News Update

Another blustery week has passed on the shore of Lake Wascana. We've had a bit more snow, and some blowing snow and cold temperatures. I have been assigned a new bus route and it appears I will have it for the rest of our time in Regina, so that's a relief. I've been able to learn the route and am now getting to know the students. They need a fair bit of work since the regular driver did not require proper behaviour. The US markets have continued to rally all week, and while the TSX has not kept up, I have been able to make a nice gain and am at my quota for the month with one week left to go! (I hope I can at least hang on!) NHL hockey has begun and we've watched quite a number of games on TV. Dad has continued with therapy, but may be nearing the end of scheduled work—we're supposed to find out on Monday. Wendy is helping him track down a stair-stepper to use at home in the case that out-patient therapy is over. She was back to the doctor for more finger pain—that worked out as expected! The one finger he's been working is swollen, stiff and sore. David is feeling better and has begun work on organizing his slides. He is hoping to get them digitized at some point. This week is the National curling event; both Kevins lost in the semifinals, but I'm enjoying it, anyway. It is also the Sask women's championships and I've been following that as well. 

Eric is scheduled to be home in one week. Several people are looking forward to that! Erica, Haaken and Liam are in Vancouver today while Erica attends a conference and the boys veg-out in the hotel! Planning mode for the birthdays has begun—Haaken is turning 16, Liam is turning 13. The pressure of life with two teenagers is already being felt! Erica has become involved in planning a local hockey tournament—she's not sure what she's gotten herself into! 

Erin and Kristian had a fairly normal week until Friday. Then,  it turned out classes were cancelled for a PD day. So, Kristian got to come over and play with grandma, grandpa, papa and Uncle David. Mark & Erin decided this should be viewed as an opportunity, so they scheduled a date-night, while Kristian prolonged his visit with us. Everyone seems to think that worked out just fine. 

Trav returned from his hockey tournament in Minnesota to -30 and a truck that would not start! The next day the temperature recovered and so did the truck. Trav & Joanna keep busy with work, and Trav is back into the league schedule in hockey. Gemma and Andrew keep active with school and their other interests. 

And that's about it for this week. 

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Wascana. The weather has been variable with snow storms, wind and cold weather along with some days above freezing! I managed two games of curling; my knees are complaining less each time! The markets have been troubled by headlines all week, but the decision by the GOP to give in on the debt ceiling allowed us to end on an up note, and gave me a good gain for the week. Our North American markets are pushing five-year highs as we continue to recover from the 2007 financial crisis and recession. Stocks have risen 85% during Obama's first term, but historically stocks do poorly in a second term averaging only around 10%. NHL hockey returned today, and fans are returning to the league—some reluctantly! I have completed my first stint as replacement driver, and will begin learning a new route on Monday. The streets in the residential areas are very bad; we seem to get two or three buses stuck everyday. I've come close, but so far am still running! Wendy keeps busy around the house. Her finger is healing, so we're starting to see whether it has gained any mobility. I have had some interesting incidences of 'customer service' this week—Shaw and Sears both demonstrated what it is not! Despite cancelling our Internet, TV and Phone service while we were away from TBay, Shaw has kept charging us, and collecting from our VISA account! "We were unable to stop the payment from being taken," they tell me, "you now have a credit of $267.00." Delightful! Sears gave me the run around from Service to Customer Service (Who knew there were two such entities in one company and that they were not related?) as I tried to get one wheel on Dad's new snowblower repaired—it doesn't hold air! On my second visit, Service finally decided they would let me buy a replacement wheel—only $165 plus taxes and available by mid-Feb! Buy? Why should I BUY a replacement part for a snowblower just purchased in the Boxing Week sale?!  Oh, if I have concerns of that nature, I should see Customer Service! After listening to my sad story, Customer Service assured me that I should go to Service, since they had no way to repair the wheel! No thanks, I'd already been there! Earlier, I had seen a display model of the snowblower on the floor, but Wendy wouldn't let me pop the wheel off and exchange it for my defective one! However, I suggested to the Customer Service people that I should do just that! They reflected for only a few moments before deciding, "Yeah, that'll work." Yikes! But at least we got the replacement wheel, and we can always imagine they'll fix the wheel rather than dump it on the next unfortunate schmuck to come along. 

Eric is back enjoying the salubrious climes of The Pas (-26 is not a high of any kind!); he is hoping for some entertaining hockey games to help pass the time. Erica and the boys are carrying on with life, work, school, music and hockey in Parksville. Erica is suffering some migranes, and would rather not! She is continuing to recover from her recent fall. Liam got a couple of assists in a recent hockey game. Haaken is anticipating exams at the end of the month, and turning the magical 16 and getting his learner's licence in early February. 

Erin, Kristian and Mark have all endured illness as the flu makes its rounds. After some down time that affected work and school, all appear on the mend now. Kiara and Kori are here this weekend; we're enjoying a little time with them. 

