News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown, but I am no longer there! I'm on the shore of Lake Ontario in a town I would never wish to call home! The weather has continued quite hot, and we've been living under the comfortable umbrella of the air conditioner. Erin arrived on Wednesday so we enjoyed a few days with her, and then Kristian, Erin and I flew down to Toronto on Friday to enjoy a weekend with the Blue Jays. They have cooperated by winning the first two games, and we hope for more of the same tomorrow. Then, they'll be heading for Regina, while I fly back to TBay alone. It's been a good summer with Kristian, and we wish him well as he heads back to school. 

It must be dangerous to have a floor this clean!

Wendy has been taking care of all the critters while Trav & crew are away. She has also been cleaning and polishing while the rest of us are out of the way, so the kitchen and dining room are back to spic and span condition! The markets began in rally mode, but then fear of the Fed set in, and Thursday and Friday were deep red for me. Still, I had a great week, and have gained my monthly quota, and am nearly caught up to the YTD quota. As mentioned, the Jays continue to thrive and are in first place in their division. The Riders continue to not thrive! They put up a good fight against Edmonton, but still fell short. Let's go, Riders! 

Keeping a close eye on the Jays!

Erica's office is moving to a new location, to an office of the future—the future being Monday, I guess! They toured the new facility this week. It was very bright with high ceilings and minimalist furnishings—nice! The move included letting old stuff go! Erica managed to scoop some golf balls to share with yours truly—very nice! This is the final week for the whole family to be home for a while. Liam returns to Caronport on Monday. Haaken continues his preparations for his move to Regina. He has prepared a schedule for Auntie Erin, so they can plan meals and other things. Eric's work is also making changes and renovations; there are exciting times ahead. He had his yearly review and it was very positive! 

Erin worked Monday and Tuesday, and then flew down to Thunder Bay to catch up with Kristian and us. After a couple of days there, she and Kristian flew to Toronto with me for a special vacation-ending trip. We're enjoying several special experiences in Toronto along with watching the Blue Jays. Kristian even managed to score a baseball during batting practice, but nothing for Grandpa yet! They head home to Regina after tomorrow's game, and we will certainly find the house empty. 

Kristian and his baseball!

Trav, Joanna, Gemma and Andrew are also in the Toronto area. They flew down on Wednesday to visit and celebrate her dad's 80th birthday. I'm sure they all had a good time. Tomorrow they plan to take in the Jays game with us. They're planning to fly back to TBay some day next week as Gemma and Andrew begin another year of school soon. 

And that's about enough for this week. 

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. It was hot this week, but it has turned cooler with showers for the weekend. I got out to practice golf a couple of times. It's been fairly quiet around the house. I got the new basketball backboard installed on the garage; Kristian really likes that since it can be adjusted down to a more suitable height for him than the old one. He's been shooting lots of baskets. He continues to work through his touch-typing lessons and is making good progress, but time is running out! I have begun work on the kitchenette downstairs; that will take a while! Now that I have located the drain connection, Wendy wants me to add a vanity in that bedroom—sigh! The markets ran well at the start of the week, but turned down after the FOMC minutes were released, and various Fed Reserve speakers made hawkish sounds! As a result, the week was not up to quota, but I remain on quota to this point in the month at least. Wendy has  been busy redoing the bedrooms to her new purposes. The upstairs room has been revamped for Kristian. One downstairs bedroom has been cleaned out, but now I've created a construction site in there. Come September, we're expecting Travis to set up his office in the other downstairs bedroom. The Jays continue to thrive, battling with Baltimore and Boston for the division lead. The Riders continue to disappoint, losing big to Hamilton today. 

The Bailey's got some answers over Liam's stomach pain. He has been diagnosed with Celiac's disease. So, they are into gluten-free food. After two years of braces, Liam is relieved to know that popcorn is gluten-free! The rest of the family are suffering with summer colds, so it's been pretty quiet this week other than the coughing. The house-sitting gig has come to an end, so they're all back in the apartment. It's nice to spend some time together before the boys head off to school.

Erin got older this week! A happy birthday was enjoyed. This weekend she and Sadie are enjoying a Bourne Marathon. Her oven remains out of commission, but a solution is anticipated, and, in the meantime, she can at least use the stove top. We look forward to her arrival down here next week. 

Travis and Joanna continue to work on setting up their new place. They've assembled two new dining room tables, but both have proved unsatisfactory, and thus had to be returned. They are at least getting to be expert at assembly of that design! Gemma and Andrew are getting their rooms established to their preferences—not necessarily in line with the preferences of the local adults! Minnie has established a safe corner in the new living room. The Bucket Decal business is quite active already this season. 

And that's about it for this week. 

News Update

Canadian Lakehead Exhibition!

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. It has been a rainy week, and I have struggled to find opportunity to get my lawn mowing done. I got one cut on Tuesday evening, and then got 3 done yesterday and another 4 today; so, I only have one left. With the rains, and my busyness, I have not managed to get out golfing this week—maybe tomorrow. I was back to the doctor on Wednesday. As it happened, I was suffering my first severe gout attack since I started my new meds. She confirmed that my uric acid levels are still too high, so she has doubled my allopurinol dose. She also checked out a sore on my face, and decided it should be removed and checked, so I've been referred to a plastic surgeon for that procedure. We went to the Exhibition with Kristian on Friday evening; that was fun, although the large crowds made for lineups at the rides. The markets were good all week, until weak retail sales data on the US side turned the markets into a tizzy on Friday. Still, I managed a great week. Kristian has completed his typing lessons, but still needs to pass his final test. He's doing well. He has also been improving his bike-riding, and enjoys shooting baskets in the driveway. Wendy has been busy with cleaning and rearranging our living quarters subsequent to Trav, Joanna and crew moving out. We are also preparing the next renovation plans; it'll be another busy time! We want to get the kitchenette done downstairs for the in-law suite. The Jays have continued to play well, and are in the picture for first place in the division. The Riders played the second-half of the home & home with the first place Calgary Stampeders. It was encouraging, but still too much of a challenge for the rebuilding Riders as they lost 19-10. I have also watched some of the coverage from the Olympics. 

The Bailey clan hung out in Calgary this week. Erica was in training at the Deloitte office. Eric, Haaken and Liam went to the zoo one day and threw balls at animals, but Haaken refused to play PokemonGo! Erica encountered a man carrying a Pokemon one day as she was walking back to the hotel. She would have captured it, but the man looked a bit scary! She didn't have any balls to throw at him anyway! They enjoyed two trips up the Calgary Tower, once to stand on the glass floor, the other to enjoy dinner in the rotating restaurant. Eric and boys did lots of walking, shopping and riding the C-train. This weekend they're taking the long way home through the mountains—a good week, a good trip! 

