News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. The week started off with miserable weather, but it turned nice in the last part of the week. I managed to get more spring preparations done and the garden boxes are ready to go. I am still working on the lawn extension, and hope to get it seeded next weekend. The markets have continued their troubled ways and I keep adjusting to try to find ways to make further gains. Wendy went up to Kenora on Wednesday to take care of the boys. She ran into snow and slush along the way, so it was a difficult trip. Then she had car troubles as the front wheel was making noises it shouldn't be, so she had to get the bearing changed in Kenora. She plans to drive back here tomorrow. The NHL playoffs continue and the first round series are ending. My favourites are both on the brink of elimination—we don't give up yet! The bus driving is going well, and I know my routes pretty well now. My back continues to improve; my golf swing does not seem to irritate it. I am looking forward to practising and possibly playing this coming week. Wendy's Dad has continued his progress in rehab. He now has his new shoes, although some tweaking remains to be done, and is getting used to walking in them. 

Eric/A travelled to Vancouver Island this week, and Wendy was in Kenora to take care of things. Wendy took advantage of the time to refinish the wood dining room floor. Eric/A are expected back tonight. 

Erin and Kristian have maintained their usual schedule of activities. Friday was a PD Day so Kristian enjoyed the day off. On Thursday, Erin met with the school personnel to consider placement for next year. Kristian is progressing to their satisfaction, so no particular changes are being recommended. 

Trav, Joanna and crew hosted us for Gemma's birthday on Sunday; that was a nice time. Trav's Penguins are fighting back from the brink, and he's almost daring to be hopeful again. Joanna scored a new car—a bright green Hyundai! Wendy has been searching online and in person since she got the news! 

And that's about it for this week. 

News Update

We've enjoyed a busy week on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. The week began on Easter Sunday with Canada winning the Curling Championship in an extra end over Scotland. Once again, they probably should not have won, but as it turned out the only team to defeat them all week was the powerhouse Kiwis who presumably make their rocks turn the opposite direction! The markets continued their problematic path, and the TSX is now down for the year. It's been a struggle, and I feel blessed to have some good gain to this point, however, I fell back a bit this week. As expected now that we're settled for a bit, I've been given a steady bus route, so I'll be driving that for the final months of the school year. My back continues to improve, and I've been able to begin work on the lawn extension in the back yard. The rhubarb is up, and I'm also getting the gardening boxes ready to go. The golf courses are open, but my back hasn't felt good enough to give it a try, although I have made a few swings! Wendy has begun spring cleaning or a reasonable facsimile thereof—we try to stay out of the way! I'd like to move forward with renovations upstairs but we have a massive piano standing in the way of that! I've been monitoring the NHL playoffs but it has not been progressing to my expectations as some of my most confident picks have fallen behind. Women's World Hockey Championships concluded today with Canada playing US in the final and winning it 5-4 in overtime.

Eric/A are busy with renewal issues that come not just with Spring. Liam keeps busy imagining and developing construction projects. Haaken keeps busy with creative pursuits in graphic novels, drama and art. Eric is a Canucks fan, so he has not had a good week with them.

Erin is busy with her work. Kristian is busy with school. His aide recently took maternity leave, and yesterday Kristian informed us she had a new baby girl. Mark continues to let me win in Scrabble, and his Canucks continue to let the Kings win in Hockey!

Trav is in despair (or a village nearby) as his Penguins are faltering in the playoffs. Joanna is busy with the celebration of Gemma's 12th birthday. Otherwise the whole bunch keeps busy with school and work.

And that's about it for this week.

News Update

Snow was threatening the shores of Lake Wascana, so we took the hint and headed east. We drove down to Kenora on Good Friday, and plan to complete the trip to TBay tomorrow. The weather has been lovely in Regina and we have enjoyed that very much. My back has continued to recover and I got another treatment this week. We are enjoying a nice day and good weather here on the Winnipeg River. The markets have suffered another down week, and I even resorted to buying shorts to salvage some gains out of the situation. The men have been competing the World Championship of curling in Basel, Switzerland, and our representatives have been doing well. They are in the championship game tomorrow against Scotland. 

68 Basketball Champs

My Jayhawks put up a nobel fight on Monday, but could not overcome UK in the basketball final. Wendy has kept busy, and kept all of us up to date on Ellis's progress in rehab. He has been gaining strength and walking more. He's been fitted for a new elevated shoe and we look forward to even more progress once that is built and delivered. Last weekend was the Homecoming at Western and we enjoyed meeting many friends—some of whom were surprisingly old! I also scored a memento of my time there years ago when we won the very first provincial championship for the school—thank you, Marilyn. 

Eric and the boys are hosting us this weekend. Erica is away for the long weekend with her long time friends from TBay. Liam has changed his mind and now may be building a tree house! Haaken is making good progress at school. Eric is rejoicing because his lousy Canucks that everyone loves to put down, managed to sneak out the Presidents Trophy for best regular season team in hockey for the second year running. 

Erin and Kristian have been taking care of the house. They have things pretty well cleaned up in anticipation of our return. It's the opening of the baseball season and both of them enjoy seeing the Blue Jays start off with two wins. 

Trav continues to work and develop his business. It seems to be going well, and he has a nice home office to use. Joanna keeps busy with her blood-letting! Andrew had a wrestling tournament last weekend and gave evidence of being a talented grappler, an excellent sport, and a fine young man. 

The regular season ended this evening and 16 NHL teams now move on to the Stanley Cup playoffs. Some teams have made a habit of appearing in these playoffs, while others, sadly, have not! 

And that's about it for this week. 

News Update

This week has been passed on the sunny shore of Lake Wascana, far from my hometown. The weather has been very nice, even hitting into the twenties yesterday, and I'm glad for that. I have continued to struggle with my aching back. Fortunately, I was able to find a good chiropractor, so I got a treatment on Thursday, but more recovery remains to be completed. It's too bad, as it's golfing weather, and I have my clubs along... The markets have completed a difficult month for me and I have made only sporadic progress interrupted by days of decline. The Canadian Women won the bronze medal in curling, and now the Canadian Men have begun their tournament in Switzerland. The final four in basketball runs over this weekend, and it's homecoming at Western; just too much going on! Dad has continued to make progress, and after his consultation with his doctor on Friday, we are hoping this will bring an uptick in his therapy. Wendy keeps busy caring for all of us. Rich and Dave are pushing forward with basement renovations. 

Eric/A and the boys continue with life in Kenora. Liam has been busy developing library shelving. Eric/A try to keep up! 

Erin and Kristian are holding down the fort at home. Kristian bumped heads with another child at day care producing a nosebleed and some bruising. 

Trav's team lost out in the playoffs, but certainly had a fine season winning the league, as well as a tournament in Minnesota. His Penguins are getting ready for the NHL playoffs with Captain Crosby back and playing well. Joanna keeps busy with work and kids. 

And that's about it for this week. 

News Update

Another week has passed and I have moved from the shore of Lake Superior to the shore of Lake Wascana. I damaged my back last weekend, so that continues to bother me. I had three treatments from my chiropractor this week that has provided some relief, but the schedule of my trip to Regina precluded the completion of treatment, so I continue to be somewhat disabled. It is too bad, as golf courses are opening in TBay! I finally got my newly rebuilt smile, but my mouth is still adjusting to the new partial plate, so I'm not smiling so much! The markets have been troubled again, mostly by concerns about what the growth level will be in China as it is a major engine of the world economy these days. As a result, I lost value this week, but still remain up on the month. Dad has moved to Wascana for further rehabilitation, but the program there has not developed as well as we would like—maybe we need to get some more asterisks on the chart! Wendy has come down with a cold, and we hope that will be over soon. I've been following the Women's Curling championship, but Canada has lost in the playoffs so will be playing for the bronze medal tomorrow. Now I get a week off before the Men's Championship begins. This weekend, I've been watching and participating as the NDP elected a new leader, Tom Mulcair.

