation of that trip, they re-tired the car, and also did a major mechanical repair to the front suspension. 

Enchanted!

Erin and Kristian are enjoying hosting Kali this week. She seems to have settled in well, and is now taking over the food bowls since she has found she also likes cat food. Erin even took some time off work to enjoy the patio area and relax with Kristian and the pets. 

Enjoying the Patio

Travis and Joanna are enjoying a visit from Gemma. Jonas' schedule is delaying his arrival from UBC. Andrew is kind of between jobs, coursework and house sitting, although he should be moved into this new apartment by now. 

And that's about enough for now. 

Transitions

Another week has passed on the shore of the North Saskatchewan River in Prince Albert. We spent part of the week with Erin, her cats and her garden in Regina. We returned Kristian to Regina on Tudesday as he had a medical appointment on Wednesday. Then, we returned to PA on Thursday afternoon much refreshed from our two days off—of course, that didn't last long! We put in a full day after we got here, and got a lot accomplished before heading out for appie night. Anyway, the renovations are progressing well, and the new bathroom, laundry room and kitchen are taking shape. The plumber did the rough-in work while we were in Regina, and he plans to be back next week to finish up. I am focusing on drywall now, and looking to tie as many lose ends togther as possible in the next week. Wendy keeps up with the clean-up at all times, and pitches in with the construction action as well. We are both quite tired so it will be good to complete this stint of the 10-year reno! The markets continue to push forward, but with employment pressures, rising inflation and national debt concerns in the USA, there's plenty of trepidation. Now, this week, Moodys has dropped their credit rating. My sports teams have been flying high. The Jays now have the best record in baseball, and are playing at the .600 level—my standard for a good team. Likewise, the Riders continued their winning ways and have taken over first place in the Western Conference. 

Kali, 1 year old with ice cream

Eric and Erica continue with their usual activities and help out when ever they have free time. Erica had a concert on Friday with her Mystery Train group. We enjoyed attending that. Eric had his usual week of work and mentoring sessions this morning, but still managed some quality time on the renos! Today, we installed the new back door. 

Kristian completed his sojourn here, and has returned to Regina along with Kali. He has several issues to deal with in preparation for the school year at Sask Poly Tech. He's keeping busy these days managing Kali, and monitoring her interactions with his cats, It's going well! 

Kali & Elly—friends! 

Travis finally got his car fixed. He was calling it Kari Stall due to it/s habit of quiting at unexpected moments, but his mechanic finally found the issue and it's running well again. Joanna has completed support for her mother's move and has returned to Thunder Bay, and her regularly scheduled programming. 

And that's enough for this week. 

TACO Time Again!

Another busy week on the shore the North Saskatchewan in Prince Albert. We not only got a lot done, but we also took time for some other activity. The week opened with the finals of the World Softball Championships. We cheered mightily for New Zealand, but they ran out of gas in the later innings and fell to Venezuela. Wait a minute, we beat Venezuela, so we're the champs! It was a closely contested tournament between evently matched teams, and we enjoyed it a great deal. USA beat Japan to capture the bronze medals. We put in a lot of time and effort on the renovations, and have made a lot of progress. The window is installed in the bathroom, and the back door is ready to install as well. We took out the patio doors and replaced them with a solid wall which will feature in the new kitchen. And the destruction has continued on the old lath and plaster walls. We were working on the final one of those tonight. So, we'll finish that one off and move the fixtures into the new bathroom in preparation for the plumber to work his magic next week. We have also begin the drywalling—much progress! On Friday, Kristian and I took some time off for a round of golf; we didn't play well, but we had a lot of fun, and determined to spend some time at the range before trying that again. 

Wendy revamped the flower bed! 

Kristian opens another wall

Patio door, now patio wall!

Window out, preparing for door

We have only a few days left before we take Kristian back to Regina for a medical appointment, but we're making plans to return to continue the renovations once the plumber does his thing.

