News Update

Home again, we're home again! On Sunday, we left the shore of Wascana, and headed east. Thank you, Dad and Dave for hosting us so generously and so warmly. We truly enjoyed our time in Regina, and the fulfillment of the work there. It was into Monday morning before we arrived on the shore of Lake of the Woods, on the Winnipeg River, in Kenora. Again, we enjoyed warm hospitality with Eric/A and the boys. We stayed an extra day to work on some projects there, and then completed the trip to Lake Superior and my hometown, on Wednesday. It is good to be home. Erin and Trav have been taking care of things. The garden is almost overwhelming the area; the rhubarb is even larger than when I took the big harvest in June for the family reunion. Only the potatoes have failed. I don't know what is wrong with my potato box plan, but I will need to reconsider it for next year. Again this week, the markets started off well, but we had a Civic Holiday, and, it seemed, by Tuesday the bloom was off. We never did seem to catch up to the promise of better things, and by the end of the week, bad economic news had turned things sour again. Still, I managed another 0.2% of recovery. Rider news was not good this week as they lost their game in Montreal by four points. That, coupled with Calgary's win in BC this evening has knocked them out of first place.

My back has not responded, and I'm still suffering a lot of discomfort, and unable to get a good night's sleep. It seems that when I'm laying down, I experience the greatest pain. I have been stressing my back with work, but if rest this weekend doesn't bring relief by Monday, I plan to get things checked out by a doctor. Anyway, no golf again this week.

Wendy enjoyed the house and yard work in Regina, in Kenora, and now at home. She's a regular Energizer Bunny! The flower beds, especially the hostas are looking great! They have grown far larger than our expectations, and some transplanting will be required. I have returned my attention to the front lawn where the grass is struggling to overcome the weeds in the replanted area.

Kristian seems to carry on with life without missing a beat. He rejoiced to see his mother and (Dare I say it?) the toys he had left behind six weeks ago. It seemed his dog was happy to see him, too.

Thank you, Erin & Trav for taking care of things.

And that's about it for this week.

News Update

Another week has passed and we remain on the shore of Lake Wascana, far from my home town, but Dave rolled in this evening, so I may get the signal to pack up and drive, soon! This week marked my sixtieth birthday; I am thankful for the sixty years, and the many greetings from far and wide. We may have started a new birthday tradition, as I got both an ice cream cake and a lemon meringue pie for the occasion—thanks Wendy and Joan. I have been suffering all week from my indiscretions of last weekend when I played thirty-six holes of golf in one day. My back is hurting, and my left shoulder is in constant pain. I had hoped that ibuprofen and rest would have me recovered by now, but perhaps that is another "advantage" of being sixty years old! Anyway, no golf this week! The markets started off the week very well, but then ran sideways and down, so the gains I made on Monday were tempered by the tough days during the rest of the week. Still, I ended up with another 0.2% recovery against my June losses! July has been a good month on the markets. We ended the week watching our Riders destroy Hamilton (Although I would have liked it to be more impressive!) and solidify their hold on first place in the CFL West.

Wendy has continued her unrelenting attack on the yard here. The front landscape is rebuilt; the back yard has been renewed; the lawns have been mowed; the hedges are trimmed; the weeds (and her father) have been attacked with Roundup!

Kristian continues to thrive with a new Lego toy nearly every time Grandma goes shopping. This week he's been building various versions of the house package, and driving around it with his RV/Ambulance and the little army guys in the jeep! I think his speech has regressed a bit—perhaps we're getting too efficient at listening! He talks a lot, including covering both sides of the conversations in the little scenarios he puts on with his toys. He is constantly asking us, "What are you doing, ...?" And continually responding to whatever we tell him with, "What?" even though he knows what we've said.

Erin and Trav are running things back home. We've enjoyed video chats with them this week also. Erin reports that she's not only kept the garden growing, but has begun harvesting it. They've also been able to enjoy the World Junior Baseball Championships currently underway in Thunder Bay.

And that's about it for this week.

News Update

Another week has passed. We remain lodged on the shore of Lake Wascana, far from my hometown. I have also taken a side trip down to Bismarck ND where we played the annual Pryder Cup competition between Canada and US representatives. This has been going on for eleven years now, and the Canadian team was successful in defending the cup again this year. I have written separate blogs on the event, and you are certainly invited to read them should you wish more detailed information on our exploits. Investing has gone better, and I've managed to post a profit of 0.2%, although I won't feel like they are profits until I make back the 5.1% I lost recently. The week closed with a sad note as we suffered through a loss by the Riders to Calgary. Riders are now 3-1 on the season, and in a tie for first place in their conference.

Otherwise our sojourn has continued in Regina. Wendy has been very busy with yard work, on the hedges and devising a new layout for plants in the front yard. It is all coming together now, and with some maturing, we think it will look just fine.

Kristian has continued to accumulate and build Lego vehicles of many kinds. This week's special addition was a Lego set that allows the construction of several fairly elaborate houses. Kristian seems to get right into these objects as he builds them, and talks through extensive events taking place in them. He also enjoys video chats with his mom back in Thunder Bay, although his first request is usually to get to see his dog!

Erin and Travis remain busy with work and household back in Thunder Bay. Erin has been doing a lot of work taking care of the yard while we've been away. Travis kicks in with lawn-mowing doing when that is required.

And that's about it for this week.

Golf 2010 Day 3

The final day of this year's event was bright, sunny and hot. I sweltered in the heat, and in the relentless 36 holes of golf. In the morning, I was matched with Mark in a better ball match. Mark started off with difficulties, but I was able to contribute, and when Mark got going, he outclassed our opponents and we won handily, four and three. We were playing Hawktree today, and it is a formidable challenge all by itself. I certainly found the conditions for scoring much tougher, and only managed an 86 in the morning round. Our team mates also achieved some success, so we extended our lead over the US side to 10.5 to 4.5.

The afternoon featured the singles matches. We each played two singles matches at one time in foursomes. I was getting quite tired, and was unable to control my driver as well, so it took a lot of scrambling to save my score. In the end, I had a score of 91, so you can see how I was faltering. However, I managed to win one of my matches easily—five and four, but I was also easily dispatched in the other one, falling four and three. My playing partner for the afternoon matches was Kris. He won one match and halved the other. Our teammates were achieving a lot of success in their own matches, so in the final summation we won easily 22.5 to 12.5.

All told it was a great golf adventure, and getting together with the friends we have developed over the years was a rich part of the event. This completes the eleventh year of the competition. Thanks to Wayne and Mike who do so much to put this together.

Golf 2010 Day 2

The weather did not fully cooperate today, for the first time in eleven years, and the afternoon round had to be suspended for a couple of hours to let the rain storm blow through. Eventually we got back on the course to complete that round in the evening. I played only in the morning round, as I find I get too crippled up by 36 holes in a day, and I wished to be still able to golf on Saturday! I played with Kent in the morning better ball format. We were matched up against an American team that featured the fellow who had posted the best score on Thursday, so we knew we had our work cut out for us. Kent played really well, scoring 76, and I also played really well, scoring 83. We took a one-up lead through nine holes, but frittered it away early in the back, and found ourselves two down after 13. However, I was able to win the next two holes and then Kent put us ahead to stay. We won 2 and 1 on the seventeenth hole. It was a very exciting match.

In sum, the Canadian teams swept the morning better ball matches and opened a 5-0 lead. The Americans came back a bit in the afternoon, so at the end of day 1, we led 7-3.

Despite the rain, it was a wonderful day. We enjoyed another group meal in the evening, and most of us hit the beds early.

Golf 2010 Day 1

Kerry and I drove down from Regina to Bismarck. We left at 5:30 in the morning, and arrived in Bismarck around noon. We drove through rain most of the way, but it started clearing up after we got to Minot. After a lunch at a neat diner called Krolls, we headed over to the course (Prairie West) for our first round. The weather continued to improve throughout the afternoon, so it was a very pleasant day for golf. It was a skins competition, and, as it turned out, Dick and I were partners and managed to collect two skins. I played quite well, scoring 86, and driving the ball pretty well (for me!).

After the golf, we drove over to our billets, Hank & Jane (thanks a lot guys!) for supper and the night. They have a beautiful home there in Bismarck, and the local golfers had prepared a sumptuous meal for us. After the meal, and a welcomed shower, we visited a bit before bed time. We have an early tee time in the morning, so after a long day, we crashed early.

