News Update

Another week has passed and we have journeyed to our next lake, and another favourite destination. We loved calling Yellowknife home for 18 years, and have really loved this brief return engagement! Simon & Lenore have hosted graciously and scheduled extravagantly. We close the week tired, very tired, but it's a good tired! We drove up to Manning on Monday, and completed the trip to YK on Tuesday. It was amazing to see and drive on the bridge over the Mackenzie River. We recalled how when we moved to YK in 1977, it was mostly viewed as a foolish dream, but here it was in reality. The bridge is roughly 1 km, and with the earth extensions from each bank, it crosses about 1.6 km of the river. 

Dehcho Bridge

Once we had crossed the bridge, we were on the lookout for Bison, and finally about 10 km from YK, we saw a cow and calf alongside the road. 

Bison Cow

She kept trying to block our view of the calf!

We've been able to visit the schools where I worked, and I was honoured to present the Technology Award kept in my honour at Range Lake North. The recipients had distinguished themselves in Web Page development in HTML5. 

Tech Award

We enjoyed hikes to Cameron Ramparts, and Cameron Falls. Simon & Lenore also introduced us to GeoCaching—what fun! The markets have been very bad this week as varied concerns from the US Fed decisions to the UK Brexit vote have kept investors worried. I hope I will start to catch up soon! The hockey season ended on Sunday with the Pittsburgh Penguins winning the Stanley Cup. We enjoyed that! The Blue Jays are playing better as well, and scrambling back into the playoff picture. 

Along the way, we have enjoyed sending messages back to our children featuring our adventures in YK. After all, Erica was only three when we moved there, and the other two were born there. It has been great to share the adventure with them once again. Travis & Joanna shared back the arrival of our new sofa! As predicted, it covers our pictures! 

I understand it sleeps three humans with ease! 

And that's about enough for this week! 

News Update

Ashley crowns Barry!

Another week has passed, and we have journeyed from the shore of Lake Superior to the shore of Lake Wascana. The main purpose of our trip was to be present for the wedding of our niece Ashley and her chosen man, Barry. We celebrated that occasion today, in Regina. We have completed most of the work on the living room, and cleaned things up in anticipation of being away for a month. It's looking much better already, and renovations continue. We still need to complete the work on the downstairs bathroom once we find a suitable shower unit, so the effect of a house taking care of all your extra time and money continues! I visited my oncologist on Tuesday morning, and we exchanged our usual pleasantries: "That feels pretty good." "No, it doesn't!" My PSA levels held around 11, so we continue our watching and monitoring. We drove to Brandon on Tuesday afternoon to visit with Bonnie and Charlie. They were full of questions about the situation in India; they are planning a trip there with Bob Parker. We hope we didn't just overwhelm them! We continued to Regina on Wednesday and moved into the downstairs bedroom at Erin's. Then, with the Baileys' arrival on Friday night, we've moved over to Dave's for the weekend. The markets took a vicious downturn this week, and my portfolio suffered as well. I was getting close to being on quota for the year to date, and now I've fallen back once again, sigh! I enjoyed a round of golf on Friday at Tor Hill with Dale and Mark. My driving was much improved with my two-glove approach, but the rest of the game was as shaky as ever—46-46-92. Wendy took part in a mammoth day of wedding decorations and flower arranging on Friday. It all looked great! Stanley Cup playoffs continue. I was hoping the Penguins would finish it off Thursday night, but they ran into a hot goaltender, so the series continues with the next game on Sunday night in San Jose. 

The Baileys are back in Regina this weekend for Ashley's wedding. They plan to build in some cousin-bonding time in the form of shopping for sharp duds for Kristian! Liam has entered the land of politics by running for and winning a place on student council at school as grade 11 representative for next school year. Congratulations! Liam had computer issues; he couriered his laptop over to Regina and I took it in to the computer tech here who had done good work on my laptop last year. We haven't heard about any solutions yet. Otherwise, they've had a quiet week, but it was nice to have some time with them this weekend. 

Erin & Kristian have been busy with hosting family this week. We moved in on Wednesday, and then the Baileys moved in on Friday. Kristian had a sports day on Friday at school, so Grandma and Grandpa enjoyed getting a chance to watch some of that. I delivered Kristian's golf cart which I had rebuilt to accommodate the height of his golf bag. He was immediately ready to go golfing! 

Trav, Joanna and crew are taking care of things at home. They are anticipating the arrival of Joanna's mom, and also awaiting the delivery of our new sofa to fill up some of the space that is now our living room. We plan for it to sit in front of those pictures against the end wall, so those may need to get raised and fastened to the wall! 

And that's about it for this week. 

News Update

Livingroom Hardwood is installed! 

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. The weather has been rainy, and I've struggled to find a date to water my dandelions! I finally got that done on Wednesday, and they're exhibiting the wonderful signs of expiring! We have continued to work on renovations, trying to get the main floor in livable condition before our planned departure next Tuesday. I have managed to get the hardwood laid, and it looks great. It started raining Friday night, thus my outdoor sawing program failed, and the installation of baseboard has been delayed. The markets have been whipsawed with news this week, especially on Friday, when the USjobs report surprised investors negatively, and the markets sold off. Still, I managed to have a great month of May, and have also managed to make my weekly quota to start off June in only three days. (Even the blind pig finds the odd turnip!) My gout treatment program is going well, and I have moved onto phase two. I am now taking both Colchicine and Allopurinol. It's hay fever season, so I am also on Reactine. Something has been contributing to fatigue the last few days, and I've been running out of energy in the early afternoon. I hope that passes soon. The Stanley Cup finals are underway, and the Penguins have won the first two games at home. Today, they faced the challenge of playing in San Jose, and that did not turn out so well! The Blue Jays are doing well lately. They have played eleven straight games against Boston and New York and have won eight of them! 

The Baileys have had a good week, despite an unfounded and endless supply of worries about tomorrow! This weekend they are back in Regina for LST Training, and a visit with Erin and Kristian. They are thankful for the support of family and friends in their fundraising program! Haaken continues to look for work. He has a lead on a part time job putting flyers into newspapers. We hope that pans out. Erica enjoyed her first week of not commuting to Saskatoon! It's also been a week of dusting the cobwebs off parts of her CA training that she hasn't used in a while. There have been some slow chugging, but she's getting back into the auditing framework! Eric enjoyed a quiet and good week, more so because Erica has been working close to home.

Erin and Kristian are hosting the Baileys this week, so she has a houseful. When she finds time, she is enjoying the new found success the Blue Jays are demonstrating. 

Travis and Joanna are off for yet another honeymoon trip this weekend, so we're watching over the children and varmints! Wendy is in grandma-taxi mode. It's all going well. Puckshots is busy with team photos for baseball, so that makes for good business. Trav got great news—he's been selected to coach a Midget A hockey team in the next season. He really enjoys that work and does a great job of it; we're glad for this vote of confidence. 

