News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. The weather has been pleasant and variable; we've had beautifully sunshiny days, rain showers and thunder storms. I've been driving bus all week, but I've also managed to get out to the golf course a couple of times. The markets have been inconsistent, but I managed to close off a good month with a good week of gains. Analysts everywhere are predicting a correction, and my experience is when they get persistent in these predictions, they can also make it happen! I don't need a correction! US markets are up over 15% this year, so I can understand why they expect some pull back; but our TSX is up less than 2%, so leave us alone and let us make some progress. The NHL conference finals have begun; I am predicting (also cheering for) the Penguins and the Hawks to move forward to the Stanley Cup final series. Wendy has been busy with programming by and for church ladies. She's off at a full-day session today. 

Eric is back in The Pas where he is engaged in a battle for accreditation of his counselling hours. He looks forward to graduation next weekend, and the completion of his time away from family. The rest of the crew continues with life, work, music and sports activities in Parksville. Erica is planning to fly east for Eric's graduation ceremony. 

Erin, Kristian and Sadie carry on in Regina. Kristian removed another tooth this week. We've enjoyed several conversations with them on FaceTime. 

Trav, Joanna and crew also keep on with mostly same ol', same ol'. Trav is moving into a new office area with more room for more stuff! He's had some leads on the truck sale, but nothing has been completed yet. We've enjoyed a couple of suppers with them, but did not enjoy the Pens loss tonight! 

And that's about enough for this week. 

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my home town. We started the week in Kansas, and drove up into Minnesota on Sunday afternoon, dodging tornadoes along the way. There were devastating tornadoes behind us, and one passed by in front of us on the way up Iowa. Maybe our weather is not so bad up here after all! We completed the drive home on Victoria Day. It's been nice this week and I've finally started my golf season. On my best year, I had 20 rounds in before the end of May! Anyway, it was a great trip and I thank our gracious hosts: Viggo & Nancy in Rowlett, and Helen & Marti in Lawrence. The Sorento performed admirably, handling well, and drinking fuel sparingly, about identical to what the car consumed—an average of 33.5 mpg, with a high of 36.6 on one highway-only leg. I even ran it up to 110 on the drive from Lawrence down to Dallas and it didn't suffer much: 35.0 mpg. Now I'd like to get everybody used to the idea of km/L. I don't accept the reasoning behind L/100km according to which the Sorento is using 8.4L/100km. It is achieving 11.9 km/L, and I don't see why that kind of number wouldn't be easier for drivers to relate to. It seems clear that, as efficiencies continue to improve, we will get bigger numbers which make more sense to me as being better! My best leg using that descriptor was 13.0 km/L. The world hockey championship went to Sweden, but NHL playoffs continue. The Penguins have completed a win over Ottawa and advance to the Eastern final against Boston. The Western conference is still in the semi-finals, but my favourite, Detroit, is hanging on. The markets were closed here on Monday, but the way they performed the rest of the week, it's just as well! A down week leaves me looking for some gains to re-reach my quota! Wendy has been working on the flower beds and plant pots; I've been working on my small garden.

Eric has been home to Parksville again. He has interviewed for some postings there, and hopes for a favourable decision. He is heading back to The Pas today to complete his practicum. He is set to convocate on June 7th in Winnipeg. The rest of the Island crew are carrying on with usual activities. We were able to chat with Erica on FaceTime a couple of times.

Erin and Kristian have been ill with coughs and sore throats. Kristian is ready to start riding his bike; they enjoy the small community of their housing complex. School and work continues as per usual. FaceTime gives us a chance to see them once in a while.

Trav & Joanna are doing well with work. Trav's business has improved to the point where he's had to end a long-time service contract to concentrate on his new assignments. He's enjoying his new car, and ruing the birds who seem to enjoy painting it! We enjoyed Tuesday night out at the new Star Trek movie, and then the crew was over for supper on Thursday evening.

And that's about it for this week.

News Update

It has been quite a week for us, far from the shore of Lake Superior and my hometown. We have enjoyed warm weather and a few dramatic storms in Dallas, and we close the week under 30+ degree temperatures and a thunder storm in Lawrence, KS. Viggo and I enjoyed a lot of golf this week; we took in all the pre-tournament days for the Byron Nelson, and I came away with a lot of coveted autographs. We also got out for my first round of golf for the year; it went well: 85 strokes and no lost golf balls. I hope it is something I can build on! This weekend, we're able to watch guys we've actually met compete for the tournament championship. The markets have been a bit up and down, but I've had a great week and am currently above quota for the month, so I'm able to make up for some lost time earlier! Wendy has been doing a bit of visiting, a lot of relaxing, and even got a massage—thanks, Nancy! She visited Owana, an old friend from Western and Zambia. We also caught up with Mike & Debbie for supper one evening; it was great to see that they are doing well. Hockey playoffs are moving on to the next round. The Leafs lost a heart-breaker, so I will dedicate my cheering to the Penguins on that side. I've decided to cheer for the underdog Red Wings on the other side. In Lawrence, we're enjoying the celebration of Marti's doctoral award —lots of friends, food, fun, fanfare, and a few too many ceremonies! And, everywhere we travelled, I heard the comments, sometimes spoken directly to me, "Oh, you've lost so much..., oh, you're so much thinner..." It seems to me that in an earlier, more gracious and polite era, one would not have heard such pointed comments about one's hair!

with Dr. Martha Denton Elford

Eric has returned home to Parksville. He has some job interviews arranged, so we pray that goes well. Erica is glad to have him home and has assigned him all household worrying for the week! 

We've been able to FaceTime with Erin and Kristian a couple of times. Things seem to be progressing normally for them, although I haven't heard about any golfing! C'mon mom, you can do this! 

Trav & Joanna are taking care of things on the home front. Joanna is very busy with work, and is enjoying it. Now it's Mai Long, and they're enjoying the break. We commiserate with Gemma who lost a friend recently. Trav & Joanna are doing some running, but the whole crew is also looking at getting back into cycling.

And that's about enough for this week.

News Update

Another week has passed and we have travelled far from the shore of Lake Superior and my home town. Today we arrived in Dallas where we are comfortably ensconced in the home of my brother Viggo and his wife, Nancy. Thanks guys for taking care of us so graciously. The weather has turned nice at home and the golf courses reopened, but I did not get out to play before we left on Thursday to drive south. We drove as far as Story City, Iowa the first day, and continued to Lawrence, Kansas the second. There we began celebrations with Marti of her doctorate—I am so proud of what she has accomplished! Her specialty of helping pre-service and in-service teachers improve is near to my heart. Aunt Helen led in the care-giving there, and provided another of her special apple pies. An extra treat was to find Rachel and Eden there—we did not know where she was in the process of moving from Alaska to Atlanta and were glad to catch up with her. The markets have been up and down this week for me; I did manage some gains, but not up to my quota. NHL playoffs are progressing. I lament the elimination of the Canucks, I don't know who I'll cheer for on that side now. The Penguins have advanced to the second round. The Leafs are on the brink, but still hanging on. My new Sorrento performed admirably on the way down, averaging 35mpg and better, and handling nicely.

Eric has completed his necessary clinical hours in The Pas, and now looks to improve his qualifications, and try to land a job. Erica and Liam have been ill, but seem to be on the mend. Liam continues with football, drums and school. Haaken works his guitar and school. Liam wanted Haaken to "rock out" with him, but Haaken demurred! Sigh! They have a renter lined up for the Kenora house beginning in June—that will ease the cash flow situation. It is a puzzle why the house hasn't sold yet, so they have some decisions to make on the financing there. 

Erin and Kristian are enjoying Spring on the prairies. They have been unable to find a suitable fit to get Kristian into soccer, although he would like to give it a try. Maybe he should try baseball; he seems to like that as well. 

Trav and Joanna are holding things down back in TBay. Joanna is getting lots of hours at her new job and even recruited Trav to help out with the Mothers' Day rush. Trav has his car back, running well. He is trying to sell the truck. Gemma and Andrew carry on with their regular activities centred around schooling. 