News Update

This week has been spent in Regina, near the shore of Wascana, but far from the shore of Lake Superior and my hometown. We've been enjoying good weather here with only a couple of days that got too hot for my comfort. Golf practice has gone well, but I didn't manage to work in a game this week. Investment work has continued to be challenging, as I finally got ready to buy by the end of Thursday only to have Friday be a down day, so I stayed out. I've returned to the discipline of technical investments, but it demands more patience than I usually have! We ended the week enjoying the Open golf championship and the Rider win over Edmonton to improve to 3-0 in the young season.

Wendy has me employed as landscape engineer while she is enjoying redoing her dad's front yard. We cut and removed much vegetation that was overgrowing the place, and are now replacing it with new plants. It's starting to take shape, and I've learned that landscape engineer means running the chain saw, pruning shears and shovel!

David left this week for a holiday in his newly acquired van. All is going well, and he's made it to the Island now, so he'll have to turn around soon!

We get regular video conferences with Erin via computer. Kristian is now able to carry on chats with her, so that's an encouraging development for him. We are quite pleased with his vocabulary development. He's doing well, and has also acquired several more Lego vehicles for his set—I don't know whether Kristian or his grandma enjoys the toys more!

And that's about it for this week.

News Update

Another week has passed and we have begun our journey from the shore of Lake Okanagan, back to Lake Superior and my hometown. We are currently in Regina, where we just enjoyed watching the Riders defeat the BC Lions 37 - 18. Today was also highlighted by a golf game with my friend Kerry out at Tor Hill. He even has some clubs I admire, and would wish to try out, but he stands on the other side of the ball... Anyway, I had a great front nine at one over, but couldn't hold on, and finished with an 81; still very good for me. We started the week at John & Marion's on Lake Okanagan at the Family Reunion. As that wrapped up, we put Travis & Erin on the plane on Monday, and set off ourselves in the afternoon for Airdrie where we enjoyed a stay with David & Shirley. They had invited some other YKers from the area over for a BBQ, so it was great to catch up with all of them: Quinn, Kathy, Trey; Barb & Garry; Kim & Denny; and Bill.

On Wednesday, we drove down to Regina, where we are currently ensconced at Ellis' house. The food is good, the bed is fine; we're enjoying our stay!

We keep in pretty regular contact with Erin via video chat. Kristian often asks to see Mommy on the computer, but usually asks to see Sadie (his dog) once we actually get on line! Erin and Trav are taking care of things back in Thunder Bay. The garden is flourishing, and the lawns are trying to grow in the heat down there.

The markets seem to have turned around a bit, and actually had some good days while we travelled. I have been studying the trends, and hope to get back in a bit next week if the earnings season is promising.

And that's about it for this week.

Ulrich 2010 Song

Ulrich 2010 Song by Erica & Travis

We laughed a lot, fought some, too.
What else would you expect?
A gathering of Ulrichs, Full of
Logic-filled respect.
We would never shed a tear,
No not this solemn crew,
For an Ulrich's never wrong,
Shows no emotions, too!

Chorus:
John, Verner, Uncle Tom,
Viggo, Bill and Jim,
Ida Marie or Aunty Cindy,
Where did that name begin?
Cousins, spouses, uncles, aunts,
Where else would we go?
To remember Mom and Dad,
And swim... with Ogopogo!

Not long ago, Sven and Elly came
From that "lovely land"
Flag of Danes traded in
For plough and piece of land.
Hardy folks, raised in love,
At times, not much more,
Faith in God, born to learn,
And stubborn to the core.

Bridge:
Ogopogo: We had a magical time.
Ogopogo: In your castle under the lake.
Ogopogo: Your bad William Shatner impressions.
Ogopogo: Your ugly homemade crafts.
Ogopogo: We went halfsies on a Shamwow.
Ogopogo: He only drinks Dos Equis.
Ogopogo: He forwards unfunny Youtube videos.
Ogopogo: You were a Winnipeg Jets fan.

Now you might think there's nothing special,
About this little gig.
A little fun, a little food,
Some wine and visiting...
But between the golf, the lake,
There's something else, you see,
Holding it all together is
The love of family.

News Update

The week began in Regina, but our travels have taken us westward, and the week completes on the shore of Lake Okanagan, far from my home town. On Monday, we travelled to Medicine Hat, enjoyed the evening, and spent the night with Jim & Carol—thank you very much! On Tuesday we continued to Lake Country, BC, where we established a temporary residence with John & Marion, and where we've enjoyed the remainder of the week! Thank you, John & Marion. Other family members gradually trickled in until all members of my generation were there, and all but a handful of the membership of subsequent generations.

Family assemblies bring a range of eating, singing, story-telling, lying, boating and golfing activities. I have enjoyed them all, and it will be impossible to assess which one I enjoyed the most. However, golf at Predator Ridge was a highlight. Seven of us enjoyed a wonderful experience on that beautiful course. I had some difficulties with driving, particularly in the middle of the round, but I still managed a 93, and was relieved with this measure of my game against a very challenging course. The main aspect was having the chance to play with family, and experiencing the joy provided by my children to play at Predator Ridge. Of course, there was plenty of good and nutritious food provided at regular intervals, and we all partook beyond both need and sane dietary restriction. Singing is definitely a family trait and tradition, so we enjoyed a lot of that. With age we are able to retell many jokes that some have forgotten, but most seem to enjoy; and one special feature this year was the attendance of "The Most Interesting Man in the World!" who provided much good humour. Poetry recitations were featured one evening; lying was not limited to golf, fishing, taxation or economics!

One part of the reunion was the acknowledgement of John's seventieth birthday, my sixtieth birthday, the twenty-seventh anniversary for John & Marion, and the fortieth anniversary for Wendy and me. I am thankful for all the good wishes!

On the stock investment front, it has been a very bad, no good week. When we started travelling, I made a lazy (or greedy) determination to buy and hold a diverse set of stocks. The markets did not accommodate, and I have been able to enjoy the hazards of buy 'n hold that I used to reserve for my professional advisers! As a result, by the time I got located here in the Okanagan and cut my losses, I had lost about 5.1% on my portfolio. That reduces my gain on the year to 0.8%, and my overall gain to 5.7%. So, that was a bad experience, however, if I learn from it, it won't be a total waste! At any rate, I have escaped to cash, and I will need to get studiously to work when the markets return to productive growth.

Erin and Travis worked part of the week before flying out here; they fly back on Monday morning. Kristian is travelling with us. They are all having a good time connecting with family here.

And that's about it for this week!

Family

Our family has roots in Denmark from where our mother and father migrated to Canada. They eventually met and married and established a home and family on a homestead near Fort St John, BC. Later they moved on to farm in Saskatchewan, and eventually departed to their permanent rest from there. The first generation of that family have scattered from the farm in Saskatchewan to establish residences in Medicine Hat, Winnipeg, Thunder Bay, Baltimore, Dallas and the Lake Country of BC. We have a big brother who has certainly fought for us, and continues to lead, guide, nourish and bless us. John & Marion have established a lovely home in the sunny Okanagan, and they invite us to share in its blessings. Thank you, John & Marion!

Despite the fact that I turn sixty this month, due to the accident of timing, I have both the role of little brother and big brother in my family. I must admit that I do not manage to meet the privileges of either role very well. As you may know, Danish is practically synonymous with the virtue of stubborn! But even within a Danish family, there seems to be a hierarchy of achievement in this amazing virtue, and I seem to achieved a very elevated level indeed! (That's my wife saying, "Amen!") It is also unfortunately true that this virtue sometimes leads to difficulties in relationships. (A virtual chorus of sisters-in-law and my single brother-in-law say, "Amen!") However, no matter how imperfectly I meet my privileged responsibility to honour, encourage and bless my family, I still remain in the family, and my big brother still invites me to share in the blessings of his home.

Let me direct your attention to a larger family in which all are invited to be members, who have the privilege to love, nourish and bless each other. We can fill the various roles of older or younger siblings, and we have a big brother who has fought, bled, died and lives for us—thank you, Jesus! He also has established a beautiful home, and regardless of the level of achievement in our performance, he invites us to join him there.

News Update

Another week has passed and we are far from the shore of Lake Superior and my hometown. However, Saskatchewan seems determined to fill its own lake with all the rain we're getting here!

On Sunday, we drove down to Stoughton on the occasion of the interment of our sister-in-law, Diane. That is a tough event at any time, but we were determined to make it there in support of our niece, and family.

I have occupied myself with the task of picking rhubarb, cutting it and preparing it for the freezer. We managed to get four ice cream buckets into the freezer and still had enough left over for a pie! Wendy has been caring for Kristian, but has also completed the task of getting and installing bedding plants and flowers around her dad's yard. The garden is somewhat delayed due to the over-abundant moisture, but it is coming along fairly well anyway. I expect the rhubarb will be ready for another picking when we get back from BC.