Erin has been having a pretty routine week. She and Kristian FaceTime regularly. She has continued to follow-up on her stove issues. Shawn checked the electronics on the control board, and it's dead, so she'll have to order a replacement. She ordered new shock-proof cases for her iPhone and for Kristian's iPad. They were delivered here, so Kristian got his installed already. 

This was the week when Travis, Joanna, Gemma, Andrew and the menagerie moved to their new digs. It's pretty empty here since they all left, but they still have plenty of things to move, so we see them each day for another load. I am not missing the birds, but Kristian is sure missing Minnie. We all are missing the family. 

And that's about it for this week. 

News Update

We've enjoyed another beautiful week on the shore of Lake Superior, in my hometown. The weather has been great, and we've had a few showers to break the heat. We even got by without AC today for the first time in about a month. My friend, also Bill, has taken holidays, so I am running his lawn care business while he's gone. It'll be a couple of weeks this time, but he is also planning a month in Europe in September, so I'll be back in charge then. So, I've been busy grabbing opportunities when the grass is dry, but the temperature is not too hot. The markets were red all week until Friday when great US jobs' data turned everybody green! Our jobs' data was very bad here, but the health of our big friend next door is always more important to our well-being anyway! The Riders continued their losing way, but did put in a good effort for three quarters of the game against Calgary. Durant is back, so we live in hope—pretty typical for Rider fans! The Jays are playing well, and remain in a first place tie with Baltimore. Kristian continues his work on typing, and has completed five lessons this week. Today, he went golfing with us again; that was another good day! 

Erica was sick this week, a visit to the doctor confirmed it—she's sick! Liam got some blood work done, but they're still waiting to hear about the results. They tested for Celiac's among other things. Haaken worked on his own at the townhouse. He is packing for his move to Regina. Eric worked 3 days last week, and 4 days this week. It's time for a break before attempting a 5-day week! Erica is scheduled for coursework next week in Calgary, so the family is making an outing of it. They began the trek by heading to Regina and visiting with Erin. Must be an indirect route! 

Erin has managed a few medical checks this week. She's been given some trial medicine and a prescription for the same as a defence against migraine headaches. Medical advice concerning her skin breakouts is not so helpful. She'll just have to live with it and use steroidal creams when necessary. Then, she had a failure with her range. The burners continue to work, but the oven seems to be dead. She has now received advice on potential repairs, so we'll see where that goes. 

Travis & Joanna have closed the deal, and received their keys to the new house. They are busy moving stuff in, getting set up, and searching for all the necessaries for their own place. Today, they bought a small battery-powered lawn mower for their small lawn. It's basically a whipper-snipper on wheels; I'm looking forward to seeing how it works. Gemma is busy with work most days, while Andrew is usually busy with video games! 

And that's about it for this week. 

News Update

It's been a beautiful week on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. The weather has been great, albeit a little too hot for me. We've enjoyed a good week of activities and are beginning to plan the next phase of developments and renovations on the house and yard. Wendy got some of our artwork hung; we're finally getting to enjoy those again. The markets have continued to run well. The TSX was up nearly 4% for the month, and I almost gained double my quota, so I was able to cover for some of the shortfalls I experienced earlier. The Riders suffered a comprehensive beating Friday night in Montreal; c'mon Riders! We hope Durant is back soon, but truly that is not their only problem. The Jays, on the other hand, have continued to play well, and, with today's win, have advanced to first place in their division. That was much fun to watch! I've managed to get out to the golf course a couple of times, and I especially enjoyed today's golf with Wendy and Kristian. We need to go more often! 

The Baileys are home from Estonia, a little tired, but glad to have had that experience. They enjoyed  seeing the young people sharing their faith, and experiencing a new culture. The found Estonia to be very beautiful, and in some ways very familiar. It also has very old places. The old town in Tallinn was fascinating with the bulk of the exterior city wall and turrets in good condition. Home again in Prince Albert, most of them are enjoying house-sitting for friends who have central air! Haaken is batching at home while the rest enjoy the more favourable accommodation! They enjoyed a wonderful visit with Bonnie (nee McMillan) this week as she was touring Saskatchewan. Liam continues to struggle with his stomach issues and has another doctor's appointment in the coming week.

Erin finds it pretty quiet around home these days since Kristian is down here. Kristian has been taking touch typing lessons this summer. He enjoys using his laptop from home even more now that it has a new battery. We had a picnic at the marina on Friday evening, but there were spider webs around, and possibly spiders, so he was pretty wary of that! Erin scored a new set of wheels this week, in her case it was just a pair as she bought a new bicycle! Grandma has renewed her efforts to get Kristian comfortable riding a bike here! 

Travis and Joanna have completed the paper work, so the process of moving into the new place has begun. They prepared a barbecue picnic for my birthday supper today, and we enjoyed that on the deck. They've taken one truck load of stuff over to the new place. I hope to have a trailer available for them to use next weekend which should accomplish most of the move. They've also been shopping for some additional equipment, furnishings and utensils for their new home. We shall miss them. 

And that's about enough for one week. 

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. The weather has been distressingly hot, and we have spent most of the week inside the house as the outdoor temperatures ran to the mid-thirties! We have had a couple of thunderstorms, but have not heard of any particular damage in our area related to those. Kristian has been suffering with runny eyes and stuffy nose; we now have him on Benadryl, but we're not seeing much improvement. He is working on typing lessons this summer, and enjoying playing with his cousins and Minnie. I have been working on the lawns and garden, and the weeds are taking a beating! We've been enjoying rhubarb crisp, and another picking is available. The combination of sun and rain have the lawns looking better than expected, but I'm having to mow them too often! The US markets are hitting record levels, and we're following just enough to make for another good week for me. April and June did not meet quota, so I'm working to catch up on that shortfall. The Blue Jays are playing pretty well (Sorry, not today!), and are currently in a playoff position and challenging for the divisional lead. The Riders took down the #1 team in the league last night behind backup QB Mitchell Gale—yay Riders! That gives them their first win of the season, and renews the hopes of Rider fans everywhere! 

The Baileys continue their sojourn in Estonia. They have relocated from Tartu back to Talinn, as they prepare to come home. They are having a good and busy time.

Erin has suffered from migraines again this week. We hope some remedy will be found to relieve this. Otherwise, summer in Saskatchewan continues to be hot and that has spawned a few violent storms with massive hailstones reported, and even a tornado or two touching down. Yikes! Then, on Friday, Husky announced that their pipeline had sprung a leak and dropped a significant amount of petro-products into the North Saskatchewan River. North Battleford has had to shut down its drinking water collection from the river. Today, we're informed that the booms have failed to contain the oil, and Prince Albert's drinking water is also threatened. 

