News Update

Another wonderful week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. The weather has been beautiful and we've enjoyed yard, garden and golf! Kristian, Wendy and I were able to golf together yesterday; that already makes it a highlight, then, Kristian added to it by scoring his first par ever! The filter pump for the pool broke down, and we are loath to replace it for how little time is left in the pool season. This afternoon, Wendy found a second-hand filter pump on Kijiji—we're swimming! The TSX was volatile this week, but it was up a little and I was blessed with above quota gains. The US markets turned downward, but they still remain up 16% on the year, while we've only managed 2.4%. I passed my bus driver medical this week, so I guess I'll give that another go. Wendy is applying on several jobs as well as selling off extra stuff that we've been storing around here. The Riders played this afternoon at home and knocked off the Montreal Alouettes on the final play to improve to 6-1 in first place. After BC beat Calgary tonight, we're all alone in first place.

Eric continues to apply for jobs and work on his counselling practice. They've run into some snags, and face some deadlines like the end of EI, so we (and by we, I mean Eric/A!) hope some income begins to be generated soon! Haaken is off to camp this week, looking forward to learning more about 3D animation and Maya. Liam is rollerblading to build up his skating legs in preparation for hockey; he reports sore knees. The family is enjoying family game nights—Liam is becoming an adept Settler of Catan. The boys are beginning the adjustment to school mode by getting dressed before noon! Erica is back to work; she has a new office with a nice view of the fountain and the ocean, and hope it includes an improved outlook!

Erin is beginning a holiday break and is set to fly down here on Monday. We look forward to the week, but not to the imminent departure of Kristian! Her work is going well. She and Kristian now text each other as well as the usual evening FaceTime. 

Trav has spun off several businesses as part of his work. Please check them out: HockeyTees, Stickerz, PuckShots. He and Joanna enjoyed a trip to Toronto last week and took in a Blue Jay game on Monday. Joanna continues to be very busy at work but is enjoying it and learning a great deal about the business. Gemma and Andrew should be completing summer activities and be back home soon. 

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 continued to be very comfortable and we've enjoyed the outdoors. I managed to get out to practise golf a few times, and to golf once. That was an interesting experience as I joined up with a group that turned out to be an Alzheimer's victim and his caddie. The TSX suffered through another mixed week, and ended a bit down, however, I was blessed with a good week of earnings. The garden is beginning to produce. It seems to have grown lots of plant and not much food, but now we're seeing spinach, beets, beans and tomatoes. The radishes are finished, and the rhubarb continues about as usual. Wendy has been considering and even applying for local positions. She and Kristian went to the local exhibition on Thursday—lots of crazy rides and bad food choices there! The Blue Jays continue their uneven performance; they're in a bit of a homestand just now. The Riders lost on Friday evening to drop to 5-1 on the season. They had plenty of offense, but gave up some turnovers and some big, untimely penalties that turned the game in Calgary's favour.

We haven't heard much from Eric/A and crew, but life seems to be continuing about the same out there as Eric is trying to develop his counselling practice and Erica is continuing with work. The boys are relaxing their way through summer. 

Erin calls regularly for FaceTime with Kristian. We look forward to her visit later this month. 

Trav & Joanna get back and forth with us for meals and outings. We had a good hike with them out to the Cascades early in the week. On Thursday, they hosted us for Thai Wraps which have become a favourite of ours. They left for Toronto today where Travis has some business meetings. They plan to take in a Blue Jay game on Monday. 

And that's about enough for this week.

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. The weather has been favourable and I enjoyed getting in some golf. Wendy has pursued the weeds with vigour and the backyard is looking good. The pool is operating well; Kristian and grandma have enjoyed that. The markets have continued to be troubled and the TSX was down again this week, however, I was blessed to complete the month above quota and with a good first week to this new month as well. The Jays have been on an extended road trip and are not doing well. The Riders have the week off; I'm sure they're relishing their 5-0 start, but I hope they don't get over-confident. 

Erica started the week in Washington, meeting up with friends from Twilighting days and touring Forks. A highlight was touring the mill there and seeing a huge forklift pick up an entire semi-load of logs at once. Wow! Another highlight was meeting a lady from England with whom she's been emailing for several years. Eric is setting up his office, and has booked his first client. He has foregone the self-employment program as too time-consuming and tedious. He wants to get at it! For now his earnings will go against his EI. Liam had a lot of stories from his time at camp. He had fun and made some new friends. Haaken is looking forward to his camp later this month. In the meantime, they're practising being teenagers—staying up late and sleeping until noon! 