I have only monitored the markets a little while travelling, but it has been another disappointing week anyway, as all markets lost value. So, I have again been unable to post a gain, and am certainly experiencing a discouraging month. However, I remain convinced that this will turn around, and I just hope it's soon! I have managed to get out for golf practice and even one rain-shortened game.

Kristian is travelling with us. He and Wendy have both been suffering with sore throats, so they went to see a doctor on Friday and are now on antibiotics for the next while. We expect they will be feeling better soon. Kristian has been a wonderful little companion and is getting on well with extended family here.

Wendy is off to Horse Creek this weekend to a ladies' retreat and trail ride. She intends to confront her fear of horses and actually go for a ride, but she is also walking on a sprained ankle, so that's complicating the issue.

Erin and Trav are back in Thunder Bay, taking care of their jobs as well as the lawns and gardens. We look forward to their arrivals in BC next week.

We plan to head west on Monday as we continue our trip. There are rumours that the TransCanada will reopen over this weekend through Maple Creek, so we are hopeful that we won't have to make a multi-hundred kilometre detour around the washed out area.

And that's about it for this week.

Golf 2010

The week started off with Fathers' Day; and a great start it was. My children provided a round of golf (to be played later) at Predator Ridge near Vernon, BC. That is now scheduled for this coming Friday. They also provided funding to upgrade my golf equipment! You can see how much they have learned about golf—elite courses must be played from time to time; some new piece of equipment will surely be the missing ingredient in my golf game!! Anyway, it is a wonderful set of gifts. Thank you, my dear children, for your thoughtfulness. I have been agonizing a bit over how to rationalize the exorbitant green fees that Predator Ridge commands, and now the issue is solved! And as for better clubs, well, that's another challenge. I have had some clubs targetted for several years, but I have been unable to get my brother, Tom, to pass them along! However, I shall wait until after the Family Reunion to actually make a purchase. I know my brothers and nephews will have clubs I can try out, and I wouldn't be able to make such a buy with out consulting my nephew, Jon, since he was my main source of support when I bought my current clubs twenty years ago!

I have been practicing between rain showers here in Regina. I even got out for a round on Thursday. I managed to complete fifteen holes dry, then it started raining a bit, and by the time I completed the sixteenth hole, they chased us off the course due to the lightning in the area. It was just as well; we had a deluge—twenty-seven millimetres of rain in half an hour. Yikes!

So, my golf game is not in prime shape, but my heart is full, and I am certain that the new equipment will lead to excellent golf very soon!

News Update

Our dear friend, Marti Elford, is just completing a tour to Zambia. Her excellent blog is recommended.

Another week has passed and we have wandered far from the shore of Lake Superior and my hometown. On Wednesday we drove up to Kenora, and stopped overnight with Eric/A and the boys. Then, on Thursday, we continued the tour westward in pouring rain to Regina. We noticed a lot of surplus water in the ditches and fields throughout Manitoba and across eastern Saskatchewan. On the radio, we heard lots of lamentations about the rainfall and the difficulties with seeding and growing crops. After resting on Friday, we drove down to Gravelbourg on Saturday morning, to observe the interment of Auntie. We enjoyed time with family, and were grateful to have the chance to say good-bye. Kristian was delighted to play with a large variety of new cousins he'd never met before. It was a very good day.

The markets seem to be showing some resiliency lately, and as a result, I've been making some recovery as well. I am close to profit territory on several of my holdings now, so it's encouraging. Until then, I remain stuck at 10.8% gain, as I'm closing in on nine months of work.

The garden is flourishing, and Erin will care for it while we're away. Thanks, Erin! We have Kristian with us, so we'll take care of him in return!! The rainy weather has delayed the garden here in Regina, but there is a lot of rhubarb ready, so I'll get to work on picking and cutting that.

Erin and Travis remain busy at work, but will fly out for the family reunion later.

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 cooperated nicely as we got some more rain, and enough sun to get out to the golf course a couple times. The markets were difficult, but there was some progress as the week went on, and I am encouraged. I didn't make any sales, but I now have some of my holdings into profit territory. I've been stuck at 10.8% long enough! The garden is progressing, and Erin will take care of it while we travel for the next few weeks. The back lawn is looking great, but the reseeded portion of the front is doing poorly—just didn't get good germination in the unusually warm weather this spring. I'll have to over-seed in the Fall when things have cooled down. The Chicago Black Hawks finished off Philadelphia to win the Stanley Cup, so I'm celebrating along with them. The Blue Jays and the Riders will dominate my sports' attention for the next while.

Wendy is continuing to recover from her damaged ankle and knee. She's getting around pretty well, but she is still experiencing an unfair amount of pain. I think she's got our travel arrangements in place; we plan to leave here next Wednesday. We're currently dealing on a Mac Mini computer for her. We were hoping to get it delivered today, but not so far!

Erin's work has been getting more and more busy as summer comes on. It's going well, and she still enjoys most of it! We're taking Kristian travelling with us next week, so she's fretting about how much she'll miss him.

Trav keeps busy with work. He got a lesson in website hosting this week, as one failed. He seems to have that on the road to recovery, as the files have been found, and the hosting arrangement re-established. He was instrumental in helping us get Wendy's new computer.

And that's about it for this week.

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. The weather has been beautiful, and we've even got some rain to help things out for my lawns and the forest lands of northwestern Ontario. It is very welcome. The rain barrel is full again! The bedding plants are in; Kristian enjoyed planting the tomatoes, and even helps me water them as long as he can still stand on the paving stones. He doesn't like to stand on the dirt! The markets have continued their troubled way, and even took a big turn downward at the end of the week. Another small country holding the markets hostage—this time Turkey. We hope people will get better thoughts into their heads over the weekend. I did not manage to make any money this week.

I had some surprising success with my whipper-snipper this week. We got a battery-powered one some years back, and last summer it failed. It seemed unable to recharge. I tried to figure out why and looked for a replacement battery. I eventually left it out on the deck over the winter. Well, this week, I turned my attention to it again, and it has decided to work! Maybe the tough love over the winter convinced it to behave!

Wendy has continued with her regularly scheduled events, and this week added a crash and burn to the menu! She seems to have misstepped, possibly on a rock, and fell to the pavement, twisting her ankle and getting road rash on her knee and hands. So, she's been hobbled, but is showing improvement by now. She got all the rhubarb crisp prepared and into the freezer, and the rhubarb patch is ready for picking again. She also has our schedule ready for the trip west.

Erin and Kristian continue with their usual events as well. Kristian is adding a few special year end school events as June progresses. He has a wonderful personality, and seems well-liked by teachers and classmates. He is communicating expressively and we can understand most of it. Some letters continue to give him great trouble, but he will persist cheerfully trying to hear and say them. Otherwise his speech is not unusual for a four-year old. It seems work is getting busier for Erin as summer comes on. She continues to sleep through Blue Jay games—enjoying their struggles and victories. This week she had a special treat as she became aware that her little brother from Medicine Hat was in the world championships for ball hockey being played in the Czech Republic. She even got up early this morning to watch the final game on-line. They won in over time! Congratulations, Eric!

Trav continues to do well at work, and has assisted us with a project this week as well. He has started to enjoy the Stanley Cup finals where Chicago and Philadelphia are currently tied 2-2 in games won.

And that's about it for this week.

News Update

Another week has passed on the sunny shores of Lake Superior in my hometown. The hot, sunny weather has even caused us to get the A/C going—not something we expect in May! We completed our tour around Lake Superior on Sunday and Monday, driving into Thunder Bay on Monday evening. The delay at the border was over an hour; I guess there's no reason to expect that a lot of folks will be returning on Victoria Day! Why would we open four lanes through customs when two should be enough for anyone! Anyway, it was another scenic drive along the south shore of Lake Superior—much different landscape than the north shore. There were mostly sandy formations with lots of trees and beautiful beaches.

We experienced another mixed week in the markets. One great day, and several poor days. In the end, I posted another 0.2% gain amid hopes (dreams?) of better times that we hope lie ahead. It has been frustrating to see how some obscure European countries seem to hold the whole world on tenterhooks.

I've got the garden going now, and we're ready for bedding plants to go in. Some continue to caution against a late frost, but we're going for it! The new lawn is struggling in the hot, dry conditions, and I'm struggling to keep it watered. Some grass is evident, but I'm afraid I may have waited too late to seed. This stuff likes to germinate slowly in cooler conditions, so I may have to overseed in the Fall to get a good growth.

