Booked for #2

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. The weather has been beautiful, perhaps a bit warm for my liking, and we've also enjoyed several thunderstorms. I have finally done the reseeding on the front lawn over some of the patches which were lost to the chinch bugs. I hope it takes, but it always takes a couple of weeks to find out! I have also continued work on the hole in the backyard, adding more fill and leveling as it sinks. I have the sprinklers set up on zones to hasten the settling, and to keep the seeds wet. Wendy has herself in a variety of on-line programs, so that keeps some of her days programmed. The Sweet Adelines choir she's in has completed an on-line choral program. It turned out very nice, with a lot of effort in the editing. Here's a link for your enjoyment. The markets were a bit troubled this week as fears of inflation raised their heads again! Thursday was quite red, but we got some recovery on Friday, and I returned to the green for the week. The world-wide circumstances for the pandemic remain at high risk even as the situation has improved. Unless and until the world is vaccinated the virus will continue to have opportunity to mutate and put us all at risk. The program has advanced a lot here, and now we've been scheduled for our second jab in the coming week. All provinces are making headway, and only Manitoba remains at a high-risk level for infections. The NHL has moved on to the second round of the playoffs. The three teams (Oilers, Pens, Leafs) I cheer for have all been knocked out! I am fielding offers from fans asking me not to cheer for their team! Canada has recovered from a poor start to reach the gold medal game in the World Hockey championships. USA plays Germany in the bronze medal game, while we are up against Finland for the gold, tomorrow.

Erica writes, "It’s been a quiet, hot week. We’ve enjoyed ordering out a few times to avoid heating up the house. Fortunately, Eric had installed the air conditioning unit in our window. We’ve had the bikes out a few times. Unfortunately, the best weather for riding is roughly 15-20 degrees, and it seems like the weather here is either colder or hotter. But, a hot day on the bike is better than none! June is Lipedema month, and I’m working with SaskLipedema on an official launch of our website, designed by @Ulrichdesign. Our official launch will be June 22nd, 7 PM and I’m scheduled to share my story as part of the launch.  I’ll share the web address when it’s ready."

Kristian and Lucy are both feeling better.

Kristian and Lucy

Kristian got a fresh haircut, and has been enjoying getting out in the sunshine as the UV machine remains down waiting on parts that are stuck in customs! He has passed his written test, and now is scheduled to begin the driving portion of driver training starting next week. Erin has her first vaccine jab and is looking forward to eligibility to complete the process as Saskatchewan enhances the vaccination program.

Travis has now scored his first jab—yay! So, all the kids have started the vaccination program. The Adirondack chairs turned out well. They have decided to go with a natural wood colour, so we've delivered their new chairs to their place.

Chairs and a Footstool

Andrew and I continue to work on his new improved Andrew-on-deck chair!

And that's enough for this week.

Progress for Sure!

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. The weather has been comfortable and we've enjoyed getting out for walks and bike rides. I have continued my crusade against the dandelions, and have them pretty much under submission on both lawns! The front lawn continues to recover, and I haven't done the reseeding yet. Andrew and I have had another session of work on the Adirondack chair. We have the main supports cut to shape, sanded and ready for seat and back. We got all the boards planed and ready to cut to size and shape for the arms, seat and back. He plans to come by one day next week to work on the next phase. The Covid-19 situation continues to improve with weekly infections down 16% from last week. It is also improving here, and we only have three provinces now over the target line of 100 cases per million. Manitoba continues to suffer the worst of it, but it has also improved some. Saskatchewan and Alberta are almost down to the 100 mark! Ontario announced that the scheduling for shot #2 will be advanced, and that we can login to book it soon. We're looking forward to that. It was a short week in the markets since we had the Victoria Day holiday, but it was a great week, and with only one trading day left, I have gained quota once again. It's now seven straight months since the election—thanks Uncle Joe! Wendy has continued therapy, and, we hope, healing of her shoulder. She had an appointment with her chiropractor and has another with her doctor next week. I had an appointment for an MRI on Wednesday, so I'm looking forward to a report from my doctor on that procedure. World Curling ended last weekend. Sweden beat us to win the bronze, while Scotland won the gold over Switzerland. There are now 67 countries officially competing in curling, and some of them are making a habit of beating the teachers! The first round of the NHL playoffs is almost complete. Two of my teams (Oilers, Pens) were knocked out—so, it's Go Leafs Go! My pick to win the cup, Colorado, did win to advance to round two. 

Erica writes, "We enjoyed having Liam all week. He worked really hard on this week’s YouTube Animatic video. He timed himself at one point and it took him one hour to do about seventeen seconds of video—yikes! We had a nice break on Victoria Day, and hung out together. Eric is enjoying the riding the motorbike to work on a daily basis. I continued to work from home this week. Next week, I’m back in the office."

Kristian is managing pretty well with his two subjects in this final quint. There is some discussion of adding more in-person time as the pandemic ebbs. His eczema situation is not improving since the UV radiation machine went down. And Lucy is still not doing well, yet. 

Joanna, Travis and Wendy picked up their new Adirondack chairs and delivered them to our shed. They're working to choose appropriate stains and finishes before moving them home. Gemma and Andrew got their second vaccine doses—yay! Joanna got her first dose—yay! Travis is scheduled for his first dose—yay! 

And that's about it for this week.

May Long!

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. The long weekend in May marks the unofficial start to summer and the gardening season for us. We're not planning a garden, but the rhubarb is coming nicely. The weather has been beautiful, punctuated by some nicely timed showers, but we're threatened with the first big thunder storm of the season tonight. The last two days have been pushing 30°, so it shouldn't surprise us to see a thunderstorm. I have continued harvesting dandelions as I contemplate when I should over-seed the front lawn. Once I put on the seed, I won't be able to dig dandelions for some time! More of the lawn appears to be making a comeback, so I've also been revising the area to seed. On the pandemic front, we're seeing some improvement world-wide as reported cases have declined 14% in the past week. Alberta has shown significant improvement, and is down to 190 new cases per day from its height of over 450 in the last few weeks. Manitoba has taken the lead in infamy, and has been sending ICU cases down here this week. Also, on the bright side, we have made great strides on the vaccination front, and now have a higher portion of our population with a first dose than even the USA. We continue to wait with expectation that our second dose may move forward a couple of months as vaccines have become more available. The province allowed the golf courses to open today. I drove by two nearby courses, and found the parking lots filled and overflowing, so I didn't go in! We had an unexpected and unwanted surprise this week as the water heater quit! Fortunately, my local plumber had the necessary parts to replace the igniter and flame sensor, so I was able to get it going again this morning. The markets suffered this week with four red days. I managed a gain, but not up to quota. Still, I remain on quota YTD, and I am grateful for that. The World Championships in mixed doubles curling have been running this week. Our team, Einarson/Gushue, have acquitted themselves well. They have qualified the country for the Olympics, and will play Sweden for the Bronze medal tomorrow. Scotland plays Norway for the Gold. The first round of the NHL playoffs  is underway, and there have been some surprises! My Oilers have dropped their first two games—c'mon Oilers! The Leafs have split their first two games with the surprising Habs, and lost their captain to injury in the process. Pens are tied 2-2 in their series. Blue Jays continue to play pretty well, but are also finding novel ways to lose games—Let's go, Blue Jays!