We get frequent conversations with Erin as she keeps up with Kristian. She's doing well in Regina. It's annual review time, and she received superior ratings and a nice raise—all of us are proud!

Travis, Kristian and I played a game of golf, in honour of my birthday, at the nearby par 3 course. That was a lot of fun. Trav & Joanna joined us for birthday supper on Tuesday. 

It has been a good week!

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. We enjoyed friends, food and fellowship in Dauphin on Sunday, and drove home on Monday. Thanks to Bob & Linda for hosting us. We've been trying to catch up on things here all week. The lawns are trimmed, the rhubarb is picked, cut and packaged, but the weeds continue to fight! I've been to the chiropractor—good progress was noted. I've had the Sorento in for the recall order; it was a brake switch malfunction which interfered with the push-button starting. The TSX was up a bit on Monday, but then descended the rest of the week, ending down, however, I am feeling well-blessed with another good week of gains and am now over my quota for the month. We'll see if I can hold it this time! Sadly, the Jays have continued their poor play. The Riders had a home and home with Hamilton; they demolished them 37-0 on Sunday, and tonight they served up another win behind the back-up quarterback to reach 5-0. Wendy keeps busy with Kristian; there is always an excuse to buy him another toy! 

Eric/A and the boys are settling into summer activities on the Island. Liam is off to film camp, and Haaken looks forward to his camp later in the summer. Eric pursues a position in keeping with his new qualifications, and Erica is back at work at the school board. 

Erin and Sadie continue their adventures in Regina. There have been several more severe storms blowing through there. Kristian is here with us; he maintains a daily schedule of Math and Reading along with lots of play. He was glad to have Andrew and Gemma visit this week prior to their summer trip to Burlington. Tonight, as he brushed his teeth before bed time, he dislodged another of his front lower teeth. He hopes the tooth-fairy can find him here!

Trav and Joanna have been by a couple of times. He had a good offer on the truck, so we hope that sale is soon completed. Gemma and Andrew left this morning for southern Ontario to spend part of the summer with their grandparents. Joanna accompanied them, but she plans to return on Tuesday.

And that's about it for this week.

News Update

Another week has passed and we are in Dauphin. We left Regina on Thursday; I've been golfing here yesterday and today in our annual cross-border event. This year we expanded the border designation and played Canada vs Mexico! I played for the Mexican team, and we won—it was very close at the end, but we won one of the final two games to take the overall title. It was more than a little too much for me, and I was fading in the final round, but we certainly had fun! It was good to reacquaint with old friends. While in Dauphin, we're enjoying staying with Bob & Linda, and catching up with other friends. The markets have been up and down this week, but in the end, I was blessed with an excellent week of above quota earnings. The weather has been beautiful, but it was interspersed with a number of thunderstorms with at least four tornadoes and hail. Several of our friends suffered hail damage to their vehicles and property. The Jays have begun the second half of their season, but are doing no better than before. The Riders are not playing until tomorrow, so they're holding at 3-0 until then.

Eric/A and the boys have returned home, and Erica has returned to work. Among other tasks, she has taken care of a back-log of over 3000 emails. Eric has been applying on positions and looking into the requirements to set up a counselling business—lots of red tape and hoops-to-jump-through there! The boys have been enjoying the lazy, hazy days of summer, but not too much crazy! The weather is beautiful there, and they are enjoying it. 

Erin had a tough time saying good-bye to Kristian as he boarded our vehicle to begin his summer stay with Grandpa & Grandma. She has flights scheduled for the end of the summer to come down and get him. 

We haven't heard much from Trav & Joanna this week, but they seem to be taking care of things just fine. 

And that's about it for this week.

News Update

We've enjoyed a fine week on the shore of Lake Wascana. The weather has been wonderful, and I've been able to get out golfing several times. The company has been wonderful as well. We're at Dad's place in Regina; Bern, Alicia and Logan are here. Eric/A and the boys were here until Friday. Kristian has spent most of the week with us, and we have frequent visitors and chances to visit others while we are in town. Next week we plan to begin the return trip toward Thunder Bay. The markets have been favourable and I enjoyed five straight days of gains—an infrequent experience, I'm afraid! The US markets are hitting record highs with employment gains and a record budgetary surplus in June (I blame Obama)! The TSX even got into positive territory for the year—0.23% (SHarper is not)! Unfortunately, many pundits keep calling for a correction! At a quarter of one per cent, I don't need a correction unless it is to move upward! However, with the DOW up 18% on the year, one must be wary. The Jays have returned to their floundering ways after making the nice winning streak. The Riders continue to win, improving to 3-0 with a convincing victory over the Champs. 

