News Update

Another week has passed here on the shore of Lake Superior. With Easter behind us (the earliest Easter until 2160 someone has informed me!), we look forward to golf season. The weather is definitely turning, our snow is rapidly sinking away, and the lawn is appearing. However, driving by the golf course today revealed that it will still be some weeks before the course is ready!

We start the week with Eric/A and the boys here for Easter weekend, so that was a good time. We held over the family dinner until Monday. Then it was back to work for the rest of the week. I had a trip to Toronto on Thursday evening for a MISA Leaders workshop on Friday. We were informed that the program will continue in some form, as funding has been set aside, but we won't get the details until May. Anyway, this is some relief as we don't think our small schools are ready to proceed on their own. It may also represent further employment for me, but now we'll have to wait until we see the details to see how much funding is available.

I am enjoying the Women's World Curling championships from Vernon, BC this week. Canada has progressed to the final that will be played tomorrow afternoon.

Wednesday features another visit to my oncologist. He notes that my PSA is slightly better—8.10 instead of 8.15, and that he feels this is still caused by a chronic infection. He says that with the DRE everything feels fine—I beg to differ! He schedules me for another round of testing in August before a September appointment.

Kristian had a period of flu-like symptoms, but now he is back to his usual rambunctious self, so that's nice to see. He is off to daycare three days a week and seems to enjoy and participate in that very well. Erin is doing well at work, but is not making good progress in the final classes, and needs to get moving on those.

Travis is completing another semester of classes soon. We enjoyed supper out with them this evening.

And that's about it for this week.

News Update

The week starts in Winnipeg as I complete my enjoyment of the Brier. Thank you, Mike & Peggy for putting up with me, and getting my days off on a stick-to-your-ribs footing with porridge each morning! I picked up Wendy at the bus early Sunday morning—she has enjoyed a cold trip down from Regina! It seems the driver who took over at Virden couldn't manage the heater controls.

The final game of the Brier gets underway in the late afternoon. It is a lack-lustre affair as the ice is unpredictable so the teams play conservatively. Eventually Kevin Martin (my pre-tournament favourite) prevails and is the new Canadian champion; he will carry our colours to the world championship to be played this year in North Dakota.

We enjoy another evening and morning in Winnipeg, before heading for Kenora on Monday. There we celebrate Erica's birthday, and then carry on to Thunder Bay on Tuesday. Erin and Kristian are doing well. Kristian seems to be doing much better with both his eye and ear infections seemingly under control.

I return to work with all day meetings (never a pleasant experience) on Wednesday and Thursday, and then the four-day weekend begins. Travis & Sylvia come over for supper on Thursday.

Eric/A and the boys arrive Thursday evening, so we have all our grandkids here for a few days. Erica is off with some friends on a shopping trip to Duluth for Friday and Saturday. Sylvia is also along on that trip.

Throughout the week, we enjoy regular Skype calls with friends far and near. And that's about it for this week.

News Update

The week starts on the shore of the Wascana as we celebrate Wendy's birthday. We enjoy fellowshipping with the group at Glen Elm in Regina on Sunday morning, and take it easy for the day.

On Monday, Wendy is off to Watrous for a weeklong retreat, while I continue to enjoy Regina and tech upgrades until Wednesday when I head off to Winnipeg. Thank you, Ellis, Rich & Sue for your hospitality. We get a batch of distressing news on Tuesday, as we find out Roger Peterson has passed on; and then later we find out that Aunt Carole's diagnosis has been confirmed as cancerous. Please remember these families in your prayers. The drive to Winnipeg goes fine, and I settle in at Mike & Peggy's--Thank you, Talitha for your room!

My Brier experience begins in earnest on Thursday. The tickets are great--I am four rows up near the home end. I enjoy great curling, and I am able to collect a full set of autographs from the players and coaches. The tickets include free use of the transit system, so that saves a lot of bother with traffic and particularly with parking downtown in Winnipeg! My long-time hero Kevin Martin is here representing Alberta, although he has a fairly new team these last two years. Of course, my sentimental favourite is Pat Simmons of Saskatchewan and they are also doing very well. I get to watch all the teams today as they play through three draws to determine playoff rankings. Alberta and Saskatchewan are on top of the heap. Another full day of draws on Friday narrow it down to three teams who will play the weekend. A last rock 'pick' (the rock caught on debris and went astray) costs Sask the victory over Alberta, so Martin is on the way to Sunday's final, and Simmons has to play Glenn Howard of Ontario in the semi-final.

The semi-final is Saturday afternoon, Simmons versus Howard, and it's another good game. Simmons comes back well from the shocking loss last night, and pushes Howard to an extra end, but we fall short by one. Too bad, but he was certainly the crowd favourite. Now we wait until tomorrow evening to see the final between Martin and Howard (both guys have two first names!).