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 my hometown. We began the week in Lawrence, where we enjoyed the company of family and friends mostly connected to Zambia. Thank you Aunt Helen for hosting us! That enjoyable sojourn came to an end Thursday morning, as we caught a flight to Toronto and from there to Thunder Bay. The trip was not uneventful; we arrived in TO in the early afternoon, and since we were booked to leave there about 10:30pm, we began trying our luck at getting home earlier. We had no luck with that, as the earlier flights were not only fully booked, but overbooked! The single result from these efforts came to light when we tried to board our 10:30 flight and found out we were no longer booked to fly! Fortunately, they did have seats available on the flight and we were able to fly home. However, it was not as scheduled because our plane "went mechanical", and our departure was delayed about an hour while they arranged another plane. It is good to be home, but there is a lot of work to be done. I got the lawns mowed on Friday, and completed the removal of the carpets today. Now, we can get back to laying the hardwood. The markets were good to me again this week and I have achieved my quota for May, if I can just hold on! I've even managed to recover some of the missed quota from April. My gout treatment is going well; I have only experienced symptoms one day since I started colchicine. Next week, if all continues well, I plan to add allopurinol to the mix. Canada completed a successful run at the world hockey championship with a gold medal! The semi-finals are over in the NHL, only one of my picks has moved forward as San Jose surprised and delighted me by beating St Louis. I cheer for hockey teams based on style of play, and I like the way both of these teams play. I pick teams based on who I think will win! In the final I'm picking and cheering for Pittsburgh. 

The Baileys completed their trip to Victoria with a long day of flying and driving to get back to Saskatchewan, and to get Liam back to school. He is now off on a camping trip that somehow includes Banff and the West Edmonton Mall—that's what they call camping these days! Erica used up her holidays and had her final day at the University on Friday. Monday she stops commuting and begins at Deloitte. Eric has been asked to serve as Elder for their congregation in Prince Albert, and naturally we're very proud of both of them over this recognition. Haaken met with the University of Regina accessibility department as part of his preparation for university in the Fall. He is still trying to get a summer job. 

Erin has been enjoying the improved play from the Jays of late. Kristian is enjoying a few of the special outings and events that comes with the waning days of the school year. 

Travis & Joanna keep busy at their various assignments. Travis has been able to branch out with Puckshots and is taking some baseball team photos. He is also working his connections to try to get set up for a coaching assignment for next hockey season, and he seems to be getting close to finalizing it. He will be closely glued to TV the next while his beloved Pens play for the Cup. 

And that's about enough for this week! 

Happy May Long!

Zambia Connections!

Another week has passed, and we have left the shore of Lake Superior and journeyed southward to Lawrence KS. We have enjoyed a joyous reunion with friends from Zambia, Saskatchewan and Kansas. We are especially blessed to enjoy the gracious hosting of Aunt Helen—thank you very much! Wendy was able to make good progress on the living room painting, and I was able to get the new hardwood installed in the hallway before we left on Wednesday morning. It looks great! 

Wendy dropped a hammer on her toes—they do not look or feel great! 

I have completed one week of my new drug regimen for gout; I have only experienced symptoms one day, so that's encouraging progress. We have enjoyed touring the sites, museums and markets in Lawrence and Kansas City—where, of course, everything is up to date! The highlights for me included a golf outing this afternoon; I shot par—once. Out of nine holes that is not nearly enough! The markets have remained troubled, so, I am delighted to have been blessed with a good week, and I'm almost back on quota for the month. Hockey playoffs continue in the semi-final round with both series tied at 2 wins each. I've not been following those as closely due to the travel and visiting. The Blue Jays continue to struggle along; I need them to play much better! 

The Baileys have taken the opportunity of the long weekend to fly out to Victoria to visit family on the Island. We're sure they're having a good time! 

Erin suffered a mishap this week. At Kristian's insistence she was trying to jump up and smash a spider on the ceiling, but as she returned to earth she landed on Lego; it took a chunk out of her foot. So, she's a bit on the limp. She continues her barbecue education; this week she offered burnt offerings of both steak and pork chops. The adventure continues! 

Travis got some sad news. Thunder Bay minor hockey management determined that since more organizations wanted Midget A teams that some of the current teams would have to be disbanded! So, in their wisdom, they have revoked the franchises of his  team (the league champs) and another of the more successful teams—sigh! Otherwise, he, Joanna and crew are taking care of things back home. We are thankful for that. 

And that's about enough for this week! 

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. We opened the week with Mothers' Day; Wendy enjoyed thoughtful and beautiful gifts from the children! The weather has been lovely, but it has turned cooler for the weekend—drat! Wendy has pushed forward with the painting, and I've been helping with wall-patching. I'm also trying to plan the hardwood installation. I have not been out for golf as my gout makes walking difficult, however, there is good news on that front! As noted last week, I have been employing a few home remedies, and it seems there was some benefit, but not nearly enough. Wendy has taken up the cause, and is plying me with cherry juice, and cherries—although I'm allergic to cherries. Then, if the anaphylaxis doesn't kill me, I should get better! This week, she decided to wrap my foot in hot cabbage leaves overnight! Then, I guess, we would make halupki for lunch! I decided I should give western medicine another chance! The standard responses of medical science to gout are can't and won't! "Since you're having an attack, we can't prescribe allopurinol." "Since you're not having an attack, we won't prescribe allopurinol." Sigh! Fortunately, my niece, Joy, responded to last week's post with some advice. I took that advice with me to visit the doctor. After I related my long, sad story which would brings tears to your eyes, I told her of Joy's advice. Her response was music to my ears, "Your niece is exactly right!" The magic in it was the suggestion for colchicine. Colchicine works to relieve gout symptoms, while allopurinol works to reduce uric acid. It is often the case that allopurinol brings on a gout attack, so doctors had some reason in their reluctance to prescribe it. Now, I'm on colchicine until I have two weeks free of gout symptoms, then I will add allopurinol to the mix, but continue with colchicine until I have another two weeks clear of symptoms, and then continue with allopurinol for at least two more weeks. After that, they'll do more blood work to see where my uric acid level is. If it has not been reduced sufficiently, they'll increase the dosage of allopurinol. Anyway, I have hope for the first time in years on that front, and I've avoided the cabbage leaves! The markets were troubled all week, but I was blessed with good gains, so I've managed to make quota for a change! The second round of NHL playoffs has ended, and I managed to pick all four winners. In the semifinals, I'm picking Pittsburgh and St. Louis. The Pens opened with a loss, so that's a set back! 

The Baileys are busily working through some transitions. Haaken has registered at the University of Regina and is preparing for his new life there. The rest are getting ready for their trip to Estonia. Erica is ending her work at the University of Saskatchewan and getting ready for her new job at Deloitte. Eric was sick most of the week, so it made for a quiet week. Haaken has applied for some student jobs; hopefully, he will get something for the summer.

Erin and Kristian are moving into the final stages of another school year. We are already looking forward to our summer with Kristian. 

It has not been so busy for Joanna this week after the Mothers' Day rush, but she keeps at it. Travis has managed to push his Penguins through another series, but will have to get them to buckle down after they dropped the opening game of the semi-final. Meanwhile, he also keeps busy with work.

And that's about enough for this week. 

News Update

Mother's Day Bouquet and Gift! 

