News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. The weather had remained mild, but showery, so it has not been pleasant to be outside. On Thursday and Friday we got some snow, but with temperatures climbing above zero, it's turned to a slushy mess. We scraped off the driveway on Friday, but we didn't get enough sun to dry it away today. More snow is predicted, but we hope things dry up and freeze first! Wendy has continued with house-clearing—she's moving out stuff that has been stored for many years, and eliminating some of it. She has also increased my reno project downstairs, so I've purchased and applied more gyproc, and I am back to the taping and mudding. We also bought some LED pot-light replacements for the family room. They installed easily, but were too bright, so we got a dimmer switch installed and now they look great. We got my electrical work inspected, and the guy was very complimentary of my work—thanks Uncle Rob! So, that issue is behind us once again. We're shopping for house and vehicle insurance, and hoping to change companies after what they put us through. Both the electrician and the inspector told us the re-inspection was bogus and a waste of time and money—our time and money! The markets have remained volatile, and I had some big days in both directions, leaving me about flat for the week, and still in the red for the month. C'mon man! The Riders scored an impressive win over Ottawa on Sunday to advance to the East Final against Toronto tomorrow. Go Riders, Go! Hockey continues to produce some interesting storylines and some very entertaining games. Oilers are starting to score more, but are still inconsistent, and lost ground this week. Leafs are playing solidly. Pens still struggling to score, but playing mostly winning hockey all the same. It's Grand Slam curling, again, with the National event this week. My guy, Kevin Koe, has qualified as usual, so I've been enjoying watching the action. I got out for curling a couple of times myself, and have decided to accept an invitation to curl in Toronto the first weekend of December! Special thank you to my children for the early Christmas gift to fund that trip! The Jayhawks continue to develop well in the early going of the college basketball season. I'm having trouble with my site that affords me the opportunity to watch them, but was able to make it work again this week—Rock Chalk! 

The Baileys only had to cook one meal this week. Nice! However, not quite as nice as having a live in Mom though! Liam was home last weekend and had some doctors' appointments on Monday. The doctors now think he has Colitis and maybe not Celiacs disease, after all. He is on medication for Colitis while still avoiding gluten for now, but his test results are showing improvement so that’s good. Eric is down to two hours of supervision left, which he should complete this coming week. It has been a long road and they are looking forward to the day when he has his Clinical status. They got the dining room and bedroom primed and picked up the paint for the bedroom. So, soon, they hope to have both rooms done. 

Liam percussing at the Cheesecake Cafe!

Merry Christmas!

Tree's Up!

Erin and Kristian are continuing with work and school, and with preparations for Christmas. Kristian got a set of novels in the school book fair and just can't put them down, even for bowling! (It's great to see his love of reading blossom!) Erin scored a new Android box for her TV, so she's arranging to get that set up with her desired apps, and anticipating more hours of comfortable winter time napping! 

Bowling? What bowling?

Trav & Joanna are working through their busy time, printing lots of product, and getting it out the door. Gemma has made application to a University of British Columbia pre-med program in Kelowna, so we're cheering for her on that one, although mom may not be ready for her little girl to leave home! (Where 'may' means 'is definitely'!) 

And that's about it for this week. 

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. The weather has been cool, even cold, and showery, and today we're getting some snow. The forecasters predict the next week of above zero temperatures, so we'll see whether the snow can survive that! I busied myself with electrical repairs early in the week, and completed the marrette replacement program on Tuesday. Now, we wait for the inspector to check it over again. I've also begun the mudding and taping in the kitchenette; slowly, but surely, we're making progress on the renovations. I've continued to practice curling, and also played two games this week. The leg is accepting the extra activity well. Wendy has been catching up with some painting, and also doing some general clean up and clean out of several rooms. We've also been going through the rooms and upgrading the bulbs from CFL to LED. It's now brighter; we old folks need it bright! The markets have been terrible this week. Investors have become frustrated over Trump's inability to get anything done in the US congress. It was further exacerbated by the tax plans that have come out showing ballooning deficits and no tax breaks for the middle class, sigh! As a result, it was a losing week for me as well—c'mon man! Sports stories continue to attract some of our interest. The Riders play the Eastern Conference Semi-final tomorrow—Go Riders! I've taken time for several hockey games this week: Leafs are doing well, Pens and Oilers are not quite measuring up to my expectations. NCAA basketball has started, and I got to watch the Jayhawks run off an easy win last evening. It's interesting to see the new personnel each season and to contemplate how Coach Self will develop them as the season progresses. Baseball had a sad story this week as historical Blue Jay favourite, Roy Halladay, died in a plane accident. Curling has begun the Olympic Qualification round, so I've been keeping up with that.