Wendy has been busy making arrangements for the family reunion in early July. I think she has it all under control now. Kristian will be travelling with us in late June, while Erin and Trav will both be flying out to Kelowna later. Eric/A and the boys will be driving out as well, and continuing out to the Island afterward.

Kristian and I even got to a real golf course this week, but only to practice on the putting green. He also got his replacement hearing aid after Sadie ate one a while back. Erin continues to have busy times at work, but these mainly happen at the beginning and ending of the day, so it makes for a long day. She manages to sleep through the Blue Jay game most evenings!

Trav is only feigning an interest in the Stanley Cup playoffs now that his Penguins have been knocked out, but I'm cheering mightily for Chicago to win it all, and they started on the right foot with a win in game one tonight.

And that's about it for this week.

Congratulations Cindy!

Another week has passed and we have wandered from the shore of Lake Superior and my hometown, eastward along the lake, then south, past the shores of Lakes Huron and Michigan and down to Lansing MI. It is the occasion of my baby sister graduating from law school. And she is graduating Magna Cum Laude, instead of Lawdy How Come? I am very proud! Soon she will take up her assignment as Law Clerk for a federal judge in Baltimore; again, congratulations are in order! And, at some future point, she will even figure out how to complete her application for Obamacare! Even in these slightly more enlightened days, it is still an 18-page document to fill in (or out, seems to mean the same thing!). Of course, factual correctness requires me to note that few of the improvements of Obamacare have yet become active. Even when they do, very little is changing in the tragedy that is healthcare in the USofA... however, that's a rant I often contemplate, but have yet to write! At any rate, she will also deserve further congratulations if she ever completes that successfully; some people take a course on how to effectively complete health care forms!

We have enjoyed a beautiful trip down here. We drove along Superior for about 800 clicks the first day and, after negotiating the border crossing, stopped for the night in northern Michigan at a small place called St. Ignace. It is beautiful there. We were right on the shore of Lake Huron, and our room had only some 50 metres of lawn between us and the beach. Then, on Friday, we completed the trip down through Michigan to Auburn Hills (suburb of Detroit, at the end of Lake Erie). We're located about halfway between the Palace of Auburn Hills (Pistons) and the Silverdome (Lions, although someone tells me the Lions have moved to a new home now.) sports complexes. Tom & Mariette, Viggo & Nancy are also here, so it's good to spend time with them.

We enjoyed the open house at the Thomas M. Cooley law school, where Cindy took her training, and then enjoyed a family banquet at a local restaurant specializing in Indian food. BK would be impressed! Thank you, Daniel & Cindy. It was good to share in the joy of the occasion with you, and the families involved.

Today, we took a short drive west to Lansing, where the main campus of Michigan State University is, for the graduation ceremony. It was another great affair, and I honoured the event with the purchase of a new sports coat. I contend that it is a rather denigrating comment on society that I can become 'socially acceptable' through the purchase of a used jacket from Value Village! (Wendy insists that I not mention the price was $9.99)

Otherwise, it was another terrible week on the markets. There was a slight recovery on Friday just to keep the suckers biting, I suppose. I managed only one sale for the week, and thus have gained another 0.2% on the portfolio, but I also have some holdings that will need some substantial improvements before they can sell. So, it's tough going these days.

Wendy was quite busy with trip preparations, and organizing things at home before we left. Now, she's the full-time navigator, and despite a couple of mishaps with maps, has managed to get us here!

Erin and Kristian are holding down the home fort. Kristian had a small disaster this week, as Sadie (the dog) ate one of his hearing aids. That has now been replaced, but the earpiece is not fitting right, so he's in some discomfort. He is enjoying 'golfball', as he calls it. I take him out with his new clubs—he can barely carry them—across the street to the school yard and he hits my shag tube of balls (24). He's doing well, and it's a delight each time he comes to say, "Papa, golfball." Eric/A and the boys are down from Kenora for this long weekend, so there is plenty of company.

Trav continues as per usual with work, private contracting, and life. He has taken the better route, whether through wisdom or good luck, of avoiding investing in these troubled markets.

And that's about it for this week.

God bless you, Auntie!

It has been quite a week on the shore of Lake Superior, in my hometown. On both sides of our family we have lost loved ones. On the Krogsgaard side, Sue rushed home from Zambia on the occasion of her mother's passing out in BC. On the Ulrich side, we lost the last of my mother's generation as her sister, my beloved Auntie, passed on in her 97th year.

Aunt Mary has always just been Auntie to me. As a child, I guess I didn't realize there were other people who were aunts and uncles. She was always a special person in my youth (while we grew up just a few miles away), and I'll never forget how she could make frikadeller (meatballs) with new potatoes and parsley gravy!

After mom's passing, just over thirty-six years ago, Auntie kind of took her place. Not just the physical resemblance, but also the character traits allowed her to take that role for me. So, I doted on her a bit, and was able to give and receive the love that I was missing from my mother. We tried to take in a stop in Moose Jaw every time we were in Saskatchewan, and I shall miss our visits. We would always make her guess who we were, and she would complain about how she couldn't see, and we would drop hints. Finally she would figure it out, oh, the one from Thunder Bay (I should have written that with the h missing, as she said it!), and then she would greet us and tell us our birthdates and anniversary and the names and birthdates of all our children, and ask how they were.

She was spectacularly interested in other people, but for herself, she just wanted to go home. So, for her, this is a blessing. But for us, it is an inestimable loss.

Otherwise things have continued with pretty much the same routines. Investments have been scary as the stock market thinks it's a roller coaster! I made good money in the first three days, and lost most of it in the last two! In the end, I was up 0.1% to 10.4% total. I have continued work with lawn and garden. This week, I got my rain barrel installed with a diverter to collect water from the roof just in time for a shower on Thursday to fill it up! The seed is starting to germinate on the front lawn. The back lawn is lush and demanding regular cutting. On Friday evening, we had a special treat as Dave, Heather and Ariadne arrived from southern Ontario. Ariadne is a new friend from Mexico where she is an English prof at the University. Dave & Heather are old friends since our childhood. It was great to spend some time with them, and send them on their way on Saturday.

Wendy keeps busy. This week provided encouraging news as her hospitalized friend has rallied, and, it now appears, will be released from the hospital. We don't know whether she will return home, or to a care facility. She still must return to the hospital three times per week for dialysis and blood work. Today was very special for me, as Wendy came out and practiced golf along with me at a local course.

Erin and Kristian have continued with work and school, respectively. Both are doing well. Kristian enjoyed getting his first set of golf clubs this week. We enjoy his attempts to use them in the school yard across the street.

Trav continues as per usual with work, and is also concentrating a lot of time on a new friend.

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. It's been a nice week, with a few showers to help me with the watering of the newly seeded lawn. I have also done a bit more work on the garden, including some seeding as the soil is warming up. I am hoping the strawberries come back, but see no evidence of that yet. The rhubarb is ready for a first picking, so we will be getting back into rhubarb crisp soon! I pulled out a couple of stumps in the back yard, but that's a lot like work! It was a terrible, no good, very bad week on the markets as fear of debt in Europe seem to panic the investors. As a result, I was only able to make one sale, and only posted a 0.2% gain. We hope for resolution in the UK election over the weekend, and a more settled feeling overall, so the buyers will return to the markets. Economic news in both Canada and the US support the view that the recovery from the recession is progressing. The oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico initially pushed oil prices higher, but now fear has panicked prices about $10 lower.

Wendy seems to keep busy with a variety of activities. She did up quite a bit of baking this week. We always need some for Thursday evenings when we host our small group. She was also able to supply some to our next door neighbours who lost husband/father/grandfather this week. She continues to provide taxi service and other care for Kristian.

Kristian is progressing well at school and day care. He continues to produce longer sentences, and is very talkative. We understand some of it! Erin is quite busy at work, and looks forward to a promotion there in the next few months.

Trav is quite occupied with the travails of his Penguins in the Stanley Cup playoffs. Their current series is not going easily, but they're in good shape. He is taking additional training at work, so he will be able to operate their new Swiss-embroidery machines.

And that's about it for this week.

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. Springlike weather has taken over with showers the last half of the week. We can certainly use the rain, as the forest fire hazard was extreme before this came along. I spent half of the week working in Kenora, and it may have been just as well as the markets were crazy with worries over the Greek debt issues and the Goldman misdeeds. However, I did sell the gold stocks I had been stuck in (thank you, Lord!); that was not only a great relief, but also a great benefit to my portfolio. In total I managed to gain 0.8% to improve to 10.1% overall. I worked on a data project up in Kenora. That seemed to go very well, and they've asked me to assist them more in the future. I drove up on Wednesday morning, and back this afternoon.