And that's about enough for this week.

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. The weather has continued to be a problem, but the forecast is for better times (How often are those guys right?)! The golf courses opened, then closed this week—sigh! I was hoping to get a game in before we head south next week. Good economic news out of the US pushed the markets forward, and the DOW is now up over 14% YTD—I blame Obama! Unfortunately, we're not even coming close to keeping up; the TSX did manage to push into positive territory YTD, but it's only up 0.03%. I had to get down to the hundredths of a per cent to even find green—I blame SHarper! (SHarper he is not!) At least I managed another good week over my quota; that's encouraging. Wendy has continued with cleanup of our files—the shredder is getting plenty of business! Hockey playoffs are fully engaged; Toronto is struggling with the Bruins, but has managed to win one in Boston. A few surprises are worth noting as the Canucks are down two games, and the Penguins are not up two games!

Eric has returned to The Pas where it appears he will finish his counselling hours in the next few days. He has been confirmed for convocation in early June—congratulations! Erica has been ill this week, but not before completing the budget and income taxes! That was not problem free either as she was unable to install the new tax software on her laptop! Liam is continuing with football, but has decided he likes hockey better. Haaken keeps working on his guitar. While Erica was ailing, the boys were able to enjoy several suppers' worth of pizzas! It appears a new renter has been located for the Kenora property—too bad it's not a buyer. Weather in Parksville is enjoyable at least! 

Erin and Kristian are enjoying the improvement in the weather in Regina, although, truth-be-told, it didn't take much to qualify as an improvement. It does seem that spring might finally be in full force. Now, what outdoor activities can begin? 

Trav had an interesting problem with his new car—it wouldn't stop running! We finally had to pull the fuel pump fuse to get it to stop. Now it will be up to Hyundai to fix the problem. Joanna is getting in lots of hours in her new job, so that's good. Gemma and Andrew have begun a paper route; I wish them well in that venture.

And that's about it for this week.

News Update

A beautifully sunny week has phased the fluffy rain into its proper format! The golf courses are open, although not ready for play yet; the greens and tee boxes remain covered. At least I am able to practise outside. The markets ran well all week, and I gained more than my quota, recovering from last week's bad results as the US showed improving employment data and growing GDP. I blame Obama! Bus driving continues to go well although Spring has brought us into pothole season! Wendy had more sessions with the chiropractor and reports improvement. We've been able to get out for some walks in the neighbourhood. We took our new vehicle for a run today down to Grand Marais to Sven & Ole's Pizza! That was fun and tasty! I have started yard work; Wendy is doing a sewing project—another new outfit! We are in the planning stages of our trip to Texas next month. We haven't decided what to do with the old car. The baseball season has begun; the Blue Jays are seriously under-performing. The hockey season is ending; playoffs begin next week. I will be cheering for the Leafs to take it as far as they can, but my head is with the Penguins. In the other conference, I'll be cheering for the Canucks.

Eric is back home with news that he may be able to graduate in June. He is looking forward to proceeding from professional student to professional, but is finding there is a lot of competition for available counseling positions. Erica has spent part of the week in Kelowna at a trustees conference. While there she enjoyed a visit with John & Marion. She returned to Victoria today. Haaken is pricing out guitar amps—pricey! He continues to enjoy school and guitar, but not church or youth group, sigh—the challenges of youth! Liam is continuing with football, playing the defensive line and appalled that he was expected to "sack" the quarterback—further explanation was needed there! Eric is able to help with this education. The housing situation remains complicated and stressful. The lease is ending for their renters in Kenora, and their rented place in Parksville is up for sale! Yikes! Erica has been suffering with neck and back pain, but is finding massage therapy helps—but costs! 

Erin is back in the internet world, so we were able to Facetime with them. They are not enjoying good health with hacking and congestion that may be related to allergies. Kristian showed us his growing new teeth and another lose tooth. The tooth fairy is counting the costs! Looks like Grandpa will have to plan another trip to Regina so we can get that tooth out. 

Trav got some scratches on his new car—oh, the pain of the first defilement! Joanna is enjoying her new job. Gemma and Andrew got cell phones this week—I got my first at age 53; times have changed. Trav is ready to sell the truck; we hope that goes quickly and well.

And that's about it for this week.

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my home town. Golf courses were supposed to open on Monday. They've pushed it back until the coming Monday; however, that's just a cruel joke at this point as we had a big dump of fluffy white rain on Friday! I've been working on my swing, but haven't got any practise time in yet. The markets have continued to be very bad this week, and I lost all my profits from last week and then some, so I have some catch-up to accomplish. We rejoiced with Adam Scott's win in the Masters on Sunday. This week the big event has been curling as it's the Players Championship, the final slam of the season. Several of my favourites are in the playoffs today leading to the final tomorrow, but Kevin Martin lost out this morning. Wendy is gradually improving; she was to the chiropractor on Friday. She completed her series of teeth cleaning appointments this week as well. 

Our new vehicle had a wheel alignment, but we're still waiting on the hitch application. We expect it may be ready on Monday. 

Eric is in Regina this weekend, and heads home next week. Erica is making headway with her board on the new budget and got some positive comments on the latest draft—progress! Haaken is picking out classes for his next semester—grade 11 classes—time flies! He's still enjoying guitar lessons. Liam is really liking tackle football, and showing good rhythm and lots of volume with his drums. The car is operational again—new thermostat and heat sensor—no aliens found! 

Erin continues to struggle along without internet—poor child, don't know how she manages! Kristian is having a better week health-wise and seems to be in another growth spurt. Unfortunately, he appears to just be gaining length! Otherwise they are also continuing to suffer through the record snows in Regina and wait for Spring to arrive and the Jays to start a winning streak! 

Trav is enjoying his new car. Joanna is enjoying her new work. We enjoyed spending time with them to celebrate Gemma's birthday this week, and again this evening to watch the Penguin game! Unfortunately, the schedule changed due to the tragic events in Boston, so we didn't get to watch the game at all. However, we did watch the Leafs clinch a playoff spot; that has to be newsworthy! 

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 mixed including some more dumps of fluffy white rain, but it disappeared again in the sunshine today. We keep hoping that Spring will finally establish itself. The markets continued to be miserable here while US markets continued upward, but I had a good week anyway. Canada lost the men's curling final game to Sweden—it was an impressive display by Sweden. The Canadian women lost the world hockey championship to the USA; we settled for a couple of silver medals this week. Michigan lost the NCAA basketball final, a third defeat for my choices this week. The dealer contacted us on Tuesday and accepted our offer. Now, we're waiting for them to complete the repairs and upgrades we asked them to do. Wendy had X-rays of her arm and leg; they revealed that nothing was broken, so she looks to some continued therapy to restore full function. 

Erica and the boys continue with life in Parksville. Haaken enjoyed a trip to Vancouver to take in a concert by a new band, and see how they combined their instrumentation from various eras. Liam has started Spring football league and is enjoying learning to hit people. Eric has pumped up his counselling hours and only has 31.25 left to go. Erica presented her latest draft on the budget realizing about one million is savings and was unimpressed with their lack of exuberance over her efforts! The Mazda car has fallen on bad times issuing steam and spewing green gunk on the roadway. Erica thinks they may have run over or ingested an alien! They are assessing the situation! 

Erin and Kristian have been fighting some health issues recently. Kristian, in particular, has been hacking. They continue to enjoy a snowy winter in Regina. It appears planting season will be delayed on the prairies. Erin is particularly interested in having the Blue Jays get their season going! 

Trav bought a new car; he received delivery on Friday. Joanna has started a new job. Gemma is starting a new year as she hits thirteen on Monday. Andrew has recovered from his leg injury. 