Kristian, Matt Murray and the Cup!

Bucket List Item: checked off!

Trav and Joanna were very busy on Tuesday coordinating Matt Murray's day with the Stanley Cup. Some of the payoffs were great pictures with the cup! Gemma has had a couple of wedding celebrations to work, and Andrew has worked some of that as well. The big news has to be the completion of the purchase for their new place! They will be taking possession next month. The house looks ready to move in, so there should not be much in the way of renovations needed.

House for: Travis, Joanna, Gemma, Andrew

And that's about it for this week!

Home Again!

Another week has passed and we have finally managed to get home! We left Regina on Wednesday,

Kristian & Grandma vs T-Rex!

spent Wednesday and Thursday nights in Winnipeg, and drove the final leg to Thunder Bay on Friday. However, the week was more eventful than the brief write-up makes it seem. The Baileys arrived in town on Tuesday in anticipation of their departure for Estonia on Wednesday morning, so we migrated over to Dad's place where Bern, Alicia and Logan put us up for the night. Thanks! Meanwhile Erin was hosting the Baileys. We joined them at the airport on Wednesday morning as they began their trip to Europe. The meeting was brief, but we were able to send them on their way with our best wishes. The parking fee at the Regina airport was a shocker—eight dollars! Yikes! Then we packed up Kristian and headed east for a lovely stay with Tom & Mariette in Winnipeg. Board and room were generous, but Tom was not so kind on the course, as he took it to me at Teulon Golf Course on Thursday! Kristian and Wendy enjoyed a nice tour with Mariette through the new dinosaur exhibit at Assiniboine Park Zoo. Thanks for the nice stay in Winnipeg. Today, we have been surveying our next projects around home. Wendy did some shopping and I did some weeding. The rhubarb needs picking and the potatoes are doing well, but that's the limit of my garden this year. The markets were very helpful this week, and I am already at quota for the month of July, so I can attempt to make up for the lack in May! MLB has been in all-star break, but the Jays have returned to action again, but are failing to return to action in winning mode! Let's go Jays! The Riders played BC tonight and continued to struggle, even more so after Darian Durant fell to injury in the first half. There were encouraging signs for sure. Still, it's disappointing to see them falling to 0-3 in this rebuilding season. Let's go Riders! 

As mentioned, the Baileys have flown to Estonia and have taken up residence in Tartu for the next few weeks. Eric & Erica will provide some of the supervision and leadership with the group. 

Erin is home alone after we took Kristian with us to Thunder Bay. Now, she'll have no one to mess up the house, so she'll have a wonderful time with summer house cleaning!! 

Trav & Joanna had big news this week as their bid for a house has been accepted. There remains work to do on the conditions, but we'll be watching that with them in the coming weeks. Otherwise, our house and yard are looking pretty good, so thanks for taking care of things while we were gone! They have been very busy with their usual work, and this week took on a special project—coordinating and photographing Matt Murray's day with the Stanley Cup! That is set to take place on Tuesday; we are all looking forward to that! 

And that's about enough for this week. 

News Update

Another week has passed, and I have wandered away from the shore of Lake Wascana for a while, but I have returned to it this evening. The big event of the week was the annual Pryder Cup between friends in Bismarck and Dauphin. As has become the norm, the golfers hail from farther afield to contest the event, but the camaraderie is as warm as ever! This year's event was in Bismarck. I drove down to Weyburn on Wednesday, left the car at Kal-Tire for servicing, and rode south with Kerry. We met up with the crew at Washburn Thursday at noon, and played the first round of the competition there. The original Canada vs USA format has been abridged several times due to the availability of participants, and this year it took the form of veterans vs youth. The young guys took the first round, opening up a two-point lead after the stroke play event at Painted Woods. On Friday morning at Prairie West, the old guys roared back to take a one-point lead, only to see that lost in the afternoon scramble matches at Riverwood and Friday ended with the youth holding a slim one-point lead. It was left to the Saturday rounds at Hawk Tree to determine the outcome. Once again the Vets won in the morning to tie up the affair, but the kids took it to us in the afternoon to close out a 2-point win. It was great fun. I drove back home this evening, arriving just before midnight. It's good to be home away from home at Erin's. The week has not gone well for me in the markets either, although I did end in the green, but short of my quota. The Riders are green, but they also fell short, in overtime, to another green team—the Edmonton Eskimos. The Jays are blue, but they went on a tear prior to the All-Star break and have improved their position considerably. 

The big news this week from the Bailey household is that Haaken passed his Learner's exam toward his Driver's Licence. Yay Haaken! Now both boys are practicing for their driving exam. A friend is having a costume party with a Lord of the Rings theme this weekend, so Liam has been working on an Aragorn costume. He also showed off his culinary skills by making Lasagna for the family on Friday night. The boys are exchanging and rearranging their rooms, so the apartment is a bit of a disaster at present! Eric and Erica have been working, and preparing for the trip to Estonia that begins next week. 

Erin and Kristian continue to take care of us. While I was away, Kristian trained Grandma on using the smartphone app to do GeoCaching. They found two caches, and also spent time at the Regent Park pool. 

Travis and Joanna hosted her mom this week, and celebrated their anniversary most of the week as well. It seemed they were eating out at special spots on both sides of the border several times. We look forward to getting back there in another week. 

And that's about it for this week. 

News Update

Another week has passed and we have returned to the shore of Lake Wascana in the middle of the prairies. It bears repeating that we enjoyed a great time in Yellowknife! On Sunday we drove from High Level down to Edmonton and enjoyed the evening and night with Scott and Dolly—thanks very much! On Monday we continued to Sylvan Lake where we were introduced to Jim and Carol's new home—nice place guys; we enjoyed the largest and coolest bedroom in the place! Finally on Tuesday, we headed eastward to Regina, where we are comfortably ensconced with Erin and Kristian—thanks for your hospitality! So, we've enjoyed another blessed week. I had a shorter week in the markets due to the Canada Day holiday, and there was still turmoil due to the Brexit vote, but finally we got some bounce-back and I made some good recovery. However, the month ended well short of my target, so I'll have to pick up the pace in July! I enjoyed golf games on Friday and Saturday. On Friday, I played Tor Hill with Dale; that was just okay, as has seemed to have become my norm lately! It shouldn't take 90 strokes to get around a golf course! Today, I enjoyed golf with Kristian, Erin and Wendy—that was a lot of fun! The Riders have begun their season, but it was not a good start for them either. They'll need to improve in July! Finally, the Jays have dropped off lately. All told, I'm expecting a broad range of improvements this month! 