Eric/A and the boys had a great time in Mexico and have now returned both tired and rested! The highlight for Erica and Liam was deep sea fishing, for Eric it was horseback riding, and for Haaken it was the buffet! While they were gone, the snow left—they don't miss it, but it has revealed work that must be done in preparation for Spring.

Erin and Kristian remain in TBay taking care of things at home. Things are going well, although Erin suffered one day off due to a migraine headache. They are glad of the warm weather that lets them play in the backyard.

Trav and Joanna keep busy with work. Trav's hockey team is into the playoffs now; they won their first game 5-0, and hope to finish off that round on Sunday. He is also keeping up with the Penguins who are challenging for top spot and have their captain back playing again.

And that's about it for this week.

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. The weather has continued to be beautiful and we're enjoying getting outside for back yard play and picnics. Wendy's dad continues to make great progress, and she has decided she can come home for a while. I have one more appointment with my denturist next week and then I plan to drive out to Regina with my new teeth. The markets have reacted favourably, and I've been able to get back to my target for halfway through the month. The TSX is finally in bull territory, and I hope it continues to move upward. I've been out walking near the golf course and imagining getting on the fairways, but they're still sloppy wet as we wait for the frost to come out. March Madness began this week; I'm enjoying my annual basketball fix. There have been bigger upsets than usual, but my final four picks are still in play. The World's Women's Curling Championship has begun, so that will attract my attention as well. We opened with a win over the US. Go Canada Go!

Eric/A and crew are holidaying in Mexico this week. They seem to be enjoying their activities there from horseback riding to deep sea fishing. 

Erin and Kristian continue to help me hold down the home fort. Kristian has been off school this week, but has enjoyed several special activities with the daycare group. Erin is busy with work, but enjoyed a picnic in the backyard with Kristian today in 20° sunshine—that's pretty special for March!

Trav & Joanna were busy with work, but with the kids away over spring break, it was a bit less active than usual. Trav rejoiced this week as Crosby returned from injury to lead the Penguins who are just flying (Can Penguins fly?) with eleven straight wins. Trav is also getting his Elks team ready for the playoffs as the first round is ending. 

And that's about it for this week.

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my home town. The weather has returned to mild, and the snow is disappearing. I have had a busy week watching curling as the men's national championship continues. Two of my favourites made the playoffs; Kevin Koe won the semi-final and will play in the final tomorrow. Jamie Koe will play in the bronze medal game. It has been a no-good-very-bad week on the markets, and I'm down a bit. Wendy is still in Regina where she and her dad celebrated birthdays this week. I had another visit with my denturist and my new partial plate is almost ready. I even had one day back driving school bus, as a regular driver took some time off. Now we're into Daylight Saving Time and Spring Break here. However, being retired, I do not get any holidays or even time off! 

Eric/A and crew are carrying on with their usual activities this week, but are off for a week of tropical holidays in Mexico over Spring Break. They are enjoying their new CRV, and wondering why it took them so long to upgrade. Eric is trying to negotiate some driving privileges; so far, he is allowed to drive slowly on the driveway, and never NEVER on a Monday. Haaken & Liam are glad to have a week off school. We hope they have a good time in Mexico with not too much heat! 

Erin and Kristian continue with their usual routines. Kristian enjoyed snowshoeing at school this week. He's continuing to progress well. He enjoys helping Grandpa make muffins and cookies, but doesn't keep up on the eating end of the program! His favourites so far have been bran muffins and banana muffins. 

Trav and Joanna keep busy with work. Trav's team is in the playoffs now, but due to finishing on top of the league had a bye in the first round. Still no action on establishing his office, although he has a pretty good set up at home. 

And that's about it for this week.

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. It began with a big dump of snow last Sunday accompanied by high winds that produced some big drifts. It took me several hours late Sunday night to get a path cleared for Erin to get out to work. Then, I worked on Monday to clear out the rest of the driveway. As it turned out, the schools even closed out student transportation for Monday, so Erin even had to take Kristian to school. The markets have declined a bit this week, but I managed to do okay, so I'm thankful for that. Wendy remains in Regina; her dad is making progress and now he has two physio sessions each day. Once again, we have been reinforced in our understanding of the need for patient advocacy, and this is probably doubly so for older patients. The physiotherapist had no vision for dad's improvement; she felt his end goal was a wheel chair—we dream much bigger than that! The Tim Horton's Brier begins today, so I am excited for another week of curling. Only one Saskatchewan team this time, and I'm not even familiar with them; but, I also have sentimental favourites of the Koe brothers, one representing the NWT, the other, Alberta. 

Erica and Liam are here this weekend in their new Honda CRV. While the Mazda still complains a bit, they feel their vehicle problems are behind them with the arrival of the CRV and the elimination of the KIA. Eric and Haaken are enjoying a quiet weekend in Kenora. Liam has given up TV for Lent, but was distressed to find out this means he can't watch TV on the computer either! It appears his sacrifice entails watching the shows later from the PVR! 

Erin keeps busy with work and Kristian. He has had another good week, and is enjoying his weekend visitor. Erin is getting excited about the return of baseball. The first preseason game was today, with the Jays playing Pittsburgh and winning! 

Trav & Joanna are home from a fun time in Orlando, and busily back at work; Trav has been picking up lots of work, so that's good. They enjoyed Disney and Universal Studios. The Elks have finished the regular season in first place, and now move into the playoffs. His Penguins are also doing well and appear headed into the playoffs in good shape, except for their ailing captain. 

And that's about it for this week. 

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. Wendy remains in Regina, helping with things around house and hospital there. Actually, she's away this weekend at a Ladies' Retreat on the shore of Kenosee Lake. Dad has gone through a few tests that have taxed his patience, especially when they restricted his diet! He's making progress; he is able to sit for long periods of each day and stand during his physio sessions. The incisions are healing, and he has had many of the staples removed. Also from Regina, we received the sad news of the passing or our cousin, Danielle. We grieve with the family. The memorial services are this weekend in Regina and Coderre. I've spent many hours this week watching the national women's curling championships. The final remains to be played tomorrow between BC and AB. It was a good week in the markets, and I have accumulated my monthly quota. I've had another appointment with my denturist, and the replacement partial plate is nearly ready. 

Eric/A and crew are struggling with too much snow and too few reliable vehicles in Kenora. We have little here, and the lawn is showing through already. They have cleared a rink on the river in front of their house, but the snow keeps coming and forcing more shovelling. And it's not just the skating rink, it's also the driveway and roads where they risk getting stuck in the snow each time they venture out. They are trying out snow tires on the car, as well as a replacement vehicle—a used CRV. We hope both trials turn out well. Haaken continues his preparations for a school play. 

Erin returned home on Monday evening. She had a nice weekend in Winnipeg. She is back to work as usual. Kristian had a good week at school, and is his usual helpful, cheerful self around the house. 

Trav, Joanna and crew returned from Disney World on Tuesday evening. They enjoyed their adventures down there, and they are back at work and school again. Trav's Penguins are playing well, but his Elks have suffered a couple of recent losses. 

And that's about it for this week. 

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. Wendy is in Regina, so I'm trying to be chief cook and babysitter! The weather has been mild and what snow we have is shrinking. Apparently, January was the warmest on record, as we seem to have only had one week of winter so far. The markets have continued to bounce over Grecian concerns, but I managed to have a good week, and am about on par for where I should be at this point of the month. I've been back to the school buses this week and got caught up on my safety courses, so I'm ready to drive again if something short term comes up. We're still trying to work out our schedule, but the doctors in Regina are not giving us much of a hint on their schedule. Dad has been making progress, but there is now some concern over other health issues, so he endured a colonoscopy this week, and other tests are being considered. He gets bit of physio at the hospital, but we look forward to a more aggressive program of rehabilitation when he's ready for it. Being a frequenter of the hospital has allowed Wendy to catch up with our cousin, Danielle. The news is not good. Cancer has spread. This is not how it is supposed to be for such a young person; well, for any person as far as that goes. We hurt for that young family. The Canadian Women's Curling championship has begun, so I'll be busy in front of the TV for the next week!

