And still more heat!

Another hot Summer week even as we move into Autumn! We ran up to 30° and beyond most days and it didn't cool off enough overnight either, so we ran our AC more than we have all Summer. It's cooler today, mid-twenties, so I took advantage to mow the lawn. I played golf on Monday, and puttered a bit in the shop through the week, but mostly, I remained indoors. The forecast is for more seasonable temperatures next week. Our expected daytime highs this time of year is only about 15°, which we find very comfortable. Wendy has begun her dental work under the new Federal Dental Program, and I am continuing my dental repairs. She continues with her Sweet Adelines, and we have both begun another session of rehearsals with Silver Sound Choir. That one runs until December 1st and concludes with our Christmas Show. I had a doctor's appointment on Tuesday to discuss a few issues including the pain in my upper back. She has assigned bloodwork to check on the need and efficacy of my current meds, and has approved my exercise program leading to more golf and curling! Yay! Only about another month of golf here, so we'd better start making plans to head south! Local curling will begin around Thanksgiving, and I'm planning to give it a try with my repaired back. The markets were pretty wild this week as traders speculated about what the FED would do on Wednesday, and then reacted and over-reacted to the actual 0.5% rate cut. Anyway, it made for a good week, and has turned an historically bad month in the markets into a nicely green one. #1-Texas and #15-Oklahoma were re-ranked after last weekend's wins in college football but the Sooners may be dropped some after their loss to #6-Tennessee today. The Riders put up a good offensive effort to beat Calgary this week and solidify their playoff position. Baseball is nearing the end of the regular season, so, soon, we'll all be Ser-i-es about baseball—well, not the Jays, they'll be serious about next season! Pre-season hockey has begun, and in a few weeks, we'll be back into the regular rhythm of the NHL. 

Erica writes, "I’ve spent the past week journeying across Costa Rica from the east coast to Montenegro with my “50” friends. We’ve seen a lot of wildlife and tropical forest and sweated ALOT! We met some new friends along with way with our tour group. It has been a good trip so far and we hope this continues next week. Eric had his follow up eye appointment and it is doing well. He is now in Montana for some training and touring around. Today he checked out Yellowstone park. Not much else to share." We have remained in contact with Eric as he travelled to Livingston, Montana for his workshop, and as he did some touristy stuff as well. 

Erin and Kristian remain fully engaged with her work and his drug trial. It seems there are frequently extra issues with his bloodwork, or potential side-effects to the meds, so he needs to get his licence so he can run himself around town to these appointments!! He takes the drivers test next Tuesday. 

Travis & Joanna keep very busy as usual. They did have us over for a pizza evening this week, so that was fun. 

And that's about it for this week. 

Struggling Forward!

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. The weather has been lovely with mid-twenties for daytime highs, and bright sunny days to enjoy. Wendy has pushed forward with weed work, and appears to be completing that job. The yard is looking good. I have been beset with aches and pains such that today, we even took covid tests again—negative, but why am I hurting? I certainly haven't been doing much physical work. I planned to complete the first two fence panels, and begin work on a third, but there was precious little progress on that front. I kept up with my golf practice swings, but no balls were hit this week—so, it's not that! I have a made a doctor appointment next week; we'll see what she suggests. On Wednesday, we attended the memorial for a dear friend who passed recently. That was a lovely chance to connect with many long time friends, of course, it was also a time to contract covid... we'll continue testing. On Thursday, we began choir practice again. We have nine songs (all new to me) to prepare for presentation in our Christmas Festival. The markets turned upward this week, and we staged a remarkable recovery such that we're back on quota for the month. Investors, apparently, have convinced themselves that the FED will cut the rates by 0.5% next week, and thus FOMO (fear of missing out) has motivated them to buy back in after selling for the first part of the month! "Prepare to be disappointed," is my mantra, when you're counting on the FED! #10-Einarson and #11-Koe both fell short in the curling playoffs last weekend, but Kevin at least improved his world rank. Riders have the week off to lick their wounds after back-to-back beatings by the Bombers. Blue Jays continue to play out the string, while trying to interfere with other teams who are struggling to make the playoffs. In college football, #2-LongHorns and #15-Sooners played well and won their games today, although, once again, the Horns were more impressive. 

Erica writes, "We enjoyed a weekend with Liam at the beginning of the week. Eric had his cross linking eye procedure on Tuesday. The first day he spent in the dark. The second evening he came out for a bit. By Thursday he could handle a couple hours teaching at the university. So far so good. I left him on Thursday to begin my epic girls trip to Costa Rica. Tina, Marina and I all turned 50 this year. We’ve made it to San Jose and today we headed for the east coast."

Kristian has received his upgraded resume, and continues to pursue applications for a job within walking distance of home. He received welcome news that the DHHS will provide a bus pass, so that may expand his search radius. Erin has had a hard week at work where she is not only completing the monthend at VW, but also called to help out back at Toyota—long days! Then, she also is called to attend to Kristian's travel to his drug trial appointments. 

We've enjoyed a couple of shared meals with Travis and Joanna. Of course, these also include some FastTrack games! Notably, the women won at FastTrack on Monday night—notable, because it's also rare!! Otherwise, they are keeping busy with work and their business. Soon, the emphasis will change from Bucket Decals to Puckshots as teams start to book their photoshoots. 

And that's enough for this week. 