Liam's Awards

Liam finished his exams and closed the books on grade 10! He won several awards for his year's work, including a $700 scholarship for his ministry achievements. Congratulations Liam! He's back home for the summer. He saw the doctor about his stomach issues and one initial thought was that it might be his gall bladder. The doctor wants to see the results from the tests done in Moose Jaw, and then may need more tests. In the meantime he is on some medication for when his stomach is upset. Haaken came down with a nasty cough this week, so he's been consulting with a doctor as well. He's on medication to clear the congestion from his lungs. Erica was out of town for a few days for an audit and enjoyed being out in the field once again. Eric continues to hold down the fort at home and work. 

GeoCach#1

Lotsa stuff in there! 

Kristian completed his school year on Wednesday. Kristian, Wendy and I got out for some golf practice on Thursday. We introduced Kristian to the hobby of GeoCaching, and he was an instant enthusiast! He kept locating new sites "nearby", and leading us to them. It was amazing how quickly he caught on, and how effectively he navigated the tiny maps on our iPhones! Erin has been dealing with another infection in her hand, but it is showing good improvement. 

Travis, Joanna, Gemma and Andrew continue to hold down the home base. Gemma and Andrew have taken turns cycling Joanna into the ground, or pavement, as the case may be. Otherwise life and business seems to be continuing pretty much as usual, and the photography facet of their operation continues to expand. 

And that's about it for this week. 

Yellowknife Treats

We enjoyed a great time in Yellowknife with friends and family. It was great to be re-acquainted with so many people. Three situations stand out in our hearts and minds. 

Simon and Lenore: This wonderful couple meant so much to our eighteen years in Yellowknife, and we were reminded of that during our time with them in their home and at the cabin. As is her wont, Lenore organized our days and filled them with activities of remembrance and of new adventure. It was a perfectly wonderful and exhausting time! We wouldn't have missed it! 

enjoying a wiener roast!

Willy: He heard we were in town, and that we were staying at Simon & Lenore's place. While we were enjoying most of the week at the cabin, he showed up at their house in town every day, hoping to catch us. Finally, on Thursday, we were there, and we enjoyed a reunion with him. We remarked to each other how special it was to know of the efforts he made to connect. Thank you. 

Tram: She has been a part of our lives for many years. She was a friend to Erica, and Erica was a bridesmaid at her wedding. Tram gave me the honour of walking her down the aisle. But we did not realize the impact she felt we had on her life. Well, she made it clear! She feted us graciously at home, on the lake and at a local eatery! It was heart-warming to be recipients of such largesse. 

at Tram's home!

News Update

North of Sixty!

We spent most of the week on the shore, or surface, or under the surface of River Lake! On Thursday, we returned to the shore of Great Slave Lake, and also spent time on the shore of Range Lake. Now, we have begun the journey south, and are, this evening, in High Level. It has been a great week, of recalling memories and making new ones! We headed out to our cabin on River Lake on Sunday with Simon and Lenore. We enjoyed a daily smorgasbord of eating, paddleboarding, hiking, hot-tubbing, geocaching, canasta, crossword puzzles, siding, painting, fighting mosquitoes, fighting horseflies, and even occasionally sleeping. It was great! Thanks Simon & Lenore! After returning to YK, Tram hosted an event for us on Thursday evening. Thanks Tram! On Friday, we were reacquainted with the sands of time on the Yellowknife Golf Course. We dutifully slogged through nine holes, playing the back nine which hadn't been built the last time we were in YK. On Friday evening, we joined Cindy and crew as Joel assembled the new BBQ, and most of the rest developed cupcakes into a birthday celebration. There were still people we missed getting to spend time with, but it was time to head home, so turned our wheels southward. The markets were roiled all week over Brexit, and when they finally voted to leave the EU on Thursday, the markets really hit the dumper, so, I had another bad week on the investment front. Another football season has started, but the Riders have this week off. Go Riders, Go! The Jays are playing pretty well, and are tied for second place in their division, and currently are in a playoff position. 

SUP Wendy!

SUP Bill!

Liam spent a day in hospital this week due to stomach pain issues. The ER doctor ruled out an emergency situation, and referred them to the family doctor for further investigations. On Friday, Liam was recognized for being on the Honour Roll, and for his work in Fine Arts, and Ministry Involvement. Way to go, Liam! Haaken has been studying for his Driver's Licence learner's test this week. He plans to write on Monday—Good Luck! Eric had his first couple of church meetings as Elder in charge of Finances—must be some kind of a joke, surely! Erica has been participating in more client meetings, and will begin managing some projects in the next week. 

Kristian is completing a great year at school, and instructing us to get to Regina in time for that on next Wednesday afternoon! He needs to practice his golf more to get ready for the summer with Grandpa! 

Travis, Joanna, the crew, and the menagerie are thriving at home. They experienced a heavy rain and flood today in Thunder Bay, and noted some guys canoeing in the mall parking lot across the street. Gemma and Andrew are also finishing a successful school year, and looking toward their summer activities. 

And that's more than enough this week! 

News Update

Another week has passed and we have journeyed to our next lake, and another favourite destination. We loved calling Yellowknife home for 18 years, and have really loved this brief return engagement! Simon & Lenore have hosted graciously and scheduled extravagantly. We close the week tired, very tired, but it's a good tired! We drove up to Manning on Monday, and completed the trip to YK on Tuesday. It was amazing to see and drive on the bridge over the Mackenzie River. We recalled how when we moved to YK in 1977, it was mostly viewed as a foolish dream, but here it was in reality. The bridge is roughly 1 km, and with the earth extensions from each bank, it crosses about 1.6 km of the river. 

Dehcho Bridge

Once we had crossed the bridge, we were on the lookout for Bison, and finally about 10 km from YK, we saw a cow and calf alongside the road. 

Bison Cow

She kept trying to block our view of the calf!

We've been able to visit the schools where I worked, and I was honoured to present the Technology Award kept in my honour at Range Lake North. The recipients had distinguished themselves in Web Page development in HTML5. 

Tech Award

We enjoyed hikes to Cameron Ramparts, and Cameron Falls. Simon & Lenore also introduced us to GeoCaching—what fun! The markets have been very bad this week as varied concerns from the US Fed decisions to the UK Brexit vote have kept investors worried. I hope I will start to catch up soon! The hockey season ended on Sunday with the Pittsburgh Penguins winning the Stanley Cup. We enjoyed that! The Blue Jays are playing better as well, and scrambling back into the playoff picture. 

Along the way, we have enjoyed sending messages back to our children featuring our adventures in YK. After all, Erica was only three when we moved there, and the other two were born there. It has been great to share the adventure with them once again. Travis & Joanna shared back the arrival of our new sofa! As predicted, it covers our pictures! 

