News Update

We've had a beautiful week of weather on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. Above zero temperatures (three nights even stayed above zero), have allowed the snow to melt away, and we only have the stuff we piled up on the edges of the driveway left on our front lawn. At least we're back into barbecue season. I've broken out the golf clubs and tried a few swings. As is my habit, I try to return to the basics each Spring and rebuild my swing on a solid foundation—that usually results in my first round of the year being my best one, with the swing degrading after that! Grip harder, swing harder!! Women's curling ended on Sunday with Canada beating the US to win the bronze medal. Men's curling started today; I'm expecting big things from Brad Jacobs and crew! They started out with a win over China in the opener. The markets have continued their distracted ways with European (Cyprus) turmoil troubling investors around the world. This marked the end of the quarter with TSX up only 2.5%, while DOW is up 11.3%—my rich brother keeps getting richer (I blame Obama!). I'm only up 3.1%, and falling well short of my quota! Like Boxer, I shall work harder!! Bus driving is going well. Our search for a newer vehicle continues. We've test-driven a few but haven't found one to match both our expectations and our budget! Wendy is starting to think about the renovation projects again. March Madness is producing the best basketball of the year, but my Jayhawks have lost out! 

Erica and the boys flew out to the prairies for Spring Break. Eric joined them in Regina; they rented a fancy, dancy Ford Expedition—great ride, but oh the fuel consumption! They enjoyed catching up with friends and family there. Rich & Sue hosted many for Palm Sunday brunch. During the week, they travelled to Kenora to check on things there and renew fond friendships of family, work and church. Today, they're heading back to their respective corners of the country. Erica, Haaken and Liam are flying to Victoria and driving up to Parksville. Eric is driving to The Pas via Dauphin. The time together passed too quickly! 

Erin and Kristian continue to fight the snow and wait for Spring in Regina. Kristian has enjoyed extra activities at the Y when school is out. He also enjoyed having his cousins from the coast around for a few days. 

Trav & Joanna keep busy with work. The truck is down, so we've been more involved in helping him get around. The coolant leak turned out to be an intake gasket; we hope that it is repaired early next week. Then, Trav will be faced with the question of whether to prolong his agony there, or trade it in on a newer vehicle. This long weekend the whole crew is off to Minneapolis to find the Easter bunny! Trav is revelling in the recent acquisitions by the Penguins and looking forward to the hockey playoffs. 

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 and the snow is finally starting to sink away. I have begun thinking about golf season! We enjoyed our first BBQ of the season for supper this evening. Wendy travelled home in style as she was bumped to first class for the flight from Vancouver to Toronto. She also got a night at the Fairmont Hotel in Vancouver, and was privileged to the comforts of the Maple Leaf lounge in both Vancouver and Toronto. I just can't keep up with that! The physical symptoms of my shingles are fading, but the phantom nervous pain continues to be a bother—I hope it fades away soon. The bank crisis in Cyprus has roiled the markets all week and I took a loss as a result. She saw a doctor here about her injured ankle and was assured that it would get better—not particularly comforting! I had two doctor visits myself this week. The first was to see my oncologist who changed our comedy line: this time he assured me that it felt perfectly normal, and I assured him that it felt anything but normal! I also had a six-month followup on blood work to see whether I could improve my cholesterol levels. When they got the results, they called to express their shock and asked me in to explain myself. Apparently my numbers have improved a great deal! I told them about going gluten-free, and they told me to get more blood work in six months and prove it was so beneficial! I've been watching curling all week as the Women's World Championships are on. We lost a shocker to Scotland in the semi-finals, so we're set to play USA for the bronze tomorrow. Scotland and Sweden will play in the final. Our university basketball team lost the national final in our version of March Madness that we actually complete in March! Now, the American college basketball championships are on as well; I've been enjoying watching some of the action.

Wendy started the week with Eric, Erica and the boys in Parksville. She enjoyed taking in Liam's season ending tournament even though they lost the final 10-8. The local paper featured a photo of Liam (p.36). Liam and Erica nominated the coach for a hockey award. You can read his story and vote for him on line. The story was also covered in the local paper. The boys are on Spring Break now and have travelled to Regina where they have met up with Eric and are planning to drive down to Kenora and catch up on events there. Eric has exceeded his goal of 200 counselling hours by spring break—well done!

