News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. The weather has been hot all week, but has turned showery as a weekend special! We have made significant progress on the renovations. Wendy got the carpets cleaned downstairs on Friday. There are still some doors to hang and baseboard to apply, but the place is pretty much ready to go. We set the pool up, and it's warmed nicely. I got in some golf practice, and still hope to get in a round this weekend if the weather turns sunny again. The markets were thin all week with holidays both sides of the border. I was only able to get half my quota. The Riders were blown out by the Argos this afternoon, and the Jays have fallen out of first place. Milos and Genie both lost out at Wimbledon, although both achieved very good success all the same. Grandpa K had a bad week as the heavy rainfall last weekend backed up the sewer system into his basement again, causing considerable damage downstairs that will require extensive renovations, sigh!

Eric has accepted a counsellor position in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. He starts August 18th. Liam is applying to go to Briercrest High School. At this point Erica and Haaken are staying in Parksville—I think this family is confused! Eric spent the week working on details of moving to Prince Albert and monitoring work on the septic field in Kenora. The most recent cost estimates are lower than the initial which is promising, but they are only estimates. Liam filled out his application for school. He also spent time with friends. Haaken is doing a room reorganization. He's cleared out several boxes from his closet. Unfortunately, Eric has filled those boxes with books. This weekend Haaken heads over to Vancouver for a one-month course at Emily Carr. Erica took the family over to a colleague's house for Canada day. They overlook the ocean, affording a great view of the fireworks. The eating was good for both people and bugs.

Erin and Kristian had an interesting week. Kristian has been spending his days over at Papa's, and has been introduced the fine art of "garage sale-ing". He cleared some cash through selling of some of this stuff, but is still looking for more to buy the Lego set he has in his sights! Erin celebrated the return of sunshine by getting a sunburn.

Trav & Joanna are busily preparing for the move. They've been culling stuff, and have even started moving a bit. Gemma and Andrew flew to Toronto today to spend some weeks with the grandparents down there. They should be all moved into their new rooms upon their return.

And that's about enough this week. 

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. The weather has been comfortable, but with too many showers! I managed to get the front lawn cut, and it seems to be drying this weekend, so I'll try to get the back lawn done. I finally managed to play some golf today, and that went better than expected. It sometimes seems that I play my best in the early going before I start swinging too hard! Renovations are proceeding well. The drywall is finally done, and Wendy is increasing the pace on painting. This week she got a final coat on the family room and priming of the castle room. Everything is looking good. Markets went badly this week, so while I started the week with quota for the month, I will now need a good day on Monday to close at that level. School ended this week, so I'm off bus driving for the summer. We'll see how things set up in the Fall. The Jays continue to flounder, although they did take a series from the Yankees and remain in first place. Football season has begun this weekend, but the Riders don't play until tomorrow. Go Riders, Go!

Liam celebrated the end of grade 8, and moving on to the big time, high school.

For the occasion he wore a suit and looked quite striking! They had a dinner and dance. On Wednesday he joined Eric on a trip to Saskatchewan to checkout a job offer out in PA as well as tour Briercrest. They both return this evening. Haaken worked on movie stuff on his computer and went for a lot of walks around town. He also enjoyed his mother's lack of desire to cook at the end of each busy day, so they ate out a lot this week. Erica ended the week batching and entering invoices. With the teachers' strike still on, support staff have also been absent, but the bills have to be paid. The whole group is heading to Victoria this weekend to celebrate Sheena Bailey's 80th Birthday.

Erin provides an update on her week in Regina: It rained. Again. Every day! Kristian graduated grade 3. He's staying in the 3/4 split classroom for grade 4. His best friend, Owen, will be in grade 3 in the same classroom so they're both pretty excited. Erin went out for lunch to an outdoor cafe and ended up being stuck there for an extra half hour as the film crew for the Corner Gas movie needed "continuity" for the scene they were shooting right across the street! So that was a neat surprise. She won't be in the movie though. They pulled up a vehicle to hide the patio. They spent today with Liam and Eric at Grandpa's, the Rider store, Burger Baron, Transformers movie, and Walmart. Kristian picked out a special gift for finishing grade 3. They're closing the week at home putting together their new fan and Kristian's kree-o transformers set. It was a good week.

Trav, Joanna and crew had a busy week with school closing and Gemma's grade 8 grad. She won several awards and was also Valedictorian. She plans to enter the International Baccalaureate program at Churchill High School in the Fall. For some reason, I'm very short of grand-daughters, but I'm proud to be connected with this one!

