News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of the South Saskatchewan at the top of the prairies. The weather has returned to seasonal norms, and we're finding it too cool! There were showers in the area, although we didn't get much rain. We hope the forest fires across the north were held back somewhat. We still experience some smoky days. We continue to make slow progress on the renovations. This week was a big push on the bathroom/laundry room on the main floor. We got the plumbing and electrical completed, the ceiling redone, and the shower installed. We hope to complete more drywall next week, but we're held up as we wait for the windows to arrive. Wendy has been working on wall repair in the Master Bedroom, and is almost ready for paint there. I still have two other walls to build there. NAmerican markets were all in the green this week, and I had a great week, earning a week and a half quota, so that gives me some recovery. The Riders won in Hamilton this week despite having their starting QB on the injury list. Yay Riders! The Jays have been playing better lately, and are managing to cause trouble for some teams that are actually in the playoff races!

Wendy's Wall Repair

Shower Area

Laundry

Eric and Erica have their regular work to deal with each day. They also got some bad news as the sunroof on their CRV shattered for no known reason, so they'll have to get that fixed. They also pitch in on the renovations as time and energy permit. Today, they laid the interlocking tile floor for the new bathroom—looks good! Haaken reports that things are going well at college in Victoria, and that he's getting around well. Liam is getting into his graduation year at Caronport. 

Kristian is celebrating his 12th birthday today. He started off with league bowling this morning, and has raised his average by about 20 points since last season—good improvement, buddy! His birthday celebration continued all day long with food, shopping and a movie! Erin had a bad week as she fell ill with was eventually called gastro-enteritis. She experienced a lot of pain and missed a couple of days of work, but seems to be on the mend now. 

Trav & Joanna, along with Gemma and Andrew seem to be keeping busy and doing fine. We're waiting for an update on Gemma's arm—we hope that is healing well. 

And that's about it for this week. 

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of the South Saskatchewan at the top of the prairies. The weather has continued to be about 10 degrees hotter than average, and that's not comfortable for me. Today, Eric and I played in a golf outing, and our team won! But it was over 30°, and that's too hot for me to enjoy the out-of-doors! Smoke from forest fires in northern Saskatchewan have been bothering us as well. We've continued our work on the house all week, and made some progress. All the new windows are now ordered, and we have a guy contracted to install the upstairs ones. We'll do the downstairs windows ourselves. We'll also do the interior finishing of all windows. We had a sinking adventure this week as we tried to assess and solve a plumbing problem. It has left us using a 20 litre pail to catch the drain from that sink as we wait for a plumber to replace the drain line. Progress is slow, but we're making headway. I hope to complete the downstairs bathroom and laundry room next week. Wendy assists with the work, manages the laundry and meals, and keeps us moving forward. They've ordered LED potlights, and I'm really impressed with how nicely they work. Roiled by Trump and other disasters, NAmerican markets were all red for the week, and so was I—sigh! In sports, the Riders came off their impressive Labour Day win, with a not-so-impressive Banjo Bowl loss. Go Riders, Go! The Jays are playing out the string now in the final weeks of the season during which they never managed to get to .500! 

1.5" iron drain pipe was not flowing well!

Box Spring couldn't make the stairs!

Eric and Erica were back to work after enjoying the Labour Day weekend. On Wednesday, Liam drove the Jetta to Caronport to begin his grade 12 year. Eric rode along with him on the bike, and returned home that evening. Erica has come down with a bit of cold, so we hope that gets better soon. They also help with renovations, after work and on the weekends. We got the hardwood flooring sanded out upstairs and in the laundry room last week. 

Erin and Kristian had a busy week as he started school again. He came up on the limp as he sprained his ankle on the first day of classes. However, he was feeling a bit better by today, and gamely threw three games of bowling with above average scores—good job, buddy! It is his right foot, so at least doesn't interfere with his slide step as he delivers. They've also been shopping for school supplies, school clothes and new blinds. 

Trav & Joanna attended the U-18 World Baseball Cup today. Canada won over Cuba, and now plays Japan for the bronze medal. Well done, boys! They're seeing business pick up again, and looking forward to a good month. This week they got an order from Kerrobert Tigers! Word gets around! Gemma and Andrew are back at school. We hope Gemma is healing well from her burnt arm. 

And that's enough for this week. 

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of the South Saskatchewan at the top of the prairies, and we continue to enjoy summer weather here in Prince Albert, about 10 degrees above average. Progress on the house renovations continues slowly, but about as fast as we can work! For sure, there are delays from the lack of available materials, especially windows, but, truly, we have plenty more to do than we can manage in any given day. This week we have moved on to stripping and sanding the wood floors in the bedrooms and hallway upstairs. We have a sander rented for the weekend, and are making good progress. We anticipate having the floors ready for refinishing in the next couple of days. We continue to solicit quotes on the window replacements in the second floor; as a result, those windows have not been ordered yet. We have decided to do the window replacements for the ground floor, ourselves, and those windows have now been ordered. The new shower, vanity and fixtures have been purchased or ordered for the downstairs bathroom. We still need floor covering decisions there. The laundry room fixtures are now bought, but remain to be installed. We also have to move a heating vent in that room. Wendy keeps up with the shopping for these items, as well as working on wall stripping of old wallpaper in preparation for glazing and painting. Most days, she is also involved in preparing supper. All NAmerican markets were up a bit this week, and that helped me have a good week, but I did not make quota for the month. The Riders are prepared for the Labour Day matchup with Winnipeg—we'll be cheering! The Jays have slipped into the role of spoilers, and have managed a couple of wins from the Orioles this week. 

Concerning the Bailey household, Erica writes: The big news here was Liam's successful completion of his driver's exam! Beware! Progress continues on the home renovations, thanks to our special consultants. Who says consultants cost a lot and do little? These two are worth their weight in gold! The city fixed the pipe in front of our house on Wednesday. We celebrated with the flushing of toilets, baths, showers, laundry and then, oops—sewage was backing up again! In comes Roto Rooter and they discovered a grease clog in the city pipe past the section they just fixed. So now we are recovering from PP PTSD and learning to trust the plumbing again. This weekend we've rented a sander and are putting Liam to work refinishing the floors. Also on Wednesday, an article was published on my Lipedema story in the local paper. We hope that it helps other women and, hopefully, doctors, recognize the disease! We also found out how that we've received $3305 in donations against the costs of my surgeries from family and friends! Thank you so much. What a blessing! 

Erin and Kristian continued preparations for another school year. This week, Erin was back to work, so Shawn pitched in to help with daycare—thanks man! Kristian reports a good week, and doing some outside stuff! 

Trav & Joanna did not have a routine week! Gemma had an accident with a cup of very hot tea last weekend and suffered second-degree burns to her left forearm. We've seen the pictures—it's ugly! She continues to resolve the pain issues with T3's and is under the care of a plastic surgeon for repairs to her arm. She has quit one of her jobs, but she and Andrew continue to work for the next while and prepare for school opening next week. We wish her the best as she recovers, and also for the peace of mind for Trav & Joanna. They've had a good month at Ulrich Design, and look forward to continued revival from the summer low period. 

And that's about it for this week. 