Liam is home for the long weekend. The Baileys are moving around the furniture to take advantage of the opening provided by the installation of the washer/dryer in the new laundry room. So, the living room is actually starting to take its final shape, although there's a lot of demolition and construction still in the plans for that area. 

Erin and Kristian are facing winter in Regina. Kristian got his school photos back—handsome dude, isn't he? He had bowling today, and maintained his average over 100. 

Grade 6 Scholar!

Trav & Joanna continue to be busy with photos, sometimes even busier than they expected as an extra team may decide it's time for pictures. Joanna is also busy with her two other full-time jobs! Gemma has been accepted to Lakehead University. She has also applied to other schools out-of-province, so we're waiting to see what comes of that. 

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 a good week, managing to get renovations going again here. We've completed the hanging of the drywall, and now I need to get to taping, mudding and finishing it so Wendy can paint. But, that plan has been interrupted by the electrical issues. This house was built in the 1970's, and was wired with aluminum wire. That was later determined to be a potential problem, so, Eric/A were required to get it fixed. That fix amounted to the electrician's application of penetrox on each connection, before fastening the wire-nut (marrette). That was ten years ago, it was inspected and approved. But, our insurance company has decided that it must be reinspected. So, we applied for that, paid $300+ for the privilege, and were further dismayed to have the inspector tell us the job was unsatisfactory! His story is that the marrettes used were not the approved ones, even though the installation was inspected and approved! The electrician's story is that the code has changed! Our story is we can't get insurance without a certificate! Yikes! After some discussion, the electrician has agreed to supply us with the marrettes, the inspector has approved the marrettes, and all that remains is for yours truly to open all the boxes and replace the non-approved ones! Sigh! According to the invoice of the earlier work, it took the electrician 11 hours to do the job, so I'll be at this awhile. I have now completed all the switch boxes, and began work on the receptacles today. Good economic data this week both sides of the border should have buoyed the markets, but the TSX demurred! However, I was blessed with quota, so I won't complain. The World Series was very entertaining, even strange, baseball, and it went the full seven games. In the final analysis, the Astros won two games in Los Angeles, so you have to give them credit for the victory. Hockey continues to entertain as well, my highlight was a game between the Pens and the Oilers—very exciting, even though my team lost! There was another enjoyable game between the Pens and Canucks tonight. The Riders completed the regular season this evening with a meaningless loss to Edmonton. Now they move on to the conference semi-final next weekend against Ottawa. Go Riders, Go! I managed to get out for curling practice a couple of times, and even played a bit this evening. I am delighted with how it's going!

Eric is getting excited to be near the end of his qualifying hours for Clinical counsellor status. If everything goes according to plan, he should be done by end of November! His current count is 9 hours of supervision left! Liam was diagnosed with Whooping cough this week. He thought it was a made up sickness. Now he is on medication for that. Poor kid! He just wants to be healthy. Haaken started some new classes this week. His school is designed to do fewer, more concentrated classes at a time. He is enjoying his time there. On the renovation front, the washing machine was reinstalled, minus the Teflon tape. They did a test run, it worked and there is no leaking! They also picked up some primer last weekend so they can finish their painting duties.

Yeah, I didn't recognize him!

Don't know this guy, either!

Kristian had a busy week with Trick 'r Treating early in the week and bowling this weekend. On Hallowe'en, he enjoyed both going out for treats, and being able to hand out treats at home, so he was multi-tasking that night. His first game of bowling did not go well, but games 2 & 3 were good and pushed his average back over 100. Maybe warmups are a good strategy, hey, buddy?! Otherwise, they're hunkering down and enjoying their refurbished home out of the winter weather in Regina.

Brrrrr!

Trav & Joanna are busy with hockey photography this time of year. We were glad to find time to have them all over for supper on Friday evening. It was also great to catch up with Gemma and Andrew. He is about a head taller than the last time we saw him in June before we headed west. Gemma is in the process of filling out applications for university—how did that come about so soon!

And that's about enough for this week. 