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 mostly spring-like, although we got some white, fluffy rain, along with some regular clear rain, this weekend. Curling has been featured all week; Canada has made the playoffs and beat Denmark and Scotland today to advance to the final against Sweden tomorrow. It has been a no-good, very bad week on the markets. The TSX has descended into red on the year, while the DOW remains over 11% to the good! The jobs data was troubling as Canada lost 55K jobs, while US gained 88K jobs; coincidence? I think not! I blame Obama! I've stopped out of three of my positions and reduced my holdings to 24% in the market. We continue to shop for a newer vehicle; we drove a 2011 KIA Sorento today and like it quite a bit, but the dealership did not accept our offer. Wendy has continued with doctoring on her arm. Maybe X-rays can deliver a proper diagnosis of what is bothering her. Baseball has started a new season and the Blue Jays are promising better results—we shall see! Hockey is nearing play off time, so I shall have to turn my attention there soon! Basketball is at the final four, and has now been reduced to two as Louisville will play Michigan for the championship. Go Wolverines! 

Eric continues work in The Pas; it seems to be going very well despite his complaints about white, fluffy rain there. Erica and the boys are back to their usual routines. They enjoyed their spring break in central Canada complete with lots of snow! 

Erin is having issues at home, but has a new thermostat so the place may be reliably warm now. Her internet has failed recently; she doesn't know when that will be back up. Kristian is enjoying extra activities at the Y. Mark agreeably let me win a couple of Farkle games—he seems to have given up in Scrabble!!

Trav is also shopping for a new vehicle. He's pretty much settled on a Hyundai Elantra GLS. Now, he's trying to sell the pickup. Joanna is looking at a similar job at the hospital—we hope that works out for her. Andrew hurt his leg playing soccer this week, but seems to be recovering well. Gemma continues to do well. 

And that's about it for this week. 

News Update

We've had a beautiful week of weather on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. Above zero temperatures (three nights even stayed above zero), have allowed the snow to melt away, and we only have the stuff we piled up on the edges of the driveway left on our front lawn. At least we're back into barbecue season. I've broken out the golf clubs and tried a few swings. As is my habit, I try to return to the basics each Spring and rebuild my swing on a solid foundation—that usually results in my first round of the year being my best one, with the swing degrading after that! Grip harder, swing harder!! Women's curling ended on Sunday with Canada beating the US to win the bronze medal. Men's curling started today; I'm expecting big things from Brad Jacobs and crew! They started out with a win over China in the opener. The markets have continued their distracted ways with European (Cyprus) turmoil troubling investors around the world. This marked the end of the quarter with TSX up only 2.5%, while DOW is up 11.3%—my rich brother keeps getting richer (I blame Obama!). I'm only up 3.1%, and falling well short of my quota! Like Boxer, I shall work harder!! Bus driving is going well. Our search for a newer vehicle continues. We've test-driven a few but haven't found one to match both our expectations and our budget! Wendy is starting to think about the renovation projects again. March Madness is producing the best basketball of the year, but my Jayhawks have lost out! 

Erica and the boys flew out to the prairies for Spring Break. Eric joined them in Regina; they rented a fancy, dancy Ford Expedition—great ride, but oh the fuel consumption! They enjoyed catching up with friends and family there. Rich & Sue hosted many for Palm Sunday brunch. During the week, they travelled to Kenora to check on things there and renew fond friendships of family, work and church. Today, they're heading back to their respective corners of the country. Erica, Haaken and Liam are flying to Victoria and driving up to Parksville. Eric is driving to The Pas via Dauphin. The time together passed too quickly! 

Erin and Kristian continue to fight the snow and wait for Spring in Regina. Kristian has enjoyed extra activities at the Y when school is out. He also enjoyed having his cousins from the coast around for a few days. 

Trav & Joanna keep busy with work. The truck is down, so we've been more involved in helping him get around. The coolant leak turned out to be an intake gasket; we hope that it is repaired early next week. Then, Trav will be faced with the question of whether to prolong his agony there, or trade it in on a newer vehicle. This long weekend the whole crew is off to Minneapolis to find the Easter bunny! Trav is revelling in the recent acquisitions by the Penguins and looking forward to the hockey playoffs. 

And that's about it for this week. 

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. The weather has been nice and the snow is finally starting to sink away. I have begun thinking about golf season! We enjoyed our first BBQ of the season for supper this evening. Wendy travelled home in style as she was bumped to first class for the flight from Vancouver to Toronto. She also got a night at the Fairmont Hotel in Vancouver, and was privileged to the comforts of the Maple Leaf lounge in both Vancouver and Toronto. I just can't keep up with that! The physical symptoms of my shingles are fading, but the phantom nervous pain continues to be a bother—I hope it fades away soon. The bank crisis in Cyprus has roiled the markets all week and I took a loss as a result. She saw a doctor here about her injured ankle and was assured that it would get better—not particularly comforting! I had two doctor visits myself this week. The first was to see my oncologist who changed our comedy line: this time he assured me that it felt perfectly normal, and I assured him that it felt anything but normal! I also had a six-month followup on blood work to see whether I could improve my cholesterol levels. When they got the results, they called to express their shock and asked me in to explain myself. Apparently my numbers have improved a great deal! I told them about going gluten-free, and they told me to get more blood work in six months and prove it was so beneficial! I've been watching curling all week as the Women's World Championships are on. We lost a shocker to Scotland in the semi-finals, so we're set to play USA for the bronze tomorrow. Scotland and Sweden will play in the final. Our university basketball team lost the national final in our version of March Madness that we actually complete in March! Now, the American college basketball championships are on as well; I've been enjoying watching some of the action.

Wendy started the week with Eric, Erica and the boys in Parksville. She enjoyed taking in Liam's season ending tournament even though they lost the final 10-8. The local paper featured a photo of Liam (p.36). Liam and Erica nominated the coach for a hockey award. You can read his story and vote for him on line. The story was also covered in the local paper. The boys are on Spring Break now and have travelled to Regina where they have met up with Eric and are planning to drive down to Kenora and catch up on events there. Eric has exceeded his goal of 200 counselling hours by spring break—well done!

Erin and Kristian are enjoying having the Baileys in Regina for a few days and the cousins are spending some time together. The record amount of snow that has fallen on the prairies complicate getting around; we hope it will melt soon, but not so quickly that it causes flooding. Parent-Teacher interviews this week revealed that Kristian is surpassing expectations on his progress for the year, so they are raising their expectations. Good work, Kristian!

Trav had more truck troubles this week, so he's back in serious car-shopping mode! I am trying some intensive therapy on the truck! Joanna took my blood for the test early in the week, maybe she switched it with some young athlete! On the work side, Trav returned from his business trip to TO, and this week launched his hockey card service. Joanna continues to be his main employee! 

And that's about enough for this week.

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. It has not been a comfortable week for either of us: I have fallen victim to Shingles; Wendy has fallen! Out at the retreat in BC, Wendy slipped on some wet wood, twisted her ankle and fell onto her back. She was able to hobble through the week of retreat and has now retreated to Parksville where Erica, Haaken and Liam are attending to her every need! She is scheduled to leave there on Tuesday. 

I was diagnosed with Shingles on Tuesday, so the anti-virus meds have had a chance to take hold and I'm feeling much improved already. The affliction was on the right upper quadrant of my head, as you can see, but the lesions are scabbing over now, and the phantom pains are gradually subsiding. 

I was supposed to begin bus driving on Monday, but that has been pushed back at least one day—we'll see how it goes. Markets have been mixed: American markets continued to push forward to all-time highs, but we faltered badly midweek before making a little recovery the last two days. I was able to get some gains, but not up to my quota. Curling led off the week with Brad Jacobs winning the Brier over Jeff Stoughton. Curling also ended the week as Rachel Homan began the world championships with a loss to Scotland in Riga, Latvia. 

Eric made an unscheduled trip home last weekend to enjoy Liam's hockey tournament. That went well, as Liam's team got to the championship final before running out of gas. Erica continues with her busy work in the budget process as well as being full-time mom and chauffeur. School and even education continue apace for Haaken and Liam. Liam's team is in their home tournament this weekend and they're having fun—Erica is busy as one of the organizers. Grandma is enjoying the action. 