Progress

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. The weather is changing with the passage of time, and the single digits we felt this morning reminded us that summer is coming to an end. My main activity this week was on repairing the side fence. This had the unexpected benefit of regular visits with our neighbour and sharing the bounty of her garden—I love beets, carrots and cucumbers fresh out of the garden! I was able to dig out the broken post, splice it back together, install it the opposite way around and get the two sections of fence back in place. My plan is to completely rebuild that side fence—we'll see how far I get on that this year. I've made a few more visits to the dentist, with others still on the schedule. Wendy has continued to work on the flower beds and hedge rows. She has those cleaned up and we are able to enjoy the fire pit as well. She also managed to catch up with several of her coffee klatches, including a visit with our long term friend, Rauni. True to historical patterns, September seems determined to exhibit bad results for the markets. This week has been unmitigatingly red! In the world of sports, the Blue Jays are playing a lot of their prospect players and they're doing better than the "proven pros" they claimed to be using earlier! The Riders were unable to recover from their mistakes and dropped the Labour Day classic. Today, they returned to Winnipeg for the Banjo Bowl and put up a pretty good performance, but left with the same result—sigh! In college football, the #15-Sooners and the #3-Longhorns were rewarded with a step forward in the standings. Each responded with another win today, although the Sooners did not impress! Curling has started up in the new season. My guy, Kevin Koe, has dropped to #12 ranking, while my gal, Kerri Einarson, has dropped to #9. I need both of them to perform better this season. This week, they're both playing in the Saville Shootout in Edmonton. Koe is undefeated so far, and will advance to the playoff round. Einarson has just one loss, so she should advance as well. 

Eric has another appointment to perform corneal cross-linking, this one doesn't include the lasik corrective work. We pray that will lead to some progress toward overcoming his vision issues. Erica writes, "Liam is home for the weekend. We read the instructions for the shed and it said you needed three adults so we figured we could build the shed. But, as we read more and more, we figured out that we actually have to get a permit. So, we checked out the car port and we have to have a permit for that, too. So we didn’t do either." Permits Prevent Progress! 

Erin and Kristian spent a lot of time and effort on his job hunt. He's working with the Deaf & Hard of Hearing Society. His resume has been enhanced, and he's ready for some company to add him to its executive branch! Erin is heading into another busy time at work with monthend rearing its head as it does every so often, about every month! 

Travis and Joanna are both quite busy. Joanna has been filling in for a short-staffed situation at work, and Travis is pushing product out the door in this very busy time for Bucket Decals as many hockey organizations are gearing up for the new season with all their potential NHLers. 

Another day's work out the door!

And that's about enough for this week. 

Catching Up!

Another week has passed and we have returned to my hometown on the shore of Lake Superior. The weather is beautiful here with temperatures reaching the mid twenties each day, and an occasional shower or thunder storm. We are glad to be home. There are a lot of things to catch up on here, and I also want to catch up on my reporting of things done in Saskatchewan, and during our trip east. We completed a lot of stuff at Erin's place.

First time doing round corners

This is an update of the storage closet, Wendy will paint it later. Wendy has a number of photos on her facebook posting. You can't access them unless you have a facebook id, so I'll post some of them below. 

Dad/Mom Krogsgaard

Before leaving Regina, we also took time to decorate Wendy's parents' plaque. We drove to Carman on Saturday where we moved in with Glen & Kim—thanks folks. On a very hot Sunday afternoon, Glen and I braved the heat to play a round of golf. There is a nice course at Carman, and we enjoyed the event. Then, on Monday, we drove home, arriving here about 7:30, and glad to be home again. Since then, we have been catching up on housework, yard work, and rest! I have begun repairing the side fence and, as usual, more issues crop up as I work on that. Wendy has attacked the undergrowth, overgrowth, and weeds! Another week should see most of those assignments behind us. Wendy had her cataract appointment on Tuesday; she has a follow-up for laser touch-up later this month. I had my dental appointment on Wednesday. He assessed that there is a lot of work to do, and began with 16 X-rays, and an initial filling. There is much more work to do, including the replacement of my partial plate. The markets completed another very good month as the USA inflation data and growth numbers came in better than expected—thanks, Uncle Joe! Now, we face the (historically) worst month for the markets so it'll be a challenging time. Riders play their traditional Labour Day Classic against the Bombers this weekend. The young guys for the Jays are getting their chance to prove their value, and are doing well. College Football began this weekend with big wins by my #16-Sooners, and by the #4-Longhorns. I'm expecting the Horns to thrive this season and advance to the playoffs. 

Erica wrires, "We spent the first part of the week recovering from our kayak adventure. It was fun, and we also enjoyed the water. But we used muscles we aren’t used to using. There is a cabin for sale at the lake and we checked out the listing a few times, but not sure we want to tie ourselves up like that. We enjoy going different places. Our new shed arrived on Friday in 3 large and very heavy boxes. We are heading to the Rider game so we will need to set up the shed next week! Some friends from Kenora are joining us for the game and for some visiting as well. Liam and Mercedes finished up a week of boot camp. Liam reports that Saturday will be his rest and recuperation day. Our neighbour, Elizabeta, finally has a next step for her aching knees. She will go in on Wednesday to have a scope done. She is nervous, but also glad to be doing something. We’ve been helping her get ready this week, and praying that everything goes smoothly for her. Nothing new from Haaken, Greg and Kiersten."