News Update

Another week has passed, and we remain on the shore of the North Saskatchewan at the top of the prairies. We are helping with Eric/A and Liam in the renovation of their new home in Prince Albert. The weather remains hot, and we find that a bit difficult, but at least there's a small air conditioner, and it does cool down nicely overnight. First on the agenda, the master bedroom: we commenced by dismantling a pair of the old double hung window units, so we could see what we're dealing with, and inspect the condition of the framing. It turned out the framing was rotten, so we're back to the rough opening where the material is sound. Then, I turned to the electrical problems which are many. Our electrician came by and is working to replace and upgrade the panel; he hopes the service is sufficient, but has a fall back for that as well. We'll see how that all works out. The main issue for me to solve was how to get wiring through the lath/plaster walls to the second floor bedrooms. Two days of drilling, fishing, and trying a different route was marked by way too many tours from basement to top floor, but eventually we got a fishing line set ready to pull the new lines. What a relief! Aside from the demolition, we've been shopping windows all week, and finally feel that we are near a solution. Windows, especially custom windows, are an important (expensive) aspect of a house. Wendy has been busy with me, but also busy at cooking, cleaning and rearranging boxes so we have room to work. The plumbing will remain problematic until the city clears the sewer line completely. Wendy is able to do a load of laundry if she manages the pump out to keep the sewer from backing up—fun! NOT! Eric/A are working each day, but Liam provides able assistance, and the whole crew gets involved in the evenings. Trump continues his turbulent way, and the markets whipsaw with the sentiment. Overall, NAmerican markets were up a bit this week, and I had a good week, but did not make quota. I only have four days left to catch up! The Blue Jays continue their up and down action as well, but at least they ended the week with a win. The Riders came back from bye week, put up a good showing against the league-leaders in Edmonton, and came away with a comfortable win. Go Riders, Go! 

Aside from their respective careers, and working on house renovations with us, Eric/A are monitoring Haaken's preparations for school in Victoria, and assisting with that. He's working on student loans and the practical issues of getting around Victoria on his own. 

Erin and Kristian have enjoyed a week of holidays together. This is a rarity for them, and they found they liked it a great deal! Sadie got a haircut. Kristian is getting down to the crunch on his preparations for another year of school. Erin has continued with decorations and development of her condo. She has enjoyed a well-earned week of relaxation! 

Travis and Joanna have been available for a chat, so we were able to catch up with them. The lawns are slowing down, so that helps. Work remains steady for them, and they continue to find new prospects. Gemma and Andrew are near to winding up their summer work, and getting ready for the school year as well. It's grade 12 for Gemma, and her plans for the future are developing more solidly. We're looking forward to watching and cheering! Andrew is going into grade 11; he is also a solid student. 

And that's about enough for this week. 

News Update

Another week has passed and we have spent part of it on the shore of the North Saskatchewan, then several days on the bank of the Souris, and ended the week on the bank of the Wascana—all in the middle of the prairies! The weather has been very nice in support of our various activities. We drove from PA down to Regina on Sunday evening, moving in with Erin & Kristian once again—thanks! On Monday, we drove down to Weyburn to celebrate the 50th reunion of the class of '67. We were the under-classmates of these folks and it was great to see them again and catch up on their stories. Dave & Heather did a great job of organizing the activities and preparing the menu. I even managed some golf at the Weyburn Golf Club—home course of Graham DeLaet. It is somewhat improved from my recollections of five decades ago, and I enjoyed the round with Brian and Waverly. We returned to Regina and closed out the week here. The markets were in turmoil of Trump and his support of the white supremacists, and all ended the week in the red. I feel blessed to have had a good week in such circumstances and am on quota for the month so far. Wendy and I helped in a support-role for the reunion, and then she took the lead in preparing a birthday supper for Erin on Friday. It was a keto feast! The Riders won their game last Sunday! They have this week off. The Jays are playing a bit better, but need to go on a winning streak to get back in the playoff picture.

The Baileys are running a little behind schedule, but they are now moved out of the apartment and all their stuff is in the house with very little rhyme or reason to its placement. Now they need to renovate and organize, and we're heading that way to complicate the issue and provide something in the way of assistance. In the meantime, Erica is laid up with a very painful knee. So this weekend she's taking a break sitting it out with her legs up. Liam has continued to work on renovations, while Eric/A call contractors and suppliers and get various quotes. Haaken is settling in at the Baileys in Victoria. He met with his school this week and got fully registered for classes. He's now applying for student loans.

Happy Birthday Erin!

Erin and Kristian did the daycare transitions with Alicia while we were in Weyburn then we took over for Thursday and Friday. It was Erin's birthday on Friday; Wendy supervised a feast of roasted vegies, chicken fettuccini alfredo and two kinds of homemade ice cream: peanut butter, and blueberry. It was delicious, and all keto-friendly, although the peanut butter ice cream was pushing the envelope! Erin has the next week off; she's looking forward to that.

Travis & Joanna are back to holding down the fort in Thunder Bay while Gemma and Andrew are back at their summer jobs. Some contracts are coming in, and they continue to complete those and push them out the door.

And that's about enough for this week. 

News Update

Another week has passed and we have completed our short sojourn in Thunder Bay, and settled on the shore of the North Saskatchewan River at the top of the prairies. Actually, we're not that far from the South Saskatchewan either, as it's just east of here that the two join together before continuing their run toward Hudson's Bay. We tried to tidy as many things up at home as possible and get the lawns and weeds under control during our week at home, now it's back onto Travis's neck! I was able to get the batteries reassembled for the cordless tools. We managed to get the table saw and many of my tools into the Santa Fe for the trip to Prince Albert. Wendy is sure it expressed relief when we unloaded this evening. We drove as far as Winnipeg on Friday, where we enjoyed supper with Kelly, Cassie and Thomas, and an overnight stay with Tom & Mariette—thank you! The markets continued to roar forward to start the week, but then there was a roar of a different kind as one tin-horn despot fired back at another, and the markets took a nose dive for the rest of the week—sigh! I earned a full weekly quota on Monday, but proceeded to lose it all during the down days. The Riders play tomorrow—Go Riders, Go! The Jays continue to play some promising games, and some discouraging ones. They are having a frustrating season.

Haaken and Erica headed to Calgary on Monday where she attended training while Haaken hung out in the city. They continued westward to take Haaken to Victoria to prepare for school. He is very happy about starting his program at Victoria College of Art and we are hopeful this gets him closer to his dream of working in animation. Liam and Eric have been left behind in Prince Albert to pack and prepare for moving day to the new house. Moving Day was today; Erica is thankful to have successfully missed that! Liam has been working on the house. He's completed removing the rest of the linoleum upstairs in the bedrooms and hallway. The hallway wasn't as difficult as they had feared. And then he built a stand for his drum set in the basement. He's quite the handy guy!

Erin has been home alone all week with Sadie, however she has been in regular contact with Kristian while he travels with us. We plan to return him to her tomorrow. Kristian has caught up with one old friend in Thunder Bay, and also managed some local site-seeing including Ouimet Canyon and the Terry Fox Monument.

Travis and Joanna joined Gemma and Andrew in Toronto for most of the week. They returned on Thursday evening in time to collect the animals before we took off on Friday morning. Trav was over early on Friday to get the big printer printing money, and to bid us farewell. Thanks for taking care of the place where we sometimes live!

And that's enough for this week. 

News Update

Another week has passed and we have returned to the shore of Lake Superior far from the prairies! This has given us a break from the overheated prairies; we are enjoying plenty of green down here as the rains have been plentiful. In fact, we're enjoying too much green; I have taken up the battle against the high weeds and long lawns! We have a lot to do in the week we're scheduled to be home. I have ordered new sub-C batteries and plan to rebuild one of the batteries for my cordless tools. I have already rebuilt the other one, using the best 15 of the 30 sub-C batteries that I already had. This is testing my soldering skills! I have disassembled the table saw so I can fit it in the Santa Fe for the trip to Prince Albert. It remains to be seen whether I'll actually take it in the car, or if we'll rent a small trailer for the trip. There are many other tools I wish to have for that project, so we'll see how much will fit, and then make further decisions. We left Regina on Wednesday, driving over to Winnipeg, where we enjoyed an evening with Dean, Kelly, Cassie and Tom. We completed the drive on Thursday, arriving here in the early evening. I've managed to get both lawns cut between the showers, and pulled some of the weeds. I got the oil changed in the car, so that part is ready to go. The markets were a bit green this week, with all indices gaining a bit of value. I had a great week, with more than two weekly quotas gained, so that helps. The Jays continue to play mediocre ball—they did have a nice win tonight! The Riders returned from their win over TO last week to visit BC, and they found out it's a lot tougher in the Western Division!

