Summer Fun

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. The weather has continued to be great, no 30° days, and several nice showers. Sadly, the forest fires continue, and we are still under a burning ban. We may remain there until Fall, sigh! Anyway, the lawns are doing well, but are requiring too frequent cutting. I've completed another picking from the rhubarb patch, and along with more in the freezer, we are enjoying a batch of rhubarb/strawberry crisp. I've been out for golf practice regularly, and hope to get in a bit of golf before we head west. The spinal stenosis keeps barking at me, but I haven't been experiencing leg pains for some months now. Wendy is in the throes of dental work. She had a major cavity issue that showed up when they started preparing the neighbouring tooth for a crown. That work should be completed next week after one more appointment.

Bill, Travis, Andrew
Gemma, Wendy, Joanna, Rosie

Scandinavian Pizza? But of course!

On Sunday afternoon, we drove down to Grand Marais MN with Travis, Joanna and family. A bit of shopping, a lot of touristing, and lunch at Sven & Ole's Pizza—that was great!

Double Peonies!

We celebrated our 53rd Anniversary on Tuesday. The peonies have burst into bloom as they did 53 years ago for our wedding, and as they usually do this time of year. Wendy brought in a bouquet for us to enjoy. The markets struggled through a shortened week. With only the USA open on Monday, and only Canada open on Tuesday, it was basically a three-day week. When the FED dropped their minutes on Wednesday, they terrified investors with their insistence on more rate hikes. Then, Biden's way-too-strong economy pushed the issue further on Thursday and Friday. Uncle Joe has now presided over the greatest job creation of any president in USA history while also decreasing the deficit by a record amount, and increasing wages even while inflation continues to cool! Investors were convinced of more rate hikes, and all indices lost value this week. Football continued with the Riders playing a lack-lustre affair against Edmonton and escaping with a win. Blue Jays ran off a 4-game win streak, but came crashing back to earth today while being no-hit by Detroit. 

Erica writes, "Eric and I enjoyed a long weekend for Canada Day. We spent July 1st with our friends and planned to enjoy the fireworks as well, but a storm blew in. We got a lot of rest and caught up on sleep. We had a 3-day work week and that seemed just about right. Eric met with the University of Saskatchewan about a possible sessional lecturer position. He is hoping that pans out as he has really enjoyed his teaching opportunities. Liam saw the eye specialist who has referred him for additional testing and different eye drops. Eric has also been referred to an eye specialist, so, we wait to hear what they see.

Saved by your friendly neighbourhood...

Liam met Spider-Man in Moose Jaw! We enjoyed the new Indiana Jones movie on Friday. Not much to report from Haaken or Greg."

Kristian is now fully engaged in summer holidays following his Grandpa's adage of, "Rest in the morning, take it easy in the afternoon!" Travis arrived in Regina this week, so Kristian has taken on the hosting duties associated with that! They took in their first AEW (wrestling) event this evening. 

Travis, Joanna, Gemma, Andrew & Rosie included us in an outing to Grand Marais. That was great fun! It was good to catch up with Gemma who is home briefly from Vancouver. She will start the Midwifery program in September. Jonas is home as well; he's in doctoral studies now at UBC. Andrew begins his paramedic studies at Con College in the Fall, while Rosie continues with her nursing studies through the summer. 

And that's enough for this week. 

Happy Canada Day!

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. The weather has been great with some more showers and pleasant temperatures. I'm always a bit relieved when we stay below 30°, although I begin to be uncomfortable once it hits 25°. Today, we celebrate Canada. Like all other countries, there are many ways that it could be better, but I am still proud to be Canadian, and count many of my blessings as due to being born in this country. I can think of only one other country where I'd rather live, and, unfortunately, New Zealand is a long way away!

Golf shirts, Greens Fees, Nice!

Last Sunday was Father's Day, and my children treated me to a set of three golf shirts, and a jar of green fees to make use of them! Thank you, very much! The lawns are enjoying the extra rain. I have done some reseeding on the front lawn, and the new grass is coming along. I may cut it next week. Otherwise, I've been trying to keep up with the weeds and watching the rhubarb; it appears that is is ready for a third picking any day. Wendy has determined to buy some strawberries and has commissioned me to make a strawberry/rhubarb crisp from this next picking. The markets struggled forward all week, and I ended with quota for the month of June to close out another quarter. Nasdaq experienced its best half-year ever with a gain of 31.7%. S&P500 managed 15.9%, also excellent production, while TSX and DOW languished at just under 4%, which is actually a good gain in itself, although pale in comparison to the big winners. The Riders have the bye this week, so all I can cheer for in the other games is low-scoring and lots of injuries!! LOL! Blue Jays continue to flounder their way along and at the All-Star break are not even holding on to a playoff berth. C'mon Jays! 

Erica writes, "We enjoyed a wonderful and crazy trip to Regina on Monday to see Amanda Marshall. She has such an amazing voice. We arrived an hour early and I thought for a moment that I could go visit Grampa. Then, I remembered that he is gone. This week has been busy with files due at the end of June. I’m also tired and ready for a long weekend. Eric picked up a kit to test his sleep this week. According to his Apple Watch, he didn’t get much sleep that night, so we expect that he failed his test! We hope it provides the information they need to help him. We don’t have much else to report on this week."

Kristian has finished grade 11 at school. It was pretty low key final week; Kristian feels he did well in the exams. Erin treated him to an Extreme Pita supper, and Swirl for dessert. The heat continues to produce thunder storms, but so far they've escaped damage to the garden. The spinach has not come back yet, perhaps they cropped it too severely. Tomatoes, peppers, peas and cucamelons are developing nicely. Onions and carrots are months away from picking. 

Trav was in Toronto most of the week; he got back yesterday. He took in the Blue Jays and several AEW wrestling events while he was there.

Happy Rosie Day!

We celebrated Rosie's birthday. She cooked spaghetti with meat balls and tomato sauce for us. I built an ice cream cake, and Wendy made cupcakes. Due to cultural differences, I don't think Rosie has ever had such a birthday celebration before. In her Vietnamese culture, babies are considered one year old when they are born, and they are deemed two years old at their next birthday which is celebrated in connection with Lunar New Year, and, of course, that date changes each year. Joanna came over to play cards one night, and we enjoyed that visit, too. 

And that's enough for this week! 

Rain!

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. The weather did not get as painfully hot as the forecasters were suggesting. We topped out about 28° yesterday, but then, the rain arrived overnight, and today we're enjoying a lovely, soft rain all day. We really needed it! Maybe now, they can cancel the no-burn order. We haven't been able to enjoy our fire pit yet this summer!

