Covid-19 Sets New Records!

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my home town. The weather is cool with most days topping out around 5°, but our lawns remain green, although we expect to get some snow soon. We are ready for winter; all yard work including the shed renovations are complete. We have obtained our flu shots, and maintain our careful practices against the coronavirus. Would that all were being so careful. As mentioned last week, the infection rate is surging, and just yesterday it established new records in various countries. We're running about 2500 per day, and another 25 deaths, sad to say. USA continues to lead the way in infamy with new highs around 80,000 and a death toll of nearly 1000 each day. Dear friends in Winnipeg have become infected, and while they're on the path to recovery, we remain concerned for their five young children. Both of them lost the senses of smell and taste. A friend of ours here in Thunder Bay had that symptom as well, and reports it has taken about six months to get it back. Anyway, take care and stay safe. Wendy has completed the storage closet, so I've installed some shelves, and she's stocking them.

Stocking Up!

She has begun painting in the other bedroom upstairs, so it is lime green no more (sorry, Gemma)! Two coats of primer has that covered, and two shades, of what I call grey, will be applied soon. I've been working at small jobs, like removing baseboards and other fixtures to get the bedroom ready for paint, and applying baseboards and door trim in the storage closet. We've kept the hot tub going for another week, but soon it will be time to shut that down as well. The markets remain volatile as rumours concerning a new stimulus plan leaked out each day. It appears the House and the White House are agreed on the need to move forward, but the Senate Republicans are refusing to even consider it. Thus I remain mostly out of the markets, so while I had a green week, it was not up to my needs or expectations. The sports scene is relatively light of topics in my interest sphere. Baseball is in the World Series—I'm cheering for Tampa, while expecting the Dodgers to win it all. They were clearly the better team in the regular season, but when I contrast their team payrolls of around 100 million vs 30 million, it's easy to cheer for the underdog! College Football is underway, I follow a few teams with some interest: OU, Texas, OSU. OSU is doing the best of that batch as the other two are unranked at present. All three won this week. We are hearing rumblings of college basketball starting soon, so I'll be watching for the Jayhawks. 

Erica writes, "Liam is home this weekend for a visit, some drumming on worship team and an iron infusion on Monday. His dance team has updated their website—check it out! I had a few days working out of home. It was interesting to see real people and climb stairs again. But after a couple days I was really 'peopled-out'. Snow has arrived—though Eric says it's actually pollution from white packing stuff from all the Amazon orders. There is nothing much more to add. It's been a relatively quiet week."

Erin has made a decision on a new car. She's getting a brand new RAV4,

2021 RAV4 in Magnetic Grey

and since she's works at Toyota, she gets it practically for free!! Just kidding, she pays pretty much full price! Anyway it's very nice, and we hope it provides years of trouble-free service for them. Shawn is enjoying his work at Ranch Ehrlo, and shared a picture of one of the entrees he prepared for his crew.

Meatloaf Mummy!

Kristian is back at school and enjoying better health, although he still has the allergy symptoms of stuffiness and runny nose. He has completed classes on his first Quint, but has some assignments to complete over the weekend. Then, he has exams on Tuesday and Wednesday. He transitions into Quint 2 where he'll be taking Science each morning and PAA (Practical Applied Arts, must be something like Industrial Arts) each afternoon. 

Travis plugs away at the orders from around the country as they trickle in. This week he had orders going out to: Winnipeg, Saskatoon, Regina, Red Deer, Coquitlam, Medicine Hat, Halifax, Vaughan, Mississauga, Burlington, Toronto. Joanna has completed her isolation, remains symptom-free and is eligible to go back to work. 

And that's about enough for this week.