It was TACO time again this week as Trump gave in to China and not only relaxed the trade rhetoric, but also determined to let them have the highly sought after Nvidia chips which are so important for AI. As a result the markets put up some green days, while also collectively holding our breath as we await the next shift in the wind. The All-Star break of over and the Jays have returned with more wins so they continue to hold on to first place. The Riders won again tonight and regained a first place tie with Calgary. 

Obviously Eric and Erica continue their regular jobs during the week, but put in a long day with us today and also chip-in throughout the week. Erica was ill earlier, but is back at work and renos again. 

Erin continues to enjoy her garden. Today, she put together a nice meal featuring produce from her garden. 

Have some eggs with your bacon!

Joanna has travelled to the swelter of Toronto where she is helping her mom clear out her house and move into an apartment. That's an uncomfortable task under those conditions. Trav is taking care of the dogs in air-conditioned comfort in Thunder Bay! Andrew continues with his work, coursework and the care of our house. Thanks

Taking good care! 

And that's enough for this week! 

Trying to make improvements

Another week has passed and we remain on the shore of the North Saskatchewan River. The weather has remained hot, and many days added the complication of smoke from the wildfires in the north. We struggled along to make more progress on the renovation project. The destruction side is almost complete, and we've even managed a bit on the rebuild side! Of course, we were also occupied with the World Softball Championships here. Canada did not impress and ended up in the middle of the pack. In fact, all of the higher seeds missed the medal round. It will be New Zealand/Venezuela for the gold/silver, and Japan/USA for the bronze/thanks-for-coming. Erica had obtained tickets for us, so we've been enjoying the games—thanks!

Mystery Train

Erica's band had two gigs (do they still use this term?) at the games, and we enjoyed taking in one of those as well. So, despite being old and tired, we have had a good week. The markets have struggled under the turmoil of the Orange Tariff/Trade War salvos. As assumed, TACO came through again as Trump chickened out and pushed the tariff deadline forward another three weeks. This gave the traders some relief and the USA indices finally struggled into new levels of green. In the world of sports, the Blue Jays have maintained their hold on first place—yay Jays! The Riders were unable to play last night due to the smoky conditions which made the air quality in Regina below safe limits. They played this afternoon, but it did not go well as Calgary beat them and now they have company in first place. Go Riders, Go! 

Erica had two days of work in Saskatoon this week, and has also been volunteering at the Softball Championships. Today, she is feeling ill, and has kept a low profile. Eric had a regular week of work and also is helping out with the renovations. Everytime we open another wall or ceiling we get a surprise. Often these are more electrical installations that we were not expecting. This week we solved four instances of knob & tube wiring that were supposedly not there! There were also several instances of newer wiring placed in gouged-out trails in plaster and covered with gyproc. Apparently, electrical fires are not so easy to ignite! 

What? There was a layer of gyproc over this!

Knob & Tube

We found the shower!

Now, we can excavate a larger hole and move the old bathroom items to the new location. 

Erin is cooling her heels in smoky Regina, and enjoying life with her cats and her garden. Kristian is working with us and is whetting his appetite for carpentry, electrical work and trash management! 

The Sawyer!

Travis and Joanna celebrated their 16th anniversary this week. We wish them many more! Andrew continues with his work and course work, and taking care of our place—thanks!

And that's enough for this week. 

Wreckage/Phoenix

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. We remain on the shore of the North Saskatchewan River with the Baileys, including Liam, and also with Kristian. The weather has been uncomfortably hot, and we have called an early halt to work on several of the days, and for a variety of reasons.

Tearing out the lath & plaster

Cutting out the Window

Wendy and I celebrated our fifty-fifth anniversary on Friday, and that was certainly a good-enough reason! On Monday, we shut down early to attend a BBQ feast and celebration of Canada Day! What a feast it was—thanks especially to Guido who laboured many hours with the preparation and smoking of our meat dishes! Others of the gathering contributed the various side-dishes and desserts. On Thursday, we declared an appie night and retired to a local restaurant to enjoy some more good grub. And through it all, we also managed some great progress on both the destruction and construction ends of the enterprise.