News Update

Another week has passed and we have returned to the shore of Lake Superior and our hometown. We drove over to Winnipeg on Sunday afternoon, and spent the evening and night with Dean, Kelly and family. We're discussing the chance to make a trip to Mexico with True North Helping Hands next summer, so we were glad to get a chance to discuss that with them. The weather was beautiful for our drive down to TBay on Monday, but has turned cool, rainy and even snowy over the rest of the week here. We've been taking it easy all week, but, yesterday, we started back into the renovations here. We got a bit of a surprise as we had the electrical inspector in to check our aluminum wiring, and he informed us that the electrician hired to fix this ten years ago didn't do a proper job, so we'll be looking into that next week, sigh! The markets continued to push forward this month, and I had another great week. TSX posted another all-time high on Friday. I've been suffering with a cold all week, and we both felt a little run down, so the relaxation was welcome. I had an appointment with my oncologist on Tuesday; it went as per usual. My PSA remains elevated, but we feel it is simply a chronic inflammation. We were finally able to check the progress on our Keto way of eating effects. I have now lost 43 pounds, while Wendy has lost 30 since May. I'm at the target weight chosen by my doctor, so we'll see what she advises when I see her next month. The World Series is underway, but my Dodgers lost one at home, so it was great to see them take one in Houston, tonight. The CFL has one week remaining; the Riders beat Montreal decisively last evening, but still don't know who their playoff partner will be. The early season continues in the NHL; Oilers, Pens and Leafs all continue to play pretty well, although all of them lost tonight! The Masters event is on in Slam Curling, and my guy, Koe, made the playoffs, but he lost the semi-final to Gushue this evening.

The Baileys report that renovation work has mysteriously slowed to a crawl this week. They’re not sure why! The washer and dryer did get moved into the laundry room, but the washer needs a bit of adjustment. They discovered that to run the dryer, they also need to run the bathroom fan, otherwise the moisture builds up in the area. Liam returned to school after a week at home and various medical appointments. He is suffering from the resulting backlog of school work, but is otherwise okay. Haaken reports he is doing great. Eric and Erica are spending part of the weekend in Saskatoon, picking up renovation supplies and attending to various meetings and appointments. Eric also needs to write a sermon as he is on for preaching this Sunday (and he says he’s already used both his good ones).

Washer-Dryer in place

Erin and Kristian hosted us Saturday and Sunday, and then sent us on our way east. Thanks! Kristian had a Hallowe'en fun day instead of regular league bowling, today. Although most players were in costume, they were at least able to have fun, and get in their three games with some novelty play. Kristian's team won a prize for the bingo bowling game.

How can you bowl in that outfit?!

Trav and Joanna welcomed us home on Monday evening. They've had a busy week with appliance moving as their newly purchased washer/dryer were delivered. They got them assembled, hooked up and working in short order. We look forward to catching up with Gemma and Andrew soon as well.

New Washer/Dryer

And that's about enough for this week. 

News Update

Another week has passed, and we have begun the trip home. We drove down to Regina this evening, and we plan to drive to Winnipeg tomorrow to overnight with Dean & Kelly, and then continue to Thunder Bay on Monday. We both have appointments on Tuesday morning, so we've pushed it as far as we could, and now we have to hurry home. We were already two weeks overdue on our schedule, and it would have taken another week yet to complete all we had planned to do. However, we did come in under budget!! This week we completed work on the laundry room by refinishing the floor. That was a first for us, but it worked out fine. 

Refinishing the floor

We also had our share of surprises as we opened another partition while doing electrical work and found some knob and tube! 

Knob & Tube

Anyway, we'll leave the renovations with them for the winter, and see how that goes. It's been a good two months there. The markets ran well again this week and I made quota again. I still need a lot of catch up, but it all helps. The baseball playoffs have moved to the final series, and my Yankees did not make it. So, it'll be Houston vs the Dodgers. I'm picking the Dodgers to prevail. Meanwhile the Riders pulled off a big upset last evening, beating Calgary in Calgary! This assures them a playoff berth, so we'll be looking forward to that in a few weeks. Go Riders, Go! 

Eric and Erica were joined by Liam for the week as he was off school. Along with everything else, he had some medical work to take care of. The doctor had some new ideas about Liam's medical issues, so we hope some improvement will come from that. Haaken reports that coursework is going well in Victoria. We left Erica painting in the Master Bedroom, but she ran out of paint! 

We arrived at Erin and Kristian's this evening. Kristian has lost another tooth, an eye tooth this time. He had bowling today as well, and averaged over 100 once again, but not as high as last time. Then, they went to a movie: Lego Ninjago. When we arrived he was building a Lego project! What a guy!