Erica writes, "I got a call last Saturday from Sask Health advising that I was identified as being in contact with someone having Covid. Eric and I both got a tests on Saturday and went into isolation. I had a second test on Wednesday and all results were negative! It has been two full weeks from exposure, two negative tests and, now, we are free! Liam is home this weekend for an iron infusion. He and I are on worship team this Sunday."

Kristian was receiving regular UV treatments for his eczema; but now the UV machine is down, so we keep waiting. Lucy is better, and back to her usual self. Erin has been reconsidering the development and use of her back yard area. It's small, but if she could use it all, it would provide a nice area for her box garden and relaxation. Shawn has been promoted at Ranch Ehrlo, and that changes his shifts a bit with four days on, four days off. He's feeling pretty well in his recovery from covid-19.

Joanna is noting significant improvement in her blood pressure, and we hope the will coincide with a wide range of health benefits, including to her eye issues. Travis and I commiserate over the Stanley Cup playoff results so far. Andrew and I have started work on his Adirondack chair. I picked up some more pallets and he cleaned up the necessary boards that will form the main parts of the chair. It should be ready for some pictures next week. 

And that's about it!

It's a New Season!

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. The weather has been beautiful, and we've enjoyed time in the yard and around the fire pit. I have steadily worked at filling the 6m trampoline hole in the backyard—now to begin the leveling process as it settles. I still have a couple of yards of fill left for that task.

Filled!

The warm weather is pushing me to get the reseeding done on the front lawn. We had an infestation of Chinch bugs last year, and much of the grass was killed. I don't really know if they're still there waiting for me to provide a new crop of food for them! The usual treatment for chinch bugs is Diazinon, but it is no longer allowed. There are replacements available if it comes to that, but for now, I'm hoping the bugs are not there! I've been able to get out regularly to practice golf, but the courses remain closed despite the medical advice to the contrary! The next deadline is June 2nd, so unless political decisions change, we remain locked out until at least then. While news on the pandemic continues to slightly improve with world-wide reported cases down 10% in the last week, the grim milestones continue to pile up. We're now looking at 3.4 million deaths world-wide with the USA pushing toward 600,000. Here, Alberta continues to lead the way, but their case rate has decreased at least. The markets were very bad this week as fears of inflation (higher interest rates) worried investors. Fortunately, things turned around Thursday and Friday, so, while I sold off some holdings, at least we saw some recovery, and I remain on quota year-to-date. World Women's Curling ended on Sunday with Switzerland taking the gold again. In the coming week, they will begin the World Mixed Doubles in curling from Scotland; Brad Gushue and Kerri Einarson form our team. The NHL season has come to a conclusion and the new playoff season has begun. My three teams are ready to go with Oilers vs Jets; Leaf vs Habs, and Pens vs Islanders. Let's go Oilers! Blue Jays are playing satisfactorily in the first month of the baseball season and we hope they'll do better as the injury situation improves.

Erica writes, "It’s been a busy week. I’ve been trying to catch up on work. Eric had a couple of presentations on mental health for Nurses Week. I got a call this morning from the health unit and I’ve been identified as someone who has been in contact with someone who tested positive for Covid. So, I’ll go for testing today and isolate for a few days and then test again."

Erin has had a difficult week. They're short-staffed at work, so she's having to help out with the extra work. Then, she got a rock in the windshield of her new RAV4—that first ding is especially painful! Kristian has been suffering with his eczema, and even missed school one day. They've been consulting further and trying out other meds and therapies. Kristian is currently getting UV therapy three times a week. Lucy has also been ill, probably a bladder infection, so she's been to the doctor as well—what do you mean Sask Health doesn't cover that?! 

Travis has managed to get appointments for his Covid vaccinations—yay!

Soda Stream Mama!

The whole crew was over for Mother's Day observance on Monday, and to deliver a Soda Stream for Wendy. She's been enjoying that all week. Joanna has decided she wants some Adirondack chairs; Wendy tracked down a local craftsman to build them. I have decided I should try to build one as well with some of my pallet wood, Andrew has volunteered to help. We'll see how that goes. Gemma won a competition for a job at the University this summer—congratulations! Joanna had a consultation about her vision problems, and is reassured that either it will improve on its own, or at least that it's easily treatable.

And that's about enough for this week.

Happy Mother's Day!

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my home town. The weather has been nice, but we're still waiting for some heat before reseeding the front lawn. In the meantime, we've taken delivery of a load of topsoil into the backyard to work with there. I have redone the lawn edging. I will undertake the moving of the soil under my usual "45-minutes equals a day's work" protocol, so it'll take a while! Otherwise, it's been a quiet week for us. Wendy keeps up with therapy, healing, and has started an exercise program using resistance bands at her chiropractor's recommendation. I bought a set of them, and plan to join her in the workouts; there are lots of such programs on YouTube. We have also determined it was time to upgrade our phones. We were both sporting iPhone 6's, and iPhone is now at 12. We've bought used phones and moved up to level 10. Wendy also scored a new clock—part of her birthday present.

Wendy's Clock!

The markets ran nicely this week, a good start to the new month. Friday was indicative as both USA and Canada had big misses on the jobs report, but the markets roared ahead. Apparently, we're at the stage where "bad news is good news" as it supports Biden's contention that more economic support is needed. The vaccination effort continues, but we need it expanded. We're still hoping to get our second dose and do some travelling this summer. Alberta continues to be our worst manager in the pandemic, and is now worse than any of the USA states that we used to look down on! Manitoba has moved up there as well, and now only one state is worse than Manitoba, sigh! The big sporting activity of the week was World Women's Curling championship. It was not easy to follow as covid struck the broadcast crews and no TV was allowed from Sunday through Friday! Our team, Kerri Einarson, fought back from her poor start and made the playoffs, but she lost out to Sweden today. So, it'll be Russia vs Switzerland in the gold medal game, while USA will play Sweden for the bronze. The hockey season is grinding to a close; all three of my teams have qualified for the playoffs. Pens finished up today in first place in their division, while Leafs and Oilers have a couple of games left and sit one-two in their division.

Erica writes, "This week was a no-good-very-bad week technology-wise for me. With the transition, I currently have three different ways to do work: 1-old Deloitte files on my old Deloitte laptop, 2-partially transitioned files on a special environment which allows us to use the legacy Deloitte software, and 3-files that have been transitioned into the MNP software. First, my Deloitte laptop locked me out. Then, the special environment locked me out. Finally, when we went into a file in the MNP software, all our work was gone! Maybe it’s a message that it’s time to get out of the audit gig. By Friday afternoon, I was back up and functioning. I guess we accountants don’t have very exciting jobs, so we have to find our fun somehow! Eric had a quiet week of work and card hockey. Liam got his first shot. Haaken and Greg continue on as normal."