Trav is off to Apple Valley, Minnesota this weekend for a hockey tournament with his first place Elks, having tied their first game back from the break. The team also got tickets to attend the Wild home opener of their NHL season. Joanna, Gemma and Andrew are holding fort in TBay while continuing with work and school. Andrew is back to wrestling again—no more broken arms, please! 

And that's about it for this week. 

News Update

As I sit to write and take note of -29 on Lake Wascana and +1 on Lake Superior, I have to question my choice of lake! I spent yesterday morning coaxing my car out of the crescent in a vain attempt to get to work. By the time I got to the ring road, I checked in with work to let them know how late I was, and was informed that buses had been cancelled! The bus driving has been going well, and I've learned the route satisfactorily, however, that ends next Thursday and I'll be looking at a new assignment. It's been a troubled week in the markets, so it's a good thing I made good gains last week; I was unable to achieve any gains this week. Wendy keeps busy taking care of us. She had further medical consultation on her arthritic fingers. The doctor froze one finger and broke the joint loose—she may have movement in that finger if the pain and swelling diminish sufficiently to check it out! The Continental Cup of curling is this week, so I'm enjoying following that. I've started curling again, myself, as I played a game on Monday. I was supposed to play again today, but the blizzard came first! It appears the NHL lockout is over, so we're anticipating a return to action soon. Wendy got me an iPhone on Wednesday, so I'm enjoying that. Dad has continued with therapy both at home and at Wascana. He continues to progress; this week, he worked out on a treadmill! 

Eric has returned to The Pas—twenty-one days and counting until his return! Erica has adjusted back to work and the boys to school; managing coffee cups and arena stairs has proved more troublesome! Haaken has enjoyed getting back into music lessons and youth group. He has decided to start a band, and practise at home—uh oh! Liam has learned how to stop on his skates without using the boards or his team mates! He even scored a goal in practice! The boys were caught walking home in a torrential downpour on Tuesday. By the time Erica picked them up, they were drenched. Haaken declared that if it was going to rain like that, he wasn't going to school! 

Erin and Kristian both suffered illness this week. There's a bad strain of influenza going around that also caught uncle David. Erin was off work (Kristian off school) for a couple of days, but both are back at it again. Sadie got an overdue haircut and appears to be a new dog! Kristian continues to work on his top front teeth; they are very loose, but still there! 

Trav and Joanna are holding things together back in TBay. It's been a rainy week there, so the snow has dissipated once again. Trav's Elks haven't played recently, so he's even resorted to attending minor hockey tournaments to get his hockey fix! They both keep busy with work; Joanna is even considering further education. Gemma and Andrew are back at school after the Christmas break. 

And that's the kind of week it has been. 

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Wascana. The weather has moderated and been very pleasant. I have been in training for my new bus run that starts next Tuesday; I feel pretty comfortable with it now. We enjoyed a quiet welcome to the New Year here. The others seemed satisfied to welcome it from the Atlantic or Eastern time zones, and I had to wake Wendy for a New Year kiss at midnight Central Standard Time. Our junior hockey team disappointed us with a fourth-place finish at the World Championships. Congrats to the Americans this time around! The NHL continues to lock out the players, and although there are signs it may be starting up soon, many are finding they don't really care very much about it. It's been another strange week on the markets as the fiscal foolishness in the US moved past their own self-imposed deadline. Then, part of it was settled retro-actively and the rest was postponed! What a way to run a government! In any case, it was a shortened week due to the holiday, and we had three great days and one bad day. It turned out very well as I was able to gain double my weekly quota, but it's hard on the nerves to put up with the bounces. I have increased my portfolio buy-in to 45%. I fell well short of my annual quota last year  as I only managed 8.5%; however, most of the shortcoming was due to indiscipline, greed and fear! It is true the markets did not do well as the TSX only gained 4% for the year, but my completely disciplined paper-trading achieved more than my quota, so I need to follow my strategy and keep my emotions out of it! Dad is doing well; he works out daily on his walking with either canes or crutches, and continues with regular visits to his physiotherapist as well. It's an encouragement just to observe his efforts!

Eric/A and the boys had a quiet week in Parksville. They've been busy with relaxation and rest, interrupted by times of slothfulness and with time outs for the occasional nap! They checked out Mount Washington (where I learned to ski) and found where Vancouver Island stores its snow! They may try skiing it as well. They hosted a skating/shinny part for Liam's hockey team—that went well. Eric is on his way back to The Pas this weekend—not a happy prospect. 

Kristian has spent most of the week with us. That has been great! He's recovered from his pink eye, and keeps working on his two loose top front teeth. Erin has been busy with an audit at work, but we get to see lots of her as well. Mark is by from time to time, and keeps hammering away at me in Scrabble, so we had a good week with this section of the family. 

