Carry on!

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Wascana in the middle of the prairies. The weather has been variable—mostly hot—accompanied by multiple thunderstorms. Wendy has been working over at Erin's most of the week. I have assisted with that when it comes to removing/installing electrical plates and other fixtures that might be in the way of a good paint job. I got out golfing on Wednesday with Dale, Garnet and Evan—man, that Evan can hit the ball a long way! I did not play well (+21), so I plan to try that course again on Monday to assure myself that it was just an aberration! I have been working on a round pot from some pallet material I've collected. It is ready for the glue-up, but I can't find my strap clamp, so I'll use dad's.

Ready for Glue-up

Investors determined that Trump's executive orders on stimulus were "unconstitutional slop", so they returned to selling. I am back out of the market, after realizing only a small gain on my last venture. With the Republicans continuing to stand in the way of stimulus legislation, and now taking a holiday, it is hard to be hopeful for economic improvement in the USA in the near term. This heavily influences our markets as well. Covid-19 continues to rage in the USA, so there's also that hanging over our heads. Several provinces, including Saskatchewan, are experiencing an unwelcome surge in cases here as well. The second round of hockey playoffs are underway. After Oilers, Leafs and Pens lost in the first round, I am left with four teams to cheer for: Canucks, and whoever is playing Bruins, Flyers and Flames! The baseball season continues to lurch along, battling Covid-19 outbreaks and suffering postponed games. It remains an open question whether they will manage to complete the season. Blue Jays are showing home run prowess and sit in the middle of the pack. It appears highly unlikely that a football season will be happening for my Riders this year. 

After returning from Manitou Springs, it has been a relatively quiet week for the Baileys. Eric has been working while Liam and Erica have been doing a little around the house (but not nearly enough). They went up to Waskesiu today for some axe throwing. 

Eric has this down pat!

Haaken has applied for a few animation jobs. We hope one comes through soon. Liam has also started applying for jobs in Caronport and Moose Jaw. He is asking for prayers for a job that will fit well into his schedule with the dance team. He is also seeking a suitable accommodation.

Erin has been cleaning up around the house while Kristian is down at Kenosee.

New Trolley for her Air Fryer

Over the course of most of the week, Wendy repaired, primed and repainted the main floor bathroom. It's looking great, but also calling for further decoration! I will attempt to build a new shelf in white; there are also rumours of the little cupboard being repainted—not in my job description!

another Wendy masterpiece!

Kristian remains at Kenosee; he is scheduled to return tomorrow. Photos show him having a good time and getting a sunburn! Careful buddy! 

Travis and Joanna have returned from southern Ontario. The health of her dad continues to decline, creating a growing concern. Travis, Joanna and Andrew await results from Covid testing. Gemma has been holding down the fort at home. 

And that's enough for this week! 

Gettin' Worse!

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Wascana in the middle of the prairies. The weather has continued to be very hot, but I still managed to get out for a couple of golf games. Otherwise it has been pretty quiet here. Wendy has made a few shopping trips getting Kristian lined up for his week at Kenosee, and replenishing our groceries. We've enjoyed a few barbecue suppers from Bern's gas barbecue. Now, more than ever, I can hardly wait to get ours hooked up and end the stress over whether the propane bottle will run out! I have tip-toed back into the market, and managed some gains this week, but not up to quota. The overall situation is not conducive to bullish perspectives. Covid-19 is raging throughout the world, especially in the USA which is doing the worst job of managing it. They're now at 25% of cases and almost 25% of deaths, despite having only 4% of the population. Most of our provinces are managing satisfactorily, but alarming surges are also happening in some locales, and now the pressure to allow the children back to school is threatening the situation further. All provinces are considering how to reopen schools, and none inspire confidence in me. We continue to exercise caution, avoiding public gatherings, while making use of protective practices. Bern and Alicia enjoyed their week at Moose Mountain, and the RV site at Little Kenosee, while also visiting people in the area. I golfed with a former student from Earl Grey on Thursday. It was my first full round of the season, and pretty much met expectations as I scored a +11, which is well within my usual expectations. Then, this morning, a real highlight as I golfed nine holes with Erin and Kristian. This was Kristian's first game on a regular course, and he found it plenty challenging, but he also made many fine shots. Like all golfers, he will have a career of trying to improve his consistency. The Stanley Cup playoffs are nearing the end of the first round, and already some of my favourites have been eliminated. Of the teams I was cheering for, Pens, Oilers and Jets have been eliminated. Leafs are still in it, with a final game tomorrow, while only the Canucks have advanced safely to the round of sixteen, sigh!

