News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. The weather continues to be beautiful, even unseasonably warm and we've even resorted to the air conditioning on occasion. We had a thunderstorm one night with a good downpour of rain. Wendy has been very busy weeding in the back yard and it's looking much better, but there remains more work to do. I've cleared the thistles from behind the back fence, and readied the boat for donation to Teen Challenge. I've also re-engaged the battle with the ground hog who seems to have taken up residence while we were away. The neighbours trapped one and moved it out of town, and we were hoping this one would leave of his own accord, but so far he's not taking NO for an answer! I've also been working on repairs in the house. I managed to replace the faucet in the kitchen sink, and then installed a garburator and redid the drain pipes—big improvement there! The markets have continued to struggle while we waited for the Fed decision, and then tried to figure out how they would react to it! I had a small gain for the week, and am just short of quota for the month so far. We've made some progress on the lesson preparation for India. Technology allows us to coordinate with the remainder of the team despite that they're spread from Regina to Salmon Arm to Yellowknife. The Riders played Ottawa this evening, and enjoyed having Kevin Glenn back at quarterback, but they still lost, sigh! It was another close one, just 3 points, but rats! The Blue Jays have opened a bit of a lead in their division, but lost today; that didn't help.

Li-Luigi!

Liam came home for the weekend. He said he's home to visit, but there are suspicions that he's just there for Comic-Con in Saskatoon. His costume may have increased that speculation! At least he's having a good time in high school so far. Erica returned from her trip early Friday morning. This is just in time to host friends from Kenora! Eric continues with work; Haaken continues to look for work. 

Erin and Kristian had a big week since it was Kristian's birthday week! I don't quite get it, but it seems that these days a tenth birthday qualifies for a full week of celebration. He is delighted with his big gift of an Xbox, and shared the experience with his friends on Friday evening and night! 

Trav & Joanna continue to be very busy. Hockey season has begun for Trav, and he's been scouting the prospects in training camp for his new team. They have also extended their team photography business moving into other sports this Fall. Gemma and Andrew maintain the usual school schedule and an active social life, so we don't see much of them. 

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

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. The weather has been beautiful, and we're enjoying that. We've managed to get some things done in the yard, but there remains a lot to do and little time to do it! We're feeling pressured by the list of things we would like to take care of before we leave for India. We're not scheduled to return from India until the end of November, and we could have snow here by then. The markets have remained troubled. The TSX is down another 2.7% this month, so I'm finding it a real challenge to find good investments. Wendy and I have been working on material to use on the India trip. We plan to deliver some classes for children in the schools, and Ray has also assigned me to speak on several occasions. On Thursday, I visited the dentist to get two teeth repaired that I had chipped off over the summer—expensive and painful, and painfully expensive! The Riders won the Labour Day classic over Winnipeg—yay Riders! Today, they played the return engagement in Winnipeg, called the Banjo Bowl—it didn't go well! The Jays continue to play well, and have opened a nice lead in their division. Today they won a double-header over the Yankees to extend their lead. 

Erica is away on a vacation trip to the US west coast, and seems to be enjoying herself very much. Eric and Haaken are holding down the fort at home in PA and not enjoying it quite as much! Liam is at school in Caronport. 

Erin & Kristian are enjoying life, work and school in Regina. Erin visited with the staff at school who work with Kristian, and she's encouraged that he is starting into a good year there. 

Travis and Joanna continue to operate on a very busy schedule. Gemma and Andrew are well into another year of school; this is Andrew's first year of high school. It seems to be going well for the whole crew. 

And that's about enough for this week! 

News Update

Another week has passed, and it finds us back on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown—it's good to be home! The week has gone well. The weather has been great, until it turned to rain today; so, we left! We packed up, and left early this morning; we drove east and arrived just after midnight. We'll worry about unpacking tomorrow. The markets have tossed and turned all week, and took a final turn downward on Friday as Goldilocks failed to come through. The US economic and job data was too hot with GDP strong and unemployment dropping to 5.1%. Investors there decided the Fed would raise rates this month, so, they decided to sell. Here our economic data was too cold, as we entered another recession, and unemployment rose to 7.0%. Investors here decided to sell as well! Friday was not a good day on the markets! However, I had a great week despite my low buy in, and managed to cover quota for the week, and recover a couple of weeks of August where I had failed to make quota earlier! Wendy and I continued with work on Erin's place, and completed the assigned tasks for this time! The Riders failed again in their game with Ottawa. So, they finally made some changes, dumping head coach and general manager. We'll see the new look Riders tomorrow against Winnipeg—go Riders, go! The Jays continue to thrive and are in first place in their division. August fundraising data for our India mission sees me looking at in-law support! I see funding from a father-in-law, two brothers-in-law, and three sisters-in-law! It's more than a bit curious don't you think? I'm suspicious they're trying to get rid of me!! Actually, we are humbled and very appreciative of your sponsoring us. Thank you, thank you! We have about half of our funding in place already. 

Eric/A and Liam brought Haaken home last weekend and combined that with a family trip! Once special event was a visit of the Ghost Town at Three Valley Gap. The arrived back to Prince Albert at 5am Sunday. Travels continued to be the watchword this week as Eric took Liam back to school at Caronport on Tuesday! Liam was not excited about school, but seems to be enjoying friends and is looking forward to voice and drum lessons. Eric has submitted his forms to be registered as a Marriage and Family Therapist. His required hours have been completed, so we hope the process goes smoothly. Erica left on Friday for a holiday trip to the US with some girlfriends. She is looking forward to a real break during which she is no on call! 

Erin and Kristian have had a busy week with school start up added to the daily agenda. Kristian seems to be enjoying his new class, and especially that his best friend, Owen, is in his class. Kristian has his first male teacher; we're all hopeful about how things will develop. Of course, they have been hosting us all week, but now that we're gone, Erin can begin developing a new list of errands for us to work on next time! 

Travis, Joanna and Minnie greeted us on our arrival. It was good to see them again after three months. We are looking forward to catching up on all the Thunder Bay events starting tomorrow! 

And that's 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 returned to hot, so we've been glad of air-conditioned spaces to live. The congregation in Gravelbourg couldn't find anyone qualified to fill their pulpit on Sunday, so we got to enjoy a trip out there and I was able to address a few thoughts their way. It was good to be back where I was born, and among folks with whom I share such sweet memories. We returned via Ogema and managed to catch up with more family there. It was a special journey. Then we moved over to Erin's as she had some errands for us to work on. The markets have finally relented and paid back a bit of all the losses I've been experiencing lately. I've sold some more holdings, but if we can move forward next week, I will be ready to start buying in again. I got in a golf outing on Friday with Dale, Buck and Mic; it was a lot of fun, but the golf was not so great. I managed 44-49—93. After opening with a birdie, it was pretty much downhill. The Riders play tomorrow afternoon, and we will be cheering for them to break the losing streak—go Riders, go! The Jays are just flying and have moved into first place in their division. It's been a long time since they've been in a playoff race. 

Eric/A and Liam left midweek to drive out to Vancouver and collect Haaken as he completed his summer courses. They visited Eric's family in Victoria briefly; his dad is doing much better and has returned home. They are now on their way back, arriving in Hanna, AB at last notification. There was a lot of construction work and slow traffic on the TransCanada, but the trip is going well. 

We've moved over to Erin's basement suite—what an upgrade from her old three-story walk-up non-air-conditioned apartment! We're enjoying the difference! We've been working on some projects here to improve her new place. Wendy has upgraded the storage and allowed the place more living area. I repaired a sink drain downstairs that was leaking, then I added a garburator and a front screen door. Of course renovations never seem to be perfectly straight-forward, so there were many trips to the hardware store for extra materials. We've been glad to enjoy the company of Erin and Kristian, along with several visits from Shawn, Astrid and Liam. It's been a good week. 

We've had a few chats, texts and phone calls back to Thunder Bay as we check up on things there, and give advance warning of our impending return! They continue to keep busy, and are considering extending their PuckShots franchise by opening up in Burlington. We wish them well. 