I understand it sleeps three humans with ease! 

And that's about enough for this week! 

News Update

Ashley crowns Barry!

Another week has passed, and we have journeyed from the shore of Lake Superior to the shore of Lake Wascana. The main purpose of our trip was to be present for the wedding of our niece Ashley and her chosen man, Barry. We celebrated that occasion today, in Regina. We have completed most of the work on the living room, and cleaned things up in anticipation of being away for a month. It's looking much better already, and renovations continue. We still need to complete the work on the downstairs bathroom once we find a suitable shower unit, so the effect of a house taking care of all your extra time and money continues! I visited my oncologist on Tuesday morning, and we exchanged our usual pleasantries: "That feels pretty good." "No, it doesn't!" My PSA levels held around 11, so we continue our watching and monitoring. We drove to Brandon on Tuesday afternoon to visit with Bonnie and Charlie. They were full of questions about the situation in India; they are planning a trip there with Bob Parker. We hope we didn't just overwhelm them! We continued to Regina on Wednesday and moved into the downstairs bedroom at Erin's. Then, with the Baileys' arrival on Friday night, we've moved over to Dave's for the weekend. The markets took a vicious downturn this week, and my portfolio suffered as well. I was getting close to being on quota for the year to date, and now I've fallen back once again, sigh! I enjoyed a round of golf on Friday at Tor Hill with Dale and Mark. My driving was much improved with my two-glove approach, but the rest of the game was as shaky as ever—46-46-92. Wendy took part in a mammoth day of wedding decorations and flower arranging on Friday. It all looked great! Stanley Cup playoffs continue. I was hoping the Penguins would finish it off Thursday night, but they ran into a hot goaltender, so the series continues with the next game on Sunday night in San Jose. 

The Baileys are back in Regina this weekend for Ashley's wedding. They plan to build in some cousin-bonding time in the form of shopping for sharp duds for Kristian! Liam has entered the land of politics by running for and winning a place on student council at school as grade 11 representative for next school year. Congratulations! Liam had computer issues; he couriered his laptop over to Regina and I took it in to the computer tech here who had done good work on my laptop last year. We haven't heard about any solutions yet. Otherwise, they've had a quiet week, but it was nice to have some time with them this weekend. 

Erin & Kristian have been busy with hosting family this week. We moved in on Wednesday, and then the Baileys moved in on Friday. Kristian had a sports day on Friday at school, so Grandma and Grandpa enjoyed getting a chance to watch some of that. I delivered Kristian's golf cart which I had rebuilt to accommodate the height of his golf bag. He was immediately ready to go golfing! 

Trav, Joanna and crew are taking care of things at home. They are anticipating the arrival of Joanna's mom, and also awaiting the delivery of our new sofa to fill up some of the space that is now our living room. We plan for it to sit in front of those pictures against the end wall, so those may need to get raised and fastened to the wall! 

And that's about it for this week. 

News Update

Livingroom Hardwood is installed! 

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. The weather has been rainy, and I've struggled to find a date to water my dandelions! I finally got that done on Wednesday, and they're exhibiting the wonderful signs of expiring! We have continued to work on renovations, trying to get the main floor in livable condition before our planned departure next Tuesday. I have managed to get the hardwood laid, and it looks great. It started raining Friday night, thus my outdoor sawing program failed, and the installation of baseboard has been delayed. The markets have been whipsawed with news this week, especially on Friday, when the USjobs report surprised investors negatively, and the markets sold off. Still, I managed to have a great month of May, and have also managed to make my weekly quota to start off June in only three days. (Even the blind pig finds the odd turnip!) My gout treatment program is going well, and I have moved onto phase two. I am now taking both Colchicine and Allopurinol. It's hay fever season, so I am also on Reactine. Something has been contributing to fatigue the last few days, and I've been running out of energy in the early afternoon. I hope that passes soon. The Stanley Cup finals are underway, and the Penguins have won the first two games at home. Today, they faced the challenge of playing in San Jose, and that did not turn out so well! The Blue Jays are doing well lately. They have played eleven straight games against Boston and New York and have won eight of them! 

The Baileys have had a good week, despite an unfounded and endless supply of worries about tomorrow! This weekend they are back in Regina for LST Training, and a visit with Erin and Kristian. They are thankful for the support of family and friends in their fundraising program! Haaken continues to look for work. He has a lead on a part time job putting flyers into newspapers. We hope that pans out. Erica enjoyed her first week of not commuting to Saskatoon! It's also been a week of dusting the cobwebs off parts of her CA training that she hasn't used in a while. There have been some slow chugging, but she's getting back into the auditing framework! Eric enjoyed a quiet and good week, more so because Erica has been working close to home.

Erin and Kristian are hosting the Baileys this week, so she has a houseful. When she finds time, she is enjoying the new found success the Blue Jays are demonstrating. 

Travis and Joanna are off for yet another honeymoon trip this weekend, so we're watching over the children and varmints! Wendy is in grandma-taxi mode. It's all going well. Puckshots is busy with team photos for baseball, so that makes for good business. Trav got great news—he's been selected to coach a Midget A hockey team in the next season. He really enjoys that work and does a great job of it; we're glad for this vote of confidence. 

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 my hometown. We began the week in Lawrence, where we enjoyed the company of family and friends mostly connected to Zambia. Thank you Aunt Helen for hosting us! That enjoyable sojourn came to an end Thursday morning, as we caught a flight to Toronto and from there to Thunder Bay. The trip was not uneventful; we arrived in TO in the early afternoon, and since we were booked to leave there about 10:30pm, we began trying our luck at getting home earlier. We had no luck with that, as the earlier flights were not only fully booked, but overbooked! The single result from these efforts came to light when we tried to board our 10:30 flight and found out we were no longer booked to fly! Fortunately, they did have seats available on the flight and we were able to fly home. However, it was not as scheduled because our plane "went mechanical", and our departure was delayed about an hour while they arranged another plane. It is good to be home, but there is a lot of work to be done. I got the lawns mowed on Friday, and completed the removal of the carpets today. Now, we can get back to laying the hardwood. The markets were good to me again this week and I have achieved my quota for May, if I can just hold on! I've even managed to recover some of the missed quota from April. My gout treatment is going well; I have only experienced symptoms one day since I started colchicine. Next week, if all continues well, I plan to add allopurinol to the mix. Canada completed a successful run at the world hockey championship with a gold medal! The semi-finals are over in the NHL, only one of my picks has moved forward as San Jose surprised and delighted me by beating St Louis. I cheer for hockey teams based on style of play, and I like the way both of these teams play. I pick teams based on who I think will win! In the final I'm picking and cheering for Pittsburgh. 

