Saturday, April 24

News Update

Another sunny week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior. The beautiful weather has beckoned me often to the golf course this week, but the partially done landscaping in the front yard keeps interrupting! I finally made it out today. I have also kept busy with investments, and have managed to pick up another 0.1% (far short of my goal) onto my portfolio. It's a nervous time on the markets as many analysts are predicting a "correction" (10% or more decrease), so I've tried to maintain vigilance while continuing to develop my protective stop strategy. Protective stops are put in place to get you out of a losing purchase without losing a lot of money. I have worked my way through about a thousand options on this and am starting to gain confidence that I'm getting close to a useful solution. It triggered on Friday at a loss of less than 1% below the high value, but it turned out that it was too sensitive as the stock turned around, so I'm making some small adjustments... My instructors advise that if I'm not taking some losses, I'm not taking enough risk, so I keep working, learning, and some days, improving.

Golf is beginning okay, although the hard hook is still there! It's the nature of golf to always be tinkering with your swing, and trying (hoping?) for improvement. I have played a few holes, but not a full game yet, more so because my main golf buddy is out of town. As mentioned, the landscaping sometimes gets in the way, and I've put in several days of work on that project this week. It is helpful that with advancing age and experience I have become much more efficient in my work, so much so that I sometimes find I can put in a full "day's work" in about an hour!

Wendy has been very preoccupied this week with a friend who is struggling for life. This week she was moved to the hospital where she is being supplied with blood and nutrients and is on the dialysis machine. We pray for another rally so she may return home and enjoy family and friends some more before her departure. Today she was eating on her own, so that was a good sign. Wendy is also in a personal development class this weekend with another of her friends. She is enjoying that.

Erin and Kristian continue pretty much as usual. They've been playing lots of baseball this week. Kristian is an amazing little batter for a four-year-old. Children often play tee-ball at the younger age levels, but he is quite adept at hitting the ball being pitched to him.

Travis is taking extra training at work, so he's been busy with that. He has commissioned his latest website. You can check it out at fossfotography.com Some readers will know Tami, and, for sure, she will enjoy any business the website attracts! As a former html instructor (and proud dad), I think it's a good example of quality work. Of course this evening was special as the Pens finally dispatched the Sens and have moved on to the second round of the playoffs.

And that's about it for this week.

Saturday, April 17

News Update

It's been a week of blustery spring weather on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. Windy days have kept my golf outings to a minimum, but I enjoyed them all the same. The discomfort in my elbow and shoulder is minimal, so that's good. I've got a bit more work done on the front lawn, but it's not level yet, and all those soddy clumps will take a few more rototilling sessions to change into something resembling soil. I've also managed a bit of work on the back yard and garden as it seems spring is about a month early this year. Investments have continued apace, although I was too scared to buy anything on Tuesday or Friday. Things went well the other days, and I managed my goal of 0.5% for a change to advance to 9.2% in total.

Wendy continues to be busy caring for the rest of us, along with several friends in the community. One friend has suffered kidney failure and just began dialysis this week; we're praying for better body chemistry as a result. Wendy is enjoying pretty good results for her own improved self-care of diet and exercise. She's even thinking of trying golf again!

Erin is quite busy at work, and managing her family. This week she got encouraging news of a potential advancement at work. This will probably happen in the Fall. Kristian started the week not feeling well, but has now reverted to his normal exuberant self.

Trav is in his busiest time of the year as the Stanley Cup playoffs have started! His Penguins have not been performing to his satisfaction so far. He's also busy with work, extra on-line training and his website contracts.

And that's about it for this week.

Saturday, April 10

News Update

Another week of sunny weather has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. I have enjoyed the weather to get in a bit of golf practice and to get the yard work going. The golf swing is going well, and the early pain in my elbow seems to be subsiding—perhaps it's getting used to it! Perhaps my determination to swing softly is working, at least during practice times! We'll see if I can take that to the course; I haven't during my first sixty years...

I have roto-tilled the front lawn in preparation for some landscaping work, soil improvement and seeding. The "green grass" has worked so well in the back, I'm determined to develop it in the front as well.

Investments have continued, and I am now focussing on buying ETFs (Exchange Traded Funds). These will, supposedly, provide greater diversification and smoother growth. That has not been the case so far, but I am continuing to develop this strategy. I did manage another 0.2% this week, so I'm at 8.7% now.

I've been watching the Men's World Championship curling all week, and Kevin Koe has been doing us proud. He is in the final tomorrow against Norway. USA and Scotland will play in the bronze medal game.

Wendy keeps busy taking care of us, and catering to several friends who are needing assistance. Of course the management of Kristian's mornings occupies some time as well. Then, he's off to school or day care. He is progressing well, and seems to understand nearly everything we might say to him. We are gradually learning to understand what he says, and he is gradually learning to say it better! He talks a lot.

Erin is quite busy at work, and also takes time for speech therapy with Kristian both at the specialist and at home.

Trav keeps busy with regular work and special contracts. He is still doing final transfer of his latest website to its final home, and I hope to have the URL for you next week. I think it's a fine application of the technology, and having tried to teach the skill, I've seen plenty of bad examples!

And that's about it for this week.

Saturday, April 3

News Update

We have enjoyed another week of beautiful weather here on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. I did get out golfing on Wednesday, just to make sure I made it in the month of March. My elbow did not enjoy getting back into golfing, so I realized I should have worn my brace. Otherwise the golfing was okay, I was just practicing a bit, so I have no scores to report—often, that goes better! I completed my first half year of investments with the end of March, and managed a some good sales that lifted my earnings to 8.5%. This doesn't compare well to the 15% I am aiming for, but I hope I'm learning from at least some of the mistakes! Today was the start of the Men's World Curling Championships, so I enjoyed watching Kevin Koe win his first game today.

I got checked out by my ophthalmologist on Monday. My sister had recently suffered a detached retina, so she advised me to find out how my eyes were doing. The doctor was very impressed with my vision, and I was impressed that he couldn't tell I had been surgically enhanced! He said my retinas and maculas (maculae?) were in fine fettle, with no evidence of weakness or deterioration, so that was encouraging. As many others do, I had checked out the issues in Google, and had begun experiencing most of the symptoms! My dad suffered from macular degeneration, so that part of the report was reassuring as well.

I am continuing to work on data-training with the school board in Kenora. The plan is for all the principals to learn some new techniques for data analysis and use. This is a big issue that is primarily why I moved to Ontario in the first place, so it is rewarding to be able to continue some of this work. The small schools I was initially working with have all been amalgamated into the larger school boards, but that was still the introduction that has allowed the data work to continue.

The warmer weather has Wendy busy with spring-cleaning. She has managed to get some stuff cleaned out, but requires more cooperation from the rest of us to realize her dreams in this area. She has also worked on a few Easter crafts, sometimes with Kristian's able assistance! I have been thinking about yard work, but nothing much is happening yet.

Erin keeps busy with work, and is currently rejoicing over the completion of Spring Training and is looking forward to the start of the baseball season. Kristian loves baseball as well, and can't get enough of playing catch, pitching and batting. I am continuing my search for a suitably-sized golf club for him so he can practise with me.

Trav keeps busy with work and contracts. The pressure is beginning to build as the hockey season nears an end; soon, the Stanley Cup playoffs will be upon us, and his Penguins will be feeling the pressure to repeat as champions.

And that's about it for this week.