And 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 been pleasant, even cool today, and we've had a few showers. That has provided a nice break, however, it's also a reminder that summer is waning. I've been out to practice golf a couple of times; Kristian came along once, so that was fun. The markets have been selling off, and all N.American indices are now in the red for the year, with the TSX down 7.9% YTD. I have suffered big losses this month as well, and two more of my holdings have touched their stops, so I've been trying to sell. As it is, I'm reduced to about one third in the market. I'll be watching for opportunities to buy when things turn upward. We have been occupied this week with construction of a front deck on the house here. That was our major production for this week. Next week I have a few jobs to work on at Erin's new place. She wants a garburator installed, and a plumbing leak repaired. We'll see how that goes. The Riders have been practicing for almost two weeks in preparation for this afternoon's game against Calgary. It was not enough, as they suffered a three-point loss! But, hey, Tom Higgins was let go in Montreal; perhaps we can get a new head coach! The Jays have continued to play well, and are pushing the Yankees for first place in the division. 

Eric/A and Liam have also enjoyed the break in the weather, although it has made it almost too cool to ride to work, so Erica even drove the CRV on Friday. Liam has relaxed, slept, eaten and chilled out! He's also done further consideration of sword-construction! One more week and he's back to school. Haaken is enjoying his classes; he has one more week as well, then it's back to looking for work! Eric wrote an article on the use of games in therapy. Once it's been published, I'll pass along the link. Eric/A and Liam are visiting in Regina this weekend and staying at Erin's. It's good to spend some time with them. 

Erin and Kristian have had a good week. Kristian has been back to the eye doctor who has noted some improvement, and changed the program of medications. Kristian has been shopping for decorations for his room, and also for back-to-school stuff. This weekend, they're hosting Eric/A and Liam, and having a good time! 

Travis, Joanna, Gemma and Andrew are enjoying the season in TBay. Business continues to keep them busy—I guess that's what it is supposed to do! We are looking forward to getting back there ourselves in another week or so. 

And that's about it for this week. 

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Wascana in the middle of the prairie. The weather has been very hot, but they're promising us a break this weekend. It's been a great week for me. I travelled down with Dale to Kenosee Lake on Monday. We met up with Dave and Mic, and enjoying golfing the renovated course there. The course is much improved; I enjoyed better play as well scoring 88. On Wednesday, we drove over to Moose Jaw where we connected with Elvin & Grace who drove us out to Shamrock Park for Wednesday Wings! Many farmers along the way are already combining. Old Wives lake is higher than I've ever seen, and the old road along the lake is impassable. We checked out the old farm site and enjoyed seeing the trees that the old-timers still call Ulrich's Trees. We did not go over to the Sorensen farm sites as Elvin informed us the slough is so high the road into the lower house is covered. The dam is underwater there as well, and no one has lived there for the last three years. We enjoyed three batches of wings at the Park, but not the hoards of mosquitoes! The markets went crazy early in the week as China devalued their currency, and investors around the world sold off stocks. Fortunately, by Thursday, folks were back in a buying mode and I managed to almost break even on the week. The Riders have this week off, so we hope they'll be well prepared for their next game. The Jays have been playing great, running up an 11-game winning streak and moving into first place coming into a big weekend series with the Yankees. The Yanks have won the first two games to reclaim first place, but the Jays seem to have the team to remain in contention the rest of the way. We've begun an election campaign, and I'm tired of all the ads already! Election Day is October 19th, so we'll have to vote before we fly to India.

Eric/A and Liam have had the same heat wave as the rest of us, which means, in their three-story town house, it's been very hot. One day the thermostat was all the way over to the right, so they abandoned the house and went for a car ride to cool off. Eric is working on another article. This is one he was asked to write by a gaming magazine on the use of board games in therapy. Liam pulled weeds this week. The yard is maintained by the property manager, but that appears to be limited to a half-hearted mowing of the lawn. An abundant crop of thistles had sprung up—thanks Liam! They harvested the first of their tiny garden. They have two Charlie-Brown-Christmas-tree-like tomato plants, each sporting one tomato. They were tasty, so they hope the plants will produce more. Otherwise, Haaken continues his courses in North Vancouver (only two weeks left) and Liam continues relaxing!

Kristian was troubled with illness over the weekend, and, as is often the case, this exacerbated his eye issues. So, he was back to the eye doctor, and new therapies are being applied. His eye looks and sees much better by the end of the week. They are certainly enjoying the air-conditioned comfort of their new place. They joined us last evening at Candy Cane Park, for a celebration of Ashley and Kresten's birthdays. Shawn and the children were there as well; it was good to see them again. 

Travis & Joanna welcomed the children home from southern Ontario. Welcome home Gemma and Andrew! It has not been as hot in Thunder Bay, but they've been seeing the 30s as well. They continue to be busy with work, and now with back-to-school preparations, as they continue to enjoy their summer. 

And that's about enough for this week.

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Wascana in the middle of the prairies. The weather has remained lovely with a few showers to keep the lawns and gardens growing. I got out golfing with Dale on Tuesday, but I played inconsistently and was quite disappointed in that. We played at the Murray, an easier course, but I only managed 93. We were scheduled to play at Kenosee on Friday, but weather issues inclined us to postpone that until Monday. The course there has been rebuilt, so I'm looking forward to seeing what they've done. The markets have continued to be mostly red, and I had a losing week as well. Apparently all economic news has to reflect the Goldilocks metric—not too hot, not too cold! This week our jobs numbers were too cold and the US numbers were too hot, so investors sold stocks, sigh! Wendy has been trying, mostly unsuccessfully, to get Kristian back on the summer learning curriculum; that program will continue! Dad has completed his antibiotic regime, and seems to be feeling much better, although he still remains with some junk to cough up! The Jays have been on a run, and have moved into play-off position and are challenging for first place in their division. The Riders continue to struggle, but played a spirited game in Toronto this evening. Indisciplined play produced penalties that took 3 TDs off the board, but they persevered throughout only to fall short when their last second pass fell incomplete in the end zone.

Eric/A enjoyed a VIP movie experience. It was incredible—leather seats, ordering food from your seat... Very cool! Liam met up with his friend in Saskatoon to go to Dragon Ball Z the movie. For this he made his own costume of one of the movie characters. Fun times! Haaken is enjoying his new classes.

Erin and Kristian are enjoying their new home. More developments continued throughout the week. There still remain some curtains and other ornamentation to purchase and install, but overall, it is coming along very well. 

Trav & Joanna enjoyed a trip to Minneapolis this week. Gemma and Andrew are returning from southern Ontario this weekend—time to settle back into life at home. 

And that's about enough for this week.

News Update

It's been a full week on the shore of Lake Wascana in the middle of the prairie. We were blessed with a large amount of rainfall on Monday and Tuesday, so the lawns are greening and growing again. The garden here is producing daily toward our meals, and it's great to enjoy the full flavour of the fresh vegies. On Wednesday we completed Erin's move by emptying the trailer load into her new place. Wendy has been busy most of the week cleaning up at the apartment, and Erin got checked out of there on Friday, and it appears she will get the full refund of her damage deposit—thanks Mom! The Riders played on Sunday (we attended, thanks to our children), and again on Friday night. Not only did they lose both, but they lost their second quarterback in the Sunday game, so we were down to third string and fourth string for the Friday night game in Edmonton! The Jays have picked up a few high profile performers at the trade deadline, so hopes are renewed for a playoff push in baseball. The markets finally turned around on Tuesday, and I had some days of recovery that allowed me to complete July on quota for both the month and the year to date. Thursday was extra special as I celebrated my sixty-fifth birthday with phone calls, cards, FBook posts and a special supper featuring steak and an ice cream cake. I was royally spoiled, and enjoyed it immensely. Now I'm looking foward to my first OAS cheque which, Wendy tells me, I can use to upgrade to an iPhone6. I got out for some golf practice this morning, but it was very hot, so I cut it short. Dad has been down with a cough, but after a visit to the doctor and a prescription of antibiotics, he's feeling some better.