The Baileys completed their trip to Victoria with a long day of flying and driving to get back to Saskatchewan, and to get Liam back to school. He is now off on a camping trip that somehow includes Banff and the West Edmonton Mall—that's what they call camping these days! Erica used up her holidays and had her final day at the University on Friday. Monday she stops commuting and begins at Deloitte. Eric has been asked to serve as Elder for their congregation in Prince Albert, and naturally we're very proud of both of them over this recognition. Haaken met with the University of Regina accessibility department as part of his preparation for university in the Fall. He is still trying to get a summer job. 

Erin has been enjoying the improved play from the Jays of late. Kristian is enjoying a few of the special outings and events that comes with the waning days of the school year. 

Travis & Joanna keep busy at their various assignments. Travis has been able to branch out with Puckshots and is taking some baseball team photos. He is also working his connections to try to get set up for a coaching assignment for next hockey season, and he seems to be getting close to finalizing it. He will be closely glued to TV the next while his beloved Pens play for the Cup. 

And that's about enough for this week! 

Happy May Long!

Zambia Connections!

Another week has passed, and we have left the shore of Lake Superior and journeyed southward to Lawrence KS. We have enjoyed a joyous reunion with friends from Zambia, Saskatchewan and Kansas. We are especially blessed to enjoy the gracious hosting of Aunt Helen—thank you very much! Wendy was able to make good progress on the living room painting, and I was able to get the new hardwood installed in the hallway before we left on Wednesday morning. It looks great! 

Wendy dropped a hammer on her toes—they do not look or feel great! 

I have completed one week of my new drug regimen for gout; I have only experienced symptoms one day, so that's encouraging progress. We have enjoyed touring the sites, museums and markets in Lawrence and Kansas City—where, of course, everything is up to date! The highlights for me included a golf outing this afternoon; I shot par—once. Out of nine holes that is not nearly enough! The markets have remained troubled, so, I am delighted to have been blessed with a good week, and I'm almost back on quota for the month. Hockey playoffs continue in the semi-final round with both series tied at 2 wins each. I've not been following those as closely due to the travel and visiting. The Blue Jays continue to struggle along; I need them to play much better! 

The Baileys have taken the opportunity of the long weekend to fly out to Victoria to visit family on the Island. We're sure they're having a good time! 

Erin suffered a mishap this week. At Kristian's insistence she was trying to jump up and smash a spider on the ceiling, but as she returned to earth she landed on Lego; it took a chunk out of her foot. So, she's a bit on the limp. She continues her barbecue education; this week she offered burnt offerings of both steak and pork chops. The adventure continues! 

Travis got some sad news. Thunder Bay minor hockey management determined that since more organizations wanted Midget A teams that some of the current teams would have to be disbanded! So, in their wisdom, they have revoked the franchises of his  team (the league champs) and another of the more successful teams—sigh! Otherwise, he, Joanna and crew are taking care of things back home. We are thankful for that. 

And that's about enough for this week! 

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. We opened the week with Mothers' Day; Wendy enjoyed thoughtful and beautiful gifts from the children! The weather has been lovely, but it has turned cooler for the weekend—drat! Wendy has pushed forward with the painting, and I've been helping with wall-patching. I'm also trying to plan the hardwood installation. I have not been out for golf as my gout makes walking difficult, however, there is good news on that front! As noted last week, I have been employing a few home remedies, and it seems there was some benefit, but not nearly enough. Wendy has taken up the cause, and is plying me with cherry juice, and cherries—although I'm allergic to cherries. Then, if the anaphylaxis doesn't kill me, I should get better! This week, she decided to wrap my foot in hot cabbage leaves overnight! Then, I guess, we would make halupki for lunch! I decided I should give western medicine another chance! The standard responses of medical science to gout are can't and won't! "Since you're having an attack, we can't prescribe allopurinol." "Since you're not having an attack, we won't prescribe allopurinol." Sigh! Fortunately, my niece, Joy, responded to last week's post with some advice. I took that advice with me to visit the doctor. After I related my long, sad story which would brings tears to your eyes, I told her of Joy's advice. Her response was music to my ears, "Your niece is exactly right!" The magic in it was the suggestion for colchicine. Colchicine works to relieve gout symptoms, while allopurinol works to reduce uric acid. It is often the case that allopurinol brings on a gout attack, so doctors had some reason in their reluctance to prescribe it. Now, I'm on colchicine until I have two weeks free of gout symptoms, then I will add allopurinol to the mix, but continue with colchicine until I have another two weeks clear of symptoms, and then continue with allopurinol for at least two more weeks. After that, they'll do more blood work to see where my uric acid level is. If it has not been reduced sufficiently, they'll increase the dosage of allopurinol. Anyway, I have hope for the first time in years on that front, and I've avoided the cabbage leaves! The markets were troubled all week, but I was blessed with good gains, so I've managed to make quota for a change! The second round of NHL playoffs has ended, and I managed to pick all four winners. In the semifinals, I'm picking Pittsburgh and St. Louis. The Pens opened with a loss, so that's a set back! 

The Baileys are busily working through some transitions. Haaken has registered at the University of Regina and is preparing for his new life there. The rest are getting ready for their trip to Estonia. Erica is ending her work at the University of Saskatchewan and getting ready for her new job at Deloitte. Eric was sick most of the week, so it made for a quiet week. Haaken has applied for some student jobs; hopefully, he will get something for the summer.

Erin and Kristian are moving into the final stages of another school year. We are already looking forward to our summer with Kristian. 

It has not been so busy for Joanna this week after the Mothers' Day rush, but she keeps at it. Travis has managed to push his Penguins through another series, but will have to get them to buckle down after they dropped the opening game of the semi-final. Meanwhile, he also keeps busy with work.

And that's about enough for this week. 

News Update

Mother's Day Bouquet and Gift! 

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. The weather had been great, and the golf courses are open. I have continued to practice, so my game is in tip-top shape!! And, as predicted, it did not survive its first experience on the course! My first nine featured one duck hook and two 3-putts, sigh! My gout continues to bother me, and I can't seem to get the doctors to prescribe anything to help me. I have found some relief in home remedies, however, lemon juice each morning, and baking-soda-water a few times a day are not my first definition of joy! Wendy continues to paint. The decorated wall took three coats of primer, and still the background can be seen if you look carefully. She is struggling with the choice of colour for the finish, but it looks like it will be one of the hues of light brown—who knew there were so many?! I have started preparing the floors for the hardwood. The wall where I'm starting has two doorways, so that takes extra planning, cutting and trimming. Once that is completed, we should make good time for awhile. There are also two closets in the early going which will retard progress. For yet another week, the markets have not gone well. I had a good day Friday, but one day does not a week make! I'm lagging. The NHL playoffs continue with some exciting play. My four picks: Pittsburgh, Tampa Bay, San Jose and St Louis just need one more win to capture their series. The Blue Jays are playing much better lately, but they have yet to make up for their earlier poor play! Let's go Jays! In the final event of the Curling calendar it was Reid Carruthers who prevailed for his first championship. This evening Wendy and I took in the annual Mothers Day concert put on by the local barbershop chorus—that was delightful! 