Erin and Kristian are enjoying having the Baileys in Regina for a few days and the cousins are spending some time together. The record amount of snow that has fallen on the prairies complicate getting around; we hope it will melt soon, but not so quickly that it causes flooding. Parent-Teacher interviews this week revealed that Kristian is surpassing expectations on his progress for the year, so they are raising their expectations. Good work, Kristian!

Trav had more truck troubles this week, so he's back in serious car-shopping mode! I am trying some intensive therapy on the truck! Joanna took my blood for the test early in the week, maybe she switched it with some young athlete! On the work side, Trav returned from his business trip to TO, and this week launched his hockey card service. Joanna continues to be his main employee! 

And that's about enough for this week.

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. It has not been a comfortable week for either of us: I have fallen victim to Shingles; Wendy has fallen! Out at the retreat in BC, Wendy slipped on some wet wood, twisted her ankle and fell onto her back. She was able to hobble through the week of retreat and has now retreated to Parksville where Erica, Haaken and Liam are attending to her every need! She is scheduled to leave there on Tuesday. 

I was diagnosed with Shingles on Tuesday, so the anti-virus meds have had a chance to take hold and I'm feeling much improved already. The affliction was on the right upper quadrant of my head, as you can see, but the lesions are scabbing over now, and the phantom pains are gradually subsiding. 

I was supposed to begin bus driving on Monday, but that has been pushed back at least one day—we'll see how it goes. Markets have been mixed: American markets continued to push forward to all-time highs, but we faltered badly midweek before making a little recovery the last two days. I was able to get some gains, but not up to my quota. Curling led off the week with Brad Jacobs winning the Brier over Jeff Stoughton. Curling also ended the week as Rachel Homan began the world championships with a loss to Scotland in Riga, Latvia. 

Eric made an unscheduled trip home last weekend to enjoy Liam's hockey tournament. That went well, as Liam's team got to the championship final before running out of gas. Erica continues with her busy work in the budget process as well as being full-time mom and chauffeur. School and even education continue apace for Haaken and Liam. Liam's team is in their home tournament this weekend and they're having fun—Erica is busy as one of the organizers. Grandma is enjoying the action. 

Erin enjoyed another week in the record-breaking snows of Regina. Kristian had his first audiometry exam in Regina. According to the tech, it was beautiful! His results mirrored those from his last check-up in TBay, and his hearing aids tested out as working—beautifully! Kiara had promising results from her kidney scan. There is no scarring from the reflux, so we hope she gets off antibiotics soon and can enjoy some trouble-free childhood. 

Trav enjoyed a business trip to TO. This just happened to align with the Penguins visit to play the Leafs (Oh happy Co-Inky-Dink!), so Trav took in the hockey game as well! Joanna had some days off as Gemma and Andrew were on March Break. I am grateful that they chose to spend part of the time attending to a poor, old invalid fellow living in this house! 

And that's about it for this week. 

News Update

Another week has passed and we have returned to the shore of Lake Superior in the Canadian Shield. We drove down on Wednesday; the roads were great and the trip went smoothly. It is good to be home again. I supervised the new driver on Monday and Tuesday; she got stuck once as she failed to make a corner, but we were able to rock it out of the snowbank. I returned to a warm welcome from the bus people here as they've had no success getting anyone to take over my run. They've worked through at least three drivers, and are currently using two guys! However, they made no mention of a bonus for me!! Next week is March Break here, so I'll be looking to start on March 18th. We started the week with troubled markets, but strong economic data overcame other concerns and we had a very good week. The US markets are doing much better than the TSX as the DOW is up nearly 10% already this year while TSX is up only 3.2%. I blame Obama! It's been Brier curling all week. My favourite Kevin Martin struggled with understanding the new rocks and started off 1-4; even though he recovered to run the table to 7-4, it was not enough. Howard, Stoughton, Gushue and Jacobs are in the playoffs which started today with Stoughton beating Howard to advance to the final, and Jacobs beating Gushue to advance to the semi-final tomorrow. Wendy flew out to Regina on Friday and continues her trip to BC today, on her birthday, for a Ladies Retreat next week. 

Eric made a surprise trip home this weekend to take in Liam's hockey tournament in Victoria. Everyone was glad to have him back even though it was a brief visit. Liam's team is having a good tournament. 

Kristian had Thursday and Friday off school and enjoyed being in the Y Day-Camp. He was able to swim and enjoy various other activities there, making new friends and having a good time. Erin and Mark took in more of Eric's hockey games on Tuesday evening and this afternoon. 