Trav and Joanna had a busy week. Work is busy, and then this week they had the issue of Sears bankruptcy to deal with. They had bought some new appliances and purchased warranty coverage last year, but now with the impending bankruptcy, the warranty would be cancelled, so they went about getting vouchers to get some value out of it at least. That was a time-consuming and frustrating activity, but Joanna persisted! They are ensuring everything is ready for our arrival. Thanks guys! 

And that's enough for this week. 

News Update

We began the week in Regina where we scored two Thanksgiving dinners on Sunday! Thanks, Alicia and Erin; the ham and the ribs were both yummy centre-pieces to excellent meals. Then, we returned to Prince Albert, where we enjoyed a turkey-centred Thanksgiving meal on Monday! Thank you Erica and friends! It was difficult to remain in ketosis through all that! Work has continued on the renos. We have completed the bathroom, and almost finished the laundry room. The master bedroom is taking on mud, so we're getting close there as well. It is almost time to leave for home, so we'll see how much more gets completed before we leave. We bought stain and polyurethane today, and look forward to trying it on the laundry room hardwood soon. I have yet to cut in the hot air vent and the dryer vent holes into that floor. Markets were troubled all week; my winning streak broke after ten straight green days, but I'm on quota for the month so far. The baseball playoffs continue. My teams have all won so far, but now it gets tougher. The Yankees are playing Houston who are already up 2-0 on them. The Dodgers are playing the defending champs from Chicago. The two teams I didn't want to win have already lost out, so I won't be too upset no matter how it goes, but I'm still hoping for that Yankees-Dodgers World Series. The Riders continued to play uninspired ball, and were upset by Ottawa last night. A win would have clinched a playoff spot—C'mon Riders! The hockey season is underway, but my Oilers seem to be asleep with only one win! Let's go Oil! At least the Pens and the Leafs are showing progress.

She's high on paint!

Vanity added to new half-bath

New Kitchen Window is good for tomatoes!

Eric & Erica keep busy with their work, but still find time to help out with renos. Liam drove home Friday afternoon, so he got involved in house repairs today as well. It has been good spending the time here, but we need to get away in the coming week, and I'm afraid we won't get everything done that we had planned to do. I guess we'll have to plan another visit next year! 

Erin and Kristian keep busy with work and school activities. Kristian had a school outing to Fort Qu'Appelle on Friday, and his regular league bowling today. He kept his average over 100—good bowling, buddy! They also enjoyed an evening Oktoberkinderfest at the German club this afternoon. Shawn is always good at finding special activities for the kids on the weekends. 

The boy doesn't look well! 

Trav & Joanna FaceTimed on Thanksgiving. It was good to catch up with them. Then, with Sears closing, Joanna scored payouts for their warranties which will be ending, so they are shopping for new appliances before the credits are cancelled. Otherwise, they're keeping busy. We look forward to seeing them in another week. 

And that's about it for this week. 

News Update

Another week has passed; we have driven down from the shore of the South Saskatchewan, to the shore of Lake Wascana in the middle of the prairies. We are taking advantage of the Thanksgiving weekend to spend some family time in Regina. That, as you may notice, includes multiple Thanksgiving feast opportunities! We've enjoyed fine Autumn weather all week, and glad to see the contractor take advantage to get the upstairs windows installed. That done, we've been making steady progress on our two rooms, and paying some attention to a few of the other renovation projects. I'm nearly finished in the bathroom/laundry room—hoping to get Wendy painting on Monday! I'm also hoping to complete the drywall application in the Master Bedroom on Monday, and then our assignment will be truly in the final days. The markets were pretty good this week until weak jobs' data in the US sent a tremor through on Friday. However, I was blessed with my first all green week of the year, so I'm very thankful. The Riders continued their winning ways today against the Argos. The backup QB came in and played very well, so that was encouraging. Early games in the NHL have played out with some surprising results. Long-suffering Leaf fans are delighted with their two-win opening week. The baseball playoffs have begun; this is the time of year when everyone starts to pay attention to baseball. I'm picking the Dodgers to win it all, and also cheering for the Yankees. If we could have a Yankee-Dodger World Series, it would harken back to my initial cheering as a child when I cheered for the Yanks, and Mom cheered for the Dodgers! However, it's not looking too good for the Yankees as they're down two games in their series against Cleveland. 

Glad it's not me!

Eric is travelling this week. He's down in Atlanta at a conference. We expect him back on Sunday. Erica and Liam are off this weekend to a wedding in Estevan. They should return to their usual locations tomorrow as well. Then, we have another Thanksgiving dinner celebration planned in PA! 