Liam got his braces off this week—yay! He celebrated with an apple. This weekend he plans to celebrate further with popcorn—real movie popcorn! The Baileys are back in Regina this weekend for university registration of Haaken. They never seem to get down there just to visit! Flights have been booked for the LST trip to Estonia this summer. Now all they need to do is raise the rest of the funds to pay for it! They have been consumed with watching the devastating news out of Fort McMurray. 

University Student

Pepsodent Smile

Kristian has been out shopping with Shawn to get a Mother's Day gift for Erin. We wonder what kind of Lego he may have picked out? We expect that by this age, he will extend himself into some item of greater interest in her world; inquiring minds wish to know! 

Joanna has been very busy again this week, as she has been putting in the contract hours in phlebotomy, more time on Puckshots, and extra time due to Mothers Day business. Trav is busy with his work, and trying to keep up with his beloved Penguins. Gemma and Andrew continue with their usual school work and activities. 

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 nice, and we've been able to get out to enjoy it. Wendy is walking with her friend, Charlene, so my walks have tended toward the golf course! The driving range and practice area are open, so, now I'm even more certain that this is going to be a big year for me. That feeling will continue until seconds after I reach the first tee! Wendy has continued with painting all week. She has completed painting the living room and hallway ceilings. And she has the primer on the living room walls. There was a vibrant decoration on one wall, so it appears a second coat of primer will be needed. I've done some yard work, and the lawns are greening up. Wendy is still pondering what I should be doing with the back lawn. We had a dugout area for the trampoline, but she may be cancelling that. In that case, I will need to fill the hole, and plant it to grass. The rhubarb is up; it's always nice to see that each Spring. The markets began the week lousy, running up five straight days of red until finally things turned green for Thursday and Friday. However, I fell far short of quota for the month, and will have to try to make it up in May—what do you mean, "Sell in May, and go away!" Last year May was an excellent month; perhaps even more reason to avoid it this year! The first round of NHL playoffs are complete and I picked 6 of the 8 winners. The NHL brackets have placed the top two teams in each conference against each other, so I'm hard-pressed to pick winners in this round. I'm picking Pittsburgh and Tampa Bay in the East, and St. Louis and San Jose in the West. It was pretty tough picking against Washington and Dallas. The Blue Jays continue to play mediocre ball—not good enough guys! The Champions Cup is on in curling, the final event of the Grand Slam calendar. My guy, Kevin Koe, has made the playoffs again. 

Eric/A are in Regina this weekend along with Haaken. Erin and Kristian took Erica shopping for some new work clothes for her new job with Deloitte. Eric is looking for more staff at his place of work. They all got together to celebrate Eric's birthday tonight. 

Travis continues to be busy with work even though this is usually a bit of a down time of year. Joanna is getting some contract work in phlebotomy, and more equipment is arriving all week. Gemma is enjoying learning to drive, and always looking for more opportunities to do so. Andrew has upgraded his wardrobe—looking good! 

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, but cool, so things have not warmed up as needed to get the golf courses open. However, it's been nice to get out for daily walks. I've been practicing golf a bit each day, and am pretty sure this is going to be the year!! Ha, ha, ha! I obtained three new clubs for Wendy; I hope that encourages her to play some. She has begun painting in the living room, starting with the ceiling. The markets started off nicely, but two deeply red days at the end of the week took away the early gains and left me with a red week. We're considering some yard work; we'll see how far that goes! On Friday evening, we celebrated a Passover Seder for the first time; it was very interesting. Brad Gushue won the Players Championship in Toronto—he's gaining more prominence within the Canadian men's curling rankings. The first round of NHL playoffs continues; my eight picks are surviving. The Blue Jays continue to show promise, but not nearly enough performance. 

With the right costume...

Liam's play opened on Wednesday afternoon; it closes this evening. Eric, Erica and Haaken drove down to catch this evening's performance. Break a leg—Liam! They stayed overnight at Erin's and revealed a hole in her air mattress. Perhaps they will also figure out how to fix it! Haaken has been accepted in the University of Regina, Faculty of Media, Art and Performance in the Bachelor of Film Production program. He is very excited about his acceptance—congratulations Haaken! Registration is in early May, so there remains the possibility of hearing from Capilano as well. However, he is satisfied with the U of R, so perhaps the budding Saskatchewan film industry holds a place where he can use his gifts. Erica received and accepted a job offer from Deloitte in Prince Albert! She will need to serve some clients in Saskatoon, but it will significantly cut down on her travel time as they were able to figure out how an Audit Manager could do most of the work in Prince Albert. She is looking forward to starting the new program at the end of May. She may even explore a tax specialization! Eric's work had three people resign this week, so he's looking for prospective counselling and program staff. If you're interested, he's love to talk to you! He had a recent article on communication published—check it out, it's worth the read! 

Erin keeps busy with work and Kristian's school and social life. I have rebuilt a golf bag cart to fit Kristian's golf clubs, so we're looking forward to trying that out! This weekend, they've taken Aunty Erica for brunch and shopping. And then Kristian has a birthday party for his buddy Owen! Erin is enjoying practicing and learning about cooking on her barbecue. 

Travis and Joanna keep very busy with work. Joanna has a few assignments for her contract work in phlebotomy as well. Gemma is getting regular practice driving the car; that must be going well as they all make it back home after each trip! 

And that's about it for this week. 

News Update

Another week has passed, and we have returned to my hometown on the shore of Lake Superior, where the women are strong, the men are handsome, and all of the children are above average! We enjoyed a few more days in Regina, but with stormy weather threatening, we headed east on Wednesday morning. We stopped overnight in Winnipeg, hosted by Dean & Cassie, and fed the "fatted calf" courtesy Bob & Linda—thanks a lot, folks! It was great to catch up with the events of their lives. We continued east on Thursday, arriving in the early evening. It is nice to be home again. The weather has been nice here lately, and the snow is gone. We're enjoying warm, sunny days, and seeing how the lawns and trees have passed the winter. The golf courses are still closed here, but some of the greens have been uncovered, so it can't be long! The markets were all up about 1.5% this week as oil prices rallied to over $40. Producing nations are having a meeting this weekend; we'll be surprised if something productive comes out of that! Still, I had a great week, and have recovered to being on quota for the year to date. The World Curling Championship ended on Sunday, and Kevin Koe has brought back the gold to Canada; I was very happy to see that! This week they're playing in the Players Championship in Toronto, and they're in the playoffs again. In golf, the Masters also ended last Sunday, featuring a surprising collapse by Jordan Spieth. This opened space for Danny Willett to win the green jacket. NHL playoffs have begun, and some of my picks are struggling! I picked Washington, Pittsburgh, Florida and Tampa in the eastern series. I picked Dallas, Anaheim, San Jose and St Louis in the west. The Blue Jays are not playing well in the early season; I need them to pick it up! Go Jays! 