Erica writes, "It’s been busy week but we only got a few things done. We still haven’t located our contractors so the work has been on hold (hint: we're on hiatus in Regina). So frustrating! After my first ever presentation at church on Sunday, we had our friends Chris and Shelly Lock visit last Sunday to christen the deck and the new-to-us deck furniture. On Monday, we did a motorcycle ride up to Waskesiu with Tina and Guido Stenske followed by a hike and a fast ride back to beat the rain. It was a beautiful day and a bit less hot up at the lake. One thing you don’t notice when riding a motorcycle is how much sun you are getting, so Tuesday was recovery. Unfortunately, Eric had to do his recovery at work. It has been a hot week so we have kept our work mostly indoors, sorting through old clothes and figuring out what mess to make next. This weekend Eric has taken me away for a vacation to Manitou Springs.

Lovely view at Manitou Springs

I’ve been feeling very homebound with the COVID-19 restrictions. It’s nice to get away if only for a weekend. Liam is in communication with the RU team about plans for the fall. He is looking for appropriate work and a place to stay, hopefully in Caronport. Haaken reports nothing new out in Victoria."

Erin has been busy at work all week, while also arranging things for Kristian's camping trip with his friend Callum and family. They left around noon today, and plan to be at Kenosee all next week. At least we got to golf this morning.

Off for a round of golf!

The young man is very flexible!

Momma? Not so much! Keep that left arm straight!
Old guy? Don't ask!

Maybe we can get Grandma to golf with us next week! 

Travis has joined Joanna in southern Ontario while Andrew has returned home to TBay. Gemma remains in charge, and we're confident she can manage it well. 

And that's about it for this week. 

"Normal" Week!

Another week has passed; the weather has remained hot, and we have adjusted our location to the shore of Lake Wascana in the middle of the prairies. I was just thinking today while out shopping with Wendy, that this has been a pretty normal week of activities. Then, I started to reflect on the events of the week and wondered how I could think such a thing! We completed the project in Prince Albert last weekend, thinking we might head south on Monday or Tuesday. Then, we decided to add the privacy wall, so that took up Monday, but still, ready to go.

Privacy wall installed

However, we were then informed that our hostess had been referred for testing, so she was in isolation and we were stuck in PA until her results came back negative, and much longer if they didn't! So, on Tuesday, Kristian and I went golfing—a great time, and he's hitting his new clubs frighteningly well!

Another classy swing! 

Gismo to get the ball out of the cup

Wendy took a contract to cut down a dead tree in the front yard, so we struggled through that.

Perfectly Safe!

We also took the tourist option and Erica toured us to Waskesiu and the Prince Albert National Park. It was beautiful up there. The golf course looks glorious, but activity level for all attractions seemed very low. There was a fair number on the beach, too many for our comfort, for sure.

Tourists are here!

Then, late Tuesday evening, we got the word of a negative test result, so we completed plans to pack up and go on Wednesday. We enjoyed a pleasant five-hour drive to Regina, where we checked in with Erin and Kristian and took up residence at 55 Laird Crescent. But all was not sweetness and light, as Alicia had been referred for a Covid test here, so she was in isolation awaiting results while we tried to celebrate my 70th birthday! We still managed to have a good time, ice cream cake and steak!

Peanut Butter & Jam Ice Cream Cake

She achieved her negative result on Friday, so we're back in the clear once again. On Friday afternoon, I was able to take part in a Zoom meeting with the siblings in acknowledgement of Daniel & Cindy's 30th anniversary and my 70th birthday. Today, Erin, Kristian and I went out to a nearby golf course to practice a bit. So, it was hardly normal, but a good week all the same! I completed my first ever month out of the market since I began this game about ten years ago. This left me with only a small gain courtesy of dividends, but only about half of my quota. My paper trades continue to work successfully, but the volatility in light of weak economic news and strong infection rates make it hard to stomach. Hockey opened up this week, and playoffs have begun. My Oilers lost their opening game—C'mon Oil! The Pens lost their game this evening in overtime. Then, the Jets lost tonight to complete today's debacle of teams I'm cheering for! Leafs and Canucks open their series tomorrow. 