Erin enjoyed another week in the record-breaking snows of Regina. Kristian had his first audiometry exam in Regina. According to the tech, it was beautiful! His results mirrored those from his last check-up in TBay, and his hearing aids tested out as working—beautifully! Kiara had promising results from her kidney scan. There is no scarring from the reflux, so we hope she gets off antibiotics soon and can enjoy some trouble-free childhood. 

Trav enjoyed a business trip to TO. This just happened to align with the Penguins visit to play the Leafs (Oh happy Co-Inky-Dink!), so Trav took in the hockey game as well! Joanna had some days off as Gemma and Andrew were on March Break. I am grateful that they chose to spend part of the time attending to a poor, old invalid fellow living in this house! 

And that's about it for this week. 

News Update

Another week has passed and we have returned to the shore of Lake Superior in the Canadian Shield. We drove down on Wednesday; the roads were great and the trip went smoothly. It is good to be home again. I supervised the new driver on Monday and Tuesday; she got stuck once as she failed to make a corner, but we were able to rock it out of the snowbank. I returned to a warm welcome from the bus people here as they've had no success getting anyone to take over my run. They've worked through at least three drivers, and are currently using two guys! However, they made no mention of a bonus for me!! Next week is March Break here, so I'll be looking to start on March 18th. We started the week with troubled markets, but strong economic data overcame other concerns and we had a very good week. The US markets are doing much better than the TSX as the DOW is up nearly 10% already this year while TSX is up only 3.2%. I blame Obama! It's been Brier curling all week. My favourite Kevin Martin struggled with understanding the new rocks and started off 1-4; even though he recovered to run the table to 7-4, it was not enough. Howard, Stoughton, Gushue and Jacobs are in the playoffs which started today with Stoughton beating Howard to advance to the final, and Jacobs beating Gushue to advance to the semi-final tomorrow. Wendy flew out to Regina on Friday and continues her trip to BC today, on her birthday, for a Ladies Retreat next week. 

Eric made a surprise trip home this weekend to take in Liam's hockey tournament in Victoria. Everyone was glad to have him back even though it was a brief visit. Liam's team is having a good tournament. 

Kristian had Thursday and Friday off school and enjoyed being in the Y Day-Camp. He was able to swim and enjoy various other activities there, making new friends and having a good time. Erin and Mark took in more of Eric's hockey games on Tuesday evening and this afternoon. 

It was good to get back in touch with Trav & Joanna. They've done a good job of taking care of the driveway and house while we were gone, and most of the plants survived! Thanks, guys! Trav's hockey team (missing their 50-goal scoring captain) lost out in the first round of the playoffs. Sorry about that! Joanna's soccer team finished their winter season—they won first place! Congratulations! 

And that's about it for this week. 

News Update

Another week has passed—our final week on Lake Wascana in the middle of the prairie for this trip. I have finished bus driving as of Friday, but I will be riding along with the new driver on Monday and Tuesday. She has been riding with me most of this week. Unfortunately, they are not letting her use a flat-front bus, and the longer wheelbase on the regular school bus will not make some of the turns on my route, so we've been working to redesign the route and hope we've made enough adjustments. She's a beginning bus driver, so Monday will be an adventure! The markets have been troubled this week with the Italian election concerning investors at the beginning of the week and the US sequester dropping another bomb at the end of the week. Still, after the whipsawing, the overall result was basically flat and even a little bit to the green side and I made a small gain. The car has continued to have issues; this week, it was a tire that seemed to have a slow leak. I took it in to Kal-Tire and they noted that it had a lump on the sidewall and refused to put it back on! Fortunately this was Kerry's shop, so he rounded up a replacement pair at a good price and we got those installed on Thursday. At least you can't say the car is 'nickel 'n diming' me to death—it's more like $200 at a time! I got in one curling game this week; I was assigned to be skip. I don't think I've done that since I left Earl Grey in 1977! Without the sweeping, it turned out to be cold work, but I had a good game and we won easily.  I have been very pleased to have this opportunity to get back into curling which I haven't done since I broke my left ankle out in the Okanagan. Wendy has been working to justify her new Costco membership! The Brier started today; the big three favourites going in are: Kevin Martin, Jeff Stoughton and Glenn Howard. I'll be cheering for Kevin Martin, with sentimental nods to Brock Virtue of Saskatchewan and Jamie Koe of the Northwest Territories. 

Erica has been very busy with meetings related to the new budget; she doubts that she has had a solid hour at her desk all week. However, she also received an invite to a conference where Trevor Linden is a keynote speaker—take that Eric! Eric has been accumulating counselling hours; he's currently at 174.25 on his way to the 280 requirement of his practicum. Haaken keeps at his school work and music lessons. He continues to express his contentedness with the move to Parksville. He is planning to begin doing reviews of TV shows and post them on YouTube. We'll be watching for his debut in the coming weeks! 

Liam has begun working with a tutor twice a week; progress is noted on homework completion and quiz scores, so his academic side may be on the upswing! His hockey team continues to play and practise even though the regular season is over, so he isn't losing his conditioning! 

Erin and Kristian have been over regularly this week, so that has been nice. Kiara and Kori are here this weekend. We went out with the whole crew to a hockey game on Friday night featuring Erin's little brother, Eric, who is playing AAA Midget hockey in Yorkton. Eric scored a goal, but also got hurt; however, they won, so I guess it was all right! 

We have been able to FaceTime with Trav & Joanna, so we caught up a bit on life in TBay. His hockey team is heading into the playoffs now. After the slump, they finished the regular season in third place and now begin the playoffs. Business has been going well; the photography side has really built up and Joanna has been hired on part time (no benefits!). Joanna's soccer team continues to lead the league and she's now looking forward to spring league. 

And that's about it for this week. 

News Update

Another week has passed on Lake Wascana in the middle of the prairie. School is out for the week, so I've been on holidays. As expected the car needed a new wheel bearing; the repair was completed on Tuesday. Storms have blasted around us, but we've remained pretty much unscathed. The highways in the province have been dangerous during the storms and closures have been announced. Kristian was ill and spent two days with us as a result. Between all that and Wendy's departure on Friday, we did not get over to Moose Jaw—maybe next week. Wendy is in Kensosee for the Ladies Retreat this weekend. She left her cell phone at home, but took her iPad; times have changed! Markets continue to be roiled by successive headlines. The week started off very well, but then had down days during which I was reduced to only three holdings instead of my quota of ten. Friday was another up day, and, all told, I had a good week, but now I'm only 20% in the market, so I need to plan some buys. It has been great to watch the Scotties; Sask did not make the playoffs, and the teams I don't cheer for did, but the curling was even better than what I experience with the seniors at Highland Curling Club! Homan beat Jones tonight to move into the final. Jones will play Nedohin tomorrow in the semi-final. 

Eric is in The Pas where his work continues apace and with positive recognition. Although he is looking forward to it being over, he is also reinforced by how well it is going. Erica is very busy with budget development—how to do more and more with less and less! If she learns to manage it, she can help us through retirement on a defined contribution pension plan! Haaken has moved into a new semester in high school. He received all credits in his first semester, and a plan is in the works so he receives full credits plus good marks in the second semester! His own plan includes music and preparation for his driver's licence. Liam has completed the regular season in hockey but continues practice in preparation for two hockey tournaments. No goals yet, but he's coming close, so we hope that big moment may come during one of his tournaments in March. 

Kristian was ill this week, so he convalesced with us! Cold and flu seems to include eye infections for him and we don't like that. Erin's week went fine and she bought a new deep freeze as well. Mark and I got to carry it up to her apartment. Kiara had her scans this week; we hope for helpful and positive feedback from this. 

Trav, Joanna and crew continue to keep up with things back in TBay. We are missing our regular connections with them while we're away. Trav's hockey team has been in a funk which has resulted in a four-game slump! They need to snap out of that as playoffs are coming soon. 