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 all week, but it has turned showery this weekend. I've managed to get out to practice golf a couple of times and was planning to use some of my Father's Day money to actually play a round this weekend, but, maybe later! The school year is winding down, and the students are into special class outings in the elementary schools and exams in the high schools. The markets ran nicely all week, and TSX hit a new record high. Wendy has the family room primed, and it is looking really good. Now she's painting the ceiling in an upstairs bedroom. Drywall work continues for me, but that aspect is getting close to being finished. The Jays are struggling; they were swept by the Yankees this week, but remain in first place. Preseason is over in football, and I'm looking forward to the regular season.

Erica has had a long week. With the strike it has been a strange combination of busy and quiet. She even took a turn at covering the front desk with all the union staff gone. Eric has heard back from some of the jobs he has been applying on and now they have some deciding to do. Liam and Haaken have enjoyed their early summer. Liam has been visiting back and forth with friends—fun times! Haaken worked on some animation drawings, hand drawing body parts on separate cells in order to animate them. The Mazda 626 has been donated to Teen Challenge, at least that will save on insurance! They have begun work on the septic field at the house in Kenora along with paperwork related to ensuring the apartment is legal. We pray that both will progress well. They have had enough bumps this year and are looking forward to some smoother waters! The icing on the cake would be a buyer for that house.

The school year is also winding down for Kristian. Otherwise, he and Erin continue with their normal activities. Tonight they had a date for a meal out, and to see How to Train Your Dragon II. We are looking forward to spending some time with them during the summer break. 

It was Joanna's birthday this week, so we celebrated with them on Wednesday evening. They are preparing to move into our suite as soon as we can get it ready. We are looking forward to that. 

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 is nice, so I'm enjoying golf practice and yard work. One of the curses/blessings of Canadian golf is we have an off season. This gives us the opportunity to watch Golf Channel, read golf magazines in the doctor's office, and come up with the final solution which will put our game in good order when Spring comes! So, this time of year, I am once again trying to install my new golf swing! Yikes! However, renovations continue to call my name, and we're making some progress there. Wendy has begun painting in the new area. The bedroom and the upstairs still require some more work before they're ready for paint. It was another good week for me in the markets, and I made quota again. There have not been enough weeks of that lately! The hockey season has ended. As I predicted the LA Kings won it in five, so I take some consolation in the accurate prediction even though I was cheering for the Rangers. All games but one were decided by a single goal, and three of the games went to overtime, so it was very entertaining hockey. The Blue Jays continue in first place, but they've been having a tougher time of it lately, so it's getting tight! Wendy is keeping very busy with the renos, and with other clean-up work around the house and yard. The Riders opened their football preseason this evening with a win over Ottawa—lots of new faces! Go Riders! 

Eric had some promising responses on job applications this week. He had some interviews and pre-interview questionnaires. Hopefully he will begin to receive offers, even just one good offer! Haaken and Liam had what is probably their last day of school on Friday. The teachers are on "rotating strike" on Monday with a more permanent strike starting Tuesday. 

Tin Grin

Liam had exams this week so he is pretty much done. Haaken only has one class this semester with an exam so we wait to hear if or when he will write it. Liam got braces this week; he's absolutely delighted with the new look! 

Life continues to move forward for Erin and Kristian. Kristian wrote me a delightful Grandpa's Day card using his new favourite cursive writing. Erin says he has really taken to it and insists on using it all the time. I don't recall it being such a hit with the grade three kids who were introduced to it in years gone by! 

Trav, Joanna and crew continue to be busy. Joanna and Gemma have taken on a few extra weddings which keeps them very busy on weekends. Puckshots had a recent photo shoot where every player ordered a package—nice! Gemma and Andrew are feeling the pressure of year end, and the move to a new school in the fall. They are looking forward to their new rooms and have been engaged in planning the decor. 

And that's about enough for this week. 

News Update

We've experienced another beautiful week on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. Reactine is keeping my hay fever at bay, so I'm doing pretty well. I've been able to get out to the golf course a few times, and I feel like my swing is showing signs getting back into the groove. Unfortunately, even at its best, my game is not so great, but I enjoy it all the same. Wendy has been away all week in Parksville, and I've been trying to get some upstairs renovations moving forward while she's away. I have it rewired, drywalled and everything has at least the first coat of mud, so I'm satisfied. Wendy is expected back just after midnight, then we'll see whether she is satisfied with it! The markets have turned positive this week and I managed more than quota, so I feel well blessed there. The final series has begun in hockey. The Blackhawks failed to advance so I'm cheering for the Rangers in the final, all the while predicting the Kings to win! Sigh! Blue Jays continue to play well, holding first place at this point in the season. 

Eric/A took a bike trip down the west coast to California to see the mighty redwoods! They had a great time by all accounts with favourable weather and beautiful scenery. Liam spent most of the week on a school camping trip. Haaken and Grandma were charged with taking care of things at home, and that seemed to work out very well. 

Kristian was able to get a different anti-histamine which relieves his hay fever while still allowing him to remain awake! That is helpful for his school work! Otherwise things seem to be about the same for Erin & Kristian in Regina. 