Measure once...? How does that go?!

Looking much better!

I have completed the siding project on the garage, and find it really cleans up the appearance. Wendy has pruned all the cedars in the back yard. It's quite a job and needs to be done regularly (probably more regularly) to keep them from growing too tall! We've suffered tree interference with our power lines once too often already! Our travel plans have been delayed, so, I have decided to do some lawn work. Usually, I try to keep it as "barely alive" as possible so it won't require much attention while we're away, but since we're going to be around a bit longer, I have done some reseeding, fertilizing and watering in an effort towards a prettier lawn! I only wish I had known about these plans earlier and had planted a garden. We've had two pickings off the rhubarb plants and have some packages in the freezer and other packages in our tummies! I recently baked a rhubarb coffee cake—pretty good, and moist enough to serve as an ice cream dessert as well. 

Rhubarb Coffee Cake

The markets suffered a terrible, no good, very bad week. We suffered through two days of the FED testifying before Congress, and several FED nominees declaring their fealty to the "inflation fight"! These led to a marked sell-off in equities, and a loss in my portfolio. The Blue Jays continued to dismay their fans with a lack for hitting, but they came through with two homers and a win today. The Riders played their third game of the season in Calgary tonight—OT thriller! Nice work, nice win, Riders! 

Erica writes, "It was another very busy week at work for me; but, it looks like we are through the worst of it. Hopefully, we will have some more normal work days in the coming weeks. Eric has decided I deserve a special treat. He must be taking dating advice from my dad, because on Saturday he’s planned a trip to the dump. Then, on Monday, we are making a quick trip to Regina to see Amanda Marshall—very exciting! Liam is continuing to fundraise and work on his paper work for school in the fall. We haven’t heard much from Haaken. Greg is getting some more assessments done this summer, so, we wait to hear what those say about his options."

Erin and Kristian had a pretty usual week in Regina. They've had regular thunderstorms once again, but nothing too violent and her garden is doing well. Erin and I regularly commiserate over the Blue Jays and their lack lustre season so far—C'mon Jays! Kristian got a fresh hair cut and a new set of ear moulds! 

Andrew and Rosie brought over the ingredients and a small gas cooker and prepared a Father's Day/Joanna's Birthday meal right in front of us on the table. It was pretty novel (Vietnamese) food for us, but it was delicious—thanks folks! Travis was off to Toronto yesterday, and plans to enjoy the next while there. He's planning multiple Wrestling Entertainments as well as a Blue Jay game, during this trip. The rest of the crew will just have to suffer through our summer days here! 

And that's enough for this week! 

Dad Joke!

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. The weather has been beautiful here with daily temperatures hovering around 25°, but they're threatening us with some 30° days next week—that will keep me in the air conditioned comfort of my house. Apparently, the titles of the last two weeks' blurbs have left some folks confused—I guess they qualify as a "Dad Joke"! Nicely timed, too, as we have arrived at Father's Day! It's always a bad thing when you have to explain your jokes—must qualify as misjudging your audience! Anyway, two weeks ago, I titled it, "And what is so rare...?", an easy reference to the old query, "And what is so rare as a day in June?" a snippet from James Russell Lowell's epic poem, "The Vision of Sir Launfal", and reliably the best known part of it! However, when last week arrived, and we had seen nothing but June days in recent weeks, I, unfortunately, decided to title my entry, "It's not that rare!" leaving some of you (not for the first time) wondering whether I'd taken leave of my senses. But, it allows me to contribute what truly is a dad joke: Q-What is more rare than a day in June? A-A day in February! Don't make me explain this one! I have been re-siding the garage this week, and I must say it is looking much better. I took the backboard off the front, and will be contributing that to a young family at church. I should finish that project next week if the heat doesn't drive me away from it.

Adding vinyl siding

Wendy has held a few followup events to the chorus gala celebration. They're heading into a quieter schedule over the summer. The markets have continued to push forward, although the TSX is not doing nearly as well as the USA indices. S&P-500 and Nasdaq are up 15% and 30%, respectively, already this year, while TSX and the DOW are only up about 3%. Anyway, I had another good week, and June is going well so far. There was a big time event in sports last weekend as Nick Taylor won the Canadian Open in a playoff! Great entertainment—great win! First win by a Canadian of our national open golf tournament since 1944! Jays continue to play inconsistently, and are sitting in 4th place currently. Riders had a win in the season opener in Edmonton, but lost to Winnipeg last night. They are showing signs of improvement over last season, so we have hope! 

Erica writes, "Last weekend, we enjoyed a motorcycle ride out to Waskesiu with our niece Marina. She returned to BC for surgery this week so it was her last ride for a while. We also enjoyed a couple of Rattler games and made sure to get some gear to look the part. It’s been a very busy week at work and at home. Eric saw the doctor which led to a series of tests and more tests to come. He hasn’t been sleeping well, so we are trying to figure out why. This weekend, Erica (and by extension, Eric) are involved in the Rotary Lobsterfest. This is a fundraiser to help pay for improvements to one of the local parks. It means a full day of set up, entertaining and take down at the end. As a result, we’ve decided to enjoy a day of rest on Sunday, and, maybe take a motorcycle ride!"

Erin's garden project is going well. Kristian is munching on strawberries each day. The peas are not producing yet, but the cherry tomatoes look close to ready for eating! We consulted over some adjustments to the irrigation system via FaceTime this week. We also regularly consult over the Blue Jays! Kristian did not get a counsellor position at camp, and hasn't decided whether he'll take the junior counsellor job which he held last summer. 

Travis and Joanna joined us for pizza and cards last night, and have made plans to share Joanna's birthday celebration tomorrow with us as well. The dogs have been bad dogs as they've begun destroying one of the living room chairs! 

And that's enough for this week. 

It's not that rare!

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. We find ourselves on another day in June; they seem to be quite regular this time of year! The weather has remained beautiful with daytime highs holding at about 25°, and the occasional evening or overnight shower. We have been affected by smoky haze in the skies a few days, but mercifully few. We sympathize with those both east and west who are facing major wildfire danger and damage. I just heard that Edson AB has been ordered to evacuate. I have continued to putter at the yard work, and even hauled a load of topsoil in for my box garden. I won't decide if I will get plants until the summer schedule is solidified. I did get my first picking of rhubarb picked, processed and in the freezer; it's ready for another picking! I also picked up some vinyl siding for the front of the garage. I have some more siding on the line for the sides, but haven't completed that deal. Markets were mixed this week. The USA markets were mostly on the upswing with the S&P500 moving officially into Bull Territory—thanks, Uncle Joe. Here, the BoC surprised with another rate hike, and then the employment data was a big miss, so the TSX is struggling. Investors can't decide if the bad news is good news, or if it's so bad, that it's actually bad news! The world of sports was shocked by the announcement that the Saudis had bought the PGA tour and all that blood money is now being happily accepted—wow, the hypocrisy! The NHL playoffs are nearing completion with Vegas holding a 3-1 lead at this point. The Blue Jays are on a winning stretch; we hope they can continue to play well, but occasionally their hitters fail them, and today was a disaster! The football season has begun with the Riders playing their first game tomorrow in Edmonton. Go Riders, Go! 