Erin is preparing a rib feast for the Family Thanksgiving feature. We're looking forward to that. Kristian had to bowl six games today to make up for missing league action last week. He scored well, but not up to his usual performance, so his average should remain about the same as a result. 

Trav & Joanna had an excellent month of business in September, and that has continued into the first week of October. Trav has been distracted by the opening of the NHL season as he has to get his Penguins into the win column. 

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. The weather has been very nice, but threatens to turn more Fall-like in the next few days. I got the window installed in the kitchen, and now the other windows have arrived; we picked them up today. We have contracted a guy to install those. I will assist by getting the rough openings prepared for his crew. I spent more time on the laundry room and bathroom downstairs this week. It is coming together nicely; our washing machine test went well. I have cleaned up the electrical connections in the dining room, and reinstalled the ceiling fan on an embossed ceiling tile. We're planning to do both the living room and the dining room with embossed ceiling tiles. The markets were supportive this week, and I was able to finish September on quota for the moth. The Jays complete their season tomorrow and it's on to the playoffs for ten teams. The Riders played an encouraging game against Calgary on Sunday, even though they lost. Then, Friday evening, they played poorly against Ottawa, but still managed to win; they are currently in a playoff position with five games remaining. NHL preseason is ending and the new season is commencing. 

One embossed tile in place! 

Eric and Erica both had assignments for work in Saskatoon this week, so we were even left without company two evenings. Everybody's back home now, and we put in a good day of work today. 

Erin and Kristian played out their usual roles at home, school and work. This weekend, Kristian stayed with Astrid and Liam at their grandma's place while Shawn and Erin attended a wedding. It was quite an experience—Asian, with a 12-course meal! Erin does not eat seafood, and there was plenty of it! She did try the crab and prawns, but demurred on the fish, lobster and fish gut soup! 

Travis and Joanna are busy with their PuckShots in the early stages of the new hockey season. Gemma is making good progress with recovery of her arm burn. It appears that it will heal well, and not leave a scar. 

And that's about enough for this week. 

News Update

Another week has passed and we continue our sojourn on the shore of the South Saskatchewan at the top of the prairies. The weather has continued to be seasonable, and we continue to find that quite cool. There have been threats of frost in the area, but I don't know whether we've experienced any yet. We've had a few showery days, but overall, it's still quite nice to be out without a jacket. We continue with work on the house. This week I've focused on the Master Bedroom renovations. I was able to pull in the new wiring, and have the room pretty much ready for drywall. We are still delayed by the windows, so we can't finish that wall. Wendy has completed plastering the one wall, and gave it a coat of primer today. I followed Uncle Rob's advice and kept fixing the electrical connections, box by box, until the deficient neutral disappeared—thanks! I've now managed that on two circuits—the other was even more troubling as it had a hot neutral, and that gave me a bit of a lift! Two of the windows arrived on Friday; I got one of those installed today in the laundry room. The other is for the kitchen, but there's no rush on that one since we aren't renovating the kitchen this year. We're still waiting for the upstairs windows, but at list in that case, we have contracted someone else to actually install them. The TSX had a good week and so did I. The US markets struggled as the economic data down there has softened. The Jays are playing out the string, with their final home series this weekend. The Riders face a stern test this week against first place, Calgary, but at least our QB is back. Go Riders, Go! The NHL has begun preseason play, and we're paying scant attention! 

Master Bedroom

Eric and Erica continue with their usual work, and also help out with renos. Erica had a recruiting day in Saskatoon on Wednesday, so that was a late day. Eric usually (always?) works late on Thursday. We on the other hand usually start late, and make up for it by quitting early! Haaken reports progress in college in Victoria, while Liam continues with grade 12 at Caronport. 

Erin and Kristian had a few special events to close out his birthday week, and begin the bowling season. In his league games today, he raised his average once again, sporting a 60 pin increase in his average over what we observed last season—great play, buddy! This evening, they're out at the centre of the arts to the symphony. Tonight's event features a deaf percussionist—apparently, she goes barefoot to feel the music through the floor! Kristian is beginning band this year, and is also taking percussion, so it was a special treat for him. 

Trav and Joanna are busy with hockey pictures already. Trav is also negotiating to do the marketing for one of the AAA teams this season. Gemma's arm is healing nicely, and it appears it will gradually fade from significance—good to hear! They had a meeting with Lakehead University this week to open discussion on Gemma's educational options. We are looking forward to how it all unfolds. Andrew continues with his regular school activities as well. 

And that's about enough 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 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.