Eric/A and the boys spent most of the week with us in Regina. I enjoyed golfing with Eric & Liam. They should make it most of the way to the coast today. 

Kristian has been sleeping over and spending time with his cousins this week. Erin drops by between each stint of work. We're enjoying some time with her, and are planning to take Kristian with us back to TBay for the rest of the summer. 

Trav & Joanna are taking care of things back at home, and keep in text contact with us. 

And that's about enough for this week.

News Update

Another week has passed; we completed it by driving up to the shore of Lake Wascana today! It's been a good week, and the trip went well with the Sorento performing admirably, and other drivers letting us travel in peace! The weather has been beautiful and we've been enjoying the yard and pool. We've enjoyed frequent company this week, and are now returning the favour by being Dad's company in Regina. I have the garden all set up on drip irrigation, so it should thrive in our absence. Trav & Joanna will watch over the place, and hopefully make use of the pool. Eric/A and the boys were with us most of the week, but they drove up to Kenora on Thursday. We look for them to catch up to us in Regina as they progress through various events on their way home to the Island. We celebrated our anniversary on Wednesday with the family in Thunder Bay. Eric, Travis and I got out for a golf game—very enjoyable! We enjoyed catching up with many relatives and friends when we arrived in Regina this evening—that was a special treat! The markets were struggling to find direction around the holidays this week, but I managed a small gain as I began buying back in. The Jays performed inconsistently as well. The Riders, on the other hand, played impressively and remain the only undefeated team in the early going of this season.

And that's the abbreviated update for this week!

News Update

We've had a nice week on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. We've had a little more rain, including some from thunder storms, but it's been very pleasant all the same. Wendy and I put the pool up, and are looking forward to enjoying it over the summer. I've finished my school bus driving for the year, and for the first time actually have an assigned route to begin in September. We'll see how that goes; I'm also considering other options for my part time employment. (I have to get a part time job, or Wendy will make me get a real job!) I've been keeping company with my chiropractor this week, but I'm feeling much better and have been okayed to get back to golfing. Wendy has continued the spring cleaning right into the summer; our living room and office have been rearranged. The markets were troubled going into the week, but have turned a bit more bullish, so I'm looking forward to buying back in. Chicago completed the comeback to win the Stanley Cup, that made me happy! The Blue Jays are playing better and have put together a nice winning streak, but have found it tougher playing against the AL East lately. Football season has begun. The Riders started in Edmonton with a strong performance. 

Eric/A and the boys are on an early summer road trip. They are currently in Chicago, and we expect them back here early next week. We're looking forward to the visit, and I'm hoping Eric is ready for some golf! 

Kristian finished the school year strongly, winning the academic award for June. Here he is with a proud mama! We are arranging to have Kristian stay with us for part of the summer. Erin plans to remain in Regina to work, and then take a trip down at the end of the summer to pick him up. 

Gemma and Andrew finished the school year strongly with great results. They were out for a celebratory supper on Friday evening. Trav has had some bites on the truck, but hasn't sold it yet. 

And that's about enough for this week. 

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. The weather has been mixed, but while watching the flooding elsewhere, one feels reluctant to complain! The garden is progressing slowly, and the rhubarb is finally getting into picking range! Wendy and I have been working this week for a friend who has a home care business. I've been doing lawn de-thatching, Wendy has been weeding and reviving flowerbeds. I am in pain this weekend as I hurt my back lifting and carrying some 6x6 beams. The chiropractor has provided some relief, but I'm kept from golf this weekend all the same. This is particularly bothersome since my children gave me golf passes on Father's Day! Thanks all the same, guys; I'll be using that as soon as I can! Bernanke made a statement about the end of monetary easing on Tuesday, so I sold off my remaining holdings and managed to avoid the market sell-off that followed. Now, I am looking for opportunity to buy back in when things settle down. The Blue Jays are enjoying much better play, but they have to face the AL East in the next while and that's a tougher challenge. Hockey playoffs continue; Chicago is struggling to overcome a mugging by the Bruins. At this point they lead Boston 3 games to 2. Basketball playoffs ended with my favourites winning; I don't watch the NBA (much preferring college level basketball), but I do take an interest in the results. Wendy has continued to clean out some of our surplus; she has managed to sell several items on Kijiji. 

