News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. The weather has been damp, but mild, and we've enjoyed that. I've noted the golfers on the course as I drive by, and contemplated another round, but my usual partner has been busy, and I've decided not to bother on my own—must be getting old! This afternoon, I suffered the indignity of watching my Riders put in a poor effort in Hamilton. The loss leaves them in a must-win situation in their final game of the season next week if they wish to claim first place and home field advantage in the playoffs.

It's been another bad week in the markets, to close off a bad month. The TSX lost 4% in October, so it's been tough to make money. I only managed one buy & sell this week, but it was a good one, so I've picked up another 0.4% to finish the month up 3.2%. I also have some other buys that are not ready to sell yet, so I need the markets to return to the positive so the investments can flourish. Trav has continued in an advisory role as he continues to paper-trade. Hopefully, by the time he decides to get in, the markets will have turned upward again.

Kristian and I have been busy with Hallowe'en preparations. We went pumpkin hunting and got two nice ones. I've field-dressed them, and we've cut in faces for them. Each day as he gets home from school, he wants them lit up! This evening is the end of them, and now we look forward to their next incarnation in pie or pumpkin loaf! He enjoyed trick-n-treating dressed as the pit crew for Lightning McQueen!

Wendy has been working through some medical tests this week, as her doctor is thinking she may be suffering with mild diabetes. So, she's been going through the necessary blood work to confirm the diagnosis. And she also got her H1N1 shot—sore shoulder with that! Then, she's been helping me install a new garage door last night and today. This little project started out as getting the old door reset for winter, and noticing that one torsion spring was broken. As one thing led to another, I was soon into replacing the whole door! Anyway the new one surely looks better and it's insulated as well.

Erin has continued with a bit of the work she's been quitting since last spring! This week, she had some helpful news—she's being laid off! I think she may finally get to quit! Then, she can get into her classwork in earnest. She's also been enjoying getting Kristian ready for Hallowe'en.

Trav has continued with his work. He's recently picked up a contract to do some flash (whatever that involves!) work on a website, so he's learning how to do that as he does the project. And he's enjoying watching his Penguins reel off win after win in the young hockey season.

And that's about it for this week.

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. The weather has been fairly nice, and I contemplated going golfing on Monday, but I couldn't find a partner! As the week closed, we watched the Riders battle the Lions to stay in first place. For the second game in a row, they went to overtime, but this time the defense came up big with an interception, so we won. Now, it appears it will come down to one final confrontation with Calgary in two weeks. One item I neglected to mention last week (For which I've been severely castigated!) was the arrival of Erin's new puppy. Her name is Sadie, she's twelve weeks old, a nice little Shitzu-Bichon.

We had special news in the congregation as we've trying to sell our pews and move into chairs, and this week, we finally managed to sell the pews! We expect they will actually be taken out in about three weeks, so now we're busily engaged in deciding on what specific chair design to select for the replacements. Fortunately, I'm not on that committee. We checked the removal process on Friday. We took out two pews, just to see how difficult it would be, and what kind of a mess would remain on the floor afterward. The removal plan went well; we zipped those out in about two minutes flat! The floor cleaning will be a process!

It was another difficult week on the TSX as the markets declined 1.1%, however, I managed some good sales early in the week, and made 1% profit, so my total for the first four weeks is 2.8%, or somewhat above expectations. Now if we could just get the markets to behave smoothly...

Wendy has spent the week catching up on things around home: paperwork, vacuuming, Scrabulous... She is also working on the chair selection committee so she's begun research on that.

Erin seems to continue with pretty much full time work, but I don't see any school work getting done! Kristian is enjoying school, enjoying his new puppy, and glad to have his grandparents home. And we're glad to be home with him, too!

Travis continues with work. He donated his old car to Youth Challenge, so that's cleared out of the yard. We enjoyed going to one of the hockey games of the team he coaches.

And that's about it for this week.