That's about enough for this week! 

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Wascana in the middle of the prairie. The weather has remained mild, with a bit more snow from time to time. A blizzard blew through mid-week, but we seem to have missed most of it! Another one is threatened for this weekend—I hope we miss it as well! School bus driving continues routinely, and now school is out next week, so I'll have a week off. The markets ran up nicely the first three days, but then someone reminded traders of the damaged economy in Europe and we had a sharp sell-off that returned me a small loss on the week. Dad continues with his home workouts, but his scheduled outing for the week was postponed due to the expected storm on Thursday. Wendy keeps up with therapy on her finger. It seems to be moving more and hurting just as much! Yikes! Scotties curling begins today, so I'm looking forward to a week of that. Manitoba and BC won the junior championships, and I'm sure Manitoba will be a favourite at the Scotties, but not with me! NHL continues their compressed season, and Dad has even worked out how to watch his beloved Leafs on his laptop! We enjoyed our time in Gravelbourg last weekend—thanks Gerry & Lorna! Thanks also to the congregation there for providing warm fellowship. We tried to catch Elvin & Grace on the way home, but after missing out then, we are planning an excursion over there in the coming week. The car began whining on the way home from Gravelbourg, and we think it's probably a wheel bearing, so I took it into Kal-Tire today. I'm sure they have a long list of stuff they would love to do for me, but I will be happy for them to replace the wheel bearing! 

Eric has returned to The Pas; Erica has returned to being Mr & Mrs Mum and taxi service. Liam's hockey season is ending, but he looks forward to some further hockey play in tournaments. Haaken continues with school, guitar lessons and life as a prospective driver! 

Erin, Kristian and Mark are doing well. Kristian enjoys activities with the Roberts side as there are many cousins over there. Mark and I play Farkle regularly and Scrabble irregularly! Some people think the scheduling has to do with the success rate he enjoys in the respective games!! Kristian has a fresh haircut to go with his missing teeth. 

Trav, Joanna, Gemma and Andrew continue with work, sports and life in TBay. The latest action for the Elks hockey team is described on Trav's blog.

And that's about it for this week. 

News Update

Another week has passed on the snowy shore of Lake Wascana in the middle of the prairie. The weather has been pretty comfortable, but we've also had more snow. The residential neighbourhood streets become narrower and narrower as the snow is piled up on the edges and it is a challenge to maneuver the bus through. The children have become used to my routine, so things are going fine in that regard. I seldom need to offer even a word of control. The markets have been troubled all week, but finally turned up on Friday and paid me off! Wendy has continued with the consultation on her arthritic fingers, and I now engaged in regular therapy in an attempt to cause extensive pain with the potential toward some greater range of motion! Dad works faithfully at his exercises as he tries to improve his own mobility—it is impressive to see. This weekend we accepted an invitation to sing with Dave & Heather and Lorna at the seniors residence in Gravelbourg. It was a lot of fun. It had an additional bonus as we got to share some time at Gerry and Lorna's place and catch up with many people in the congregation there. We did a lot of talking, singing and eating—it was great! We are thankful. I was able to pick up three curling games this week and enjoyed that as well. 

Eric is on his way back to The Pas. The family remaining in Parksville is missing him already. While at home he assisted in the celebrations of birthdays for both Haaken and Liam—that was special with meals out at their chosen locations. They also enjoyed lava cake, cupcakes and a chocolate iced chocolate layer cake—mmm, good! Eric/A also celebrated with a seafood dinner out—it's not even their birthdays! Liam is nearing the end of his first hockey season; he had made great progress in his hockey skills development. Eric is also enjoying the Canucks season progress. Erica is into a busy time at work with budgets and too many activities chasing too few dollars. It is her responsibility to make it some how work out! It seems the peculiar province of social service to always have to accomplish more with fewer dollars! The Kenora house is listed for sale again/still and has been attracting some interest. We pray the interest will develop into a suitable offer. The place they are currently renting in Parksville is also up for sale, but hopefully it won't move soon and they'll be at least able to finish the school year. 

Kristian had a good week. First off he lost two teeth on Sunday and thus scored big time with the tooth fairy. Then he wrote a plaintive note to the tooth fairy and managed to get his two teeth back! Mark was scoring impressively in Scrabble once he got his new iPhone, but recently he has been taking it easier on me. Erin is doing well, and was even able to join us for supper on Thursday before we took off for the weekend. 

Trav and Joanna are handling things back in TBay. Gemma and Andrew got report cards recently and both are doing well at school. Trav has posted his write-ups and reactions on the recent Elks hockey tournament. 

News Update

A frigidly cold week has passed on the shore of frozen Lake Wascana. We got to -35 midweek, with a windchill of -49 and my bus refused to start that morning. However, with a replacement bus that refused to produce heat we made our way to school anyway—it was not a good experience! Otherwise things progressed well on the bus driving front, and I have been assured of holding this run for the remainder of our time in Regina. Tag up and down the aisle (and over and under seats) ceased the first five minutes of my regime; now, they have even learned to stay seated most of the time—progress. US investors were surprised to find that cutting back on government spending has a deleterious effect on GDP, so the markets took a kicking most of the week, however, good jobs numbers turned things around on Friday, so I made significant recovery. It was not enough to overcome the early losses, so it was a down week. The women's curling did not turn out as I hoped for or expected—don't know what to expect from the Shumay team at the Scotties. The men's tournament is this week and I haven't been impressed with the curling there either. Surely, we can't be looking back wistfully for the days of Pat Simmons, can we? Dad had his last out-patient physio session this week, and has begun a series of at-home exercises. Wendy continues to search for a suitable machine to aid his workouts. 

Eric is on his way home as I write, and that may be enough said about the status of things on the Island!  He eventually arrived home the middle of the afternoon. Haaken and Liam continue anticipation of their birthdays in the next week. 

Kristian had a special week as he starred in his class play at the assembly on Thursday. (Clearly spoken lines is the definition of starring in grandpa's eyes!) Otherwise they survived the cold weather with the rest of us. Kiara and Kori are here this weekend, and Kristian has been at pains to have mom and Mark get the Lego project completed in time for the visitation! 

We haven't heard much from Trav, Joanna and crew this week, but we assume that can only mean good news. Perhaps they've been too busy counteracting cold and snow! He did enter the report on the most recent hockey game. 

That's about it for this week! 

News Update

Another blustery week has passed on the shore of Lake Wascana. We've had a bit more snow, and some blowing snow and cold temperatures. I have been assigned a new bus route and it appears I will have it for the rest of our time in Regina, so that's a relief. I've been able to learn the route and am now getting to know the students. They need a fair bit of work since the regular driver did not require proper behaviour. The US markets have continued to rally all week, and while the TSX has not kept up, I have been able to make a nice gain and am at my quota for the month with one week left to go! (I hope I can at least hang on!) NHL hockey has begun and we've watched quite a number of games on TV. Dad has continued with therapy, but may be nearing the end of scheduled work—we're supposed to find out on Monday. Wendy is helping him track down a stair-stepper to use at home in the case that out-patient therapy is over. She was back to the doctor for more finger pain—that worked out as expected! The one finger he's been working is swollen, stiff and sore. David is feeling better and has begun work on organizing his slides. He is hoping to get them digitized at some point. This week is the National curling event; both Kevins lost in the semifinals, but I'm enjoying it, anyway. It is also the Sask women's championships and I've been following that as well. 

Eric is scheduled to be home in one week. Several people are looking forward to that! Erica, Haaken and Liam are in Vancouver today while Erica attends a conference and the boys veg-out in the hotel! Planning mode for the birthdays has begun—Haaken is turning 16, Liam is turning 13. The pressure of life with two teenagers is already being felt! Erica has become involved in planning a local hockey tournament—she's not sure what she's gotten herself into! 