The Baileys are all back under one roof for a week! There is a lot to be done. Liam has been really helpful in packing and taking apart bookshelves during the day. Then, both boys have been loading up the CRV with boxes and helping Eric take each load over to the new house. The renovations continue in consultation with the plumber and the window guy. Now they are conferring with their expert panel—we got the email! Erica returned to work this week. She definitely gets tired by the end of the day, but reports that each day is a bit better, with more energy, and less pain.

Kristian is travelling with us, so Erin's left to her own devices. She has taken up decorating, and has posted pictures onto her newly painted walls. Looks good!

Over the coach potato! 

The light grey wall!

Travis and Joanna are relieved to be relieved of yard duties, but it's only for a short time, then they're back on assignment. They were over this evening to mark my birthday and enjoy yet another peanut butter ice cream cake! This time I made it with crunchy peanut butter, and I think that was even better. They are off in the morning, so I'm on taxi duty to get them to the airport before 8am. Have a good trip guys, and thanks for your care of the place over the last two months. 

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 prairies. The weather has continued to be very hot, and there are heating warnings posted each day. I did get out for golfing on Wednesday morning, but mostly we just stayed indoors. The golf continues to be a bit better, but now I'm no longer satisfied with mid-eighties! Wendy has continued to push the paint program at Erin's and, today, she completed the main level which was her objective for this trip. We're preparing to head east next week, so we've been trying to complete our various projects. I've had two electrical surprises, so those jobs are on hiatus while I study each situation further. An electronic ballast seems to have failed in Dad's shop, but continuity tests were positive, so why is the light not working? At Erin's I'm planning to add another light and another switch to her basement lighting, turning a three-way, into a four-way. Among other things, I still need to buy some 14/3 wire, and a four-way switch, but there are a lot of ways to wire a three-way, so I decided I would investigate that first and see what the previous homeowner did when he installed it. My research indicated that there were only 9 ways to wire a three-way circuit, but it didn't take too much digging to discover that this guy may have #10! Following the lead from the downstairs switch box led me into the ceiling and a hidden junction box! Always there are surprises! The markets continued to be no good, very bad and ugly! The TSX was red for June, and remains red for the year. I not only failed to make quota, I lost money for the month—that won't do! Baby needs new shoes! The Blue Jays continue to falter their way through the season in last place. However, the Riders put up an inspiring performance tonight to earn a win over Toronto—yay Riders! 

Eric and Erica continued their sojourn in Bonn, where Erica convalesced and healed from her surgery. Finally, she got her stitches out, her next surgeries scheduled, and headed back to Canada. They landed in Saskatoon this evening, and are planning to pick up Haaken and drive down for a brief visit around my birthday celebration tomorrow. This will also allow them to pick up Liam who has been staying at Erin's place. 

Erin and Kristian have enjoyed hosting us, along with Liam for another week. Erin is not looking forward to all our departures, along with Kristian, next week. Her newly painted place will be vacant except for Sadie! Kristian and Liam got haircuts this week; I need one, but the prices are too high here. I need my senior and my volume discounts! The boys have done a bit of bike riding and playing catch, but it's been just too hot, especially by the time they drag out of bed! 

Travis, Joanna and crew are keeping relatively busy in Thunder Bay. Joanna and Gemma had a bunch of weddings to decorate for last weekend. The weather has been warm and wet down there, so the lawns have been keeping them busy as well. Trav is doing off-season maintenance of his programming, spin-offs and assorted websites. He continues to get some contracts for his various businesses. Gemma and Andrew also continue with their summer jobs. 

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 was very comfortable early in the week, but has warmed to difficult levels once again. I was away to Dauphin, Thursday through Saturday, and escaped some of the hot weather. We are continuing our stay with Dad, while enjoying his hospitality—thanks! We got to celebrate David's 65th birthday with him this week—first birthday I've seen celebrated around a Saskatoon pie! The work at Erin's is mostly on hiatus, but we intend to get back to that next week. Bernard and Alicia returned from their holiday tour this evening, so we have relocated to Erin's basement. Golf featured prominently in my activities this week. I had a round with Rich and Dale on Tuesday—that was a lot of fun! On Thursday, I drove over to Dauphin for the annual golf outing with my old contacts from Dauphin days. We played two rounds on Friday, and they played another two rounds on Saturday, but I skipped out on the Saturday play, and headed back to Regina. It was raining Saturday morning, and I'd already had more than enough exercise on my gimpy leg. The markets were horrible again, and I continue to suffer losses. Wendy did some painting at Erin's, but mostly she's been working around Dad's place, watering the garden daily, and assisting him in the shop with his woodworking projects. I did some electrical repairs in the shop, but more remain to be done as two of the fluorescent fixtures have failed. New ballasts are prohibitively expensive, so I've replaced the one fixture, and am considering upgrading the other one to LED tubes as they don't require a ballast. The sad-sack Jays seem unable to win a series these days, which prevents any progress in their division. The Riders played Calgary tonight, and were overmatched at this point in the rebuilding efforts. Go Riders! 

Eric and Erica spent the week in Europe. Her surgery was completed; she has now been discharged from the hospital, but her recovery and rehabilitation will continue for some time. She is looking toward scheduling her second surgery of the series; that won't be for some months it seems. Liam has been staying with us in Regina. Haaken is holding down the fort in PA. 

Kristian has also spent many days with us this week. He, Liam and I got out for some golf practice one day. Both grandsons demonstrated considerable proficiency at hitting the ball. I hope both will continue to take an interest in it. 

Travis and Joanna keep busy with their various work efforts, and also in taking care of our house and yard, as well as their house and yard. The rains have been plentiful in TBay, so this has not been a small assignment. Thanks again. We look toward returning to TBay in August and taking over these tasks for a short time before our next trip! LOL

And that's about enough for this week. 

Golf post-DVTs

As the year began, I was unable to walk without pain, and feared my golfing days were behind me. I had developed Deep Vein Thromboses (DVTs) in December 2016, and even with gritted teeth was unable to walk more than 50 metres at a time. I began treatment with a blood thinner in January, and my doctor encouraged me to push my leg recovery as hard as I wished. She assured me that the Rivaroxaban would protect me against further damage from the clots, and left me with the watch words, "Elevate or Activate!" So, Wendy and I began a program of walking and, later, cycling to push the circulation in my leg. 

It was not easy, as the failure to circulate blood efficiently left my calf muscle, in particular, screaming for oxygen. The leg achieved ominous discolouration and swelling each day, but partially receded each night. My range gradually improved, and by May I had achieved over 5km of continuous walking which was my target for a round of golf. In June, we headed west, and I tried my first golf in Winnipeg, managing to walk 9 holes with few complaints and lots of swings! Then, situated in Regina, I managed 18 holes on an executive length course. My leg complained some, and the golf was just as poor, but I was encouraged. I have kept it up, playing one round a week, along with practice and a par 3 course with Kristian, and hallelujah, today I'm in Dauphin, preparing for my favourite golf event of the year with my friends from my Dauphin days! Many good golfers are playing the Open this week, so I feel I will be able to perform adequately against this lesser field!! 

I feel very blessed by the improvement in my mobility, and I'm now hoping for my golf game to pick up as well! 

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Wascana in the middle of the prairies. The weather has continued to be very hot; several storms have thrashed their ways across the plains, and some places have received heavy deluges, hail and even tornadoes. We have seen none of the above here in Regina, but would enjoy seeing some rain if it should develop. I got out golfing on Tuesday with Garnet and Dale. While there were some positive signs, and my leg held up just fine, the score remained solidly in the 90's. I also got out to practice on Thursday, and was joined by a coach who stopped by while I was on the range and offered a few tips. (That should add a few strokes to my score!) On Friday, we drove up to Saskatoon to see Eric and Erica off to Europe, and to pick up Liam who is staying in Regina while they're gone. Wendy has continued painting at Erin's as time permits, and also spends extra time learning and using new recipes in our keto diet plan—very tasty! We're staying at Dad's and enjoying the air-conditioned protection from the heat. Thanks! The markets have remained troubled, but I did have three green days, and a positive week. TSX remains red for the month and the year. The Jays had most of the week off during the All-Star break, but have begun the second half with a series in Detroit—one win, one loss so far. The Riders have the bye this week; they should be rested and ready for a big challenge in Calgary next week. 

