News Update

Another week has passed, and we have moved to the shore of Lake Wascana. We plan to be here until March. We enjoyed most of the week in Thunder Bay. We celebrated Christmas with Trav, Joanna, Gemma and Andrew with a lovely breakfast/brunch followed by the traditional Christmas movie—in this case: The Hobbit in 3D. That was very good. Then we retired to appetizers and finger foods until we could eat no more. We were blessed with many other gifts as well. What fortunate people we are! The markets continue to be troubled by the US fiscal foolishness; as a result, I had a down week. The weather has continued mild and with little snow in TBay, however, that was not the case as we drove west on Friday. Freezing rain west of Dryden chased several vehicles into the ditches, and it was slow going for the last couple of hours of Ontario. Once we got to Manitoba and the divided highway things went much better, and we pulled into Regina about midnight. We were greeted with mountains of snow and -28 degrees which was quite a shock to our systems. Fortunately, dad had a warm welcome and house waiting for us.

Eric/A and the boys spent Christmas in Langford with Eric's family. The boys enjoyed several new gifts. Liam is enjoying a new hockey stick and equipment bag—his first goal cannot be far behind! Haaken and Liam were introduced to Dungeons & Dragons—Haaken was not impressed. Eric/A celebrated their 19th anniversary at a Japanese steakhouse in Victoria—yummy! They are now back in Parksville; Eric is home until January 5th.

Kristian has been enjoying multiple Christmas celebrations, and that continued with the arrival of Grandma. His two top front teeth are loose, so we expect them to be out soon. Erin has been enjoying a few days off and multiple Christmas celebrations as well. Kiara and Kori were here for Christmas—part of a large group at the Roberts.

Trav will be taking care of the house while we're gone. We hope the truck continues to run well. He and Joanna are enjoying some time off this week as well.

And that's about it for another week!

News Update

Another week of fine weather has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. We got enough snow late in the week to cover some of the grass on the lawn, so we may have to be satisfied with an approximation of a white Christmas! I recall two green Canadian Christmases past, one in Victoria, one in Dauphin—we went golfing on both occasions! The TSX had a good week even as the US markets lurched downward on Boehner's failure to bring his troops in line, so I had a great week, however, it is a nervous time, and I remain two-thirds in cash. School is out; bus-driving is over for now. It was particularly heart-warming to get Christmas gifts from two Islamic students who ride my bus. I am looking forward to driving in Regina in the January and February, although the lack of a regular route will be a challenge. Wendy has been busy with Christmas preparations including baking. In consideration of my diet, she found some gluten-free flour and made shortbread cookies—not exactly a winner! She also found gluten-free pancake mix—it was very good!

Eric arrived home today for the break. Erica has been counting down the days! Liam was excited to see snow this week, but it melted away in the subsequent rains. He continues with hockey, and enjoys that. Haaken is enjoying his guitar work and even took it to school one day. Grandma's baking production has quickly disappeared; she needs to return and build up a bigger supply!

Kristian has been busy with Christmas concerts and parties until he came down with pink eye! Now, he is on the mend, but remained isolated from school and day care for the latter part of the week. Mark has been helping out with daycare and also attended more than the appropriate number of Christmas concerts with Kristian, Kiara and Kori—you're a trooper! 

Trav keeps busy with work. The hockey photography has paid rich dividends, and also gives Trav & Joanna something to work on together. Gemma and Andrew completed school on Friday, and are looking forward to Christmas celebrations next week. Joanna had the week off, so she has a large surplus of baking for us to work through as we enjoy Christmas day with them!! I've done a treatment on the leaking head gasket for the truck, and it seems to be holding so far.

And a Merry Christmas to one and all.

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. While temperatures have remained comfortable, we've had snow nearly every day, and some rain today with +5 to clear the streets and driveways. Wendy arrived back on Friday morning, after more prolonged air travel. She had a great time in Parksville with baking, shopping, hockey tournaments and grand/mothering, but I'm glad to have her home. The markets continue to lurch with each successive US press conference, but overall the data has been favourable and I've had an above average week. This week has featured the Canadian Open of curling, but none of my favourite teams remains in the hunt, so I'm not as engaged as usual. Howard will be playing Jacobs in an all-Ontario final—I'll be cheering for Jacobs. Bus driving has continued routinely, and my transfer to Regina for the beginning of January has been approved. 

Erica and the boys have been enjoying their grand/mother this week. The big event was a hockey tournament for Liam where his team won the championship.(full write-up)

Hail to the Champions!

Eric is scheduled to be back for the Christmas break the end of next week. The boys have one more week of school before the break as well. 

Erin and Kristian had a good week. Kristian has two working hearing aids once again. 

Skaters!

Today the three kids enjoyed a skating outing with, as Mark noted, no injuries!

Trav, Joanna, Gemma & Andrew hosted me at the newest Bond movie on Sunday. Perhaps they've turned the franchise into too much of an action movie, but it was a good time anyway. Trav's hockey team won two games this week. Joanna was by on Friday to do the next set of blood work for both of us. Thanks. The truck is still not performing optimally, but Trav is back using it at least. I'm afraid it needs a new head gasket, as it continues to use coolant, and I'm afraid it's going through the system. 

And that's about it for this week.

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. We have continued to have beautiful weather starting off with +10 degrees and finally turning colder this weekend. We are now promised a week of subzero temperatures, with the probability of getting some snow. The markets have been running from press conference to press conference on the US budget negotiations. This has produced a down week, and I've suffered along with the markets. Wendy is out in Parksville with Erica and the boys. This weekend she's up in Port McNeil where Liam's team is playing in a hockey tournament. I'm expecting her back next Friday. Sports highlights were the Canada Cup curling finals on Sunday where Stephanie Lawton and Jeff Stoughton gave me two wins. Otherwise, with the NHL in lockout, I've not had much to interest me. 

Eric is south for classwork in Winnipeg and made a visit to Kenora. Erica and the boys are enjoying having mom/grandma there. Plenty of baking and puzzles are taking place. This weekend the crew traveled to Port McNeill for Liam's hockey tournament. At last report, they had won their first two games easily and the third game 7-3, so they're in the championship game tomorrow. 

Erin, Kristian (and Mark) keep frequent contact via video chat. It's good to see and hear them. Kristian has blown a hearing aid, so it's being repaired. Mark has concerns for Kiara's health; we are praying for an early remedy to her issues. Kori is also there this weekend. The three children play well together. 

Trav is back in the truck problems! As a result, I now have the truck, while he has the car. After a stern talking to, it is behaving for me. We'll see how long this lasts! Joanna is hosting her parents this weekend who are up from TO. Andrew continues to heal and has a removable cast now. Gemma is doing well. Trav's team won the championship last weekend—congrats all around! 

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 cold, but has returned to mild temperatures this weekend with the expectation of rain. We expect to remain above freezing for the next few days. The week started with the Grey Cup game where my hoped for win for Kevin Glenn failed to materialize—congratulations to the Argos! The markets have whipsawed with each press conference on the "fiscal cliff" negotiations; I made a sale, reducing my portfolio to 32% in the market, and achieved a good gain for the week. Wendy has been busy with several appointments and getting ready to travel to Parksville. She was off this afternoon, and should get there tomorrow morning. She plans to spend the next two weeks there playing Grandma! We had one snow day, but otherwise bus driving has continued routinely. I have been invited to transfer to the Regina depot for driving there during January and February, so I'll be working on that. I've been preoccupied with the Canada Cup curling this week. Neither of my favourite Kevins had a good week on the men's side; I'll be cheering for Jeff Stoughton to win it all. I'll be cheering for the Stephanie Lawton in the women's final.

Eric is currently in classes in Winnipeg. He reports that things are progressing satisfactorily. Erica is not enjoying the home-alone experience so much! She is looking forward to having her mom there the next two weeks. Haaken and Liam continue with their usual activities. 