Erin and Kristian are back to their usual activities after the months of looking after us. Thanks guys! We're hoping that Kristian can get a job, soon. His resume is all spruced up, and he has begun making applications. He continues his practice driving in preparation for his next test. Erin continues to experience greater ease in her new assignment—so proud! 

Minnie

Travis and Joanna welcomed us home. It was good to catch up with them as well. On Tuesday, we had a come and go memorial time over the loss of their little dog. On Friday, we had our standard pizza and cards evening—thanks guys! 

And that's enough for this week. 

Heading East

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Wascana in the centre of the prairies, but today finds us leaving Regina behind, and beginning our trek home. We watching the memorial service for my brother Verner today as the family held that in Dallas. Thank you family for including we far flung members of the family in the occasion. We have completed what we could at Erin's, but we've run out of time while there remains more painting and refurbishing to do.

Lucy trying out the tree

Kristian and I assembled the Cat Tree on Wednesday—now, we wait to see how they'll make use of it. Wendy completed her painting on Thursday, and then we spent yesterday cleaning up, and packing. This morning, we headed east and have stopped for a visit with Glen & Kim, in Carman—thanks folks! The markets have taken a decidedly good turn after a troubled week as the FED has finally agreed that there will be a rate cut in September. In sports it was more of the same ol' as the Jays play the young hopefuls with varying degrees of success, while the Riders lose a game they should have won. 

Erica writes, "We have restarted our keto diet this week. Erica is finding it reduces her inflammation (but Eric was sick day one). Erica’s band played at Mt St Joe’s. On Friday, Eric attended the Wizard of Oz while Erica had her book club.  Today, we tried out our kayaks at Redberry Provincial Park. That went okay, but we found it took more energy than we had to give! We have a date for Eric’s eye treatment now; it will be September 10th."

Erin and Kristian completed their summer of hosting us, and now have their house back with some improvements. We certainly enjoyed spending the time with them, although we struggled to get as much done on the projects as we would have wished. I was delighted to see Kristian become a good driver, and feel confident he will soon get his driver's licence. He has also pushed forward with his job search; we hope that meets with success as well. 

Travis and Joanna have prepared a memorial activity for Minnie. We look forward to getting home, reuniting with them and taking part in the commemoration. 

And that's enough for this week! 

Remembrances

Erin's Birthday Golf - 2024

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Wascana in the centre of the prairies. The weather has been nice, but we've been bothered by wildfire smoke from the fires in western Canada. We have continued our slow progress on the downstairs renovations. The closet is pretty much complete and Wendy is preparing that for painting as well. I have completed the edge banding, so the shelves are ready to install as well.

Aunt Grace - 99 years

On Sunday, we visited Bengough and Ogema. We are able to visit Aunt Grace, and have supper with cousin Joanna & Mac. On Wednesday, we drove down to Weyburn to visit our longtime friends Kerry & LaVonne and get new tires installed on the car. Kerry and I got out for 18 holes and enjoyed that a great deal.

Dad & Mom

Wendy & I took advantage to get down to Hillcrest Cemetery and decorate the headstone of Mom & Dad. The rest of my family will be gathering next week in Dallas to commemorate the passing of my second brother, Verner. We both have medical appointments in Thunder Bay, but we're making plans to travel south later. On Thursday, Kristian had his drivers' test. The examiner opined that Kristian did not hold his shoulder checks long enough, so he refused to award him his licence—we opined that that was absurd! On Friday, Erin, Kristian and Dale joined me for a round of golf in honour of Erin's birthday. That was the most enjoyable day of the summer so far for me. Wendy and I are finally overcoming our summer colds—it has been a long battle. Economic data in the USA combined with better than expected inflation data to turn the markets around, and it was a good green week. Investors are now betting that a FED rate cut is certain for September. The football season has now moved to the halfway point and Riders are in first place in the West, but they blew their opportunity to knock off the East leading Alouettes when our kicker had a brutal night last night. The Blue Jays continue to play out the string of this baseball season. 

Erica writes, "Eric’s work managed to fill most of his week. He was supposed to be off this week recovering from eye surgery, but now, he will need those sick days later, once we figure out when and what is later. We are in Sherwood Park this weekend for Margaret’s second annual backyard party. Margaret has generously invited us to stay with her in her newly renovated basement. The carpet is wonderful! Liam and Mercedes are celebrating one year of dating this weekend. We haven’t heard much from Greg & Kiersten or Haaken."

Travis & Joanna continue to manage things in Thunder Bay. We're expecting to get back there next weekend. They have been very busy, but now they've trained Darby to manage his own treats, so that frees up some time! 

Darby—Skilful!

And that's about it for this week.

This and That, To and Fro!

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Wascana in the centre of the prairies. The weather has moderated and we have enjoyed the comfortable temperatures. Kristian and I have been out driving regularly, including two runs in the Drivers' Test route. He did great! His test is scheduled for the coming week. Otherwise, Wendy has continued her paint preparations downstairs and in the stairwell. I have continued to work on the closets, and they are ready for paint now as well. I have cut the shelving, and have now begun ironing on the edge-banding. This morning, Erin, Kristian and I got out to the driving range as we prepare for a family round of golf next week for Erin's birthday.