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. The weather had been great, and the golf courses are open. I have continued to practice, so my game is in tip-top shape!! And, as predicted, it did not survive its first experience on the course! My first nine featured one duck hook and two 3-putts, sigh! My gout continues to bother me, and I can't seem to get the doctors to prescribe anything to help me. I have found some relief in home remedies, however, lemon juice each morning, and baking-soda-water a few times a day are not my first definition of joy! Wendy continues to paint. The decorated wall took three coats of primer, and still the background can be seen if you look carefully. She is struggling with the choice of colour for the finish, but it looks like it will be one of the hues of light brown—who knew there were so many?! I have started preparing the floors for the hardwood. The wall where I'm starting has two doorways, so that takes extra planning, cutting and trimming. Once that is completed, we should make good time for awhile. There are also two closets in the early going which will retard progress. For yet another week, the markets have not gone well. I had a good day Friday, but one day does not a week make! I'm lagging. The NHL playoffs continue with some exciting play. My four picks: Pittsburgh, Tampa Bay, San Jose and St Louis just need one more win to capture their series. The Blue Jays are playing much better lately, but they have yet to make up for their earlier poor play! Let's go Jays! In the final event of the Curling calendar it was Reid Carruthers who prevailed for his first championship. This evening Wendy and I took in the annual Mothers Day concert put on by the local barbershop chorus—that was delightful! 

Liam got his braces off this week—yay! He celebrated with an apple. This weekend he plans to celebrate further with popcorn—real movie popcorn! The Baileys are back in Regina this weekend for university registration of Haaken. They never seem to get down there just to visit! Flights have been booked for the LST trip to Estonia this summer. Now all they need to do is raise the rest of the funds to pay for it! They have been consumed with watching the devastating news out of Fort McMurray. 

University Student

Pepsodent Smile

Kristian has been out shopping with Shawn to get a Mother's Day gift for Erin. We wonder what kind of Lego he may have picked out? We expect that by this age, he will extend himself into some item of greater interest in her world; inquiring minds wish to know! 

Joanna has been very busy again this week, as she has been putting in the contract hours in phlebotomy, more time on Puckshots, and extra time due to Mothers Day business. Trav is busy with his work, and trying to keep up with his beloved Penguins. Gemma and Andrew continue with their usual school work and activities. 

And that's about enough for this week. 

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. The weather has been nice, and we've been able to get out to enjoy it. Wendy is walking with her friend, Charlene, so my walks have tended toward the golf course! The driving range and practice area are open, so, now I'm even more certain that this is going to be a big year for me. That feeling will continue until seconds after I reach the first tee! Wendy has continued with painting all week. She has completed painting the living room and hallway ceilings. And she has the primer on the living room walls. There was a vibrant decoration on one wall, so it appears a second coat of primer will be needed. I've done some yard work, and the lawns are greening up. Wendy is still pondering what I should be doing with the back lawn. We had a dugout area for the trampoline, but she may be cancelling that. In that case, I will need to fill the hole, and plant it to grass. The rhubarb is up; it's always nice to see that each Spring. The markets began the week lousy, running up five straight days of red until finally things turned green for Thursday and Friday. However, I fell far short of quota for the month, and will have to try to make it up in May—what do you mean, "Sell in May, and go away!" Last year May was an excellent month; perhaps even more reason to avoid it this year! The first round of NHL playoffs are complete and I picked 6 of the 8 winners. The NHL brackets have placed the top two teams in each conference against each other, so I'm hard-pressed to pick winners in this round. I'm picking Pittsburgh and Tampa Bay in the East, and St. Louis and San Jose in the West. It was pretty tough picking against Washington and Dallas. The Blue Jays continue to play mediocre ball—not good enough guys! The Champions Cup is on in curling, the final event of the Grand Slam calendar. My guy, Kevin Koe, has made the playoffs again. 

Eric/A are in Regina this weekend along with Haaken. Erin and Kristian took Erica shopping for some new work clothes for her new job with Deloitte. Eric is looking for more staff at his place of work. They all got together to celebrate Eric's birthday tonight. 

Travis continues to be busy with work even though this is usually a bit of a down time of year. Joanna is getting some contract work in phlebotomy, and more equipment is arriving all week. Gemma is enjoying learning to drive, and always looking for more opportunities to do so. Andrew has upgraded his wardrobe—looking good! 

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, but cool, so things have not warmed up as needed to get the golf courses open. However, it's been nice to get out for daily walks. I've been practicing golf a bit each day, and am pretty sure this is going to be the year!! Ha, ha, ha! I obtained three new clubs for Wendy; I hope that encourages her to play some. She has begun painting in the living room, starting with the ceiling. The markets started off nicely, but two deeply red days at the end of the week took away the early gains and left me with a red week. We're considering some yard work; we'll see how far that goes! On Friday evening, we celebrated a Passover Seder for the first time; it was very interesting. Brad Gushue won the Players Championship in Toronto—he's gaining more prominence within the Canadian men's curling rankings. The first round of NHL playoffs continues; my eight picks are surviving. The Blue Jays continue to show promise, but not nearly enough performance. 

With the right costume...

Liam's play opened on Wednesday afternoon; it closes this evening. Eric, Erica and Haaken drove down to catch this evening's performance. Break a leg—Liam! They stayed overnight at Erin's and revealed a hole in her air mattress. Perhaps they will also figure out how to fix it! Haaken has been accepted in the University of Regina, Faculty of Media, Art and Performance in the Bachelor of Film Production program. He is very excited about his acceptance—congratulations Haaken! Registration is in early May, so there remains the possibility of hearing from Capilano as well. However, he is satisfied with the U of R, so perhaps the budding Saskatchewan film industry holds a place where he can use his gifts. Erica received and accepted a job offer from Deloitte in Prince Albert! She will need to serve some clients in Saskatoon, but it will significantly cut down on her travel time as they were able to figure out how an Audit Manager could do most of the work in Prince Albert. She is looking forward to starting the new program at the end of May. She may even explore a tax specialization! Eric's work had three people resign this week, so he's looking for prospective counselling and program staff. If you're interested, he's love to talk to you! He had a recent article on communication published—check it out, it's worth the read! 

Erin keeps busy with work and Kristian's school and social life. I have rebuilt a golf bag cart to fit Kristian's golf clubs, so we're looking forward to trying that out! This weekend, they've taken Aunty Erica for brunch and shopping. And then Kristian has a birthday party for his buddy Owen! Erin is enjoying practicing and learning about cooking on her barbecue. 

Travis and Joanna keep very busy with work. Joanna has a few assignments for her contract work in phlebotomy as well. Gemma is getting regular practice driving the car; that must be going well as they all make it back home after each trip! 

And that's about it for this week. 

News Update

Another week has passed, and we have returned to my hometown on the shore of Lake Superior, where the women are strong, the men are handsome, and all of the children are above average! We enjoyed a few more days in Regina, but with stormy weather threatening, we headed east on Wednesday morning. We stopped overnight in Winnipeg, hosted by Dean & Cassie, and fed the "fatted calf" courtesy Bob & Linda—thanks a lot, folks! It was great to catch up with the events of their lives. We continued east on Thursday, arriving in the early evening. It is nice to be home again. The weather has been nice here lately, and the snow is gone. We're enjoying warm, sunny days, and seeing how the lawns and trees have passed the winter. The golf courses are still closed here, but some of the greens have been uncovered, so it can't be long! The markets were all up about 1.5% this week as oil prices rallied to over $40. Producing nations are having a meeting this weekend; we'll be surprised if something productive comes out of that! Still, I had a great week, and have recovered to being on quota for the year to date. The World Curling Championship ended on Sunday, and Kevin Koe has brought back the gold to Canada; I was very happy to see that! This week they're playing in the Players Championship in Toronto, and they're in the playoffs again. In golf, the Masters also ended last Sunday, featuring a surprising collapse by Jordan Spieth. This opened space for Danny Willett to win the green jacket. NHL playoffs have begun, and some of my picks are struggling! I picked Washington, Pittsburgh, Florida and Tampa in the eastern series. I picked Dallas, Anaheim, San Jose and St Louis in the west. The Blue Jays are not playing well in the early season; I need them to pick it up! Go Jays! 