Eric writes, "We said goodbye to Liam on Monday as he headed back to Caronport. Erica was at a client's business this week, while also finalizing plans for the Rotary 2023 Lobsterfest. Marina (Eric’s niece) is getting settled in PA, but she found out the truck bringing her stuff rolled on the way! She is still waiting to find out what is salvageable. Eric had a regular work week. This weekend, we are starting the journey of being Saskatchewan Rattlers fans. They are a professional basketball team based in Saskatoon. They lost the game Friday night against Winnipeg, but we have high hopes for Sunday’s game against Calgary. Tomorrow we go for a bike ride just for the fun of it."

Erin has been busily trying to catch up on Jays games on her PVR. They've been winning lately (10/14) and she loves to watch them win! Kristian is in the closing phase of Grade 11 as classwork is drawing close to the finish line. We are still waiting to hear about his summer schedule so we can also schedule our travel plans. Her garden is thriving. Kristian had a group fun event at Candy Cane park with the Deaf & Hard of Hearing contingent from school. He enjoyed that a great deal! 

Rosie, Andrew, Joanna, Travis, Wendy, Bill

Sounds of Superior Chorus

Travis and Joanna have kept to a pretty normal schedule although the Ulrich Design business is not so frantic this time of year. We enjoyed an evening out with them, along with Andrew & Rosie, tonight to Wendy's Chorus Gala at the Davinci Centre—pretty fancy outing for me! I think there was antipasto, and probably charcuterie as well! Anyway, it was a great show! 

And that's enough for this week. 

What is so rare...?

We've had a beautiful week of weather here on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. We rolled home last Saturday evening, and have spent the week catching up on issues around home. Wendy has been very busy with preparations for the 50th Anniversary Gala for her Sweet Adelines' chorus. Practices, business meetings and management of ticket sales and advertiser support have seen her burning midnight oil most nights. I have installed the rest of the soffit lights in anticipation of new soffits later this summer. I have also repaired the threshold on the front door, and improved the closing of the front screen door. But first, I had to harvest my lovely crop of dandelions on both front and back lawns! I did get over to the course for some golf practice. The weather has been great with high temperatures around 25°, and a couple of helpful overnight showers, although we did break down and turn on the AC yesterday and today. The markets were dismal the first part of the week, but finally the Republicans in the House agreed to a debt-ceiling bill, even though it required Democratic help to pass it. Then, the Democratic-run Senate cruised through multiple frivolous amendments and passed the bill in the course of an evening. This resulted in two big days in the markets at the end of the week which provide several weeks worth of gain—thanks, Uncle Joe. The NHL finally got around to opening the championship series tonight. I'm picking Florida, while cheering for Vegas. Once again, I scored 50% on the last round picks—just flip a coin! The Riders completed the preseason with another win, this time over the Bombers. The Jays have improved their play, but are still far below expectations especially on the hitting side of the equation! 

Erica writes, "Eric and Erica had fun last week taking their nieces to Jurassic Quest. Unfortunately, the rides were for kids only. We need to do another Disney trip where adults are allowed to play, too. Liam is home this weekend! We plan to enjoy with some music playing and just hanging out. Liam is still looking for supporters - he may be calling you! We’ve all been to the eye doctor and Eric and Erica are getting new glasses. Erica will be getting progressives for the first time. Fun! Eric is looking at a few more possible teaching opportunities. Nothing new to report on Greg and Haaken."

Erin has been busy dodging severe thunderstorms in Regina. This included avoiding flooded underpasses, which rerouted her to construction-enhanced traffic jams! It hasn't left her much time to watch her beloved Jays—she says her VCR is getting full! Kristian had bowling with the youth group as their celebratory seasonal close. 

Back yard!

You can see the hanging baskets of strawberries, already starting to produce. Then, there's the box planters with veggies, and the two tomato plants around the big planter. Her egg chair is in the corner, and you'll see the mat is held down with rocks, table and chairs because some days the wind blows in Regina!

The main action for Ulrich Design this time of year is for the Lacrosse teams. They have orders for multiple helmet decals to complete and deliver. Joanna keeps busy at work, and was glad they turned on the AC as it was getting uncomfortably warm inside. They were over here last night for chocolate and cards! Fun! 

And that's enough for this week!

It's always too soon!

No matter how long, it's always too soon! 

We reflect on Mother's Day and Father's Day, and those who are no longer present for those observances. We miss them! 

Another week has passed. We have migrated from Regina, via Winnipeg to home on the shore of Lake Superior. We enjoyed the week in Regina and got a few more projects moving forward. I got out for a bit of golf practice, and got the car in to repair the Air Conditioning. That hasn't gone as cheaply or well as I was hoping, but the mechanic remains on the case, and if it remains troublesome, he'll do more work on it when we return to Regina later this summer. I was able to reestablish the irrigation system at Erin's place, and obtain soil for two more large planters and two pots. We got two hanging baskets of strawberries, along with tomatoes and peppers. Erin will be planting more veggies soon, and then fine-tuning the drip irrigation. I was able to clean the surplus irrigation piping and controllers out of 55 Laird as David had no use for them, and was glad to be able to pass them along to Kresten & Star for their garden, and to Barry & Ashley for their garden. I'll follow up with them in the summer to see how those installations are going. Last Sunday, we celebrated with Logan & Kaitlyn as they were married in a lovely service at the RCMP museum. That was followed by a tasty reception dinner out at Lumsden. We were delighted to touch base with relatives old and new. We had supper with Liam in Moose Jaw on Thursday. He certainly seems to be doing better; we're glad to see that! We drove from Regina to Winnipeg on Friday and enjoyed dinner out with Tom & Mariette before retiring for the night at their place. Then, we completed the trip home today, arriving in Thunder Bay before 6pm. The markets had another troubled week as the Republicans continue to threaten the economy not just of the USA, but of the world. It will be helpful, if and when, we get this mess behind us. The NHL playoffs continue. I was able to pick the losing team in the eastern conference and still have hope for the same in the West! MLB is about one quarter through the season, and my Blue Jays certainly are not achieving up to expectations. C'mon Blue Jays! Let's play ball! Pre-season football began this week, and all teams are potential Grey Cup winners at this point! Riders won their opening game over BC. 