Kristian had a troublesome rash develop this week, but that seems to have quickly resolved itself. He was delighted when Mark brought a Christmas tree and enjoyed decorating everything that is standing still in the apartment including his own bed! 

Trav's work continues well. His hockey team had a good week, and is in the Neebing tournament this weekend. After their two wins today, they play in the championship game tomorrow. Joanna has continued to enjoy/suffer soccer. Gemma is not enjoying school so much this year, but is doing well. 

Andrew got an update on his broken hand—as the picture shows, there were three broken bones. He seems to be healing well, and is looking forward to resuming his wrestling in a few weeks. 

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 continued to be beautiful until Friday when we got our first snow of the season. It was quite a dump of soft, wet stuff, and my snow blower was not happy try to push it through the chute. However, it dropped to -7 last night and I was able to finish clearing the driveway fairly comfortably this morning. The markets have been good this week, and even with the US markets pretty much off on Thursday and Friday, I managed to make gains every day, so that helps. Wendy has continued her busy ways getting the house whipped back into shape. She also had church business and various appointments to fill her week. Today, she is busy preparing a birthday cake for Travis. Koe beat Martin in the Masters of curling semi-final and went on to win the championship for the first major of the season. Both of my picks won their respective playoff games, so Calgary will play Toronto in the Grey Cup tomorrow. I'm picking Calgary to come through and give Kevin Glenn a long awaited championship. We got the truck back on the road this week; it seems all it needed was new brakes and a new thermostat.

Eric is back in The Pas working on his practicum. Erica is running things in Parksville. The boys are continuing with school, music and hockey. 

Erin and Kristian are working through the winter in Regina. Kristian is progressing well at school; Erin is doing well at work. She is suffering with headaches; we hope those can be diagnosed and eliminated. Mark had great news as his house in Brandon finally sold. 

Trav, Joanna, Gemma and Andrew joined us for a couple of meals this week. Joanna has been expecting her dad's visit this weekend, but travel difficulties have postponed the trip until later. Trav's hockey team has faltered somewhat with injuries and uninspired play. Trav & Joanna have been quite busy with hockey team photo shoots; these have proved a profitable facet of this business. 

And that's about it for this week.

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. We drove back here on Sunday as we completed our Florida vacation. It is good to be home. The weather has continued to be very nice. I was back driving bus on Monday morning, and that is going fine. The markets have been terrible and the TSX is now at a loss for the year to date, and officially in bear territory. This was another down week for me, and while I am blessed to have some gains, I am still far from my quota. Wendy has been busy catching up on things around the house and on paperwork for ourselves and the church where things continue to wind down slowly. The Riders entered next year country on Sunday as they suffered a last-minute loss to Calgary in the semi-final. The Blue Jays made a lot of noise this week—grabbing attention from sports fans starved by the lack of NHL hockey. The first major of the curling season is this weekend; today, I enjoyed watching both Koe and Martin win to move into the semi-finals where they'll be playing each other. 

Eric is home this week; Erica is glad for that. He's on his way back the The Pas now; Erica not so happy about that! The boys continue pretty much as usual. Liam is sure his hockey will improve if he can just get a fancy stick! Haaken is sure his guitar music will be better if he can just amplify it a bit louder!

Erin suffered another accident to her car as she was hit while parked outside of Grandpa's. She is also struggling to drive in the pile of early snows that have hit Regina. Kristian continues to progress well, and calls us on FaceTime which we enjoy a great deal! Mark stole a Scrabble victory from me this week, but mostly he's been very helpful. 

Trav continues with his business here. Joanna is helping with the sports photography side which this week has been doing hockey team pictures. Trav's Elks continue to do well, although they fell in the semi-final of the recent tournament. He has been having issues with the truck, so we have it now and are endeavouring to get it running properly again. We've installed new brakes, and are now looking to put in a new thermostat in an effort to overcome the heating issues. Joanna's team continues to lead the soccer standings. Andrew continues to heal his broken arm. Wendy enjoyed playing grandma-in-residence and taking Gemma to swimming this morning. We enjoyed meals with the whole crew on a couple of occasions this week.

And that's about it for this week.

News Update

It has been another great week in Florida, but we have now returned to the shore of Lake Superior. We plan to drive back to Thunder Bay tomorrow. The weather continued to be lovely this week with temperatures from 23 to 28 for daytime highs in the sunshine. We enjoyed having Howard & Diane stay with us. We did beach-combing, sight-seeing, muscle-car museum, not to mention a lot of eating! All were more enjoyable because we were able to share it with friends. It was special to be around to observe the election process in the states; we stopped in and got Obama pins at the local Organizing for America office and were whooping it up as the "Inexperienced Community Organizer beat the tar out of the Wall Street Titan" on Tuesday. My personal election stats guru, Nate Silver, picked all 50 states correctly, even beating his 49/50 record from 2008. The markets were troubled all week with large waves up and down before ending with a bit of recovery, however, it was a down week overall, and that included me. I got an email from the school-bus people inviting me to return to driving on Monday, so I plan to continue that until the Christmas break. There is still no snow in TBay, but they keep threatening! The Riders play in the Western semi-final tomorrow in Calgary. They haven't displayed much over the season to give us confidence, but hey, it's just two more games to win to get to the Grey Cup—Go Riders, Go!

 Eric drove to Saskatoon through the snow on Friday, and flew home today. Greg is visiting there just now. 

Erin & Kristian call regularly on FaceTime; it is good to catch up with them. All seems to be going well despite winter settling in to the prairies. Mark continues with his work, and is taking it easy on me in Scrabble.

Trav has been taking care of the house and mail while we've been away. Thanks. His Elks had a big win this week in a first place showdown. Joanna and Gemma seem to be doing well, but Andrew is in a cast after injuring his arm during wrestling practice. Sorry about that!

And that's about it for this week.

News Update

It has been a great week here on the shore of the Atlantic Ocean in our vacation villa. We have been enjoying the excellent weather (25 to 28 each day) along with the sights and activities to be enjoyed here in Port St. Lucie. We are located at the venue of three PGA courses, and while I've looked them over, I was more attracted to other excellent golf opportunities in the area. I have practiced regularly and played 45 holes of golf. The best deal I've found was $8 for a round, including cart. My first full game was good (+11), but the second was not so effective (+16). Wendy thinks I need to play more! She has been enjoying some time around the pool, and other times shopping, but mostly getting out to see the local sights. We have also been able to enjoy some time just relaxing together. The markets were closed in the US on Monday and Tuesday as a result of Hurricane Sandy. We made good gains all week until today when the markets lost a lot of value. Still I had a good gain this week, so I feel blessed. Today we drove over to Punta Gorda on the Gulf of Mexico side of Florida and awaited the arrival of cousins Howard & Diane from BC; they were delayed, so it was after midnight before they got in. The Riders completed their regular season with a meaningless loss against BC this evening, now it's on to the playoffs against Calgary. Go Riders, Go!

Eric continues to work in The Pas, while Erica experiences the joy of single parenting in Parksville! They have been relieved to get a new rental agreement on their place in Kenora. They have concerns over Eric's dad who is experiencing poor health, and is currently hospitalized. Haaken and Liam continue with their usual activities centred around school.

Erin, Kristian and Mark got to enjoy Hallowe'en in Regina. Kristian got quite a haul of goodies. Mark got to haul him around the last part of the expedition. Otherwise things are going well there, but they are not appreciating the onset of winter. 

Trav is taking care of the house back in Thunder Bay. He had two more winning games with his Elks this week. Joanna, Gemma and Andrew are carrying on with their own busy lives.

And that's about it for this week.