We've managed to FaceTime a couple of times with Trav & Joanna. The connection has been a bit troublesome, but it seems all is progressing well back in TBay. Gemma and Andrew are completing their school break and will be back in the classroom in the coming week. Trav's hockey time is on an extended break after their most recent victory.

And that's about it for this week.

News Update

Another week has passed, and we have moved to the shore of Lake Wascana. We plan to be here until March. We enjoyed most of the week in Thunder Bay. We celebrated Christmas with Trav, Joanna, Gemma and Andrew with a lovely breakfast/brunch followed by the traditional Christmas movie—in this case: The Hobbit in 3D. That was very good. Then we retired to appetizers and finger foods until we could eat no more. We were blessed with many other gifts as well. What fortunate people we are! The markets continue to be troubled by the US fiscal foolishness; as a result, I had a down week. The weather has continued mild and with little snow in TBay, however, that was not the case as we drove west on Friday. Freezing rain west of Dryden chased several vehicles into the ditches, and it was slow going for the last couple of hours of Ontario. Once we got to Manitoba and the divided highway things went much better, and we pulled into Regina about midnight. We were greeted with mountains of snow and -28 degrees which was quite a shock to our systems. Fortunately, dad had a warm welcome and house waiting for us.

Eric/A and the boys spent Christmas in Langford with Eric's family. The boys enjoyed several new gifts. Liam is enjoying a new hockey stick and equipment bag—his first goal cannot be far behind! Haaken and Liam were introduced to Dungeons & Dragons—Haaken was not impressed. Eric/A celebrated their 19th anniversary at a Japanese steakhouse in Victoria—yummy! They are now back in Parksville; Eric is home until January 5th.

Kristian has been enjoying multiple Christmas celebrations, and that continued with the arrival of Grandma. His two top front teeth are loose, so we expect them to be out soon. Erin has been enjoying a few days off and multiple Christmas celebrations as well. Kiara and Kori were here for Christmas—part of a large group at the Roberts.

Trav will be taking care of the house while we're gone. We hope the truck continues to run well. He and Joanna are enjoying some time off this week as well.

And that's about it for another week!

News Update

Another week of fine weather has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. We got enough snow late in the week to cover some of the grass on the lawn, so we may have to be satisfied with an approximation of a white Christmas! I recall two green Canadian Christmases past, one in Victoria, one in Dauphin—we went golfing on both occasions! The TSX had a good week even as the US markets lurched downward on Boehner's failure to bring his troops in line, so I had a great week, however, it is a nervous time, and I remain two-thirds in cash. School is out; bus-driving is over for now. It was particularly heart-warming to get Christmas gifts from two Islamic students who ride my bus. I am looking forward to driving in Regina in the January and February, although the lack of a regular route will be a challenge. Wendy has been busy with Christmas preparations including baking. In consideration of my diet, she found some gluten-free flour and made shortbread cookies—not exactly a winner! She also found gluten-free pancake mix—it was very good!

Eric arrived home today for the break. Erica has been counting down the days! Liam was excited to see snow this week, but it melted away in the subsequent rains. He continues with hockey, and enjoys that. Haaken is enjoying his guitar work and even took it to school one day. Grandma's baking production has quickly disappeared; she needs to return and build up a bigger supply!

Kristian has been busy with Christmas concerts and parties until he came down with pink eye! Now, he is on the mend, but remained isolated from school and day care for the latter part of the week. Mark has been helping out with daycare and also attended more than the appropriate number of Christmas concerts with Kristian, Kiara and Kori—you're a trooper! 

Trav keeps busy with work. The hockey photography has paid rich dividends, and also gives Trav & Joanna something to work on together. Gemma and Andrew completed school on Friday, and are looking forward to Christmas celebrations next week. Joanna had the week off, so she has a large surplus of baking for us to work through as we enjoy Christmas day with them!! I've done a treatment on the leaking head gasket for the truck, and it seems to be holding so far.

And a Merry Christmas to one and all.

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. While temperatures have remained comfortable, we've had snow nearly every day, and some rain today with +5 to clear the streets and driveways. Wendy arrived back on Friday morning, after more prolonged air travel. She had a great time in Parksville with baking, shopping, hockey tournaments and grand/mothering, but I'm glad to have her home. The markets continue to lurch with each successive US press conference, but overall the data has been favourable and I've had an above average week. This week has featured the Canadian Open of curling, but none of my favourite teams remains in the hunt, so I'm not as engaged as usual. Howard will be playing Jacobs in an all-Ontario final—I'll be cheering for Jacobs. Bus driving has continued routinely, and my transfer to Regina for the beginning of January has been approved. 

Erica and the boys have been enjoying their grand/mother this week. The big event was a hockey tournament for Liam where his team won the championship.(full write-up)

Hail to the Champions!