Eric & Liam visited Regina on Wednesday for Liam's orthodontist appointment. They stayed for a meal, but Liam was suffering from his braces adjustment, so only Eric got to enjoy the benefits of that, but at least they got to check out Erin's new condo. Eric/A checked out an apartment in Rosthern. They thought it might be nice to live halfway between PA  and Saskatoon. However, after viewing the place, they decided to stay put in PA for another year. They are reorganizing the apartment which includes designing floor plans on Excel! (Do not let an accountant manage your floor plan! Hopefully this project is done by the end of the weekend. Liam is also getting into the reorganizing mood and is doing up his room. He is also working on his armour. Haaken finished his first two classes: Drawing for Animation, and Animation Principles and Timing Next week he starts his second pair of classes: Design Basics for Animation, and Digital Animation and Design. He continues to enjoy his classes and is happy to be in Vancouver. Erica took a quick trip to Regina on Friday evening for leftover ice cream cake and to check out Erin's new digs. She headed back Saturday afternoon as she's on for worship leading tomorrow in Prince Albert, and was really looking forward to that. 

Erin has been consumed with the move all week. She took possession of her new place on Monday. Bernard and I picked up her furniture between the showers on Tuesday. I redid the wiring, plumbing and venting of the laundry room, so we could set up the washer, dryer and freezer more efficiently. Then, on Wednesday, we emptied the trailer load of household goods into the new place, and she began unpacking and arranging the condo. She continues to work on that this weekend even as she enjoyed her first house-guest, her sister, Erica! Kristian loves his new room with his new-to-him bed and furniture. Sadie appears a bit lost in the new place, but has established a favoured spot on the new sofa!

Trav & Joanna continue to be empty-nesting in Thunder Bay as the children are in southern Ontario. Next week, they're off to Minneapolis for a vacation-only trip, and then Gemma and Andrew will be back. They got some big Stickerz orders already this summer as a result of their advertising program, so that is also keeping them busy. And there's always the yard and garden calling for some attention as well. We enjoyed a nice FaceTime chat with them on Thursday evening. 

And that's about enough for this week.

News Update

Another week has passed and we have returned to the shore of Lake Wascana in the middle of the prairie. We left Fairmont, on the shore of the Columbia River, on Monday. We drove to Airdrie where we enjoyed a refreshing visit with David & Shirley. Thanks folks! We reminisced over many shared years and adventures—some of which we remembered, others we made up! It was good to see Shirley has been recovering well from her heart-event. On Tuesday we completed the trip to Regina, where Bern, Alicia and Dad are making us feel at home. The weather has been nice; we've enjoyed a few showers, but we still need much more rain. I've managed to get out and practice golf several times. The markets have continued to be terrible, and that has caught up to me as I dropped about three weeks worth of earnings with the TSX dropping for six straight days. Some holdings are just about down to my stops. The Open finished on Monday, with a three-man playoff, and as I said, Zack Johnson was my pick! (Zack-Dustin, what's in a name?!) The Riders continue their search for some consistent play, and the fans are putting pressure on management to demonstrate that they are doing something! They play again tomorrow; we'll be watching! Go Riders, Go! The Jays are playing about the same, and sitting just outside of playoff contention. 

Eric/A and Liam have returned to Prince Albert after enjoying the term of house-sitting in Saskatoon. Eric returned from his trip to Victoria and reported that his dad has improved, but is still not doing well. Eric is getting into his new job. He's enjoying it and doing well. He has been applying to a variety of insurance companies to get on the EAP provider lists. Liam has returned from Estonia and is working on a new project. He's making armour out of foam pads. He would also like to make a wooden sword, but has come up short in finding the necessary assistance—know anyone with a workshop?! His report card arrived this week. It is great to see that he is on the honour roll—way to go, Liam! Haaken continues to enjoy his courses at Capilano. He travelled over to the Island last weekend and enjoyed a visit with Eric and the Bailey family in Victoria. This weekend, they drove down to Regina to visit family and assist with Erin's move. 

Erin has been busily fretting and preparing for the big move to her new digs. Today, the crew ascended on her third floor walk-up, and packed most of her stuff into Bern's trailer. Now she will need to clean out the remainder and prepare the apartment for handover to Boardwalk. She gets possession of the new place on Monday, and we'll probably be moving all the stuff in there on Tuesday. Kristian was with us at Fairmont, and spent the days with us this week as well. He and Grandma continue to pursue academic studies and reading each day. 

Trav & Joanna continue to enjoy a busy summer in TBay. They have moved on from the Alumni event, and have begun a series of Training with a Pro events. This week the stars were Carter Hutton,  along with the pictured Burtozzo and Murray. 

Training with Pros
Todd Burtozzo, Matt Murray

Gemma and Andrew are visiting friends and relatives in southern Ontario. 

And that's about it for this week. 

News Update

Another week has passed, but we are far from the middle of the prairie on the shore of the Columbia River in the shade of the Kootenays. We're enjoying our week at Fairmont Hot Springs. I have been able to get in some golf practice everyday. Kristian takes it easy on me some days with golf, but other days is running my legs off playing catch, or tennis. Admittedly, it doesn't take much to run my legs off these days! Wendy has come golfing with us twice, so that was a nice treat. They have one par-3 course here with the larger 8-inch holes—that makes putting out a lot easier! The weather has been great, with several nice showers we could wish for our friends and family back in Saskatchewan. I have continued to work the markets a bit each day, and finally managed to get another buy. It's been a good week of recovery in the wake of some resolution to the problems in Greece. The Riders have continued their losing way, dropping another game to BC last night. They did show some signs of defensive life in the 4th quarter, so if they can play that way all game long, they will enjoy some success yet—go Riders, go! The Jays have begun the second half, and will  also need an improved effort to move into playoff contention. This weekend, I'm enjoying watching a compelling Open from the Old Course, and cheering for Dustin Johnson. 

Eric's dad is having medical difficulties, so Eric has flown out to Victoria to be with him. Liam has returned from a great adventure and mission to Estonia. Welcome home! Haaken is doing well in his summer course at Capilano. 

Erin is busy packing up the apartment in preparation for her move. She has also purchased some new furniture for the new townhouse. It is exciting times for Erin and Kristian as they look forward to leaving the apartment and moving into their own home. 

Trav & Joanna are basking in the success of the hockey showcase—the pics have turned out great, and are being well-received. Otherwise, the summer-life is unfolding well on the shore of Lake Superior. They also enjoyed an outing down to Grand Marais. 

And that's about it for this week. 

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Wascana in the middle of the prairie. The weather has continued to be hot and very hot! I managed to get out for a round of golf with Dale on Tuesday, and another round with Eric and Steve on Thursday. The games were very enjoyable and the scores were close—on Thursday Steve had 86, while Eric and I both had 87! I have almost completed my errands here, so we're ready for a holiday! We plan to head out to Fairmont next week. The markets have continued to run in troubled fashion due to Greek and Chinese concerns. It now appears that both are heading toward resolution, so I'm hoping for better markets next week. TSX is down 1% this month which drops it to -1.5% for the year so far. I've been unable to find a buy signal since April, and since I've sold a few, I'm sitting well below my quota for investment. Still, I had another good week so I can't justifiably complain. Wendy has begun Kristian's summer series programming, and both appear to be enjoying it! They do Math, English, Science and Social Studies. I think Kristian is also enjoying his introduction to the Hardy Boys. The Jays made a good run, but are now faltering in the run up to the All-Star break. The Riders have started the season 0-3 thanks to two overtime losses this week, on Sunday to Toronto, and last night out in BC. All games could have easily been won, as they lost the three by a total of 6 points. 

Eric/A are house-sitting in Saskatoon, enjoying an air-conditioned abode which helps them avoid the heat and smoke since the forest fires in northern Saskatchewan continue to burn wildly. Thousands of people have been evacuated. Liam is enjoying the Young Friends mission to Estonia. Haaken is settling into his university work in Vancouver. 