The Baileys have made some progress on demolition in the new house. They are down to the hardwood on the stairs and in the master bedroom; it looks pretty good! After a bit more work, they should have some nice looking floors. They've also torn down the t-bar in the dining and living rooms; this revealed some interesting looking electrical developments! The work will be on hiatus for the next two weeks while they're away to Europe for Erica's first lipedema surgery. Air travel often has its own tensions; I'll let Erica describe the opening issues of their trip: "Today, Eric and I head to Germany for surgery. We started with a bit of excitement. Though the line was fairly short at security, we were still in line when pre-boarding was called—no problem. We were close to the front and it usually takes awhile to get through all the various classes of elite and super elite status people, people with young children, etc. Except—no, we are on WestJet. So, very soon general boarding is called as I place my items in the plastic bin, pull out my laptop and complete the rest of the routine. Good thing this is a small airport. Eric and I are four people from the metal detector when final boarding is called. It's then we discover the bottleneck. There is one security person (yes, one) working the metal detector and he's currently doing a pat down, so nobody can continue through. I'm only mildly comforted by the murmuring around me indicating there are several of us on the flight. Finally the pat down is over and a few more people make it through before another beep! and the line comes to a halt. Thankfully another security person is pulled from somewhere and the line starts moving. Finally Eric goes through and collects his bags. Then me and beep! I look at the security guy and he reassures me it's just a random selection, I don't have any metal. Before he finishes talking I head for the scan machine and assume the position. He does the scan. Apparently I have questionable areas on my hips and between my knees. I want to tell him it's only fat! He decides to scan again, still the scanner says there is a problem. (I know! This is why I'm going to Germany for surgery, assuming I haven't missed my flight due to this comedy of errors!) At this point I notice Eric waiting for me. I tell him to go hold the plane while I wait for the pat down by the single female security guard on duty, who also happens to be waaaaay at the beginning of the security process. I'm just about to tell the nearest security guard to pat away when I see her running down. I pass the pat down and turn to get my stuff, but it's behind the plexiglass partition! I guess random means the full meal deal as someone has to test my bag for residues. Only nobody is manning the residue testing station. I turn to one of the security guys and say, "I passed the pat down, can I go?" He finds someone to check my bags and finally I'm free. I power walk as fast as I can possibly power walk with these legs of mine and arrive to hear the agent explaining to Eric and some other passenger that they are not holding the plane any longer. I fish out my ID and make it into my seat. Exciting! Hopefully the rest of the trip will be less eventful. (For the record—50 minutes to get through security and the security area was only a quarter full! Geez people, get a system!)" Haaken is at home in PA, while Liam waits out the duration here in Regina.

Kristian has spent most of the week with us, even choosing to have sleepovers for several nights. There is a wedding in Shawn's family today, Shawn is a groomsman, so Erin is in charge of the children's preparation and wedding participation—busy times! I managed to get the new fan installed in Kristian's room. Of course, the original light fixture installation was not up to holding a fan, so I had to install some backing to make a more substantial fitting. Always there are surprises!

Travis and Joanna have been occupied this week with the Staal Brothers golf tournament. It is a fund-raiser for their foundation, and an event on the CPGA tour. So, they also got to hob-nob with the celebrities and the golf pros who are on hand. They are struggling to keep the lawns mowed between the ample rains they've been experiencing in TBay. Thanks for your work! Gemma and Andrew continue their summer jobs, but Gemma had a break to enjoy the removal of her wisdom teeth—sorry about that!

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 been hot and we've been enjoying the air-conditioned comfort at Erin's place. Kristian and I got out for golf on Monday; that was a lot of fun! As he grows, his game is steadily developing. It appears he'll need to upgrade to a longer set of clubs by next summer! On Wednesday, we drove up to Prince Albert to see the Baileys and check out their new house. They have begun the demolition with a view to the renovations to come! On Thursday, we attended the funeral of a longtime friend, Anne Marie, in Saskatoon, and then drove back to Regina. Wendy has continued to push the painting at Erin's but much remains to be done, and now we've moved over to Dad's for the next weeks while Bern & Alicia are on a vacation trip. I have more electrical work at Erin's as well, so we'll get back over there as time permits to continue our assignments. The markets have continued to struggle; TSX was red for the week and remains red for the year. I was blessed with a good week, and am on quota, so I'm thankful. The Jays have picked up the pace lately, winning 5 out of 6, but they remain well off the pace. The Riders have played three games and could have won all three, but it took them until tonight to finally put it all together for a win over Hamilton. Yay Riders! 

The Baileys have begun the transition to their new place, and are involved in many different aspects of that. Erica had a Lipedemia conference in Calgary on Tuesday, but before she could take that in, she had to bring Liam to Regina for orthodontist appointment. So, it was a few days with lots of driving to start the week. Liam got a new retainer that fits better, then, he stayed with us until we returned him to PA on Thursday. Haaken continues to work on arrangements and preparation for college in Victoria. The Baileys have received approval from their church to receipt donations towards Erica's medical costs, so that's good news. They have completed arrangements for travel and accommodation for the first trip starting next Friday. If you are able to assist in funding this, you make direct inquiries or funds to:
Erica Bailey Surgeries Project
First Baptist Church Prince Albert
1351-28th Street East
Prince Albert, SK S6V 6T4

Erin and Kristian continue to host us this week until we moved over to Dad's today. She is collaborating with us on the keto diet, and has found it beneficial for herself as well. Kristian lost another tooth this week, so he's trying to score with the tooth-fairy on that front. 

Travis and Joanna are celebrating their 8th anniversary this weekend. Congratulations! They received a particular honour this week when they discovered that Matt Murray, Stanley Cup winning goaltender, and Upper Deck had used two of their photos on the front and back of Matt's hockey card. Otherwise work continues although it's quite slow this time of year. 

And that's about it for this week. 

Happy Canada Day!

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Wascana in the middle of the prairies. This weekend we are celebrating the 150th birthday of Canada. Tom & Mariette passed along a link to an orchestral, vocal and video celebration of the country—enjoy! We've had a full week. I walked an 18-hole regulation course without undue pain in my leg. The golf was not great: 47-48—95, but I will carry on and put more practice into my golfing, now that I know I can manage the walk. The markets were terrible once again; both TSX and Nasdaq were red for the month, and TSX is red for the year so far. I failed to make quota in June, and I'm now running about 1 month behind for the year—may have to go on short rations! We've begun painting at Erin's place. The colours have been selected, although that doesn't mean that debating the choices is over! Walls have been patched, and some of the painting is complete. Wendy and Erin do the painting; I work on aspects that cannot be seen on the surface! On Friday, we had an Earl Grey School reunion. We enjoyed trying to figure out who all those old people were since we left there 40 years ago. The Riders played their first home game in their new stadium, but the result was just as disappointing as an OT-FG-failure left them on the losing end once again. The Blue Jays are in a drought as well, and have fallen off the pace in their division. C'mon man! 

The Baileys got a house and a gramma! Gramma Bailey is visiting this week. It has been great to have her; the boys have been keeping her company during the day. They got possession of their new house on Friday and enjoyed their first supper in it. They have taken measurements, and now to have decide what improvements they can afford, and what will have to wait. With surgeries coming up, Haaken off to college, and Liam back to Caronport, some things, like new kitchen appliances, will have to wait. Eric is working with the marriage and family therapists' association (MFT) on regulations for mental health work in Saskatchewan. That includes some meetings with political people!

Supervisor-Cyclist!