I can't say too much about life back at home, but all seems to have gone well. Wendy has been quite occupied with medical and dental appointments, and caring for her friend in the hospital.

Erin and Kristian have had a good week. Since Erica was down for part of the week, they even got to go over to her hotel and enjoy the pool. Kristian seems to be really getting used to the water, and paddling around much more comfortably. I think he got a fright in Florida, and it's taken a while to overcome it.

Travis had a usual workweek for the first part of the week, and now he's off for a weekend in Duluth, Minnesota.

And that's about it for this week.

News Update

Another sunny week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior. The beautiful weather has beckoned me often to the golf course this week, but the partially done landscaping in the front yard keeps interrupting! I finally made it out today. I have also kept busy with investments, and have managed to pick up another 0.1% (far short of my goal) onto my portfolio. It's a nervous time on the markets as many analysts are predicting a "correction" (10% or more decrease), so I've tried to maintain vigilance while continuing to develop my protective stop strategy. Protective stops are put in place to get you out of a losing purchase without losing a lot of money. I have worked my way through about a thousand options on this and am starting to gain confidence that I'm getting close to a useful solution. It triggered on Friday at a loss of less than 1% below the high value, but it turned out that it was too sensitive as the stock turned around, so I'm making some small adjustments... My instructors advise that if I'm not taking some losses, I'm not taking enough risk, so I keep working, learning, and some days, improving.

Golf is beginning okay, although the hard hook is still there! It's the nature of golf to always be tinkering with your swing, and trying (hoping?) for improvement. I have played a few holes, but not a full game yet, more so because my main golf buddy is out of town. As mentioned, the landscaping sometimes gets in the way, and I've put in several days of work on that project this week. It is helpful that with advancing age and experience I have become much more efficient in my work, so much so that I sometimes find I can put in a full "day's work" in about an hour!

Wendy has been very preoccupied this week with a friend who is struggling for life. This week she was moved to the hospital where she is being supplied with blood and nutrients and is on the dialysis machine. We pray for another rally so she may return home and enjoy family and friends some more before her departure. Today she was eating on her own, so that was a good sign. Wendy is also in a personal development class this weekend with another of her friends. She is enjoying that.

Erin and Kristian continue pretty much as usual. They've been playing lots of baseball this week. Kristian is an amazing little batter for a four-year-old. Children often play tee-ball at the younger age levels, but he is quite adept at hitting the ball being pitched to him.

Travis is taking extra training at work, so he's been busy with that. He has commissioned his latest website. You can check it out at fossfotography.com Some readers will know Tami, and, for sure, she will enjoy any business the website attracts! As a former html instructor (and proud dad), I think it's a good example of quality work. Of course this evening was special as the Pens finally dispatched the Sens and have moved on to the second round of the playoffs.

And that's about it for this week.

News Update

It's been a week of blustery spring weather on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. Windy days have kept my golf outings to a minimum, but I enjoyed them all the same. The discomfort in my elbow and shoulder is minimal, so that's good. I've got a bit more work done on the front lawn, but it's not level yet, and all those soddy clumps will take a few more rototilling sessions to change into something resembling soil. I've also managed a bit of work on the back yard and garden as it seems spring is about a month early this year. Investments have continued apace, although I was too scared to buy anything on Tuesday or Friday. Things went well the other days, and I managed my goal of 0.5% for a change to advance to 9.2% in total.

Wendy continues to be busy caring for the rest of us, along with several friends in the community. One friend has suffered kidney failure and just began dialysis this week; we're praying for better body chemistry as a result. Wendy is enjoying pretty good results for her own improved self-care of diet and exercise. She's even thinking of trying golf again!

Erin is quite busy at work, and managing her family. This week she got encouraging news of a potential advancement at work. This will probably happen in the Fall. Kristian started the week not feeling well, but has now reverted to his normal exuberant self.

Trav is in his busiest time of the year as the Stanley Cup playoffs have started! His Penguins have not been performing to his satisfaction so far. He's also busy with work, extra on-line training and his website contracts.

And that's about it for this week.

News Update

Another week of sunny weather has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. I have enjoyed the weather to get in a bit of golf practice and to get the yard work going. The golf swing is going well, and the early pain in my elbow seems to be subsiding—perhaps it's getting used to it! Perhaps my determination to swing softly is working, at least during practice times! We'll see if I can take that to the course; I haven't during my first sixty years...

I have roto-tilled the front lawn in preparation for some landscaping work, soil improvement and seeding. The "green grass" has worked so well in the back, I'm determined to develop it in the front as well.

Investments have continued, and I am now focussing on buying ETFs (Exchange Traded Funds). These will, supposedly, provide greater diversification and smoother growth. That has not been the case so far, but I am continuing to develop this strategy. I did manage another 0.2% this week, so I'm at 8.7% now.

I've been watching the Men's World Championship curling all week, and Kevin Koe has been doing us proud. He is in the final tomorrow against Norway. USA and Scotland will play in the bronze medal game.

Wendy keeps busy taking care of us, and catering to several friends who are needing assistance. Of course the management of Kristian's mornings occupies some time as well. Then, he's off to school or day care. He is progressing well, and seems to understand nearly everything we might say to him. We are gradually learning to understand what he says, and he is gradually learning to say it better! He talks a lot.

Erin is quite busy at work, and also takes time for speech therapy with Kristian both at the specialist and at home.

Trav keeps busy with regular work and special contracts. He is still doing final transfer of his latest website to its final home, and I hope to have the URL for you next week. I think it's a fine application of the technology, and having tried to teach the skill, I've seen plenty of bad examples!

And that's about it for this week.

News Update

We have enjoyed another week of beautiful weather here on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. I did get out golfing on Wednesday, just to make sure I made it in the month of March. My elbow did not enjoy getting back into golfing, so I realized I should have worn my brace. Otherwise the golfing was okay, I was just practicing a bit, so I have no scores to report—often, that goes better! I completed my first half year of investments with the end of March, and managed a some good sales that lifted my earnings to 8.5%. This doesn't compare well to the 15% I am aiming for, but I hope I'm learning from at least some of the mistakes! Today was the start of the Men's World Curling Championships, so I enjoyed watching Kevin Koe win his first game today.

I got checked out by my ophthalmologist on Monday. My sister had recently suffered a detached retina, so she advised me to find out how my eyes were doing. The doctor was very impressed with my vision, and I was impressed that he couldn't tell I had been surgically enhanced! He said my retinas and maculas (maculae?) were in fine fettle, with no evidence of weakness or deterioration, so that was encouraging. As many others do, I had checked out the issues in Google, and had begun experiencing most of the symptoms! My dad suffered from macular degeneration, so that part of the report was reassuring as well.

I am continuing to work on data-training with the school board in Kenora. The plan is for all the principals to learn some new techniques for data analysis and use. This is a big issue that is primarily why I moved to Ontario in the first place, so it is rewarding to be able to continue some of this work. The small schools I was initially working with have all been amalgamated into the larger school boards, but that was still the introduction that has allowed the data work to continue.

The warmer weather has Wendy busy with spring-cleaning. She has managed to get some stuff cleaned out, but requires more cooperation from the rest of us to realize her dreams in this area. She has also worked on a few Easter crafts, sometimes with Kristian's able assistance! I have been thinking about yard work, but nothing much is happening yet.

Erin keeps busy with work, and is currently rejoicing over the completion of Spring Training and is looking forward to the start of the baseball season. Kristian loves baseball as well, and can't get enough of playing catch, pitching and batting. I am continuing my search for a suitably-sized golf club for him so he can practise with me.

Trav keeps busy with work and contracts. The pressure is beginning to build as the hockey season nears an end; soon, the Stanley Cup playoffs will be upon us, and his Penguins will be feeling the pressure to repeat as champions.

And that's about it for this week.

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. We began the week in Kenora, at Eric/a's and drove home on Sunday afternoon. The weather was beautiful to start the week and some of the local golf courses have opened, but it turned cooler on Thursday and the covers went back on the greens. I'm still hoping to get out at least once in the month of March as the weather is expected to turn nice again tomorrow. I built a golf shag this week, and I've been searching for a junior golf club for Kristian. He seems ambidextrous, but when he swings lefty, he uses proper hand placement, so I plan to let him try that first. I've been watching the curling all week, and Team Canada has been doing well. However, they lost the quarter-final to Germany on Friday evening, and then they got slaughtered by Scotland in the semi-final tonight, so they'll play for the bronze medal tomorrow.