Erin has been sick the last part of the week, but seems to be getting over that. She and Kristian are enjoying the weekend before he leaves with us next week. She has begun the packing process in view of the imminent move to her new place. 

Trav & Joanna have had a busy week. They were contracted for a big hockey event, the Thunder Bay Kings Alumni Showcase with four TBay NHLers including the Staal brothers. They needed some extra photographic equipment, so they flew in Joanna's sister to help with that. At the least, it was quite the recognition for the business! Here are Joanna, Andrew & Trav with some of the NHL stars in attendance. 

Puckshots scores with the Staals! 

And 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. We continue to suffer under the smoke as forest fires rage across northern Alberta and Saskatchewan. We understand the smoke has spread as far south as Nebraska. I've been able to get some golf practice in, but no games this week. Today, we celebrate our 45th Anniversary—quite an accomplishment for Wendy! It's been easy for me! Thank you, dear! The markets have continued their troubled ways exacerbated by the Grecian Flu! The TSX has been down 3 of the last 4 months and is red for the first half of the year. Canadian GDP has been in the red as well with the first 4 months now reporting. Some economists are saying that we are already in a recession thanks to the poor economic leadership we've been subjected to here. I haven't been able to do much trading as it's hard to find an uptrend when there's actually a downtrend! So, I am blessed to have finished June above quota, and also the first half of the year above quota. The Riders are rebuilding the offence around Kevin Glenn as Darian Durant is out for the year. They get back in action Sunday against Toronto—Go Riders! The Blue Jays have been teasing us with some good baseball and a challenge for first place in the division. It appears they still need stronger pitching to prevail; they score lots of runs, but often give up even more! 

Nothing has been happening in the Bailey household as the Baileys have been elsewhere! Liam and Erica took the long way back to Saskatchewan from Haaken's grad. They enjoyed Ainsworth Hot Springs, the Columbia Icefields, some mountain camping, and Jurassic World at the IMAX! Erica was back to work on Monday, while Liam completed preparations for Estonia. They drove down to Craik on Thursday where we met them, enjoyed a meal together (featuring Bison), and then we went our separate ways. Liam came with us to Regina to catch the flight early Friday morning. He is now in Estonia! We look forward to hearing about that adventure! Erica is housesitting in Saskatoon this week, enjoying the air conditioning, more so in light of the 30+ degree weather and smoke from the forest fires. Eric and Haaken visited at the BC Baileys all week and celebrated Grandma Sheena's birthday. On Friday, Eric and Haaken rode over to North Vancouver to set Haaken up for his summer course at Capilano University. Then, Eric turn his wheel eastward, riding the bike toward Saskatchewan. We expect him to arrive over the weekend. Then, Eric/A can continue their exploration of empty-nest hood! 

Kristian has been with us most of the week and we've enjoying that. We went out together to enjoy Canada Day fireworks. Last evening, Erin made a paid reservation for us at a nice bistro downtown, so we began an early celebration of our anniversary—thanks, Erin; it was great! Today was golf camp for Kristian; Erin and I enjoyed that with him! We started off under a thunderstorm, but that passed, and the sun quickly dried us off. 

Trav & Joanna keep in contact. They claim to really be enjoying the lawn mowing! They've been having enough rain and sun to keep the grass growing nicely. We're glad to have them taking care of things. 

And that's about it for this week. 

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Wascana in the middle of the prairie. We've enjoyed a break from the bustle of the last few weeks. Bern & Alicia have certainly been keeping us in high style—thanks folks! The weather has been hot and dry with just a couple of thunder storms to break the heat. They didn't deliver much in the way of rain, although a few nearby jurisdictions suffered some hail damage. On Monday, I drove down with Dave & Rich to attend the farewell service for a long-time family friend—Doris Husband. It was delightful to catch-up with even more acquaintances of over the years, and it was meaningful to contemplate a life quietly lived in the service of family and neighbours. On Tuesday, I enjoyed a golf game with Dale who graduated with us some years ago! It was hot, and I faded on the second nine, but even more so, I was plagued with a lot of pulled shots. The totals, 43-50—93 were not encouraging, but Wendy insisted it simply meant I needed to get out more—what a woman! So, I was out for a practice session one other day; I hope that's enough! Wendy left on Wednesday to attend Haaken's graduation out in Parksville. She flew back today, arriving just before midnight. Tonight was the season opener for the Riders. Not only did we get bombed by Winnipeg, but we also lost Durant for the season. Go Riders Go! The markets have continued to be troubled by Greece and China, and all indices except Nasdaq are in the red for the month. However, I enjoyed another great week making June my best month this year. I've also been working on a few tasks around the house, mostly electrical installations or improvements. 

I now have a full set of seven to cover the BBQ! 

It was Father's Day on Sunday, and the best part was that all my children were here. I was also delighted to be informed that they had completed my set of ManGrates. These have been one of the best additions to my grilling experience, and I recommend them highly. Thanks guys! 

Eric/A, Haaken and Liam drove west on Wednesday, took in Haaken's grad, and have begun the trip back. Erica and Liam are driving the CRV; Eric is riding the bike, and Haaken has taken up residence in Vancouver for his summer course at Capilano University. We hope his work there will enhance his chances of being accepted for full-time coursework beginning in the Fall. 

The Graduate

Kristian completed school on Thursday, so he came for a visit and a couple of sleepovers to end the week. We played quite a bit of catch with his new football, but retreated out of the heat fairly early each day. Erin has completed all the legal paperwork connected to her purchase of the condo, so she's now tasked with culling, packing and organizing for the move at the end of July. 

Travis was here over last weekend, but flew back to TBay Monday evening. It was good to have a few days with him, and he really was essential to our preparations for the celebration. It was graduation time in TBay as well, as Andrew completed Elementary School and is moving on to High School. Trav helped him with his tie, while Gemma supervised, and Joanna took the photo! 

The Grad Tie!

News Update

Ellis Clinton Krogsgaard
90 years young! 

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Wascana in the middle of the prairie. It has been a busy week, with gusts up to frantic! The family has been busy preparing to celebrate a productive life. And today, we had that celebration. The video presenting photos relating to some aspects of his life has now been posted, and you can access it here. Wendy had her surgical appointment on Tuesday—very painful, but we hope it leads to better use of her arthritic fingers. The markets have continued to be troubled, but I am feeling well-blessed by another week of excellent gains. The Stanley Cup has been awarded, and Chicago Blackhawks are recognized as NHL Champions. Preseason football is complete and we're ready for the real games to begin. On Friday, we enjoyed a visit and lunch with Elvin & Grace, and were surprised to find Nathan and Jenn there as well. We enjoyed a meal of frikadeller and kartofler complete with parsley gravy. Thank you, Grace! Then we continued to Caronport to bring Liam from school. 

The Graduate

Haaken got his graduation suit (not to be confused with his birthday suit!), along with new shoes and (sigh) a tie! He's ready to graduate. Liam is packing his stuff for the end of the year. He is winding down grade 9, and making plans for grade 10. Erica has been practicing guitar all week; she has reverted to playing G-chord wrong again. They are all here in Regina at the end of the week for the big birthday party, and Liam's continuing training for the summer trip to Estonia. Eric/A took advantage to attend the Rider game blessed by tickets provided by Eric's coworker. Eric is wrapping up school cases as well as his counselling appointments with other clients on Thursday nights. 

Erin had some really big news this week. She put in an offer on the latest condo she had viewed, and it was accepted! The closing date is July 27th. We look forward to helping her establish in the new digs! Kristian continues with the special days as school winds down. One day we went to watch him at Track & Field events in Douglas Park. 

Trav flew up here on Thursday, so we're enjoying sharing the weekend with him. He was also instrumental in producing the Ellis video. Joanna, Gemma and Andrew are holding down the fort in Thunder Bay. Gemma has completed her exams, but has now come down with the flu. Andrew has broken his right thumb, but it doesn't seem to interfere with his video game playing! He's showing a lot of heart playing injured like this! 