Eric/A and crew have been clearing a rink in the river in front of their house. Actually, from the photo, I can't tell how big of a crew is involved in that job!

Erin and Kristian have had a good week. It's report card time, so Erin was in for the Parent-Teacher interviews. This is a long weekend, and she's gone to Winnipeg to visit with Mark. I'm babysitting Kristian and Sadie.

Travis, Joanna and crew are off to Disney World for a week, so I am  babysitting their dog, Mini, while they're away. 

And that's about it for this week.

News Update

Papa can now sit up!

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. Wendy has left me; I know, some of you are noting your surprise that it lasted so long! In this case, she has flown to Regina via Toronto to be with her dad during his surgery. Imagine flying further east than the distance she wanted to get west! She calls every day, so I think we may still have a future! Dad had his surgery on Wednesday; by all accounts, it went well. He has begun the healing process, and daily physiotherapy. We are grateful for the progress so far, and excited over what is yet to come. Otherwise, we continue to play it by ear, not knowing the schedule or whether she will come home, or I will drive out to Regina. The weather here has continued to be mild; we are glad to be having an easy winter so far. The Greeks have continued to plague the markets, so it hasn't been a good week on the investment front. I have been busy preparing a two-part presentation on Marriage to be preached to the congregation beginning on the 19th. Wendy's days are spent in shopping, meal-preparation and hospital visits. She's very good at these assignments! I had a meeting with my denturist on Tuesday. He has prepared the metal form for my new partial plate. He checked out colour samples; now, he will begin setting some teeth. 

Eric/A have been busy with birthday celebrations this week as each of the boys has a birthday in early February. 

Erin keeps busy with work. She has been suffering with neck and back pain this week. She thinks it's the flu. I think she should check out some other possibilities. Kristian has had a good week at school. He got his report card on Friday; it declared that he was doing well. 

Trav's team lost the championship game of the weekend tournament, but otherwise have continued their winning ways with two convincing wins in league play, this week. His work goes well, and he has heard of some developments on the office search front—a new location is being considered. Joanna keeps busy with work and kids. Still they found time to have us over for supper on Sunday. Thanks guys! 

And that's about it for this week. 

News Update

Another week has passed and we have returned to the shore of Lake Superior and my hometown. Despairing of getting a date for Dad's surgery, we finally left on Wednesday from Regina, only to be informed, before we were two hours east, of his surgery date! He is due for the bionic man installation next Wednesday morning. Wendy has been very busy since we got home as she must complete the year end on the church books and prepare tax receipts. She plans to fly back to Regina on Monday evening. I've had a good week on the investment front. My coughing has almost ceased, and that's a relief. Wendy has begun to cough, and that's not a good thing.

We spent Wednesday night with Eric/A and the boys in Kenora. The leaky pump has been replaced, and the piping has been repaired to the suite. Eric also replaced the heat tape, and we hope it will work well. It is Liam's birthday today, and Haaken's next week. 

Erin and Kristian have been taking care of things at home while we were away, but it appears the fridge is quitting, so we'll need to replace that. Kristian is doing well at school and in speech therapy. 

Trav, Joanna and Andrew were over this afternoon. The Elks are in another tournament this weekend. They have completed the pool games this afternoon, and are in the playoffs tomorrow. 

And that's about it for this week.

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Wascana. The weather has turned decidedly nice with sunshine and melting snow. We hope that winter may have been confined to that one cold week! Wendy's dad continues to be in the hospital waiting for a new surgical date, since the earlier one was cancelled. We are also concerned over the schedule because we do have to go home at some point! We were surprised to find my cousin and her daughter in the same hospital. It was good to catch up with them, and we pray for continued healing for Danielle. I am still coughing, although I've worked my way through a whole bottle of Buckley's, so I'm heading back to my Benylin. The markets have not been favourable this week, and I lost some of what I had gained earlier. We enjoyed an evening at our friends' house for supper one evening, otherwise, I have continued to be chief cook, and none of us are starving. Today we attended a meeting of the society of our old school, Western, and grieved along with others as the society voted to dissolve the school at the end of this school year. 

Eric/A and the boys have continued the struggle with water supply to the suite. They have had to repair the line. 

Erin and Kristian have been taking care of things at home. They had it busy last weekend as Andrew and Mini were staying over. Kristian had a hearing check this week, and we're glad there has been no deterioration on that front. However, reports from school indicate that he doesn't always listen, or heed! He did have a good day on Thursday, so maybe we're on the upswing once again. 

Trav and his team won the championship in Minnesota last Sunday. That was a great achievement for them. Joanna was along and provided lots of photos of the occasion. 

And that's about it for this week. 

News Update

We've passed a frigid week on the shore of Lake Wascana, but they tell us the cold snap has now broken, and the temperatures have certainly improved today. Most mornings this week have seen -30, and sometimes there has been wind as well. I have been nursing my cough, and Wendy has been nursing her dad. I'm still coughing, even though yesterday Wendy broke down and brought me home some Buckley's Mixture! Her dad is doing much better. This morning we got word that he has beaten C.Difficile, so he's no longer in isolation. We hope this will allow them to confirm a date for the surgery that is tentatively scheduled for next Tuesday. Work on the investments has gone well this week as I've experienced five days of gains for the first time in a long time. I've also served as chief cook, while Dave has served as bottle washer. We've made an effective team, and for one more week starvation has been held at bay! 

Eric/A and the boys have been enjoying their share of disruptions. Last weekend they made a hurried trip to Regina to visit Papa; we enjoyed the time with them in Regina. Meanwhile their car quit on the way to Winnipeg while making horrible noises and draining fluid onto the pavement. It was first thought this was oil, but subsequent investigation revealed it to be coolant, and after the pump was replaced, the car is back to operating well. At home they had too much water in the furnace room and too little water in the suite. The plumber assures them that a replacement seal will stop the leak in the furnace room. Warming the lines has allowed water to flow to the suite once again, however, tonight the line broke so more fixing is needed. Liam continues with school and karate. Haaken is preparing for his first set of high school exams. He has also won a spot in a school play and practises regularly for that. 

Erin and Kristian have been taking care of things at home. They are keeping the house warm, the fridge cold and the driveway clear—although none of those have been straight forward. Kristian is working through a few issues at school, where not-working has been the problem behaviour. We hope he's back on track there again. Erin is babysitting Mini and Andrew this weekend. 

Trav & Joanna are in Minneapolis this weekend, where his Elks are in a tournament. They are doing well, winning a thriller last night, and won their semi-final today, so they're off to the championship game tomorrow. His Penguins are also back on track in the NHL, so, much is going right in Trav's world! Office development... meh! 

And that's about it for this week. 

News Update

Another week of our too-hectic lives has taken us from the shore of Lake Superior, to the shore of the Winnipeg River, and back to the shore of Lake Wascana. After returning home last Sunday afternoon, we began collecting our lives and thoughts and getting our errands done. By Wednesday the news coming from Regina had convinced us to return there and see how Wendy's dad was doing. Apparently he was reacting to one of his meds, or a combination of his meds. The staff changed the meds they thought may be having the deleterious effects, but it still took a while for these to wash from his system. In the meantime, he was having an interesting life in his own mind, and creating quite interesting lives for friends, family and the medical staff. We drove to Kenora on Thursday, and on to Regina on Friday morning. Dad was much improved by this time, but has now picked up an E.Coli infection, so he's been moved to isolation. His surgery is still scheduled for next Tuesday, so we hope that goes forward and is successful. Otherwise, life has been fairly dull! I'm continuing to cough—into my fourth week—and I'm getting tired of it! Investments went well the first two days, but then European issues turned things downward and I gave up my gains during the final three days. Maybe next week! 