The markets have been uncertain sitting at eighteen-month highs, and while I'm fully invested, I've been unable to make any sales, so I remain stuck at 8%, and with only three days to go in my first half year.

The garage door opener has broken, so I spent some hours this week getting that repaired. I've also done a bit of cleanup in the back yard now that the snow is gone. I'm thinking of some more development back there to extend the garden, and possibly put in a bocce court. I'm also thinking about some landscaping improvements in the front. I've been waiting for the neighbours to do a promised edging on their driveway, but I'm afraid I'll have to give up on that and go it on my own. Two trees have been removed from the front lawn, but the soil needs to be improved to grow the grass well and the whole front landscaping needs to be improved, so we'll see how far an old man gets! Homeownership can take care of all available time and money!

Wendy has been busy getting her place back in order this week; it's never up to standards when we get back! She's also been catching up on business, mail and friends. Our income tax returns have gone through (thanks, Erica) and she also has plans for that money.

Erin noticed quite an improvement in Kristian's speech after the trip as he is talking a lot, and we're understanding some of it. She continues with her work, and there seems to be some prospects for advancement there.

Trav has been busy with work and working the investment club with me some mornings. He has completed a few contract print projects and has a nice-looking website almost ready as well. I'll try to remember to pass along the URL when it's ready.

And that's about it for this week.

News Update

It has been another week of beautiful weather on Lake Superior in my hometown, but we've been enjoying the less salubrious climes of Saskatchewan. Even, so the weather has been nice here as well, with much melting, but there's still much snow to go! Back home, the fairways are greening, and thoughts are turning to the annual frustration! When we awoke Friday morning to fresh snow, we realized our decision to head east was a good one, and we drove as far as Kenora. We celebrated Erica's birthday last night. We plan to complete the trip tomorrow.

Thank you Dad, Dave & Kresten for hosting us so comfortably while we were in Regina. It was also great to connect with many others in that part of the country. Thank you Eric/A and the boys for hosting us this weekend in Kenora. Thank you Erin and Trav for keeping the house in order while we've been away—you have been keeping the house in order, haven't you!

The week began with a thrilling extra-end victory by Kevin Koe in the men's national curling championship. The week ends with Jennifer Jones and her Canadian women's champs beginning the world championships in Swift Current with a come-from-behind victory over Sweden. It's a great time of the year to watch curling! And we still have the world's men championships to come.

I have not been dedicating much effort to investments this week, and it may have been just as well as the markets have been sketchy. I tried one Trailing Stop ploy, but it ended prematurely and at a small loss, so I'll need do more thinking about that strategy. In sum, I continue to be stuck at an 8.0% gain, and I'm closing in on half a year, so I'll need to work hard for the remaining eight trading days!

Kristian has been travelling with us, and doing very well. Naturally he's been the centre of attention, and he likes that! He has continued to have some sores in his ears caused by the hearing aids, so we've been medicating that, and giving him more time without hearing aids in. Once we get home, his mom can get him whipped backed into shape!

Erin and Trav both managed to fail the Daylight Saving Time transition last weekend (guess they should live in Saskatchewan!). We managed it just fine! But then, we were in Saskatchewan!

Wendy has been busy with getting new toys for Kristian and helping with meals all week.

And that's about it for this week.

News Update

Another week of beautiful weather is enjoyed on Lake Superior in my hometown. But we have wandered westward to the snowy prairies, and are currently in Regina. To be sure, the weather here is mild also, and the snow is melting away, but it seems they had a lot more than we, so there remains much more than we can enjoy! However, we are enjoying a stay with DadK, Dave & Kresten. We have Kristian along with us, and he's really enjoying being the centre of attention.

It has not been a productive week on the investment front as I have made no sales. One stock closed to within pennies of the sale price on three different days, so, perhaps next week. The markets are at yearly highs (in fact at eighteen-month highs) so we are being quite careful in what we buy. We are also paper-trading a variety of investment plays to see if one of them may pay off.

We left on Thursday afternoon and drove up to Kenora, where we enjoyed another visit with Eric/A and the boys. Then on Friday, we continued the drive to Regina, arriving here in the early evening.

I have been enjoying watching the national men's curling championships all week even though my hero, Kevin Martin, was unable to participate due to his Olympic commitments. In his place is Kevin Koe, formerly of Yellowknife, so he has become a sentimental favourite, and made it to the playoffs. He won his two games today and has advanced to the final tomorrow against Glenn Howard of Ontario.

Wendy was busy getting errands taken care of and preparing for our departure. Now she is busy taking care of Kristian, and enjoying the visiting. If habits continue, I shall continue heading off to bed around midnight, and she'll join me later; sometimes, much later! We started the week with Eric/A and the boys visiting and celebrating Wendy's sixtieth birthday. That was a nice time! She is thankful to have been remembered by many friends and family for the occasion.

Kristian has been having some issues with his earpieces, so there have been some modifications on those, and some medications on the sores that have developed in his ears. This seems to be having the beneficial effect we hope for, but we shall continue to monitor the situation.

Erin is back home. She was coming down with a cold as the week progressed, so we hope she'll be getting better while we're away.

Trav is also back home. He continues with work, contracts and investments. With the markets iffy here at the top, it is difficult to make confident buys, but he continues to study and paper trade with the rest of us.

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

News Update

Another week of beautiful weather has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. The snow is disappearing quickly, and it appears this will be the year we didn't have winter! If the lawn is showing, can the fairways be far behind?! The week started with a great celebration as we won Olympic gold in hockey, and ended with us skating on the Superior lake. With the low snowfall this winter, great expanses of the ice are clear, so we tried it out this morning. We found out it's still a lot of fun, but we're getting old! On the investments front it was a very good week as I picked up 0.9% to an accumulated total of 8.0%, so that helps me catch up a little. Then, this afternoon, curling coverage started again as the Brier is under way in Halifax, so that pretty well locks up the next week! Eric and the boys arrived this afternoon, and we're expecting Erica this evening, so we're glad to be having some time with them.

Wendy has now completed her teeth-cleaning sessions. She has more teeth; it takes longer! She even convinced me to go on a couple of her walks this week. It works for her, perhaps it'll help me. She keeps busy keeping up with Kristian most days. And she's started taking a reluctant Sadie (Erin's Shih Tzu/Bichon puppy) for short walks.

Erin keeps busy with work and Kristian—nothing changing with that.

Travis completed his hockey season this week as his team lost out in the play offs. Now he's hoping to catch up on his contracts and pick up more work.

And that's about it for this week.

Way to Go, Canada!

With the end of the hockey game, the Olympics have come to a close. It was a momentous game, and Canadians from coast to coast to coast and around the world are celebrating our place on the top of the hockey world. But it was much more than that! These games (They are only games!) have captured the imagination of Canadians like never before, and we have emerged from our carefully maintained shells to celebrate our nation. This was our third opportunity to host the Olympic games, and going in, one of the challenges was that we had never won a gold medal on our native soil. Alexandre Bilodeau took care of that shortcoming, but other medal contenders were falling short.

Our sports leaders dreamed of Owning the Podium—we might not get the golds, but darn it, we were going to win more medals than the other guys. Well, by the end of week one, our leaders noticed the lack of much of a collection of medals of any colour, and, in good Canadian fashion, they began apologizing for our audaciousness. However, our athletes didn't get the memo, and the medals began piling up, a bronze here, a silver there, and then gold, and another gold, and more gold! Soon, we had almost as much gold as anyone! Wowsers! What a party! Oops sorry, we shouldn't party so much! Sorry about that! Celebration so unseemly, don't you know—not Canadian, not the Canadian way at all.

Then we achieved the twelfth gold medal. No host nation had ever achieved more! Could it be? Were we as good as others? We were tied with Norway and Russia! And then a thirteenth, no one was better than that as a host nation! Finally, when Crosby scored and gave us that wonderful overtime victory in hockey, we were the greatest! No host nation, no visiting nation, no nation anywhere had ever gained fourteen gold medals! Stand up and cheer, and never mind the tears!

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. We have been well-occupied with Olympic watching, but have managed to fit in a couple of other adventures. I have closely followed the curling games, and was disappointed to see our women settle for silver when we had two shots to win gold! On the men's side we got the result we craved as Kevin Martin defeated Norway to take the gold. The other crucially Canadian sport is, of course, hockey. Our women did us proud by winning the gold, taking a hard fought win over the US. Our men are in the gold medal game against the US tomorrow, so we'll be cheering! The weather has continued very mild, and we're enjoying that.