Eric is relocated home finally. He's been busy investigating options for the next phase of his career and has taken time for some golf practice as well. Haaken has completed his school year; Liam, much to his chagrin, has not! Haaken bought the long-cherished amp for his guitar—the whole neighbourhood may enjoy this addition! Liam has worked with his tutor to complete all assignments for the year; we look forward to better results on his year end report card. The crew is planning a summer road-trip, scheduled to start next week! 

Kristian is ending his school year on a high note as he receives the academic award in his class for the month of June. We are very proud of him, and look forward to spending much of the summer together. Erin is busily trying to complete summer and vacation arrangements. She got an iPad for Father's day! 

Trav and Joanna joined us for Father's Day brunch, and hosted us for Joanna's birthday on Tuesday. Gemma and Andrew are in the final week of school for this year. We enjoy having them close by. 

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 beautiful, and we are enjoying the lawns and garden. The late Spring delayed hay fever, but it's been wreaking havoc for the last two weeks, and only now seems to be easing. The garden is progressing and the rhubarb is finally looking like we may get to eat it someday! One main stem of one of our cedars seems to have called it quits, and is drying out rapidly. We don't know what happened there. Perhaps it is like the market, and some force somewhere decided it needed a correction! We don't know what happened there either! It has been another difficult week in the markets and further holdings have stopped out; this minimizes losses, but also minimizes potential for gains. I'm looking for opportunities to buy back in, but, for now, I'm holding at 16% in the market. Hockey has moved into the final series; I am picking and cheering for Chicago to win it all. The Jays continue to flounder in the basement of the American league east, but have won a few recently—it's still Spring, so hope continues to flourish! Football season has begun and the Riders won their preseason opener last night—go Riders! Wendy is on a program of cleaning and reorganization. I don't let her take any pictures of me for fear that I will be the next item offered for sale on Kijiji! Just this week she offered herself for sale on Kijiji as she was placed an ad for Kristian's "Tow-Mater Tricycle with working wench"! 

Eric (and, as it turns out, Erica!) are on their way driving home to Parksville, last we heard they were on the 9:30 ferry from Horseshoe Bay. They are glad this year of coursework is behind them, and anticipate the future hopefully. The boys are closing off another successful school year, although it has not been without its struggles either. Sports, music and drama have enhanced the experience. 

Kristian is closing his first school year in Regina. He has made good progress academically and socially. Erin continues to enjoy her work, and is getting to know her little community in the apartment building and at church. We miss them a great deal! 

Trav, Joanna, Gemma and Andrew help fill the family gap. We welcome the opportunities to watch their lives develop and to spend time with them. Trav's work is going well, but he hasn't been able to sell the truck yet. His new car has electrical problems and is back in the shop just now. 

And that's about enough for this week! 

News Update

With our Marriage Counsellor! 

Another week has passed and we have journeyed from the shore of Lake Superior, up to Winnipeg to take in the convocation of Eric who graduated with a Masters in Marriage & Family Counselling from the University of Winnipeg. Congratulations Eric! Congratulations Erica! We drove up on Thursday and enjoyed the evening and overnight with Tom—thanks, brother! On Friday we took in the ceremony and spent some time with Eric/A. Then we moved in with Mike & Peggy—thanks folks! We're enjoying the weekend here, including a golf game with Mike today: 45-45=90. We plan to drive back to TBay tomorrow with a stop in Kenora to visit and go to church with Eric/A. The markets have continued their dastardly ways. The US markets continued to bloom (I blame Obama!), while the TSX has decided to correct! I did not need no stinkin' correction! The DOW pushed forwards to +16.5% YTD, while the TSX has returned to negative territory (-0.5%) YTD (I blame SHarper!) Five of my positions stopped out during the sell-off so I had a down week, sigh! Wendy has continued to be busy with yard work, and forging ahead with the shredding-of-documents as well (must be taking a hint from the government!). Anyway the weather has been nice and we're enjoying puttering around in the yard and puttering around a bit at golf as well! Hockey playoffs have not been going according to my desired plot—the Bruins swept away the Penguins in four straight. At least Chicago has prevailed on the other side—let's go Hawks! The Jays continue to under-perform, but they pick up a win here and there to encourage us with the possibilities! 

Erica flew out on to Winnipeg on Thursday evening to celebrate with Eric. On Friday afternoon they headed down to Kenora. She is scheduled to fly home on Sunday, while Eric will complete his obligations at The Pas, and then drive the CRV home. The boys are enjoying the weekend in Victoria. 