Kristian managed Mother's Day planning for his mother and grandmother—what a guy! I'm sure they will both enjoy the fruit of his promotions. Kristian is in his final Quint of this unusual school year, taking Mathematics and Social Studies. Hopefully, the new restrictions in Saskatchewan will not mess with the plans for him to attend school each day. Erin was able to get her vaccine jab this week—yay!

Joanna has returned from an emotional time at home as they said good-bye to her dad. She has isolated, and now tested negative for covid. Then, she arranged for her covid vaccinations. Yay! Further medical interventions have revealed an anomaly in her eye, so she has been referred to a specialist about that. This weekend, they're busy with Mother's Day floral deliveries. We hope to get together for Mother's Day Pizza later this weekend.

And that's about it for this week.

It's not getting better!

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. The weather has been nice and we've enjoyed getting out for bike rides and hikes. I've been hitting golf balls several times, and they are going in the general direction I had planned! Wendy continues with therapy on her sore shoulders, but it's slow going. Our covid situation is still not improving. Part of the problem is delays in the arrival of vaccines, but the main issue is folks are not being careful. You combine that problem with the variants that seem more easily transmissible, and you have the recipe for what we're seeing. Alberta is still our worst province, with only one US state doing worse now, and the gap is narrowing! I've been working on a couple projects in the shop. I had to replace the handle for the hoe. The old one had broken, so I drilled it out, and shaped a new one. It's too bad—I was thinking the old handle would manage all the hoeing I wanted to do! I'm also assembling materials for a toolbox step stool for Wendy, and a library chair for Eric/Erica. I have installed the air piping, so I can leave the compressor in the far corner and avoid some of the noise! The markets were troubled again this week with 3 red days toward this weekend, and a flat week overall. Fortunately, I was able to close out my sixth straight month since the election on quota, as Biden turned in the best 100-day total on the markets since FDR. The NHL is into the final weeks with most teams having only a handful of games left. The Pens and Leafs have clinched playoff spots, and my Oilers are getting close. Einarson and Mouat won the Players Championships to open the week, and now we're being treated to the Women's World Championship. Einarson is our representative, but she has not had a good start to the tournament, losing to Sweden, Switzerland and Russia to sit at 1-3, sigh! Jays are starting to play a bit better in the early part of the baseball season. They're in second place in their division.

Erica writes, "This week Eric celebrated his 51st birthmas. We had some good phone calls, including catching up with the boys. Liam had an iron infusion on Friday, so he is home for the weekend. It’s April 30th, so we had a tax party at the firm. For those who don’t know, a tax party is where we all bring in our tax returns and fill them out together. There are prizes for the best returns and quickest to complete. (Just kidding!) It’s been a busy April and May looks to be busy too, but summer is coming. We hope that with the vaccine we might be able to go somewhere." 

Kristian is completing this Quint (Industrial Arts, Phys Ed) this week, and then will move on to the final pair of Math and Social Studies. The plan is that he will be able to attend school each day with this set, which suits him better. Shawn continues to improve. Erin continues to do well, while struggling to prepare enough food to fill up a teenage boy!

Joanna has been in Toronto all week assisting with the care of her Dad. He passed on Friday morning. Condolences to the family! Trav has been taking care of things here. It's tough being separated at times like this. Joanna expects to return home tomorrow. 

And that's about it for this week.

Dismal Days Continue!

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. The weather has been nice, and we've enjoyed our walks and I've managed a few more golf swings. Sadly, golf has been outlawed in Ontario, so playing a game is not possible. Maybe this extra work on my swing will pay off when the courses reopen. The pandemic has surged again, world-wide, and we're included! Our per capita infection rate is currently worse than India, and we now have some cases of the newest variants coming from there. When you allow the virus to proliferate, it is inevitable that mutations will thrive, and some of them will be worse than the original. Of course, countries that took this seriously like NZ and OZ, are not seeing such troubles, enjoying full stadiums for their games and open economies. Alberta remains our worst case, with only two US states performing worse, but, here in Ontario, we're not doing much better. Part of our issue is the inadequate rate of vaccinations. In the USA, they're really pushing forward on that front. Biden pledged 100 million doses in 100 days, and the critics made fun of him, but now he's accomplished over 200 million—thanks, Uncle Joe. Virus fears caused a couple of down days on the markets. Then, Biden reassured investors that yes, he was serious about taxing the rich, so that brought about more market turmoil! It's been a wild ride this week with 3 red days and 2 green days, but the overall result was positive for me, so I'm grateful to remain on quota for the six months since the election, so long as I can hold on for the next week! Wendy continues to regain her strength and mobility in her shoulder. She's even talked about painting again! I've done a bit of project work in the shop. I had the gas-fitter come by and install a NG port on the deck, so I have my gas barbecue operational.

1999 Mazda B-4000

The brake system had failed on the truck, with significant leakage from underneath, so I took it to my favourite mechanics. The news was tragic, and I was not willing to invest that much more into the old truck, so it's now gone to the wrecker. Still looks like it should run, but all those years of Ontario salt have done a number underneath the skin. The main sports entertainment this week is curling. The Champions Cup was won on Monday by the Mouat team from Scotland. Then, the Players Championship began, and has now progressed to the championship games, set for tomorrow. My usual favourite, Koe, did not make the playoffs this time. On the Women's side it's Einarson vs Homan; on the Men's, it's Gushue vs Mouat. Baseball continues with very low attendance allowed. My Blue Jays are playing at about .500 level. The hockey season is nearing the conclusion of the regular season. My three teams are well-positioned for the playoff season!

Erica writes, "We started our week with a zoom baby shower for Victoria and Tyler Utman. When Haaken was a wee baby, we hung out with Michael and Sheena a few times. Victoria and Haaken weren’t very far apart in age. It reminded me that we are getting older - and that we need to get our home Reno’s done because our house is definitely not baby safe right now. Anyway, we sent a copy of Liam’s book. We hope they enjoy it. Eric and I both got shot this week. Mine was a last minute 'we have extras' situation. Haaken and Liam both have appointments. Other than that it’s been a quiet, busy week." 

Erin and Kristian had a good week in Regina where Kristian continues with on-line learning, and Erin with her work. There was an improvement in Shawn's situation. He reports feeling better, and managing work well, but still gets tired more easily than he'd like. At least he's up to having Astrid and Liam on the weekends, and that's progress. 