Erin reports that Kristian is getting better, but has been doing a lot of sleeping this week. I've also had a few chats with Trav on line. Wendy attends the Roger Peterson funeral in Weyburn and is headed to Winnipeg via Greyhound over night. I'm expecting her at 5:30 tomorrow morning.

And that's about it for this week.

News Update

Another week has passed while we are on the road, and far away from the shore of Lake Superior. We enjoy Sunday morning with the congregation on Highway 36 south of Abilene. Southalls are hosting us; Shepherd, Ruhtt and family join us, and we enjoy Jonathan Straker—the preacher there. His sister Jacquie is also there, so we are pleased to get some news of that family. After church, Shepherd & Ruhtt treat us to a fine meal at a steak house in Abilene, and then we head north up highway 83 toward Canada. We run into snow in northern Texas, but persist for the short trip across Oklahoma before finally giving up for the night in Garden City, Kansas.

On Monday morning we carry on northward in fine driving conditions for most of the day. We run into snow again south of Minot, but drive through it across the border and finally stop for the night at Weyburn. We complete the drive up to Regina on Tuesday morning.

We spend the remainder of the week with the all Wendy's brothers gathering in Regina, enjoying time with them and continuing preparations for the big birthday celebration this afternoon. It is Ellis' 83rd birthday—Happy Birthday!

We have enjoyed getting into using video Skype on my new laptop. Shepherd & Ruhtt are set up and be chat with them for hours back in Abilene. Erin also joins in from Thunder Bay, so we get to see Kristian as well. Verner joins in from Dallas—this Skype stuff is pretty good!

Kristian comes down with an ear infection, so he's on antibiotics for that. He is also continuing treatments for the bacterial infection in his eyes—poor little guy. Erin is working to manage this with grandma close by—good job, Erin! She also needs to catch up on her studies, so she's probably (hopefully) in for busy times.

I have been able to chat (typing on line) with Travis a few times, and hope he'll get onto Skype soon.

Anyway, that's about it for this week!

News Update

We start off the week in Dallas, and enjoy worship at Richardson East with Viggo and Nancy. Then in the afternoon, I go to the driving range with Viggo, Jonathan and Luke. All drives produce pain in my ankle, but I am encouraged by how things go, so I am encouraged about the prospect of some golf games. Monday has beautiful weather (28 degrees) and I enjoy a golf game with Viggo, Jonathan and Jennifer. It goes pretty well as I manage a 49-45-94 with not so much pain in my ankle. I am encouraged to keep working on the rehabilitation of my ankle, and I'm sure losing another thirty pounds will help as well. In the evening, we enjoy supper out with Viggo & Nancy at a lakeshore restaurant.

On Tuesday evening, we are out again to eat, this time at a fancy restaurant, to celebrate Verner's 65th birthday. After the supper, we complete our move over to Verner and Linda's place to enjoy the next few days there. This includes eating out at Babe's on Wednesday evening with a large crew including Luke and Jason. Then, when we return to Verner's we also get to meet Hillary (Luke's wife), that's the first time we've been able to meet her.

On Thursday morning, I go golfing with Luke and Verner. It's cool at the start and we both have difficulty shooting well, but we improve on the back nine. I play 50-41-91—a great improvement and the back nine is very good indeed. Then after lunch, we head off for Abilene. It's a windy drive, but we get there at 5pm. We are delighted to catch up with Ruhtt & Shepherd and their family whom we got to know while in Zambia. We are spending the remainder of our time in Texas with them.

Friday morning, we drive south of Abilene to visit with Bill & Gayla. It's great to meet Bill and to catch up with Gayla, whom we haven't seen for some years. Bill is a writer; we are pleased to get an autographed copy of his book on some of the history of Texas law. On Friday evening, we are invited out to the Southalls. They are friends of ours from Zambia. We met them in Zambia and were privileged to work with them in some projects there. We enjoy a wonderful Mexican meal with them, and also catch up with our nephew-cousin—long-lost-relative, Jonathan Straker and his wife who are now working with the Highway 36 church where Southalls also work. (I have now decided Jonathan is a first cousin, once removed, of Wendy.)

On Saturday, we visit the Abilene Zoo in the morning, and then attend a soccer game in the afternoon to cheer on Miguel and Nathaniel—it is not enough! In the evening, Ruhtt & Shepherd have arranged for a Zambia meal and have invited many people who have connections to the work in Zambia. It is good to meet some new people and catch up with many others. It is encouraging to hear of how things are going in Northwestern Province, up at Mumena where we investigated the situation and recommended the opportunity.

We hear only a little from back home on how Erin, Kristian, Travis & Sylvia are doing. So, that's about it for this week.