Ray & Ellen Diamond Anniversary

Wendy and I were down to Kennedy on Sunday to celebrate the 60th Anniversary for Ray & Ellen—that was a fun time! Today, we drove to Caronport to see Liam's dance troupe presentation—I was exhausted just watching! The markets have been wild all week with large whipsaws representing the largest gains and drops of recent years. As mentioned, the latest conundrum is a common one—the FED. The markets hate the indecision and wavering messages. So, we've endured a week of back and forth with the most recent rumour being that the FED would do a large cut in September—sigh! For an organization that is supposed to be in charge of smooth economic sailing, they certainly are not. At least with the arrival of the Harris/Walz team, the Trump Slump has been, at least temporarily, forestalled, but we don't expect quiet waters until at least after the USA election. In the world of sports, the Riders played to an irritating tie against Ottawa. The Blue Jays are trying out their replacement players and achieving somewhat better results than before. 

Erica writes, "Monday was a holiday. I practised with my band in the morning and we went to another band Monday night: Billy Idol, with opening act of Platinum Blonde. Each played all of the songs we knew, and then some. I happened upon some last minute tickets and we landed ourselves in the 4th row, Centre. I am surprised to note that Billy can still rock. Wednesday, I took Eric to Saskatoon for eye surgery. He got all the prep work done, only to discover that they can’t do the surgery. So now he is referred back to his physician. Eric spent the rest of the week trying to get a new date for the basic procedure, but everyone is on holidays. We are feeling a bit frustrated, but hoping that the end result will be good. With a couple days off, Eric started rearranging the downstairs and figuring out how to have room for everyone at Christmas! I have a gig this Saturday with my band, out at Christopher Lake."

Erin has been making good progress on her first solo month end at VW, and I feeling much more secure in the process. Today, she went to the driving range with Kristian and me—everyone, except Grandpa, driving it over 200 yards. Kristian hosted a going-away party today for one of his friends who is moving to Calgary. As I mentioned, I laud generosity, and Kristian was certainly generous in the party preparations. Otherwise, he assisted my renovation work on the closets. That job is nearing completion. 

Travis continues with medication and remediation of his shoulder impingement issues. He reports progress. They received the final section of their living room furnishings this week. Rosie has established residence in Toronto and begun Massage Therapy classwork. 

And that's enough for this week. 

Presence and Presents

Another hot week has passed on the shore of Lake Wascana in the centre of the prairies. We were hit with temperatures in the 30s all week, peaking at 37° on Friday. Today was the first day with some relief as we held below 30°. We began the week with a family gathering at Erin's condo. Eric & Erica were down from Prince Albert, while Liam & Mercedes came over from Caronport. I have always admired generosity, and in this case, the family were generous with their time. We enjoyed a wonderful afternoon on Erin's patio including ice cream cake to celebrate my birthday. Thank you all for your presence, and they were generous with presents as well—thank you! I most love receiving gifts of things that I wouldn't buy for myself. This year, I got green fee money—I am loathe to spend such on myself. I also got driving range money—again, I usually refuse to buy a bucket, and count on collecting spare balls left by others! And I got a dozen Pro V1s—I never afford myself such a luxury! I feel very blessed indeed. Wendy and I continue to suffer with our colds; the illness and discomfort are holding on tenaciously. Wendy has pushed forward with the painting project and is now at the primer stage.

Patio lit!

Beautiful Setting!

I have puttered away at a few jobs, including hanging the new patio lights today. Kristian and I harvested a pallet this afternoon as I needed some firring material for the closet install. The markets were crazy this week. We started with some good green days leading up to the FED announcement on Wednesday. Investors went wild over Powell's comments, but then they sent out more FED talkers to walk back the talk of a rate cut, and that precipitated a massive sell off to leave us in the red for the week. Blue Jays sent off several veteran players at the deadline, collecting a batch of what they hope will develop into performers in the future. It's never a wise strategy to bet on a winless horse because you think he's due, but, Riders put up a stinker at home this afternoon, and dropped a surprising game to the previously winless Edmonton Elks. 

Erica writes, "Life is back to normal this week. It was Eric’s first full week in July and it was partly in August! We started our week in Regina, celebrating another birthday with Dad. We’ve been in discussion with Liam and Mercedes. Mercedes is planning on working full time with RU for kids Ministry. Haaken is doing well in BC and Greg and Kiersten celebrate 3 years as a couple! Our big event this weekend is picking up a carrier for our kayaks! Maybe we will try it out next weekend."

Erin continues to amass the data for her month-end. If all the data gets in, she should get those reports done next week. Kristian keeps playing the role of chauffeur, and assistant handiman. He has succeeded in five of his last six parallel parking attempts—that's the biggest challenge in his driving test. He has also prepared his resume and will be applying for jobs next week. 

Joanna has been moved to full-time at work as they're short-staffed. Travis is suffering with impingement in his right shoulder. He's been getting therapy and drugs, so we're expecting some relief soon. The boys are doing just fine. Rosie is off to Toronto to enter training as a massage therapist. Andrew expects to transfer his personal care worker (PSW) training down there later in the month. 

And that's enough for this week. 

Still more heat, and a cold!