We stopped by Trav and Joanna's for a back yard chat. They're (read: Joanna) entertaining some more construction on their deck, so I took some measurements. They're still discussing the extent of the project! Today, Joanna got news of a significant downturn in the health of her dad, so she's off to Toronto again. Gemma is rejoicing as she has completed exams and another semester. 

And that's about enough for this week.

Another Grim Milestone!

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. The weather has been very nice, and we've enjoyed getting out for walks again. I even managed two golf practices. I make it a priority to work on my swing at the start of each season. I usually find that I play my best golf early in the season, but it gradually declines after that—could be a lesson there!

Jab1 on Wednesday

We got our first vaccine dose on Wednesday. I had a sore shoulder that night, but both of us have felt fine since. We're not scheduled for our second jab until August, so our travel wishes remain in hiatus. We'll try to get that to happen sooner, as that wouldn't be fully effective until the end of August, and we wish to travel in early summer. The pandemic has deepened here in Ontario, and in most of Canada. Alberta remains our worst province; in fact, only eight US States are doing worse than Alberta, but there are actually five provinces doing very poorly, and we're one of them. Apparently, "avoiding it like the plague" is not something that people actually do! World-wide, we've now tallied over 3 million deaths from Covid-19, a grim milestone, and testament to how badly things are going. We're so locked down here currently that we have guards on the borders with Quebec and Manitoba! I did a couple of small projects in the shop this week. The first was a hose holder for the front lawn. The old plastic one had broken last Fall, so I built one from some wood scraps. Then, Travis needed some pallets to hold up his storage bins in the back yard, so I modified some pallets and they seem to serve the task well. 

Getting them off the ground

Wendy has been working on her Barbershop music for a virtual performance they're planning. She sent in both the singing and a video for that project. The markets had one bad day this week, but recovered as positive data keeps coming in, and I made quota again. The week in sports began with the final round of the Masters. I was delighted to see Matsuyama win it; he seems like a fine representative to win the first major for a Japanese golfer. The curling was delayed, but finally completed with Edin from Sweden winning his fifth World Championship. This week it's a Grand Slam event with most of the top teams in the world playing in both Men's and Women's divisions. They're in to the playoffs now, and my favourites: Einarson and Koe, are in the thick of it. The NHL continues to struggle along, making schedule revisions as Covid invades team after team. Pens, Leafs and Oilers (my teams) have maintained playoff positions with about a dozen games left in the regular season. Oilers and Pens won tonight, while the Leafs' game was postponed due to the Covid issues in Vancouver.

Eric got scheduled for his first vaccine dose. Erica is much too young to qualify! Otherwise, they had a quiet week. Erica and team are on for music at church tomorrow, so we'll tune in for that. 

Kristian is back to on-line school. That's a tough way to do Art and Phys. Ed.! This week he was doing a project on one of my heroes, James Naismith. With the declining age of eligibility, Erin should soon qualify for her Covid shot. Shawn is eligible, but must wait until he's fully recovered from his recent bout of Covid. 

Trav, Joanna and crew are doing their stay-at-home program as well. It's discouraging not being able to spend more time with them. Gemma is completing her semester and writing exams. She always does well. Andrew is interviewing on new positions here in town. I don't know how likely it could be that new work will start up in our current pandemic situation. 

And that's about enough for this week.

April Showers!

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. The week opened in sunshine, but turned into heavy rain on Wednesday through Friday. Today was mostly overcast, but dry, so maybe we're set for a change. I haven't been over to the golf course, but have worked on my swing here in the back yard. Otherwise, we look forward to the promised May flowers. I have done a bit of work on shop projects. I've set up an air line, so I can use my air-powered tools over at the work area. I've begun work on a bank of drawers under the mitre-saw station. Wendy had doctor appointments with our family doctor and also with her chiropractor. Her shoulders continue to improve, but she's not back to par yet! Joanna is helping out by taking blood pressure readings for her to report back to our family doctor. She's also done some blood work for that purpose. Getting old is not for the faint of heart! Next week, we're looking forward to our first jab of Covid-19 vaccine. Our doctor has agreed to write on our behalf so we can shorten the delay between the first and second dose—hope that works! We have not been doing well on the pandemic front, and infection rates are at record levels once again. Vaccinations are not occurring quickly enough, and several provinces are being hard hit by the virus variants. The USA has been doing great on the vaccination front, which has encouraged investors. The markets are thriving, and both Canada and USA reported good jobs' data on Friday. I've already managed quota for April, but there remain a couple of weeks to see if I can hold these levels. The main sport I've been following all week is the World Curling Championships. Canada managed to qualify for the playoffs, but had a disappointing result losing to Scotland. Now, the remaining playoffs have been postponed due to a positive Covid test of one of the teams. The baseball season has opened, but the Blue Jays are not flying! The NHL is into the last few weeks of the regular season. It appears all three of my teams will make the playoffs. This weekend is the conclusion of the Masters Tournament which always marks the beginning of the golf season for me.

Erica writes, "I tried to kill Eric this week with certified organic, all natural, gluten-free, vegan, kosher, non-GMO, nut free, crispie rice squares, that also happened to be laced with shiitake mushrooms. Fortunately, Liam came home and read the ingredients before Eric ate the whole box. But since he was sick, and I was also under the weather, we got Covid tested—another negative test. Looks like I needed some rest, and Eric needed me to stop poisoning him. Go figure! Liam is home for the weekend to get an iron infusion, but mostly just to see us, right? Plus, we had gluten-free peanut butter chocolate cake for him, not laced with mushrooms. Haaken reached out to Liam and Aiden to talk about possibly doing a project together. I hope it happens—it would be great to see more of their original content. We sent a few Easter treats to Greg and Haaken. We are really looking forward to when we can travel again."

Erin and Kristian have had another week of "safe at home". Sadie and Lucy seem to manage the extra company just fine. Kristian is currently on school break, but next week he's back to on-line classwork. Shawn continues to recover from his bout with Covid-19. He's been back at work this week at least, although he tires easily. The vaccine availability in Regina has moved down to age 52, so it can't be too much longer before Erin becomes eligible. Tonight, they ordered a fancy pasta entrée for supper from Luigi's!

Safe at Home! 

Joanna has her test results and it's negative once again—yay! We were glad of the chance to celebrate that with them before returning to the Ontario Stay at Home orders. Andrew is interviewing for a couple of new opportunities and sure he doesn't want another fly-in camp experience! Gemma is nearing the end of her semester with a few projects to finish, and then it's exam time!

And that's about enough for this week.

He is Risen!

Wendy's Easter Project

 

He is Risen, Indeed!