It was good to get back in touch with Trav & Joanna. They've done a good job of taking care of the driveway and house while we were gone, and most of the plants survived! Thanks, guys! Trav's hockey team (missing their 50-goal scoring captain) lost out in the first round of the playoffs. Sorry about that! Joanna's soccer team finished their winter season—they won first place! Congratulations! 

And that's about it for this week. 

News Update

Another week has passed—our final week on Lake Wascana in the middle of the prairie for this trip. I have finished bus driving as of Friday, but I will be riding along with the new driver on Monday and Tuesday. She has been riding with me most of this week. Unfortunately, they are not letting her use a flat-front bus, and the longer wheelbase on the regular school bus will not make some of the turns on my route, so we've been working to redesign the route and hope we've made enough adjustments. She's a beginning bus driver, so Monday will be an adventure! The markets have been troubled this week with the Italian election concerning investors at the beginning of the week and the US sequester dropping another bomb at the end of the week. Still, after the whipsawing, the overall result was basically flat and even a little bit to the green side and I made a small gain. The car has continued to have issues; this week, it was a tire that seemed to have a slow leak. I took it in to Kal-Tire and they noted that it had a lump on the sidewall and refused to put it back on! Fortunately this was Kerry's shop, so he rounded up a replacement pair at a good price and we got those installed on Thursday. At least you can't say the car is 'nickel 'n diming' me to death—it's more like $200 at a time! I got in one curling game this week; I was assigned to be skip. I don't think I've done that since I left Earl Grey in 1977! Without the sweeping, it turned out to be cold work, but I had a good game and we won easily.  I have been very pleased to have this opportunity to get back into curling which I haven't done since I broke my left ankle out in the Okanagan. Wendy has been working to justify her new Costco membership! The Brier started today; the big three favourites going in are: Kevin Martin, Jeff Stoughton and Glenn Howard. I'll be cheering for Kevin Martin, with sentimental nods to Brock Virtue of Saskatchewan and Jamie Koe of the Northwest Territories. 

Erica has been very busy with meetings related to the new budget; she doubts that she has had a solid hour at her desk all week. However, she also received an invite to a conference where Trevor Linden is a keynote speaker—take that Eric! Eric has been accumulating counselling hours; he's currently at 174.25 on his way to the 280 requirement of his practicum. Haaken keeps at his school work and music lessons. He continues to express his contentedness with the move to Parksville. He is planning to begin doing reviews of TV shows and post them on YouTube. We'll be watching for his debut in the coming weeks! 

Liam has begun working with a tutor twice a week; progress is noted on homework completion and quiz scores, so his academic side may be on the upswing! His hockey team continues to play and practise even though the regular season is over, so he isn't losing his conditioning! 

Erin and Kristian have been over regularly this week, so that has been nice. Kiara and Kori are here this weekend. We went out with the whole crew to a hockey game on Friday night featuring Erin's little brother, Eric, who is playing AAA Midget hockey in Yorkton. Eric scored a goal, but also got hurt; however, they won, so I guess it was all right! 

We have been able to FaceTime with Trav & Joanna, so we caught up a bit on life in TBay. His hockey team is heading into the playoffs now. After the slump, they finished the regular season in third place and now begin the playoffs. Business has been going well; the photography side has really built up and Joanna has been hired on part time (no benefits!). Joanna's soccer team continues to lead the league and she's now looking forward to spring league. 

And that's about it for this week. 

News Update

Another week has passed on Lake Wascana in the middle of the prairie. School is out for the week, so I've been on holidays. As expected the car needed a new wheel bearing; the repair was completed on Tuesday. Storms have blasted around us, but we've remained pretty much unscathed. The highways in the province have been dangerous during the storms and closures have been announced. Kristian was ill and spent two days with us as a result. Between all that and Wendy's departure on Friday, we did not get over to Moose Jaw—maybe next week. Wendy is in Kensosee for the Ladies Retreat this weekend. She left her cell phone at home, but took her iPad; times have changed! Markets continue to be roiled by successive headlines. The week started off very well, but then had down days during which I was reduced to only three holdings instead of my quota of ten. Friday was another up day, and, all told, I had a good week, but now I'm only 20% in the market, so I need to plan some buys. It has been great to watch the Scotties; Sask did not make the playoffs, and the teams I don't cheer for did, but the curling was even better than what I experience with the seniors at Highland Curling Club! Homan beat Jones tonight to move into the final. Jones will play Nedohin tomorrow in the semi-final. 