Eric/A and Liam are back to their normal in PA. Erica admits to some consternation, "The dishes are dirty. There's no bacon and eggs cooked. What's going on? I'm so confused!" Otherwise, not much has happened. Eric and Liam cleaned up the remnants from the tree we took down. Eric/A made a trip to Saskatoon for more supplies. Erica prepared her presentation for tomorrow. They purchased a bread-maker and are trying out a gluten-free recipe tonight. We will see how that works out. 

We also enjoy getting to spend time with Erin and Kristian. They hosted us to a special dinner out at Chops Steak House to commemorate our 50th once again.

That was a nice event. Thanks! 

Joanna and Andrew have spent the week in southern Ontario assisting with the care of Grandpa Herbage. Soon, Andrew will return to Thunder Bay and Travis will join Joanna down south. 

And that's about it for this week. 

Win some...

Another week has passed on the shore of the South Saskatchewan River here in Prince Albert. The weather has turned hotter with frequent thunder storms. We've called a few short days as the heat and the work wears us down, but we've also made great progress. We have already achieved our original goals of building the front and back decks. 

Front Deck

Rear Deck

Now, we're adding refinements like a set of steps on the side to serve as a seating area as well as access from the back of the yard. The main stairs are on the side, near the house, aligned with the planned back door which will serve as the main family entrance. Some other activities this week include: a swimming pool outing for Wendy, a golf outing for Kristian, Liam and me, an app evening over at Guido & Tina's place.

Liam, Kristian-at the range!

And, for good measure, we celebrated our 50th Anniversary one more time... thanks Baileys & Stenskes!

Thanks folks!

The markets have turned in a bad week as the twin blows of continued CV-19 expansion in the USA, and the reopening of Trump-China hostilities have shed value in stocks and pushed gold over $1900 per ounce. On the positive side, baseball has returned, albeit without fans in the seats. The Jays have split their first two games. Golf continues; hockey nears—next week! 

The Baileys continue to host us each day and assist with the work. It is good just to share the time with them, and to see the progress.

Building Risers

Risers in Place, Privacy Screen coming

Wendy and Kristian have worked to clear the lawn area of rocks, and clean the yard edges of weeds.

Whipper Snipper!

It's looking good! Haaken continues with work, and his art projects. 

Erin has been holding the fort in Regina while continuing with work. There have been frequent thunder storms there as well. The dog doesn't like those; the cat doesn't care! 

Trav, Joanna and crew have also had weather to deal with in TBay. Gemma remains in our basement, tracking our mail, and ensuring the care of the house—thanks, Gemma! Joanna has returned to southern Ontario to relieve her step-mother and assist in the care of her father. 

And that's about it for this week. 

Decked Out!

Another week has passed and we are found on the shore of the South Saskatchewan River, in Prince Albert! We began the week in Kennedy, hosted by Dave & Heather—Thanks Folks! After driving up to Regina, we enjoyed Aunt Ina's 100th birthday party on Sunday afternoon. We checked in with Erin, making arrangements to pick up Kristian to take him north. Then, we met on the deck with Dad, and the 55 Laird Crew—Good to see you all, again! Finally, we headed over to Barry & Ashley's as they had agreed to put us up (down) in their basement. We passed greetings with them, and then headed north on Monday morning. We are isolating in Prince Albert and working a few projects at the Baileys, mainly the front and back decks! The front is much more tedious, but we're nearly done that one. We had to take down a lot of material from the old decks in both cases, but the back deck is much more straightforward. We expect to finish that next week, as well as get in some R&R time, maybe even golf! At present, we end each day pretty tired—decked out, perhaps! I have remained out of the markets, but they have actually managed to put up some green despite all the headlines and the resurgence of Covid-19. The Americans are putting up record numbers of cases, and experiencing about 1000 deaths a day, but still the markets work they way forward—it's true, "The markets can remain irrational much longer than you can remain solvent!" I got one more dividend payment, but I think I'm done for the month now on that front, so I'll need to spend a bit of time and figure out how to get back into the markets. Baseball and hockey are moving closer to official play. MLB plans an abbreviated season, while the NHL looks to moved directly into playoffs involving most of the teams. Other sports have returned to play, but I've limited my attention to golf, so far. 