Erin did a fine job of taking care of the snow while I was gone, and the warm, sunny days at the beginning of the week helped clean the ice away as well. The snow has returned, but thankfully, I'm in Regina, so Erin will have to get it cleaned away! Kristian is back and school and doing well. He is reading now, and increasing his vocabulary daily. Friends at school and daycare sometimes add expressions to his repertoire that we need to cull! 

Trav & Joanna are busy with work and especially Travis is busy with hockey. His Elks continue to roll; his Penguins—not! This weekend Andrew had a wrestling tournament in Dryden, so Joanna accompanied him there and played the role of proud parent. Trav's office development is moving at only slightly above a glacial pace, but with climate change, that may pick up as well! In the meantime, he's set up a home office to work from, and continued accumulating equipment.

And that's about it for this week.

News Update

It has been quite a week as we have returned from the headwaters of the Columbia River to the headwaters of the Winnipeg River in Kenora. In between it has been an adventure. We enjoyed our time in Fairmont even though there was no snow. The hot springs were still operating, and I got to walk the golf course several times, even once with Kristian. He rejoiced to find several golf balls and lots of deer poop! It was especially good to share the time with Eric/A and the boys from the start, and then Uncle Dave joined us as well, so we had a good time there. Eric/A and crew headed eastward on Wednesday since Eric has a Thursday evening class in Winnipeg. While they drove east with the assist of 100km winds, we were getting news of trouble in Regina. Wendy's dad fell and broke his left leg and knee. He is in the hospital while a couple of doctors consult, test and prod to determine what the options are for treatment. We anticipate that decision will be made in the next few days. Of course this has been quite a concern for family and friends as well. We packed up one day early in Fairmont and drove over to Regina on Thursday. After spending some time with Dad, we drove down to Kenora today. The week has gone very well on the investment front, so that's a help. I've continued with the cough I developed just before the trip began, so that's not good at all. We plan to complete the trip back to TBay tomorrow. 

Erin has been holding down the fort at home, and attempting to keep the driveway clear of snow in anticipation of our return. Kristian is travelling with us, and takes the various upheavals with a joy that makes life better for all of us. He is scheduled to be back in school on Monday. 

Trav & Joanna are back at work, but we've been able to have video chats from time to time. Trav continues to develop his office, but that hasn't gone too far yet. His Elks hockey team continues to do very well, but his Penguins are in a bit of a slump right now. 

And that's about it for this week. 

Happy New Year!

We have continued our trip westward and this weekend/yearend finds us at the headwaters of the Columbia River in Fairmont BC. We began the week with another celebration of Christmas with the congregation at Glen Elm in Regina. Then, we engaged in further gift exchanges with Wendy’s family. On Tuesday, we sacrificed another turkey and enjoyed yet another celebration of Christmas, combined with a celebration of Eric/A’s 18th Anniversary! It was a great week in Regina, with lots of food and talk, and plenty of Mexican Train and Nerf guns! On Friday, we packed up and drove to Fairmont. Driving conditions were not ideal with a lot of ice issues on the TransCanada west as far as Swift Current, and then we ran into falling snow before we even got to the mountains. We are now at Fairmont Hot Springs, a golf, ski and hot springs resort on the western slope of the Rockies. I guess the hot springs are doing fine, but the golf course is bare which implies the ski hills are bare, too. Not a good arrangement for a ski vacation! As good management would have it, they have snow-making equipment, so the local mountain has all runs operating. The TSX was only open for three days this week, but I managed to make a small profit. It is a touchy business when you’re not only managing your own pension, but also drawing from it. With the TSX down 11% on the year, it has not been an easy time, but I’ve managed to show a small gain over the course of the year, so, while I haven’t managed the kind of increase I was planning on, at least the accounts have grown a little bit. In another twist, I left my wallet in Thunder Bay. Thankfully, Travis retrieved it, and mailed it to me in Regina. It arrived on Thursday, to my relief. Eric/A and the boys are with us here in Fairmont, so that makes it even more enjoyable. We have a unit and a half, so the boys are relaxing in their own side, while Eric/A also have a place of their own. It should be a relaxing week. 

Erin and Kristian travelled to Regina with us. We enjoyed celebrating with them. We enjoyed a visit with them, Mark and most of the Roberts’ family one evening. Erin flew home on Wednesday evening to snow-blowing and work; well, come to think about it, those are both work! Kristian has continued westward with us, and is enjoying continuing to spend time with his cousins and to build Lego projects! 

Trav, Joanna and the children are doing well. They took care of Sadie while Erin was travelling. Aside from a few holidays, they are back at work, hockey and life. 

And that’s about it for this week/year. Happy New Year, everyone! 

News Update

Glædelig Jul! Merry Christmas! Joyeux Noël! Feliz Navidad!

Another week has passed, and we have moved from my hometown on the shore of Lake Superior, to another of my hometowns, on the shore of Lake Wascana. It's been a great week on the markets as the long-awaited Santa Rally finally arrived, when for no apparent reason, the markets began moving up, whereas previously, for the same reasons, they were moving down! I gained almost a month's worth of value, so that helps a lot. I was also blessed with multiple celebrations of Christmas, along with the prospect of even more! On Tuesday evening we celebrated with the family in TBay—a turkey dinner with all the fixings, complete with turnips and pumpkin pie! On Friday evening we joined the Kenora section of the family for further celebration—a ham dinner with all the fixings, no turnips, but we did get some lovely desserts! Today we drove over to Regina where we anticipate further celebrations. 

Wendy has been occupied with catching up on paperwork and record-keeping this week. Then she was occupied with Christmas dinner. Then she was occupied with Christmas presents. Then she was occupied with Christmas baking. Then she was occupied with getting ready for the next trip. She has not been much occupied with sleeping! Well she did sleep most of the five-hour drive to Kenora and the eight-hour drive to Regina! 

Erin and Kristian are along with us on the trip. They've been busy with the special events at school this week, along with getting ready for the Christmas and the trip. Kristian has once again scored numerous Lego sets, and he's loving it! 

Trav and Joanna are staying in TBay. They have an extra dog (Sadie) and they have the kids part of the time. Trav's hockey team is continuing to enjoy their winning ways. The latest victory vaults them ten points ahead in first place in the league. Trav continues to frustrate over his delayed office space. He's looking for alternatives. Joanna continues to be very busy with work—blood letting knows no season! In sum: they're doing fine! 

And that's about it for this week. 

News Update

Our holiday is over and we have returned to the shore of Lake Superior. We concluded our trip with a great week in Naples. We drove up to Orlando on Friday and flew back to Duluth today. There we were reunited with our car for the drive home; we plan to complete the drive tomorrow. Viggo and Nancy joined us in Naples this week. We enjoyed that. Viggo and I got out golfing a couple of times. At Hibiscus Golf Course, I had one of my best games, including my third-ever eagle. Wendy and Nancy got in some shopping, chatting, reading and lying in the sun! There were a lot of beautiful golf courses there; unfortunately, most of them weren't open to me. I had an interesting experience one day. Wendy wanted to do some shopping, so I took note of a couple of nearby golf courses and decided to hit the driving range and practice areas. I must have stopped by a dozen before I found one that would let me on. Most just had gates that I didn't have a code for! One had a gateman, and my chat with him was informative. 

Good morning, sir. 