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown, The weather has turned nice, and we're enjoying that. Today was 17°, the high for the week, I'm thinking. Wendy's shoulder continues to heal and we're grateful for that. She finished her accounting project, and got that delivered. She completed doing some alterations on Mariana's wedding dress as well. Mariana is off to home, and to visit her fiancé for the next six weeks, so we're on our own for a bit. I had another phone appointment concerning my DVTs, and I have another scheduled with my clot doctor for next week. The markets were positive again, although fears of the latest wave of Covid infections is raising fears. Anyway, I completed the month and quarter on budget, so I'm grateful. I haven't got back over to the golf course, but I have working on swing exercises in the yard and while out on our walks. A high note for us is that we got our vaccination appointments; the first jab is April 14th! Curling has taken over again this weekend as the Men's World championships are on. Canada has made a good start at 3-0. Hockey continues although the Canadian division was rocked by another team with Covid infections—Vancouver this time. However, the hapless victim in both cases has been my Oilers and they now have a lot of games to make up. The Pens and Leafs are thriving; after their recent weeks of fine play, we find the Pens challenging for the overall league leadership. March Madness lost some lustre when my Jayhawks fell, and it must be admitted few games have been very magical or mad, but tonight's semi-final game between Gonzaga and UCLA was fantastic! Baseball season has started: Okay, Blue Jays, Let's Play Ball!

Erica writes, "I’ve been getting into the new office this week. I enjoy working from home, but I think seeing people again has been good. Liam has an iron infusion at the end of the coming week and we will celebrate Easter with him a week late.

Guido's Easter Creation

Mom and Dad arranged for an Easter cake for us from our friendly German baker, Guido. He took several recipes and his own knowledge to make a moist and not crumbly gluten-free cake—an amazing feat. It proves my long held contention that baking requires a high degree of both science and art. Eric has been unsuccessful so far in getting added to the priority list for vaccination. Given his asthma and history of pneumonia, he should be, but his doctor does not know how such a thing is done so he’s been calling various health agencies to find out. We had our own Easter egg hunt today. We wanted to get some Cadbury mini eggs for Liam because he can eat those, but not too early or we will. So we went out today looking for the eggs: Shoppers, nope. Save-on-Foods, nope. Superstore, nope. Safeway, nope. The other Shoppers, nope... the movie theatre, nope. Nutters bulk foods, nope... finally found them at Bulk Barn, yay! We also found gluten free Oreos along the way!"

Erin and Kristian remain hunkered down in the Covid Hotspot of Regina. We sent them a Turtle Cheesecake for Easter.

Turtle Cheesecake!

 

Kristian finds it too chocolatey, but Erin loves it, and I'm betting they'll manage to eat it all! Kristian is doing a music project on Beethoven. Shawn is feeling some better, and tried getting into work for a meeting on Thursday. He's still ill, tired most of the time, when he's not exhausted! Sadie joined Kristian in the fresh haircut department; she was so energetic afterwards and drove Lucy crazy!

Sadie's Fresh Cut

Joanna got back home from Toronto, and is now isolating and recovering from those exertions. Once she's had her test and is cleared, we'll look forward to celebrating Easter with them. She did pick out a commuter bike to ride around on now that the weather is nice. 

And that's about enough for this week!

False Dawn, Perhaps?

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my home town. We had a snowstorm on Wednesday, but we've returned to Spring-like weather, and have been able to get back to our walks in the neighbourhood. I think Wendy is getting tired of our neighbourhood; the other day she asked if we could drive somewhere else to have our walk! She continues to suffer due to the inflammation in her shoulders. She is treating it with ice, lotions and painkillers; we think it is getting a bit better. My left eye continues to heal, and now is better than the right. We are expecting unsettled weather to continue as that's the way Spring goes around here. Wendy has taken a repeat assignment on a book-keeping job. She updated the business books last year, and the owner has asked her to update them for 2020. She has almost completed that. She is also helping our downstairs' student with alterations to her wedding dress. I think she might have completed that assignment, as Mariana was trying it on this morning. Last weekend, I managed to get over to the golf course and hit the first balls of the season. That went okay, mostly chipping, but some full swings. I had a visit with my denturist on Thursday; he assessed that my partial plate is still fine after nine years—good to know! I need to get to a dentist to refinish a tooth that chipped off, but I've been holding off on that in hopes of getting vaccinated first. We did make another step in that direction, as the on-line site allowed us to register, and promised to contact us with an appointment when we became eligible. Otherwise, things are not looking good on the pandemic front as some of the new variants are not only demonstrating increased transmissibility, but also causing worsening symptoms and higher infection rates among a younger segment of the population. Ontario announced the commencement of a third wave; Europe has done so as well, and now we're seeing an increase in infections in the USA. Saskatchewan has been our worst case scenario for some weeks, and while we often look askance at the USA, there are now 24 states that are experiencing lower infection rates than Saskatchewan! The markets have been troubled this week by fears over infection rates, vaccine availability, and virus variants. Investors were reassured by news of great progress in USA vaccinations, including the doubling of projections to 200 million vaccinations in the first 100 days of the new administration—thanks Uncle Joe! That gave us green days in the markets for Thursday and Friday, and got me back on quota. In the world of sports, my Jayhawks lost in the second round, so they're out of the tournament. Still, March Madness remains a highlight of the sporting year for me, with more dramatic action this weekend and next. Mixed Doubles curling ended on Thursday with the team of Einarson & Gushue prevailing. They'll represent us at the world championships in Scotland in May. My Oilers had the week off as Montreal suffered a covid outbreak, and we lost our first games in the Canadian division. Oilers got back into action against the Leafs tonight, and enjoyed a solid effort and a good despite the OT loss. Pens are doing well, but injuries continue to threaten their success. They won tonight, but there were a number of names I didn't recognize! Baseball is in the final  week of Spring Training. Jays will begin the season playing out of their Spring Training facility in Dunedin.

Eric and Erica had a good week in Prince Albert. Liam was home for further medical appointments and intervention. Some changes were made on his prescriptions and we keep hoping these will lead to good health for him. He got notification that he qualifies for priority access for his covid shot—Eric is jealous! Eric/A got out for their hike, but took the precaution of using a well-known trail this time to avoid getting lost and putting in too many kilometres—they spent most of this week recovering from last weekend's over expenditure! They had an online meeting with Haaken to assist him with his tax filing, but he managed it mostly on his own. Greg has established an in-home gym which looks impressive.

Erin and Kristian are living life in the bubble city of Regina. Travel to or from the city is not recommended—yikes! On-line education does not work well for Kristian, so he's lagging behind a bit—c'mon man! Shawn is slowly recovering from his covid infection; we are painfully aware that many experience long term issues. He feels tired all the time, and spends much of the day sleeping.

Lookin' Good!

Kristian got his hair cut this week, and Sadie is scheduled for hers next week!

Joanna is in southern Ontario. She was able to assist as her dad and step-mom got their first jabs. She should get back here early next week. Travis was over today with his fancy screwdrivers for my laptop—thanks! I was able to get the back cover off and diagnose the swollen battery, so I'll now be waiting for the replacement to arrive. At least, with the pressure released, the laptop is back to working fine once again.

And that's about enough for this week.

Light on the Horizon!

