Fall/Summer

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. The week began with windy, cold weather, and is ending with temperatures pushing 20° again—salubrious indeed! As a result, we've been able to maintain our outdoor walking, and even enjoying it in shirt sleeves! Such changes are common this time of year even as we head inexorably toward winter. I have continued with therapy on my back, although my discomfort now seems to be almost completely with in my right hip and leg. The doctor has ruled out sciatica, although I'm convinced it's more nervous system than muscular. In any case, I work through a series of stretches with heat and cold treatments, and most days I'm able to keep upright and walking! The Greedy game boards are nearing completion; it's a simple structure with a perimeter of sticks to enclose the cloth-backed playing area. The game operates under several names, and with a large range of rules. My computer-based version is called Farkle; you may also look it up under that title. I'm still planning to stain and varathane the wood pieces, then it rolls up in the cloth which is only attached to the bottom sticks. Maybe I won't bother to attach it—that seems to work, too. 

Greedy Game

Our concerns over the new variants of the coronavirus have reawakened. So long as people keep it going, it will continue to mutate, and there's always the risk that the mutants will be worse than the original. The latest variant seems to bypass the protections of all prior infections, but produces little illness among the vaccinated. While we've experienced more deaths already this year than in any prior year, most folks and governments seem oblivious or at least nonchalant. We're considering plans to travel in the near future, but this certainly gives us pause. We completed our teeth cleaning appointments this week with the trainees at Confederation College. The process takes much longer working with them, but we feel good about providing them the work site, and very good about only paying $20. Wendy has continued her struggle with the banks to get the chorus accounts working properly. It seems she's been at this a long time! It's quite surprising how difficult they seem to find it to put new names on business accounts and make them accessible online. The markets continued to be topsy turvy and volatile. This was another positive week, but only because we had three big green days against two big red days—not the formula for comfortable investing! At least I made quota. In the world of sports, the Riders played their penultimate game of the season against Calgary today. They'll complete their season, next week, with the other half of the home and home in Calgary. And then other teams will begin the playoffs, sigh! MLB has moved into the League Championship series. I managed to pick two of the Divisional series winners—big step up for me! I've picked Astros and Padres to advance to the World Series. Texas moved back into the rankings after demolishing my Sooners last week. This week the 'Horns were substandard and lost to Oklahoma State, while the Sooners took the week off to lick their wounds. The opening weeks of the NHL season have produced a few surprises, and some of them not good ones for my teams (Oilers, Pens, Leafs), well, actually, Pens and Leafs are doing okay. Grand Slam curling is on again this week in Grande Prairie. Koe advanced to the playoffs; I've enjoyed watching both the men's and the women's sides of the draw. Einarson has qualified on the women's side. The finals are scheduled for tomorrow.  

Erica writes, "This week, we heard that one of our friends passed away, much too young. Shelley Lock (nee Waddell) was a good friend at Western. When I moved to Saskatoon, she often hosted us at her apartment and gave us the lay of the land in her hometown in her gutsy Nova. She met and married Chris Lock the same year Eric and I married. Over the years, they have graciously hosted us at their home in Warman. Shelley has battled a variety of medical conditions in recent years and passed away in her sleep this week. Eric and I will be attending the service this weekend in Saskatoon." While we attended on line. 

Erin continues to fight her fall flu, while Kristian seemed to have had only one down day, and then was back to his usual good health. At least she felt well enough to get back to work, as when she is away, the work just waits for her to return! She's feeling much improved this weekend, but the weatherman warns of snow in Regina. Curling should be starting soon for Kristian; they had a curling meeting on Thursday. 

Travis and Joanna are fully into Puck Shots photo sessions now. The Bucket Decal work continues as well, as teams develop their plans for a full season of hockey. We hope that comes true, but, as noted above, we're pretty skeptical about how the various governments are failing to deal with Covid. Andrew "enjoyed" more medical work this week. Gemma and Jonas are progressing in their planning to come home over Christmas break. 

And that's about enough for this week.