Erin and Kristian enjoyed a celebration with Taylor Motors. It was punctuated by watching the medi-vac helicopter take-off and land, much to Kristian's delight. 

Trav, Joanna and crew are holding things down in TBay. Joanna continues to enjoy her new work. Gemma and Andrew are completing a successful year at school.

And that's about enough for this week. 

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. The weather has been pleasant and variable; we've had beautifully sunshiny days, rain showers and thunder storms. I've been driving bus all week, but I've also managed to get out to the golf course a couple of times. The markets have been inconsistent, but I managed to close off a good month with a good week of gains. Analysts everywhere are predicting a correction, and my experience is when they get persistent in these predictions, they can also make it happen! I don't need a correction! US markets are up over 15% this year, so I can understand why they expect some pull back; but our TSX is up less than 2%, so leave us alone and let us make some progress. The NHL conference finals have begun; I am predicting (also cheering for) the Penguins and the Hawks to move forward to the Stanley Cup final series. Wendy has been busy with programming by and for church ladies. She's off at a full-day session today. 

Eric is back in The Pas where he is engaged in a battle for accreditation of his counselling hours. He looks forward to graduation next weekend, and the completion of his time away from family. The rest of the crew continues with life, work, music and sports activities in Parksville. Erica is planning to fly east for Eric's graduation ceremony. 

Erin, Kristian and Sadie carry on in Regina. Kristian removed another tooth this week. We've enjoyed several conversations with them on FaceTime. 

Trav, Joanna and crew also keep on with mostly same ol', same ol'. Trav is moving into a new office area with more room for more stuff! He's had some leads on the truck sale, but nothing has been completed yet. We've enjoyed a couple of suppers with them, but did not enjoy the Pens loss tonight! 

And that's about enough for this week. 

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my home town. We started the week in Kansas, and drove up into Minnesota on Sunday afternoon, dodging tornadoes along the way. There were devastating tornadoes behind us, and one passed by in front of us on the way up Iowa. Maybe our weather is not so bad up here after all! We completed the drive home on Victoria Day. It's been nice this week and I've finally started my golf season. On my best year, I had 20 rounds in before the end of May! Anyway, it was a great trip and I thank our gracious hosts: Viggo & Nancy in Rowlett, and Helen & Marti in Lawrence. The Sorento performed admirably, handling well, and drinking fuel sparingly, about identical to what the car consumed—an average of 33.5 mpg, with a high of 36.6 on one highway-only leg. I even ran it up to 110 on the drive from Lawrence down to Dallas and it didn't suffer much: 35.0 mpg. Now I'd like to get everybody used to the idea of km/L. I don't accept the reasoning behind L/100km according to which the Sorento is using 8.4L/100km. It is achieving 11.9 km/L, and I don't see why that kind of number wouldn't be easier for drivers to relate to. It seems clear that, as efficiencies continue to improve, we will get bigger numbers which make more sense to me as being better! My best leg using that descriptor was 13.0 km/L. The world hockey championship went to Sweden, but NHL playoffs continue. The Penguins have completed a win over Ottawa and advance to the Eastern final against Boston. The Western conference is still in the semi-finals, but my favourite, Detroit, is hanging on. The markets were closed here on Monday, but the way they performed the rest of the week, it's just as well! A down week leaves me looking for some gains to re-reach my quota! Wendy has been working on the flower beds and plant pots; I've been working on my small garden.

Eric has been home to Parksville again. He has interviewed for some postings there, and hopes for a favourable decision. He is heading back to The Pas today to complete his practicum. He is set to convocate on June 7th in Winnipeg. The rest of the Island crew are carrying on with usual activities. We were able to chat with Erica on FaceTime a couple of times.

Erin and Kristian have been ill with coughs and sore throats. Kristian is ready to start riding his bike; they enjoy the small community of their housing complex. School and work continues as per usual. FaceTime gives us a chance to see them once in a while.

Trav & Joanna are doing well with work. Trav's business has improved to the point where he's had to end a long-time service contract to concentrate on his new assignments. He's enjoying his new car, and ruing the birds who seem to enjoy painting it! We enjoyed Tuesday night out at the new Star Trek movie, and then the crew was over for supper on Thursday evening.

And that's about it for this week.