Another hot week has passed on the shore of Lake Wascana in the centre of the prairies. We have finally held short of the 30° weather this weekend, which is a bit of relief. I was supposed to golf in Willowbunch on Friday, but I was hit with a cold starting on Tuesday. Wednesday and Thursday were complete wash-outs for me as I spent most of those days in a horizontal position. I began to feel a bit better on Friday, and today, I felt well enough to attend Marie's funeral in Weyburn, albeit behind a medical mask so as not to share my illness. Wendy has made steady progress on the patching of the walls downstairs. I need to catch up with the work on the storage closet. The markets boomed after Uncle Joe's surprise relinquishment of the Democratic nomination. The enthusiasm over V-P Harris's elevation to the role spread into the markets as investors expressed the hope of being spared from the Orange Menace. To be sure, there were whipsaws, but overall it was a good green week. Baseball draws nearer to the trade deadline, and we've seen three Jays already traded away to teams who feel they are in contention for a playoff run. The Riders played the defending champs on the road this week; they came close, could have won it, probably even should have won it, but fell four points short. 

Liam & Mercedes joined Eric & Erica on the worship team on Sunday before heading back to Caronport. On Tuesday, Eric had another consult about his eyes. It has been decided to do the operation on his right eye on August 7th, and after seeing the results, reconsider how to proceed. Eric/A joined us in Weyburn today for Marie's funeral. She must be some number of cousin to Eric. We're expecting Liam and Mercedes to join us tomorrow for more birthday celebrations. 

Erin had another good week of work as she has already had time to begin her stress over the upcoming monthend activity—LOL! Kristian is continuing to progress with his driving; he still needs more practice with parallel parking. Erin's work is going well, although she continues to be short-staffed.

Adding Rope

Kristian and I completed the rope work on the cat tree and have moved it indoors. It's ready to install now. Tonight, we all went out with Eric & Erica for birthday supper at Olive Garden—tasty! 

Travis and Joanna are successfully holding down the fort in Thunder Bay. Andrew and Rosie have determined to continue their education in Toronto, and have decided to move down there next month. 

And that's enough for this week. 

Turning up the Heat!

Another hot week has passed on the shore of Lake Wascana in the centre of the prairies. We began the week with mid-twenties, but the thermometer was gradually turned higher each day and we ended the week at 32°. I got out for a round of golf with Kristian and Dale on Monday. Kristian is continuing to grow his game, and he outdrove me at least three times—much to his delight! Of course, I'm not hitting as far, but I might never do that again, while his golf lays mostly in front of him. I scored +16 which seems to be about the norm for me in my comeback. Otherwise, as the heat turned up, we retreated to indoor work. Wendy is making slow progress on her paint preparations. Kristian and I have the cat tree ready to move indoors, but that has to wait until Wendy completes the painting. The new closet area is taking shape with shelves and a towel-hook bar. Now, I need to tackle rounded corner bead for the first time—hello, Mr. YouTube! The markets continued to roar forward at the start of the week, but faltered badly for the final three market days—c'mon guys! MLB was off most of the week for the All-Star break, but Jays managed to add to their winless streak all the same—sigh! The Riders hosted the Bombers last night, and came away with a convincing win—yay Riders! Today, we joined with the family and friends of Russell Knutson to celebrate his life. 

Eric wrote: "This week we played host to Liam and Mercedes. The week started with Erica’s band playing two sets. Liam and Mercedes arrived later that day. We have been educating Mercedes on Harry Potter, watching all eight movies. We attended a Rattlers game where we won upgrades and Liam and Mercedes watched the game courtside. The court action came right at them one time.

On Saturday, we are seeing the crooked trees and the Cochin lighthouse. Sunday, we are providing the music for church together, and Liam is presenting his RU plans for the church to consider. We have started making Christmas plans with Greg & Kiersten. Haaken is hopefully doing all right this week."

They bought new kayaks—now they need a storage shed! 

Erin and Kristian continue their hosting assignment. This week we made a special occasion Fuddruckers lunch meeting—that was a blast from the past. Erin, Wendy and I had taco salads. Kristian suffered another appointment in his drug trial. There were about ten blood samples taken, then he got his injection. He has been out driving most days, and ended the last tour with a successful parallel parking test! He now has an appointment for this driving test—Aug 15th. Erin got her first picking of strawberries today. 

Travis and Joanna got another part of their new living room furniture.

It appears that when the new furnishings are all installed they may have solved their flooring needs as well! At least the boys seem to approve! 

And that's enough for this week. 

A Hot Week!

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Wascana in the centre of the prairies. The weather has turned from summer-like to scorching! I got out for a round of golf with Garnet on Wednesday, but in the heat, we opted for a cart. The game went okay, and the experience was great, especially as we retired to their place in Southey for supper afterwards. Kristian and I got out to the driving range again today as we have a tee-time booked for Monday. Kristian, Wendy and I have been working on the projects, visiting friends and entertaining Taylor cousins who arrived from BC. We suffered another loss this week as an old friend, Russell Knutson, succumbed to the most recent health assault on Friday. He has been in hospital care for the last month or so, but was unable to rally out of it. We are grateful that we got a chance to visit with him these last weeks.

VW Coffee Mugs

Wendy and I posed for Erin's new advertising program courtesy of the lovely YETI coffee cups she got us for our anniversary—thanks! The markets are just flying, so I had a good month there this week! DOW settled over 40K for the first time ever! The Jays continue their struggle, and it appears they will be selling players later this month, sigh! The Riders played a road game in BC in a battle of first place clubs. We're still limited to our backup QB. They put up a good fight, but it turned into their first loss of the season. 