Eric writes, "Erica spent the week in LaRonge. She has been working extra as a coworker got sick. This weekend Erica and Eric went to Saskatoon to take Eric’s nieces to the dinosaur exhibit. Eric has been offered the opportunity to teach a therapy class in the new year. More details when the contract is signed. Liam is seeing an eye doctor for help with his allergies. Liam is making plans to take some courses in the Fall. Haaken continues his job at Costco and is looking for animation work. Greg is still in Kenora healing."

Erin and Kristian took care of us well for the week in Regina. We arrived last Friday. They both had Monday off for the Victoria Day holiday, so we got to hang out with them. We enjoyed supper out with them on Wednesday at Classic car night. There were some spectacular looking cars and trucks there. We were able to take Kristian to some of his appointments. One afternoon, we were delighted to see a McLaren parked at the location of his UV appointment. I had not seen one in person before—striking looking car! 

Trav, Joanna and crew have been taking care of things here including accepting our mail and ensuring the house is okay. Thanks folks! We look forward to catching up with them soon. 

And that's enough for this week! 

Regina

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown, but we have migrated west!  On Wednesday, we drove out to Winnipeg on the shore of the Red River, and then on Friday, we continued to Regina on the shore of Lake Wascana. We enjoyed a visit with Tom & Mariette in Winnipeg—thanks folks. Tom and I got out for 18 holes on Thursday; that went okay although my back was complaining a bit. I am glad I chose to ride rather than try to walk it. We have a few projects underway at Erin's, but it's just a short trip this time for Logan's wedding, so we'll only get started. The air conditioning is not working in the car, so I have booked it in Tuesday morning to see if they can get it figured out. The weather is getting hotter, and we'd rather travel in comfort. Last weekend, we worked with Travis on Mother's Day floral deliveries. That was pretty enjoyable for us as well.

All loaded and ready to roll

Wendy had a choral presentation on Monday evening, and is continuing to prepare for their gala in June. She has both the business side and the musical side to work on even while we're travelling. The markets were troubled all week by the Republicans on-again, off-again debt ceiling plans. I managed to make a little gain, but well short of quota once again. The NHL playoffs have completed another round and I had two wins, two losses. I'm picking Canes and Knights in the semi-finals, and so far my picks have been exactly 50/50, so go flip your own coin! I am pretty disappointed that the Oilers have fallen short, and really, I have no dog left in this fight, so, I've lost interest. The Blue Jays are floundering at this point in the baseball season, so I hope they get it together soon. 

Erica writes, "This weekend I’m off on a girls trip. Eric has been attending a conference in Boston, virtually, most of the week—with a start time of 6 AM! He is excited to learn more about brain function. It’s still super busy at work, and I almost cancelled my long weekend plans. But here I am, on my way!"

Erin and Kristian have been preparing for our arrival, but Erin took sick on Thursday night, and was down on Friday when we arrived. She's feeling some better today. We are glad to have our basement room, and to be able to enjoy time with them. Kristian and I got the egg swing dismantled, moved upstairs and back outside, and reassembled. Well, actually, he did most of it, but I helped! It will be outside for the summer where Erin likes to lounge in the back patio area. I have also begun reassembling the drip irrigation for her planter boxes and hanging baskets. 

Travis, Joanna and crew are taking care of things back home in Thunder Bay. Our student is away just now, back home to Korea, so they're in charge of things. Their management allows us to travel with calm reassurance about home. Thanks guys! 

And that's enough for this week! 

Mother's Day

With our Moms (and Dads)

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. The weather has switched to wonderful and we've been enjoying our walks and being able to get out to the yard and  the shop. The yard is coming to life, the rhubarb is thriving, and perrenials are pushing through. We're delivering Mother's Day flowers again this year. It's a bit of fun outing, and also scores some cash. Wendy keeps busy with chorus business and practices, but she also took some time to get a facial this week—I still recognized her, easily, when she returned home. I installed the new front screen door in anticipation of the need for summer ventilation. We like it; it has the internal screen that rolls down as we lower the upper pane of glass for ventilation. In fact, we also bought one for the side door, so when I get the new side door installed, I'll be ready to install a new screen door there as well. We plan to head west next week for a family wedding in Regina, so I'm getting a few tools and projects ready to travel. The golf courses are opening; I managed to get over to the nearby course for a bit of practice and to see how my back liked that! Adding in our walks, my back remains tender, but manageable. I'm planning to try a round of golf next week in Winnipeg—that will be the real test! The markets have remained troubled, and even more so in the USA where the Republicans are threatening to crash the economy. Still, I managed to have a good week, but remain far behind quota for the month. The Stanley Cup playoffs continue and two series of the second round are complete. I've lost another pick as the Devils lost to the Canes. Still waiting to see if my other picks, Oilers and the Stars, can prevail. The Blue Jays are playing well, but they are not firing on all cylinders just yet. The Grand Slam Curling Event in Regina ended last Sunday with Bottcher and Homan winning the respective sides. 

Erica writes, "Tuesday this week, I woke up in the middle of the night with an intense throbbing pain in my hand, and numbness in my fingers. I thought I was having some sort of attack. But, I used my massager on my hand and the pain went away. I consulted with Dr. Erin and she agreed with my diagnosis of corporal tunnel or car-pool tunnel, but advised me of the correct spelling of carpal tunnel! I purchased a hand brace for nighttime use, and it has brought big improvement! I’ll also mention it to my paid doctor at our next visit. Eric had a good conversation with a colleague about developing an addictions counselling program from a systems perspective. Most programs are from an individual perspective. We will see where that goes. Haaken has been down this week with the flu. I haven’t heard much yet from the other two, but it is Mothers Day weekend, so I hope to!"

Erin has been busy catching up at work after her extended vacation. She's not there yet, and with Kristian's regular after school appointments, it is an exhausting schedule. She has also been consulting with her mother over carpet to replace what she has on the main staircase. It's the time of the year for Egg Chairs to be returned to the outside patio area, so we'll see if Kristian manages that with as much alacrity as he did on the move indoors last Fall. 

Travis and Joanna continue to clean up existing orders even as they head into their slow season. Travis is the main guy on the flower delivery service; we just supplement as may be needed. There hasn't been as many floral orders as there were in the early covid years so it's not quite as frantic. 

And that's about it for this week! 

M'Aidez! May Day!

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. The weather had been comfortable, but we've been subjected to heavy winds most days. The warming temperatures have us watching the golf courses open around us. I'm looking forward to getting over to the local course to see what my back will put up with!