News Update

Another week has passed and we have returned to the shore of Lake Superior and my hometown. We spent most of the week up in Kenora at Eric/A's completing the renovation project. It turned out looking pretty good, in my opinion! Now, they just need to get the electrician in to install the permanent heating. We enjoyed out time up there. We drove home here on Friday. This afternoon we enjoyed watching the Rider-Calgary game for first place. It was a great game, but even after overtime, it ended in a tie! So, they remain tied for first place as well! Wendy was very involved in the redecoration aspects of the work in Kenora; now, she wants to get into the renovations here!

It was a difficult week in the markets, so, while I managed to get some more buys, I didn't get to sell anything, so, I can't claim any gains. Thus, the status remains quo. Maybe next week...

Erin and Kristian have been taking care of things around home. That has gone well. I managed another conversation with Kristian on the phone from Kenora. He seemed to put together a sentence of his own for the first time. That was great!

Trav has contnued with his work, including a lovely advertising brochure he put togther for one of his private clients. He continues to enjoy coaching hockey, and his team is enjoying success recently as well.

And that's about it for this week.

News Update

This week's end finds us on the shore of the Winnipeg River, in Kenora. We are finally here to do the renovation on the suite for Eric/A. And we get the bonus of spending time with them and the boys, although, it turns out, they're seldom home! What busy lives! At long last, we've managed to get everything together for the work, so we drove up here on Tuesday. We took the long way around through Fort Frances, enjoying the fall colours a great deal. This morning, we woke to another of nature's surprises—snow! So, we enjoyed sitting in the warmth and watching the Riders play Toronto this evening. Their victory moved them back into a first place tie.

We've been completing the installation of a spiral staircase, correction of the main beam, and completion of all that remained outstanding on this project initiated by an earlier owner of their place, and never completed to a habitable condition. We hope to complete our part in the next few days and head back to TBay on Wednesday.

While this is going on, I've also continued with my investments via internet, and had a good week with a 1% gain. I also took another webinar to continue with my investment education. Trav and I are able to spend time together via chat as we consider the markets and make our decisions.

Wendy has been assisting with the construction work, and has now begun working on decorations and trim. I still have some drywalling to complete in the bedroom, then she'll also get going on the painting down there.

Erin & Kristian have been taking care of the place in TBay, and continuing with work and school. Last night when I called, Kristian picked up the phone and said, "Hello." When I responded, he continued, "It's papa! Hi, papa." What a thrill to hear him communicate. I think it's probably the first time I've actually had a chat with him on the phone.

Along with work, Travis and the Elks have now begun their hockey season. They've played a couple of games and Travis allows that he's really liking it.

And that's about it for this week.

News Update

Fall has arrived on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. We had a good frosting this week. I had the tomatoes covered, so they survived, but my squash vines are finished! I managed to harvest another thirty-seven spaghetti squash and three butternut squash. We hope they'll keep for awhile as we try to eat as many as possible. We are failing to keep ahead of the tomatoes, but they're surely delicious anyway! Last night, the Riders fell (with five seconds left on the clock) to BC.

The markets suffered another bad week; the TSX dropped 2.3%, and I, unfortunately, participated in part of that, so I'm down 0.8% this week. It seems to be a pretty shaky time in the market, so we're trying to be careful. Trav was more careful than I, so he's up for the week! (Smart alec!) I got a small contract with one of the School Boards; it amounts to about a week of work, but every bit helps.

The weather has been cool and rainy most of the week, so we've realized the seasonal change. I got two new tires on the truck. We plan to take it to Kenora next week.

Kristian is doing well in school. Erin continues to work almost full-time although classes have supposedly started. We don't see how this is going to work!

Trav is delighting in the start of another hockey season. He's working with the hockey team he coaches, and following the success of the Penguins as well. Then, of course, there's also work, and he's completed (read: got paid) for another contract as well.

And that's about it for this week.