Erica had a followup meeting on Monday about the potential job in Prince Albert. That went well, so now we wait to see whether it turns into an offer. Liam is home again this weekend for a visit; it is always nice to have the kids come home. They got the motorcycles out of storage. Erica looks forward to riding back and forth to work whenever the weather cooperates. Eric has started teaching a class on Wednesday evenings. We think it's about anger management for teens. Haaken found out he gets some disability funding, so that will help bridge the gap until he finds suitable employment, or gets into school. This summer is projected to include a crash course in gardening. Their church is doing a community garden in cooperation with the city, and Erica is taking part. She's planning to grow corn. 

We are very thankful to Erin and Kristian for taking care of us the last few weeks. It's been great! I was able to help her get her barbecue repaired and operating, and then she treated us to a few meals featuring grill cooking. We also helped Kristian revamp his bedroom. Kristian has picked up the pace at school recently, and we're delighted when he comes home with no homework! 

Travis, Joanna, Gemma and Andrew managed the home place. Thanks guys! It was Gemma's 16th birthday on Friday. She celebrated by getting her learner's licence, and taking her family for a spin! We also enjoyed birthday supper and birthday cake. Minnie took us for a walk this evening.

Trav was awarded the coach of the year award for his hockey efforts! We are very proud of his work with the young men. 

And that's enough for this week. 

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Wascana in the middle of the prairies. The weather has been nice and I've been able to get out for golf practice regularly with Erin's clubs. Some courses are open here, but I haven't considered playing since my clubs are back in TBay. Kristian is back in school, and Wendy has been up at the hospital most of the time, so it's quiet around here all day. I've been fighting a cold since Tuesday. I could do without that! I've tried to get some extra rest, but with markets opening 7:30 here, and Wendy being her usual nighthawk, it's not easy! The markets turned over, as I suggested, but I finally got a green day on Friday to provide some relief. Still, it was a red week for me. Dad has been in the hospital all week, and was finally released today. They were unable to find a definitive answer to his low hemoglobin score, but after five units of blood, his numbers are holding above 100, and he feels much better. Villanova surprised UNC (and me) and won the NCAA basketball championship. Nothing left there but the shoulda, woulda, coulda! The hockey season is grinding to the end this weekend, and the playoff matchups are set. The Masters is set for an exciting final round on Sunday with Jordan Spieth, one of my favourites, leading the pack. I could see challenges coming from Jason Day, Dustin Johnson, or even a couple of lesser lights. Baseball opened another season this week; I'll be hoping the Blue Jays can have another good season. Men's Curling has gone wonderfully for Kevin Koe, and he's in the final tomorrow against Denmark. Japan and USA play for the Bronze.

Liam picked up a top hat at a shop in Saskatoon. It is pretty sweet!

Epic, Amazing, Cool!

Erica had an interview on Tuesday for a possible job in Prince Albert. She has another followup meeting scheduled for Monday. We are waiting to see how it all turns out. Haaken has made some final additions to his portfolio and it is now in the hands of Capilano University for consideration. Entrance is based entirely on the quality of his portfolio as compared to other applicants. He has also received word back from University of Regina asking for his transcripts, so that's another possibility. 

Kristian has had a good week in school. Erin had a good week at work. We had a good week staying at their place. Our plan was to head east last Monday, but Dad's illness intervened. Now, we are ready to plan our exit once again. We'll see how that goes! 

Trav's team completed their playoff run with an overtime goal to win the championship. Trav & Joanna and crew are still fighting to see the sunny side of Spring in Thunder Bay, so we're having many second thoughts about when we should return! 

We are the Champions, my friend!

And that's about it for this week. 

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Wascana in the middle of the prairies. We spent last week at the Baileys—thanks for a good and restful weekend! We drove down from PA on Sunday afternoon. Highway #2 was terrible, so we went east on the Yellowhead, and came down #6 to Regina. The weather has been more variable, but Kristian and I have been able to get out to play catch. We also checked out the golf course, but it still had the covers on the greens. It was over 20° here today; meanwhile, it's a snowy entry to Spring in Thunder Bay, so we'll have to stay here longer! Dad has been struggling throughout the winter with a lack of energy, and has lately been experiencing breathlessness. He went to the doctor this week, and after some blood work, he was admitted to the hospital on Friday as his hemoglobin was very low. He was given three units of blood and feels some improved today. They have scheduled further investigations next week, and we're glad to hear that. He was diagnosed with low hemoglobin four years ago when he had his accident, but it seems there has been no follow-up since then. Sigh! The markets remained helpful this week, but are showing signs of topping out again. However, I was able to complete a great month, and achieved quota for the first quarter of the year. NCAA basketball completes their playoffs this weekend, and I'm picking North Carolina to win it; they play in the final against Villanova. The NHL playoff picture is becoming clear. I am paying more attention to that, and will be choosing my favourites soon. The World Men's Curling championships opened today; Kevin Koe won his first game, which was against Finland. I'll be following that all week. It's also Masters week coming up—oh, the schedule! 

Liam was home for Easter break. Erica was back to work on Monday, but the rest of the crew enjoyed Easter Monday, hanging out, practising driving, and watching Netflix. Erica got called for an interview for a job in Prince Albert. We'll be watching to see how that all works out, and whether it's the change they're looking for! Haaken is updating his portfolio. The cutoff for submissions is April 5th. Since he's received some advice from one of his profs, he's working to make those improvements this weekend. Erica and Liam have joined us in Regina this weekend as they take LST training. Eric and Erica have decided to join the group as chaperones for the trip to Estonia this summer. 

Here in Regina, we have moved into Erin's basement. Kristian was off school for the week, so he's been taking care of us while Erin works—thanks buddy! Erin has come down with a cold; she's not enjoying that. Today, she took lessons on cooking ribs which we enjoyed for supper. It's been a good week; we've managed to get a few projects done here. We may prolong our stay until the situation with Dad becomes clear. 

Travis & Joanna are holding down the old home place in TBay. Joanna has gone down to southern Ontario this weekend to help out her mom. Trav's team is in the league finals, and we hope they finish it off strongly and successfully! They won the first game of the series, so they only need to win half of the remaining games to win it all!

That's about enough for this week! 

Happy Easter!

Another week has passed, and we have continued to move along from place to place. We enjoyed our Sunday morning with the folks at North Bend, and I was the featured speaker! We prolonged our stay with Howard and Diane until Wednesday so we could take in the Pizza & Pickin' night with uncle Bordie at the local diner. It was a good time! Thank you How & Di for the lovely stay. On Wednesday, we drove north and east to Hinton where we spent the night. We continued eastward to Prince Albert on Thursday where we moved in with the Baileys. On Good Friday morning we enjoyed a multi-church service with them, where Erica was one of the featured singers. We've enjoyed some down time here, and both got after some household tasks today. The markets were open only four days, and zigzagged up and down on alternate days, but with an overall small gain for me. There have been plenty of sports action with NHL teams playing out the last of the schedule and attempting to lock up playoff positions. On the other end of the standings, teams are looking to maximize their chances at the #1 draft choice! Women's curling has been the main attraction all week long with Chelsey Carey working through the struggles to nail down a playoff spot. She fell to Russia this afternoon, so she will move on to the bronze medal game tomorrow against Russia again. Japan has advanced to play Switzerland in the gold medal game. The Jayhawks ran out a comfortable win over Maryland on Thursday, but failed to take their place in the final four with a loss to Villanova this evening. This has been my expectation for them all season; I am very disappointed that they haven't made the final four. 