And that's about enough for this week. 

News Update

Another week has passed and we have travelled from the shore of Lake Superior to the shore of Lake Wascana in the middle of the prairie. We left on Monday morning and drove through the day, arriving in Regina after 11pm, so it was a long day. We are glad to be here, enjoying the gracious hosting of Bernard & Alicia, and visiting with Dave, Dad, Erin & Kristian. The weather is hot and dry here; we've been promised rain on a couple of days, but nothing has materialized. I've been out to the golf course several times to practice and today got out for a round with Wendy, Erin and Kristian. It was a lot of fun! Wendy managed three pars and one birdie. She is really enjoying her new clubs. The markets have continued to be troubled by news from Greece and China. I am feeling well blessed by continued earnings from my few holdings; I hope to buy more if we can get an uptrend going. We are doing some work each day on preparations for the 90th Birthday Tea for Dad; it is set for next Saturday. Chicago and Tampa split their games in Chicago, so tonight was the opportunity for Tampa to take the lead at home. But Chicago turned the tables on them again—five games and the home team has lost three of them! Now it's do or die for the Lightning! The football season has begun, with the Riders losing to Edmonton in preseason action tonight! 

Eric/A and crew enjoyed a good week. Haaken is completing preparations for his graduation and summer course at Capilano University. Liam is completing his first year at Caronport. Eric is moving on up to his supervisory role, and setting up his office. Erica runs back and forth to Saskatoon for her university work, and often enjoys that trip via motorcycle. 

We've enjoyed catching up with Erin and Kristian this week. Erin continues to shop for a new house, and I enjoyed taking in a viewing with her. It's a nice townhouse complete with a finished basement, and she's considering putting on offer on it. Kristian has been over regularly, and stayed over Thursday night since he had a day off school on Friday. We got out to practice golf, and also played a full game today. He's doing well. Erin hasn't practised, but her game gradually improved throughout the afternoon. 

Trav & Joanna keep busy with work at home, and now that we're away, they're also taking care of the yard and plants. The weather has continued nice there, so they're making good use of the back yard and their new fire pit. 

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 lovely, and we've enjoyed getting a few things done in the yard, and continuing my perennial battle with dandelions! Wendy and I have managed to get out for golf practice a couple of times, and today we played a 9-hole game—a lot of fun! The markets had some good days as the week opened, but then Grecian fears and interest rate fears turned the markets sharply downward and all N.American indices ended the week in the red. However, I had another excellent week, and I am caught up to my quota for the year-to-date. The Stanley Cup finals have begun, and the first two games were split, so Chicago has taken the home-game advantage away from Tampa. 

Bailey's have sold their house in Kenora—yay! There were a few hiccoughs near the end, but Greg and his buddies came through, so, special thanks to them, and it is all settled. They are relieved to have that stress removed, and plan to rent for a while. They don't feel ready for the mental or financial burden of home ownership. Erica picked up Liam so they could have a family weekend before Haaken heads off to Capilano, and Liam to Estonia. They're enjoying having the whole family under one rented roof! Liam was able to complete his fund-raising target—woohoo! Thanks to all who donated to that. He sent out his thank you notes last week. He also got his official learners' licence, and an object lesson on internet dos and don'ts. Do express your excitement. Do not post a copy of your ID! Haaken continues preparations for his summer program. He's concluded his work at Walmart and put his earnings into savings. Soon they'll be headed west for his graduation ceremony. 

Erin and Kristian are playing a waiting game on the house purchase. They definitely have picked out one they like, but it's still too pricey! However, prices are dropping in Saskatchewan, so they live in hope. Kristian is nearing the end of the school year, and that always bring some special events. 

Trav & Joanna have moved into Baseball season photography; this is their first season to add that to their business. They even picked up an anniversary photography assignment for one of their hockey families. Good service provides expanded business. Joanna and Gemma are working a wedding this weekend. 

And that's about enough for this week. 

News Update

We've enjoyed another week on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. We've had a fair amount of rain this week, and cooler temperatures this weekend. I have been busy trying to apply a special watering to the dandelions and hoping that the rain doesn't wash it off! This weekend, we drove up to Winnipeg to join some friends there, and journey together with them out to Dauphin to commemorate the life of David Muller, another long time friend who has been battling cancer for the last 9 years. It was a wonderful occasion of celebration of a life well lived. We were able to reconnect with so many friends from so many differing circumstances of up to 50 years duration. The TSX has continued to struggle and ended the month down over 1%, but I was blessed with an excellent month of gains of more than my established quota. I am thankful. Through our visit we got to spend some good time with Dean & Kelly, and Bob & Linda. Thank you folks for hosting us so graciously. The semi-finals have been completed in hockey. The Rangers let me down, losing game 7 at home to Tampa Bay. Chicago outdid themselves, winning game 7 on the road. So, it's The Blackhawks against the Lightning for the Cup. I really was impressed with the Lightning during their series with the Rangers, so I'll be cheering for them to win the Stanley Cup. 

Liam is off camping with his dorm mates this weekend. And by camping they mean spending a day at West Edmonton Mall, doing some hiking in the mountains and lodging at a camp ground in Banff. Sounds like quite a road trip! The Baileys are looking forward to the finalization of the house sale of the Kenora house on Monday. Eric has been busy dealing with last minute items related to that. This week Eric had very good news in that he received a promotion at work! Congratulations, Eric; we are very proud of you. Beginning in July he will move into a supervisory role. It is good to see that his hard work is being recognized and rewarded. Haaken has recalculated the required daily work to complete his correspondence courses before graduation. It is fortunate that he already has completed his grad requirements! Eric and Erica travelled to Dauphin today to join in the celebration of David Muller's life, so we were glad to see them there. 

Erin and Kristian continue to be busy with the various elements of their life at home, school and work. There have been no further developments on their search of a new townhouse to buy, but they are encouraged that home prices in Regina are moving in their direction. 

Trav & Joanna suffered cancellation of their first baseball photo sessions due to the rain, but they've managed to complete several of them later in the week. 

And that's about enough for this week. 

News Update

We've enjoyed another fine week on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. The weather has turned decidedly summer-like, and we're enjoying that, along with the thunderstorms it brings. My foot continues to be a bother, so I have not been out golfing, only practicing. I got the lawns mowed, but could only manage one per day. I'm limiting the garden this year to only tomatoes and rhubarb. Those are set up with drip irrigation. We don't have our summer plans established, so I haven't decided whether I'll water the lawns at all. The markets were variable all week, and I only had four days due to the holiday, but I managed to fund a full week's quota all the same, so that was encouraging. Canada completed the World Hockey Championships with a convincing win over Russia. The Stanley Cup playoffs continue; the Rangers are even in their series after four games. Chicago won this evening to tie up their series as well. 

Haaken experienced his first day off work this week. He said it felt good! Amazing how much better a day off feels when you're a working stiff! Liam drove on the highway for the first time this week. He drove from Chamberlain to Moose Jaw—scary! Erica took the motorbike to work a few days this week. She enjoyed the ride, but discovered one morning that there isn't much open at 6am! Eric had to rescue her with a  gas can. Eric managed to get the motorbike properly licensed in Saskatchewan. SGI wanted a letter from the province where he first got his motorcycle licence. He responded, "That would be you!" It took a few days, but SGI figured that, indeed, Eric got his licence there back in 1989. Today, they toured Prince Albert National Park—very scenic, very enjoyable! 

Erin and Kristian have continued their search for a new townhouse. They have checked out several, and have even selected one they prefer, but it's too pricey! Today they spent time at a street festival—Cathedral Village Arts Festival. Lots of music and activity there. 

Trav and Joanna continue to be busy with the company work as well as Joanna's job. In the next week they're booked to photograph nine hockey teams for the summer league, and eleven baseball teams! Gemma and Andrew both had some sick time away from school this week, but they seem fully recovered today. Is it the weekend?!

And that's about it for this week. 