Good morning! I was just wanting to go in to use the driving range. 

Oh, do they have a driving range? 

Well, I'm not sure, but I'd like to check it out. 

I'm sorry, sir, but if your name is not on my list, I cannot let you in. 

Well, I just wanted to go to the driving range. 

Do they have a driving range? I wouldn't know. You see, sir, I've never been past these gates either. 

The 1% are doing fine, and they have nice golf courses. At least the views I got from Google maps look good to me! Naples is reputed to have the second greatest concentration of millionaires and billionaires in the world, and they are not interested in having me play on their golf courses! Meanwhile, the markets have continued their unfortunate ways. We did get some recovery on Thursday and Friday, still, it was a down week for me. 

We've been chatting with Erin and Kristian on FaceTime despite some spotty internet connections. Kristian got new skates and a new helmet, so he'll be continuing to learn this skating business. Erin got winter tires on her car just in time for an ice storm—she was glad to have them. 

Trav & Joanna are doing fine. They are continuing to develop the new place with the furniture we have been storing in our garage, so that's a positive development as well. His Elks hockey team is doing well, although they lost the championship game last weekend in Wisconsin in triple overtime. His Penguins are doing fine also, but Crosby is out again with concussion-like symptoms. Joanna and Wendy are working to organize a Christmas dinner before we head west next week. 

And that's about it for this week. 

News Update

Our ship came in! 

This week has taken us far from the shore of anywhere. We left the Atlantic shore of North America from Port Canaveral on Sunday; we sailed through the night to Freeport, The Bahamas. It was our first time on a cruise, and we both experienced some queasiness the first evening. We enjoyed our time aboard—there are quite a number of activities, and an endless supply of food! Throughout our time on the cruise we enjoyed great food. There was a putt-putt course; the gentle rocking of the boat and constant wind added complication to that game! We had a fully-equipped exercise area with lots of machines for exercise, weight-lifting and conditioning at our disposal—we didn’t make much use of them! After an overnight sail, the first day was spent in Freeport. The second day and night were spent at Nassau where we enjoyed more sightseeing and a lot of shopping in the Straw Market. The vendors were used to bargaining, and were eager for sales, but we’d been to the Vic Falls markets, and these people did not measure up to that earlier experience. Finally, we spent a day and night at sea cruising back to Cape Canaveral where we arrived on Thursday. We moved into a short term time share in Orlando for a couple of nights, and have now set up in another time share in Naples. As suspected, we were out of internet during our time at sea, although we could have bought a connection if we’d been willing to pay the price! We lucked out with a brief connection while we were in Nassau, but finally, we feel connected to reality once again. All in all, it was just okay to be on the cruise and get a feel for how the 1% live. It wasn’t really our style, lots of activity, but nothing to do, so beyond a long held wish to take a cruise up the BC coast to Alaska, I doubt that we’ll be seeking out many cruises in the future. We spent the day on Thursday driving over to Orlando by stopping at the JFK Space Centre. It was great, and we look forward to bringing the grandsons. We couldn’t see it all in the time we had, but we were impressed by what we saw. We went golfing on Friday. We had some difficulties getting everything started, but eventually it turned out very nicely. Wendy even skipped one across the water to a peninsula green! Then today, we moved down to Naples where we will complete our Florida vacation. The markets have been riding the European roller coaster all week with big swings up and down that ended up getting me nowhere. The year is running short, and I’m still short of the needed funds for next year. 

One of the retired shuttles

We’ve been able to catch up to Erin and Kristian via FaceTime. They’re doing fine, holding down the fort at home. Kristian has returned to speech therapy program with a formal assessment this week, so we’re glad of that. 

Trav, Joanna and the children are also doing well. Trav’s Penguins and Elks are continuing to thrive in hockey and work is going fine. He’s still looking to establish his office more completely in the new building, but nothing much is developing there yet. This weekend he’s in Wisconsin with his team at a hockey tournament. 

And that’s about it for this week. 

Florida

World Golf Hall of Fame

Another week has passed; it finds us on the shore of the Atlantic, far from my hometown. The markets were up this week, and, while I haven't been as active as I could have been while we've been travelling, I still managed a good gain. We started south on Monday, driving down to Duluth. On Tuesday we flew to Orlando, picked up our rental car, a VW Passat, and drove over to our timeshare at Ormond Beach. We have enjoyed nice weather here with golf, sightseeing and walks on the beach. We drove up to the World Golf Hall of Fame on Friday, that was a highlight for sure! We played 18 holes there on their grass putt-putt, and we took the challenge of hitting the replica of the Island Green. One of us hit the green, the other hit the water! Today, I found a Bridgestone Challenge site and had my ball-striking analyzed and a golf ball recommended. That was interesting. I've been to the range and practice area a couple of times, but it's been too windy for me to enjoy golf. The weather has been warm, and getting warmer, but nearly always windy. We eased into it at 20 degrees, and have worked our way up to 25—very nice! Tomorrow we check out of here and check in for a cruise. We're looking forward to that. 

Hitting to the Island Green

Wendy has been enjoying the sightseeing as well. She even climbed up the highest lighthouse on the coast. Her legs did not enjoy that! We catch up with Erin & Kristian via FaceTime most days. We'll miss that in the next week, as we expect to be out of internet reach while asea. It sounds like they're doing fine, and the weather has been cooperating so she hasn't had to deal with snow since we left. 

We've also had email contact with Trav & Joanna. All seems to be going as per usual there except that his hockey team finally lost a game, so they're 11-1 on the season now. 

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 turned nice during the week and the snow disappeared, but it's baaaack! We got up this morning to a fresh blanket of the white stuff. So, I was back to the driveway scraping program once again. I've been feeling poorly most of the week, a touch of flu, I think. Erin was also sick, but more severely, with flu-like symptoms, so I think that maybe my flu shot kept me from getting it worse. Anyway, I've been feeling achy all over, like I was taken apart and put together wrong! I'm guessing today's snow work won't ease the situation, and I'm glad Mark helped out with the shovelling. Markets have continued very bad, with the US recording its worst Thanksgiving week since 1932. TSX is down over 15% again on the year, so while I've taken a small loss again, I am reconfirmed in the signals that keep me out of the market at this time. If I didn't have a few small buy & hold accounts (Not recommended by my investment training!), I wouldn't have recorded any losses at all! BC and Winnipeg won their divisions and have advanced to the Grey Cup tomorrow in Vancouver. I really enjoyed the Vanier Cup (university football) game last night. I drove bus on Friday as a spare. 

Wendy had a senior moment early in the week. She was commenting, "One of the old ladies at Walmart got a permanent position; well, actually, she's not that old. She's younger than I am." I probably laughed too long when she said that, because by the time I stopped there was a noticeable chill in the air! She finished her Walmart work on Friday, and celebrated by buying two more TVs; that woman is a TV-buying machine! 

Erin has had a good week except for the illness. She got good news that Kristian has been readmitted to Speech Therapy. And she's enjoying company this weekend. She is owner of one of the new TVs. 

Travis is the owner of the other new TV. He keeps busy with hockey and work. His Elks are still undefeated in league play. He's celebrating the return of Crosby to the Penguins; Sid returned impressively with great play and scoring. He's also celebrating a birthday this weekend; Mark has arrived to help celebrate, I guess, although he doesn't seem to be spending any time with Trav! Anyway, we had a big party here tonight in recognition of the occasion. Joanna, Gemma and Andrew, along with assorted other friends helped make it a nice time. 

And that's about it for this week. 