News Update

It has been quite a week for us, far from the shore of Lake Superior and my hometown. We have enjoyed warm weather and a few dramatic storms in Dallas, and we close the week under 30+ degree temperatures and a thunder storm in Lawrence, KS. Viggo and I enjoyed a lot of golf this week; we took in all the pre-tournament days for the Byron Nelson, and I came away with a lot of coveted autographs. We also got out for my first round of golf for the year; it went well: 85 strokes and no lost golf balls. I hope it is something I can build on! This weekend, we're able to watch guys we've actually met compete for the tournament championship. The markets have been a bit up and down, but I've had a great week and am currently above quota for the month, so I'm able to make up for some lost time earlier! Wendy has been doing a bit of visiting, a lot of relaxing, and even got a massage—thanks, Nancy! She visited Owana, an old friend from Western and Zambia. We also caught up with Mike & Debbie for supper one evening; it was great to see that they are doing well. Hockey playoffs are moving on to the next round. The Leafs lost a heart-breaker, so I will dedicate my cheering to the Penguins on that side. I've decided to cheer for the underdog Red Wings on the other side. In Lawrence, we're enjoying the celebration of Marti's doctoral award —lots of friends, food, fun, fanfare, and a few too many ceremonies! And, everywhere we travelled, I heard the comments, sometimes spoken directly to me, "Oh, you've lost so much..., oh, you're so much thinner..." It seems to me that in an earlier, more gracious and polite era, one would not have heard such pointed comments about one's hair!

with Dr. Martha Denton Elford

Eric has returned home to Parksville. He has some job interviews arranged, so we pray that goes well. Erica is glad to have him home and has assigned him all household worrying for the week! 

We've been able to FaceTime with Erin and Kristian a couple of times. Things seem to be progressing normally for them, although I haven't heard about any golfing! C'mon mom, you can do this! 

Trav & Joanna are taking care of things on the home front. Joanna is very busy with work, and is enjoying it. Now it's Mai Long, and they're enjoying the break. We commiserate with Gemma who lost a friend recently. Trav & Joanna are doing some running, but the whole crew is also looking at getting back into cycling.

And that's about enough for this week.

News Update

Another week has passed and we have travelled far from the shore of Lake Superior and my home town. Today we arrived in Dallas where we are comfortably ensconced in the home of my brother Viggo and his wife, Nancy. Thanks guys for taking care of us so graciously. The weather has turned nice at home and the golf courses reopened, but I did not get out to play before we left on Thursday to drive south. We drove as far as Story City, Iowa the first day, and continued to Lawrence, Kansas the second. There we began celebrations with Marti of her doctorate—I am so proud of what she has accomplished! Her specialty of helping pre-service and in-service teachers improve is near to my heart. Aunt Helen led in the care-giving there, and provided another of her special apple pies. An extra treat was to find Rachel and Eden there—we did not know where she was in the process of moving from Alaska to Atlanta and were glad to catch up with her. The markets have been up and down this week for me; I did manage some gains, but not up to my quota. NHL playoffs are progressing. I lament the elimination of the Canucks, I don't know who I'll cheer for on that side now. The Penguins have advanced to the second round. The Leafs are on the brink, but still hanging on. My new Sorrento performed admirably on the way down, averaging 35mpg and better, and handling nicely.

Eric has completed his necessary clinical hours in The Pas, and now looks to improve his qualifications, and try to land a job. Erica and Liam have been ill, but seem to be on the mend. Liam continues with football, drums and school. Haaken works his guitar and school. Liam wanted Haaken to "rock out" with him, but Haaken demurred! Sigh! They have a renter lined up for the Kenora house beginning in June—that will ease the cash flow situation. It is a puzzle why the house hasn't sold yet, so they have some decisions to make on the financing there. 

Erin and Kristian are enjoying Spring on the prairies. They have been unable to find a suitable fit to get Kristian into soccer, although he would like to give it a try. Maybe he should try baseball; he seems to like that as well. 

Trav and Joanna are holding things down back in TBay. Joanna is getting lots of hours at her new job and even recruited Trav to help out with the Mothers' Day rush. Trav has his car back, running well. He is trying to sell the truck. Gemma and Andrew carry on with their regular activities centred around schooling. 

And that's about enough for this week.

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. The weather has continued to be a problem, but the forecast is for better times (How often are those guys right?)! The golf courses opened, then closed this week—sigh! I was hoping to get a game in before we head south next week. Good economic news out of the US pushed the markets forward, and the DOW is now up over 14% YTD—I blame Obama! Unfortunately, we're not even coming close to keeping up; the TSX did manage to push into positive territory YTD, but it's only up 0.03%. I had to get down to the hundredths of a per cent to even find green—I blame SHarper! (SHarper he is not!) At least I managed another good week over my quota; that's encouraging. Wendy has continued with cleanup of our files—the shredder is getting plenty of business! Hockey playoffs are fully engaged; Toronto is struggling with the Bruins, but has managed to win one in Boston. A few surprises are worth noting as the Canucks are down two games, and the Penguins are not up two games!