Trav & Joanna continue to have photo shoots with hockey teams in the summer leagues, and have also had a call from a lacrosse team. Puckshots has turned into a lucrative business for them. We've managed to share several suppers this week, which is a bonus for me. Thanks guys! Gemma and Andrew are into their last month of school. 

And that's about it for this week. 

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. The weather has been lovely, but the life cycle of birch trees has also advanced and it's hay fever season for me! Reactine keeps most of the symptoms at bay, but I feel generally fatigued with tired eyes during this time, and, I usually develop a cough to deal with all the post nasal drip, sigh! The TSX had another difficult week. While the DOW and S&P500 hit record highs, the TSX actually declined during the month of May. I was a able to make quota the final two weeks of the month, but the first two weeks were red, and I didn't catch up. I have been out practicing golf, but not playing yet. Renovations continue both downstairs and up, but my helper has taken a vacation, so the painting side in on hiatus! Hockey playoffs continue; Rangers have defeated Montreal and moved on to the final. They await the winner of the other series which has gone to game seven tomorrow in Chicago. Go Hawks!

Liam has successfully raised his funds for his leadership trip. Thanks to all who supported him! This week he is finishing his plans for a school camping trip scheduled for next week. He is very excited—in his cool, understated way! A Home-Stay family has been selected for Haaken. It is in close proximity via bus to Emily Carr, so it seems like a good fit. He has been making his own arrangements for dental appointments and getting himself there. Several of the jobs Eric has applied for closed this week and some more close next week. He has two interviews for positions in the area and continues with an interview process for another position further east. They continue to pray and ask for prayer that Eric will get a job that makes use of his gifts and provides for the family. Eric and Erica are on a week long motorcycle trip down the west coast. They have no set agenda other than a return date. Erica hopes to get as far as northern California to see the giant Redwoods and cross that off her bucket list. Wendy has flown out for the week to watch over the boys; the whole crew feel very blessed to have her there.

Kristian had a bout of eye trouble this week. A teacher and a classmate had suffered recently with conjunctivitis, so when Kristian showed up with puffy, sore eyes, the school diagnosed pink eye, and called Erin to take him home. With my recent experience, it was easy to suggest hay fever, and a second-opinion from a real doctor supported this diagnosis. The allergy medication she bought takes care of the symptoms, but make him drowsy, so Erin is searching for a different medicine.

Travis, Joanna and crew keep busy and maintain regular contact here. Joanna was over early in the week to get a coat of paint on one bedroom. Thanks for the help! We also shared a few meals back and forth.

And that's about enough for this week. 

News Update

After the holiday Monday, the week has gone very quickly on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. The weather has turned beautiful; we are enjoying that! I continue to practice golf, and hope to work in a game shortly. Meanwhile, I keep busy with drywalling. I'm at the mud stage, and now have first coat completed. Wendy has been working on the painting, and has nearly completed a second room. She got help from Joanna and Andrew today as they picked out colours and began work on the final application in that room. Wendy also came to a decision on a new phone, and is working to learn its nuances. The markets have bounced back a bit with US markets establishing new record highs this week, and I was able to score an above quota gain even though it was only four days, so I feel blessed. Hockey playoffs continue—the Rangers hold a lead over Montreal, while the Kings have opened a lead over Chicago. Baseball is attracting extra attention as the Jays hold down first place; this is the latest in the season they've held first place for fourteen years! 

Eric/A got more distress over their Kenora house. Apparently the sewage field needs some attention, so that could be costly. They also got some expression of interest in buying it, so maybe something will work out that way. 

Erin & Kristian are enjoying and taking advantage of the fine weather in Regina to get into some outdoor activities. 

Trav & Joanna keep busy with business and work. They had a big photo-shoot with a group of  five hockey teams today, so Gemma and Andrew spent the day with us. 

And that's about enough for this week. 

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown, and we have arrived at Victoria Day weekend. It's seems to have arrived very early this year, and to be sure, it's almost as early as it can be! We're enjoying nice weather, so I've been practicing golf, and looking longingly at the three courses I drive by each day! The markets have continued to be troubled and all the North American markets (along with my portfolio) are red for the month. Renovations continue downstairs; I hope to finished hanging the drywall in the new area this weekend. Wendy should finish painting in the existing bedroom as well. Then, we'll turn to the finishing work in new part, and I'll get to the upstairs renovations. Meanwhile, golf will have to continue to wait! Hockey playoffs have entered the semi-final stage. I have Rangers over Montreal in the east, and Chicago over Los Angeles in the west. Truthfully, I'm happy with the style of play of all four remaining teams, so I'm hoping all teams will be looking to add more speed and skill to their rosters!