Eric is scheduled to be back for the Christmas break the end of next week. The boys have one more week of school before the break as well. 

Erin and Kristian had a good week. Kristian has two working hearing aids once again. 

Skaters!

Today the three kids enjoyed a skating outing with, as Mark noted, no injuries!

Trav, Joanna, Gemma & Andrew hosted me at the newest Bond movie on Sunday. Perhaps they've turned the franchise into too much of an action movie, but it was a good time anyway. Trav's hockey team won two games this week. Joanna was by on Friday to do the next set of blood work for both of us. Thanks. The truck is still not performing optimally, but Trav is back using it at least. I'm afraid it needs a new head gasket, as it continues to use coolant, and I'm afraid it's going through the system. 

And that's about it for this week.

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. We have continued to have beautiful weather starting off with +10 degrees and finally turning colder this weekend. We are now promised a week of subzero temperatures, with the probability of getting some snow. The markets have been running from press conference to press conference on the US budget negotiations. This has produced a down week, and I've suffered along with the markets. Wendy is out in Parksville with Erica and the boys. This weekend she's up in Port McNeil where Liam's team is playing in a hockey tournament. I'm expecting her back next Friday. Sports highlights were the Canada Cup curling finals on Sunday where Stephanie Lawton and Jeff Stoughton gave me two wins. Otherwise, with the NHL in lockout, I've not had much to interest me. 

Eric is south for classwork in Winnipeg and made a visit to Kenora. Erica and the boys are enjoying having mom/grandma there. Plenty of baking and puzzles are taking place. This weekend the crew traveled to Port McNeill for Liam's hockey tournament. At last report, they had won their first two games easily and the third game 7-3, so they're in the championship game tomorrow. 

Erin, Kristian (and Mark) keep frequent contact via video chat. It's good to see and hear them. Kristian has blown a hearing aid, so it's being repaired. Mark has concerns for Kiara's health; we are praying for an early remedy to her issues. Kori is also there this weekend. The three children play well together. 

Trav is back in the truck problems! As a result, I now have the truck, while he has the car. After a stern talking to, it is behaving for me. We'll see how long this lasts! Joanna is hosting her parents this weekend who are up from TO. Andrew continues to heal and has a removable cast now. Gemma is doing well. Trav's team won the championship last weekend—congrats all around! 

And that's about it for this week. 

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. The weather has been cold, but has returned to mild temperatures this weekend with the expectation of rain. We expect to remain above freezing for the next few days. The week started with the Grey Cup game where my hoped for win for Kevin Glenn failed to materialize—congratulations to the Argos! The markets have whipsawed with each press conference on the "fiscal cliff" negotiations; I made a sale, reducing my portfolio to 32% in the market, and achieved a good gain for the week. Wendy has been busy with several appointments and getting ready to travel to Parksville. She was off this afternoon, and should get there tomorrow morning. She plans to spend the next two weeks there playing Grandma! We had one snow day, but otherwise bus driving has continued routinely. I have been invited to transfer to the Regina depot for driving there during January and February, so I'll be working on that. I've been preoccupied with the Canada Cup curling this week. Neither of my favourite Kevins had a good week on the men's side; I'll be cheering for Jeff Stoughton to win it all. I'll be cheering for the Stephanie Lawton in the women's final.

Eric is currently in classes in Winnipeg. He reports that things are progressing satisfactorily. Erica is not enjoying the home-alone experience so much! She is looking forward to having her mom there the next two weeks. Haaken and Liam continue with their usual activities. 

Kristian had a troublesome rash develop this week, but that seems to have quickly resolved itself. He was delighted when Mark brought a Christmas tree and enjoyed decorating everything that is standing still in the apartment including his own bed! 

Trav's work continues well. His hockey team had a good week, and is in the Neebing tournament this weekend. After their two wins today, they play in the championship game tomorrow. Joanna has continued to enjoy/suffer soccer. Gemma is not enjoying school so much this year, but is doing well. 

Andrew got an update on his broken hand—as the picture shows, there were three broken bones. He seems to be healing well, and is looking forward to resuming his wrestling in a few weeks. 

And that's about it for this week.

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. The weather continued to be beautiful until Friday when we got our first snow of the season. It was quite a dump of soft, wet stuff, and my snow blower was not happy try to push it through the chute. However, it dropped to -7 last night and I was able to finish clearing the driveway fairly comfortably this morning. The markets have been good this week, and even with the US markets pretty much off on Thursday and Friday, I managed to make gains every day, so that helps. Wendy has continued her busy ways getting the house whipped back into shape. She also had church business and various appointments to fill her week. Today, she is busy preparing a birthday cake for Travis. Koe beat Martin in the Masters of curling semi-final and went on to win the championship for the first major of the season. Both of my picks won their respective playoff games, so Calgary will play Toronto in the Grey Cup tomorrow. I'm picking Calgary to come through and give Kevin Glenn a long awaited championship. We got the truck back on the road this week; it seems all it needed was new brakes and a new thermostat.