News Update

Another week has passed and we have journeyed from the shore of Lake Superior to the shore of the Atlantic Ocean in Florida. We are staying at Port St. Lucie at a PGA resort. The trip down was a bit extra interesting as on the final leg of our flight from Charlotte down to West Palm Beach we were skirting hurricane Sandy and feeling the effects in the weather she left behind. That's about as rough a ride I want to experience in a 737! However, we're safely here and ready for some fun in the sun. It was 29 today, but they promise that will the the hottest day for a while; I'm seeing mostly 27 for daytime highs for the next ten days. The markets were sharply down the first couple of days, and I barely managed to make any gains as the TSX fell over 100 points for the week. I have finished bus driving for now, but I'll check in when we get back there to see if they need me until Christmas time. Wendy arrived home early Monday morning and has been busy all week getting ready to leave for Florida. She got some doctoring done; her cholesterol levels are much improved. She has a messed up right shoulder and has begun therapy on that. The weather was nice most of the week in TBay, but turned cold Friday as we headed south! We'll monitor it from here, but it looks like daytime highs of 5 degrees back home. The World Series has begun. After noting my dismal record of picking winners in the preliminary rounds, both teams pleaded with me not to pick them! I picked Detroit, and they have promptly lost the first three games—sigh! The Riders lost to Toronto this afternoon—they just didn't seem ready at the start, and they didn't turn it around quite enough to complete the comeback. C'mon Riders.
 

Liam has ventured into power skating this week. We are hoping that will help catch him up to his team mates who have been playing for 5+ years. Haaken has decided he has no interest in doing Beauty and the Beast and so has opted out of musical drama. He is, however, looking forward to Little Shop of Horrors next year. Aunt Aura took a week off work to visit Parksville and take care of the boys while Erica had a business trip to Vancouver. Grampa Bailey is still in the hospital so Gramma Bailey, who was going to come for a visit, had to stay in Langford to keep the doctors on track! Eric/A have received disquieting news about their renter back in Kenora, so we pray that situation gets resolved well.
 

We have enjoyed regular FaceTime chats with Erin & Kristian. We hope the bandwidth will allow that here in Florida as well. Kristian got new earpieces fitted, but they may need some fine tuning—this is his final set of moulds from Ontario, but they're being installed by his new audiologist in Regina. Erin got her winter tires applied to the car—thanks to Mark and Kal-Tire.
 

Trav continues with the business work. He designed and produced a new t-shirt for the hockey team featuring a fearsome looking Elk! He's having some concerns with the pickup; we hope it's not serious. Trav and Joanna hosted us for a lovely heading-out-meal on Friday evening. Thanks guys!
 

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 showery most of the week, but turned beautifully sunny this weekend, so I got out for a round of golf today. That went well at +11, just a little over my target. The Riders played an exciting game against Montreal this afternoon, but could not complete the comeback as they had two unsuccessful  possessions in the dying minutes. The markets ran well for the first part of the week, but then turned hard downward. I was blessed with an above quota week, so that helps. Wendy has spent the week in Regina. I am looking forward to her return tomorrow. Dad is doing well, although the changing weather does not always allow him to get out for walks. I am over my cold, although there is still the odd coughing episode. Bus driving is going okay; I have one more week of that before we head to Florida for a holiday. 

Eric is back working in The Pas. Erica and the boys are keeping things going at home. Liam continues with his school and hockey practices. Haaken has school and musical practices. 

Erin and Kristian enjoyed having grandma around for the week. Kristian is now outfitted for the winter. Mark beat me in Scrabble this week, so I don't have anything good to report about him!! 

Trav continues his busy work at Ulrich Design. His Elks had their second hockey game, but they lost this time 6-2. Joanna has been enjoying success in soccer; her team is currently tied for first place in the league, and she remains uninjured! I am thankful that the whole crew brought meals on wheels for me last evening! Andrew was sporting his new glasses, and Gemma was preparing for her trip to Winnipeg to see Marianas Trench—very deep, I opined! Today, Trav built a crockpot of his famous chili—that will help my menu choices! 

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 cooler and rainy with a couple nights of frost. We enjoyed the Thanksgiving weekend, including turkey dinner with Trav & Joanna, and the Rider victory over Toronto. This afternoon the Riders played in Edmonton with a chance to clinch a playoff spot, but they played poorly and lost. The markets have headed downward all week and I experienced some losses as well. Economic data has been improving, so I'm expecting some turnaround soon. I am gradually getting over my cough, but in the meantime I've only been thinking about golf. Wendy flew to Regina today; she plans to spend the next week there. Dad has been progressing well, but since her brothers are both out of town, Wendy is filling the breach. The first round of playoffs in baseball is over and only one of my four picks came up a winner. I guess Moneyball was correct—it doesn't work in the playoffs! I pick the Yankees and the Cardinals to advance to the final series. 

Erica is glad that Eric was home this week in Parksville, but he's on his way back to The Pas now. Liam has started hockey. Haaken is continuing to progress with his guitar lessons and musical drama. 

We get to see Erin & Kristian from time to time on FaceTime. Wendy will be able to see them face-to-face this week—I'm jealous. Mark keeps me going with Scrabble but usually takes it easy on me. It was good to see all of them enjoying Thanksgiving at the Roberts' house. 

Trav has moved into the regular season with his hockey team. They won their first game 8-1—it's not easy to make that kind of score a come-back victory! Joanna is playing soccer this year and is finding it quite an effort. We enjoyed spaghetti supper with the whole crew last evening—thanks Joanna. 

And that's about it for this week. 

News Update

We're having a happy Thanksgiving weekend here on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. We've enjoyed beautiful weather during the first half of the week, but it has turned colder toward the weekend with frost being threatened tonight. The trees are beautifully coloured, and leaves are carpeting our footsteps in the yard. Today, I blew out the garden hoses and put them away; I've watered down the cedars for a final time. I want to get more leaves hauled into the garden area; we're always needing more vegetable material in the soil here. Bus driving is more complicated now that the church property has changed hands. I would like to get permission to keep parking there during the day, and the dental offices don't look to complete renovations for as much as a year, so it may work out. Wendy continues to have various issues to deal with over the building sale and the completion of church business. She has also turned some attention toward our house renovations. She has booked flights to Regina and back so she can make a visit there for about a week. That excursion is set to begin next Saturday. Dad is continuing to make progress, and she'll be able to see that for herself. The markets have continued to weave troubled ways; I had another green week and have increased my buy-in to almost 50%, so I hope we can make more gains there. Baseball season has ended and I have made my picks for the World Series: I pick the A's to beat the Yankees to win the American League pennant, and the Reds to beat the Nationals to win the National League. The Riders don't play until Thanksgiving Monday this week. Go Riders! 

Eric is thankful to be home from The Pas for the next week (Erica is also). Erica is thankful to get the car repaired, and that the alternator was on warranty. Haaken is thankful that musical theatre started—they're doing Beauty and the Beast. Liam is thankful to start hockey practice—his mom is thankful that practice is not at an ungodly hour of the night! The family is heading to Victoria for the weekend. Jelsing was back in the hospital briefly, so they'd also be thankful for your prayers. 

Kristian has his Hallowe'en costume already; we enjoyed seeing it on FaceTime—he is a fearsome Ninja to be sure. After we recoiled in horror and fear, he was quick to pull off his balaclava and assure us that it was just he! Too cute! Mark has been helping out, and even supplied some game meat from his recent hunting trip. 

Trav is back into hockey with his Elks. They've had two pre-season games, splitting those. It's a young team with a lot of rookies, but he's optimistic that they will do well again. They are defending league champions; it's a tall order to repeat that! His work suffered a set-back this week, but he perseveres. We are planning Thanksgiving dinner with Trav & Joanna tomorrow afternoon. 

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 lovely with single digits over most nights and mostly sunny days. I was looking forward to some golf today, but I came down with a cold on Wednesday, so I'm trying to get some extra rest to overcome that. The markets have been down this week and I stopped out of three of my holdings leaving me with a down week, but a good month. We have been busy with the final details of the church building sale. Wendy, especially, has been involved in a lot of the dispersal and cleanup. However, she took sympathy with my cold struggles and made me rice pudding today—yummy! The Riders started the week with a win over Calgary on Sunday, and ended the week with an overly tense win over the first place BC Lions. Way to go, Riders! 