On Friday morning, our attention was suddenly diverted to the topic of hot water as our water heater quit. This has occupied plenty of time and effort yesterday and today, but thankfully we now have the new one installed, and hot showers are once again available. I haven't had much success on the investing front this week as I couldn't seem to figure out what was going on, and only managed 0.1% gain to 7.1% for the five months I've been working this program.

Wendy got some great news this week as her medical tests came back with much improvement in both her blood sugars and cholesterol. It appears her regimen of diet and exercise is paying great benefits. And I've lost a lot of weight also! (NOT) She continues with her other programs of activities as well, so she keeps busy.

Erin keeps pretty busy with work and Kristian's activities. He had a great week with firefighters and skating as special features.

Trav continues with work and contracting. He is also doing some training in more website design techniques. His hockey team is in the playoffs now, so the season is nearing the end.

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

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. The weather has continued to be beautiful. We had a bit of snow on Sunday, but the strengthening sun soon melted that away. Since then it's been a sunny-blue sky week, and we've enjoyed it.

Watching Olympic events has been a special feature lately. I've tried to catch as many curling and hockey games as possible, and we're doing well on both fronts as our teams remain undefeated, and seem certain to win medals. We just hope they win gold medals! Women's hockey will be a tough fight with their arch rivals from the US. Men's hockey shouldn't be a problem if they get down to work, but this week's overtime game with the Swiss shows that any team can defeat you if they outwork you! In curling, I'm a little concerned about the women's team. They're playing too conservatively, too safe—sure it keeps the risk low, but it also keeps the game close, and anyone can make a lucky shot to win a close game. You need to put pressure on your opponents to make a lot of good shots. Anyway, I look forward to watching how it all turns out.

On the investment front, it's been another good week. The markets have turned positive and the new strategy continues to show signs of success. I managed 0.4% gain to 7.0% total. Travis and Dean continue to work with me each morning, and that's helpful, too. And, I often manage to meet my brother on-line, so we chat and commiserate!

Wendy continues with business as usual taking care of the details of our lives. She's had more meetings, another teeth cleaning appointment, and regular workouts this week. We also had the treat of a visit with Erica as she was in town for a conference.

Erin and Kristian are doing fine. She keeps very busy at work. He keeps us busy with his activity level. He wants to talk about almost everything, and we understand part of it!

Trav's hockey season is coming to an end. If they don't win their final league game, they'll miss the playoffs, so it could be over soon. He continues to keep busy with work and the odd contract for graphic art or website development.

And that's about it for this week.

News Update

Another week of beautiful sunny weather has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. We hear of snow throughout the US mainland and wonder how it continues to miss us! Not that we're complaining, but we may be wishing for higher water levels next summer! And I won't be wishing for higher rainfall during golf season, so, just saying... We started the week watching the women's final in curling, and we end the week as the Winter Olympics begin, so TV will occupy some hours for the next two weeks, as well.

On the investment front, my prayers continue to be answered. With markets that continue to fluctuate wildly between -150 and +150 per day, we have been developing some new tactics. I have paper-traded our trading-range play successfully over one hundred times (Actually 256 times in the last four weeks, but who's counting?), so this week I put it into practice. It worked! For the first week in a long time, I was able to meet my target as I gained 0.5% to a total of 6.6%. And Travis came up with another ploy, so we've started paper-trading that one also.

Wendy keeps on the go with her various activities, classes and attending to several friends. Grandma's taxi continues to run regularly, and mom's laundry, meal and snack service is also in demand! We both continued with dental cleaning at Con College, and we still have at least one more appointment to go. It's more time-consuming working with trainees, but the difference in cost from $500 to $20 makes it well worth it!

Kristian has been fighting a cold for the last while, but he continues to attend school and day care. This week was a busy one with Valentine's Day parties. Erin continues to be busy and happy with her work at Budget.

Trav's team had a successful hockey tournament last weekend as they only lost one game. This weekend they're in another local tournament.

And that's about it for this week.

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. The clear, sunny weather has continued to make for a pleasant winter with very little snow.

Investment work continues to occupy our mornings. My prayers were answered as up days early in the week allowed me to sell my bad investments from last Friday at a profit. Then things went south, and perhaps I was also blessed with wisdom to avoid making any buys in that environment! As a result, I managed to gain another 0.2% under difficult circumstances, so we look forward with fresh courage. I've also been watching the national women's curling championship, but our local team lost out in the semi-final this evening, and our other sentimental favourites from Saskatchewan and the Northwest Territories lost out earlier.

Wendy keeps busy visiting several friends and organizing our lives. Grandma's taxi provides frequent rides for Kristian back and forth to daycare as Erin's schedule calls for long days. We have also begun a series of appointments to get our teeth cleaned at Confederation College, so that's quite a cost saving. She has also been busy with laundering and mending the jerseys for Trav's hockey team.

Trav had a good weekend in Albert Lea MN with his hockey team. The team did well, and a highlight for Trav occurred when he sang our national anthem for the hockey tournament crowd. He is in another tournament this weekend here in Thunder Bay. Again his team is playing well, so they're in the playoffs segment of the tournament now.

Erin keeps busy at Budget, and at various school, daycare and speech therapy appointments with Kristian. He is talking more and more, and often comes up with little phrases we haven't heard before.

And that's about it for this week.

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. A storm blew through on Sunday, so I was quickly back in the shoveling routine. It was wet stuff, so I couldn't even use the snowblower, but as colder weather was promised, I knew I wanted to get it cleared away before it froze. The rest of the week has been sunny, clear and cold. Our new chairs arrived for the church on Monday morning, so it was nice to get those moved in and set up. They look and feel great!

Trav, Dean and I have continued to develop our technical strategies. The market has continued very bad, losing more value this week. I managed to make some good technical trades, putting me up 0.2% for the week, but I also fell victim to my worst problem as I got attached to a bad trade and refused to sell it even though the technical indicators said to do so! Thus, I am now stuck with a losing trade over the weekend, and I don't like that. I pray that God will improve my mental discipline to follow the strategy that we know works. I also pray that the markets will go up next week so I can sell!

Wendy has had a bad week with a troublesome wisdom tooth. She finally got in to see the dentist and he passed her along to an orthodontic surgeon who removed the tooth on Friday. She's experiencing some pain still from the surgery, but overall much relief.

Trav continues with his work. He's away with his hockey team this weekend to a tournament in southern Minnesota. I'm sure the players are very excited for the trip; I hope all goes well for them.

Erin has continued to be quite busy at work. Wendy has helped out by picking up mom's taxi routine to get Kristian several days this week. Kristian continues to progress well. He's forming sentences now, and continuing to develop spoken vocabulary. He was even reading along with Erin on one of his books from school.

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

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. The weather has been very nice, so I've kept working at the ice-coated driveway and finally got it cleared. Then the sunshine has completed the job of drying it off. Probably just in time, as we have rain and snow in the forecast for tonight and tomorrow. Trav, Dean and I have been working each morning on investments. It's been another very bad week on the markets as the TSX has descended to close at a level not seen since early November. As a result, we're working on new strategies that we may be able to use when things turn around. So, I didn't make any money this week, but I only lost 0.1%, so, I'm left sitting at 5.7% profit.

Wendy is keeping very busy with meetings, classes and visiting with her friends. She continues to work on improvements in overall health through diet, exercise and additional training. This week she is turning a bedroom upstairs into Kristian's room. He really likes it as Erica painted the walls with a castle motif.

Kristian has kept progressing at school and in speech therapy. His sentences and conversation are gradually growing. He has been fitted for his next set of hearing aids, and those should be arriving in a couple of weeks. He seems to understand nearly everything we tell him, but we don't always understand what he's trying to tell us!

Erin continues to enjoy her work with Budget, and is gradually growing into additional roles with that work. She has postponed taking classes for now.

Trav stays busy with his work, our investments and private graphical arts projects. He has several of the latter due for completion this weekend, so he's been trying to keep everything together.

And that's about it for this week.

Home Again

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. There are a few issues to get caught up with, and we pursue them with some vigour. For me, it's getting back into full-time investing, and getting down to the pavement in the driveway. There is quite a build-up of snow and ice on the driveway due to the mild weather and the traffic. Fortunately, the weather continues to be above zero each day, so I gradually get it chipped loose and removed. The deck melts off, so we even enjoy a barbecue this afternoon. It is a no-good, very bad week on the TSX as the market loses over 2%. I only manage a sale on Monday, and then gradually try to pick up bargains later in the week. Now I need the values to go up, or they will prove to have not been bargains! At any rate, I do gain 0.2%, so I'm at 0.9% this year, or 5.8% including the final quarter of last year. Trav has started working with me on this each morning, and he's bringing some fresh ideas to the stock selection process. We'll see how that goes.