Eric is back in The Pas working on his practicum. Erica is running things in Parksville. The boys are continuing with school, music and hockey. 

Erin and Kristian are working through the winter in Regina. Kristian is progressing well at school; Erin is doing well at work. She is suffering with headaches; we hope those can be diagnosed and eliminated. Mark had great news as his house in Brandon finally sold. 

Trav, Joanna, Gemma and Andrew joined us for a couple of meals this week. Joanna has been expecting her dad's visit this weekend, but travel difficulties have postponed the trip until later. Trav's hockey team has faltered somewhat with injuries and uninspired play. Trav & Joanna have been quite busy with hockey team photo shoots; these have proved a profitable facet of this business. 

And that's about it for this week.

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. We drove back here on Sunday as we completed our Florida vacation. It is good to be home. The weather has continued to be very nice. I was back driving bus on Monday morning, and that is going fine. The markets have been terrible and the TSX is now at a loss for the year to date, and officially in bear territory. This was another down week for me, and while I am blessed to have some gains, I am still far from my quota. Wendy has been busy catching up on things around the house and on paperwork for ourselves and the church where things continue to wind down slowly. The Riders entered next year country on Sunday as they suffered a last-minute loss to Calgary in the semi-final. The Blue Jays made a lot of noise this week—grabbing attention from sports fans starved by the lack of NHL hockey. The first major of the curling season is this weekend; today, I enjoyed watching both Koe and Martin win to move into the semi-finals where they'll be playing each other. 

Eric is home this week; Erica is glad for that. He's on his way back the The Pas now; Erica not so happy about that! The boys continue pretty much as usual. Liam is sure his hockey will improve if he can just get a fancy stick! Haaken is sure his guitar music will be better if he can just amplify it a bit louder!

Erin suffered another accident to her car as she was hit while parked outside of Grandpa's. She is also struggling to drive in the pile of early snows that have hit Regina. Kristian continues to progress well, and calls us on FaceTime which we enjoy a great deal! Mark stole a Scrabble victory from me this week, but mostly he's been very helpful. 

Trav continues with his business here. Joanna is helping with the sports photography side which this week has been doing hockey team pictures. Trav's Elks continue to do well, although they fell in the semi-final of the recent tournament. He has been having issues with the truck, so we have it now and are endeavouring to get it running properly again. We've installed new brakes, and are now looking to put in a new thermostat in an effort to overcome the heating issues. Joanna's team continues to lead the soccer standings. Andrew continues to heal his broken arm. Wendy enjoyed playing grandma-in-residence and taking Gemma to swimming this morning. We enjoyed meals with the whole crew on a couple of occasions this week.

And that's about it for this week.

News Update

It has been another great week in Florida, but we have now returned to the shore of Lake Superior. We plan to drive back to Thunder Bay tomorrow. The weather continued to be lovely this week with temperatures from 23 to 28 for daytime highs in the sunshine. We enjoyed having Howard & Diane stay with us. We did beach-combing, sight-seeing, muscle-car museum, not to mention a lot of eating! All were more enjoyable because we were able to share it with friends. It was special to be around to observe the election process in the states; we stopped in and got Obama pins at the local Organizing for America office and were whooping it up as the "Inexperienced Community Organizer beat the tar out of the Wall Street Titan" on Tuesday. My personal election stats guru, Nate Silver, picked all 50 states correctly, even beating his 49/50 record from 2008. The markets were troubled all week with large waves up and down before ending with a bit of recovery, however, it was a down week overall, and that included me. I got an email from the school-bus people inviting me to return to driving on Monday, so I plan to continue that until the Christmas break. There is still no snow in TBay, but they keep threatening! The Riders play in the Western semi-final tomorrow in Calgary. They haven't displayed much over the season to give us confidence, but hey, it's just two more games to win to get to the Grey Cup—Go Riders, Go!

 Eric drove to Saskatoon through the snow on Friday, and flew home today. Greg is visiting there just now. 

Erin & Kristian call regularly on FaceTime; it is good to catch up with them. All seems to be going well despite winter settling in to the prairies. Mark continues with his work, and is taking it easy on me in Scrabble.

Trav has been taking care of the house and mail while we've been away. Thanks. His Elks had a big win this week in a first place showdown. Joanna and Gemma seem to be doing well, but Andrew is in a cast after injuring his arm during wrestling practice. Sorry about that!

And that's about it for this week.