Sadie's Shadow Box

I've spent some good time in the shop this week where I'm working on a new game project and Sadie's Shadow box. The pic shows a dry fitting of the box checking the size for the glass. It appears that I need to take a few more mm off the length—always better when it's too big as opposed to too little! It's a deep box with 50 mm space between the glass and the backing board. Erin and Kristian are planning and gathering items to place in the box. We managed to get our sixth vaccine dose on Friday. We don't know whether it will be effective against the latest variant, Arcturus. Wendy is busy with chorus business and practice. Their next concert is on the 15th, and then, we plan to head west for a brief trip. They have a 50th Anniversary Gala in June, so we need to get back for that. The markets have been bad, terrible and no good this week. You might call it continuation on a theme! As a result, after a good month of April, we have started May in the red. Fortunately, the employment data on Friday was so strong, that we got some recovery to end the week. The first round of NHL playoffs are complete, and I managed to accurately predict 4 of the 8 results! In round two, I'm picking Panthers, Devils, Stars and Oilers. Some of those picks are looking pretty iffy already! The Blue Jays had a good start to the season, but ran into troubles in Boston, but are having a good weekend in Pittsburgh. The final Grand Slam event of the curling season is playing out in Regina. My guy, Kevin Koe, was not in this event. It'll be Canadian Champ, Einarson, playing Homan in the women's final, while Canadian Champ, Gushue, will take on Bottcher in the men's final.

Erica writes, "This week was busy—we are into my busiest time with audits. This weekend, we are also busy with a full social calendar. We caught up with Allan and Jodi Rundel, our pastor couple from Kenora for dinner. At our monthly book club, Jennifer (McLeod) Wallace shared about her book, Miss G and Me. We plan to read it this month. Tomorrow, we have a fancy dinner! Whew—I’m tired just thinking about it! The body seems to be doing okay. Liam tweaked his back, but found someone who could help fix it. The ravages of age come for us all!"

Erin and Kristian have, finally, got home and settled into life in Regina. They really enjoyed their time in Florida, but didn't care for the extra two days it took to get home by way of Toronto and Vancouver!

I'm impressed!

Kristian was recipient of an award from his school for being "a model math learner. He comes to math class consistently ready to learn and is such a pleasure to teach. Kristian, your calm nature is appreciated by all! :)" 

Travis and Joanna returned from Tampa on Wednesday. They managed to make all connections and were only about an hour late. This remarkable air travel success was only tempered slightly by the fact that their luggage did not travel home with them! Anyway, they're home, tanned, and refreshed to plan another trip! 

And that's enough for this week! 

Back to Spring!

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown, and, happily, Spring has returned. The weather turned nicely, and the white rain from last week quickly disappeared. I've been able to get out to the shop regularly, and also out for our walks. I feel my back is making progress, and the main issue currently is finding a comfortable position in bed so I can go to sleep! I have milled the oak in preparation for the shadow box frame, and have prepared a jig for the mitre saw to cut it up. I have prepared two complete samples with softer material; they worked out great, but I am struggling to find the courage to make the mitre cuts in the oak! Wendy returned Sunday night from her chorus trip to Rochester. She enjoyed that, and they performed wonderfully. She continues to be quite busy with the work as treasurer for the chorus, but she enjoys that about as much as the singing! Markets continued to whipsaw this week just as they have been doing for months, but at least the general direction is up, as all indices ended green for the month, and I was able to make quota. I am continuing my stance of only being partially invested in the market while focusing on high dividend stocks, and it's working okay. I have three paper trading scenarios in operation, but only one of them is doing well, so I don't have many options to this point. The curling event this week was from South Korea where the Senior Championships and the Mixed Doubles were contested. Canada won both men's and women's Senior Gold; while USA won the Mixed Doubles Gold. NHL playoffs continue. Some series are completed. We're down to where it's someone's elimination game every night, and the remaining series will end in the next couple of days. I've lost one team so far. Baseball is through the first month, and my Blue Jays are doing well. 

Erica writes, "On Friday, we celebrated Eric’s 53rd with a movie and birthday cake. He heard from Haaken, Liam and Greg. Everyone seems to be doing well. This weekend, we will also celebrate with my work. We have escape rooms and family feud on the schedule. I told Eric it was all for his birthday, but it also might have something to do with the end of tax season."

Erin and Kristian, along with Travis and Joanna had a great week in Florida. They enjoyed the warm weather, the tropical beaches and the various amenities. Kristian and Travis took a side trip to the AEW event over in Miami. Mostly, they just relaxed and took in a few special activities. Erin and Kristian flew home today, but only got as far as Toronto as the delayed flight out of Tampa messed up their connections—sigh! Travis and Joanna are scheduled to return next week. 

There's a dog on my bed!

And that's about it for this week. 

White Rain!

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. The weather has been miserable beginning last weekend, and persisting into this weekend. While the old adage, "April showers..." implies that any precipitation in April is rain, I have extended the intent to prove that it doesn't snow in the months of April through October. That assurance aside, we surely had a lot of flakey white rain this week. It started with freezing rain last weekend which closed the highways in Ontario and prolonged our stay in Winnipeg. We were planning to leave on Saturday and eventually left on Tuesday. A spell of warm weather had the roads in excellent driving condition by then, so the trip home was uneventful. We thank Kelly and crew for putting us up for the extra days. We also took advantage to do more visiting with family in Winnipeg as Tom & Mariette returned from the Middle East. We also got to visit with Richard & Louise.

Scarlet Women & their Director

Wendy has been busy with preparations for her trip to Rochester MN this weekend for Sweet Adelines competition. I have marked her location in the group with an arrow, and added a close-up pic of the trophy holding the award! They loaded up on Thursday morning in more um, rain, and took a difficult bus ride south, while I used the snowblower to blow the rain off the driveway! Their competition was today—20 hours on the bus for a 7-minute performance! They did well, winning the trophy for first in their section!

Lamination Glue-Up

I've been able to get back to the shop and work on the lamination project. Of course I had to bring it inside for the glue-up. It will eventually become a chair seat. I am also working on a shadow memory box for Sadie. The markets were troubled all week with a lot of whipsaw action. I managed a small gain, and am closing in on quota for April. Kevin Koe finished off the Players Championship in style. He made a slash double to count three and beat Gushue in the semi-final. Then, he made a triple kill to score three and beat Schwaller in the final! Wranå, from Sweden, won the women's side. First round series continue in the NHL playoffs. My picks are at least all still alive! (Oilers, Islanders, Bruins, Stars, Avs, Knights, Leafs, Rangers) The Blue Jays continue to play well, although they dropped one to the Yankees today. 