Eric is in The Pas where his work continues apace and with positive recognition. Although he is looking forward to it being over, he is also reinforced by how well it is going. Erica is very busy with budget development—how to do more and more with less and less! If she learns to manage it, she can help us through retirement on a defined contribution pension plan! Haaken has moved into a new semester in high school. He received all credits in his first semester, and a plan is in the works so he receives full credits plus good marks in the second semester! His own plan includes music and preparation for his driver's licence. Liam has completed the regular season in hockey but continues practice in preparation for two hockey tournaments. No goals yet, but he's coming close, so we hope that big moment may come during one of his tournaments in March. 

Kristian was ill this week, so he convalesced with us! Cold and flu seems to include eye infections for him and we don't like that. Erin's week went fine and she bought a new deep freeze as well. Mark and I got to carry it up to her apartment. Kiara had her scans this week; we hope for helpful and positive feedback from this. 

Trav, Joanna and crew continue to keep up with things back in TBay. We are missing our regular connections with them while we're away. Trav's hockey team has been in a funk which has resulted in a four-game slump! They need to snap out of that as playoffs are coming soon. 

That's about enough for this week! 

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Wascana in the middle of the prairie. The weather has remained mild, with a bit more snow from time to time. A blizzard blew through mid-week, but we seem to have missed most of it! Another one is threatened for this weekend—I hope we miss it as well! School bus driving continues routinely, and now school is out next week, so I'll have a week off. The markets ran up nicely the first three days, but then someone reminded traders of the damaged economy in Europe and we had a sharp sell-off that returned me a small loss on the week. Dad continues with his home workouts, but his scheduled outing for the week was postponed due to the expected storm on Thursday. Wendy keeps up with therapy on her finger. It seems to be moving more and hurting just as much! Yikes! Scotties curling begins today, so I'm looking forward to a week of that. Manitoba and BC won the junior championships, and I'm sure Manitoba will be a favourite at the Scotties, but not with me! NHL continues their compressed season, and Dad has even worked out how to watch his beloved Leafs on his laptop! We enjoyed our time in Gravelbourg last weekend—thanks Gerry & Lorna! Thanks also to the congregation there for providing warm fellowship. We tried to catch Elvin & Grace on the way home, but after missing out then, we are planning an excursion over there in the coming week. The car began whining on the way home from Gravelbourg, and we think it's probably a wheel bearing, so I took it into Kal-Tire today. I'm sure they have a long list of stuff they would love to do for me, but I will be happy for them to replace the wheel bearing! 

Eric has returned to The Pas; Erica has returned to being Mr & Mrs Mum and taxi service. Liam's hockey season is ending, but he looks forward to some further hockey play in tournaments. Haaken continues with school, guitar lessons and life as a prospective driver! 

Erin, Kristian and Mark are doing well. Kristian enjoys activities with the Roberts side as there are many cousins over there. Mark and I play Farkle regularly and Scrabble irregularly! Some people think the scheduling has to do with the success rate he enjoys in the respective games!! Kristian has a fresh haircut to go with his missing teeth. 

Trav, Joanna, Gemma and Andrew continue with work, sports and life in TBay. The latest action for the Elks hockey team is described on Trav's blog.

And that's about it for this week. 

News Update

Another week has passed on the snowy shore of Lake Wascana in the middle of the prairie. The weather has been pretty comfortable, but we've also had more snow. The residential neighbourhood streets become narrower and narrower as the snow is piled up on the edges and it is a challenge to maneuver the bus through. The children have become used to my routine, so things are going fine in that regard. I seldom need to offer even a word of control. The markets have been troubled all week, but finally turned up on Friday and paid me off! Wendy has continued with the consultation on her arthritic fingers, and I now engaged in regular therapy in an attempt to cause extensive pain with the potential toward some greater range of motion! Dad works faithfully at his exercises as he tries to improve his own mobility—it is impressive to see. This weekend we accepted an invitation to sing with Dave & Heather and Lorna at the seniors residence in Gravelbourg. It was a lot of fun. It had an additional bonus as we got to share some time at Gerry and Lorna's place and catch up with many people in the congregation there. We did a lot of talking, singing and eating—it was great! We are thankful. I was able to pick up three curling games this week and enjoyed that as well. 