News Update

Another week has passed, and we have returned to the shore of Lake Superior and my hometown. We enjoyed spending the weekend in Lawrence, especially the featured sing-song Sunday evening—thank you, Helen & Marti. On Monday we drove back as far as Duluth, and we completed the trip on Tuesday. The weather has turned snowy at the end of the week, and I even did some driveway scraping today. The markets have continued to be troubled; I can't seem to trust either fundamentals or technicals, as the markets seem driven by headline and rumour! Next week features the US Super Committee, so it is unlikely to get better! Hamilton and Edmonton won their semi-final games last Sunday and will travel to Winnipeg and Vancouver, respectively, for the conference finals tomorrow. I have been offered a school bus run, but with our impending trip to Florida, that will have to wait until January. I've been following the President's Cup golf tournament this week from Australia; that was completed this evening. 

Wendy got right back to Walmart upon our return and has put in several shifts there. She also completed her teeth cleaning appointments, so I'm thinking we're all ready to head out again! 

Erin has made progress with Kristian's speech therapist issues. He is now moved to the top of the list, so we're relieved with that. He's making good progress in school, but it was frustrating to contemplate the idea that he would receive no additional help to improve his language skills. His social skills are doing well, also, and he has birthday parties both today and tomorrow. 

Trav's hockey team has continued its winning ways, and his Penguins are doing great as well. Work seems to be continuing apace for both Trav & Joanna. We haven't caught up on Gemma and Andrew this week; their grandma was up from southern Ontario. Wendy enjoyed lunch one day with Joanna and her mom. 

And that's about it for this week. 

News Update

We have travelled far from the shore of Lake Superior and my hometown; we are down in the land of Dorothy, the Tin Woodsman and friends. We're having a fine time—thank you Helen & Marti! I saw a good joke about Oz: Dorothy asks, "No brain, no heart, no courage? Are you guys in politics?" It has been a busy week. Wendy worked and we both rushed to complete our teeth cleaning sessions, so we could pull out on Wednesday morning. We drove down to Minneapolis-St.Paul that day and enjoyed some time in the Apple Store, Legoland, Lindt Chocolates. We spent the night there in our usual Days Inn at the junction of the interstate, but it was a bad night, especially for me. The thermostat didn't work, so it was just blasting heat as I kept adjusting the thermostat lower and lower. At 12:30 I could take it no more; I turned off the heater, opened the window and the hallway door and cooled off the room to a livable temperature. Then, I went to bed. By 5:30, it was freezing cold, so I scrambled out to turn the heat back on. By 6:30 we were roasting again. I turned the heat off, and struggled to get some more rest, but ultimately we gave up, got up, had breakfast and prepared to continue the trip. Stepping out into the parking lot and seeing the flakes coming down from the sky, it was hard to even be surprised. We just felt that it confirmed that we were indeed on our way to Kansas. It always seems to be a snowstorm on this trip. By the time we got to Des Moines, we could tell the ploughs had been out and the ridges of snow were on the side of the highway, but apparently that had happened the day before as the road was bare and dry with good driving conditions. On Friday night, Marti had arranged for us to attend a Jayhawks game. Since this is where Naismith came to develop the game he had invented, it almost seemed a Canadian rite of passage to attend my first college basketball game here. The Jayhawks dutifully slaughtered their season-opener lambs, and we enjoyed the spectacle with 16 thousand crazed fans. The markets have continued to be crazy and I've been able to develop my animosity towards the Greeks to include the Italians! I managed to get through the week with only a small loss. The first round of football playoffs is tomorrow, but the Riders are just spectators. 

Wendy has turned in her resignation from Walmart, but will need to put in a few more days before that becomes official. They have expressed an interest in having her come back after our travels, but I'm hoping she moves on to something else. She is enjoying our trip for now, and looking forward to our flights to Florida and the time there in December. 

Erin and Kristian are doing fine. Kristian is doing well at school; we are glad to see the improvement. Erin is persisting in pushing for his speech therapy to be reinstated. We are encouraging her to keep after them. Sadly, if parents do not advocate strongly for their children, it is too easy for them to fall through the cracks. 

Trav is completing the busy hockey time. The team continues to do excellently, so he is very pleased and proud of them. Joanna and the kids are settling into their new home. They have much more room there. 

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 very nice, and I even got out to the golf course on Thursday; they haven't covered the greens yet, but they have pulled the flags, so I just played three holes for the fun of it, and packed it in. The Riders played out their final game last evening—another loss to first-place Edmonton. Hockey season is well underway, so that will be attracting our attention soon. It was a down week in the markets. I took some losses. It was not too bad, however, I am developing some bias against Greeks! Bus driving ended on Monday, so I've done a bit more backyard work here. From now on, it'll be a matter of what the weather allows. We're into November now, so snow could come anytime. I got my flu shot yesterday, so I should be good to go now! 

Wendy continues with Walmart work on an irregular schedule. She seems to have everything arranged for our Fall trips that begin next week. She's also practised on a new pumpkin cheesecake recipe, and it's a winner! She continues to work on Kristian's Lego sorting. I'm not sure she's staying ahead of Kristian. 

Erin keeps busy; she's been bothered with headaches lately. She has an eye exam scheduled, and is looking forward to getting new glasses. Perhaps that will help. I'm recommending Lasik! Kristian had a short shift of treat collection on Hallowe'en. We had a pretty good number of kids collecting here for a change. Kristian continues to have a few issues at school. We're working on it, and we're seeing improvement. 

Trav has been busy to the extreme with hockey—nine games and two practices in ten days! He and Joanna have also been busy setting up the new apartment. We may even get some of our excess furniture relocated! Joanna is busy with work, moving, renovating and decorating. 

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 fine, Fall weather, and we've been enjoying the colours. We've had a few showery days, so I haven't been out golfing, but I'm hoping for at least one more round before the end of the season. The World Series ended in disappointing fashion and we're into the "shoulda, woulda, coulda" season. Rangers surely shoulda and coulda won the series in game six! The Riders continue playing out the string; they handily beat one of the playoff teams this afternoon. We have to enjoy what little victories we can get. It's been a good week on the markets. We hope this is the start of a multi-month rally to close the year. I've almost finished my bus-driving stint; I was informed that the regular driver will return on Monday. It's been a good run. 

Wendy continues with Walmart. She has completed arrangements for our Fall travels, I think. She has continued to work on Kristian's Lego collection; I'm guessing she plans to buy more when we get to Legoworld at the Mall in Minneapolis. That's fine, because I know there's an Apple store just across the hallway! 

Erin has been working on Kristian's Speech Therapy issues. She's making limited progress so far, and she continues to work on it. She's in contact with an advocacy group called VOICE. It's a busy time with Hallowe'en activities. We were out pumpkin hunting last night, and we are planning on pumpkin carving tomorrow afternoon! Kristian's doing better at school after a few heart-to-heart discussions about his responsibilities. 

Trav is busy with hockey and work. The team he coaches remains undefeated, and his Penguins are in first place in their division of the NHL, so hockey is going well. He's finding his work pretty busy and pretty successful as well. He's even thinking about adding some office staff, and I've made a recommendation! Joanna is moving this week, so she and Trav have been pretty busy doing that. She is looking forward to having more room; Andrew and Gemma are looking forward to having their own rooms. 

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 cool and rainy most of the week, but has turned beautiful for the weekend! The Riders continue to play out the string, losing last night to Calgary. The World Series continues with St. Louis up a game over my Rangers after blitzing them tonight. I'm still driving the school bus; management asked me if I've heard from the driver I'm replacing about when she's returning, but I haven't. I'll just keep on driving until she returns, or until it's time for us to head south. She was supposed to return the day after Thanksgiving, but we're still waiting! I've had another above average week on the markets, so I continue to recover. TSX is still off over 11% for the year, so I hope it can continue to gain value for the rest of the year. I haven't been out golfing, although today was a good day for it. I've given some deep watering to the cedars and got the lines blown out and put away for winter. I picked the final batch of beet greens, so the garden is done for the year. 