Erica writes about troubled travels, "It is Friday night, 8:23 PM. We left home on Thursday morning, 7:15 AM to fly to Halifax. We have made it as far as Calgary. If the powers that be at Westjet are correct this time, we should arrive in Halifax at 7 AM Saturday morning—only 4 hours later than it would have taken us to drive there. I would say this is the worst travel experience I’ve had, however we flew Westjet last fall to and from England. You may recall that some of our party had to sleep on the floor of the Calgary airport as Westjet had a computer crash and decided to let their "customer service” folks go home, instead of providing hotels for their displaced passengers. As you may have guessed, we are less than impressed with the service. What makes it even more frustrating is that none of the “service” agents seems to care and we have had to fight for every bit of accommodation we have received, such as a hotel last night and food vouchers. In the mean time, Eric has missed the first day of his conference and will arrive only a few hours before day two starts. Not good. Other than that, things are good."

Erin and Kristian have joined Travis & Joanna on a trip to Tampa Bay. They flew out of Regina and met up with Travis & Joanna in Toronto. Then, after overnighting in Toronto, they flew to Tampa this morning. And, just to add intrigue to surprise, their flights were on time, and all luggage arrived with them. Better buy a lottery ticket! 

Meanwhile, back at home in Thunder Bay, the boys are partying! 

Hey man—got a light?

And that's enough for this week!

Bye, bye, Aunt Peggy!

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown, but we are between the banks of the Red River and the Red River bypass known as Duff's Ditch! We drove up here on Thursday to commemorate Aunt Peggy, yesterday, and enjoy a stay with Dean, Kelly and family. Unfortunately, Dean was forewarned of our visit and arranged to absent himself in Poland! LOL!

Bk-Markus, Becca, Toran, Mitchell
Ft-Sarah, Talitha, Sandra

Anyway, we're enjoying visiting with the family, and catching up with Mike, Angela and Damaris, along with more members of their families. We also enjoyed catching up with many other members of Peggy's family and friends at the service. Sadly, we seemed to have reached an age level where too many of our gatherings are around someone's departure. We spent the early part of the week at home. Today, we got to spend some time with Tom, recently returned from Israel and Egypt, but Mariette was busy away from home already—they had only returned last night! Wendy has a busy, busy schedule with chorus business and rehearsals in preparation for the international competition next weekend in Rochester MN. I made some more progress on various projects in the shop as we celebrated temperatures up to 20°. The markets were also favourable, and I managed to make quota again. Investors seem heartened by better than forecast inflation data, although they're still expecting the FED to raise rates by another 0.25% in May. The regular season has ended in the NHL, so the playoff season is now beginning. Sadly, the Pens did not qualify. Leafs play Tampa Bay, while my Oilers play LA Kings in the first round. Basketball is in the new silly season where teams try to recruit established players who have entered the Transfer Portal! I hope the Jayhawks pick up some good ones. Baseball is nicely underway and my Blue Jays are playing well so far. Curling this week was in Toronto for the Players Championship. My guy, Koe, beat Gushue to advance to the final against Schwaller. On the women's side, Wranå beat my gal, Einarson, so she gets to the final against Tirinzoni. 

Erica writes, "It’s been a busy week at work. I’ve picked up some personal tax returns, so, now that adds to the audits and reviews that normally keep me busy! Eric and I enjoyed a visit from his niece Marina. And we also got out to the local business awards show. Liam has started fundraising for his mission with RU and The Great Commission Foundation. You may hear from him soon on his plans. If you are interested in reading more, here is a link: Haaken and Greg are doing fine."

Erin and Kristian are acquainting themselves with the new-look Blue Jays. We get to text our commiserations over their games! So far, so good. They're currently in a series with the first place Rays, but have won the first two games to take that series. Erin got a new laptop for Kristian, and he has already used it to apply for summer work at camp. Meanwhile, Erin has begun stressing over her planned vacation trip next week—never too early to start stressing, sigh! 

Travis & Joanna celebrated several Easter feasts with us last weekend. Joanna is busy at work as well as with PuckShots orders. They are also in the final planning stages for their usual pilgrimage to Florida to the timeshare there. So, we're in the final planning stages in preparation for pet care! 

And that's about it for this week. 

He is Risen!

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. The first week of April has brought a blast for bad weather, but we have recovered from that, and are now looking forward to proper April weather—we hope! The unseasonable dump began Tuesday night, and continued all day Wednesday. We ventured out around suppertime Wednesday, and challenged the snowblower to clear the slushy stuff away. It was a struggle, but, ultimately, a successful one! The change in weather chased me back from the shop, but I'm looking forward to getting back at in next week. I have two main projects on the go, and a number waiting on the back burner. Wendy completed her business contract and collected her pay for that. She's in final preparation for the chorus trip to Rochester MN, so I'm hearing lots of singing around the house! The markets turned green with the arrival of April, so I had a good week and managed to make quota even though it was only four trading days due to the Good Friday holiday. We have been soliciting estimates for supply and installation of new windows in our house. As part of the upgrade, we're also replacing both the front and side doors, and adding storm doors. I've spent a lot of effort getting our curling team into the playoffs at the Men's World Championships. That was successful, and then they beat Switzerland tonight, so they'll be in the gold medal game tomorrow against Scotland. Hockey has entered the final week with Pens looking for a pair of wins, but still needing some help to make the playoffs. Leafs have secured home ice advantage for their first round series, and Oilers are still challenging for top spot in their division. Blue Jays have begun the season with a 10-game road trip. They're doing okay, but not up to expectations. 

Eric and Erica enjoyed participating in a Seder meal on Thursday evening. It was educational and inspiring. 

Erin often chats with me about the progress of the Blue Jays—I enjoy that. She and Kristian suffered a late winter storm there and unseasonably cold temperatures as well. They're doing okay, and expecting much better temperatures soon. 

Travis and Joanna are doing well. They had us over for an Easter meal last night, and we look forward to another one over here, tomorrow. Andrew has been accepted into the Paramedic program at Confederation College in the Fall. Gemma also had good news as she's advanced to the interview stage for the Mid-Wifery program at UBC. 

And that's enough for this week! 

April Showers!