Eric is on his way back to The Pas. The family remaining in Parksville is missing him already. While at home he assisted in the celebrations of birthdays for both Haaken and Liam—that was special with meals out at their chosen locations. They also enjoyed lava cake, cupcakes and a chocolate iced chocolate layer cake—mmm, good! Eric/A also celebrated with a seafood dinner out—it's not even their birthdays! Liam is nearing the end of his first hockey season; he had made great progress in his hockey skills development. Eric is also enjoying the Canucks season progress. Erica is into a busy time at work with budgets and too many activities chasing too few dollars. It is her responsibility to make it some how work out! It seems the peculiar province of social service to always have to accomplish more with fewer dollars! The Kenora house is listed for sale again/still and has been attracting some interest. We pray the interest will develop into a suitable offer. The place they are currently renting in Parksville is also up for sale, but hopefully it won't move soon and they'll be at least able to finish the school year. 

Kristian had a good week. First off he lost two teeth on Sunday and thus scored big time with the tooth fairy. Then he wrote a plaintive note to the tooth fairy and managed to get his two teeth back! Mark was scoring impressively in Scrabble once he got his new iPhone, but recently he has been taking it easier on me. Erin is doing well, and was even able to join us for supper on Thursday before we took off for the weekend. 

Trav and Joanna are handling things back in TBay. Gemma and Andrew got report cards recently and both are doing well at school. Trav has posted his write-ups and reactions on the recent Elks hockey tournament. 

News Update

A frigidly cold week has passed on the shore of frozen Lake Wascana. We got to -35 midweek, with a windchill of -49 and my bus refused to start that morning. However, with a replacement bus that refused to produce heat we made our way to school anyway—it was not a good experience! Otherwise things progressed well on the bus driving front, and I have been assured of holding this run for the remainder of our time in Regina. Tag up and down the aisle (and over and under seats) ceased the first five minutes of my regime; now, they have even learned to stay seated most of the time—progress. US investors were surprised to find that cutting back on government spending has a deleterious effect on GDP, so the markets took a kicking most of the week, however, good jobs numbers turned things around on Friday, so I made significant recovery. It was not enough to overcome the early losses, so it was a down week. The women's curling did not turn out as I hoped for or expected—don't know what to expect from the Shumay team at the Scotties. The men's tournament is this week and I haven't been impressed with the curling there either. Surely, we can't be looking back wistfully for the days of Pat Simmons, can we? Dad had his last out-patient physio session this week, and has begun a series of at-home exercises. Wendy continues to search for a suitable machine to aid his workouts. 

Eric is on his way home as I write, and that may be enough said about the status of things on the Island!  He eventually arrived home the middle of the afternoon. Haaken and Liam continue anticipation of their birthdays in the next week. 

Kristian had a special week as he starred in his class play at the assembly on Thursday. (Clearly spoken lines is the definition of starring in grandpa's eyes!) Otherwise they survived the cold weather with the rest of us. Kiara and Kori are here this weekend, and Kristian has been at pains to have mom and Mark get the Lego project completed in time for the visitation! 

We haven't heard much from Trav, Joanna and crew this week, but we assume that can only mean good news. Perhaps they've been too busy counteracting cold and snow! He did enter the report on the most recent hockey game. 

That's about it for this week! 

News Update

Another blustery week has passed on the shore of Lake Wascana. We've had a bit more snow, and some blowing snow and cold temperatures. I have been assigned a new bus route and it appears I will have it for the rest of our time in Regina, so that's a relief. I've been able to learn the route and am now getting to know the students. They need a fair bit of work since the regular driver did not require proper behaviour. The US markets have continued to rally all week, and while the TSX has not kept up, I have been able to make a nice gain and am at my quota for the month with one week left to go! (I hope I can at least hang on!) NHL hockey has begun and we've watched quite a number of games on TV. Dad has continued with therapy, but may be nearing the end of scheduled work—we're supposed to find out on Monday. Wendy is helping him track down a stair-stepper to use at home in the case that out-patient therapy is over. She was back to the doctor for more finger pain—that worked out as expected! The one finger he's been working is swollen, stiff and sore. David is feeling better and has begun work on organizing his slides. He is hoping to get them digitized at some point. This week is the National curling event; both Kevins lost in the semifinals, but I'm enjoying it, anyway. It is also the Sask women's championships and I've been following that as well. 