Wendy has kept busy at Walmart, but has also been working on final arrangements for our trip. Then, she got notification of auto insurance renewals, so that took some time as well. She will be retiring from Walmart as we head out on our holidays. I hope that if she wants to continue working after we get back, she finds a different job. 

Erin continues with her work and motherhood. She's been frustrated this week with issues over Kristian's speech therapy. That has changed since he turned six, and not for the better! Kristian has also been giving her a struggle over his lack of cooperation at school. Children make life so interesting! 

Trav's hockey team continues to be undefeated in the early season. His Penguins are doing well also, and are tied for first place in their division of the NHL. Work continues to develop on his own business, and somedays he finds it a bit overwhelming as the wheels of progress seem to turn very slowly. Joanna, Gemma and Andrew all joined us for supper and the evening yesterday. That was nice. 

And that's about it for this week. 

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. We had gorgeous weather for the Thanksgiving weekend, such that we almost were able to accept the dismal Rider performance on Monday. What a sad football season they are having! It's been a good week on the markets such that even though it was just four days, I gained more than I expect to get in a month. I am thankful for that since it's been nothing but decline since May. Bus driving has continued to go well. I keep expecting that one of these days the actual driver will be back, but so far, so good! I have started another round of teeth cleaning at the college. We have student dental hygienists work on us as part of their training (and part of our penny-pinching!) so it takes several hours. It also includes a checkup with a dentist there, so it works out well for us. The weather has turned windy, wet, and cool toward the end of the week, but I did get out for a round of golf with Erin on Thanksgiving. It was her first round on a full course, and we just played nine holes. I was no longer playing excellently, but it went fine and I was +5 for the nine holes which is about what I feel is a satisfactory level for me. In the last couple of years, it has been closer to +9 for nine holes until I had that unexpected result two weeks ago. Another remarkable part of that result was 12 greens in regulation, whereas this week I hit one out of nine—more like the real Bill, I'm afraid! Baseball continues to demand attention, as I have one of my picks, the Rangers, into the final with their win tonight, and tomorrow we'll see if the Cardinals can join them. I had a small disaster with my old Cougar this week; I was driving it back from my dental cleaning when something went wrong under the hood, and it was on fire. I cruised to a stop about a block from home and opened the hood. I was trying to smother it out with some rags from the trunk while someone called the fire department and another ran to get me a pitcher of water. Once the water arrived, the fire was soon out, although the firefighters insisted on tearing the insulative blanket off the hood and dousing it with water as well. It appears it started as an electrical fire above the distributor, so we'll see how long it takes me to get her running again. 

Wendy has continued with irregular shifts at Walmart, and cleanup around the house. This week, she is specializing in Lego. She has managed to rebuild several of Kristian's projects, and continues to work on and enjoy that. She has begun the teeth cleaning as well. 

Erin and Kristian continue with work, school and day care. Kristian has been pushing buttons at both school and home, testing out the limits and having a lot of fun doing it. I always say there's a problem when the teachers are unhappy and the parents are unhappy, but the child is happy! I recommend that they maximize their efforts to change that last condition! 

Trav's team has started the regular season in hockey now. They won their game the other night 2-0, so that was good, although Trav wanted them to score more! His Penguins are also doing well despite missing their captain. Crosby has now been cleared to practise with contact, so, we are hopeful he will return to action soon. Work is going well for Trav in his own business, except that his phone is not working consistently—must be time for a new iPhone 4S. Joanna continues to be busy with her blood-letting! The children are busy in 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 is unexpectedly warm, even hot. After that one hard frost last Saturday morning, we've returned to summery weather with frequent morning fogs. Work has been going fine, but I don't know how much longer it will last. When it started, the expectation was one month of recovery time after the knee surgery and that's almost run out, so we'll see how much longer she is off work. This week I finally have the entire route learned; I'm still working on names. The markets have continued their crazy ways, but I've managed some good recovery this week. The Riders don't play until Thanksgiving Monday; we can only hope it'll be something to be thankful for! Baseball completed the first round of playoffs and I picked three of the four winners. Now we're down to the final four. That round started this evening with a big win by my favoured Rangers. I got the garden shed cleaned out and repaired; we're getting stuff put away for the winter. I was back to my oncologist this week. He affirmed that my PSA levels have improved, but that they're still elevated against what's considered normal. Then again, we've also heard this week that checking of PSA levels is useless! Who knew? 

Wendy has been busy this week preparing pumpkin pies, pumpkin loaves and zucchini cake. Thanksgiving dinner is planned for Sunday afternoon. Regular and irregular shifts (7AM? Give me a break!) at Walmart have continued. She also worked the polls on election day. 

Erin is enjoying her new work, and getting fully into it. We're planning to go golfing sometime this weekend. Kristian was down with a cold one day and missed school, but he's been working to catch up since. We had the wrong spelling list for this week, so his practice time was not effective. We were able to recognize the test words in his attempts! 

Trav continues with his new business. He has picked up a few more good contracts this week with Deepak something or other—nope, not Chopra! He continues to work with his hockey team as they prepare for the season. Joanna and Andrew were over Friday evening, and we expect the whole crew for Thanksgiving dinner. 

And that's about it for this week. 

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. We've had nice weather the first half of the week, but it's turned chilly lately. It finally froze last night, so we have a batch of green tomatoes trying to ripen in the kitchen now. Work has been going well, and I have the routes pretty well learned. I started the week with a memorable game of golf; now I'm afraid to go out again in case I return to reality! The Riders played this afternoon against arch-rival Calgary and it wasn't pretty! I think that moves us into next year country. Baseball has started the playoffs, so that attracts a lot of our attention for the next while. The markets have continued to be in turmoil from one day to the next. I managed a small gain this week, but sustained a loss for the month. 

Wendy continues to be busy with Walmart, but she is also into Spring cleaning this Fall! She's been trying to get things developed downstairs for Kristian's room in her spare time! 

Erin has now switched over to her new job, and she's liking it. It gives her more comfortable hours, so she gets more time with Kristian in the evenings. He's busy learning sight words, practising for spelling tests; it is hard to imagine how quickly he is growing up! 

Trav is busy with his work in his new office. He's also begun the hockey season and his team had a very impressive 7-1 win this week. Joanna must be too busy, because we haven't seen much of her this week, but we do get to talk on the phone from time to time, and she joined us for dinner today—a nice family potluck as they brought rice, salad and veggies to go with Wendy's chicken parmigiana. 

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

World Serious

It is that time of year again, when the world gets serious about baseball. Late last evening, the regular season ended with some tremendously exciting games to establish the complete list of playoff contenders for this year. I was delighted with the results yesterday. After Boston had been anointed the champs even before the season began, I was glad to see them not even make the playoffs. It was particularly heartening to see Tampa Bay make it in, since they are a franchise that I feel is doing it the right way, with drafts and development and a few strategic trades while fielding a lineup that many evenings comes in at less than A-Rod's salary! 

On the American league side, I am most impressed with the Texas Rangers. After the heat of the summer, they seem to have recovered to playing the great baseball they were playing about the time of the All-Star break, so they are my pick as Junior league champs. In the Senior circuit, I am picking and will be cheering for the Philadelphia Phillies. The much-loved pitcher, Roy Halladay (formerly with the Jays), was traded there, and we'd love to see him claim a championship. 

There is a lot of baseball left, and if last night's heart-stopping action is a prelude, we're in for a treat. 

Great Golf!