Erin and Kristian had a fairly normal week until Friday. Then,  it turned out classes were cancelled for a PD day. So, Kristian got to come over and play with grandma, grandpa, papa and Uncle David. Mark & Erin decided this should be viewed as an opportunity, so they scheduled a date-night, while Kristian prolonged his visit with us. Everyone seems to think that worked out just fine. 

Trav returned from his hockey tournament in Minnesota to -30 and a truck that would not start! The next day the temperature recovered and so did the truck. Trav & Joanna keep busy with work, and Trav is back into the league schedule in hockey. Gemma and Andrew keep active with school and their other interests. 

And that's about it for this week. 

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Wascana. The weather has been variable with snow storms, wind and cold weather along with some days above freezing! I managed two games of curling; my knees are complaining less each time! The markets have been troubled by headlines all week, but the decision by the GOP to give in on the debt ceiling allowed us to end on an up note, and gave me a good gain for the week. Our North American markets are pushing five-year highs as we continue to recover from the 2007 financial crisis and recession. Stocks have risen 85% during Obama's first term, but historically stocks do poorly in a second term averaging only around 10%. NHL hockey returned today, and fans are returning to the league—some reluctantly! I have completed my first stint as replacement driver, and will begin learning a new route on Monday. The streets in the residential areas are very bad; we seem to get two or three buses stuck everyday. I've come close, but so far am still running! Wendy keeps busy around the house. Her finger is healing, so we're starting to see whether it has gained any mobility. I have had some interesting incidences of 'customer service' this week—Shaw and Sears both demonstrated what it is not! Despite cancelling our Internet, TV and Phone service while we were away from TBay, Shaw has kept charging us, and collecting from our VISA account! "We were unable to stop the payment from being taken," they tell me, "you now have a credit of $267.00." Delightful! Sears gave me the run around from Service to Customer Service (Who knew there were two such entities in one company and that they were not related?) as I tried to get one wheel on Dad's new snowblower repaired—it doesn't hold air! On my second visit, Service finally decided they would let me buy a replacement wheel—only $165 plus taxes and available by mid-Feb! Buy? Why should I BUY a replacement part for a snowblower just purchased in the Boxing Week sale?!  Oh, if I have concerns of that nature, I should see Customer Service! After listening to my sad story, Customer Service assured me that I should go to Service, since they had no way to repair the wheel! No thanks, I'd already been there! Earlier, I had seen a display model of the snowblower on the floor, but Wendy wouldn't let me pop the wheel off and exchange it for my defective one! However, I suggested to the Customer Service people that I should do just that! They reflected for only a few moments before deciding, "Yeah, that'll work." Yikes! But at least we got the replacement wheel, and we can always imagine they'll fix the wheel rather than dump it on the next unfortunate schmuck to come along. 

Eric is back enjoying the salubrious climes of The Pas (-26 is not a high of any kind!); he is hoping for some entertaining hockey games to help pass the time. Erica and the boys are carrying on with life, work, school, music and hockey in Parksville. Erica is suffering some migranes, and would rather not! She is continuing to recover from her recent fall. Liam got a couple of assists in a recent hockey game. Haaken is anticipating exams at the end of the month, and turning the magical 16 and getting his learner's licence in early February. 

Erin, Kristian and Mark have all endured illness as the flu makes its rounds. After some down time that affected work and school, all appear on the mend now. Kiara and Kori are here this weekend; we're enjoying a little time with them. 

Trav is off to Apple Valley, Minnesota this weekend for a hockey tournament with his first place Elks, having tied their first game back from the break. The team also got tickets to attend the Wild home opener of their NHL season. Joanna, Gemma and Andrew are holding fort in TBay while continuing with work and school. Andrew is back to wrestling again—no more broken arms, please! 

And that's about it for this week. 

News Update

As I sit to write and take note of -29 on Lake Wascana and +1 on Lake Superior, I have to question my choice of lake! I spent yesterday morning coaxing my car out of the crescent in a vain attempt to get to work. By the time I got to the ring road, I checked in with work to let them know how late I was, and was informed that buses had been cancelled! The bus driving has been going well, and I've learned the route satisfactorily, however, that ends next Thursday and I'll be looking at a new assignment. It's been a troubled week in the markets, so it's a good thing I made good gains last week; I was unable to achieve any gains this week. Wendy keeps busy taking care of us. She had further medical consultation on her arthritic fingers. The doctor froze one finger and broke the joint loose—she may have movement in that finger if the pain and swelling diminish sufficiently to check it out! The Continental Cup of curling is this week, so I'm enjoying following that. I've started curling again, myself, as I played a game on Monday. I was supposed to play again today, but the blizzard came first! It appears the NHL lockout is over, so we're anticipating a return to action soon. Wendy got me an iPhone on Wednesday, so I'm enjoying that. Dad has continued with therapy both at home and at Wascana. He continues to progress; this week, he worked out on a treadmill! 

Eric has returned to The Pas—twenty-one days and counting until his return! Erica has adjusted back to work and the boys to school; managing coffee cups and arena stairs has proved more troublesome! Haaken has enjoyed getting back into music lessons and youth group. He has decided to start a band, and practise at home—uh oh! Liam has learned how to stop on his skates without using the boards or his team mates! He even scored a goal in practice! The boys were caught walking home in a torrential downpour on Tuesday. By the time Erica picked them up, they were drenched. Haaken declared that if it was going to rain like that, he wasn't going to school! 

Erin and Kristian both suffered illness this week. There's a bad strain of influenza going around that also caught uncle David. Erin was off work (Kristian off school) for a couple of days, but both are back at it again. Sadie got an overdue haircut and appears to be a new dog! Kristian continues to work on his top front teeth; they are very loose, but still there! 

Trav and Joanna are holding things together back in TBay. It's been a rainy week there, so the snow has dissipated once again. Trav's Elks haven't played recently, so he's even resorted to attending minor hockey tournaments to get his hockey fix! They both keep busy with work; Joanna is even considering further education. Gemma and Andrew are back at school after the Christmas break. 

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

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Wascana. The weather has moderated and been very pleasant. I have been in training for my new bus run that starts next Tuesday; I feel pretty comfortable with it now. We enjoyed a quiet welcome to the New Year here. The others seemed satisfied to welcome it from the Atlantic or Eastern time zones, and I had to wake Wendy for a New Year kiss at midnight Central Standard Time. Our junior hockey team disappointed us with a fourth-place finish at the World Championships. Congrats to the Americans this time around! The NHL continues to lock out the players, and although there are signs it may be starting up soon, many are finding they don't really care very much about it. It's been another strange week on the markets as the fiscal foolishness in the US moved past their own self-imposed deadline. Then, part of it was settled retro-actively and the rest was postponed! What a way to run a government! In any case, it was a shortened week due to the holiday, and we had three great days and one bad day. It turned out very well as I was able to gain double my weekly quota, but it's hard on the nerves to put up with the bounces. I have increased my portfolio buy-in to 45%. I fell well short of my annual quota last year  as I only managed 8.5%; however, most of the shortcoming was due to indiscipline, greed and fear! It is true the markets did not do well as the TSX only gained 4% for the year, but my completely disciplined paper-trading achieved more than my quota, so I need to follow my strategy and keep my emotions out of it! Dad is doing well; he works out daily on his walking with either canes or crutches, and continues with regular visits to his physiotherapist as well. It's an encouragement just to observe his efforts!

Eric/A and the boys had a quiet week in Parksville. They've been busy with relaxation and rest, interrupted by times of slothfulness and with time outs for the occasional nap! They checked out Mount Washington (where I learned to ski) and found where Vancouver Island stores its snow! They may try skiing it as well. They hosted a skating/shinny part for Liam's hockey team—that went well. Eric is on his way back to The Pas this weekend—not a happy prospect. 

Kristian has spent most of the week with us. That has been great! He's recovered from his pink eye, and keeps working on his two loose top front teeth. Erin has been busy with an audit at work, but we get to see lots of her as well. Mark is by from time to time, and keeps hammering away at me in Scrabble, so we had a good week with this section of the family. 