Erica writes, "This week we were blessed with a pair of good workers. We made good headway on the back deck and front porch as well as some finishing work on Liam’s bedroom. Thanks Mom and Dad for coming to visit! I think by the time you leave we will have made a good dent in the work, and will need another vacation to recover. Eric has been battling a rash on his hand. We have determined that he is likely allergic to polysporin, which he was using to treat the rash before it started to grow. Liam has been helping Grampa and learning to do wiring and carpentry. Haaken continues with work at Costco in Victoria and looking for animation work." 

Some posts had slumped, so supports had to be rebuilt

All posts had to be raised to install decking

Kristian has left with us, so Erin is on her own with the pets. The pets seem to be wondering what happened to their usual companion! Erin has picked up a couple of Kristian's jobs caring for the neighbours animals and plants. Kristian has added some activities here! 

Nailed it!

Travis and Joanna, Gemma and Andrew remain in Thunder Bay. Gemma continues to live at our house, and care for the situation there, so that's a relief for us. They've been experiencing some severe weather since we left, but all situations are secure so far.

Wild Weather in TBay

And that's about it for this week. 

Anniversary Continues...

Another week has passed, and we have progressed from Lake Superior to the Rivière Rouge, to the Moose Mountains! We cleaned up and left Thunder Bay on Thursday. We drove up to Winnipeg that day; it was slow progress as we worked through many construction sites, most featuring one-way traffic and long delays. We rolled into Winnipeg after 6pm, and enjoyed a physically distanced greeting from Tom & Mariette. They put us up for Thursday and Friday nights, and celebrated our anniversary with us through a special supper on Friday night—thank you so much!

with a delicious Saskatoon crisp!

Despite the restrictions, it was a great time. This morning, we loaded up once again and drove by way of Fairlight, and the old farmstead, up to Kennedy where we are visiting Dave & Heather. Tonight's gathering included James, Natasha and their three children, along with Ray, Ellen and Harmony, so it was a great gathering. The markets have remained troubled all week as the news of the terrible virus toll in the USA gives investors many second thoughts. Combined with our travel plans, I have remained mostly on the sidelines, but did score another nice dividend to keep the green going even though it was short of quota. Golf remains the only sport in somewhat active mode. Hockey and baseball have made announcements of their plan to return to play. We're looking forward to watching how all that comes together. 

Erica writes, "Eric gave us a surprise trip to the hospital this week with severe stomach pain (close enough to his heart to scare us). Turns out it was a gall bladder infection and likely passing a small gallstone. Eric resumed work on Thursday and is doing fine. This did slow down our renovation projects. Liam made a video to demonstrate our process aptly titled 10 year reno. We are almost finished refinishing the floor in Liam’s room. He hopes to move back in later this weekend so that we will have space for our visitors who arrive Monday. Haaken is still working at Costco and is looking for animation work."

Erin and Kristian are watching through the thunderstorms in Regina, and preparing for our visit which is scheduled to begin tomorrow. Truthfully, we only plan a physically distanced greeting, and then, we're going to take Kristian along to Prince Albert and put him to work on renovations! 

Travis and Joanna continue to wait out the coronavirus in Thunder Bay. Joanna gets a couple of days of work most weeks. Travis has some summer maintenance to do on his equipment, but otherwise has little in the way of contracts. We hope there will eventually be hockey leagues as those represent a large part of his work each year. We enjoyed our first restaurant meal in months on Wednesday night with them to celebrate their anniversary. The open-air patio option at Montana's served the purpose. Then, we retired to our place for Grasshopper Pie. Happy Anniversary! 

And that's about enough for this week. 

Happy Golden Anniversary!

The end of this week brings us to a significant milestone in our lives together—the 50th Anniversary of our Marriage! Wendy continues to be the great blessing of my life, and I am very thankful to continue this trip with her.

Ready to Go Away!

We celebrated today with several on-line meetings. One with Wendy's family, another with our wedding party, and one with our children this evening. All members of the wedding party are still with us, and continue to form a meaningful part of our lives, so we're very appreciative of that. We could not have imagined having them all together again at any physical location, so it was fantastic to get to meet with them all at once!

A lovely bouquet for our 50th—thanks!