Eric is scheduled to be home in one week. Several people are looking forward to that! Erica, Haaken and Liam are in Vancouver today while Erica attends a conference and the boys veg-out in the hotel! Planning mode for the birthdays has begun—Haaken is turning 16, Liam is turning 13. The pressure of life with two teenagers is already being felt! Erica has become involved in planning a local hockey tournament—she's not sure what she's gotten herself into! 

Erin and Kristian had a fairly normal week until Friday. Then,  it turned out classes were cancelled for a PD day. So, Kristian got to come over and play with grandma, grandpa, papa and Uncle David. Mark & Erin decided this should be viewed as an opportunity, so they scheduled a date-night, while Kristian prolonged his visit with us. Everyone seems to think that worked out just fine. 

Trav returned from his hockey tournament in Minnesota to -30 and a truck that would not start! The next day the temperature recovered and so did the truck. Trav & Joanna keep busy with work, and Trav is back into the league schedule in hockey. Gemma and Andrew keep active with school and their other interests. 

And that's about it for this week. 

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Wascana. The weather has been variable with snow storms, wind and cold weather along with some days above freezing! I managed two games of curling; my knees are complaining less each time! The markets have been troubled by headlines all week, but the decision by the GOP to give in on the debt ceiling allowed us to end on an up note, and gave me a good gain for the week. Our North American markets are pushing five-year highs as we continue to recover from the 2007 financial crisis and recession. Stocks have risen 85% during Obama's first term, but historically stocks do poorly in a second term averaging only around 10%. NHL hockey returned today, and fans are returning to the league—some reluctantly! I have completed my first stint as replacement driver, and will begin learning a new route on Monday. The streets in the residential areas are very bad; we seem to get two or three buses stuck everyday. I've come close, but so far am still running! Wendy keeps busy around the house. Her finger is healing, so we're starting to see whether it has gained any mobility. I have had some interesting incidences of 'customer service' this week—Shaw and Sears both demonstrated what it is not! Despite cancelling our Internet, TV and Phone service while we were away from TBay, Shaw has kept charging us, and collecting from our VISA account! "We were unable to stop the payment from being taken," they tell me, "you now have a credit of $267.00." Delightful! Sears gave me the run around from Service to Customer Service (Who knew there were two such entities in one company and that they were not related?) as I tried to get one wheel on Dad's new snowblower repaired—it doesn't hold air! On my second visit, Service finally decided they would let me buy a replacement wheel—only $165 plus taxes and available by mid-Feb! Buy? Why should I BUY a replacement part for a snowblower just purchased in the Boxing Week sale?!  Oh, if I have concerns of that nature, I should see Customer Service! After listening to my sad story, Customer Service assured me that I should go to Service, since they had no way to repair the wheel! No thanks, I'd already been there! Earlier, I had seen a display model of the snowblower on the floor, but Wendy wouldn't let me pop the wheel off and exchange it for my defective one! However, I suggested to the Customer Service people that I should do just that! They reflected for only a few moments before deciding, "Yeah, that'll work." Yikes! But at least we got the replacement wheel, and we can always imagine they'll fix the wheel rather than dump it on the next unfortunate schmuck to come along. 

Eric is back enjoying the salubrious climes of The Pas (-26 is not a high of any kind!); he is hoping for some entertaining hockey games to help pass the time. Erica and the boys are carrying on with life, work, school, music and hockey in Parksville. Erica is suffering some migranes, and would rather not! She is continuing to recover from her recent fall. Liam got a couple of assists in a recent hockey game. Haaken is anticipating exams at the end of the month, and turning the magical 16 and getting his learner's licence in early February. 

Erin, Kristian and Mark have all endured illness as the flu makes its rounds. After some down time that affected work and school, all appear on the mend now. Kiara and Kori are here this weekend; we're enjoying a little time with them. 

Trav is off to Apple Valley, Minnesota this weekend for a hockey tournament with his first place Elks, having tied their first game back from the break. The team also got tickets to attend the Wild home opener of their NHL season. Joanna, Gemma and Andrew are holding fort in TBay while continuing with work and school. Andrew is back to wrestling again—no more broken arms, please! 

And that's about it for this week. 