It's a wonderfully full house weekend at the Baileys with Liam home from school and now we are visiting as well. Eric and Erica were at their final French class this morning. They are doing a final presentation en français about a member of the family! I'm sure it was good and fun. After the multi-church service on Good Friday morning, there was also an Easter egg treasure hunt for Haaken and Liam, and lots of shared chocolate treats! And this is the weekend for Hometown Hockey in Prince Albert, so there was plenty of extra activity and excitement over that. 

Erin and Kristian are also on holidays for an extended weekend. Kristian continues with school break all of next week, so we plan to stay there and provide day care for him. This weekend they're helping Shawn, Astrid and Liam celebrate their new home. 

Trav & Joanna have been fighting snow in TBay and keeping up with work. Trav's team swept the second round of the playoffs, and are ready for the finals. Trav wrote a special feature on the team's "flow game" this week, which received notice by TSN. Nicely done! Gemma and Andrew are back from southern Ontario and into school again, but enjoying the four-day long weekend all the same. 

And that's about it for this week. 

News Update

Another week has come and gone, and so have we! On Sunday, we took our leave from Bern, Alicia, Logan and Dad to drive up to Edmonton. We thank them for the delightful and gracious way they took care of us over our weeks there. Once in Edmonton, we moved in with Jim & Carol; this was a great time as well—thank you so much! The first evening, Scott & Margaret (Dolly) came over and we enjoyed the time with all of them over a lovely meal. After another day with them, we headed out on Tuesday, taking time to check out their new house in Sylvan Lake as we drove to the Okanagan. There we moved into our reserved suite at John & Marion's. They took care of us famously for the rest of the week. Thank you very much! Around our visiting with them, we were also able to work in short visits with Warren & Evelyn in Vernon, and also with Lyndon & Janelle in Salmon Arm. It's been a full week! Finally, we drove out to North Bend today. We are staying with Howard & Diane. This evening, we enjoyed another meal as Uncle Bordie joined us around the table. The markets ran green most of the week, and by Thursday I had improved on my portfolio to the point where I had my quota for the first quarter—unfortunately, there was Friday, so I've fallen back, and work remains to be done! The Brier concluded on Sunday with my favourite, Kevin Koe earning the championship. He will proceed to the world championships in the next while, but this week, he's playing in the Grand Slam event, so we've been following that. Today, the women's world championships began in Swift Current with Chelsey Carey carrying the red & white! She opened with a win over Denmark this afternoon. I'll be following that all week. March Madness has begun, and my Jayhawks have had a successful first week, winning both games and moving into the Sweet Sixteen. There have also been a lot of upsets which keeps college hoops very exciting. 

Erica turned forty-two on Friday! Time certainly flies! Liam made an impromptu trip home to help celebrate his mom's birthday. He will head back tomorrow as he has four days of school left before the Easter break. He continues to prepare for his play. While Erica was searching Haaken's computer for tax information, she made an exciting discover about his grades from Capilano University last summer. There was an email detailing his achievement of a 3.91 GPA for his four summer classes, and his placement on the Merit List. However, he still has not been accepted into the Animation program. He is updating his portfolio in preparation for the April intake. He has also applied to the University of Regina Film program. 

Erin & Kristian are enjoying another week of normal activities. The weather has turned a bit cooler in Regina. We get regular updates on Kristian's school work via email each week. We are very thankful that Erin set that up for us. 

Travis & Joanna are holding down the fort in TBay on their own as Gemma and Andrew are visiting in southern Ontario. This made the 40 cm of snow that fell this week weigh particularly heavily on them! This also means that we cannot go home just yet! Trav's team is on hiatus as many of the players are on school break, but they'll be back to the battle in the second round soon. 

And that's about it for this week. 

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Wascana in the middle of the prairies. The weather has continued to be unseasonably warm and we're enjoying it very much. It was a winter of almost no snow here, and what did come is long gone. Golf is in the air! Wendy continues to limp with her sore knee; the meds provide some relief, but nothing in the way of healing! She celebrated her 66th birthday throughout the week, and was delighted with a special gift from her children in the form of a hot wax spa for her arthritic fingers—thanks folks!  The markets have continued the uptrend—that is good to see! The DOW and the S&P500 have both achieved the "Golden Cross", so I'm hope-filled! I managed to pick up almost a full month this week, so, I've gained quota for March, and trying to make up for the lack I had in February. It's been a full week of curling, and my four picks made the playoffs. Gushue beat Jacobs last night to advance to the final. Koe beat McEwen this afternoon, and then beat Jacobs in the semi-final tonight. So, it will be Gushue vs Koe in the final tomorrow and while I'll be cheering for Koe, I'll be happy either way. Golf is starting to get serious as we're in the countdown to the Masters. Hockey is in the homestretch and playoff races are tight—it's time to start paying attention! Basketball's March Madness is launching as the conference championships played out. The brackets will be announced tomorrow. Kansas had a good week with three wins, and enters the Tournament ranked #1 in the nation. Rock Chalk, Jayhawks!

Erica was sick most of the week, and stayed home Tuesday through Thursday with tiredness, cold and sore throat. She's limited to singing low notes for now! Eric is preaching this Sunday in PA. His topic is "Isaiah Points to Jesus". He wishes he had an easier topic, but Erica feels he'll do great and tell some deeply emotional story to leave everyone in tears. Eric/A continue their French lessons, and Haaken went along today to check out Saskatoon's delights. He went to a drawing class. Afterwards, they checked out a French bakery called Little Bird Patisserie. There are many interesting shops along 20th Street. They picked up a book call pop sonnets which features pop songs turned into the style of Shakespearean sonnets. They enjoyed reading those on the way home. Liam is in a play at school. They are in rehearsal just now, for a play date in late April. Haaken continues to wait on job possibilities, as well as hoping to hear from Capilano. He is also considering other universities. 

Erin has been busy with work, and with helping Shawn move into his new house. The place looks good, and only some minor renos were needed before he moved in. Kristian had Thursday and Friday off school so he spent them with us. He managed to get some homework done, along with a lot of down time and late nights with Grandma! He even scored a new jacket courtesy of one of Grandma's many shopping trips! 

Trav, Joanna and crew are managing things back in TBay. Trav's team has completed the regular season, and this week won their first round of the playoffs. Now, it's on to the semi-finals. Otherwise, we not hearing much, so we're assuming it's all good news on the home front. 

And that's about it for this week. 

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Wascana in the middle of the prairies. We had a cold snap on the weekend, but the weather has returned to mild, and we're enjoying 16 degrees today. We took a road trip over to Mortlach on Thursday to visit with Robert & Marilyn Peterson—they send greetings to all who know them! Robert sent us home with some deer sausage, and we enjoyed that with eggs for our brunch today—yummy! Wendy finally went to the doctor about her knee, but did not get much of a diagnosis—the doctor prescribed some extra strength pain killers and sent her on her way. The markets are showing positive signs; I hope this is the start of an uptrend. At least I had a good week, and picked up two weeks' quota. As expected, Carey (AB) beat Krista McCarville in the Scotties final. I'm okay with that. Kansas won big in Texas midweek, and then closed out the schedule with a win over Iowa State today. Now, it's March Madness time, and they're ranked #1! The Brier started today; it's a star-studded field. There are so many high profile teams it's impossible to pick a favourite. I'll be cheering for Kevin Koe, along with the SK team (Laycock), and also hoping Jamie Koe of the NWT plays well. 