It has been another very hot week here in Thunder Bay, on the shore of Lake Superior. Sometimes we get a nice onshore breeze and the temperature moderates considerably. Usually, we swelter in the yard work, and escape to the air-conditioned comfort of our house. The hot, dry weather means the lawns have slowed down considerably which suits me just fine. I am loathe to water them, so they can just rest! We have begun preparations for our trip to Saskatchewan, hoping to make that sometime next week. We are still trying to manage our way through the protocols established in the provinces en route. It appears that Manitoba will allow we northern-Ontario-people a stop, sans quarantine, but we're not allowed at Erin's in Regina! The markets have been thin and directionless this week, and I have remained on the sideline except for collecting a dividend—so, I gained a little, but not up to quota. Sports leagues continue to mutter about opening scenarios, but so far only golf is actually playing. Meanwhile, CV-19 continues to ravage the countries who have failed to deal with it sensibly. USA is setting new records over 50,000 new infections per day, and they're just across an alarmingly porous border! Mexico has supplied the ultimate insult of closing their border to USA! 

It's been a quiet week at the Bailey house. Erica is on summer vacation and has been catching up on sleep and doing a few errands, but nothing too ambitious. Liam and Eric got a bit more demolition done on the old deck. They have stripped the old coating off the floor in the back room. It requires another sanding, and then it can be refinished. Haaken has been working this week. He also went out and purchased the family birthday gift for Gramma Bailey. 

Erin and Kristian have been managing their charges through the thunderstorms in Regina. Sadie becomes very alarmed and panicky, while Lucy takes it all in stride. Erin has been investigating the protocols for CV-19, and hoping we'll be able to stop in at her place next week. At the very least, our plan is to pick up Kristian and take him north with us to Prince Albert. Then, we can complete our isolation up there, and return to Regina later. 

Travis and Joanna have been managing their family and pets through the heat here. Well, except for Gemma; she's enjoying air-conditioned comfort in our basement! They supplied supper for an anniversary celebration here this evening—thank guys! Then, they joined us in a family zoom with the Saskatchewan crew and the grandson from BC. 

And that's about enough for this week! 

Told ya so!

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. The weather has been great, albeit a tad hot for us, and we've been running the air conditioning. We also got a couple of showers, so the lawns and fairways are thriving. I've managed a bit of golf practice, but it seems that golf is doing better than before; I'm finding it quite crowded and I don't hang around in crowds! Canada is making steady progress in the suppression of CV-19, and the caseload these days is manageable. Some countries are not doing so well—looking at you Brazil, Russia, USA... 

Yesterday: USA - 47,341 new cases

The border closure has been extended to July 21st, and some tourists who entered under false pretences have been fined and invited to return home! The markets have reacted to this disastrous result with another sell-off, and I have sold out of the market completely. Still, I am sitting at quota for the month of June, and will look to get back in when I can detect a sustainable direction. I've been working in the shop more this week, and enjoy seeing some progress on my woodworking projects. Wendy has been keeping up with the yard, and reorganizing storage in the laundry room, and in the kitchen. She tried to buy some new sandals, but was not happy with the options. She did add to her wardrobe with a special fascinator!

Fascinating!

We have picked up some plumbing supplies which implies my application to some work in the laundry room, soon! I scored a nice set of Bluetooth Headphones for Fathers Day—thank you!

Wendy doesn't have to hear my programs!

Baseball, hockey, football and basketball continue to make noises about play, but nothing is happening on those fronts yet. Golf is in another tournament this week, but some players and caddies are falling victim to the virus, and having to drop out. Still others are refusing to play. This evening, we were blessed with a visit from Dave & Heather as they overnighted in our driveway on their way home to Saskatchewan. 

Erica writes: "I wrapped up my last official week of work until September. I opted into a flex plan where I take off the summer months. I have a couple of minor items to wrap up, so I’m not completely done. But it feels good to know I have a few months to focus on other things. Eric got his long awaited Fathers Day gift: wireless headband earphones. He is now well set for truly deep listening.

Deep Listening indeed! 

Liam and Eric painted the back room. This weekend we want to clean up the brick a bit and seal it. Haaken was back to work this week at Costco. He reports it was good. Saskatchewan Lipedema held a webinar on Thursday night. At the end, during the discussion, one of the participants shared some news: Dr. Rockford’s team at Stanford University has located a bio marker for Lipedema. This should allow for a diagnostic test to be developed to confirm whether someone has Lipedema. Hopefully, it will lead to other treatments."

Kristian has completed his grade 8 with further recognitions of the end of the year. One such thing this week is he was given a sign from his current school...

and some school sportswear for his new school.

Travis and Joanna continue to cope with partially unemployed life. Joanna got in two days of work this week, which is pretty much as per usual. Gemma studies from downstairs here. Life is not so easy at any time, but we're all trying to make the best of it and do our part to flatten the curve.