Eric has begun his work in The Pas, but is already planning his first trip home at the end of next week. Erica is taking care of things in Parksville. She has the car, but it failed this week, so that's a concern. It turns out to be that the Exhaust Gas Regulator was clogged and ruined; a replacement EGR is expected next week. Haaken is making progress with his guitar lessons and has adjusted his career choice to rock star! The boys have joined a local youth group and are pleased to have friends from school in the same group. 

Erin also had a car issue this week—a girl on a bicycle ran into the side of her car as she was driving along a street. The girl got up, grabbed her bike and cycled away. Erin is left with an estimated $2500 damage to her car. Kristian continues with school and is progressing well. We are glad to see them regularly on FaceTime. 

Trav is back into hockey coaching. He is pleased with the team they have drafted for this season. His work is keeping him busy, and the hockey is a nice change of pace. We are glad to have Trav, Joanna and family with us here in TBay. 

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 definitely broken and we're enjoying single digit temperatures over night. We've had a bit of rain, but now they're promising more sunshine. The trees are taking on colour and we enjoyed a drive out of town to see it even more strikingly. The Riders began the week with a loss to Montreal. They played pretty well under the guidance of the backup quarterback since Darian Durant is injured. Tomorrow they have another test as they host Calgary, and Darian is expected to be ready. It has been a busy week for Wendy as she completes paperwork and financial reports for the congregation. She has also spent considerable time and energy working on cleaning up the building and finding a way to get the chairs to Nanaimo. The markets wandered downward this week as they responded to the various headlines. I feel blessed to have made good gains, as I increased my position to about one third invested. Bus driving has continued routinely. Reports from Regina indicate that Dad continues to make progress and is doing well. I had my six-month checkup with my oncologist on Tuesday. My PSA was 11, that's down a little from the last time. 

Eric has toured back to the prairies and took in an opening conference in Thompson. Erica and the boys are managing and checking out new adventures back in Parksville. 

Erin and Kristian had a big week that started with Kristian's seventh birthday. He enjoyed a Rider party at Papa's in Regina. Work and school makes for very busy days for both of them. Mark is back from a successful hunt in the mountains with both meat and stories! 

Trav continues with development of his work, but his main preoccupation this week has been hockey. The draft of the midget teams has been completed and he is pleased with the player selections. Now, we wait to see how effectively they will be moulded into a team. Joanna, Gemma and Andrew were over for a couple of meals this week; we enjoy our times with them. 

And that's about it for this week. 

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. The Riders started off the week by eking out a one-point victory over the Bombers. They play first place Montreal tomorrow; that will be a real test! I've been enjoying the moderate weather and getting out to the golf course a couple of times; the new driver behaved pretty well. The school bus people had been calling; I have answered and been assigned a regular run. The markets were in limbo until the decision by the US Fed, then they finished the week in a strong rally, allowing us to gain some value. Wendy has been occupied with cleaning up bookkeeping issues at church. She is also working to clear out the materials from the building. We have been trying to sell our auditorium chairs and have a tentative deal in place for that. Dad is continuing to do well; Dave is there, and Rich & Sue have returned from Zambia to assist as well. The renovations have also moved forward as the baseboard has been applied and repairs are being done to the eaves-troughs.

Eric has begun the trip back to the prairies. He should complete that tomorrow. Erica and the boys are carrying on with work and school back in Parksville. Eric's dad continues to make progress, but remains in hospital.

Erin and Kristian are doing well in Regina. Kristian lost another tooth this week—he really lost it; he was eating a strawberry and suddenly realized the tooth was missing and that he had swallowed it. He wrote a nice note to the tooth-fairy; I don't doubt that it was persuasive! Kristian celebrates his seventh birthday tomorrow; we're sorry to miss that! Mark has been out hunting in the mountains and reports are that it has been very successful. We look forward to sampling the results.

Trav has begun the hockey season coaching the Elks Midget team. He is working with his fellow coaches to get ready for the player draft. He is also lamenting the sad state of affairs as far as the NHL is concerned, and is prepared to cheer for whatever team Crosby may play for in Europe. We got by to see his work space this week and enjoyed that. I get to see Andrew most days as I pick up students at his school. Joanna has finally escaped from the summer of lab work and is glad to be back to the collecting side of Life-Labs.

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. The weather has moderated finally, and I'm enjoying the more comfortable temperatures. The week started with the Labour Day classic in Regina. A classic it was not, but it was a comprehensive beat down as the Riders destroyed the Bombers 52-0. The return engagement, the Banjo Bowl, is set for tomorrow in Winnipeg—go Riders! We spent the early part of the week completing our stay in Regina and headed east on Thursday. We stopped overnight in Winnipeg, hosted by Tom & Mariette—thank you, very much! Unfortunately, while there, I was the victim of a dastardly plot as Tom passed along a lovely Taylor-Made driver that is bound to be the undoing of my golf game! Yeah, thanks for that! On Friday we completed the trip to TBay, and are glad to be back in our own bed. Dad is doing well; he made cornbread for us a couple of times in the last week and we enjoyed that a great deal. He has continued with physio and we're impressed with his progress. Now that we're home, Wendy is working her way through the accumulated mail and catching up on paperwork. She has already been here for sixty-two days this year! There were a couple of calls from the bus company on our answering machine, so I'll have to check out what that's all about next week. The markets have responded positively this week and I've been blessed with a good gain. 

Eric/A and the boys are doing well in Parksville. The car needed some repairs, but now both vehicles are licensed in BC. The boys have begun school, and Eric is preparing for his practicum. He will, all-too-soon, be headed back to the Prairies for his work in The Pas. Eric's dad has suffered some illness this week and was hospitalized. He seems on the mend, and there may be some beneficial rehab coming out of this incident.

Erin is doing well in her work. Kristian has made a good start in school. We enjoyed being able to go with him on the first day, and also stopped in to the class on Thursday before we left. We are reassured by the good educational setting for him. Mark maintains contact, support and Scrabble! We're glad he is there.

Trav, Joanna, Gemma and Andrew (and Mini) welcomed us home on Friday evening. Work is progressing well, and Trav has begun the hockey season with the first scouting session today. Gemma and Andrew are back at school—things seem to have started well for them also.

Life goes on—that's about it for this week.

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Wascana, but far from my home town. The weather has ranged from hot to very hot and I haven't enjoyed that part. I got out golfing with Rick on Tuesday; that was one of those very hot days, but we enjoyed it anyway. I hit a lot of good shots which was encouraging, but also a lot of unproductive ones—89 seems to be my new normal. I also got out golfing with Kristian on Wednesday at a local par 3 course; this was much more encouraging to me as I managed a -2 with four birdies (two under two feet) and only two bogies. That was amazing to me as I haven't historically done well on par 3's. Actually, I did play the par 3's well with Rick on Tuesday, and the par 3 course has a longest hole of about 120 yards, so maybe my short game is coming around. The markets were troubled and down all week waiting for Bernanke's speech on Friday; then, investors seemed satisfied with what he said and we had a good gain on Friday to recover some value. Otherwise we worked around the house on the usual homemaking activities of cooking, cleaning and assisting with Dad. He's doing very well in his daily exertions and his regular physiotherapy. Just last evening he traversed down the stairs to the basement and back as he reset the water softener—what a guy! We enjoyed supper and this evening with cousins Elvin & Grace over in Moose Jaw—thanks! The Riders play tomorrow in their traditional Labour Day weekend match against the Bombers. Go Riders Go!

Eric/A and the boys seem to be settled into Parksville. Eric doesn't start his practicum until mid-September in The Pas. Haaken started guitar lessons and really enjoys it. The boys are working out strategies for getting to school. This weekend, the crew have travelled down to Victoria to spend some time with Eric's parents. 