Erica writes, "Eric and I headed to The Big Smoke, aka Toronto, for a friend’s wedding. It is our first full Indian wedding ceremony and it was quite the event. We enjoyed the cultural immersion without the heat of India. The reception was especially fun, with all the family members getting their own introduction and cheer from the crowd. The bridal couple got the addition of towel waving and fireworks. Eric and I also got the chance to do an Indian dance in 360 degrees. What fun! We will get back on Sunday and Liam will be joining us for a visit on Monday. I’ve also been getting ready for a gig with my band, Mystery Train, at Mr Mikes on July 15th." 

Erin and Kristian continue to host us—thanks! The projects are slowly moving forward. Wendy is applying the mud to wall imperfections in the downstairs.

Kristian cut open the wall

Kristian cut out the gyproc, and I am building a storage closet in the hallway. The cat tree is mostly assembled, but a lot of details remain to be added in the form of platforms, scratching rope, and toys. We have also decided to add cardboard scratching surface to the foundation box. Kristian drives me everywhere, and is doing well. I'm expecting him to take his first test soon. Erin continues to acclimate to her new role and assignment—she's doing well, also. 

Gardening in planters

Wendy picked up plants, Erin got them planted, and I got the drip irrigation up and running once again.

Travis and Joanna are managing in the not so torrid temperatures of Thunder Bay. Along with their work, they get out for walks with the boys, and are gradually adjusting to life without Minnie. We text and chat regularly, but it's not the same. 

Anyway, that's it for this week. 

Moving Forward!

Moving along into our 55th year!

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown—but we're not there! We are now ensconced at Erin's place on the shore of Lake Wascana in the centre of the prairies. We have begun work on her projects. Dave and I cut the Cat Tree to size, so it's as ready as possible for installation once the painting is done. Kristian and I got out for some golf practice today, and he also drove me around town for driving practice, and I think he's ready to try the test. At the very least, it will give him a more directed practice routine. On Wednesday evening, Tom set up a pair Zoom conferences so we could commiserate and share stories about our departed brother, Verner—thanks Tom! And thanks to my siblings and connections for sharing in that time. On Thursday, Wendy and I completed 54 years of marriage—it has been quite a ride! We celebrated the occasion with work on the Cat Tree, trimming the hedges at 55 Laird, and an evening meal out in a quiet restaurant—lovely! The markets had a shortened week with holidays both sides of the border, but we made good progress all the same. The Riders continued their winning ways as the back-up QB started and won his first game. Elsewhere the Jays continued their losing ways—sigh! 

Erica writes, "The beginning of the week brought an unexpected visitor. Aura’s WestJet flight was cancelled so we had the opportunity to visit a bit longer until her new flight on Air Canada took her home on Tuesday. We also got to enjoy a nice lunch at Denny’s before she left.  Then, on Wednesday, Eric took his niece Marina to the doctor who confirmed that she had broken her ankle a few weeks ago—youch!  Andrew returned this weekend to return Marina’s vehicle and we got in some more visiting. It was also very warm so we tried to enjoy the deck, but ended up back in the air conditioned house. On Friday, I enjoyed a day at the 15th green. MNP sponsored a hole at the Mont St Joseph gold classic and we gave out candy and golf balls to the teams as they came through. That’s not too bad a way to spend a day at work! Eric has been contracted to teach at the university of Saskatchewan again this fall. And this coming week we will make a quick trip to Ontario for a friend’s wedding. Liam is heading up to Saskatoon tomorrow to visit Gramma Bailey. Haaken got locked in his room and had to escape through the window. The door is now fixed. And Greg and Kiersten tested out their wedding gift from us!" 

Erin and Kristian are hosting us royally. Kristian has taken the role of my hired man and chauffeur! Wendy is very busy with paint preparations, and finding out there is a lot of work to do. We need to reorganize the family room so we can more easily do the patching. Tonight, we enjoyed a wonderful meal of chicken and veggie kabobs. 

Travis and Joanna observed the two weeks since Minnie's passing as they continue to grieve the loss of their little dog. Gemma & Jonas were home for a while, but their strategy of booking WestJet and waiting for the inevitable cancellation did not work out and they're now back in Vancouver. 

And that's about it for this week. 

Passages!

Verner Ivar Ulrich  1943-2024

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown, while we have encountered many passages this week. We departed Thunder Bay on Monday morning, and enjoyed an uneventful drive to Winnipeg where we were hosted by Tom & Mariette—thank you very much! Early Tuesday morning, while we were having breakfast, Tom got a phone call informing us that our brother Verner had passed away during the night. These things are always a shock! Later, Tom and I went golfing, and I managed my first 18 holes of walking golf in two seasons. It wasn't great, but it was wonderful! I was pretty tired by the 14th hole, but my back held up well, and I continue to be pleased with the improvement since my surgery in January. On Wednesday, we drove on to Regina where we moved in with Erin & Kristian—thanks folks!