And that's about enough for this week. 

The Virus is not Tired!

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. The weather has been beautiful, too hot a couple of days, and we've enjoyed a couple of showers to freshen the lawns. My battle with dandelions continues, but the showers and the heat mean I've had to mow the lawns more often! I've begun a practice of a morning bike ride before the markets open, while it's still cool. We've used the AC on the overly hot days. We've also enjoyed a couple of evenings around the firepit as darkness closes in around 10pm. Both of us enjoyed getting a haircut this week. Wendy got hers professionally done, and then she professionally cut mine! Then, I trimmed my beard and shaved! 

The new us!

After establishing our "family grouping" last week, we took advantage to have our first group meal since March. That was Thursday as we gathered around Chinese food to celebrate Joanna's birthday. It was wonderful to be together! Elsewhere virus news is not encouraging as many areas show they're getting tired of the restrictions necessary to slow the spread of infections. We need to recall that the restrictions were established when virus cases were under 100 in the country, but still the virus spread. We're now sitting at nearly 30,000 active cases in Canada, and we think we can relax the restrictions?! We may be tired of all the restrictions, but the virus is not tired! I've been warning about this for months. Many others are as well, in particular the leading scientists and doctors, but governments are opening up! In the USA, where the worst of the infections are occurring, and over 120,000 have died, many states are relaxing and seeing increased patient counts. Even some of the states which are listed as "about the same" don't look too positive to me. The virus is hitting the sports that are trying to open. A golfer became infected this week as the PGA is trying its second event without spectators. Several hockey and baseball players have become infected, and those sports have had to close training facilities, so the prospect of sports is dimming. The markets continued their wild ride, such that we often saw triple digits of red and triple digits of green on the same day! However, I was able to make quota again, so June has been productive. 

The Baileys have begun destruction of the old deck. Doesn't look healthy under there! 

Lotsa wear left in it!

Maybe they'll have the work all done before we can even contemplate travelling their way! Liam has moved out of the back bedroom, as they are getting ready to paint.

Eric painting

Liam painting

Erica has been very busy, and putting in long days as many deadlines are coming up, however, just one more week and she's on leave for the summer. She's on for music at church this week, and she's promised selections about God the father along with a few of my favourites... anyone near by may notice some leaking! Eric continues to work at the office, but counselling is done via phone or internet. The plan is for him to start seeing people in person come July. Liam also continues with art projects. Haaken goes back to work at Costco on Thursday. He will make presentations about products, but will not be giving out samples. He has applied for some animation jobs, and is working on a script of his own. 

Kristian had his official graduation notification this week. School officials provided him with a special balloon to celebrate the occasion.

2020-not your typical grad!

He has continued with his cooking and preparation of at least one supper each week, and has announced his interest and intention of pursuing barbecue grilling this summer. 

Delicious, and check the presentation!

Travis, Joanna, Gemma and Andrew joined us on Thursday evening for a wonderful time together to celebrate Joanna's birthday. We enjoyed Chinese food and birthday cake. 

Making memories...

Happy Birthday, dear Joanna! 

And that's about it for this week. 

Relaxing—Are we ready?

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. The weather has been seasonable, but with cool temperatures overnight, and we've received a bit of welcomed rain. Wendy has made some considerable progress on the lawn-edge planting areas in the back. It's looking great!

Hostas coming in

I have continued my battle with dandelions, and managed another mowing of both lawns. I am beginning to despair of my garden seeding; can seeds get out of date? The temperatures have been favourable, the moisture is there. Why am I seeing such poor germination? Our provinces are working through various phases in the battle with the coronavirus. I continued my work with the small round planter made with white oak salvaged from a pallet. It turned out pretty well, I think. 

Wendy will sand and finish it

Effective June 21st, Manitoba will allow travellers from northwestern Ontario, and Saskatchewan will allow arrivals without quarantine. We're starting to consider plans to travel west in July. Ontario is allowing us to develop a larger family grouping of up to ten people, and we're delighted to include Trav, Joanna and crew in our grouping. The markets continued their wild ways, most spectacularly on Thursday when DOW dipped over 1800 points! Thankfully, we got some recovery on Friday, and I remain on quota for the month so far. Golf returned this week, and I've been watching that with interest. Fans are not allowed to attend, but the experience via TV is really not much different than what I'm used to enjoying. Other sports continue to negotiate with their players. The NHL has announced that hockey will return with an extended playoff, but exactly when, we do not know. Today we enjoyed a special treat as Cindy set up a Zoom meeting in honour of her birthday. We were able to see and visit with our siblings. Thanks for that!