News Update

It has been a great week here on the shore of the Atlantic Ocean in our vacation villa. We have been enjoying the excellent weather (25 to 28 each day) along with the sights and activities to be enjoyed here in Port St. Lucie. We are located at the venue of three PGA courses, and while I've looked them over, I was more attracted to other excellent golf opportunities in the area. I have practiced regularly and played 45 holes of golf. The best deal I've found was $8 for a round, including cart. My first full game was good (+11), but the second was not so effective (+16). Wendy thinks I need to play more! She has been enjoying some time around the pool, and other times shopping, but mostly getting out to see the local sights. We have also been able to enjoy some time just relaxing together. The markets were closed in the US on Monday and Tuesday as a result of Hurricane Sandy. We made good gains all week until today when the markets lost a lot of value. Still I had a good gain this week, so I feel blessed. Today we drove over to Punta Gorda on the Gulf of Mexico side of Florida and awaited the arrival of cousins Howard & Diane from BC; they were delayed, so it was after midnight before they got in. The Riders completed their regular season with a meaningless loss against BC this evening, now it's on to the playoffs against Calgary. Go Riders, Go!

Eric continues to work in The Pas, while Erica experiences the joy of single parenting in Parksville! They have been relieved to get a new rental agreement on their place in Kenora. They have concerns over Eric's dad who is experiencing poor health, and is currently hospitalized. Haaken and Liam continue with their usual activities centred around school.

Erin, Kristian and Mark got to enjoy Hallowe'en in Regina. Kristian got quite a haul of goodies. Mark got to haul him around the last part of the expedition. Otherwise things are going well there, but they are not appreciating the onset of winter. 

Trav is taking care of the house back in Thunder Bay. He had two more winning games with his Elks this week. Joanna, Gemma and Andrew are carrying on with their own busy lives.

And that's about it for this week.

News Update

Another week has passed and we have journeyed from the shore of Lake Superior to the shore of the Atlantic Ocean in Florida. We are staying at Port St. Lucie at a PGA resort. The trip down was a bit extra interesting as on the final leg of our flight from Charlotte down to West Palm Beach we were skirting hurricane Sandy and feeling the effects in the weather she left behind. That's about as rough a ride I want to experience in a 737! However, we're safely here and ready for some fun in the sun. It was 29 today, but they promise that will the the hottest day for a while; I'm seeing mostly 27 for daytime highs for the next ten days. The markets were sharply down the first couple of days, and I barely managed to make any gains as the TSX fell over 100 points for the week. I have finished bus driving for now, but I'll check in when we get back there to see if they need me until Christmas time. Wendy arrived home early Monday morning and has been busy all week getting ready to leave for Florida. She got some doctoring done; her cholesterol levels are much improved. She has a messed up right shoulder and has begun therapy on that. The weather was nice most of the week in TBay, but turned cold Friday as we headed south! We'll monitor it from here, but it looks like daytime highs of 5 degrees back home. The World Series has begun. After noting my dismal record of picking winners in the preliminary rounds, both teams pleaded with me not to pick them! I picked Detroit, and they have promptly lost the first three games—sigh! The Riders lost to Toronto this afternoon—they just didn't seem ready at the start, and they didn't turn it around quite enough to complete the comeback. C'mon Riders.
 

Liam has ventured into power skating this week. We are hoping that will help catch him up to his team mates who have been playing for 5+ years. Haaken has decided he has no interest in doing Beauty and the Beast and so has opted out of musical drama. He is, however, looking forward to Little Shop of Horrors next year. Aunt Aura took a week off work to visit Parksville and take care of the boys while Erica had a business trip to Vancouver. Grampa Bailey is still in the hospital so Gramma Bailey, who was going to come for a visit, had to stay in Langford to keep the doctors on track! Eric/A have received disquieting news about their renter back in Kenora, so we pray that situation gets resolved well.
 

We have enjoyed regular FaceTime chats with Erin & Kristian. We hope the bandwidth will allow that here in Florida as well. Kristian got new earpieces fitted, but they may need some fine tuning—this is his final set of moulds from Ontario, but they're being installed by his new audiologist in Regina. Erin got her winter tires applied to the car—thanks to Mark and Kal-Tire.
 

Trav continues with the business work. He designed and produced a new t-shirt for the hockey team featuring a fearsome looking Elk! He's having some concerns with the pickup; we hope it's not serious. Trav and Joanna hosted us for a lovely heading-out-meal on Friday evening. Thanks guys!
 

And that's about it for this week.

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. The weather has been showery most of the week, but turned beautifully sunny this weekend, so I got out for a round of golf today. That went well at +11, just a little over my target. The Riders played an exciting game against Montreal this afternoon, but could not complete the comeback as they had two unsuccessful  possessions in the dying minutes. The markets ran well for the first part of the week, but then turned hard downward. I was blessed with an above quota week, so that helps. Wendy has spent the week in Regina. I am looking forward to her return tomorrow. Dad is doing well, although the changing weather does not always allow him to get out for walks. I am over my cold, although there is still the odd coughing episode. Bus driving is going okay; I have one more week of that before we head to Florida for a holiday. 