Erin had Friday off work in lieu of the July 1st holiday, so we're all getting an extra long weekend. Kristian completed grade 5 on Thursday, and is now on summer vacation. Today, he graduated his cycling trials, and is now a full-fledged cyclist! Otherwise most of the week has been consumed with the turmoil of moving furniture, repairing walls and painting! 

Travis & Joanna have also seen the completion of another school year for Gemma and Andrew. Both are good students; Gemma is even a great student! They have completed grades 11 and 9, respectively. Both are now hard at their summer jobs. Well done, team! 

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 prairies. I enjoyed having a family barbecue on Sunday for Fathers' Day, and my children were generous as usual—thanks! The weather started and ended the weekly nicely, but we had some cool, showery weather in the middle. I got out for a round of golf with Dale on Tuesday. It was 18 holes on an executive course, and my leg handled it fine. My game was not so great, +18, but I'm satisfied for now. We plan to play a full course this coming Monday. I came down with a cold on Wednesday, and am still suffering head congestion and coughing today. Wendy continues to nurse her tender back, but that hasn't slowed her down much. She has been shopping for new lighting fixtures for Erin's kitchen and dining room, so I was consigned to install those. They look good, and really make the flavour more homey and intimate in contrast to the industrial fixtures the builders had installed. Next in line is to repaint the main floor; Wendy and Erin are busy with swatches trying to choose the perfect level of grey to apply to those walls. The markets have continued to whipsaw, and I was down nearly $1000 one day, but I had a good week overall, and am back on quota for the month. The TSX even managed to sneak into the green for the year with a tidy gain on Friday. The CFL season has begun; I am expecting better things of the Riders. It wasn't a good start, and I lay most of the blame on the coaching staff for a 1-point loss to Montreal. The Jays continue to struggle below .500 in baseball. They've tried 9 times this season to get to .500, and failed each time—sigh! 

Apple Pie a la Liam

The Baileys were down here last weekend; it was nice to catch up with them all. They got some good news this week as Haaken was accepted into Victoria College of Art. In fact, it appears he had been accepted back in April, but the email was lost in cyberspace. Haaken sent a follow up email and found out he was in! After a few days of consideration, he has decided to go for it! So off to Victoria he will go. Gramma Bailey came to visit for a week. In honour of this occasion, Liam made a wonderful dinner of homemade spaghetti, and gluten-free apple pie from scratch. It was very, very good and now he is assigned cook duty for the rest of the summer! Liam and Erica got to see the new doctor this week. She is rumoured to be very thorough so we are hoping she will have a positive impact on our health.

Erin and Kristian are hosting us well here in Regina. Kristian is closing out the school year with a variety of special activities from swim day, to assemblies, to sports day. Today, he enjoyed a birthday party for Astrid at the Science Centre. They had lots of chemistry activities and topped it off with cake and the ice cream they had just made! 

Travis, Joanna and crew are holding down the fort back in TBay. We chat with them from time to time, but it's not the same as being there with them. 

And that's about it for this week. 

News Update

Another week has passed and we have relocated to the shore of Lake Wascana in the middle of the prairie. We left on Monday morning, driving both vehicles and got as far as Winnipeg where we enjoyed the hospitality of Mike & Peggy. Wendy was driving the Sorento, and reports that the comfort of the well-known seats was agreeable to her tender back, so she experienced no pain. We enjoyed a day of rest on Tuesday. On Wednesday morning, I ventured on my first golf game of the year with Tom, Mike and Dean. We suffered through rain showers on two holes, but eventually completed 9 holes, although Tom's attempted recovery from a cold encouraged him to call an early break so as not to suffer a relapse. I was pleased to complete the half-round although my golfing was poor. I was getting some complaints from my leg by the eighth hole, but I'm going to keep trying. I did finally make one par, and scored 47. Wednesday afternoon, we headed for Brandon. We stopped for coffee in Portage where we enjoyed a visit with Dave & Anita, old friends from Yellowknife. We got to Charlie & Bonnie's in Brandon late, and proceeded to stay up later, finally hitting the hay at 3am. So, we slept in a bit, enjoyed a leisurely breakfast, and then continued to Regina where we settled in with Erin & Kristian. It is great to spend some time with them. This weekend featured the 100th Anniversary celebrations of the congregation here. We've enjoyed catching up with many friends (all old now!), and meeting some of their children and grandchildren! We've also enjoyed having time with our own children and grandchildren. What a great time! The markets have been terrible, no good and bad! TSX has pulled back into the red for the year once again, and I suffered losses this week as well. Pittsburg Penguins finished off Nashville in six games to repeat as Stanley Cup Champions—I was glad to see that! The Jays continue to struggle, and are not making headway in the standings. The Riders played their final preseason game, suffering a severe beating at the hands of the BC Lions. Now that the real season begins, they will need to play better—Go Riders, Go!

The Bailey's are also in Regina this weekend for the Church of Christ's 100th anniversary celebration. Erica and Haaken were born in Regina so it's a special homecoming for them! They have closed conditions on their house. The home inspection came back with a few items they need to take care of ASAP, but they are all things they knew about, so no big surprises. They have discovered that the banks have become much more strict since their last mortgage. Last time they even let them borrow the down payment—no problem. This time they had to provide two years income history, proof they have RRSPs for the down payment, and they even wanted the cash to be in the bank account before approval. It sure seemed like a big deal for a $95K house purchase! But they got final approval on Friday and were able to sign off on the conditions—Phew! Just two weeks until possession date for the house and two weeks after that Eric and Erica head to Germany for her first lipedema surgery. They are praying that everything goes well on both fronts and they welcome your prayers, too!

Erin, Kristian and Sadie were happy to welcome our arrival. We brought a new bicycle for Kristian, and he is eager to give it a try. Sadie is glad to have someone around to give her regular walks and frequent treats! Erin has agree to give the Keto diet a try while we're here and see how it goes for her.

Travis, Joanna and crew are holding down the fort in TBay. They operate the office out of our basement, so that part of our home care works out well. They will also be maintaining the yard and watering the indoor plants. Thanks guys! Gemma and Andrew are already getting quite a few hours at their summer jobs—good work by two responsible people. We're proud of them. Before we left, we enjoyed a night out for dinner with them on Sunday evening to honour Joanna's birthday.

And that's about it for this week. 

News Update

We've enjoyed another week of beautiful weather here on Lake Superior in my hometown. Well, enjoyed may not be a word Wendy would choose—she's been suffering with back pains all week. Chiropractic treatments, painkillers and Epsom salt baths have brought some relief, but she's still no where close to par, and she only has vacuuming to blame! I've managed to get the yard ready to turn over to Travis and crew—they're looking forward to it! I was able to practice golf a few times, but still no play. My leg is feeling a bit better, so I keep looking forward with hope. We're heading to Regina next week, so perhaps some of my golf buddies there will carry me around. The markets were pretty much flat for the week, but I got some great payoffs, so I am ahead of quota, and I feel blessed. NHL playoff final series is near the conclusion and the Pens lead 3-2 in games, so it will end soon. The Jays continue to struggle under .500, so improvement is needed! The Riders started the CFL season with their first preseason game. They played their first pre-season game tonight, held the lead until under two minutes left—then kicked a late FG to tie it up! We'll see what Don, my Rider-Expert, says when I see him next weekend!

Headline news from the Baileys: they bought a house! They got a cute 3-bedroom, 2-bathroom house in Prince Albert. It is an older home, built in 1912, but it appears to have good bones. They will need to put some money and sweat into it, but in the end they feel it will work for them and doesn't require a huge mortgage. You can click on this link to see more details. Liam created an animation this week. He is using a drawing program to draw and animate on his computer. If they could only figure out how to get it saved as a video file, they could share it online, and we could all enjoy it!

Erin's Tomato Tree!

Erin and Kristian are closing out the school year, and things are going well. Sadie gets worried during thunderstorms. Erin got a tomato tree from Shawn. It's already producing, but she has nowhere to plant it!