Upstairs Fireplace

Liam has two projects on the go. He is building a replica of a castle out of old pizza boxes for school. He also has an up coming camping trip for school. He and his group have planned their menu. Next they have to go grocery shopping to get their goods. In preparation for the physical aspects of the trip he is SUPPOSED TO BE walking. Confirmation of a home stay opportunity for Haaken for his monthlong course at Emily Carr has arrived, so they are just waiting to hear who the host family will be! He continues with school and youth group. Eric has been recalled for 2 days per week of work with his former employer. He is trying to build a behaviour consulting practice through his former employer. If he gets enough clients he may be able to increase his hours and get back on benefits. He also continues to apply for jobs. This week Erica convinced Eric to try yoga with her. He is signed up for 3 TRIAL sessions, then we'll see if he continues! After catching them, Erica had to learn how to cook her salmon. It seems to have gone well as Haaken ate a whole half of a fish all on his own and Liam actually ate his portion. He said it tasted like chicken! There is plenty more in the freezer!

Erin and Kristian have texted and chatted, but don't report much new in the way of activities. Work and school continue pretty much as usual. Erin reports things are busy at work at they're having special sales promotions for their vehicles. Kristian has been able to get out roller-blading a couple of times. 

Trav & Joanna remain busy with the various aspects of Ulrich Design. This week they had a nice T-shirt order and some remaining photography orders. Today, the whole crew joined us for barbecue supper and the evening. 

And that's about enough for this week. 

Happy Mother's Day

Featuring: the mother of my children, and our mothers!

We're enjoying beautiful weather on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. The salties are out in the bay as another shipping season begins. The golf courses are open, and the greens certainly look inviting! The rhubarb is up, and I'm watching anxiously over my newly seeded section of lawn. I've begun work on the garden boxes, but haven't planted anything yet. Renovations continue apace; today, Travis helped me haul another load of drywall downstairs. This gyproc is labelled "Ultra-lite"—as if! The markets have continued to be troubled and troublesome, and my portfolio is feeling the pain as well. Hockey playoffs continue, but the tide seems to have turned against the Canadiens as they fallen behind 3 games to 2! Pens and Hawks are doing okay. I haven't picked a favourite between the Kings and the Ducks.

Erica spent the week in Regina visiting with the family there and catching up on her reading. She enjoyed playing guitar and singing with Grandpa and a hearty game of Angry Birds with Kristian. She flew home Friday evening. Liam is taking his mom salmon fishing for Mother's Day. Eric and Haaken are glad to not be invited. Emily Carr sent information about the possibility of a home stay arrangement for Haaken's summer program. We hope that will work out. Liam and Haaken enjoyed Eric's first day off work by also having a day off school. Eric applied for EI, for a few more jobs and for passport renewals. He reports that he is tired of applications! He also had a three-hour interview on Monday. Wowsers!

Kristian has been fitted with his new ears! He declares them  to be yellow & blue! He says they only look green because that's what  you get when yellow and blue mix (yep, I've seen that phenomenon)! Otherwise, they are glad to be experiencing nicer weather in Regina.

Trav & Joanna are keeping busy. This weekend they're developing a connection to a new batch of hockey teams! Joanna and Gemma are also working support services for a wedding today, and it'll be a late night for them. Last night the ladies went shopping for Gemma's grad dress, while the guys tried vainly to secure a victory for the Penguins!

And that's about it for this week. 

May the Fourth be with You!

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. The weather has turned nice, and the golf courses are showing promise, although the greens and tee boxes still have the tarps on. The markets finally overcame some of their issues and I made some good gains toward the end of the week, however, April ended down. After starting the year with two excellent months, I have turned in two losing months, sigh! Renovations continue downstairs with drywalling and plumbing being featured this week. Wendy is painting one room and reorganizing another. The two bathrooms continue to wait for their turn on the reno list. Otherwise bus driving is going well, and the weather sees me out practicing a bit of golf. The second stage of hockey playoffs has begun; I have three favourites to cheer for in this round: Pittsburgh, Montreal, Chicago. 

Erica has travelled to Regina for a week long visit with Grandpa, Uncle Dave, Erin and Kristian and many other acquaintances. Liam had some meetings to prepare for his youth leadership trip in July. He has also had multiple visits to the dentist and is sporting four blanks along his jaw. Eric's job was extended until yesterday. He finished up and enjoyed some farewell pie—lemon meringue, his favourite. He has an interview on Monday, a lead on another job, and the possibility of part time work with his current employer. Haaken performed the play he has been working on in his drama class; it went well. 

Erin has continued to have health struggles. Sometimes she feels she is well again, but then suffers a relapse. It's been going on for weeks. Kristian is doing well. He is being fitted for new ear moulds; we wait to see what the colours will be this time!

Trav has been busy with a few more end-of-hockey-season banquets. He got an estimate of nearly $1000 for the repairs to his car after getting keyed at last week's banquet. Sigh! Joanna is busy with both her retail work, and the Ulrich Design company business. Gemma and Andrew are into the final two months of this school year. 