Erica had a followup meeting on Monday about the potential job in Prince Albert. That went well, so now we wait to see whether it turns into an offer. Liam is home again this weekend for a visit; it is always nice to have the kids come home. They got the motorcycles out of storage. Erica looks forward to riding back and forth to work whenever the weather cooperates. Eric has started teaching a class on Wednesday evenings. We think it's about anger management for teens. Haaken found out he gets some disability funding, so that will help bridge the gap until he finds suitable employment, or gets into school. This summer is projected to include a crash course in gardening. Their church is doing a community garden in cooperation with the city, and Erica is taking part. She's planning to grow corn. 

We are very thankful to Erin and Kristian for taking care of us the last few weeks. It's been great! I was able to help her get her barbecue repaired and operating, and then she treated us to a few meals featuring grill cooking. We also helped Kristian revamp his bedroom. Kristian has picked up the pace at school recently, and we're delighted when he comes home with no homework! 

Travis, Joanna, Gemma and Andrew managed the home place. Thanks guys! It was Gemma's 16th birthday on Friday. She celebrated by getting her learner's licence, and taking her family for a spin! We also enjoyed birthday supper and birthday cake. Minnie took us for a walk this evening.

Trav was awarded the coach of the year award for his hockey efforts! We are very proud of his work with the young men. 

And that's 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 been nice and I've been able to get out for golf practice regularly with Erin's clubs. Some courses are open here, but I haven't considered playing since my clubs are back in TBay. Kristian is back in school, and Wendy has been up at the hospital most of the time, so it's quiet around here all day. I've been fighting a cold since Tuesday. I could do without that! I've tried to get some extra rest, but with markets opening 7:30 here, and Wendy being her usual nighthawk, it's not easy! The markets turned over, as I suggested, but I finally got a green day on Friday to provide some relief. Still, it was a red week for me. Dad has been in the hospital all week, and was finally released today. They were unable to find a definitive answer to his low hemoglobin score, but after five units of blood, his numbers are holding above 100, and he feels much better. Villanova surprised UNC (and me) and won the NCAA basketball championship. Nothing left there but the shoulda, woulda, coulda! The hockey season is grinding to the end this weekend, and the playoff matchups are set. The Masters is set for an exciting final round on Sunday with Jordan Spieth, one of my favourites, leading the pack. I could see challenges coming from Jason Day, Dustin Johnson, or even a couple of lesser lights. Baseball opened another season this week; I'll be hoping the Blue Jays can have another good season. Men's Curling has gone wonderfully for Kevin Koe, and he's in the final tomorrow against Denmark. Japan and USA play for the Bronze.

Liam picked up a top hat at a shop in Saskatoon. It is pretty sweet!

Epic, Amazing, Cool!

Erica had an interview on Tuesday for a possible job in Prince Albert. She has another followup meeting scheduled for Monday. We are waiting to see how it all turns out. Haaken has made some final additions to his portfolio and it is now in the hands of Capilano University for consideration. Entrance is based entirely on the quality of his portfolio as compared to other applicants. He has also received word back from University of Regina asking for his transcripts, so that's another possibility. 

Kristian has had a good week in school. Erin had a good week at work. We had a good week staying at their place. Our plan was to head east last Monday, but Dad's illness intervened. Now, we are ready to plan our exit once again. We'll see how that goes! 

Trav's team completed their playoff run with an overtime goal to win the championship. Trav & Joanna and crew are still fighting to see the sunny side of Spring in Thunder Bay, so we're having many second thoughts about when we should return! 

We are the Champions, my friend!

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 prairies. We spent last week at the Baileys—thanks for a good and restful weekend! We drove down from PA on Sunday afternoon. Highway #2 was terrible, so we went east on the Yellowhead, and came down #6 to Regina. The weather has been more variable, but Kristian and I have been able to get out to play catch. We also checked out the golf course, but it still had the covers on the greens. It was over 20° here today; meanwhile, it's a snowy entry to Spring in Thunder Bay, so we'll have to stay here longer! Dad has been struggling throughout the winter with a lack of energy, and has lately been experiencing breathlessness. He went to the doctor this week, and after some blood work, he was admitted to the hospital on Friday as his hemoglobin was very low. He was given three units of blood and feels some improved today. They have scheduled further investigations next week, and we're glad to hear that. He was diagnosed with low hemoglobin four years ago when he had his accident, but it seems there has been no follow-up since then. Sigh! The markets remained helpful this week, but are showing signs of topping out again. However, I was able to complete a great month, and achieved quota for the first quarter of the year. NCAA basketball completes their playoffs this weekend, and I'm picking North Carolina to win it; they play in the final against Villanova. The NHL playoff picture is becoming clear. I am paying more attention to that, and will be choosing my favourites soon. The World Men's Curling championships opened today; Kevin Koe won his first game, which was against Finland. I'll be following that all week. It's also Masters week coming up—oh, the schedule! 

Liam was home for Easter break. Erica was back to work on Monday, but the rest of the crew enjoyed Easter Monday, hanging out, practising driving, and watching Netflix. Erica got called for an interview for a job in Prince Albert. We'll be watching to see how that all works out, and whether it's the change they're looking for! Haaken is updating his portfolio. The cutoff for submissions is April 5th. Since he's received some advice from one of his profs, he's working to make those improvements this weekend. Erica and Liam have joined us in Regina this weekend as they take LST training. Eric and Erica have decided to join the group as chaperones for the trip to Estonia this summer. 

Here in Regina, we have moved into Erin's basement. Kristian was off school for the week, so he's been taking care of us while Erin works—thanks buddy! Erin has come down with a cold; she's not enjoying that. Today, she took lessons on cooking ribs which we enjoyed for supper. It's been a good week; we've managed to get a few projects done here. We may prolong our stay until the situation with Dad becomes clear. 

Travis & Joanna are holding down the old home place in TBay. Joanna has gone down to southern Ontario this weekend to help out her mom. Trav's team is in the league finals, and we hope they finish it off strongly and successfully! They won the first game of the series, so they only need to win half of the remaining games to win it all!

That's about enough for this week!