Crush Delivery

Pounding in the Pins

The shed (not a garage) has been erected solidly in place on a treated wood foundation and with fresh crush to fortify that. Liam and Kristian did most of that work, and it turned out great.

Shed - locked in place

We have continued with the destruction of the kitchen dining area, and there remains some lower cabinets and much walls to be dismantled and removed. The new bathroom area is ready for construction, the new entry/laundry continues to wait for demolition to be completed. The plan is to salvage the sink unit, so it can be used in the new kitchen area until a later eventuality when that can be completed. We also plan to move the stove there so it can be used until it's time to replace it. Anyway, a Phoenix is slowing developing from the wreckage. Not so with the USA under the Orange regime: civil rights are being trampled, the innocent are being incarcerated and/or deported. And this week the GOP passed his dream taxation and support cuts policy. As a result, the bottom 40% will have less money and many will lose their health care and food support. It will take years to undo the damage he has already done. The USA markets have finally crawled into the green after six months of struggle as the USA GDP has fallen into the red. His vaunted 90 deals in 90 days is falling very short, and on Thursday, he reverted to his tariff threats. The markets bled red as a result! We hope there will be other thoughts before Monday. In sports, the Blue Jays are surging and have moved into first place in their division. The Riders have the week off and hope to have their starting quarterback back for the next game. 

Eric and Erica have been hosting us, and trying to keep up with their regular work. Erica has not been feeling well toward the end of the week. Eric joined us in the wreckage detail today, and we got a lot done. We have been sharing the meal preparations around the crew—we're eating well! 

Erin is on a Summer Cleanup campaign while Kristian is away. She sends us lovely reports of her garden producing, especially the strawberries, tomatoes and peppers. 

Travis and Joanna are sweating out an early summer heat wave in Thunder Bay. The dogs are coping just fine! Andrew is managing his classes and our house. Thanks

And that's enough for this week. 

American Dachau

Courtesy of Charlie Angus: Six months. That's all it took for the Trump regime to make the move from kidnapping people on the street, to threatening to strip political enemies of citizenship, to selling swag celebrating the construction of an American concentration camp. 

Six months.

Alligator Dachau

And Republicans say that merch promoting the newly built Alligator Alcatraz concentration camp is "going like hot cakes." Some detractors have called the camp Alligator Auschwitz, but this may not be the most accurate comparison. Not yet anyway. Because the death camps didn’t just appear; it took years of increasing brutality and degradation before they got to Auschwitz. It began at Dachau. Like the Trump regime, the Dachau concentration camp was established in the first months of Nazi rule. But unlike Trump, the Nazis were careful to downplay the barbaric cruelty of the newly-built camp. They presented propaganda photos to show “the truth about Dachau” as if it were a “model” prison for rehabilitation. Trump’s supporters on the other hand are gloating over the fact that this is no normal prison. It is a series of cages in the swamps of the Florida Everglades. And MAGA is celebrating a camp built for the express purpose of dehumanizing and brutalizing the people brought there.

The inmates being brought to Alligator Alcatraz are those who Trump claims are “poisoning the blood” of America. Language that could have been taken right out of Nazi speeches.

Will political enemies be sent there? You bet. 

Will mothers be thrown into the cages? Why not?

What about children? Expect this, too.

Trump has understood from the beginning that he can keep his MAGA supporters in the fold through the spectacle of cruelty. In fact, his tour of the concentration camp came as he was pushing through his "Big, Beautiful Bill," legislation that will rob health care and social supports for many of his working-class base. But Trump has always reassured the faithful that he will be even crueller to the people his base has been taught to despise. Being part of MAGA is feeling that you can always beat down on someone below you. And elected MAGA officials are fighting to get in on the act. Take for example, South Carolina Representative Nancy Mace who says she wants a concentration camp in her home state. Will she try to outdo Florida in the degradation department? No doubt. After all, the crueler the better.

That is why Alligator Alcatraz meets all the architectural requirements for the torture porn fantasies promoted by Kristi Noem and Donald Trump. On his tour, Trump took viciousness to a new level by gleefully describing how a detainee might try to outrun an alligator in the fetid swamps. When sadism becomes official government policy, you can bet that much darker abuses are around the corner.