Happy May Long

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. The weather has been very nice, with a  few showers, and the weeds have begun to respond! I got some roto-tilling done today around the rhubarb and tomato plants. Wendy and I have been out cycling as she enjoys her new bike. We've begun exploring the cycling trails of the city, and as Dave assured us, there seem to be many good connections. We also got to the golf course one evening for some practice. Wendy is enjoying her new clubs. The markets have continued to be difficult, but I've made my quota for May, and have begun backfilling some of the missing money for April. My doctor finally accepted the gout diagnosis, and expects that my dietary changes will help me prevent further outbreaks. My knee is feeling quite a bit better now, and the remaining discomfort is in my foot. Rangers came back to win their series and move on to the semi-final against Tampa Bay. They won the first game in that series today. Chicago is playing Anaheim in the other half that starts tomorrow. Canada beat the Czechs to advance to the final of the World Hockey Championship against Russia. That game is also tomorrow. 

Haaken got a job at Walmart! He started yesterday working in the warehouse 3pm to 11pm. Well done, Haaken! Liam passed his Learner's License test on his first try, besting both of his parents! Eric is getting very close to having all his hours for clinical status. After this weekend, he will need only one more hour of supervision! This weekend the Baileys made a quick trip to Regina for Liam's LST training. They returned to Prince Albert today for the long weekend. 

Erin and Kristian did another walk through of the townhouse they're looking at. Next they plan to check out some others, to at least get some renovation ideas. Sadie is sporting a Spring haircut.  They dismantled Kristian's old bed, and they're getting ready to get his new one installed. Today, they're catching up with Erica while she's in town, and playing with the animals in Petland. 

Trav, Joanna and family are working on the backyard. They have developed a fire pit and got the inspection completed successfully for that. Then, they bought a patio set that they assembled this afternoon. So, it's looking very comfortable out there now. They inaugurated it with a marshmallow roast this evening. Thanks guys! 

And that's about it for this week. 

Happy Mothers' Day

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. The weather has been great, and I've got a bit of work done on the front flower beds. The lawns are looking good. The golf courses are also looking good, and I'm missing out! I have concluded that I have gout. The doctors have not issued a verdict, but I hope we can push closer to that at my next appointment on Monday. I've checked the risk factors for gout: male, over 50, meat eater, overweight, consumes high fructose corn syrup, drinks beer; I'm guessing that even my refusal on that last one may still leave me at risk! I have now decided to forego Powerade as it uses HFCS. I can definitely link my last two gout episodes to a period of heavy consumption of Powerade, sigh! As to symptoms, the foot still hurts, but the main pain currently is in my knee. The markets were volatile this week, but I was blessed with a great week, and have now achieved quota for this month, so I can start working on last month! NHL playoffs continue; Chicago has advanced to the next round, but the Rangers are trailing the Caps 3-2 and are certainly at risk. 

The Baileys have found a potential place for Haaken for his Capilano course this summer. It is only a five-minute walk, so while he'll have to cook for himself, it looks like a good option, so we hope it remains available until July. Liam continues to raise funds for the trip to Estonia. He is doing well in school and taking drivers' education. Erica completed yearend this year with only 16 hours of overtime; last year she was putting in that much each week—her system is in shock! She's also enjoying her new shoes, despite a blister on her heel. Haaken has been applying for jobs, trying to make some money before heading to school. Eric is finalizing his hours for clinical status. He has completed his clinical hours, and just requires about 8 hours with his supervisor. Today they celebrated Mother's Day with a trip to the spa at Watrous. Nice! 

Kristian is planning a Mother's Day date with his mom. He's taking her to It's a Blast! Sadie got her Spring haircut this week. Erin and Kristian also took in the new Avengers movie earlier in the week, but apparently that wasn't part of the celebration of Mother's Day! 

Trav and Joanna are hosting McNana this week; Diane flew in on Wednesday. Gemma and Andrew are glad to have her around. We're enjoying it also. Trav is packing up the Elks uniforms as he's moving on to a new team next season—let's go Rangers! Joanna and Gemma are working a wedding this weekend. 

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 I've been admiring the condition of the golf courses. It seems the greens have enjoyed the mild winter; I look forward to playing, however, I've fallen down with a strange malady. On Tuesday, I awoke to a kink in my right foot. I figured it would release as the day went on, but it hasn't. I noticed some lack of sensation on the side of my foot, and it didn't get better. On Thursday, I went to the doctor who is likewise perplexed. He's advised basic ibuprofen and tylenol, and had X-rays taken of the foot and ankle. We wait to see if they reveal any answers. At least we both seem to be getting over our coughs. The markets completed a terrible month for me in which I barely made any gains, and certainly fell far short of my quota. Now we're at "sell in May and go away" and I wonder what to try next! The NHL playoffs are into the second round. New York and Chicago remain my picks to move along. 

On Tuesday, Haaken and Eric joined Erica in Saskatoon to celebrate Eric's birthday. After eating out at Earl's, they took in the musical: 25th Annual Putnum County Spelling Bee. Haaken was chosen as one of the audience participants and enjoyed being in the play until the intermission—a funny play. Haaken continues to work on his Math and History on-line courses. Liam has started Drivers' Education—yikes! Watch out world! He continues with his preparation for a summer mission trip to Estonia; he is doing course work and raising money for the trip. Eric has been invited to apply for a Senior Counsellor position at his current work. Whether he gets it or not, it is an honour to be asked. Erica's weekly highlight was climbing a two-story oil tank to take a dipstick measurement for year end inventory. That was an exciting change from the typical accounting day, and a bit scary as well at that height! She also climbed through shipping containers to take inventory on spools of high voltage wire, as well as inventory tests on various parts and equipment. Her prize for these additional adventures was a new pair of safety shoes. Liam forgot his hat last weekend, so now Eric is stylin' with the hat and leather jacket! 

Erin is busily engaged in real estate and the related high finance! She has preliminary financial approval, and continues to look over townhouses that may provide a better housing situation for them. Kristian is enjoying spring activities and is now signed up for summer golf camp with grandpa. I'm looking forward to that. 

Travis and Joanna remain busy with work. Gemma has been sick all week with a sore throat and lung congestion. She is now on medication, so we hope for better days. Andrew built a medieval catapult, so no people or animals are safe around here! 

And that's about it for this week. 

News Update

Another week has passed and we have completed our trip with a wonderful visit in Dallas with my brothers and their families. Then on the last three days, we drove home. We love traveling, but we also love getting home! On Sunday, we completed our visit with the Calders, and drove down to Dallas where we enjoyed the hosting of Viggo and Nancy—thanks a lot folks! Family gathered on Monday evening, so we got to catch up with many of them. However, it was a short stay, so we didn't even manage to catch up with all our family—another time! The Sorento needed new rear brakes and rotors, so we planned to get that done while in Dallas. Then, on the way down, a passing motorist decided we should also get a new windshield! So, thanks to Viggo's contacts we were able to get that accomplished on Monday, and at a very favourable price! I also manage golf games on Monday and Tuesday before the thunderstorms moved in. Both games were similar in that I played poorly on the 1st nine, and then markedly better on the 2nd. It was 49-41 on Monday, and 50-42 on Tuesday. On Wednesday we went out to lunch with Verner & Linda and then returned to their place for some karaoke. Sadly for my comfort, Wendy had passed along the cold by then, so, my singing was limited, and the drive home was also a bit of a burden. We enjoyed the hospitality of Aunt Helen on Thursday evening (thank you!), and then with thunderstorms, hail and tornadoes threatened we hurried north on Friday, stopping for the night in Minneapolis. We completed the drive on Saturday, arriving on the shore of Lake Superior at about 6pm. The markets have played dismally for me all week, so I'm down again. I'll need to have some special days next week if I'm to catch up! Hockey playoffs are proceeding and some first round series are already over. My two picks survived the first round. 