And that's about enough for this week.

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. We've had some Spring again, and even one day of Summer before it degraded into white, fluffy rain on Thursday night. Now that's melted and we're back into Spring again. Renovations have continued apace downstairs. I've  installed the new partitions and finished the electrical wiring. Now we're into drywalling and a bit of carpet repairs. The gas insert for the fireplace is now operational. The gas range has been hooked up as well, so, we're enjoying that. The markets have remained difficult. All US indices are in the red this month, and most are in the red for the year to date. The TSX is doing a bit better, but not this week as I experienced four out of five red days. I lost value on the portfolio as two holdings stopped out. The week started with a sports highlight as Kevin Martin ended his career with an 18th major championship. Hockey playoffs continue. I was disappointed to see Detroit lose their series. 

Eric found out that the new contractor has filled the position with an internal candidate, so that is off the table. He continues to explore other opportunities including work with some clients he is currently supporting on a fee-for-service basis. Haaken and Liam are getting home from school 15 minutes earlier due to the teacher job action. Erica rode her new bike over to Chilliwack to visit cousins Lisa and Kara and their respective families. It was a bit tense riding through Vancouver during rush hour, but the trip is going well. 

Spider Man at rest! 

Erin and Kristian enjoyed a good week. Kristian was on school holidays, and enjoyed some special activities as a result. Here he is with his Spidey face paint! 

Trav, Joanna and crew had a pretty usual week until today. Trav & Joanna were at the Elks hockey windup and while there his car was keyed up badly. We hope that's not too expensive or time-consuming to get fixed. It's a shame anyway. 

And that's about enough for this week. 

He is risen!

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown! Spring has continued to be elusive as we've had some April showers of white, fluffy rain! School bus driving continues to go well, and I'm on a bit of break as the schools were closed yesterday and again on Monday. The markets have recovered a bit, and I managed to make my quota for a change. Wendy and I have remained busy on the renovations. We have the gas lines in now, and expect to get the range installed, and both fireplaces upgraded in the next week. I've begun framing and drywalling in the basement. It seems a bit overwhelming, but we want to get an in-law suite ready by the summer. The sports week began with the Masters, the first big event of the new golf season. I was happy to see Bubba Watson win, although I was cheering for Jordan Spieth to break through. This week has marked the final major and the end of the curling season. It has been bitter-sweet for me as my longtime favourite, Kevin Martin, has announced his retirement after the event, but he's still curling well, and has advanced to the final tomorrow against Olympic gold medalist Brad Jacobs. So, I'll be cheering for him to go out with his 18th major! Hockey has moved into the first round of the playoffs, and I've been following several teams. 

Haaken is in a group project, working on a play for his drama class. He plays the role of George, a computer worker. Liam had a boring week including a dental appointment. With Eric's employment and benefit plan coming to an end, they're trying to get as much of the dental work and braces completed and billed before April 30th. Eric had two interviews this week. One is just the first stage in a lengthy process, but it's for an interesting job with a focus on counselling. It's also in Saskatchewan! The other was for a position requiring travel to Port Alberni and Campbell River. Erica is into yoga these days. She has been reminded that, as a child, she used to do yoga with her mother. The Mazda 626 seems to be completely out of commission. At 12 years and 300,000 clicks, it has served well, but it seems to be failing electrically, and it doesn't appear to be worth investing in further repairs. In the meantime, they're enjoying the new motorcycles as an alternative transportation, and their location makes it a favoured choice! The family is heading down to Victoria to spend the Easter weekend with the Bailey relatives there. 

Erin has been engaging her domestic side this week and enjoying the cooking aspects. Kristian is looking forward to the Easter bunny's arrival! He also has next week off school. 

Trav, Joanna, Gemma and Andrew joined us for Good Friday supper, and we've engaged them for Easter Monday supper as well! It's nice to have them close by. We're trying to get the basement ready for them so they can be even closer! 

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 spring-like and the snow has been disappearing. Lawns have reappeared around the neighbourhood, and I've been out swinging my golf clubs! We continue to work on downstairs renovations; old structures have been cleared away, and the building materials have been purchased and hauled downstairs. Investors seem to have fallen in line with the idea of a "correction". The markets have been down this week, and all US indexes are in the red year-to-date. Sigh! My portfolio has not been immune, so, I've endured significant losses this week and am well short of my quota once again. Two of my holdings have stopped out, and another is close. Kevin Koe lost the bronze medal game to Switzerland, so we didn't even get a medal in world curling. UConn rewarded my selection with a victory in NCAA men's basketball; that was good to see. Baseball season has begun, and the Blue Jays are providing their usual range of heartache and enjoyment. The hockey season is ending, so, Stanley Cup playoffs are set to begin in the coming week. Unfortunately, only one Canadian team has qualified, but there are several teams in there that play a style of hockey I admire, so I'll be cheering for them to do well. 