News Update

As I sit to write and take note of -29 on Lake Wascana and +1 on Lake Superior, I have to question my choice of lake! I spent yesterday morning coaxing my car out of the crescent in a vain attempt to get to work. By the time I got to the ring road, I checked in with work to let them know how late I was, and was informed that buses had been cancelled! The bus driving has been going well, and I've learned the route satisfactorily, however, that ends next Thursday and I'll be looking at a new assignment. It's been a troubled week in the markets, so it's a good thing I made good gains last week; I was unable to achieve any gains this week. Wendy keeps busy taking care of us. She had further medical consultation on her arthritic fingers. The doctor froze one finger and broke the joint loose—she may have movement in that finger if the pain and swelling diminish sufficiently to check it out! The Continental Cup of curling is this week, so I'm enjoying following that. I've started curling again, myself, as I played a game on Monday. I was supposed to play again today, but the blizzard came first! It appears the NHL lockout is over, so we're anticipating a return to action soon. Wendy got me an iPhone on Wednesday, so I'm enjoying that. Dad has continued with therapy both at home and at Wascana. He continues to progress; this week, he worked out on a treadmill! 

Eric has returned to The Pas—twenty-one days and counting until his return! Erica has adjusted back to work and the boys to school; managing coffee cups and arena stairs has proved more troublesome! Haaken has enjoyed getting back into music lessons and youth group. He has decided to start a band, and practise at home—uh oh! Liam has learned how to stop on his skates without using the boards or his team mates! He even scored a goal in practice! The boys were caught walking home in a torrential downpour on Tuesday. By the time Erica picked them up, they were drenched. Haaken declared that if it was going to rain like that, he wasn't going to school! 

Erin and Kristian both suffered illness this week. There's a bad strain of influenza going around that also caught uncle David. Erin was off work (Kristian off school) for a couple of days, but both are back at it again. Sadie got an overdue haircut and appears to be a new dog! Kristian continues to work on his top front teeth; they are very loose, but still there! 

Trav and Joanna are holding things together back in TBay. It's been a rainy week there, so the snow has dissipated once again. Trav's Elks haven't played recently, so he's even resorted to attending minor hockey tournaments to get his hockey fix! They both keep busy with work; Joanna is even considering further education. Gemma and Andrew are back at school after the Christmas break. 

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

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Wascana. The weather has moderated and been very pleasant. I have been in training for my new bus run that starts next Tuesday; I feel pretty comfortable with it now. We enjoyed a quiet welcome to the New Year here. The others seemed satisfied to welcome it from the Atlantic or Eastern time zones, and I had to wake Wendy for a New Year kiss at midnight Central Standard Time. Our junior hockey team disappointed us with a fourth-place finish at the World Championships. Congrats to the Americans this time around! The NHL continues to lock out the players, and although there are signs it may be starting up soon, many are finding they don't really care very much about it. It's been another strange week on the markets as the fiscal foolishness in the US moved past their own self-imposed deadline. Then, part of it was settled retro-actively and the rest was postponed! What a way to run a government! In any case, it was a shortened week due to the holiday, and we had three great days and one bad day. It turned out very well as I was able to gain double my weekly quota, but it's hard on the nerves to put up with the bounces. I have increased my portfolio buy-in to 45%. I fell well short of my annual quota last year  as I only managed 8.5%; however, most of the shortcoming was due to indiscipline, greed and fear! It is true the markets did not do well as the TSX only gained 4% for the year, but my completely disciplined paper-trading achieved more than my quota, so I need to follow my strategy and keep my emotions out of it! Dad is doing well; he works out daily on his walking with either canes or crutches, and continues with regular visits to his physiotherapist as well. It's an encouragement just to observe his efforts!

Eric/A and the boys had a quiet week in Parksville. They've been busy with relaxation and rest, interrupted by times of slothfulness and with time outs for the occasional nap! They checked out Mount Washington (where I learned to ski) and found where Vancouver Island stores its snow! They may try skiing it as well. They hosted a skating/shinny part for Liam's hockey team—that went well. Eric is on his way back to The Pas this weekend—not a happy prospect. 

Kristian has spent most of the week with us. That has been great! He's recovered from his pink eye, and keeps working on his two loose top front teeth. Erin has been busy with an audit at work, but we get to see lots of her as well. Mark is by from time to time, and keeps hammering away at me in Scrabble, so we had a good week with this section of the family. 

We've managed to FaceTime a couple of times with Trav & Joanna. The connection has been a bit troublesome, but it seems all is progressing well back in TBay. Gemma and Andrew are completing their school break and will be back in the classroom in the coming week. Trav's hockey time is on an extended break after their most recent victory.

And that's about it for this week.

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.