Eric has returned to The Pas where it appears he will finish his counselling hours in the next few days. He has been confirmed for convocation in early June—congratulations! Erica has been ill this week, but not before completing the budget and income taxes! That was not problem free either as she was unable to install the new tax software on her laptop! Liam is continuing with football, but has decided he likes hockey better. Haaken keeps working on his guitar. While Erica was ailing, the boys were able to enjoy several suppers' worth of pizzas! It appears a new renter has been located for the Kenora property—too bad it's not a buyer. Weather in Parksville is enjoyable at least! 

Erin and Kristian are enjoying the improvement in the weather in Regina, although, truth-be-told, it didn't take much to qualify as an improvement. It does seem that spring might finally be in full force. Now, what outdoor activities can begin? 

Trav had an interesting problem with his new car—it wouldn't stop running! We finally had to pull the fuel pump fuse to get it to stop. Now it will be up to Hyundai to fix the problem. Joanna is getting in lots of hours in her new job, so that's good. Gemma and Andrew have begun a paper route; I wish them well in that venture.

And that's about it for this week.

News Update

A beautifully sunny week has phased the fluffy rain into its proper format! The golf courses are open, although not ready for play yet; the greens and tee boxes remain covered. At least I am able to practise outside. The markets ran well all week, and I gained more than my quota, recovering from last week's bad results as the US showed improving employment data and growing GDP. I blame Obama! Bus driving continues to go well although Spring has brought us into pothole season! Wendy had more sessions with the chiropractor and reports improvement. We've been able to get out for some walks in the neighbourhood. We took our new vehicle for a run today down to Grand Marais to Sven & Ole's Pizza! That was fun and tasty! I have started yard work; Wendy is doing a sewing project—another new outfit! We are in the planning stages of our trip to Texas next month. We haven't decided what to do with the old car. The baseball season has begun; the Blue Jays are seriously under-performing. The hockey season is ending; playoffs begin next week. I will be cheering for the Leafs to take it as far as they can, but my head is with the Penguins. In the other conference, I'll be cheering for the Canucks.

Eric is back home with news that he may be able to graduate in June. He is looking forward to proceeding from professional student to professional, but is finding there is a lot of competition for available counseling positions. Erica has spent part of the week in Kelowna at a trustees conference. While there she enjoyed a visit with John & Marion. She returned to Victoria today. Haaken is pricing out guitar amps—pricey! He continues to enjoy school and guitar, but not church or youth group, sigh—the challenges of youth! Liam is continuing with football, playing the defensive line and appalled that he was expected to "sack" the quarterback—further explanation was needed there! Eric is able to help with this education. The housing situation remains complicated and stressful. The lease is ending for their renters in Kenora, and their rented place in Parksville is up for sale! Yikes! Erica has been suffering with neck and back pain, but is finding massage therapy helps—but costs! 

Erin is back in the internet world, so we were able to Facetime with them. They are not enjoying good health with hacking and congestion that may be related to allergies. Kristian showed us his growing new teeth and another lose tooth. The tooth fairy is counting the costs! Looks like Grandpa will have to plan another trip to Regina so we can get that tooth out. 

Trav got some scratches on his new car—oh, the pain of the first defilement! Joanna is enjoying her new job. Gemma and Andrew got cell phones this week—I got my first at age 53; times have changed. Trav is ready to sell the truck; we hope that goes quickly and well.

And that's about it for this week.

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my home town. Golf courses were supposed to open on Monday. They've pushed it back until the coming Monday; however, that's just a cruel joke at this point as we had a big dump of fluffy white rain on Friday! I've been working on my swing, but haven't got any practise time in yet. The markets have continued to be very bad this week, and I lost all my profits from last week and then some, so I have some catch-up to accomplish. We rejoiced with Adam Scott's win in the Masters on Sunday. This week the big event has been curling as it's the Players Championship, the final slam of the season. Several of my favourites are in the playoffs today leading to the final tomorrow, but Kevin Martin lost out this morning. Wendy is gradually improving; she was to the chiropractor on Friday. She completed her series of teeth cleaning appointments this week as well. 

Our new vehicle had a wheel alignment, but we're still waiting on the hitch application. We expect it may be ready on Monday. 