It's been a quiet week for the Baileys in Parksville. Liam and Haaken have begun a cartooning class, and enjoyed the first session. Eric has applied for a number of jobs, including his own! He has been receiving recommendations from some of his contacts which speaks to the quality of work he has been doing. Hopefully something will develop soon from this in the form of an as-good-as or even better job than the one he's been holding. Erica has developed a liking for Smoothies, so she's garage sale-ing for a Magic Bullet to replace her failing blender! 

Erin and Kristian are doing fine in Regina. Erin has signed up Kristian for professional coaching in golf this summer, so I'm hoping he will be able to help me! Otherwise, school and work are progressing pretty much as usual. 

Travis & Joanna are hosting Joanna's dad this weekend. Their work and the regular routines of school for Gemma and Andrew continue to occupy their days. Trav is preparing for his major annually recurring task—the Stanley Cup playoffs! 

And that's about it for this week. 

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. The weather has been in a holding mode, so we haven't made much progress on snow removal until today at 10°. We're expecting double digits with sunshine all next week; that should clear a lot of it away! The markets have been mixed with good advances early in the week before a sell-off on Friday! I was blessed with a great gain, and am very thankful for that as I'm almost back to quota. There are a lot of naysayers out there calling for a crash or at least a correction. I don't know why they feel things are so overheated when I note that DOW is flat three months into the year; even S&P500 is only up 2.2% YTD. Wendy and I continue with renovations downstairs. I've torn out some structures and am rebuilding others. We have a plan for the new bedroom. The fireplace inserts are ordered; we'll have him install a line for the gas range at the same time. I hope we haven't taken on more work than we can accomplish before summer! World Men's curling has been running all week, and I've been busy watching that! Koe ended the round robin in second place, but lost a tough one, 3-2, to Norway in the page playoff, and then lost to Sweden in the semi-final. So, he'll be playing for the bronze tomorrow against Switzerland—go Canada, go! NCAA college basketball is in the final weekend of March Madness. My team is long gone, but I'm cheering for UConn to win it all. The NHL season is grinding to a close, so it will soon be time to start paying attention to results there! 

The boys are back at school. Haaken is glad to be back, especially for his drama class. Liam, not so much, but is happily reconnecting with friends. Liam experienced paint ball for a first time this week at a friend's birthday party—now to get the paint out of his jacket! 

Erica tried yoga this week, but found it surprisingly painful! She was delighted with the gift of a new guitar from Eric for her birthday! 

Eric received disappointing news as his employer lost the bid for the contract that included his job. Now, there'll be a process of developing the service program for these high needs children, employing the new workers, and getting the program running again—is this a system?! We hope Eric may be the one employed by the new service provider. 

Erin and Kristian seem to have worked through their health woes and are fully engaged in school and work once again. This was report card/parent-teacher interviews week for Kristian, and it seems to have been a useful exercise. Kristian struggles with his hearing impairment, but is making good progress. Erin is delighted with the arrival of baseball season, and is keeping track of her beloved Blue Jays. 

Trav & Joanna continue to be busy with work. I see Gemma and Andrew nearly every day as they leave school to catch their school bus. Trav's hockey team lost out in the league final series. Good season, Coach Travis and the Elks82s! Joanna's mom was visiting last weekend from southern Ontario; we enjoyed a supper with the entire crew. 

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 is gradually improving, and we're getting some helpful melting. I have dug out the trampoline in the back yard, and it is ready for the season. We've had a lot of snow this winter, so it'll take many days of warm weather to clear it away. The markets have remained troubled and are down for the month; they are draining value from my portfolio as well. Sigh! We've begun another foray into the renovations game here. We had our favourite gas-fitter by this week, and he's given us a price to install natural gas inserts in our two fireplaces, and hook up our gas range. We've also begun some other renovations to the layout downstairs. Wendy has prepared the documentation concerning our taxes and has fired that off to our chartered accountant daughter! Thanks Erica! Wendy and I completed our dental cleaning this week. The team at the college recommended I go to the dentist to have a couple of problem teeth attended to—rats! Wendy had her usual clear check up. The World Championships have begun in men's curling, and Kevin Koe won his opening game this morning. March Madness continues in NCAA college basketball—plenty of drama there! 

Haaken and Liam have been enjoying another week of school break, and reverting to their default setting of late-to-bed, late-to-rise! That will need to change soon! This weekend they're all in Vancouver since Eric had a conference there, and the rest are enjoying access to the special attractions. Last night Erica and the boys enjoyed the FlyOver Canada at Canada Place, and Eric enjoyed skipping a ride! Today they had hop on, hop off passes and enjoyed the many experiences this access provided. They were looking for discounted tickets for Blue Man Group as well. Haaken has been preparing for his Learner's License; we hope that will be accomplished soon. Liam is preparing for train tracks, tin grin and metal head! He has some dental work to complete before the braces are applied.