Erin had a good week at work. Her skills and dedication are already being recognized with a raise in salary and additional responsibilities. We're so proud of her. Kristian has been spending the days with us and we're grateful for the extra time. Next week he starts school, so that will be the end of grandpa's day care! Yesterday, we toured his school (Henry Janzen) and were introduced to his homeroom and to his specialist teacher. It looks like a good situation for him.

Pondering!

Trav is keeping things going at home and office as President and CEO of Ulrich Design. It appears his main work is pondering (or as others see it: sitting around with his feet up)! 

And that's about it for this week.

News Update

Another week has passed and we have moved from the shore of the Pacific to the shore of Lake Wascana, but we are still far from my hometown. We left Parksville on Tuesday morning, crossed on the ferry to Horseshoe Bay and took #1 through Vancouver. Although there is a lot of construction, it is a much better route than the Tsawwassen one already and promises to become even better. We spent our first night at the Howard Johnson in North Bend (thanks folks), and our second night at the Howard Johnson in Calgary. North Bend was a far better experience—five star, I opine! We arrived in Regina at supper time on Thursday. It is good to be reunited with the family here. The markets have been troubled this week, but I was blessed with a small gain, while selling off one of my positions to increase my cash holdings. The Riders had two games this week. On Sunday they scored first and last but gave up too many points in between and lost to BC. This afternoon, they hosted Calgary—it seemed just that since they began this swoon by giving up a 17-point fourth quarter lead to Calgary, they should break out of it against them as well, but it was not to be. As a result the Riders have gone from first to last in 5 games. 

Eric/A and the boys are mostly settled into their place in Parksville. We thank them for hosting us during those early days. They are now going through the expensive process of registering their vehicles in BC, while learning the wonders of recycling on the Island. Erica is working already and Liam is cleaning his room, still! 

Erin found the apartment rather empty with Mark away for the week and Kristian travelling with us. She is glad to have Kristian home now. Sadie got a haircut this week, and, as usual, acts much more energetically after her clipping. 

Travis has been holding the fort back in TBay. His new office continues to develop and he is finding lots of activity to keep busy with including work and hockey. Joanna is struggling through her summer of lab work and finding there are no problems quite like office politics! 

And that's about it for this week. 

News Update

Another week has passed, and we are found on the shore of the largest lake on the planet—the Pacific Ocean! We started the week, with Eric/A and the boys, on Lake Okanagan where we enjoyed being hosted by John & Marion. Monday morning, bright and early, we headed westward hoping to make the 12:45 ferry at Tsawwassen. However, even a better than expected passage over the Coquihalla was not enough to overcome the backroads and traffic of Vancouver. We adjusted our plan and headed for Horseshoe Bay. After an adventurous crossing of the city, we finally got there, but didn't manage to all get on the same ferry, so Wendy, driving our car, and Eric, driving the UHaul made it over to Nanaimo while Erica, driving the CRV, and I, driving the Mazda, had to wait. The markets have continued to make progress, but they seem to be slowing down. I had another good week, so that helps. Mike, Eric and I even got out golfing yesterday and really enjoyed that. I didn't play well, but managed enough pars to take care of my triple bogies to come in with a round at exactly bogie golf. The Riders don't play until tomorrow, but we'll be cheering! 

We have spent the week moving the Baileys into their new place in Parksville. It's quite a lovely condo, close to Erica's work, but quite a hike for Liam and Haaken to get to school. Erica is already at work, but she took Friday off, which was nice for us. 

Kristian is enjoying the time with his cousins. Although our internet service is currently very poor, he has managed a couple of video chats with Erin back in Regina when we were out at wifi hotspots. Erin is celebrating her birthday today! 

Travis continues to hold down the fort back in TBay. Among other things he did an interview about his work which is available as a podcast through this link. He also sent two pictures of his office set up; check them here and here. 

And that's about it for this week. 

News Update

Another week has passed and we have moved on from Lake of the Woods to Lake Wascana and finally to Lake Okanagan! We plan to enjoy a couple days of relaxation here before completing the trip to the Pacific! We are travelling with Liam and Kristian, and driving our car as well as Eric/A's Mazda. Dave helped me recharge the AC on the Mazda while we were in Regina and that was a nice relief while driving the last couple of days. Wendy is driving our car with the boys. We arrived in the Okanagan on Friday evening, and are enjoying our time at John & Marion's—thanks guys! Despite the short week after the holiday Monday, the TSX had a good week and appears to be only about 120 points from returning to bull territory. I also had a good week, and managed to gain more than my quota for the first time in months. The Riders managed to play four quarters of football, but it was not enough as they fell to Edmonton and are no longer in first place. Keep working guys! Another week without golf, but I'm hoping to check out the situation around Parksville next week. 

Eric/A and Haaken are following us west, and got into Calgary tonight. Eric is driving the Uhaul truck pulling a motorcycle trailer, and the  Erica driving the Honda CRV. They should catch up to us tomorrow. 

Erin is into her second week of work at Taylor Toyota. She is enjoying it very much. The sale on Mark's house fell through when he found out that "pre-approved" ≠ "pre-approved"! So, it's back on the market and we hope for a new buyer who does have financing available! 

Travis is taking care of things back home in Thunder Bay... now three time zones ahead of us. It's a big country! 

And that's about it for this week. 

News Update

Another week has passed, and I have driven from Lake Superior to Lake Wascana to Lake of the Woods! We packed up on Sunday to drive our troubled car to Regina. After stopping in Kenora overnight, Wendy decided to stay there, and sent me on to Regina alone on Monday. The car barely started after refuelling in Winnipeg, so I didn't dare stop it until I got to Regina. Tim set me up with his mechanic and after some hours of testing, he determined it was the battery that was failing. Canadian Tire (reluctantly) replaced it (It was 1.5 years old, but they were sure the 9-year warranty shouldn't apply!), and we're running again. So, I packed up with Kristian on Tuesday afternoon and we headed back to Kenora where we've spent the rest of the week working on the markets and packing up the Baileys. The markets have continued to bounce with each successive headline, but I had a good week. The Riders had a bye this week; we hope they're learning that unlike hockey, you have to play four quarters to win in football! 

Eric has completed his work in Kenora. Erica is working in Parksville, but yesterday she flew back to Winnipeg and this morning they drove back here. Erica will be attending to work here, along with three weddings and two UHauls! They have a renter for the Kenora house, so while not ideal, it's a relief all the same. 

Erin started work on Wednesday! She is liking it, and finding the learning curve to be easier than expected. Kristian is travelling with us, and helping Liam unpack toys! Mark has accepted an offer on his Brandon house, so we hope that sale is completed successfully and soon. 

Trav is taking care of business and the house back in Thunder Bay. He is enjoying getting the new office set up; there's a pic of some of it on his facebook page.

And that's about it for this week. 

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. We got back here Sunday evening after a good trip with the truck. It was good to see that the pesticide seems to have overcome the worm infestation, and my rhubarb is thriving once again. Otherwise, I haven't planned much of a garden, but did manage a harvest of beans for my early birthday supper last evening. The markets had a mixed week, but mostly upward and we were blessed with some nice gains. The Riders battled Hamilton for a second time this season and just like last week they managed to build up a big lead (19 points) in the fourth quarter, but could not hold it. As a result they were unable to move into first place on their own. Tomorrow we plan to head westward once again as we are returning to Regina and possibly doing further travelling from there. The car problems persist—it has a parasitic draw that drains the battery when it isn't being used. Repair of that will have to wait until we get to Regina. 

Erica has begun work in Parksville. Eric continues with his application for his counselling practicum. Haaken and Liam are spending their summer and getting ready for the move to the Island. 

Erin and Kristian are settling into life in Regina. Kristian enjoyed VBS this week. Work begins for Erin next week, and thus the reason for us to be there to take care of Kristian. 

Trav is setting up office for his work here in Thunder Bay; progress continues on that front. Joanna, Gemma and Andrew were over for supper last evening to help me begin birthday celebrations—at this age it even takes longer just to have a birthday! 