The big news for the Baileys was the release of Haaken's grade 12 provincial exam in English—he got 81%—well done, Haaken! This was the last outstanding requirement for graduation, so he has his gown and commencement tickets on order. Erica is working on year end at the University. She is feeling blessed to have only a few extra hours of work and not the very long days she's become accustomed to in the past. This weekend they are in Regina. Liam is taking LST Young Friends training. Eric and Haaken are going to a fan expo—Margot Kidder will be there! This evening they're enjoying birthday cake for Eric, and suffering through the Canucks season-ending loss to the Flames. 

Erin and Kristian are doing well. Erin had her annual accounting department supper at a fancy restaurant to celebrate the year end—appears she's one ahead of big sister on that front! She's also started work with a mortgage broker and viewed three townhouses so far. On Friday evening they had a big Spring party at school until 9pm. This evening they're celebrating and commiserating with Eric! They've been upgrading Kristian's hearing aides as well as moving up to a better situation for his audiologist. He still has another tube to replace next week. Kristian has been working his new bike, and that's going well. 

As we drove home, we met Trav, Joanna, Gemma and Andrew at Two Harbors MN at noon. They were on their way for a day in Duluth, and we were on the final leg home. It was good to see them again! Hockey playoffs are proceeding and Travis proved to be a reluctant prophet as his Pens lost in five. Joanna's Jets also lost out, so they'll both have to look for new teams to cheer for. Now we're home taking care of the menagerie and we had good news on the lizard front, or should I say rear! Zed has been suffering with constipation, but there was a major movement on that file! 

And that's about it for this week! 

News Update

Another week has passed and we continue our sojourn in the middle of the prairie, far from Lake Superior and my hometown. We completed a wonderful visit with Shepherd, Ruhtt, Miguel, Melina and Manuel Mbumwae. We enjoyed our time with Matthew and Tamara and Marti, and of course we basked in the hosting and apple pie making of Aunt Helen! We were able to renew acquaintances with many others in Lawrence whom we met on previous trips. I even got to golf with Larry on Tuesday! He tried it tell me it was his first golf in three years, but I think he was sandbagging! On Wednesday, we drove down to Stillwater and enjoyed catching up with Jack and Joann. We shared many remembrances of Zambia and developed more solutions to problems there. We grieved that the solutions are unlikely to be tried, and that the problems may not even be addressed. On Friday, we moved on to Shattuck in western Oklahoma near the panhandles of both Texas and Oklahoma. While there we caught up briefly with Matthew and Tamara again, and enjoyed the hosting of Rod & Sue along with Josh and Emily. We have been threatened the last three evenings with tornado, lightning and hail, but so far we only been hit with rain. The markets have been very bad this week, and I have taken losses and fallen back from my quota. I will need to work harder—or at least smarter! The Hockey season has ended and all playoff series have begun. I await the upsets! The first upset has already been recorded as the Edmonton Oilers won the draft lottery! The Blue Jays have begun the baseball season, but with mixed results so far. We live in hope! Brad Jacobs and Eve Muirhead won their respective events in the season-ending Players Championship of Curling. 

Eric/A and crew are on the mend with only an occasional cough to be heard—must be holidays that make them sick! Liam got into Drivers Education—watch out world! Haaken made significant progress on his History class, and also a bit on his Mathematics. He continues to apply for jobs and wait to hear on his college application. Erica is back to work, and with yearend approaching there is a bit more to do. At least she gets to bank overtime! She was featured in the recent Financial Management Division newsletter—very nice! Due to programming changes and school reconfiguration, Eric's job will look a bit different next year, but at least with his full time status with seniority, his employment status is secure. They are enjoying a quiet weekend. 

Erin and Kristian had a nice outing to the Science Centre and the Mall. They are enjoying the fine Spring weather on those days that it makes an appearance. Kristian got a new bike, so they went bike riding this afternoon. Erin also tries to keep up with the Blue Jays. 

Gemma's birthday celebration was a main feature this week. The actual date was Wednesday, but the celebration continues! Otherwise Travis and Joanna keep up with work. Travis keeps a faint hope for some good results for his Pens, while Joanna cheers for her, ah, Jets! 

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

News Update

Another week has passed and we have journeyed south from the shore of Lake Superior. We are currently enjoying staying with Aunt Helen in Lawrence KS. If this is not the middle of the prairie, you must be able to see it from here! We have enjoyed a good week with family visiting until Thursday, whereupon we also headed out. Our first incident was having a passing vehicle throw a rock at us. It has ruined the windshield, so we'll try to get that replaced somewhere along the trip. We stopped the first night just south of Minneapolis in a blinding snowstorm. Fortunately, it had cleared by morning, so while we saw lots of evidence of vehicles in the median and the ditches, we had a good trip the rest of the way south. The markets have been good, and I have caught up to my first quarter quota, and am in pretty good shape toward the quota for this month. I plan to check with the bus people when I get back from the States and see what they have to offer me. The world championships of curling ended with Pat Simmons gaining a bronze medal, but, of course, that is never good enough for us! This weekend they're playing the Players Championship in curling, so I'll monitor that. It's Masters week in golf, and I'm enjoying watching Jordan Spieth; I hope he can finish it off tomorrow. Baseball has started, and Erin is keeping me updated on the Jays games—thanks! Hockey season has ended and five Canadian teams made the playoffs, which is quite an improvement over recent years. Boston and Philadelphia did not make it, so at this point, I don't even have anyone to cheer against! I'll be hoping our Canadian teams do well, while picking NYRangers and Chicago Black Hawks as the favourites to win their divisions. 

Eric/A and the boys started the week with us; we were very glad to have some time with them although they all suffered a bit with coughs. Haaken felt it was a no good, very bad week! However, they were glad to catch up with many friends both in Thunder Bay and Kenora. On Monday they arranged an Easter Egg treasure hunt for Haaken, Liam, Gemma and Andrew. They stopped by the board office in Kenora where Erica used to work, and enjoyed catching up on things there, including a tour of a school addition that had been completed after Erica left. By the time they got back to Regina, they were glad to greet Bern, Alicia and Logan returning from Mexico, and then retreat to Rich and Sue's house for a sick day! 

Erin and Kristian had a good weekend in Medicine Hat. Kristian is enjoying his spring break at the Y day care. Erin is enjoying the beginning of baseball season. I enjoy being able to chat with her about how her beloved Blue Jays are doing. Today they took advantage of the great weather to go on an outing to the park where Kristian did a lot of rollerblading. 

Travis and Joanna picked up some bonus work with Puck Shots, so that was a nice surprise. Joanna and Gemma also picked up another wedding set up. Andrew and Gemma did not have a spring break, so after Easter Monday, they were back to school. This weekend, Gemma is enjoying doing a spring cleaning of her room and closet! A lot of stuff got purged! 

And that's about it for this week. 

Happy Easter!

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. The weather has continued to be nice, with Thursday being especially warm. The fairways are once again visible, but frozen and soggy; the greens are still covered with tarps. It has been a choppy week in the markets with two days to end last month, two days to start this month, and a holiday! I ended March short of quota, but had two good days to end the first week of April over quota, so that was encouraging. I've been busy with curling all week as Pat Simmons and crew had a good round-robin, but lost the first playoff game. They played Sweden in the semi-final tonight and lost that, so they'll try to beat Finland tomorrow in the bronze medal game. NHL season is drawing to a close with a few playoff spots still available; then, we finally get down to the serious half of the hockey season! Baseball is ending spring training, and the regular season is beginning, and all teams still have dreams of a championship! NCAA basketball concludes on Monday with Wisconsin and Duke fighting it out. I'll be happy with either one; I'm just glad the one-and-done Kentucky program did not succeed!  

Eric/A have had a short week of work. They drove down to Caronport on Thursday to pick up Liam, and then headed east. Next week is a school break for Eric and Liam, so they've decided to make a family road trip. This weekend they're in Kenora enjoying the hospitality of friends there, and catching up with Greg & Jaz. They plan to complete the trip to TBay on Sunday, and spend some time with us. Eric/A have both been fighting colds/flu off and on; maybe they're giving it to each other! Unfortunately, that puts a bit of damper on visiting. Haaken continues to update his portfolio for reconsideration of Capilano. He is also continuing to work on his history and math courses on line. 