Eric is in Regina this weekend, and heads home next week. Erica is making headway with her board on the new budget and got some positive comments on the latest draft—progress! Haaken is picking out classes for his next semester—grade 11 classes—time flies! He's still enjoying guitar lessons. Liam is really liking tackle football, and showing good rhythm and lots of volume with his drums. The car is operational again—new thermostat and heat sensor—no aliens found! 

Erin continues to struggle along without internet—poor child, don't know how she manages! Kristian is having a better week health-wise and seems to be in another growth spurt. Unfortunately, he appears to just be gaining length! Otherwise they are also continuing to suffer through the record snows in Regina and wait for Spring to arrive and the Jays to start a winning streak! 

Trav is enjoying his new car. Joanna is enjoying her new work. We enjoyed spending time with them to celebrate Gemma's birthday this week, and again this evening to watch the Penguin game! Unfortunately, the schedule changed due to the tragic events in Boston, so we didn't get to watch the game at all. However, we did watch the Leafs clinch a playoff spot; that has to be newsworthy! 

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 mixed including some more dumps of fluffy white rain, but it disappeared again in the sunshine today. We keep hoping that Spring will finally establish itself. The markets continued to be miserable here while US markets continued upward, but I had a good week anyway. Canada lost the men's curling final game to Sweden—it was an impressive display by Sweden. The Canadian women lost the world hockey championship to the USA; we settled for a couple of silver medals this week. Michigan lost the NCAA basketball final, a third defeat for my choices this week. The dealer contacted us on Tuesday and accepted our offer. Now, we're waiting for them to complete the repairs and upgrades we asked them to do. Wendy had X-rays of her arm and leg; they revealed that nothing was broken, so she looks to some continued therapy to restore full function. 

Erica and the boys continue with life in Parksville. Haaken enjoyed a trip to Vancouver to take in a concert by a new band, and see how they combined their instrumentation from various eras. Liam has started Spring football league and is enjoying learning to hit people. Eric has pumped up his counselling hours and only has 31.25 left to go. Erica presented her latest draft on the budget realizing about one million is savings and was unimpressed with their lack of exuberance over her efforts! The Mazda car has fallen on bad times issuing steam and spewing green gunk on the roadway. Erica thinks they may have run over or ingested an alien! They are assessing the situation! 

Erin and Kristian have been fighting some health issues recently. Kristian, in particular, has been hacking. They continue to enjoy a snowy winter in Regina. It appears planting season will be delayed on the prairies. Erin is particularly interested in having the Blue Jays get their season going! 

Trav bought a new car; he received delivery on Friday. Joanna has started a new job. Gemma is starting a new year as she hits thirteen on Monday. Andrew has recovered from his leg injury. 

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 mostly spring-like, although we got some white, fluffy rain, along with some regular clear rain, this weekend. Curling has been featured all week; Canada has made the playoffs and beat Denmark and Scotland today to advance to the final against Sweden tomorrow. It has been a no-good, very bad week on the markets. The TSX has descended into red on the year, while the DOW remains over 11% to the good! The jobs data was troubling as Canada lost 55K jobs, while US gained 88K jobs; coincidence? I think not! I blame Obama! I've stopped out of three of my positions and reduced my holdings to 24% in the market. We continue to shop for a newer vehicle; we drove a 2011 KIA Sorento today and like it quite a bit, but the dealership did not accept our offer. Wendy has continued with doctoring on her arm. Maybe X-rays can deliver a proper diagnosis of what is bothering her. Baseball has started a new season and the Blue Jays are promising better results—we shall see! Hockey is nearing play off time, so I shall have to turn my attention there soon! Basketball is at the final four, and has now been reduced to two as Louisville will play Michigan for the championship. Go Wolverines! 

Eric continues work in The Pas; it seems to be going very well despite his complaints about white, fluffy rain there. Erica and the boys are back to their usual routines. They enjoyed their spring break in central Canada complete with lots of snow! 

Erin is having issues at home, but has a new thermostat so the place may be reliably warm now. Her internet has failed recently; she doesn't know when that will be back up. Kristian is enjoying extra activities at the Y. Mark agreeably let me win a couple of Farkle games—he seems to have given up in Scrabble!!

Trav is also shopping for a new vehicle. He's pretty much settled on a Hyundai Elantra GLS. Now, he's trying to sell the pickup. Joanna is looking at a similar job at the hospital—we hope that works out for her. Andrew hurt his leg playing soccer this week, but seems to be recovering well. Gemma continues to do well. 

And that's about it for this week. 

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.