And that's the kind of week it has been! 

News Update

Another week has passed and we have turned our wheels eastward. We have driven as far as Kenora today, on our way to Lake Superior and my hometown. I was supposed to be golfing this weekend in Bismarck, but the passports got left at home, so I couldn't cross the line. On the positive side, I did get to avoid golfing/surviving in 37 degree heat! The markets have continued their troubled ways that don't always make sense to me, but I did manage to have a good week all the same (Even the blind pig finds the odd turnip!). I got a pair of new tires on the Mazda, so it's on new feet all around now. Wendy has been busy helping Erin get additional furniture, curtains and decorations for her new place. We have enjoyed spending some of the time over at Dad's place where he continues to rehab both at home and at Wascana. We had a birthday celebrations for Alicia and Dave to highlight a couple of evenings. The Riders gave away a game to Calgary after leading by about three touchdowns; that was sad to watch! 

Eric/A continue to develop their plans to move to Parksville. Erica flew out today to start her new position on Monday. Eric, the boys, and the UHaul should be joining her in August. Then Eric will need to return for his practicum in The Pas which will run most of the school year. Such a solution could only be concocted by God (or a Bailey). Hopefully they will also soon have news of the sale or rental of their house. 

Erin, Kristian and Sadie are pretty much settled into their place in Regina. Curtains and blinds have been purchased and installed. Furniture has been bought, assembled and moved around to establish their living spaces. 

Trav has been taking care of things at home. He has had vehicle problems with the car, so we'll have to look into that when we get home. Otherwise work has continued, and we haven't heard too much. 

And that's about it for this week. 

News Update

Another week has passed and we have driven away from the shore of Lake Superior and my hometown. On Monday we hooked up the Mazda to a UHaul trailer and packed up the rest of Erin's stuff. We drove up to Kenora, on Tuesday, and overnighted with Eric/A and the boys. We picked up a bunk bed frame for Kristian and had to repack a lot of the load to get it into the trailer. We completed the trip to Regina on Wednesday and, thanks to many helpers, got Erin's stuff carted up to her third-floor apartment. It's a hot and sweaty country out here this year. We spent the next days assembling furniture and helping Erin set up her apartment. Friday was a special—our kids gave us tickets to see Neil Diamond in concert in Saskatoon. We drove up there and enjoyed a fun evening with thousands of close friends! Travis is taking care of things at home. We're feeling more than a little exhausted and looking forward to a few slow days. I haven't paid enough attention to the markets this week, but was blessed to see an upturn the last couple of days to make some gains. Bern, Alicia & Logan are home from Mexico, so we are enjoying catching up with them. Dave and Dad are doing well. Dad is keeping up with physio sessions and daily exercise and is getting around pretty well. The Riders defeated the Eskimos last Sunday and, this afternoon, edged out the Lions in an early season battle for first place. 

Eric/A and the boys continue to play the waiting game on their house sale. Eric has received a favourable proposal on his practicum, so that's looking much better. 

It was good to catch up with Erin and Kristian in Regina. He is loving his new place and his own room. He took easily to the bunk bed once we got that set up. Sadie travelled with us and has also settled into her new home. 

Trav got good news with the establishment of his office area with Qwantech this week. He is going to publish the next Ulrich Design newsletter sometime next week. He would be glad to have you subscribe: http://ulrichdesign.ca/subscribe. Joanna is enjoying her new patio furniture and barbecue. 

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 hot and sunny interspersed by the inevitable thunderstorms that such heat produces. It's been a busy week as Erin and Kristian got packed up and headed west. We've also tried to help out a little in cleaning out the church building in preparation for its sale. I've tried to keep on top of the markets; the first three days were great, but then we had two days of selling that took away some of the gains. The Riders don't play until tomorrow, so they remain undefeated! The worms are winning the battle of the garden; my rhubarb leaves look like lattice, and the peas are stripped of new leaves as quickly as they are produced. They're even eating some of the weeds! Wendy and I celebrated our anniversary enjoying many greetings; we went out for ice cream at Cold Stone Creamery to cap it off. 

Eric/A and the boys are in a quandary. The house in Kenora has not sold, and they've determined that they cannot afford to have two residences, so the whole move to Parksville is up in the air. We pray for clear decision-making and peace in the result. 

Mark has been here all week helping Erin get packed up. We've enjoyed having him here. Mark, Kristian and I got out golfing one evening. They left on Friday morning; the house, and my heart, are very empty. We've had Erin and Kristian living with us for the last seven years; it's been wonderful, but now they've moved on. We look forward to what their new adventures may be, but for now we also grieve as we miss them. 

Trav continues to do well in his work. He picked up some new equipment lately including another tablet and, this week, a new computer. He has been hearing again of the plans for his office and it sounds like an upgrade, but nothing has actually been put in place yet. Joanna is learning and applying many new skills in her lab work. She's enjoying that. This weekend her dad is visiting, so Gemma and Andrew get to enjoy having their grandfather around. 

And that's about it for this week. 

News Update

The weather has been beautiful this week—getting to be too hot for me as we've been around 30 each day. It has been an eventful week as school closed for the summer, and my bus driving ended. I got out for my first golf game of the season on Wednesday; it was satisfactory (45-47-92) and my back seemed to handle it well. I had a wedding to officiate over yesterday—Best wishes to Ross & Laurie! And Wendy finally returned home last night—well, early this morning, 12:43 to be precise. So, she's busy catching up on all the things we've been neglecting! The markets have continued their troubled ways, but positive news from Europe turned up the heat on Friday and made my week and my month! Dad is making good progress with regular physio as an out-patient, and big efforts to keep up with his mobility around the house and neighbourhood. Bern, Alicia and Logan have arrived home from Mexico, so Wendy was able to come home to us. Now she'll be busy helping Erin get packed up for the move to Regina. The football season started last evening, and our Riders surprised Hamilton with a comprehensive thrashing—it was a bit of a surprise to most Rider fans as well! 

Eric/A and the boys spent most of the week in Parksville looking for accommodations, and visiting prospective schools for Haaken and Liam. They've had a few good bites on their house, and hope one gets properly hooked and landed soon! They have two more weeks in Kenora before the big move west. 

Kristian has thrived with all the special events and class outings that are featured as school ends. Erin has also completed her term of work here, but, knowing better what leaving means, her departure has been more emotional and teary. Mark is on his way here to help her with the move west. 

Trav has been doing well with his contracts and work. He continues to get new equipment and software to play with, and I enjoy learning about it as well. Gemma and Andrew have completed the school year and look forward to summer activities. Joanna has taken a term promotion to lab work and more regular hours and is glad of that. 

And that's about it for this week. 

News Update

We've had a rainy week on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. Flood fears were reawakened, as we watched the destruction in our neighbouring city of Duluth. Fortunately, although there were some new road washouts, this set of storms did not dump as much rain as the last set. It did affect my driving schedule as several events were rescheduled or even cancelled and my charters were similarly hit. The markets continued to be troubled and were down again this week, but I managed to have a good week and recovered some value. I remain with only a minority buy-in while I wait for some consistent direction. The rains also slowed down progress with golf, as courses were closed, and even practice ranges shut down. I finally got out today, but thunder storms developed and scared me away! Who knows? Perhaps static-electricity therapy would be good for my back! Wendy continues to be in Regina where she is helping out at home. Renovations continue there; she's been in the painting mode this week. 

Eric/A and the boys continue to wind down operations in Kenora. The boys are having farewell parties with their friends. Colleagues have been arranging farewell events for Eric/A as well. The highlight so far was a surprise at Erica's work where they set up an event for Erica to sing some of her own songs with a local band, Big Boogaloo—a bucket list experience for her! The house is still available...

Erin and Kristian are winding down as well. There are many special events at school this time of year, and regular learning activities seem to have pretty much ended. This afternoon, they're off to a birthday party. Kristian cannot relate to the idea that soon all these friends will be left behind. I can relate to the notion that soon I will be left behind; that will be a tough pill to swallow. 