Just when we thought Kristian was doing well, he came down ill and missed some school. We're glad to report he's on the mend. Erin took her once-per-decade visit to the dentist, and received a clean bill of health in that regard. Must be nice! 

Trav, Joanna and crew continue to be busy with their usual activities. This evening they hosted us for supper—thanks, guys! Trav's team won their semi-final series in straight games and are in the finals now for midget hockey. Let's go Elks!

And that's about enough for this week.

Bus Driver Bill

Having twenty-four hours to prepare myself, I was ready to address my high school students on Tuesday afternoon. I hit the Noise Suppression switch (which turns off all fans in the bus), removed my seat belt, rose from my seat and turned to address the group. 

"Students, we have an issue. It may be a human rights issue, so I'm asking you to pay serious attention. Yesterday afternoon, on this run, there was an incident, and I need to direct your attention to it. Apparently, although I can't say for sure, there was one or more students involved in this, ah, situation. Now, I can't say for sure, but it seemed to me that there was some kind of religious activity or ritual going on in the back part of the bus. As you know, this cannot be allowed! Apparently, this was some form of voodoo, or other cultic religion. I can't really say for sure, but what I found were some chicken bones laying on the floor." 

At this point, I could hold my face no longer. I broke, and they broke out in hearty laughter. 

"Please clean up after yourselves and help keep the bus clean," I concluded. 

This kind of response doesn't always work, but it's good to note there have been no more chicken remains, or any other garbage left on the floor.

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. The weather has been very nice, but we're not making much headway on the accumulated snow piles! I have gained access to the barbecue, so that's something at least. The bus people put me back to work immediately on my old run. Only one student had been suspended this time! However, there were a lot of happy faces, several parents came out to greet me, and one grade 11 boy surprised me with a big hug! The markets have been volatile, but I've been blessed with some recovery and am back on quota. I've been watching the women's curling championships all week where Rachel Homan managed to complete the round robin in first place. Now, they're in the playoffs, and have advanced to the championship final against Switzerland tomorrow. I'm expecting the gold! March Madness has begun, my favourite basketball time of the year. Already we've had a batch of bracket busting upsets. The Jayhawks won their first, and play again tomorrow. I don't have high hopes for them if they don't get their injured centre back, soon. Wendy has been very busy with appointments and clearing up the back log of paperwork here. Each of us has started a set of dental cleanings at the college. 

Eric and the boys have been holidaying on the Island, while Erica has been away in Mexico all week. Reports indicate that all involved had a good week. 

We've had a few chats with Erin and Kristian since we got back. They seem to be doing well at work and school. We miss spending time with them. 

Trav & Joanna are very busy this weekend with a hockey tournament. This time it's all business as they've set up a booth there. Trav's hockey team continues in the second round of the playoffs and started off with a win; they play again tomorrow. Gemma and Andrew are busy with school, but we haven't seen much of them yet. 

And that's about enough for this week. 

News Update

Another week has passed and we have returned to the shore of Lake Superior. The weather has been beautiful, and a lot of snow has sunk or melted from the streets, however, there remains a lot more to go! The week began with the Brier final, and Kevin Koe came through with a convincing win! I've had this week off, and now I'm into the women's world championships that began today with a win over Russia. I have high expectations of Rachel Homan; she was there last year and managed a medal, but I will be disappointed if it's not gold this time! The markets have been troubled all week with weak Chinese data, and strong Russian dictator! My accounts felt the pain as well. As a result, I have now fallen below quota—sigh! We have completed our visit to Regina; it was a very good time. Thank you, dad, for hosting us so graciously. We also relished in the chances to spend time with Erin & Kristian. We miss them all already! We drove to Winnipeg on Friday, met up with Erica, and passed the night with her, before she continued her trip to Mexico this morning. We cashed out a Red Lobster coupon from David when we arrived in Winnipeg and enjoyed a fabulous seafood feast—thanks, Dave. We completed the drive down to Thunder Bay today. Travis & Joanna welcomed us home with a lovely dinner. They've done a great job of taking care of things while we were away—thank you. Along with everything else, I'm getting ready for March Madness which is set to begin in the coming week. Rock Chalk, Jayhawk! 

Eric/A enjoyed a sunny week in Parksville and at least one of them was able to get out on the new bikes every day. The bikes are testing out well. Erica has been off work this week, and is taking the next week in sunny Mexico. She met up with Tanis in Winnipeg this morning, and they have flown to the Mayan Rivera for a week of RnR. Eric had a trip to Vancouver on Monday to visit his brother and enjoy two periods of Canuck hockey. He also watched the third period but some of that was obscured by tears! The boys finished up a final week of school, and are now off on a two-week spring break! I don't remember such long spring breaks when I was a kid, nor when I was a teacher! 