The Baileys are here this weekend. We are glad to have some time with them. We're taking advantage to hold an early celebration of Wendy's birthday. We picked up Liam from school on Thursday, so he could get to the orthodontist on Friday (Yay!), and to his LST training today. He is planning to go back to Tallinn, Estonia this summer. Nothing has been heard back concerning Haaken's application to Capilano. 

We're enjoying spending some precious time with Kristian and Erin while we're in Regina. Erin had a positive job assessment this week, and was awarded a raise as well. Well done! She also set us up so we can follow Kristian's school progress on-line. We're glad to be able to keep track. 

Trav & Joanna continue to keep the home fires burning, and the home dryer drying! Trav's team has moved into the playoffs. They ended the regular season in third place, so they play the sixth place team in the first round. Wendy and Joanna talked on the phone for almost three hours one morning this week, so we should be updated—I've heard nothing! 

And that's about it for this week. 

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Wascana in the middle of the prairies. We continue to enjoy the favourable weather as winter avoids Regina this year. Friday was +14 when I grabbed a golf club and went for my afternoon walk. The week has gone well. Wendy has been busy as she completed several tasks in preparation for the weekend with the women (including Erica) at the Spa! She's in Moose Jaw this weekend, and reports to be enjoying it just fine!

Lookin' Good@Goofy Gala!

We're batching here at home, and struggling to keep body and soul together! The nice week of weather culminated in a BBQ supper tonight—thanks for the burn, Bern! The markets continue to be dismal, and with only one trading day left in the month, I feel I have no prospects to make quota this month. Fortunately, Friday was green, and I managed to make a weekly quota in just one day! I've been watching curling all week. Chelsey Carey of Alberta is in the final tomorrow, and tonight's semi-final saw TBay's Krista McCarville, beat Jones to advance to the final against Carey. Kansas played two good games, winning both to clinch the conference championship for the twelfth straight year. It is likely they will also be moved back to #1 ranking when those are announced later this weekend, and probably guaranteed a #1 seed in March Madness. 

The Baileys enjoyed the time in Paris and returned home to enjoy Spring! Paris was amazing; they report the highlights were Juno Beach, Disneyland Paris, Notre Dame Cathedral, the Louvre, Versailles and the Eiffel Tower! Although, chocolat chaud, and le pain au chocolat were right up there as well! They also caught colds over there, but Haaken seems to have been hit the worst—he's still coughing up phlegm. They flew back in on Wednesday evening, and we were able to give them a break by driving to Saskatoon, and ferrying Liam down to Caronport for school! They had already had a long day, and were very tired, and very thankful—pas de problème! Now they're all back at work and school and checking travel deals for the next big adventure! Haaken is anxiously waiting for a positive response from Capilano University—we pray that may be so.

Erin and Kristian have both been ill during the week and missed both work and school. They seem much recovered now, and we're enjoying Friday night together. Today, they enjoyed swimming, Boston Pizza and movie time! 

Trav & Joanna along with Gemma and Andrew are holding down the fort at home. There were some internet issues there, but finally we got enough of Shaw's attention to get it fixed. Otherwise things are progressing fine there. Trav's team picked up another couple of wins as they tune up for the playoffs. 

And that's about enough for this week! 

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Wascana in the middle of the prairie! They have no winter here. We've been enjoying above zero temperatures, although several days were cloudy. I have been suffering with gout all week in my right foot. It was brought on by a sweet dessert last weekend that contained high fructose corn syrup which seems to be my kryptonite! Thus I am unable to drink ordinary pop, and most sweet confections. I am able to enjoy the sweetness of honey and maple syrup, at least! I was to the doctor finally on Friday, hoping to get a prescription that would remove the uric acid from my system, but I ran into a Catch 22 that I've hit before. This doctor explained that using such was not approved during an attack because it caused increased pain. Then, if I return when I'm not having an attack, it's not prescribed because my uric acid levels are too low to warrant it! Sigh! Anyway, the pain is diminishing, and I have been able to get out for walks each day. Wendy slipped on the ice last weekend, and suffered bruises, scrapes and abrasions on her arms and legs. She's been hobbled all week, and is not fully recovered yet, but is much improved. The markets were closed on Monday, but ran nicely green on Tuesday through Thursday, and I was able to achieve some good gains. Sports have turned very busy with Scotties Curling on TV two or three times each day, Hockey surging into the trade deadline, trying to decide who will be buying and who will be selling. Basketball is driving toward March Madness, trying to get a favourable seeding. The Jayhawks scored two impressive wins this week, while some of their rivals fell back; they've been raised to #2 once again. The Scotties opened with upsets as the defending champs, and the highly ranked Ontario team, both lost. Alberta looks strong, and have the benefit of playing at home. 

The Baileys have been in France this week enjoying the cultural and historical richness of Paris and the WWII memorials. We look have been following their trip via FaceBook and look forward to hearing even more about it in person upon their return. 

Erin had Monday off (Family Day), so we enjoyed spending the day with her. Kristian had the whole week off from school, and we enjoyed having him with us. Grandma scored him a new pair of jeans as well, so it was a good week for him. He got all his homework done, and learned to play his recorder a bit better. Shawn's house sale fell through, and he's still looking. 

Trav and his team went through the tournament in Wisconsin undefeated to win the championship trophy. Now they're focused on completing the season strongly so they can get a bye in the first round of the playoffs. Joanna remains busy; Gemma and Andrew are back at school. We are so glad to have them all there taking care of the place. 

And that's about it for this week. 

News Update

Another week has passed and we have moved from the shore of Lake Superior to the shore of Lake Wascana in the middle of the prairie. The snow stopped in Thunder Bay, but the weather turned cold. Now they're promising to moderate the temperatures as we move into the new week. In the meantime, we drove out to Regina on Friday where they're still waiting for both snow and winter. I don't know where the snow stopped—the ditches were full west of Winnipeg, but suddenly, in the dark, we noticed there was no snow in the ditches, and it stayed that way the last hours into Regina. There is no snow and mild temperatures here as well. And we get to enjoy the warm hospitality of Bern, Alicia and Logon while we stay at Dad's place. The markets continued to be very bad the first four days of the week, but Friday turned green, and I was able to make a recovery back into the green. I'm no where near quota, but at least I'm green again. 

Al Kweyder Family

Our Syrian refugee family arrived on Friday. We have much work still to do, as we help them adjust and integrate into our country and community. A furnished house has been made available and we have attempted to get it cleaned and ready. 

The Jayhawks were upgraded to #6 in the rankings, and they may rise again after they put in good efforts in two big games this week. Early in the week, they avenged an earlier loss to #10West Virginia, and then today, they went into #3Oklahoma and got a road win over the Sooners. Rock Chalk! And they're back in first place, too! Curling continues with Brier representatives being named in the remaining provinces. My guy, Kevin Koe, is in the semi-final in Alberta. Steve Laycock won Saskatchewan for the third straight year. Jamie Koe is back from NWT. Pat Simmons will return as defending champion. Brad Jacobs is in the final back home in northern Ontario. The NHL is grabbing attention as teams start making trades to build for the playoffs, or to start a longer term process. 