Trav and Joanna are struggling along. It was Joanna's birthday this week, and we enjoyed being able to acknowledge that. Gemma and Andrew are completing their school year; it's been a good year. Gemma is graduating and moving on to a new school. 

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 lovely, and I have enjoyed the backyard and the golf practice area. The markets have continued to be troubled with political/economic activity in Europe, and I am continuing to hold on with less than 40% invested. Greek elections are this weekend, and we hope the situation will have greater clarity after that. I was back to the chiropractor this week; she noted no problems with my tentative beginnings to golf and has cleared me to step it up a bit. I have continued to practice more frequently, and I hope to play a game soon. Wendy is in Regina; things are going fine there. Ellis is continuing to build strength and balance. Wendy has been doing some painting in the renovated downstairs. They are looking toward carpet and lino installation there soon. The NHL season ended this week and the Kings were crowned despite my choosing them! The NBA season is down the final pairing; I have picked the Heat. I had some issues with my yahoo account this week. I got hacked, and everyone in my address book got spammed. I think I finally got it stopped, but not before many of you got some interesting email advertisements! However, it did prompt several to write to me, so that was the good part. 

Eric/A continue to wait for someone to buy their house in Kenora. This will provide greater clarity for them as they prepare to move to BC. 

Erin got good news on several fronts as she landed a job and an apartment in Regina. Kristian got his new Ironman-themed ear moulds. His failed hearing aid has not been returned, so he still has a loaner. He is completing his school year well. Mark has beaten me several times recently in Scrabble; I'm afraid he is no longer taking it easy on me! 

Trav is extra busy this week. He ordered one of the new MacBook Pros, so we're all looking forward to seeing the new retina-display. I am driving the truck now; I hope I have the coolant leak found and fixed. Joanna is busy as well. She was here to draw a blood sample for my PSA test on Friday. 

And that's the kind of week it has been. 

News Update

Another fine week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. The weather has been beautiful, and I've been busy trying to keep up with the fast growing lawns and weeds! The markets have continued to be troubled by economic concerns focused on Europe and China, however, I managed to have a good week. I have worked out at the golf course a couple of times, and my back feels tender afterwards, but I feel I am getting better. My seasonal coughing seems to be ending as well. Wendy left on Wednesday morning to spend the rest of the month in Regina with her dad. He is continuing to progress in rehab, and we're glad to see that. Our summer plans calls for us to be away a fair bit, so I've cut back on the garden. It will leave less for someone else to have to take care of. The Stanley Cup final continues with Los Angeles leading 3-2 and heading home for game six. 

Eric/A continue to wait for someone to buy their place in Kenora. Haaken won a drama award—congratulations! 

Erin & Kristian had an eventful week. Kristian developed a swollen lymph node on Sunday, and after a trip to emergency has been on anti-biotics all week. The situation has improved a great deal, but he remains on medication for another week. One of his hearing aids has failed, so it's in for repairs. He also has new ear moulds on the way—yellow and red this time! Erin is training her replacement as she is completing her last month of work here. 

Trav & Joanna are doing fine. Trav had a few days down with illness, but is doing well again. Truck troubles continue, so I've traded him the car for the truck and I'll try to get it running well again. Gemma and Andrew are finishing the year of schooling while demonstrating good progress. 

And that's about it for this week. 

News Update

The violent weather spawned by the warm systems has passed, leaving considerable damage in its wake. There was a lot of flooding and house damage caused here in TBay, and some homes remain without power, water or sewage a week later; well, actually some homes remain with sewage—a basement full of sewage! At least one sewage treatment plant failed, and as the backup hit homes some had to break open basement windows to let it out. There was also lots of rain water infiltration into basements so we see many homes even in our area have furniture, ruined wall sheathing, etc on the front lawn waiting for insurance adjusters to take note so it can be disposed of—what a mess! We were blessed to avoid that, although our church building did get a bit of seepage into the basement. We're back in warm weather once again, and the daytime heating brings on the occasional thunderstorm. The markets have continued their dismal way. The TSX was down 6% in May, and I lost 1.6% despite moving most of my accounts to cash. Since that's about how much I need to gain each month, it has left me with homework! The Stanley Cup finals have begun and my choice, the Kings, are doing well so far as they're up 2-0. Wendy keeps busy with church books, house sale in Kenora, packing up Erin & Kristian's stuff, purchasing a vehicle for us, and preparing for her return to Regina. I have continued with bus driving, and I've been working on my golf swing a bit more aggressively; it's showing signs of progress. Perhaps I'll get out for a game next week. 

Eric/A and the boys are waiting for someone to buy their house in Kenora, so they can continue to develop plans and schedule for the move to Parksville. 

Erin has been working the phone lines and internet for connections into Regina. She's hoping for word today on her application for an apartment in Regina. She's had good feedback from the Regina school where she hopes to enrol Kristian. He continues his usual busy school life, and social connections. He was off to a birthday party this morning. His new tooth is coming in well, and a second one is loose. Mark continues to encourage me by letting me win at Scrabble on line. Erin and Kristian both have been practicing golf with me. 

Trav, Joanna and crew enjoyed a weekend in Duluth last weekend. I continue to have concerns on the truck as I had to top up the coolant again. Otherwise, work and life seems to continue as per usual for them. The new green Hyundai is performing well at least. 

And that's about it for this week. 

News Update

Another fine week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. The warm weather systems have brought violent storms from time to time. We are experiencing lightning strikes causing property damage and forest fires. We are seeing heavy rains causing road washouts and flooding. This has been a particular concern for the bus drivers with rural routes who have found themselves unable to reach their riders. European economic concerns with special focus on Greece and Spain have continued to trouble the markets, but we finally made a little progress over the course of this week. I remain invested less than 20% so as to minimize potential losses (It does the same for potential gains!). The NHL has finally reached the finals, and LA (despite my picking them) will play against New Jersey for the cup. I'm picking LA—can they withstand two such burdens? The lawns are looking up, and the planted part of my garden is up. I continue fighting the plague of dandelions that proliferate in the neighbourhood. Wendy's dad has completed his stay in rehab, and is now at home, while continuing to use rehab facilities on an out-patient basis. We are much encouraged by his progress, and by the potential for even greater mobility as he continues to work on strength and conditioning. Since I've been cleared by the chiropractor, I have finally begun some golf activities. I seem to be playing better than ever—not! 

Wendy has continued with downsizing—removing some of what we have collected over the years, and rearranging the rest! We try to stay out of the way, and to assist when we're allowed to. She has also been dealing with church issues in her role as book keeper, and catching up on medical appointments as she anticipates returning to Regina in early June. 

We enjoyed having Eric/A and the boys down for the long weekend. Now they continue the process of closing down affairs in Kenora and preparing for the move to Parksville. We hope they will find a buyer for their home, soon, and be able to move forward with their plans. 

Erin and Kristian are also beginning the process of closure here as they look forward to moving to Regina this summer. There are an almost overwhelming number of details that must be considered. Erin had a phone chat with a speech specialist in Regina this week. 

Travis and Joanna continue to do well. This weekend they have taken the children to a family waterpark in Duluth for a brief family vacation. We are dog-sitting the Mini monster. 

And that's about it for this week. 

News Update

Another beautiful week on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. I am suffering with my usual Spring hay fever, so I have not been able to enjoy the lovely weather so much. My back is coming around, so as soon as my head clears I feel ready to get onto the golf course again. Bus driving has continued routinely. I am gradually learning the names of my riders... especially a few of the noisier ones! The markets have continued to move downward on fears about Greece and the entire European economy, actually. JPMorgan have now moved their estimates for losses over the last six weeks to 5 billion, so I remain well ahead of their pace! Does any one think we might need some more regulations on those guys! Not to worry, they're a bank, so it's all ensured by um, ah, guys like me!! The NHL playoffs continue with LA taking a big lead in their series and looking like the team to beat—there, I said it, let the LA collapse begin! We're enjoying having the whole family in TBay for this long weekend. 