Wendy has been catching up with her medical work and has begun take classes on how to manage her diabetes. Early reports are that the classes are great. She's enjoying them. The house has enjoyed a complete cleaning this week also, and a pile of laundry has gone through the machines.

Erin & Kristian are back in the routines of school and work. Kristian's communication and other skills continue to develop in an encouraging way. He seemed to be coming down with a cold, but has bounced back by the weekend.

Travis continues with work, but has made a switch to doing more of it from home, so he has the mornings free to work with me on investments. We have added Dean to the group, so we have a workgroup here each morning to assess conditions and evaluate strategies.

And that's about it for this week.

Travelling North

Another week has passed during which we have returned from Orlando to Lake Superior and my hometown. As we packed up Sunday morning, I checked the weather for Lexington SC... -8, -8! in South Carolina! It surely seemed an ominous sign! Were we making a big mistake? Was it too early to be heading north? Could it be that winter was not yet over? As you will see, the answers to all those questions was a resounding YES!

As we drove over to Daytona Beach and then northward up the coast we ground to a halt on the freeway–this has happened with disgusting regularity! A multi-vehicle accident had completely closed the northbound lanes. Surely this was another message to turn back! We carried on. A Jeep had tangled with three cars. The Jeep was the only one to sustain damage on both ends, so clearly it was a major player. By the time we got to the accident site (It was less than a mile ahead of us, but we were delayed over one hour while police and rescue vehicles attended the scene.), we noted that a multi-vehicle accident had developed among gawkers in the southbound lanes, totally blocking that side, and two or three more accidents had occurred among gawkers nearby these accident sites. As we continued northbound, we drove over ten miles before coming to the end of the stopped vehicles in the southbound lanes, and who knows how many more would be stopped before traffic started moving again. Freeways? I think not!

We finally got to Jack & Karen's, but we were over an hour later than we had planned. However, that did not diminish the pleasure of spending some time with these dear friends. We left Lexington on Tuesday morning, headed west. We got as far as St. Louis IL and spent the night there. On Wednesday, we continued westward toward Lawrence KS. As we approached Kansas City it began to snow. Once again we found ourselves in something less than a freeway as fender benders clogged the arteries. Once again we were about an hour late getting to our destination. Once again, we had the great pleasure of time spent with dear friends, Helen & Marti.

On Thursday, we awoke to the remnants of the snow storm. We planned to drive north, but I-35 was closed in Iowa. We waited. We changed plans. We enjoyed Invictus–thanks, Marti. We stayed another night! It was bitterly cold with a windchill that sounded frightening in either F or C. On Friday, we awoke to very cold weather, but the I-35 was moving, so we headed out and drove up to Minneapolis MN. The road was good, but the ditches and median were filled with stuck and wrecked vehicles, especially near Des Moines. We were glad not to have tried to head north earlier.

Finally, today, we completed the drive along the lake to home. It has been a month-long trip. We really enjoyed having everyone with us in Florida, but we're also really glad to be home.

I have managed one day of investments this week, but it was a good day, and I gained 0.7%—that's a full week plus some catch-up. Economic news was shaky toward the end of the week, but the TSX ended up in the green anyway.

Travis, Erin & Kristian have been holding the fort at home. We'll catch up with them now that we're home again.

And that's about it for this week.

News Update

Happy New Year!

Another week has passed in sunny Florida, but our time here is done, and we're ready to begin the long trip north starting tomorrow. We plan to be back in Thunder Bay by next Saturday. We have enjoyed our holiday in Florida, seen all we wish to see at Disney World, and become more aware of other attractions in this part of the world. We will look forward to another visit some time.

This week was spent with Travis, Erin & Kristian. We were in a new location near downtown Orlando, and enjoyed good access to Disney World as well as several outlet malls! Unfortunately, we often found that the interstate through Orlando was a multi-lane parking lot. Today, we drove the crew down to Tampa as they attended the Penguins-Lightning hockey game this afternoon, and are preparing to fly north in the morning.

The final week of investing for the year was only three days, but things went well and I gained 0.4% to close the year at 4.9% for these final three months of the year.

And that's about it for this week.

Economics 102

Happy New Year everyone! The year 2009 has ended, and while that date is an artificial boundary, it gives a holiday (and a pause) to review, reconsider and plan. It was a momentous year for us financially as, with the completion of my latest assignment, we have decided that my work should be the management of our investments. So, while I do that, I am also blogging the details. In education (where every common thing has to have a special name!) we call this metacognition! Enjoy!

I am calling this Economics 102 because I took Economics 100 in my first year of university, and Economics 101 is a well-used metaphor already.

I started my investment training and practice on March 9th. My first buys were on March 10th. Those who follow the TSX closely recognize those dates. They marked the depths of the most recent market crash. Since then we have enjoyed one of the biggest market surges since the Great Depression. My instructors lamented over the experience of our group as being so far from reality that we might not really be learning as we should. It was hard not to make money during the part of the year from March 10th to December 31st as the TSX rose from 7,567 to 11,746. So, I have determined to assess my success in the light of the TSX surge.

The first decade of this century is being well-described as a lost decade economically. This is certainly true in the US (Thanks there, Dubya!), but not so much in Canada. In the US, the SP500 dropped 24.1% during the decade (Imagine the additional pain if not for Obama's 23.4% gain this year!) The TSX rose almost 40% during the decade, but 30.7% took place this year, and even with that, an annualized rate of about 4% ranks pretty poorly against the previous two decades. Both countries have now pulled out the Bush Recession, and both of our main market indices moved into official bull territory in June, however, there are plenty of worrisome and difficult economic clouds still roiling through. Our economic health is so tightly tied to the US, that their continuing economic malaise is a big concern. Thoughtful observers see the current recovery as artificially based on the Obama stimulus spending and worry over the future. While he has been able to turn the TARP funding into a profitable investment for the US taxpayers, I do not see any prospects of an early repayment of the stimulus investment.

With that in the background I turn to the micro-economic picture of my own finances. My first simulated trading experience ran until July 17th. During that time, I achieved a profit of 43.7% while the TSX gained about 37% (My professional advisers gained 12.6%). The second phase ran until September 24th where I gained 19.1%, and the TSX rose 8.8% (My professional advisers gained 1.4%). The final phase (where I was actually investing money) completed the year; I gained 4.9% while the TSX rose 4.1% (My professional advisers lost 1.3%).

So, there's the assessment, now to consider the evaluation! The investment plan we are learning certainly allowed us to make great gains and surpass the markets (and some professional advisers) widely during the early trials, but not so much during the final phase. It is a concern that the final phase was when I was actually using my own money! Do I get too emotionally attached to the business? The final phase translates into an annual gain of about 20% which is certainly enough to support us, but not in line with the 30% we've been trained to expect. Therefore, while the effort will continue, I will also be reviewing my strategies and techniques as I try to improve. Travis has revised his working conditions so as to be more available to consult and support the investment program. We hope (and plan) for good economic results in 2010.

News Update

Another warm and sunny week has passed in central Florida. We hear of storms across the central and northern states and also in Canada; we even hear of a white Christmas in Dallas! We're glad to miss those! We have enjoyed another week with all the family, but now Eric/A and the boys flew north today, so we're somewhat at a loss. Santa did not miss us in Orlando, even though he was told to skip us for this year as the trip was supposed to be the treat. We feel especially blessed by the gracious treatment!

Disney has continued to be much visited, but with the closing of schools for the holidays, the lineups have become very long! We're finding it necessary to go early and get Fastpasses. Still, there have been times when we couldn't get into the rides we wished for. We've also been spending time in the timeshare's mini-golf, pools and hot tubs. Kristian has gradually become pretty comfortable in the water. Eric and I got out golfing once at Disney; that was fun.

Poor internet service and business with Mickey have precluded much investment work. I only managed one transaction and that was for a small loss, but not enough to change my percentages. We'll see if I can get back into it in the coming week. Travis has tried to continue with his online courses in HTML, but that has also suffered due to poor internet service. We are moving to a new resort next week, so we hope for better internet there.

We have another week here with Erin, Kristian and Travis. Then, we'll start the long trip back.

And that's about it for this week.