Trav and Joanna are now getting quite a few photo-shoots for baseball teams. Trav is over here in the office most days designing and printing. Gemma and Andrew are also doing well in their work and school. Their classes end this week and then it's exam time.

And that's 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 great, and I've managed some yard work and golf practice. Trav let me try out their new battery-powered lawnmower and it worked great! I completed both lawns with power to spare. I had really intended to try some golfing this week, but my leg was not feeling up to it when the opportunity arose, so I was limited to some golf practice only. We were back at the doctor on Thursday. She updated us on the angiogram results. It seems there are as many as five areas of blood clotting/blockages in my left leg. It is unclear whether these have amalgamated. Circulation in general has improved somewhat, but remains substandard and especially so for the lower leg. Clearly the Rivaroxaban did not do the job it was expected to do of dissolving all the clots, but it does seem to have done the job of keeping me safe from other damage that may come from such clots. She has extended my prescription for Rivaroxaban and is referring me to Dr. Lise Mozzon, an internist and haematology specialist to investigate the situation further. We finally completed all the hoops at the bank and lawyers, and picked up our Santa Fe on Wednesday. We're enjoying the new features. Wendy has been busy with cleaning and reorganizing, but seems to have aggravated her back, so that has slowed her down the last few days. We are continuing the lo-cal diet, and pretty much enjoying it. No pie or ice cream, but plenty tasty all the same. I managed to get some more drywalling done in the kitchenette, and we picked up the set of cupboards, but the countertop had been constructed too short, so it will have to be redone. The markets continue to struggle, and with the loss of 1.6% in May, the TSX is only up 1% for the year. However, I've been blessed with monthly quotas for all months except April so far this year, so I am thankful. Weakening US jobs data and Trump's protectionist rhetoric have rattled our markets. Baseball plays on into a third month, and the Jays have improved—yay Jays! Stanley Cup playoffs have reached the final series. Pittsburgh won the first two games, but Nashville fought back with a home victory tonight.

Liam is enjoying improved health after his blood upgrade; we hope he's on a sustained upswing now. The Baileys continue to investigate realty in PA. They've found nothing that ticks all the boxes, but there are more options. Haaken continues with his art and his volunteering.

Erin and Kristian are preparing for summer plans as they work through the final month of this school year. We'll try to fit ourselves in as well as we can. Kristian had his sports day this week. We enjoyed it with him last year; he got sunburned on his own this time! With the nicer weather they've been able to get out walking and roller-blading this week. Sounds like it fits in with Erin's new active life style as well.

Trav & Joanna have embarked on the Baseball photography season. We expect their introduction to these teams will expand their business with this sport as well. Bucket Decals continues to get orders from forward-looking hockey teams; it's good to have the business! Gemma and Andrew are both completing the school year, but have also begun work on summer jobs as time permits. This week Trav & Joanna bought sod, and extended their lawns. Now that they have their fancy dancy lawnmower, I guess they can handle it!

And that's about enough for this week. 

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior. The weather has been beautiful, and the dandelions are flourishing in my lawns! I gave them a special watering one day, and they're displaying the characteristics signs of suffering that I was hoping for! The lawns are doing well in the surplus of rains we've been enjoying this spring. I'm still considering my gardening options as our summer plans are not set yet. I was able to get out to the golf course a few times, and that's going a bit better. My leg hasn't changed much, but I have a follow-up appointment with my doctor set for next week. I hope some new options are being considered. We have completed financial and legal arrangements for funding the vehicle purchase, so we plan to pick that up next week. Wendy has completed her painting, so I need to get the new fascia applied to the garage. The TSX suffered another red week although the US indices were all in the green. I made some gains, not as much as needed, however, I am still on target for the month. So much for the old saw, "Sell in May and go away." Maybe it's the new witticism, "Even the blind pig finds the odd turnip!" NHL playoffs have worked through another round and both of my picks have moved on to the Cup Finals. I'll be cheering for Pittsburgh, and have also picked them to win, but it won't be easy over the mobile defence and great goaltending in Nashville. Baseball continues, and the Blue Jays are playing a bit better. This weekend they've taken a series from the high-flying Texas Rangers! Yay Jays!

The Baileys had another interesting week. Liam went in to top up his blood supply on Tuesday. Then he complained of chest pains, so back to the doctor only to find out that the pain is a good sign, or at least a normal sign. He had a bit more blood work and goes back next week. Work has been busy for Erica this week. It seems that all her files are coming due at once—she is pushing through. Eric, Erica and Liam continue to look at houses and debate whether or not they want that responsibility again. Where they are is fine, but with the four of them and only one shower—they often wish for more. And they don't have the space to host friends or visitors easily. Then again, they have the freedom to come and go and not worry about repairs. They are looking at another place today.

Erin had a very intriguing day on Tuesday. She was called for Jury Duty, and put in a long day of preliminaries for a three-person murder trial before finally being excused. Kristian is taking new interest in cycling, so we're planning to take along some more options for him when we travel west in June.

Travis & Joanna are planning and working on yard developments this spring. They're planning to replace a flowerbed in the back with some new sod. They got a new 40W battery-powered lawn mower this week. We'll be interested to see how it performs.

And that's enough for this week. 

Happy May Long

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. The weather has been fine, but rainy and not as warm as we'd like. The rhubarb is developing nicely, but not ready for picking yet. I may try to add another root to that part of the garden. Otherwise, I don't know what I'll be planting for garden as we plan to be away for a substantial part of the summer, again. Golf practice is not going well, the short game is okay, but the full swing has not been improved by my gimpy leg. I had an angiogram done on it this week, but it'll be a while before we get results from that. I hope they decide there's something that can be done to bring about some improvement. Our keto diet program is going well, the suggested menu is very tasty, and we're feeling pretty good about it. I finally screwed up my courage and cut the waterlines for the kitchenette. That worked out fine in the end, but I hadn't used the SharkBite connections before. After doing a bit of PEX on Erin's place last year, I wanted to try some plastic plumbing, and SharkBite doesn't require the big clamping tool. The markets had another difficult week as Trump Trauma continues. We really only had one really bad day, but it takes time to recover from those! All North American indices were red for the week, so I felt blessed to gain more than my quota and get back to quota for the month. NHL playoffs are continuing in closely fought semi-finals. Both series were tied 2-2 this evening when the Predators won and took a 3-2 lead over the Ducks. Jays continue to struggle in the opening months of the baseball season.

Liam's red blood count has dropped pretty low, so he's going for a couple of units of blood on Tuesday. Haaken has been working on animation videos which he posts on YouTube. He also continues to work at the food bank. He does bagging, portioning and cleaning. Liam is being a handymen around the house. A drawer fall out over a month ago and he has fixed it. Eric/A have been looking at a few fixer-uppers this week. Maybe they will become home owners again. Eric says, "Don't hold your breath, unless you are looking at some of these houses." This was literally true—one place they decided at the door wasn't the place for them—even if it was only $40K!

Erin is still waiting for an appointment with the specialist. Kristian is doing well; he got a haircut this week. I also got a haircut this week, but I'm sure he got about four times as many cut! Erin was called to jury duty on Tuesday, this intrigues her, but she doesn't want to get behind at work, or have to use up her vacation time. They are putting together plans for the summer for Kristian. We hope to figure prominently.

We enjoyed a hike out to the Cascades with Trav & Joanna, Andrew and Mini on Sunday afternoon. They keep picking up a few paying contracts. Joanna keeps working at her other jobs. Gemma is working after school and weekends, trying to build up her bank balance for a trip to Europe. Andrew has a summer job, but that hasn't started yet. They had us over for supper one evening, and cooked a keto-friendly meal for us. It was great, with the grated cauliflower rice substitute being the real hit. 

And that's enough for this week. 

Happy Mother's Day!