Kristian with his teachers

Thursday featured a major passage for Kristian as he walked the stage at Conexus Arts Centre to receive his diploma marking the completion of high school—we are so proud of him, and of Erin! Finally, today, we drove to Saskatoon where we celebrated with Bailey family and friends on Sheena's passage of 90 years! The family put on a lovely come-and-go-tea to catch up with the widely dispersed family and acknowledge her long and still healthy life. The markets are volatile, and TSX had a poor month while the USA indices hit new record highs, sigh! The Oilers failed to take the final step, losing game 7 in Florida, so it's "next year" country for them. The Riders have the bye week. The Jays up and down season continues—they are seven games out in the playoff race. 

Happy 90th

Erica writes, "This is Haaken’s last week with us at home. We’ve enjoyed a few days visiting with the rest of the Victoria Baileys. We also spent time ironing out last minute details for Sheena’s 90th which took place today. Haaken will fly back to Victoria tomorrow. It has been really nice to have him home. Liam and Mercedes have a performance in Yorkton this weekend. We also got some photos from Greg and Kiersten’s wedding. It has been  a busy June and I’m looking forward to Monday off!"

Erin-Kristian-Wendy

It has been a big week for Erin and Kristian, and we have enjoyed sharing some of it with them. He really prizes his new Apple Watch!

Traditional Grad Gift from mom

Travis and Joanna continue to grieve the loss of their little dog. This week, they enjoyed the arrival home of Gemma and Jonas after the completion of their school year in Vancouver. 

And that's enough for this week. 

Moving Along!

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. We've been cleaning up some issues around the house and yard as we prepare to head west next week. I picked another batch of rhubarb and we have more bags of that in the freezer. I have a lawn problem. It looks like a chemical burn, but I'm treating it as a chinch bug infestation. I gave that area of the lawn a couple of treatments, and also watered the driveway weeds to slow them down over the time we're away. The YouTube of our Spring Concert is now available—we hope you enjoy it. Last Sunday was Fathers' Day, and I enjoyed the extra attention from my children—thanks guys! Along with the usual greetings, I was funded with some money for golf! And, I got some special individual items as well. I was gifted a special hammer built by Kristian in his shop class.

If I had a Hammer!

I got a focaccia starter set from Trav & Joanna!

Flour, Yeast, Oil, Pan... good to go!

And my #1 child provided a reassuring book! 

High Praise, indeed!

So, I am well set for another good year! I did a bit more clean up in the yard and shop, packed up some tools I may need over the summer, and we're pretty much ready to go. Wendy has been busy all week clearing away Sweet Adelines business, and cleaning the house since we won't be here for some time! I have started my dental work under the new government dental program—thank you, Mr. Singh. It will take some time to catch up on my dental needs, but at least we're started. The markets have continued to search for a consistent way forward, but they failed again this week. Cooling retail sales should have teased rate cut bets and encouraged buying, but investors remained reluctant even as USA indices hit record highs once again. Blue Jays continued to flounder through the first half of the season; if they don't get it together very soon, they won't be together as management will be selling at the trade deadline. Riders continued to impress and win in the early season—keep it going Riders! But the big news is my Oilers who have rebounded from an 0-3 hole to win three straight and force a deciding game seven in the Stanley Cup playoffs! 

Eric and Erica are having a quieter week in Prince Albert. Erica is enjoying the first few shows with her girl band. 

Erin and Kristian are getting ready for grad next week. We plan to be there for that. 

Travis celebrated Joanna on Tuesday for her birthday. Of course, he celebrates her every day anyway! We provided some flowers. 

Joanna loves Gerbera Daisies

This evening, they, along with Andrew & Rosie, joined us for a farewell BBQ! We'll be missing them over the next while. They also shared sad news this evening as Minnie has passed away. We'll all miss that furry little rascal! 

Fond Farewell Minnie

And that's enough for this week. 

Leaking Oil!

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. The weather has remained mixed with frequent showers and thunder showers.

So fragrant!

The lawns and flower beds are flourishing. Rhubarb is passed ready for another picking—maybe tomorrow! The lilacs are ending their floral run, bleeding hearts, peonies and lilies prepare to take their turn. I've managed a bit more work on various projects, and a few trips to the driving range for golf practice. Results are very inconsistent and my back tires quickly. I guess it will take a bit more time to regain strength. I played 9 holes today—perfect results: 9 over par for 9 holes, sigh! The USA markets have continued their strong performance, but we're suffering through a red month here—c'mon man! Worst of all the Oilers are leaking! It's been a disappointing first three games against Florida. They broke out with an 8-1 win tonight, but they're still in a deep hole. Blue Jays remain a couple of games below .500—not nearly good enough. 

Erica writes, "I headed up north to Stony Rapids to work for the week. It was very reminiscent of Yellowknife days—sandy roads, rock and water, and expensive produce. A box of KD was almost $3. A pint of strawberries was $10. Back home for the weekend, Haaken, Eric and I are taking in a local music festival. We haven’t heard much from Liam, Greg and Kiersten this week, but we believe they are still doing well."

Erin and Kristian finally have a solid answer on his graduation exercises. The school was having trouble trying to decide when to hold the program, but they have finally determined it will be on the 27th, so we're able to set our travel plans as well. Kristian is continuing with the preliminary work for the possible drug testing trial. 

Travis and Joanna keep busy with their various work assignments. We planned to have a family trip to Grand Marais on Wednesday with them, along with Andrew & Rosie, but a severe thunder storm rolled in and we decided to wait for a better day. Tonight, they hosted us for a celebratory pizza and cards! Good times! We're scheduled for a Father's Day event tomorrow evening—thanks guys! 