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 for our regular walks. I've hit my target of 10km easily, and am experiencing little discomfort. The pain has clearly left my legs and my butt, and is now confined to the lower back. I'm informed that this is progress. I still have some neuropathy in the outsides and small toes of my feet. The golf courses are not open yet, and I have not braved the curling ice, but I'm thinking about it! I am back working in the shop most days. I started with some clean up and reorganizing, but that got old quick! There remains much clean up to do out there, and I have many projects awaiting further development as well. The snow has melted away on the deck, so I was assigned to the first barbecue of the year. Wendy keeps very busy with chorus work and practice. The chorus had a performance yesterday, and are in the last weeks of preparation for their international competition in late April. We got the brake pads and rotors replaced on the car this week—pricey! We're expecting a couple of trips west this spring, with the first being just to Winnipeg in the middle of the month for Peggy's memorial service. Then, we're planning a trip to Saskatchewan in May. The markets turned positive this week and I was able to recover over half of my monthly quota—nice! It's the Final Four weekend in Basketball, and with a #4, two #5s and a #9, it's safe to say no one picked these four teams! Since my Jayhawks are out, I've been sticking with UConn, so we'll see how it goes. Tonight, they advanced to the final against San Diego State! MLB has opened on all fronts, and, as the saying goes, "Hope springs eternal!" Everyone is a World Series contender at the moment! NHL is down to the last handful of games. Leafs and Oilers have clinched their spots in the playoffs, but Pens are really on the edge! World's Men Curling championship opened today as well with Gushue winning one, losing the other! I'm a busy spectator! 

Erica writes, "This was a busy week at work. We both put in several late evenings. Other than that, it was a pretty chill week. Last weekend, we saw the Irish Rovers, and then, on Sunday, we enjoyed Liam’s new dance show. It was very good. Liam is starting to raise funds to support his Ministry. He will be working full time with RU, as a minister to the group, and to the youth they minister to. We pray that his fundraising efforts are effective. Haaken and Greg are doing fine."

Erin and Kristian are taking regular or at least frequent treat outings for frozen treats (I guess it's no longer cold in Regina) and restaurant meals. They are also planning the shadow box memorial for Sadie. I have started work on the box. The big news this week for Erin is the arrival of Baseball Season! Her beloved Blue Jays opened with a win, but then lost today. Kristian and the cats are doing fine. 

Travis and Joanna remain very busy with the PuckShot business and Joanna's regular work. Although the hockey season is drawing to a close, they're still pumping out the team photos. We enjoy getting together with them each week for a meal and games night. Gemma remains in Vancouver with Jonas, but is trying to put together plans for schooling in the Fall. Andrew continues to work at Super Store, and is also considering further education in the Fall. 

And that's about enough for this week. 

Aunt Peggy!

A Lifetime of Service

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. It was quite a varied experience this week, but the shocker was the decline and demise of our dear Aunt Peggy. We were not expecting her to be ill, let alone be hospitalized, intubated, failing and passing. We lament this along with the rest of her extended family and friends. The weather has turned positively salubrious here these last few days, but we had a spring blizzard at the start of the week, and I was recalled for snowblower work! Once again, I'm hoping that was the last call for this year.

That really blows!

Otherwise, it was a quiet week. Wendy had her usual chorus work and chorus practice. She has also made good progress on her business accounting contract. We have managed our regular walking, and I have managed to make my 10 km quota this week for a change! I'm still feeling plenty of discomfort in my back and legs, but I'll keep trying. The markets have continued to be difficult, but I did manage to eke out a small gain. I remain far below quota this month with only one week to go. The mild weather means I have been able to get out to the shop and make some progress on my projects. The sports world continues to attract a lot of my attention. On the weekends it's March Madness where unpredictability reigns. We've now reached the final eight, and for the first time ever not a single #1 seed remains in contention. Since my Jayhawks have fallen out of contention, I've switched my cheering to Creighton and UConn. All week, I've been following the World Women's Curling with Einarson. Kerri and Val have curled inconsistently and they've fallen short of their goal. They'll curl for the bronze medal tomorrow against Sweden. NHL Hockey is down to the final ten games or so and my teams are currently in playoff positions, but the Pens' situation is quite precarious. Oilers have been playing well, winning 7 of their last 10. Leafs won 6/10, while Pens only won 4/10—big win tonight, though! 

Erica writes, "It’s been a pretty quiet week; this weekend is gonna be a party! We are heading to Moose Jaw for the Irish Rovers and to catch Liam’s new RU production. Last weekend, Eric planned a night out with dinner and bowling and I managed to beat him for the first time ever! That must have been his birthday gift to me! We talked to the boys last weekend and everyone seems to be doing fine. That is about it!"

Erin and Kristian had a quiet week in Regina, and after recent events, that was a welcomed thing! Kristian's second semester is well underway, and seems to be running well. The transition continues at Taylor Motors as the main office building is being abandoned, demolished and rebuilt. Erin is working in the Lexus building across the street during the construction. 

Travis and Joanna continue to be quite busy. Joanna's work seems unusually busy due to many organizations hitting year end and wishing to spend their money! We enjoyed pizza supper and games with them last night. The two young dogs have refreshed with hair cuts, but, while Minnie is also needing one, the cutter was reluctant! 

And that's enough for this week. 

Erica Berica Soderberg!

Another Birthday Wonder Woman!

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. We enjoyed lovely walks on the drying streets in our running shoes, but then Thursday came! A blizzard blew in from Colorado, and stayed with us until this morning. We got quite a dump of fresh snow, and had to clear the driveway twice. I hope this is the last blast for this winter, but it's still March! We had Minnie with us most of the week, and then the two monster pups for the last few days of that! They were rambunctious! It was a workout taking them for a walk. Anyway, Travis, Joanna and Andrew drove back on Thursday arriving here just in time for the storm, but at least they got off the road before it became too difficult to drive. Wendy keeps very busy with the chorus business and practices. They're getting ready for a competition in April. She also has her business accounting contract to work on. The markets continue to be unpredictable and bad! This week, we had alternating strong gains and deep losses. Sadly, three of the days were losses! After making quota January and February, I'm running red this month, sigh! The most recent issue is banking as several banks are wobbling based on the rapidly rising interest rates. My central sporting focus in March is Basketball—March Madness as it is so aptly named. College Basketball is always refreshingly and agonizingly unpredictable, and that has proved true once again. Two of the #1 seeds have already been sent packing, and that, sadly, includes my Jayhawks who lost by one point to Arkansas. Rock Chalk all the same. Hockey continues as the season enters the home stretch. The Oilers won again today and are solidly in a playoff position right now. Pens lost today, and are just one point clear in the final playoff spot. Leafs won tonight and are also comfortably in a playoff position. 

Erica writes, "We had a pretty ordinary week. Eric finished up teaching an evening class 'One heart two homes' for co-parenting after divorce. It’s busy season, so I’ve worked some later evenings.  I also enjoyed St.Patrick’s day with my book club. Our host provided a Leprechaun charcuterie board. After Eric and I went for traditional shamrock shakes. We grieved the loss of Sadie who was such a lovely dog. Our friends, Tina and Guido also had to put down their dog, Archie, who had heart problems. It’s tough to say good bye to our furry family members. Today’s my birthday. We have plans, but I don’t know what they are. Fun!"