Wendy's Easter Project

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. The weather has been beautiful, and we've enjoyed getting out for walks regularly. Our pandemic infection rate continues to be high, but the last few days have seen reduced numbers, so we're somewhat encouraged—we're hoping that this light on the horizon is not simply from the time change! We're hearing that the vaccine is now available down to age 75, so we're hoping to be in the window in the next week or so. The USA has promised us an additional 1.5 million doses—thanks, Uncle Joe. Wendy is continuing to suffer with her rotator cuff inflammation; she was back to the chiropractor this week. She has a series of exercises to do, accompanied by painkillers, ice and other treatments. We're seeing some improvement, but she's still experiencing significant pain. I have managed a bit of activity on my woodworking both in the shop and some gluing inside the house. The markets have had a troubled week as fears of inflation surrounded a supportive report from the FED, and the Nasdaq suffered substantial losses. Fortunately, my stocks performed okay and gave me some gains. I am now on quota for the five months since the election—thanks, Uncle Joe. In sports, Bottcher beat my guy, Koe, in the final to win the Canadian championship. He'll now represent us at the World Championships coming up in Calgary. In hockey, my Oilers have been doing much better and are now threatening the Leafs for first place. The Pens have put on a good streak as well, and are positioned for the playoffs despite continuing to experience injuries. This week the Canadian mixed doubles championships opened in the Calgary bubble, but they're just in the middle of their pool play so far. March Madness has begun, and my Jayhawks won their first round game, and will play again on Monday afternoon—Rock Chalk!

Erica writes, "This was a very blessed week with birthday phone calls and best wishes on Facebook. I got mail from Mom and Dad, Mom Bailey and Grampa K and even a package from Haaken. We celebrated the day with our bubble—the two of us along with Tina and Guido. Guido made my fav—red velvet cake. Liam is heading home this weekend. He will join me on Worship Team this Sunday and then go to his specialist appointment on Tuesday. On Saturday morning, Eric suffered from a bad dream that I had! I woke up quite annoyed with him (well, if he acts like that in my dream, imagine how he acts in his!). Fortunately, he had preemptively supplied a cup of coffee, so I forgave him."

Erin and Kristian are engaging in lock-down as Regina is a hotspot for coronavirus variations that seem exceptionally easy to spread. Shawn has been infected at work in the group home despite all the precautions and PPE they use. He's been symptomatic all week, so we hope he turns the corner soon. Kristian's school work has reverted to being online-only.

Travis and Joanna welcomed Andrew home from his work at the remote camp—he's pretty sure that he's enjoyed all he can stand of that! Gemma continues her university courses. Otherwise life remains pretty quiet, and it's almost time for another trip to TO for Joanna. The difference this time is that the TO people may be looking askance at her coming from a covid hotspot!

And that's about enough for this week.

Relaxing Too Soon!

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. It was the week of Wendy's birthday, and we spent most of the week celebrating it!

Happy Birthday, Wendy!

On Tuesday, we enjoyed a celebratory Chinese Food supper with Travis and Joanna. We also enjoyed a Zoom meeting with our family that evening. The children chipped in to supply her with new slippers and a cash fund for more buys. It's hard to rely on gift certificates these days as we don't know which businesses will survive. On Thursday, we had a zoom meeting with my siblings. Special events for a special lady! We got a dump of snow on Wednesday, so we scraped that off the driveway. The rest of the week was lovely, sunny warm weather culminating in the 10° day today. A lot of snow has disappeared and the grass is showing up on our lawn. However, all has not been sweetness and light on the pandemic front. Our region has become a hotspot with increased numbers of infections, and expanded numbers in the hospital and in intensive care. Now, the hospital is overloaded, and some patients have been medevacced to London. Variant forms of the virus have also been confirmed in our area. We are informed that online booking for vaccinations will open on Monday, but that still leaves us weeks from protection. The virus is also afflicting the sports scene as the USA-based NHL teams keep losing games that they'll have to make up later, and now it's hitting college basketball. Two of the blue-blood schools, Duke, and my beloved-KU have been knocked out by Covid-19. Can you say, "Relaxing too soon?" I knew you could! The markets continue to flourish, although the Nasdaq has been "correcting"! I had another good week, and remain at quota for the fifth straight month—I'm very thankful! The Oilers returned to easier feeding on Ottawa after their spanking by the Leafs. The Pens are hanging in there, while the Leafs are having a tough series against Winnipeg. The big action of the week has been at the Brier in Calgary. My guy, Kevin Koe, has had a good week, won his pool and has advanced through the championship pool to the final tomorrow. Bottcher (AB) will play Dunstone (SK) in the semi-final.

Erica writes, "I started my new position at MNP this week, which included multiple orientation meetings and tech issues. Both firms have been super supportive during that transition. Eric finished the week with a conference so he was conferencing from home. It’s been a week of various birthday celebrations. It will be nice when we can do those in person again. Liam had another medicine infusion and he has an appointment with the specialist. We will see what the bloodwork says, but he says he isn’t feeling any better. Haaken is hoping to learn to do his taxes. And we’ve only had a brief conversation with Greg, but he seems to be doing well."

Kristian is attending school every second day, and reports that things are going well. His art course works through a variety of aspects: guitar, piano and media. Erin is doing well. Shawn has completed his probation at Ranch Ehrlo, however, he's dealing with a Covid outbreak there, and is currently in isolation himself.

Travis and Joanna were over to celebrate Wendy's birthday.

Companions & Food—Nice!

They brought Chinese food, so we enjoyed that. They also decorated the place, and the birthday girl!

It's her Birthday!

Travis has been playing with some stock picking and management ideas, so we enjoy discussing those. 

And that's about enough for this week.

Springing!

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Ontario in my hometown. The weather has turned positively Spring-like and we are enjoying the melting snow and the walks. Dave and Heather stopped in for a visit on Monday as they were on their way to Kingston. We enjoyed the visit and  a special breakfast before they headed east.

Eggs Benny!

I had a couple of appointments concerning the DVTs in my left leg. On Monday, I had another ultra-sound. The technician was not encouraging, "I suggest the veins remain fully occluded." Then, on Friday, I had bloodwork requested by my vascular surgeon concerning elements of my blood chemistry that may relate to the DVTs. She'll be calling to discuss the results of both tests. We enjoyed a couple of family zoom meetings this week. On Thursday, we had meeting with my siblings as we shared and commiserated over the passing of Linda. Then, tonight, we had a birthday zoom with dad K with the Krogsgaard clan. Otherwise, it's been a quiet week. Wendy continues to ail with her rotator cuff tendonitis. She continues to ice it regularly, exercise it as prescribed, and was also back to the chiropractor this week. It is getting better, but still not good, and she is unable to resume her usual activities. The markets have veered wildly from one day to the next, mostly over concerns about the possibility of inflation-fueled interest rate increases. Finally, a positive US Jobs report on Friday allowed us to regain our momentum and complete a green week. I have managed to stay on quota ever since the US election which has returned a measure of calm to that administration. Sports began the week with the completion of the Scotties. My pick, Kerri Einarson repeated as champion, and now looks forward to the Women's World Championship to be held later this Spring. On Friday, the Brier began, so I'm looking forward to watching that all next week. My favourite, Kevin Koe, won his first two games. Sentimental favourite, Matt Dunstone of Saskatchewan, suffered a terrible loss today. As expected, KU was elevated in the rankings after they took down #2-Baylor. However, they only had one game this week, and they did not play well, although they managed to eke out a win. They now face the league playoff conference, as they complete preparations for March Madness. In hockey, my Oilers got a lesson in the game courtesy of the Leafs who polished them off three straight in a mini-series while blanking them twice. Time for some personal reflection for the Oilers. Meanwhile the Pens have been getting healthier and won a tight game today.