Perhaps it wasn't great golf, but it was certainly great golf for me. Fundamentally, that's what matters about golf (probably about most things in life), that I am able to do a "personal best" without too much worry about comparison with others. Last evening I managed a personal best in golf. I scored +2 on my usual course here in Thunder Bay. I did score a +4 there a couple of years ago, but I haven't broken 80 either last year or this year, so it was quite a surprise to score 73. I had only one birdie, on my 12th hole, but ended with one over on each nine. I am left to enjoy the experience, and wonder why it happened! The lack of soreness in my hands, arms and shoulders tells me that I played much more relaxed than usual. Maybe all the recent golfing with Kristian, Erin and Wendy on par three courses has sharpened my approach shots and my short game. Maybe I'm finally getting used to playing with my new clubs. Maybe I just had a sustained period of good luck! I know I took practice swings before every shot. I know I was able to stay focused on each shot despite the impending good score. But now, I'm afraid to go out again! After all, my 15 handicap didn't arrive by accident, and I'm afraid it may still be there when I return to the course!

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior, in my hometown. The weather has been rainy, but it has turned nice for the weekend—a nice switch! I was able to get out golfing today; that was enjoyable. The markets were very bad this week; the TSX crashed 6.5% in just this one week, and we're now down over 15% for the year. I'm only 25% in the market, but even that amount produced painful losses this week. The bus driving has been going well; I've learned my high school run, and I'm getting better on the elementary run. The garden is still producing, but is clearly getting to the end, as we're almost a month after frost might be expected. We've been checking out more potential replacement vehicles. We haven't found the one we like just yet, but we're looking at a variety of small SUV's called cross-overs. The Riders got slaughtered today by BC; that leaves them four points out of the last playoff spot. 

On the Zambian news front, it was interesting to watch as The Cobra, Michael Sata, won election to the presidency that he's been seeking for at least ten years. This will bring an era of change to the country, but who knows whether it will be a positive change! 

Wendy has been busy with work and birthday cake! The delayed Yoda cake won't make itself! Today was Kristian's birthday party. Erin took him and his friends to the Lion King movie, and afterwards they hit McDonalds. And next... Yoda cake and ice cream. Yummy! She also has been making all the arrangements for our Fall tour. I'm seeing plans for a trip down to Florida including a cruise out to the Bahamas. This will be only slightly after the end of official hurricane season, so, I hope the hurricanes know that! 

Erin is completing her two-week notice with Budget; she should complete that on next Wednesday. She is looking forward to her new work, and has been doing some training on the software already. 

Travis continues to develop his own business. Recently he's been shopping for business insurance. He and his fellow coaches completed the draft for this year's hockey team. The new-look Elks are described in his blog. Joanna continues to be very busy with her work and children. Happily, we get to see them all from time to time. 

And that's about it for this week. 

News Update

Another week has passed, and finds us once again on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. The week began with another Rider victory, as they took the back-to-back games from Winnipeg. It was reassuring to see their improved performance. Then, today, they scored another victory against Toronto. Still, a lot of work remains for them to gain a playoff spot. The weather has turned decidedly fall-like and we've even seen the threat of frost, but so far so good and the garden continues to flourish. I'm particularly enjoying the tomatoes and wish for even more of those before we return to the low-taste store-bought variety. The markets have continued their troubled ways, but I've managed to have a better-than-average week, so I'm grateful for that. We drove home on Sunday afternoon from Kenora. We enjoyed the CX-7; we found the fuel consumption very similar to what we've enjoyed in our car, but we did find the compartment a little cramped. We shall continue looking at the alternatives; the local Chrysler dealer has a couple of Journeys on the used vehicle lot. I started driving the bus route on my own this week. It was quite a challenge to learn all the twists and turns, but I'm gradually improving my times. I didn't get out golfing until today, but that went fine at least. 

Wendy has continued to be busy with Walmart and taking care of the rest of us. This week was a little bit extra as we began the celebrations of Kristian's birthday. That was officially on Friday, but she remains committed to making a Yoda cake, so the extended celebrations may last another week or so! 

Kristian turned six yesterday. He got a lot of nice gifts from his teachers and his educational aid as well as from friends and family. The central feature this year is Star Wars, especially Yoda. Erin is back at work, but not for long at this job. She has been offered an accounting position with CarStar, the body shop owned by Halfway Motors, the dealer for Nissan; she'll be glad for that promotion. 

Trav continues to be busy setting up his office. He has ended his employment with Impact Promotions, and has taken a service contract with them for his new business, so that transition has gone well. Today was the first draft day for hockey players, then, he'll calculate who is left for them to pick from. Trav, Joanna, Gemma and Andrew joined us for a birthday celebration last evening complete with DQ Ice Cream cake. Thanks guys! 

And that's about it for this week. 

News Update

The week started with a great bang as the Riders took it to the first-place Bombers. It was a delightful surprise. Tomorrow is the rematch—that'll be the true test of whether these guys have actually turned the corner. The end of this week finds us on the road. We drove up to Dauphin on Friday, took part in Mal's memorial today, and then cruised back to Kenora to ease the drive home, and to apply the chainsaw to a couple of trees. We've had another week of beautiful weather—unseasonably hot, actually, but we're expecting to get back to more comfortable temperatures next week. The markets have been terrible again, and I've given back almost all I gained last week. The Labour Day Monday holiday allowed the family to get out for a round of golf. It was Wendy's first golf of the year, but by wearing two gloves to accommodate her arthritic fingers, she was able to do fine. Erin and Kristian enjoyed the golf as well. And I enjoyed the family experience. I started my new bus run on Wednesday; it is very complex with a lot of twists and turns. I'll be some time learning it! I start driving on my own next Thursday. The garden is continuing to produce, and I'm delaying digging the potatoes until after the first frost.

Wendy is back to work at Walmart. Along with getting the yard cleaned up for Fall, and putting the pool away, she has been busy.

Erin arranged for us to rent a Mazda CX-7 for the weekend, so we're enjoying trying that out. She's been extra busy this week as Kristian has started grade 1. He seems to be doing well in the new situation. He is eagerly looking forward to his birthday, and is prompting grandma with lots of suggestions on how she can make his Yoda cake!

Trav is establishing his own business office. He has begun hockey for another season, and is currently scouting prospects in anticipation of the draft. Joanna keeps busy with her work, and with the kids starting school.

And that's about it for this week.

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. We've had pretty good weather, but a couple of raucous thunderstorms accompanied by hail have made unexpected visits for this time of year. I've been continuing the battle with the weeds; I don't expect a final victory to be accomplished. I have drained the pool—all 36,000 litres—on to the front lawn. It seems amazing that all that water can just sink into the ground and never even make it to the curb. The garden is continuing to produce, so we enjoy that. I suppose I should be thinking of digging the potatoes soon; it'll be my first successful experiment with the potato box and I'm curious to see how much it has produced. The markets have continued to be difficult, but I've been blessed with another excellent week even though I'm only 25% invested; maybe it's because I'm only 25% invested! I had a bus drivers meeting this week, and have now been informed that I will have at least a short term driving assignment beginning next week. I've met with my denturist and he is preparing a new partial plate for me; it should be ready after about a month of construction and adjustments. The Riders play their traditional Labour Day game against Winnipeg this weekend; it's quite a challenge for the 1-7 Riders against the 7-1 Bombers this year! They did get some good news this week as one of our veteran receivers was cut by the Chicago Bears and will be returning to the Riders, but not in time for this game.

Wendy has been busy with cleaning up the pool for several days this week. She has also taken her regular shifts at Walmart along with medical, eye and hair appointments. It makes for a busy week.

Erin has Kristian back into schedule as he gets ready to start grade one next Wednesday. The hailstorms have brought extra work for her car rental business. She has continued to practice golf a bit, but we didn't get out for a game until today.

Trav has chosen his office, and is working to establish further work contracts. We celebrated his new business with a party last evening at Joanna's. I was one of Joanna's clients this week as she drew my blood samples for my semi-annual PSA checkup. Gemma and Andrew are also getting ready for the new school year, and seem excited to see what it will be like.

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