Another week has passed, and we have returned to the shore of Lake Superior and my hometown. The weather has been beautiful, so we've been getting out for walks and cycling and even some golf practice. We returned from BC on Tuesday; it took us all day and then some to get here, and we arrived tired. So, we took it easy for a few days. We have started a ketogenic diet. We plan to keep to that until it's time to head west in June, and see how that goes. So, far it's been pretty tasty. Wendy has returned to her painting, and today launched into the fascia boards for the garage. The markets have been running downward again, and both TSX and the DOW are in the red for the month. Fortunately, I had an on-quota week, but I am still below quota for the month. The Stanley Cup playoffs have completed the second round; I did not do well prognosticating the latest results as I only picked one of the four winners. For the semi-finals, I am picking the Penguins and the Predators to prevail and move on to the finals. The Blue Jays are playing better, having won their last three series, but they're still not up to .500, so we're not planning the parade route yet!

Wendy's Mother's Day bouquet and gift! 

Eric is in Toronto this weekend for the Association of Family and Marriage Therapists conference. I'm not sure how the conference is going, but he got to enjoy watching the Jays win from a prime seat on the 3rd base line! Liam has been experimenting with gluten-free baking. A recipe that worked great in BC is falling flat in PA so he is trying to figure that out! Haaken has started a part time volunteer job with the Food Bank. It is good experience and a learning opportunity. Erica is also experimenting with a shift toward a Ketogenic diet to help with her Lipedema inflammation. It's too soon to make any conclusive declarations, but so far she's been feeling better at least!

Erin has accepted the referral to the specialist; we look forward to that being accomplished, and hope for some solutions. Kristian scored a lot of books at the school book fair, and is enjoying those. He has grand plans to fête his mother for Mother's Day—well done, my boy! Shawn is off to Winnipeg to bury his mother's ashes. I'm sure that will be another emotional time for him.

Trav and Joanna continuing in a slow season for their business, but Trav has revamped the websites and some orders are coming in. Joanna keeps up with her other jobs, so she's busy. Gemma and Andrew are in the closing months of school for the year, and are looking toward their summer work and activities.

And that's about enough for this week! 

News Update

Our Lady Marion!

Another week has passed, and we find ourselves on the shore of Lake Okanagan is supernatural British Columbia. It is election season here in Insanity by the Sea, and we promise to vote early and vote often! We flew out here on Wednesday to attend to the Celebration of the Life our our sister-in-law, Marion. She was a grand lady, to be sure, and that was ably accentuated by the friends and family who gathered here to acknowledge that fact. We dearly miss her, of course, none so deeply as our brother John, her soul-mate of the last thirty-five years, along with her step-daughter, and her children, and their collective families. It was good to be gathered with them to commemorate her remarkable life. Otherwise the week has been mundane. The markets were just a touch to the red side here, but a bit green in the US, and I managed a gain for the week, but not up to quota. The sports calendar continues to unfold. Brad Jacobs beat my guy, Kevin Koe, in the final of the Champions Cup of curling. NHL Playoffs continue and are due to complete the second round in the coming week. All teams remain alive, but all series are down to do or die scenarios for someone. However, the main highlight of the week is certainly the time we've been able to spend and to share here with family and friends. All my siblings are here, but one, and it has been a sweet reunion. 

Erica continues her investigations and lobbying over the Lipedema disease. Even if it comes to little for her, she is determined to do her bit, so others may benefit in the future. Liam is home from school now with his two semesters completed. We look forward to reports of better health for him as he recovers at home. 

Erin got her results for the Holter Monitor. We did not find them encouraging as her heart rate is quite high, but she seem reassured. We hope she will be able to take advantage of the proffered referrals to other specialists who may be able to suggest a better way forward. 

Joanna has been away caring for her father in Toronto for part of the week, but is home again. Trav took us to the airport early Wednesday morning. Thank you, son. We look forward to getting home late Tuesday night. 

And that's enough for this week. 

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. The weather has been terrible all week, but has turned nice for the weekend. That's two weekends in a row; don't know what to make of that! We had freezing rain both Wednesday and Thursday, so the streets were terrible, and it took some time yesterday to chip off the ice from the vehicle. It was only today that we got out for our first extended walk of the week. Golf courses that opened two weeks ago are closed again, sigh! Wendy has been painting downstairs this week. Along with a new batch of baseboard, she's also dressing up closet and bedroom doors. We finally got the plumber in to replace the main water line valve, so we're pretty much set up to get back to development of the kitchenette. Wendy bought the cupboards this week, so it feels like we're making progress. We've been listening to some podcasts and studying the ketogenic way of eating. We've decided to give that a try when we get back from BC. The markets started the week great, but then Trump happened. His farcical tax proposal, along with his protectionist threats, turned investors into a tailspin, and the markets headed downward. That cost me a few thousand, so while I ended the week in the green, I am below quota for the month—maybe next month! We continue our search for a newer vehicle; we currently have three under close consideration, but we leave Wednesday for BC, so we'll put this on the back burner for now. We're into the second round in the Stanley Cup playoffs. Six of my eight picks came through to the second round. Now, I've picked: Caps, Rangers in the East, and Oilers and Predators in the West. I'd really love to see the Pens and Oilers in the Cup final, but my head has over-ruled my heart! The Champions Cup is on in curling and my guy, Kevin Koe, is in the semi-final tonight.

Eric's Birthday Uke!

The Baileys celebrated Eric's birthday with dinner and a movie! Liam finished his second semester on Thursday and wrote his first of two exams. He'll complete exams on Monday and then return home for the third semester. His goal is to get healthy and work with his brother on a comic or movie. Stay tuned for more on that. Haaken met with his employment consultant people this week and he has secured a volunteer position with the food bank. It isn't a paying gig but it is good work experience nonetheless. Erica received a response from the Minister of Health regarding her request for support in her fight with Lipedema. The response was a no, so she will put together a reply with more facts and figures for him to consider, sigh!

Erin and Kristian had a good health week. She has an appointment set for Monday to review the results from her recent tests. She's afraid this intervention will call for better eating habits, and more exercise!

Travis, Joanna and Andrew for over for supper yesterday. The ice days meant that Gemma and Andrew has a short week of school. Puckshots is pretty quiet, but orders for Bucket Decals have already begun for the next season, so Trav is printing sets of those.

And that's about enough for this week. 

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. Cool, rainy weather marked most of the week, but it turned nice yesterday, and it's beautiful again today. You know something is messed up when the weather turns nice for the weekend! Some golf courses were open last weekend, but I haven't been out to play, just a bit of practice. The rain kept us from our walks as well, but we did get out yesterday and today. Wendy has been working on painting all week. We've also spent some considerable time and effort trying to find a new vehicle. We have not succeeded on that quest yet, but are starting to narrow the search. Our ideal remains the Santa Fe, but we have expanded our list of suitable substitutes: Tucson, Sorento, Sportage, CR-V, RAV4, Murano. We want to find a newer, and, more importantly, lower mileage replacement. The markets have remained troubled mainly by geo-political events, but also by poorer economic data in the US. At least, we experienced some gains this week, although all US indices remain red for the month. I had a good week, but still remain below quota for the month. The sports calendar is hectic. The first round of NHL playoffs often has three games scheduled one after the other in an evening! However, a few series have ended, and the pressure is easing on the over-stimulated fans! It was a shame to see Calgary and Montreal lose out, but we still have three Canadian teams in the race. The remainder of the first round will end in the next few days, then, I'll survey the carnage and make my picks for round two. I've already lost two teams from the first round. Niklas Edin of Sweden won the Players Championship to cement his tally of three Curling Slams. 

The Baileys got back from Victoria on the weekend, and assumed an almost normal lifestyle for this week! Liam is home from school for the week, so the family enjoyed all together time! Erica is participating in a conference on Lipedema, and we've been taking in many of the sessions on-line as well. 

Erin and Kristian had a good week—uneventful can be a relief! Kristian was off school and enjoyed the week at the Y. Erin doesn't have the results of her heart monitor, but at least she's feeling well. 