And that's enough for this week. 

Rainy Weather!

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. The weather has become rainy, and I hurt my back last weekend, so, it's been an inactive week for me! I don't know what caused it, but I woke up Monday morning with a sore back. The only things I can recall doing differently are the stretches the physiotherapist suggested, and lawn mowing. I'm thinking it was the lawn mowing—in my impatience, I was pushing the mower across the lawn, and then pulling it back with one hand. I can see how that would put a strain on the lower back. I won't do that next time. In the meantime, a couple of nights required T3s to get through the night; I've since backed off (see what I did there!) to Extra Strength Tylenol. It's getting better, but there was no golf this week. Wendy has been pruning the cedars in the backyard. I've been encouraging her to cut more off—she demurs. Wendy bought me a new whipper-snipper, so the edges can continue to be trimmed. The markets were buoyed by the Canadian and European central banks cutting their respective prime rates early in the week, but then the USA came in with blow-away jobs data, and investors turned to selling. Still, the strong USA economy allowed those three indices to turn in new all time records this week, while the TSX and I turned to the red, sigh! In hockey, the Oilers won game 6 over Dallas and advanced to the Stanley Cup final series which opened this evening in Florida with a loss. Vegas has picked Florida to win the Cup, so Oilers are facing their third straight series as underdogs—c'mon Oilers! They played okay, and I am not discouraged with one road loss! Football opened the regular season this week with Riders taking on the Elks in Edmonton. After last year's dismal season, it won't take much to show improvement, but we would like to be a contender—go Riders! They didn't have a great game today, and the O-line is still not creating running room, but, hey, they won! The Blue Jays are playing a bit better, but are still below .500, so they are not in contention for anything at this point. 

Erica writes, "This weekend is another episode in our Saskadventures. We are heading to the south west corner to see the Mysterious Rocks of Cypress Hills. Haaken is staying with us this month, so he is along for the ride. Our friends Tina and Guido, Marina and Lorne are with us. Eric finished his teaching gig at University of Lethbridge and just has to grade papers. I’m coming to the end of our busiest time at work. So, life is beginning to lighten up a bit. I joked the other day, that I finally had time to make a to-do list!"

Erin and Kristian are continuing through the process to see if he can qualify for the drug trial. He has to file reports regularly, and complete a number of tests and a lot of blood work at the hospital. We hope the trial goes well whether he's on the active side or the placebo side, and that we get one step closer to a solution to his long term eczema issues. We hope to have an answer on whether he's included in the trial by the end of the month. 

Travis and Joanna remain busy. We're all hoping to get away for a day trip to Grand Marais next week, so Wendy and Joanna have been consulting on that! Wendy has a business meeting one evening which is adding a complication to the mix. Andrew and Rosie would like to come along. We hope it all works out. The scheduled arrival of their new furniture failed, and they're now waiting until the end of the month for their new living room stuff. Travis got the new TV mounted on the living room wall, including some construction to hide the cords. We checked it out one evening—good work! 

And that's enough for this week! 

And what is so rare...?

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. The weather has been beautiful and we have spent much time in the yard—wonderful! I harvested the first picking of rhubarb for the season; it is now in the freezer. I got out several times to practice golf, but no games this week—I do enjoy practicing! The yard is looking good. Lilacs are in bloom. All the perennials are developing nicely, and the dandelions are thriving! Our whipper-snipper has died, but we were able to borrow Trav's to clean up the lawn borders. This week, we're looking at the costs of driveway replacement, but as those bids came in, we've started thinking that maybe the furnace will be the end of renos for this year. The markets have been troubled again this week, but after the Trump convictions, we enjoyed the best day of gains of the entire year on Friday. I guess folks like being assured that the system sometimes takes down the big guys, too. The preseason has come to an end in football; we look forward to a better season from our beloved Roughriders—although that's a low bar after last year! Their first game is next Saturday. The Jays continue to flounder their way along in baseball with injuries adding to their woeful record. In hockey, my Oilers have taken a 3-2 lead in their series with Dallas. I hope they can finish it off tomorrow. In the East, the Rangers faced elimination tonight down in Florida, and that's the end of my faint hopes for them, sigh! 

Greg & Kiersten Wedding Party

Wedding Kiss

Erica writes, "This weekend, we are all together in Kenora, Ontario for Greg’s wedding. We met Kiersten over a year ago and she is a great match for Greg. Eric is performing the ceremony, and I am a witness. The event is out at Silver Birch Camp—it’s a beautiful site for a small wedding. The trip has brought back many memories. We drove around Kenora and Keewatin, revisiting old haunts. We hope to catch up with some more friends on Sunday at church." [Editorial note: KENORA was named in recognition of the founding communities of Keewatin, Norman and Rat Portage] 

Cat under the chair

Erin and Kristian are fully into Graduation planning. We're looking forward to taking part in that at the end of the month. Erin enjoys her patio-living area, and so do her cats! The garden boxes are ready to go again, with irrigation lines intact. 

Travis and Joanna keep busy with work and also with renovations inside and outside of their house. Today, Trav installed the cabling inside the wall for a clean-looking TV installation—nice. Next week, they expect to take shipment of their new couches. We enjoyed a pleasant evening on their deck with them and the dogs. Andrew and Rosie stopped by as well. 

And that's enough for this week.