We've managed to FaceTime a couple of times with Trav & Joanna. The connection has been a bit troublesome, but it seems all is progressing well back in TBay. Gemma and Andrew are completing their school break and will be back in the classroom in the coming week. Trav's hockey time is on an extended break after their most recent victory.

And that's about it for this week.

News Update

Another week has passed, and we have moved to the shore of Lake Wascana. We plan to be here until March. We enjoyed most of the week in Thunder Bay. We celebrated Christmas with Trav, Joanna, Gemma and Andrew with a lovely breakfast/brunch followed by the traditional Christmas movie—in this case: The Hobbit in 3D. That was very good. Then we retired to appetizers and finger foods until we could eat no more. We were blessed with many other gifts as well. What fortunate people we are! The markets continue to be troubled by the US fiscal foolishness; as a result, I had a down week. The weather has continued mild and with little snow in TBay, however, that was not the case as we drove west on Friday. Freezing rain west of Dryden chased several vehicles into the ditches, and it was slow going for the last couple of hours of Ontario. Once we got to Manitoba and the divided highway things went much better, and we pulled into Regina about midnight. We were greeted with mountains of snow and -28 degrees which was quite a shock to our systems. Fortunately, dad had a warm welcome and house waiting for us.

Eric/A and the boys spent Christmas in Langford with Eric's family. The boys enjoyed several new gifts. Liam is enjoying a new hockey stick and equipment bag—his first goal cannot be far behind! Haaken and Liam were introduced to Dungeons & Dragons—Haaken was not impressed. Eric/A celebrated their 19th anniversary at a Japanese steakhouse in Victoria—yummy! They are now back in Parksville; Eric is home until January 5th.

Kristian has been enjoying multiple Christmas celebrations, and that continued with the arrival of Grandma. His two top front teeth are loose, so we expect them to be out soon. Erin has been enjoying a few days off and multiple Christmas celebrations as well. Kiara and Kori were here for Christmas—part of a large group at the Roberts.

Trav will be taking care of the house while we're gone. We hope the truck continues to run well. He and Joanna are enjoying some time off this week as well.

And that's about it for another week!

News Update

Another week of fine weather has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. We got enough snow late in the week to cover some of the grass on the lawn, so we may have to be satisfied with an approximation of a white Christmas! I recall two green Canadian Christmases past, one in Victoria, one in Dauphin—we went golfing on both occasions! The TSX had a good week even as the US markets lurched downward on Boehner's failure to bring his troops in line, so I had a great week, however, it is a nervous time, and I remain two-thirds in cash. School is out; bus-driving is over for now. It was particularly heart-warming to get Christmas gifts from two Islamic students who ride my bus. I am looking forward to driving in Regina in the January and February, although the lack of a regular route will be a challenge. Wendy has been busy with Christmas preparations including baking. In consideration of my diet, she found some gluten-free flour and made shortbread cookies—not exactly a winner! She also found gluten-free pancake mix—it was very good!

Eric arrived home today for the break. Erica has been counting down the days! Liam was excited to see snow this week, but it melted away in the subsequent rains. He continues with hockey, and enjoys that. Haaken is enjoying his guitar work and even took it to school one day. Grandma's baking production has quickly disappeared; she needs to return and build up a bigger supply!

Kristian has been busy with Christmas concerts and parties until he came down with pink eye! Now, he is on the mend, but remained isolated from school and day care for the latter part of the week. Mark has been helping out with daycare and also attended more than the appropriate number of Christmas concerts with Kristian, Kiara and Kori—you're a trooper! 

Trav keeps busy with work. The hockey photography has paid rich dividends, and also gives Trav & Joanna something to work on together. Gemma and Andrew completed school on Friday, and are looking forward to Christmas celebrations next week. Joanna had the week off, so she has a large surplus of baking for us to work through as we enjoy Christmas day with them!! I've done a treatment on the leaking head gasket for the truck, and it seems to be holding so far.

And a Merry Christmas to one and all.

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. While temperatures have remained comfortable, we've had snow nearly every day, and some rain today with +5 to clear the streets and driveways. Wendy arrived back on Friday morning, after more prolonged air travel. She had a great time in Parksville with baking, shopping, hockey tournaments and grand/mothering, but I'm glad to have her home. The markets continue to lurch with each successive US press conference, but overall the data has been favourable and I've had an above average week. This week has featured the Canadian Open of curling, but none of my favourite teams remains in the hunt, so I'm not as engaged as usual. Howard will be playing Jacobs in an all-Ontario final—I'll be cheering for Jacobs. Bus driving has continued routinely, and my transfer to Regina for the beginning of January has been approved. 

Erica and the boys have been enjoying their grand/mother this week. The big event was a hockey tournament for Liam where his team won the championship.(full write-up)

Hail to the Champions!

Eric is scheduled to be back for the Christmas break the end of next week. The boys have one more week of school before the break as well. 

Erin and Kristian had a good week. Kristian has two working hearing aids once again. 

Skaters!

Today the three kids enjoyed a skating outing with, as Mark noted, no injuries!

Trav, Joanna, Gemma & Andrew hosted me at the newest Bond movie on Sunday. Perhaps they've turned the franchise into too much of an action movie, but it was a good time anyway. Trav's hockey team won two games this week. Joanna was by on Friday to do the next set of blood work for both of us. Thanks. The truck is still not performing optimally, but Trav is back using it at least. I'm afraid it needs a new head gasket, as it continues to use coolant, and I'm afraid it's going through the system. 

And that's about it for this week.

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. We have continued to have beautiful weather starting off with +10 degrees and finally turning colder this weekend. We are now promised a week of subzero temperatures, with the probability of getting some snow. The markets have been running from press conference to press conference on the US budget negotiations. This has produced a down week, and I've suffered along with the markets. Wendy is out in Parksville with Erica and the boys. This weekend she's up in Port McNeil where Liam's team is playing in a hockey tournament. I'm expecting her back next Friday. Sports highlights were the Canada Cup curling finals on Sunday where Stephanie Lawton and Jeff Stoughton gave me two wins. Otherwise, with the NHL in lockout, I've not had much to interest me. 

Eric is south for classwork in Winnipeg and made a visit to Kenora. Erica and the boys are enjoying having mom/grandma there. Plenty of baking and puzzles are taking place. This weekend the crew traveled to Port McNeill for Liam's hockey tournament. At last report, they had won their first two games easily and the third game 7-3, so they're in the championship game tomorrow. 

Erin, Kristian (and Mark) keep frequent contact via video chat. It's good to see and hear them. Kristian has blown a hearing aid, so it's being repaired. Mark has concerns for Kiara's health; we are praying for an early remedy to her issues. Kori is also there this weekend. The three children play well together. 

Trav is back in the truck problems! As a result, I now have the truck, while he has the car. After a stern talking to, it is behaving for me. We'll see how long this lasts! Joanna is hosting her parents this weekend who are up from TO. Andrew continues to heal and has a removable cast now. Gemma is doing well. Trav's team won the championship last weekend—congrats all around! 

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 cold, but has returned to mild temperatures this weekend with the expectation of rain. We expect to remain above freezing for the next few days. The week started with the Grey Cup game where my hoped for win for Kevin Glenn failed to materialize—congratulations to the Argos! The markets have whipsawed with each press conference on the "fiscal cliff" negotiations; I made a sale, reducing my portfolio to 32% in the market, and achieved a good gain for the week. Wendy has been busy with several appointments and getting ready to travel to Parksville. She was off this afternoon, and should get there tomorrow morning. She plans to spend the next two weeks there playing Grandma! We had one snow day, but otherwise bus driving has continued routinely. I have been invited to transfer to the Regina depot for driving there during January and February, so I'll be working on that. I've been preoccupied with the Canada Cup curling this week. Neither of my favourite Kevins had a good week on the men's side; I'll be cheering for Jeff Stoughton to win it all. I'll be cheering for the Stephanie Lawton in the women's final.