Erin has been under the weather nearly all week, but is gradually getting better. Kristian is into the rainbow loom and has made projects for most of us now. 

Trav, Joanna and crew have been managing their usual activities of work and school. We look forward to catching up with them now that we're back home. Trav's hockey team starts their second round series on Wednesday. 

And that's about enough for this week. 

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Wascana in the middle of the prairie. Finally, the weather has turned Spring-like with above zero temperatures facing us each day on the forecast for next week. We got a couple more dumps of snow this week, but I've scored a couple of shovels, so the driveway clearing went easily. I've also cleaned off the deck, so we plan a barbecue in the coming week. School bus driving has ended for now; I trained a new driver on the route this week, accompanying her for the final time on Wednesday. We'll have to wait to see whether there is a route for me back in TBay. I've been watching the Brier all week, and as expected my three favourites rose to the top, tied with identical 9-2 records. Playoffs are underway. BC(Morris) awaits in the final which is set to be played tomorrow. AB(Koe) overcame PQ(Menard) in an extra end to advance this evening, after Menard knocked off MB(Stoughton). SK(Laycock), my sentimental favourite, entered the "woulda, coulda, shoulda" country by giving up a steal of 3 on their final end to miss the playoffs! The markets have been roiled this week by events unfolding in Ukraine. Good economic data in the US has driven their markets to all-time highs, but we have not had such good data here. Still I've been blessed with good gains and am at quota for the first quarter with three weeks to go. I will try to build on that rather than let it fritter away! Wendy has continued with therapy on her arthritic hands, and also keeps over-working them with sewing and other projects. On Friday evening, she prepared a family celebration for Dad's 89th birthday—that was a nice gathering featuring birthday cake by Ashley! Tomorrow is her birthday—happy birthday, dear!

Eric/A have had a good week which included them obtaining new motorcycles! It's raining there right now, but they look forward to getting them out on the Island roads soon. They got a matching pair of Kawasaki Vulcan 900 bikes. Look pretty good to me!

Kristian had Thursday and Friday off school. We enjoyed having him with us. He and I got out for a try at tennis on Friday afternoon. That was fun!

Trav, Joanna and crew keep busy. Trav's team is in the playoffs and won their first round series already. Now they wait for their semi-final opponent. In the meantime they continue to look forward to Spring! They are currently enjoying a family visitor.

And that's about enough for this week. 

News Update

Another week has ended with extremely frigid weather on the shore of Lake Wascana in the middle of the prairie. March has clearly come in as a lion, so we look forward to lamb-like weather, and hope it will arrive soon. The Olympics ended wonderfully for us as our men won the hockey gold with spectacular defensive play allowing only three goals in six games. Today, our national curling championship has started, so I'll be tuned in to the Brier all week long. I will follow my sentimental favourites in Sask and the NWT, but I'm picking Kevin Koe to win it all, with Jeff Stoughton right in there as co-favourite, and I have to give a nod to John Morris and his new BC team, since they got to the Olympic trials final. The markets have shown recovery in February with all indexes in the green for the month, and only the DOW remaining in the red for the year to date. I've been blessed with another good week and end the month above quota so far this year. Wendy has had further consultations about her arthritic fingers; other possibilities are being entertained, and we are hopeful that improvement will be obtained. Bus driving continues to go well, and with the arrival of March, I am reminded that only a few days remain in this sojourn in Regina. Dave left last weekend for a holiday trip to BC; he is currently on Vancouver Island. Dad has obtained a new walker and is practising getting around the house with it. Rich and Sue are coming back from Zambia into this deep freeze—sorry about that! 

Eric/A and the boys are entertaining Uncle Dave this weekend. Last night Erica enjoyed a bit of RnR with a trip the spa. Today they're off to Port Alberni where Liam is in a hockey playoff—go Liam! Haaken enjoyed the local production of Mamma Mia! He demonstrated his enjoyment of ABBA and threw in a few dance moves as well—go Haaken! Eric had a performance review to mark the completion of his probation; it was positive. He continues to work on his case load, building the case for funding for another year, and writing articles for the organization.  

Kristian is suffering with symptoms of a urinary tract infection and is on antibiotics; we hope he feels well soon. Erin continues to balance work with the demands of home and Kristian's homework. They completed a book project this week—I hope she gets a good grade! 

Travis & Joanna remain very busy with work, but hockey season is drawing to a close in Thunder Bay, so the Puckshots work should ease soon. They are suffering under a very snowy winter there, and looking forward to Spring which can't come soon enough! Under an extended polar vortex, even Lake Superior is mostly ice-covered. 

And that's about enough for one week.