Eric/A and boys are off to Paris. It has been a busy week getting everything ready and completing their three French classes as part of their preparation. It's a good thing they have Liam and his eight years of French Immersion! They did take time to install the new washer & dryer, so that's in place for their return. Haaken launched a web comic this week while he waits to hear about this application to Capilano University. They are all excited to get going on their adventure; we wish them an enjoyable and useful time in France. 

Erin and Kristian had a favourable report from the optometrist on Monday, but the vision in his right eye remains somewhat weak. However, nothing was considered in the way of glasses so I guess it's within tolerances, although his left eye is certainly stronger. Erin got a new set of knives for her kitchen, as Kristian showed new aptitude and interest in cooking, and assisted in making homemade soup! Shawn bought a house; we look forward to checking it out. 

Travis is off this weekend with his hockey team to a tournament in Wisconsin. That last we heard they were in the semi-finals. Joanna, Gemma and Andrew are holding things down in frigid TBay. They will be taking care of things back home for the next month or so, as we sojourn in the west. 

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 continues to be nice with single digits of frost only, and little in the way of new snow. As usual, the streets and roads remain slushy in the salt treatments they use here, and the driveway was able to burn off in the sunshine despite the below zero temperatures. Wendy continues to work on the shower selection, but we're not prepared to open that can of worms in light of our imminent departure for the west. The markets have been down again this week, and even more so on the US side as we seem to be back in the "good news is bad news" phase. We haven't had good news in Canada, as the energy sector continues to fall despite some improvement in oil price. I have been working on some new investment plays to deal with our troubled situation, and finally moved from paper plays to actual investment on Friday, and there's always some initial excitement on a new play. We've had news that our refugee family has been identified. We look forward to their arrival in Thunder Bay. The focus this week was to collect clothing now that we know the make up of the family—dad, mom and four children. We had a memorial for Adam on Tuesday evening—that was the young man from our congregation who was killed in La Loche. It's another weekend with lots of curling as the provincial playoffs for men is underway. As expected, the Jayhawks were dropped and now sit #7 in the country. They won their games this week, and looked pretty good for the first half of the game today against TCU. It's Super Bowl weekend, and since my guy, Peyton Manning, is there, I'll be monitoring that, but his team is actually given no chance to beat Carolina. Hockey is beginning to heat up as we're into the last half of the regular season and playoff races are attracting attention. 

The Baileys have had a quiet week. They have been completing preparations for their trip to France, and completing assignments at work. Liam is advising that only twelve weeks remain until something happens! Inquiring minds wonder what that might be! Liam turned 16 this week, and Haaken hits 19 tomorrow. The family celebrated last weekend when Liam was home. Eric took the air hockey table to work which cleared off some space in the basement. Their laundromat posted new hours which makes it more difficult to use, so they're now contemplating the purchase of a washer/dryer combo of their own. 

Erin, Kristian and Sadie have also enjoyed a quiet week. Kristian has had lots of homework, but he's managed to keep it completed on time. His eyes have improved, so they're looking forward to his appointment with the optometrist on Monday. They are continuing to learn how their house operates through the first winter there, but all seems to be going well. 

Travis, Joanna, Gemma and Andrew have continued with their usual activities. Joanna was hired on a contract basis as a phlebotomist. Congratulations! We'll now wait to see how much time they'll be asking of her. She keeps plenty busy without this new job, but it is her training and she wanted to keep her foot in that door. Trav's team has been busy with both league hockey and a tournament. They continue to pressure the front runners in the league, but haven't yet made up for their poor start to the season. 

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 several dumps of snow, so we've been busy on the driveway. Wendy helps out with that. It's above zero again this weekend and water is running on the streets and driveways. The markets have remained volatile, but it appears they may have turned the corner as gains were achieved this week. I had an excellent week, and almost made quota for the month; this is gratifying as the TSX is down 1.5%. The US indices also seem to have turned upward, but remain further in the red to this point. In basketball, my Jayhawks lost in Iowa early in the week, but returned home to beat Kentucky this evening. Their mediocre work last week dropped them to #4 in the rankings, and they may drop again after this week's efforts. Rock Chalk boys! I've been watching the Junior Curling championships this weekend. It'll be BC vs NS in the women's final, and MB vs N.Ont in the men's final; both games are set for tomorrow. 

Liam is home for the weekend. Friday was a school holiday, so they picked him up on Thursday. He's been having issues with an ingrown toenail, so they made use of the bonus day to get that operated on—these folks know how to have fun! This weekend features a celebration of the boys' birthdays with movies, pizza and crazy cake—that's more like it! Liam turns 16 on Thursday, and Haaken turns 19 next Sunday. Amazing how they're aging so quickly while the rest of us remain the same! Haaken continues with work around the house while he is applying for jobs and following up with potential employers. We pray something will come through soon. 

Erin and Kristian have had a good week. Erin's pushing has moved the school forward toward a new FM system for Kristian's hearing. Kristian had a good week in school. Sadie got her hair cut and styled! Kristian got his hair trimmed as well! 

Travis & Joanna remain very busy with work, and Joanna has received an invitation to apply on some contract work. She's somewhat interested. Gemma and Andrew are in the transition phase between semesters with exams and new course work to consider. Gemma made a nice batch of cinnamon buns, and both have helped out on the driveway clearing. 

That's about it for his week. 

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. The weather was cold over the weekend, but has moderated to just single digits below zero, and the driveway has burned off in the sunshine. We got the renovated washroom ready in time for Travis and Joanna's return from the Dominican Republic, but there will be more work there once the new shower stall arrives. It's looking better anyway, and the new, insulated floor surely helps. I replaced the bad ABS joint, so that part is good now. Wendy primed the drywall, and we'll paint the whole thing once it's completed with the new shower. The markets have remained volatile, but I had an excellent week, and have moved into the green for the month, although the index remains down 4.8%. North America won the Continental Cup of curling, but it was close. The Jayhawks played two more subpar games this week, but won one of them. However, they've been dropped to #3, so I hope that encourages them to work harder! Women's provincial curling championships are on; I'm tracking results as well as watching a few of the games. 

Haaken continues to apply for jobs and call back to potential employers about his status. We do pray for job for him, although now there is the complication of a planned family trip in three weeks. Eric has been able to end the bus commute, as they got their CRV back on Thursday from its deer inflicted damages. Eric/A are in Saskatoon this weekend as they've begun French classes in preparation for the trip. Liam continues at school, but expects to rejoin the family next weekend. They continue with their downsizing efforts. Next in line is to eliminate Partylite and Tupperware! They are also finalizing plans for the trip to Paris. A small recovery in the loonie may allow them some savings on the exchange!

Erin has been working over some options for improving Kristian's hearing experience. She's pressing the school to upgrade their FM system, so Kristian can receive sound directly through his hearing aids. Otherwise things continue well as they experience their first winter in their first owned home. Erin now has a blood pressure machine, so she can monitor her BP at home. Kristian got to go skating and sledding this week; he had a great week in school with no extra homework because he was doing so well. 

Travis and Joanna returned on Tuesday evening. They really enjoyed the time at Punta Cana, and had clearly been absorbing a few rays while there. Now, they're back to business. Gemma and Andrew are in exam time for the end of semester 1. They both do well at school. 

And that's about enough for this week. 