Eric is back working in The Pas. Erica and the boys are keeping things going at home. Liam continues with his school and hockey practices. Haaken has school and musical practices. 

Erin and Kristian enjoyed having grandma around for the week. Kristian is now outfitted for the winter. Mark beat me in Scrabble this week, so I don't have anything good to report about him!! 

Trav continues his busy work at Ulrich Design. His Elks had their second hockey game, but they lost this time 6-2. Joanna has been enjoying success in soccer; her team is currently tied for first place in the league, and she remains uninjured! I am thankful that the whole crew brought meals on wheels for me last evening! Andrew was sporting his new glasses, and Gemma was preparing for her trip to Winnipeg to see Marianas Trench—very deep, I opined! Today, Trav built a crockpot of his famous chili—that will help my menu choices! 

And that's about it for this week. 

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. The weather has been cooler and rainy with a couple nights of frost. We enjoyed the Thanksgiving weekend, including turkey dinner with Trav & Joanna, and the Rider victory over Toronto. This afternoon the Riders played in Edmonton with a chance to clinch a playoff spot, but they played poorly and lost. The markets have headed downward all week and I experienced some losses as well. Economic data has been improving, so I'm expecting some turnaround soon. I am gradually getting over my cough, but in the meantime I've only been thinking about golf. Wendy flew to Regina today; she plans to spend the next week there. Dad has been progressing well, but since her brothers are both out of town, Wendy is filling the breach. The first round of playoffs in baseball is over and only one of my four picks came up a winner. I guess Moneyball was correct—it doesn't work in the playoffs! I pick the Yankees and the Cardinals to advance to the final series. 

Erica is glad that Eric was home this week in Parksville, but he's on his way back to The Pas now. Liam has started hockey. Haaken is continuing to progress with his guitar lessons and musical drama. 

We get to see Erin & Kristian from time to time on FaceTime. Wendy will be able to see them face-to-face this week—I'm jealous. Mark keeps me going with Scrabble but usually takes it easy on me. It was good to see all of them enjoying Thanksgiving at the Roberts' house. 

Trav has moved into the regular season with his hockey team. They won their first game 8-1—it's not easy to make that kind of score a come-back victory! Joanna is playing soccer this year and is finding it quite an effort. We enjoyed spaghetti supper with the whole crew last evening—thanks Joanna. 

And that's about it for this week. 

News Update

We're having a happy Thanksgiving weekend here on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. We've enjoyed beautiful weather during the first half of the week, but it has turned colder toward the weekend with frost being threatened tonight. The trees are beautifully coloured, and leaves are carpeting our footsteps in the yard. Today, I blew out the garden hoses and put them away; I've watered down the cedars for a final time. I want to get more leaves hauled into the garden area; we're always needing more vegetable material in the soil here. Bus driving is more complicated now that the church property has changed hands. I would like to get permission to keep parking there during the day, and the dental offices don't look to complete renovations for as much as a year, so it may work out. Wendy continues to have various issues to deal with over the building sale and the completion of church business. She has also turned some attention toward our house renovations. She has booked flights to Regina and back so she can make a visit there for about a week. That excursion is set to begin next Saturday. Dad is continuing to make progress, and she'll be able to see that for herself. The markets have continued to weave troubled ways; I had another green week and have increased my buy-in to almost 50%, so I hope we can make more gains there. Baseball season has ended and I have made my picks for the World Series: I pick the A's to beat the Yankees to win the American League pennant, and the Reds to beat the Nationals to win the National League. The Riders don't play until Thanksgiving Monday this week. Go Riders! 

Eric is thankful to be home from The Pas for the next week (Erica is also). Erica is thankful to get the car repaired, and that the alternator was on warranty. Haaken is thankful that musical theatre started—they're doing Beauty and the Beast. Liam is thankful to start hockey practice—his mom is thankful that practice is not at an ungodly hour of the night! The family is heading to Victoria for the weekend. Jelsing was back in the hospital briefly, so they'd also be thankful for your prayers. 

Kristian has his Hallowe'en costume already; we enjoyed seeing it on FaceTime—he is a fearsome Ninja to be sure. After we recoiled in horror and fear, he was quick to pull off his balaclava and assure us that it was just he! Too cute! Mark has been helping out, and even supplied some game meat from his recent hunting trip. 

Trav is back into hockey with his Elks. They've had two pre-season games, splitting those. It's a young team with a lot of rookies, but he's optimistic that they will do well again. They are defending league champions; it's a tall order to repeat that! His work suffered a set-back this week, but he perseveres. We are planning Thanksgiving dinner with Trav & Joanna tomorrow afternoon. 

And that's about it for this week. 