Eric/A and crew are here this long weekend. The big event was Liam's baptism this evening. We celebrated along with family and friends. Their house is now listed and has received some consideration. We hope it moves quickly. 

Erin is enjoying the recent play from her Jays as they've taken four straight from New York. She hopes they don't revert to some of their earlier foibles. Kristian is really enjoying the weekend with his cousins. 

Trav & Joanna are doing well. Trav got a new bicycle, although the truck seems to be performing fine once again! Now we need to get his speedometer moved from his old bike to the new one. 

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 is beautiful and I'm enjoying getting out in the yard and garden. I am currently fighting a crop of dandelions in the area where I plan to seed some additional lawn. The garden is ready to go; Kristian helped get the peas and beans seeded this afternoon. Wendy has been up in Kenora all week helping getting the house and yard ready for sale. She came back Friday night; I drove half way and met Erica who was bringing her that far. The markets have remained troubled and down. JPMorgan lost two billion in the last six weeks, so at least I can say I'm two billion ahead of them! Bus driving has continued to go well. My back remains tender, and I haven't been able to golf yet, but, while therapy continues, I am able to practice a little. The NHL has finally reduced its contenders to the final four, and I have to admit that I only picked one of the group. However, now that both Boston and Philadelphia are eliminated, I don't mind who wins it, and all of the teams are saying, "Don't pick me!" 

Eric/A and the boys were busy with grandma all week repairing and repainting, going through stuff, throwing away surplus, and packing for the move to BC. 

Erin and Kristian had an eventful week as well. Kristian lost his first tooth, and was impressed by the service from the tooth fairy! He also got a hand-me-down bicycle from Liam, so we are looking forward to him learning to ride that. 

Trav had some excitement with the truck overheating. Once we replenished the coolant, it seems to be running fine. There seems to be an issue of those Mazda 4L engines losing coolant, so we'll have to watch that. Otherwise things are progressing as per usual with work for Trav & Joanna, and school for Gemma and Andrew. 

And that's about it for this week. 

News Update

We've had a rainy week on the shore of Lake Superior in my town. This weekend, we've escaped (in a 2011 Ford Escape) to Kenora to try out the vehicle and help with some reno projects at Eric/A's. We got quite a bit done, but more remains to be done so Wendy will remain while I drive home tomorrow. The markets have fallen upon hard times once again, and I've sold out of some of my holdings to limit my losses—still it was a down week for me. Bus driving has been going fine and I have learned my routes, and the names of all the over-active children! I got out for some golf this week, but my back did not enjoy it! 

Eric/A are readying their house and yard for sale. The realtor was around today to look things over and to give them some suggestions. The boys are trying to determine what to keep, and there doesn't seem much they are willing to throw away! 

Erin and Kristian are holding down the fort back in Tbay. Kristian is reaching milestones as he now has a loose tooth, and claims he is a big boy because he can use the bathroom standing up without spilling! Erin scored some nice flowers this week—Mark is making the rest of us look bad. 

Trav keeps busy developing and completing his projects. Joanna is having work issues trying to ensure she gets enough hours; she's even considering that she should upgrade her qualifications to improve her career. That would take about a year and a half. Gemma and Andrew are doing well at school, and occasionally stop by the school bus to say, "Hi."

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 nice, but not warm enough to really get things going. I've been driving bus all week, riding my bike back and forth, and even picked up a couple of charters. The markets have been better and I've made some good gains. I've been working on a new lawn area in the backyard and have that ready for seeding. Wendy has kept busy with more Spring cleaning. The first round of the NHL playoffs is complete and the teams I picked for the final have both been eliminated. I've had calls from three teams asking me to please not pick them!

Eric/A have made a big decision to move to Vancouver Island. Erica has taken a job in Parksville, so they'll be extra busy in the next while. 

Erin and Kristian have been enjoying getting out in the nice weather. Kristian was pounding golf balls off the back fence today, and working the trampoline as well. He also keeps us entertained with his witty remarks and new phraseology as his language continues to develop.

Trav, Joanna, Gemma and Andrew joined us for supper at Wendy's last evening (Of course, I dine at Wendy's all the time!) They're keeping busy, but Joanna is having some issues getting enough hours at work. I had a special treat on Wednesday when my charter was the wrestling team from St. James School including Andrew, and Joanna was the parent volunteer.

And that's about it for this week.

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. The week started off with miserable weather, but it turned nice in the last part of the week. I managed to get more spring preparations done and the garden boxes are ready to go. I am still working on the lawn extension, and hope to get it seeded next weekend. The markets have continued their troubled ways and I keep adjusting to try to find ways to make further gains. Wendy went up to Kenora on Wednesday to take care of the boys. She ran into snow and slush along the way, so it was a difficult trip. Then she had car troubles as the front wheel was making noises it shouldn't be, so she had to get the bearing changed in Kenora. She plans to drive back here tomorrow. The NHL playoffs continue and the first round series are ending. My favourites are both on the brink of elimination—we don't give up yet! The bus driving is going well, and I know my routes pretty well now. My back continues to improve; my golf swing does not seem to irritate it. I am looking forward to practising and possibly playing this coming week. Wendy's Dad has continued his progress in rehab. He now has his new shoes, although some tweaking remains to be done, and is getting used to walking in them. 

Eric/A travelled to Vancouver Island this week, and Wendy was in Kenora to take care of things. Wendy took advantage of the time to refinish the wood dining room floor. Eric/A are expected back tonight. 

Erin and Kristian have maintained their usual schedule of activities. Friday was a PD Day so Kristian enjoyed the day off. On Thursday, Erin met with the school personnel to consider placement for next year. Kristian is progressing to their satisfaction, so no particular changes are being recommended. 

Trav, Joanna and crew hosted us for Gemma's birthday on Sunday; that was a nice time. Trav's Penguins are fighting back from the brink, and he's almost daring to be hopeful again. Joanna scored a new car—a bright green Hyundai! Wendy has been searching online and in person since she got the news! 

And that's about it for this week. 

News Update

We've enjoyed a busy week on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. The week began on Easter Sunday with Canada winning the Curling Championship in an extra end over Scotland. Once again, they probably should not have won, but as it turned out the only team to defeat them all week was the powerhouse Kiwis who presumably make their rocks turn the opposite direction! The markets continued their problematic path, and the TSX is now down for the year. It's been a struggle, and I feel blessed to have some good gain to this point, however, I fell back a bit this week. As expected now that we're settled for a bit, I've been given a steady bus route, so I'll be driving that for the final months of the school year. My back continues to improve, and I've been able to begin work on the lawn extension in the back yard. The rhubarb is up, and I'm also getting the gardening boxes ready to go. The golf courses are open, but my back hasn't felt good enough to give it a try, although I have made a few swings! Wendy has begun spring cleaning or a reasonable facsimile thereof—we try to stay out of the way! I'd like to move forward with renovations upstairs but we have a massive piano standing in the way of that! I've been monitoring the NHL playoffs but it has not been progressing to my expectations as some of my most confident picks have fallen behind. Women's World Hockey Championships concluded today with Canada playing US in the final and winning it 5-4 in overtime.

Eric/A are busy with renewal issues that come not just with Spring. Liam keeps busy imagining and developing construction projects. Haaken keeps busy with creative pursuits in graphic novels, drama and art. Eric is a Canucks fan, so he has not had a good week with them.

Erin is busy with her work. Kristian is busy with school. His aide recently took maternity leave, and yesterday Kristian informed us she had a new baby girl. Mark continues to let me win in Scrabble, and his Canucks continue to let the Kings win in Hockey!

Trav is in despair (or a village nearby) as his Penguins are faltering in the playoffs. Joanna is busy with the celebration of Gemma's 12th birthday. Otherwise the whole bunch keeps busy with school and work.

And that's about it for this week.