Trade Policy

Courtesy Arlene Dickinson: "Donald Trump just called Canada 'a very difficult country to trade with.' He falsely claimed we impose 400% tariffs on U.S. dairy. He accused our Digital Services Tax, a policy used around the world, of being a “blatant attack” on America. And then he threatened to terminate all trade talks and impose a new tariff. All in one breath. 

Frankly, it’s disturbing. And I think it’s because he knows we do not stand alone in the world. Canada has always been a strong, fair trading partner to the United States. We’re their closest ally, their largest customer, and a vital contributor to their economy and national security. Our dairy system is built on supply management, not subsidies. It supports rural communities and food stability just as the U.S. supports its own farmers in different ways. The claim of 400% tariffs is false. Our Digital Services Tax is consistent with global efforts to ensure multinational tech companies, many valued in the trillions, contribute fairly in every country they operate in. This isn’t an attack. It’s tax fairness. Period. As someone who has spent decades building and working with businesses that trade goods and services across this border, I think his take is ridiculous. Canadians don’t take the importance of this relationship lightly. But we won’t be bullied about it either.

We believe in partnership. But real partnership is built on respect, facts, and a shared commitment to prosperity on both sides. I know and trust that our leaders in Canada are acting with fairness, dignity, and good faith and will not be bullied into anything that doesn’t serve our country and our citizens well. Americans cannot say the same and I feel badly for them. Threats are not negotiations. And tweets are not trade policy no matter how much attention people do or don’t pay to them."

The Whole Family!

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. We have relocated via La Rivière Rouge, on to Lake Wascana, and finally settled on the North Saskatchewan in Prince Albert. This has allowed contact with our whole family in the course of the week, and included a visit with Tom & Mariette in Winnipeg—what a great week! We arrived in Regina on Monday afternoon, and settled in for a couple of nights with Erin and Kristian. I was able to get her drip irrigation functioning properly. I think the only issue was that the batteries were failing and with it being two hours out of whack, it wasn't running when Erin had programmed it to. Once it had fresh batteries and the time set, it began operating as expected. Kali made her acquaintance with Erin's cats. She and Luci established a non-aggression pact, while Elly determined to stay as far away as possible! We drove up to PA with Kristian on Wednesday, as I'm counting on his Lego experience to put together a Tent-Shelter Garage. We have looked over their request for demolition and development of the main floor bathroom, laundry room and the relocation of the kitchen. It's a big project for an old couple, even with the support of a young couple! We'll see how far we get. On Friday, Eric and I took part in a charity golf tournament for the new health centre here. It was a beautiful course that I have not played before. Eric and I managed to navigate our way around the course quite well, playing a 2-person scramble and scoring 81-more good fun! Finally today, Kristian began assembly of the frame for the shed, and we others began the demolition of the current kitchen/dining area where we will build the new bathroom. We schedule to get the demolition completed on Monday, and begin construction on Tuesday, but it's not easy going on a 1912 house—a lot of those pieces have been together for a long time! There are always some surprises that crop up to demand some of our time and energy—and both are in short supply! 

Big help in packing!

but she enjoyed travelling!

Elsewhere in the world, the Orange Felon continues his disastrous regime of terror. The markets struggle forward and the USA indices are finally in the green since January 20th, despite his machinations. The USA GDP has fallen into the red after Biden left him an economy growing at 2.8% rate. Unsurprisingly, Trump's approval rate has fallen below 40%. This weekend the self-proclaimed, Great Trade Negotiator, admitted that he could not even conclude a trade deal with us in Canada, and that despite already having one before he broke it! Elect a clown, expect a circus! 

The CFL season included another strong showing by the Riders as they eclipsed the BC Lions to move to 4-0 on the season. The Blue Jays are not playing as well, but are in a good position all the same. 

Anyhow, that's enough for this week! 

Kristian building the frame

Erica and Dad Demolition!