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. The weather has been lovely with single digits over most nights and mostly sunny days. I was looking forward to some golf today, but I came down with a cold on Wednesday, so I'm trying to get some extra rest to overcome that. The markets have been down this week and I stopped out of three of my holdings leaving me with a down week, but a good month. We have been busy with the final details of the church building sale. Wendy, especially, has been involved in a lot of the dispersal and cleanup. However, she took sympathy with my cold struggles and made me rice pudding today—yummy! The Riders started the week with a win over Calgary on Sunday, and ended the week with an overly tense win over the first place BC Lions. Way to go, Riders! 

Eric has begun his work in The Pas, but is already planning his first trip home at the end of next week. Erica is taking care of things in Parksville. She has the car, but it failed this week, so that's a concern. It turns out to be that the Exhaust Gas Regulator was clogged and ruined; a replacement EGR is expected next week. Haaken is making progress with his guitar lessons and has adjusted his career choice to rock star! The boys have joined a local youth group and are pleased to have friends from school in the same group. 

Erin also had a car issue this week—a girl on a bicycle ran into the side of her car as she was driving along a street. The girl got up, grabbed her bike and cycled away. Erin is left with an estimated $2500 damage to her car. Kristian continues with school and is progressing well. We are glad to see them regularly on FaceTime. 

Trav is back into hockey coaching. He is pleased with the team they have drafted for this season. His work is keeping him busy, and the hockey is a nice change of pace. We are glad to have Trav, Joanna and family with us here in TBay. 

And that's about it for this week. 

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. The weather has definitely broken and we're enjoying single digit temperatures over night. We've had a bit of rain, but now they're promising more sunshine. The trees are taking on colour and we enjoyed a drive out of town to see it even more strikingly. The Riders began the week with a loss to Montreal. They played pretty well under the guidance of the backup quarterback since Darian Durant is injured. Tomorrow they have another test as they host Calgary, and Darian is expected to be ready. It has been a busy week for Wendy as she completes paperwork and financial reports for the congregation. She has also spent considerable time and energy working on cleaning up the building and finding a way to get the chairs to Nanaimo. The markets wandered downward this week as they responded to the various headlines. I feel blessed to have made good gains, as I increased my position to about one third invested. Bus driving has continued routinely. Reports from Regina indicate that Dad continues to make progress and is doing well. I had my six-month checkup with my oncologist on Tuesday. My PSA was 11, that's down a little from the last time. 

Eric has toured back to the prairies and took in an opening conference in Thompson. Erica and the boys are managing and checking out new adventures back in Parksville. 

Erin and Kristian had a big week that started with Kristian's seventh birthday. He enjoyed a Rider party at Papa's in Regina. Work and school makes for very busy days for both of them. Mark is back from a successful hunt in the mountains with both meat and stories! 

Trav continues with development of his work, but his main preoccupation this week has been hockey. The draft of the midget teams has been completed and he is pleased with the player selections. Now, we wait to see how effectively they will be moulded into a team. Joanna, Gemma and Andrew were over for a couple of meals this week; we enjoy our times with them. 

And that's about it for this week. 

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. The Riders started off the week by eking out a one-point victory over the Bombers. They play first place Montreal tomorrow; that will be a real test! I've been enjoying the moderate weather and getting out to the golf course a couple of times; the new driver behaved pretty well. The school bus people had been calling; I have answered and been assigned a regular run. The markets were in limbo until the decision by the US Fed, then they finished the week in a strong rally, allowing us to gain some value. Wendy has been occupied with cleaning up bookkeeping issues at church. She is also working to clear out the materials from the building. We have been trying to sell our auditorium chairs and have a tentative deal in place for that. Dad is continuing to do well; Dave is there, and Rich & Sue have returned from Zambia to assist as well. The renovations have also moved forward as the baseboard has been applied and repairs are being done to the eaves-troughs.

Eric has begun the trip back to the prairies. He should complete that tomorrow. Erica and the boys are carrying on with work and school back in Parksville. Eric's dad continues to make progress, but remains in hospital.

Erin and Kristian are doing well in Regina. Kristian lost another tooth this week—he really lost it; he was eating a strawberry and suddenly realized the tooth was missing and that he had swallowed it. He wrote a nice note to the tooth-fairy; I don't doubt that it was persuasive! Kristian celebrates his seventh birthday tomorrow; we're sorry to miss that! Mark has been out hunting in the mountains and reports are that it has been very successful. We look forward to sampling the results.

Trav has begun the hockey season coaching the Elks Midget team. He is working with his fellow coaches to get ready for the player draft. He is also lamenting the sad state of affairs as far as the NHL is concerned, and is prepared to cheer for whatever team Crosby may play for in Europe. We got by to see his work space this week and enjoyed that. I get to see Andrew most days as I pick up students at his school. Joanna has finally escaped from the summer of lab work and is glad to be back to the collecting side of Life-Labs.

And that's about it for this week.