Eric is currently in classes in Winnipeg. He reports that things are progressing satisfactorily. Erica is not enjoying the home-alone experience so much! She is looking forward to having her mom there the next two weeks. Haaken and Liam continue with their usual activities. 

Kristian had a troublesome rash develop this week, but that seems to have quickly resolved itself. He was delighted when Mark brought a Christmas tree and enjoyed decorating everything that is standing still in the apartment including his own bed! 

Trav's work continues well. His hockey team had a good week, and is in the Neebing tournament this weekend. After their two wins today, they play in the championship game tomorrow. Joanna has continued to enjoy/suffer soccer. Gemma is not enjoying school so much this year, but is doing well. 

Andrew got an update on his broken hand—as the picture shows, there were three broken bones. He seems to be healing well, and is looking forward to resuming his wrestling in a few weeks. 

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 continued to be beautiful until Friday when we got our first snow of the season. It was quite a dump of soft, wet stuff, and my snow blower was not happy try to push it through the chute. However, it dropped to -7 last night and I was able to finish clearing the driveway fairly comfortably this morning. The markets have been good this week, and even with the US markets pretty much off on Thursday and Friday, I managed to make gains every day, so that helps. Wendy has continued her busy ways getting the house whipped back into shape. She also had church business and various appointments to fill her week. Today, she is busy preparing a birthday cake for Travis. Koe beat Martin in the Masters of curling semi-final and went on to win the championship for the first major of the season. Both of my picks won their respective playoff games, so Calgary will play Toronto in the Grey Cup tomorrow. I'm picking Calgary to come through and give Kevin Glenn a long awaited championship. We got the truck back on the road this week; it seems all it needed was new brakes and a new thermostat.

Eric is back in The Pas working on his practicum. Erica is running things in Parksville. The boys are continuing with school, music and hockey. 

Erin and Kristian are working through the winter in Regina. Kristian is progressing well at school; Erin is doing well at work. She is suffering with headaches; we hope those can be diagnosed and eliminated. Mark had great news as his house in Brandon finally sold. 

Trav, Joanna, Gemma and Andrew joined us for a couple of meals this week. Joanna has been expecting her dad's visit this weekend, but travel difficulties have postponed the trip until later. Trav's hockey team has faltered somewhat with injuries and uninspired play. Trav & Joanna have been quite busy with hockey team photo shoots; these have proved a profitable facet of this business. 

And that's about it for this week.

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. We drove back here on Sunday as we completed our Florida vacation. It is good to be home. The weather has continued to be very nice. I was back driving bus on Monday morning, and that is going fine. The markets have been terrible and the TSX is now at a loss for the year to date, and officially in bear territory. This was another down week for me, and while I am blessed to have some gains, I am still far from my quota. Wendy has been busy catching up on things around the house and on paperwork for ourselves and the church where things continue to wind down slowly. The Riders entered next year country on Sunday as they suffered a last-minute loss to Calgary in the semi-final. The Blue Jays made a lot of noise this week—grabbing attention from sports fans starved by the lack of NHL hockey. The first major of the curling season is this weekend; today, I enjoyed watching both Koe and Martin win to move into the semi-finals where they'll be playing each other. 

Eric is home this week; Erica is glad for that. He's on his way back the The Pas now; Erica not so happy about that! The boys continue pretty much as usual. Liam is sure his hockey will improve if he can just get a fancy stick! Haaken is sure his guitar music will be better if he can just amplify it a bit louder!

Erin suffered another accident to her car as she was hit while parked outside of Grandpa's. She is also struggling to drive in the pile of early snows that have hit Regina. Kristian continues to progress well, and calls us on FaceTime which we enjoy a great deal! Mark stole a Scrabble victory from me this week, but mostly he's been very helpful. 

Trav continues with his business here. Joanna is helping with the sports photography side which this week has been doing hockey team pictures. Trav's Elks continue to do well, although they fell in the semi-final of the recent tournament. He has been having issues with the truck, so we have it now and are endeavouring to get it running properly again. We've installed new brakes, and are now looking to put in a new thermostat in an effort to overcome the heating issues. Joanna's team continues to lead the soccer standings. Andrew continues to heal his broken arm. Wendy enjoyed playing grandma-in-residence and taking Gemma to swimming this morning. We enjoyed meals with the whole crew on a couple of occasions this week.

And that's about it for this week.

News Update

It has been another great week in Florida, but we have now returned to the shore of Lake Superior. We plan to drive back to Thunder Bay tomorrow. The weather continued to be lovely this week with temperatures from 23 to 28 for daytime highs in the sunshine. We enjoyed having Howard & Diane stay with us. We did beach-combing, sight-seeing, muscle-car museum, not to mention a lot of eating! All were more enjoyable because we were able to share it with friends. It was special to be around to observe the election process in the states; we stopped in and got Obama pins at the local Organizing for America office and were whooping it up as the "Inexperienced Community Organizer beat the tar out of the Wall Street Titan" on Tuesday. My personal election stats guru, Nate Silver, picked all 50 states correctly, even beating his 49/50 record from 2008. The markets were troubled all week with large waves up and down before ending with a bit of recovery, however, it was a down week overall, and that included me. I got an email from the school-bus people inviting me to return to driving on Monday, so I plan to continue that until the Christmas break. There is still no snow in TBay, but they keep threatening! The Riders play in the Western semi-final tomorrow in Calgary. They haven't displayed much over the season to give us confidence, but hey, it's just two more games to win to get to the Grey Cup—Go Riders, Go!

 Eric drove to Saskatoon through the snow on Friday, and flew home today. Greg is visiting there just now. 

Erin & Kristian call regularly on FaceTime; it is good to catch up with them. All seems to be going well despite winter settling in to the prairies. Mark continues with his work, and is taking it easy on me in Scrabble.

Trav has been taking care of the house and mail while we've been away. Thanks. His Elks had a big win this week in a first place showdown. Joanna and Gemma seem to be doing well, but Andrew is in a cast after injuring his arm during wrestling practice. Sorry about that!

And that's about it for this week.

News Update

It has been a great week here on the shore of the Atlantic Ocean in our vacation villa. We have been enjoying the excellent weather (25 to 28 each day) along with the sights and activities to be enjoyed here in Port St. Lucie. We are located at the venue of three PGA courses, and while I've looked them over, I was more attracted to other excellent golf opportunities in the area. I have practiced regularly and played 45 holes of golf. The best deal I've found was $8 for a round, including cart. My first full game was good (+11), but the second was not so effective (+16). Wendy thinks I need to play more! She has been enjoying some time around the pool, and other times shopping, but mostly getting out to see the local sights. We have also been able to enjoy some time just relaxing together. The markets were closed in the US on Monday and Tuesday as a result of Hurricane Sandy. We made good gains all week until today when the markets lost a lot of value. Still I had a good gain this week, so I feel blessed. Today we drove over to Punta Gorda on the Gulf of Mexico side of Florida and awaited the arrival of cousins Howard & Diane from BC; they were delayed, so it was after midnight before they got in. The Riders completed their regular season with a meaningless loss against BC this evening, now it's on to the playoffs against Calgary. Go Riders, Go!

Eric continues to work in The Pas, while Erica experiences the joy of single parenting in Parksville! They have been relieved to get a new rental agreement on their place in Kenora. They have concerns over Eric's dad who is experiencing poor health, and is currently hospitalized. Haaken and Liam continue with their usual activities centred around school.

Erin, Kristian and Mark got to enjoy Hallowe'en in Regina. Kristian got quite a haul of goodies. Mark got to haul him around the last part of the expedition. Otherwise things are going well there, but they are not appreciating the onset of winter. 

Trav is taking care of the house back in Thunder Bay. He had two more winning games with his Elks this week. Joanna, Gemma and Andrew are carrying on with their own busy lives.

And that's about it for this week.