Erin and Kristian are also taking advantage of the Easter weekend holidays to travel. They've driven west to Medicine Hat to visit family there. 

Travis and Joanna continue to be busy with work. Trav's hockey season ended on Monday as his team lost the deciding game in the semi-final series. Now he can focus on his playoff bracket in the NHL! Gemma and Andrew are enjoying the long weekend from school. 

And that's about it for this week. 

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. The weather has been cooler, but warmed up a bit today. We've enjoyed a quiet week. I thought about doing a bit of bus driving, but they've given away my old route, and I'm not eager for the frustrations of subbing on several runs for the short time we have before heading south. The markets have continued to be very volatile and posted wide variations this week before settling for losses. I had a good day Friday and managed to turn in an overall gain for the week, but it has left me far short of my quota for the month and with only two market days left! On Friday, we learned of the passing of one of our long time Thunder Bay friends, so, that was a sad note. In curling, Mike McEwen won the Elite 10, and the Swiss beat Jennifer Jones to win the women's world championship. Today, the men's world championship began with Pat Simmons beating US in their opening draw—Go Canada, Go! Kansas lost out in NCAA basketball, so that eases that part of my schedule. I'll cheer for Gonzaga for so long as they last. Baseball is almost ready to start their season, while hockey is ending the regular season. It's a busy time of the year to be a sports fanatic! And, I have to give a nod to my friend Philip as his team faces the Aussies in the World Cup final in cricket! 

Eric/A and Haaken had a quiet week after returning Liam to school on Sunday. This weekend they're all together in Regina again. Liam is training for Young Friends/LST trip to Estonia; Eric is enjoying Spring Renewal; Erica and Haaken are along for the ride! They enjoyed a nice visit with Erin and Kristian today. There was good news and not-so-good news on Haaken's post-secondary applications. He has received acceptance into the Summer program at Capilano University, but he did not get early acceptance into the Fall 2D program. However, he can apply again during the next round in April. We pray he will find success there. 

Erin and Kristian are working to overcome his latest illness and make better progress on his school work. They had parent-teacher conferencing this week and are considering options for getting Kristian an improved placement for the rest of the year and next year. This weekend, they're enjoying Spring Renewal and the many family and friends who have gathered in Regina. 

Trav, Joanna, Gemma and Andrew have returned from holidays and are back to their regular activities. Trav's hockey team lost the first two games of the semi-final series and are now on the comeback trail. Andrew had a wrestling tournament on Thursday where he won two matches. 

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 lovely, and the lawns are showing up once again. We did not have nearly as much snow here this winter, so I did not have to shovel off the trampoline, and it's now ready for action. The deck has cleared, and we celebrated the arrival of Spring with our first barbecue last evening. The markets have continued to be in turmoil. Our poor economic picture left the TSX down 2% for the month, while US indices are celebrating all time highs. It was a better week, and markets surged after the US Fed announcement on rates, so I had another good week, and am almost at quota. I'm having an overload of sports: World Curling is coming to an end with Canada (Jones) playing for gold tomorrow; March Madness is underway with Kansas getting a #2 seed, and winning their first game, while one of the #1 seeds has been knocked out; Elite 10 is running on the curling tour with Koe losing in the semi-final this evening up in Fort McMurray—McEwen plays Edin in the final. We've also been working on renovations. I've installed the electrical and water lines for the fridge downstairs and reinstalled the ceiling tiles. 

Haaken has begun work on another animation project. He is also preparing a production schedule for completing his school work and also looking for a job. Eric and Erica celebrated her birthday on Wednesday with a dinner at a local fancy restaurant. Then, they enjoyed a birthday cake back home with Haaken. Eric made a presentation to a class on arguing. He enjoyed it and thinks it went well. Liam made a surprise visit home on Friday. It is great to have the whole family under one roof! 

Kristian has suffered some more health issues as he took ill at school on Thursday and had to be taken home. He seems to be doing better this weekend and even recorded a song for us today. 

Trav, Joanna, Gemma and Andrew have been away all week in the Toronto area. We expect them home tomorrow evening. 

And that's about it for this week. 

News Update

Another week has passed, and we have returned to the shore of Lake Superior where the women are strong, the men are handsome, and all the children are above average! After enjoying the generous hosting at Dad's, we set out on Thursday and drove across the prairies and into northern Ontario. The roads and weather were favourable, and we rolled into our own driveway about 1am Friday morning to a warm welcome from the family and menagerie here! There's a new bird since we left, a yellow budgie that chirps in a friendly manner—a marked contrast to the screeching of the scarlet conure when she wants our attention! The markets have continued to be volatile, and all North American indices are down 2% or worse this month. I was blessed with a great week, recovering from the mess of the first week of March, but I'm still below quota for the month. The Brier ended on Sunday, and I delighted in the win by Pat Simmons. Today, the women's world championships began with a win over Finland. I'll be following that this week. US college basketball teams were making their final pleas in conference tournaments. Sadly, my Jayhawks did not finish on a high note, losing the championship game to Iowa State. Now, I'll be watching to see how the brackets fill out. I'm expecting the Jayhawks to be a #3 seed. 

Eric/A, Haaken and Liam were with us on Sunday, but then headed out to deliver Liam to Caronport, and return home to Prince Albert. They're back at work and school now. Haaken continues to work on two on-line courses. 

We enjoyed spending time with Erin and Kristian while we were in Regina. This week, Kristian was back at school, but we still were able to enjoy evening visits. 

Trav, Joanna and the crew flew out Friday morning to spend time over the March break with family in the Toronto area. Trav's team won their opening round of the playoffs in straight games, so they have a bit of break now before the semi-final round. 

And that's about enough for this week. 

News Update

We started the week on the shore of Lake Okanagan with John & Marion—thanks again! We enjoyed reunion with several friends at church in Vernon, and then headed east. After stopping over night in Canmore, we completed the trip to Regina on Monday! The weather continually degraded as we journeyed east, and the highway was slippery in drifting snow between Swift Current and Regina. Several semis and other vehicles were in the ditches. We have endured sufficient winter weather already, and are glad to see it break and are enjoying above zero temperatures this weekend. We are also enjoying the warm hospitality of Uncle Dave and Dad—thanks a lot! Today marked Dad's 90th birthday, and there was a large family gathering to celebrate the occasion. We also noted Wendy's 65th birthday (Monday), and Erica's birthday (March 18th).  Strong economic data out of the US has convinced investors that the stimulus tap will be turned off, so the markets have been terrible this week. All indices are down, and so am I. Brier Curling has been running all week, and I've been enjoying that. My favourite, Kevin Koe, did not make the playoffs, but my sentimental favourite, Saskatchewan's Steve Laycock, did. He will play in the bronze medal game tomorrow morning, while another Saskatchewan native, Pat Simmons, playing as Team Canada, will tangle with Brad Jacobs in the final. I'll be cheering for Pat, but I expect Brad to win it all once again. 

We brought Haaken back with us from BC. Eric/A and Liam joined us here this weekend to take part in the birthday celebrations, so the family is together again. Tomorrow they will drop off Liam at Caronport and return with Haaken to Prince Albert. It has been good to spend these two months with Haaken. 

Kristian spent most of the week with us as he recovered from Chicken Pox. He has been vaccinated against it, but it seems a new strain is out there, so the Health people asked for him to come in and donate some blood so the could study this new variant. Erin got back to work after spending Monday at home with Kristian, and spent most of her off-work hours over here, so we've enjoyed catching up. 

Travis, Joanna and crew are definitely looking forward to the end of winter. The weather has broken there as well, and we hope it will continue to be mild and the snow will be melting away. This evening they joined in the birthday celebrations via FaceTime; it was good to talk with them. Trav's team ended the season tied for first place, and now begins the playoff run. We hope it goes well! Andrew is in wrestling now, and looks forward to his first tournament. 

And that's about enough for this week.