Erica writes, "Today is my last day at Deloitte. I’m officially unemployed until Monday, when I start with MNP (Meyers, Norris, Penny).  Eric’s office are under renovations so he got to work from home on Thursday. Liam continues to produce more RU videos and his own animated videos. We haven’t heard much from Haaken or Greg."

Erin and Kristian had a good week. Spring Training baseball has begun; Erin and I enjoyed watching a game together. Kristian is enjoying his current Quint subjects of Art and Phys Ed. Erin is getting a bit of a holiday in that regard as well—no homework for her! 

Joanna has received her negative test results on her covid test. We look forward to spending time with them now that she's been cleared. 

And that's about enough for this week.

Troublesome times!

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. The weather has been beautiful, sunny and mild. We even had one night where the temperature remained above freezing—always a good sign when that happens! Wendy is suffering with shoulder issues due to inflammation in her rotator cuff. This certain prevents her from painting, but she has managed to complete the final puzzle of the season.

Puzzle #5

We are living in a covid hot spot currently, and are under lock-down, an unfortunate outcome of folks who refuse to take precautions. Our hospital ICU is currently packed, and folks are dying, sigh! We are advised that folks our age should be eligible for vaccination about May 1st, so there may be some lightening on the horizon, but it's a gloomy picture at present. There is also some positive considerations world-wide as vaccinations roll-out. USA has cut their infection rates from about 400K per day to around 75K. Saskatchewan continues to post the worst numbers in Canada, while most provinces have their daily infection rates under 100.

Sweet Treats!

At least we were able to enjoy a sweet treat from DQ in honour of Valentine's Day! I had an appointment with my oncologist on Thursday. He has decided I should have an MRI on my prostate, so I'm waiting to here the timing on that. The markets have had a bad week with investors reacting to fears of inflation by selling out of stocks, especially in the Nasdaq. I sold out of two holdings, and lost value this week, but remain on quota year-to-date. In hockey, two of my teams have settled into playoff positions, while Pens are needing some wins in their division.  Leafs and Oilers played tonight, so that was fun. Leafs won, so they had even more fun! The #17Jayhawks lost in OT in a tough road game midweek to #14Texas. Today, they played undefeated, #2Baylor—a big challenge! And they rose to the challenge—well done, Jayhawks! But my main activity this week has been the Scotties. Lotsa sloppy curling in the first half of the week, but it's getting better. The finalists have been declared, and it's the usual suspects: Homan, Einarson, and Jones along with Walker, a newer, but quality team.

Erica writes, "It’s been a busy week with several evening meetings but overall it’s been a good week. My transition to MNP should happen next week. All in all there isn’t much to report."

Kristian claims he had a good week in the warmer weather. He's back to school now every other day, and also the opposing afternoons. He finishes this Quint on Monday, then he has Tuesday off, and starts the next Quint (PhysEd and Art) on Wednesday. Erin seems to be enjoying some interesting menu choices for suppers. 

Joanna returned from southern Ontario on Sunday, so she's been isolating. She got her Covid test yesterday, so we're expecting results soon, but she's already confident of a negative assessment since she's experiencing no symptoms. Gemma continues to do well in her pre-med studies on line. Andrew has started work which involves a fly-in camp in support of a tree-planting crew; it's 2 weeks in, 2 weeks off, punctuated with multiple covid tests each way!

And that's enough for this week.

Winter has Ended... for now!

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. The polar vortex has retreated and we're enjoying getting out for walks in the melting snow. Wendy continues to suffer with a sore shoulder, so she hasn't been back to painting yet. She has completed another puzzle, and is now working on #5, which is supposed to be the final one of the season.

Puzzle #4

With the break in the weather, I'm starting to think about shop projects once again. Wendy wants me to install a new sliding door on the kitchen, using the current one for a sliding door on the laundry room downstairs. I can do some of the work out in the shop, but I still have to bring it in for gluing. Today, we had the service for Aunty Dr. Linda. That can be viewed on line. There's also a video tribute. Lovely lady! Wonderful mother! Award winning teacher! Great principal! And the job she loved most—nana! The markets have been troubled this week, and the pundits are back calling for a "correction", as if something is messed up! That does not make me comfortable, seeing as how the guys who call for the adjustment, are also capable to pushing for it to happen. Anyway, I did lose one holding, but managed to remain at quota for another week. Now, I'm slightly below my planned investment level, so I'll be looking to buy next week if all looks favourable. The pandemic continues to be a problem world-wide, but cases have been declining significantly, so we are hopeful that folks will remain vigilant until vaccinations are widely accomplished. We're experiencing some troubling surges in cases in our region—that's a concern. Curling championships have begun this week. They've set up a bubble in Calgary and plan to play the Scotties, the Brier and a couple of Grand Slam events there. The Scotties began today, so my TV watching is pretty much locked in for the next week! The teams have not been playing this season, so it's expected that results will be a bit less predictable. I'll enjoy it anyway! As expected, the Jayhawks were elevated back into the rankings at #23, and they had a couple more wins this week. Next week is set to be tough against two teams that are above them in the rankings—Rock Chalk boys! The NHL continues play, now approaching mid-season. The American divisions are hitting many postponements due to Covid concerns. They'll have to make up those games later. My teams remain in playoff contention. All three played tonight with Leafs (14-3-2) winning in Montreal; while Pens (9-6-1) and Oilers (12-8) won at home.

Erica writes, "I was up to la Ronge for work this week. It was nice to get out of the house. Eric is nursing his injured finger, which gets him out of dish washing duty. 🤔 I haven’t heard much from Liam, Haaken or Greg. Liam posted another interview in his series: Afternoon Today! It’s been a quiet week" 

 

Erin and Kristian have had a good week. Kristian is having his winter break from school, so he's been enjoying home and catching up on some Lego projects—sometimes through most of the night! The cold weather has also broken in Saskatchewan, and they're glad to see the melting snow. 