Erin opened the week celebrating with her siblings. That was a great time for them. 

Sadie. RIP

Then, as they departed, so did little Sadie. Our furry friends play a sweet role in our families and Sadie is missed. Kristian has no memories without Sadie around, so it'll be quite an adjustment for them both. For now, they are celebrating her memory. They still have the two cats. 

So happy our kids had some together time!

Travis and Joanna spent last weekend in Regina with the siblings! Then, they headed part way back to Winnipeg where they met up with Andrew and took in the AEW event on Wednesday.

Trav, Joanna and Jade!

With the storm threatening, they left early on Thursday, but experienced little difficulty, not running in to the storm until the final hour into TBay. They were here for supper and visiting tonight—nice! 

And that's enough for this week. 

Wendy!

The Birthday Girl

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. It has been a week of celebration and tender remembrances. We recalled Dad on the 98th anniversary of his birth, and then just two days later, we celebrated Wendy's birthday! As is often our custom, we extended the celebration for at least a week around the event! The weather has remained spring-like, and the sidewalks and streets are inviting our walks each day. The weather folks are threatening us with some snow tonight! Travis, Joanna and Andrew took us out for a birthday fête on Wednesday night. We went to a small pinball cafe and enjoyed it a great deal. The children plied her with gifts, including these lovely flowers.

Birthday Flowers!

She also enjoyed phone calls from children and grandchildren. And today, our tenant brought her gifts including a cake—Nice! The markets have turned harshly against me, and it was a losing week. Otherwise, we've been well-engaged in watching the Brier competition. My guy Koe, made the playoffs but has now lost out. There are three teams left: Dunstone, Gushue, Bottcher. I've picked Dunstone to win it all, but the other teams are very good as well. With the trade deadline behind them, NHL teams are working to settle in their new players and jockey for playoff position. The Oilers had a big win over top-ranked Boston this week, but fell to the Leafs tonight. Pens won their game over the Flyers today. The Jayhawks are completing their preparation for March Madness with a good showing in the conference tournament, but they lost the final. They've been playing without their coach who has been hospitalized this week.

Erica writes, "We’re alive! Eric and I have survived Covid-19. It’s been a quiet week as we were both self-isolating. We had a couple days of feeling congested and hot and tired. But overall we had it pretty easy. Liam had a checkup with his specialist on Friday and his condition is improving. We are so glad. Greg and Haaken are both doing well. This weekend we expect to see Travis and Joanna down in Regina. We are just so glad we are Covid negative!"

Kristian is sporting a fresh hair-style with a bit of colour! He also reports that classes are going well again this semester.

Dude!

They have been preparing for family company this weekend. Travis & Joanna are already there, and they're expecting Eric, Erica and Liam to arrive soon.

After taking us out for birthday supper, Travis & Joanna headed west for a family-connection trip. They enjoyed overnighting with Tom & Mariette in Winnipeg on Thursday, and then completed the trip into Regina on Friday. We're expecting them back sometime next week. 

And that's enough for this week.

Spring Again!

Steve Bell in Concert

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown, and we have returned to Spring! Once again, we're enjoying temperatures without that annoying tic mark in front! The driveway has melted off, sidewalks and streets are slushy and gradually clearing, and we're enjoying getting outside for our walks. Through the wintery weather, I am often confined to the treadmill to get my walking done. Truly, it didn't take long to walk as far as I have been able in recent months, but with my therapy, things are getting better, and I am able to walk everyday for 1 to 2 kilometres. My back and, occasionally, my legs complain a bit, but really, I'm encouraged. The searing pain down the back and outsides of my legs is a rare phenomenon now, and the neuropathy has significantly improved in my feet. I've even been swinging a golf club some days, and am considering a trip to the rink to try showing rocks. This week, I had more ultrasound on my back, but that was related to my kidneys; we'll see what the doctor says about that in my appointment next week. I am scheduled for bloodwork and an appointment with my vascular surgeon next month. Then, I expect, we'll be ready for a trip west! Getting old, hey? We began the week in a wonderful concert with Steve Bell. His stories and songs were a blessing. Wendy keeps very busy with chorus work as they're preparing to attend a competition down at Rochester MN next month. She is also making progress on the business contract she took on recently. The markets took an upturn this week, and I enjoyed that to start the new month with some good gains. It seems we're in a phase of "Good news is bad news!" and "Bad news is bad news!" When economic data is strong, investors lament that the FED will raise rates more aggressively. When economic data is week, investors lament that the FED is causing a recession! It's a multi-faceted fear of the FED, and investors are suffering! The NHL trade deadline was Friday, and all of my teams made some moves. However, the Pens were mostly criticized for how little they did to improve. They are in a playoff position, but their prospects are questionable, at best! Oilers picked up some hopefully helpful additions, and Leafs added a lot of talent. Now, we'll wait to see which team progresses the furthest! My #3-Jayhawks proved once again to be the cream of the crop as they have captured another Big 12 Conference crown. Today was not a good day for my teams as Oilers, Leafs, Pens and Jayhawks all lost. The Scotties ended last Sunday with my pick, Einarson, winning the Canadian Championship. Local team, McCarville, performed very well, and took home the bronze. Now, the Brier has started. There are many highly rated teams in the running. I will follow Sask Champ, Knapp, with sentimental attachment, but not much hope of winning it all. It will probably come down to my favourite, Koe, along with Gushue, Bottcher and McEwen. 

Erica writes, "Liam has been discussing working full time as a missionary leader with Refined Undignified. Refined Undigmified is a hip hop dance group that shares the message of God’s love through dance. This week he was approved to move ahead and start fundraising support through The Great Commission Foundation. Please keep him in your prayers as he moves forward.

Covid 19 +

Eric and I got to enjoy a comedian in Saskatoon. I was feeling a bit stuffed up this morning, and suffering a sore throat, so I took a test! Guess I won't be going to LaRonge next week! We have no update from Haaken and Greg."

Erin and Kristian enjoyed a family date night last evening at the Olive Garden. They've been using a menu-driven food service lately. Kristian participates in the menu selection and the meal preparation. Their meals look great! 

Travis and Joanna keep busy with their business and her job. Tonight, we went with them to the Thunderwolves Hockey Playoff game. Trav braved the line-up to get us red line seats—that was fun! However, our guys lost, so they will not advance to the University Cup final four! 

And that's enough for this week.