Trav & Joanna hosted us for Easter Brunch, and a celebration of Gemma's birthday on Sunday. Puckshots is enjoying a bit of a hiatus at the end of the local hockey season. They're hoping to expand their baseball team business this year. In the interim, Trav is working on the websites and trying not to pull his hair out over the annual politics of Thunder Bay Minor Hockey! It is not known yet whether his team will be awarded a franchise for next season! Maybe it's time for a year off! 

And that's about it for this week. 

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. The weather has been beautiful, but the tarps are still on the greens—soon, I hope! We've managed to get out for some nice bike rides as well as our walks. I have a new record for walking—4km. Wendy comes along to encourage me, and to be able to go home and get the car if I run out of gas! The swelling really has not changed so far as I observe. We look forward to finding out if the vascular surgeon will have any new ideas or options. The markets have continued their downward bleed ever since the end of February. I have had another difficult week and am in the red for the month now. The geo-political turmoil stirred up over the bombing of Syria and Afghanistan didn't help, but the main issue is that no one has confidence in what the Trumpster will do next. The sports calendar remains full. NHL playoffs have begun, and my picks are in. I have Pens, Sens, Habs and Caps in the East, with Ducks, Oilers, Hawks and Blues in the West. Baseball is through a second week, and the Jays have only managed one win this week as well, sigh! Curling features the Players Championship in Toronto; Koe lost out in the playoffs today. Gushue is looking very strong in this one as well; he won the world championship last Sunday, and is into the semi-final here. The Masters ended with a surprisingly wonderful result—congratulations to Sergio Garcia! We enjoyed our Good Friday observance with our church group last evening, and look forward to Easter celebrations tomorrow—He is risen, indeed!

The Baileys spent the week in Victoria, visiting with family and celebrating Jelsing's life. There were many good stories and several were even true! Mike Koops gave a very moving recounting of the impact Jelsing had on his life as an adoptive-father figure. "Laughter through tears" is an apt phrase to describe the service. The service prompted some good conversations with the boys as they considered the impact they hope to have in their lives. Haaken took advantage of the visit to Victoria and had a meeting with the Victoria School of Art and Aura's brother, John, who works in Animation. They also enjoyed whale-watching as a family and afternoon tea at the Royal Victoria. The whale watching was amazing as the orcas felt very comfortable coming closer to the boats and we witnessed some breaches. The afternoon tea was surprisingly enjoyable and not nearly as proper as one might expect. There was much laughter and enjoying each others' company. They headed east on Good Friday and expect to land back in PA tonight.

Erin and Kristian have continued their health struggles. Both are seeing some improvement, but Erin is still suffering too much. However, they are at least recovered enough to enjoy some company. They enjoyed the final day of bowling today. They're hosting the Easter meal with Shawn, Astrid and Liam this evening.

Trav has been batching all week and taking care of the kids as Joanna has been visiting family in Toronto. All seem to have survived and Joanna returned Friday evening to complete the rescue. Gemma celebrated her 17th birthday today. We're planning to join them for some additional celebrations of that tomorrow!

And that's about enough for this week. 

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. The first ships of the season have already come and gone; it was an early Spring for the seaway. The weather has continued to be beautiful, and we've enjoyed getting out for walks and bike rides. I have not managed to increase my old record of 3.5 km, but I will keep trying. I was back to the doctor this week, but that was just to get my Shingles vaccination. I've had that once, and didn't enjoy it. This decreases the likelihood of another outbreak, and the price was right! I have completed my teeth cleaning program. Markets have continued to be troubled; all US indices are in the red for the month, and TSX is under 1% green. We had jobs data that was surprisingly good, while US had surprisingly poor results, so that didn't help. Still, I didn't manage to make quota, so I'll have to work smarter next week! It has been a busy week in sports with the World Curling Championships, the opening of the Baseball season, and the Masters Golf tournament. Brad Gushue has represented us well, and is in the Gold Medal game tomorrow in curling against Sweden. The Jays have started the season poorly, winning only one game this week. There are a lot of prominent contenders at the Masters, so tomorrow should be exciting to watch. Jordan Spieth looks like the guy to beat at this point, but I'll be cheering for hard luck Sergio. College basketball ended on Monday with UNC winning it as I predicted. Sorry to see Gonzaga fall short, all the same. The NHL regular season ends this weekend, and the last playoff spot was determined tonight. Way to go Leafs! 

The Baileys are on the way to Victoria this weekend. Eric's dad funeral is set for Tuesday, so it's an emotional trip. The picked up Liam at Caronport after school on Friday and headed west. We wish them a good trip, and a good family gathering. 

Erin and Kristian have had a terrible, no good, very bad week on the health front. Kristian had a doctor's appointment, and was prescribed additional medications. It seems he is allergic to one of the medications, or to the combination. In any case, he is reacting with hives, and coughing. He was back to the doctor on Thursday who withdrew previous medications and added new ones! Erin was to the doctor early in the week as well to investigate her rapid heart beat. Then, she picked up the cold from Kristian and has been suffering all week. Kristian had bowling today, and bowled three fine games, each about 20 pins above his average—well done buddy! 

Travis and Joanna had another busy week, and that's a good thing. They were all over here for supper on Wednesday evening. We enjoyed that. Joanna took Wendy for lunch and shopping on Thursday. This weekend, Joanna is off to Toronto to visit her folks. Gemma and Andrew continue to do well at school. 

And that's about it for this week. 

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. The weather has been lovely, and we've been getting out to enjoy it. I was to see my doctor on Tuesday; she was both concerned and encouraging—I like that! She has ordered an angiogram to get an update on what is going on in my leg, and has referred me to a vascular surgeon who will analyze the angio, and advise us on options for further treatment if necessary. I have upped my walk game to 3.5 km. That represented forty minutes of continuous walking at a rate of 5.25 km/h—encouraging. Given that there are frequent rests during a round of golf, I'm feeling that I could make 18 holes for sure. We've been getting our teeth cleaned at the community college; Wendy has completed her sessions, but I still have one more. The markets have been troubled lately, and the DOW was in the red for the month. However, we've been getting improved economic data here, and the TSX has ignored the uncertainty in the US to provide me with quota for the month, and for the first quarter of the year. The sports calendar eased a bit this week, but heats up again beginning today as World Curling Championships have begun. Brad Gushue will represent us well, I'm sure. He started off with a win over Switzerland. The pressure is on him to duplicate the work of Rachel Homan and bring us another world championship. She won the gold last Sunday with a win over Russia. I guess March Madness is over, but the Final Four remains to play out in college basketball. I have two picks still alive as action begins, but I have picked neither of them to advance, and now both probably will! Anyway, with KU gone, I'm cheering for Gonzaga, but picking North Carolina to win it all. NHL teams have only a handful of games left and still some playoff spots are not settled. The Oilers clinched a spot this week, so both of my favourites are in. Sentimental favourite Toronto looks like it is going to make it as well. The Masters opens next week; I always view that as the real beginning of the golf season.
Update: Gonzaga and UNC won, and play championship game on Monday. 

The Baileys suffered a loss as Eric's dad, Jelsing, passed on today. We haven't heard the schedule of arrangements for his funeral. Wendy was able to get some advice from a local woman who has been suffering with Celiacs for years, and has passed that information along in case it may benefit Liam. 

Erin has been suffering lately with a racing heartbeat—this is not good. We hope she will get some answers over this issue quickly. Kristian continues antibiotic treatment for his eye issues, but the antibiotics bring their own side-effects. He had parent-teacher interview day on Friday; he had picture day in his bowling league today. 

Travis and Joanna have been busy all week as official photographers for the Bantam AAA Provincial Championships. They were still able to enjoy the hockey a little, but neither we nor their children have seen much of them otherwise! Gemma is now a fully licensed driver; she's been operating the school taxi this week. 

And that's about enough for this week.