Eric and Erica are really fired up about house renovations in PA, resulting in much talk. They've been doing the heavy lifting in the discussion department, while Liam is left with the easier job of actually doing the renovations. As restrictions are easing, we are hopeful to get out there this summer and help with at least the discussion and planning side! Haaken has a new addition at his home in Victoria—a cute, little puppy. He is not a dog fan, but he reports that it is fine. 

Kristian has been suffering with allergies all week. This included the development of a cough and raised concerns that it might be more than allergies. Both Erin and Kristian were tested for CV-19 on Friday; they got their results today. As Erin expected, both came back negative, so we're much relieved. One of the repercussions was that Erin had to isolate along with Kristian until the results come back, so they've been enjoying time at home since Thursday. 

Travis, Joanna and crew are now part of our family grouping. They did some shopping for us today, and we enjoyed our first visit with our new group! Gemma continues her classwork out of our basement. Andrew is working at Walmart Pharmacy. 

And that's about enough for this week. 

Black Lives Matter!

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. The weather has been beautiful, even hotter than we'd like, but they're promising a cool, rainy week coming up. Given their accuracy rate, it may well be another hot, dry week! We continue to lament with those who are daily subject to race-based discrimination. There was a protest here yesterday, but given the ravages of CV-19, we did not attend. Some provinces are moving forward with relaxing from their fight against the coronavirus, and, indeed, Ontario may be as well, but we shouldn't be! Our emergency orders have been extended for an additional four weeks through the end of June. As you can see on this map, we are not doing well! And now, they've found an additional risk factor for severe cases—baldness! We continue to play it safely, and hope to avoid infection for as long as possible. They don't even have effective treatment protocols at this point. Our anticipated summer trip to Saskatchewan remains on hiatus. Ontario doesn't want us travelling; and Manitoba won't let us stop! So, July is the earliest we can consider. The yard work has made steady progress. We enjoyed a rhubarb crisp, froze three fresh batches, and there's certainly enough for another picking. 

Nice looking Rhubarb!

Keto Krisp a la William

Wendy has been cleaning the flowerbeds, driveway, around the buildings and around the back lawn of weeds. The hostas, lilies, lilacs, bleeding hearts and peonies are making good progress. Some are in bloom. Tomatoes are blooming and developing, but nothing else is making progress in the garden. I enjoy getting more time in the shop, and continue to work on a few small projects. I developed a two-ended jig for cutting staves to build a small planter—always looking for things to build from my pallet lumber! 

Jig for cutting tapered staves

I have continued to swing my golf club and got in some practice hitting balls this week. I am not noticing any difficulties from my wounded fingers, but the same old problems with my game! It was a good week in the markets; I made quota for this week as well as recovering some missing weeks from earlier in the year. The NHL has announced a playoff plan, and is allowing teams to begin organized workouts. Other leagues continue to work on their own plans between owners and players. Golf plans to hold a tournament next week, but without fans. 

Eric, Erica and Liam continue to lead their lives in Prince Albert. Their big purchase this week was summer tires! Plans are developing for more projects on their house, especially the development of bathrooms and the kitchen, now that Liam has opened up that issue. Liam is completing work on the second bedroom upstairs, getting it ready for paint and redoing the floor. Haaken was notified that Costco is bringing workers back soon, in Victoria. He's looking forward to that. 

After Sadie got her trim last week, it was Kristian's turn this week.

His eczema continues to respond to treatment—that's a relief! He has completed his unit on Probability. He has also undertaken to prepare one supper each week—we're looking forward to enjoying one of those sometime this year!

Chicken Wings a la Kristian

Lucy has been undergoing training—don't know if that cat, or any cat, is trainable! I guess we'll see; Kristian is hoping she'll get trained for a leash so he can take her for a walk along with Sadie. Erin continues to be busy with work—she has been going in to the office throughout the virus battle. 

Joanna was cleared of her isolation after her trip from southern Ontario. It was good to see them again. Andrew continues to work, and Gemma continues to study. She got a clear result from her CV-19 test this week. They did some grocery shopping for us today, thanks guys! Wendy has been taking care of most of that, lately. 

And that's about enough for this week.