News Update

Winter has come to our home on the shore of Lake Superior. We've had a good dump of snow, and I've been clearing the driveway on Thursday and Friday. We've been working all week on a renovation of the downstairs bathroom. I have the plumbing done, although I may buy a replacement for one joint where the glue set up before I had it at the angle I wanted. We got the new flooring down for most of the room, except under the shower, since we're still waiting for the new shower stall to arrive. I got the first coat of mud on the drywall this evening. The markets have continued their downward slide although I did get my first two green days of the year. Still, not making any gains, but at least I've stopped the bleeding. The opinions of the experts are not encouraging. All indices are down over 7% already this month. I've reduced my investments, but if this continues, I will reduce further next week. Brad Jacobs and Jennifer Jones won their respective Skins championships last weekend. This week it's the Continental Cup in Las Vegas. Kevin Koe, Pat Simmons are representing North America on the Men's side, while Jennifer Jones and Rachel Homan are on the Women's team. To this point, the World Teams are leading, but the big points are tomorrow, and nothing has been decided yet. The Jayhawks played two mediocre games after their big triple overtime win over the Sooners. They lost earlier this week, and made a better effort to win today. Still it seems certain they will lose their #1 status when the new rankings are announced tomorrow. Rock Chalk Jayhawks!

Liam is home this weekend. He's playing drums for the worship team! Baileys are also making some final plans for their Paris trip. Part of those plans is hoping for the exchange rate to improve over the next few weeks, but their financial advisor advises that that's not going to happen! Haaken has submitted his application for Capilano University. He is putting the finishing touches on his portfolio as well. He continues to apply for work and make follow up calls on resumes he's distributed, but nothing has come through yet. Tonight, they are enjoying The Martian in 3D. Later, they may enjoy a non-festive showing of Die Hard in honour of Alan Rickman.

Kristian has experienced both ups and downs at school! We're cheering for more ups! Erin is back in good health, but intervention continues on her blood pressure medication. Sadie seems to be having a solid week!

Trav & Joanna started the week with more photo shoots of the hockey teams in Nipigon. They're narrowly missed getting stranded by the bridge failure there. On Tuesday morning, they left for a week in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. They seem to be having a great time there! Gemma and Andrew are keeping us company here in the frozen north!

And that's about it for this week. 

News Update

The first week of a new year has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. The weather has continued very mild (most days above freezing) with some snow and showers to add to the mix. It has turned colder today, -10, so now it's icy on the vehicles and driveway. The streets that haven't had much traffic are likewise slippery. Wendy has been busy with puzzles, and I try to locate an occasional piece! We've had a terrible, no good, very bad week on the markets. It's been the worst opening week ever recorded, and I suffered along with the indices. According to my definition (short term average falling below long term average) the TSX has been in a bear market since last June, and now others who use the -20% definition have joined my analysis. Anyway, it's been hard to make money in the current circumstances. However, there were strong economic indicators both sides of the border as jobs data were positive, although some pundits question the quality of jobs created here. However, it seems the main issues are elsewhere, where softness in China meshes with softness in the rest of Asia and Europe and leaves investors feeling negative. The World Juniors had an exciting conclusion as the host country Finland beat Russia in overtime to win Gold. The NFL season has moved into the playoffs and my guy (Peyton Manning) is back at the controls, so I'll be following that. The Jayhawks were awarded #1 seed after their win last Saturday, but were sorely tested before beating the Sooners in triple overtime on Monday night—it was fun to watch!. They travelled to Lubbock and beat TCU tonight in a poorly played game—still a win! This weekend is the Skins game in curling, so I've been enjoying that. Sweeting and Jones are in the women's final. Gushue will face Jacobs on the men's side. 

Eric/A and the boys are still basking in the after-glow of the Force Awakens! Their FaceBook entries continue to be dominated with references to the movie and expectations of the next one! We really enjoyed it as well. Erica had some extra excitement this week as she hit a deer on her way to work—some repairs may be needed to the bumper and grill. The deer ran away—should be charged with leaving the scene! Otherwise they're involved in a version of Spring Cleaning—they're searching, sorting, and discarding stuff! Since it's still Winter, we'll call it, "Searching for the Camera!" 

Erin has experienced much improvement in her infected finger, and it appears to be well. She is also being treated for high blood pressure, and more work remains to be done there. I told her that high BP is an inherited disease and she thought I meant because Wendy has high BP, but I corrected her understanding—we get it from our children! Since she was working with Kristian on his math, she was quick to agree! 

Travis and Joanna are busily engaged in the Puckshots business again. They had eleven teams scheduled for photographs this week to raise their total to ninety-three this season. I noticed one cute piece of photographic magic that Trav uses to provide better-than-expected service to these teams. Why should a picture lose value just because one guy is not wearing skates?! 

And that's about it for this week! 

The Year/Week that Was

Another year/week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. It has been another year of adventure with my best friend, Wendy. We began the year with two months on Vancouver Island,  where we were hosting Haaken as he finished his high school program. We took a tour to visit family and friends in Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas in the early Spring. We spent most of the summer in Regina providing day care and golf practice for Kristian—that was a pleasure! For October and November we joined a team for a mission to India where we enjoyed working in the schools and congregations connected to Ray McMillan's work there. After another short sojourn on the prairies, we closed out the year in the comfort of our house on Lake Superior. We have spent the week leading up to the new year making great efforts to clean up the turkey and baking leftovers! I've enjoyed too much of both! The weather has remained unseasonably warm, but we did get a little snow at least. The Santa Claus rally in the markets ended way too soon as Wednesday and Thursday suffered deep losses and I barely had any gains for the month. World Junior Hockey has completed the preliminary round and moved into the playoffs. Our guys did not perform well, but we made the playoffs. However, we lost today to Finland, so we're out of the tournament. The US college football playoff began yesterday, but my Sooners lost out, and my interest died with them! The Jayhawks have completed their preseason schedule and enter the regular season ranked #2 in the country—I guess that means they will try harder! They did today, opening conference play with a win over Baylor. 

News from the family in Saskatchewan has been slim as they're busy enjoying the festive season as well as getting back to work. We wish them all well in the new year. The weather has been nice there also, so they've been able to get outdoors to play in the snow and enjoy the scenery. Trav, Joanna, Gemma and Andrew are managing some relaxing, but also have some photoshoots and hockey card orders to complete.

And that's about it for this time. 

Money Management 2015

Happy New Year! 

2015 was a year many in the investment community will wish to forget. All North American indices struggled, and most were down. The TSX, which I invest in, suffered the most (-11.1%), and only the Nasdaq was in the green, gaining 5.7% for the year. The broadest index, the S&P500 was pretty much flat (-0.7%), so that gives the clearest definition of how things went. There were opportunities, especially for those who play the markets both ways, and also for little guys like me who can manage their buys and sells more nimbly. In the final summation, I did well, not quite up to quota, but at least managing to cover the payouts we have planned for our retirement needs. It helps that both of us qualified for our OAS this year, hitting the magic 65 for the government to begin paying us! That lowers our needs from the investments, and we've finally begun building up our TFSAs once again. Big thanks are due to Wendy, as she does the work to maintain our household budget, and keep us on track with our expenditures. It has also been great to have my brother to chat with every day; we are able to bounce ideas off each other even though we invest in different markets. And, of course, it always leaves us with someone else to blame!! 

We are well blessed financially, and it remains my assignment to continue to try to learn better ways to manage and invest the accounts. I hope for positive markets in 2016.