 

Joanna flew down to Toronto for another week of Dad-Care. We're expecting her back tomorrow. Then, she'll be isolating for a week, and getting another Covid test. She is very careful, and this is part of her care regimen for us—we appreciate it. Trav has been managing the household and monitoring the rats! 

Caught in the Sock Drawer!

 

And that's about enough for this week! 

Frigid weather ending!

Another frigid week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior but we're promised a break in the weather next week and a return to single digits of frost. This week it has been mostly in the -20's overnight and a recovery only to the minus teens during the day, so, we have remained mostly indoors! Wendy has ventured out for grocery shopping; we both were out for my eye appointment on Monday. On that occasion, we were informed that the eye continues to heal nicely, and that it has progressed to 20/50 vision. The left eye has been my good eye, and my dominant eye, so I continue to look forward to its return to 20/20 vision at least—it used to be 30/20! In my pre-surgery testing it was 20/200! Progress! My improving vision took notice of my badly scarred laptop screen. This was due to a well-known scourge where the anti-glare coating degrades over time. Wendy suggested trying the silver infused Norwex cleaning cloths dampened with water. The effect was quick and marvelous, and I have a clear screen once again.

Reflecting well on me!

We had a lovely conversation with my siblings on Wednesday evening as we celebrated Nancy's birthday, and Verner's birthday. On Thursday, we were informed of Linda's passing. We grieve along with Verner, and the extended family, even as we acknowledge the blessing of her release from misery. Wendy has pushed forward with her puzzle; some work remains to be done there, and I'm still not of any effective use in that project. I have worked the markets, and had another good week as the North American indexes have pushed to record after record. I am now sitting at 4 straight months of achieving quota, and am feeling very blessed. The pundits keep trying to scare us with calls for a "correction", and we will try to notice and react quickly if and when it arrives! Sports, mainly hockey and basketball continue to attract attention. As feared, the Jayhawks were dropped from the rankings for the first time in a record 12 years. Rock Chalk Jayhawk! This week they won a home and home series against Iowa State; that may get them back into the rankings. Soon, we'll be turning our attention to March Madness—the highlight of the basketball season! In the NHL, the Leafs (11-3-1) have continued to dominate at the top of the standings, although they lost to Montreal tonight. The Pens (6-5-1), and my Oilers (9-7) look to be improving their play. 

Erica received notice this week that their division of Deloitte has been purchased by MNP (formerly: Meyers, Norris, Penny), so her paycheques will have a different header on them. Basically, their office is just being transferred to the new owners, so not much else will change. Otherwise, they have been sheltering from the polar vortex just like the rest of us, although under even colder temperatures. Eric and Liam put together a video for the church's Valentine’s Day dinner. Erica had a Valentine’s Day pedicure and Eric has a Valentine’s Day foot manly treatment. Haaken continues working at Costco and looking for animation opportunities. Greg is driving truck in Kenora. Today, Eric was trying out the new knives and managed to take a thin layer off his finger... knife, snowblower, saw: it's what we do!

Knife—sharp!

Regina established a new record of frigidity posting 109 hours of windchill lower than -40°. Not something to be proud of, to be sure, but something they successfully endured. Erin's new RAV4 handled the test with alacrity (or however you interpret the autostart feature!). Kristian has continued to go to school each day in what will be come one of those "up hill both ways" stories to be told to children and grandchildren in due course. 

Sweets for the Sweet!

Travis and Joanna had an extra burst of employment delivering Valentine's floral arrangements yesterday and today. It is anticipated they will deliver more tomorrow! Last evening they joined us for a Valentine's celebration around pizza and conversation. It was delightful. 

Thanks Trav & Joanna!

And that's enough for this week!

Dr Linda Ulrich - A tribute

Dr. Linda Ulrich

1950.01.15 — 2021.02,11 

(with acknowledgement to Leigh Hunt)

Dear Linda Ulrich (may her tribe increase!)

Awoke one night from a deep dream of peace,

And saw, within the moonlight in her room,

Making it rich, and like a lily in bloom,

An angel writing in a book of gold:—

Exceeding peace had made our Linda bold,

And to the presence in the room she said,

"What writest thou?"—The vision raised its head,

And with a look made of all sweet accord,

Answered, "The names of those who love the Lord."

"And is mine one?" said Linda. "Nay, not so,"

Replied the angel. Linda spoke more low,

But cheerly still; and said, "I pray thee, then,

Write me as one that loves her fellow men."

The angel wrote, and vanished. The next night

It came again with a great wakening light,

And showed the names whom love of God had blest,

    And lo! dear Linda's name led all the rest.

For sure Linda was one who loved God and her fellowmen. She was (by order of increasing relevance to her character and her identity) a beautiful woman, an accomplished academic, a dedicated teacher, a successful educational leader, a loving spouse, mother and nana!

We miss her!

Winter is Back!

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. The weather has been beautiful, with melting each day, until yesterday! Then, a storm blew in with fresh snow, fresh wind and even fresher temperatures! We're into the -20s today, and they're threatening us with the Polar Vortex for the next week! I did get a bit more work done on the TV table shelf and the workbench vise, but that'll be on hold until it warms up. We shovelled out the driveway twice as the prolonged snowfall kept putting it back! And now, we're getting some of it drifting back in as the winds have continued to be nasty. Wendy has kept busy indoors with her latest puzzle, and her ongoing winter/spring cleaning. My eye continues to recover from the recent surgery. It is looking better each day, but still not seeing very well! I'm scheduled for my next ophthalmic appointment on Monday. The markets recovered from the retail investors revolt, and returned to the Biden bounce, so I was able to recover from last week's losses and post some good gains. All indices rose to all-time records this week, and I'm back on quota. Lots of NHL action and my teams are doing a bit better, although Pens (5-5-1) continue to struggle with injuries. At least they got two d-men back today. Oilers (6-7) are scoring better, but not defending very well. Leafs (9-2-1) are sitting in first place overall. As feared, the Jayhawks were dropped to #23, and after a win and a loss this week may be dropped from the rankings, entirely. Rock, Chalk may be in next-year-country, already!

Erica writes, "This Friday our Internet died! Tragedy! Fortunately, we have data on our phones, so we will survive. Liam has been busy posting videos for his own YouTube channel as well as for RU Ministry. We had a good talk with Haaken about support from CLBC (Community Living - British Columbia). They are providing some support; we hope they will find an opportunity for him to work in animation.  It’s -30 today, so we will pass on our walk in the forest. We will have to figure out another way to get in our km, today."

Erin and Kristian are also stuck in the frigid weather this weekend. Erin continues to experiment with new menu specialties—look delicious! We'd like to taste them.

Safe at Home

Travis and Joanna had another week as Joanna completed her isolation, and started preparation for her next trip to Toronto—a beggar for punishment! Really, we acknowledge the good work she is doing in helping with the care of her dad. There has been some progress with that in that they're getting some home care support at least.

And that's about enough for this week.