News Update

Another beautiful week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. Wendy has cleaned the pool in anticipation of us taking it down and putting it away after the long weekend. We have started up the hot tub, and enjoyed using it a bit. I keep practising golf, but haven't played a round this week. The hydro people came by and announced they were taking down two more trees along our back fence that are under the line—where were they when I needed them to take down the first thirteen?! Anyway, those trees are gone, and I have a few yards of mulch to use along the cedars. The markets have continued their troubled ways, with DOW down 5% for the month, but TSX was up 1.3% and I'm over quota for the last two months now. I've begun preparations for school to start next week, driving my bus route on Wednesday to re-familiarize myself. Wendy started work at Liquidation World; she seems to be enjoying it. The Riders play their traditional Labour Day game against Winnipeg tomorrow afternoon. The Jays keep entertaining us, but they are not doing a lot of winning! I am enjoying watching the playoffs in golf.

Eric/A enjoyed hosting their friends from Kenora this week. 

Erin and Kristian flew home on Sunday to Regina. Kristian is enjoying camp/day care this week, while Erin gets caught up on things at work. 

Trav & Joanna keep very busy with work. Trav is also preparing for the hockey season, both for work and play. Gemma and Andrew are ready for school; they will be together at the same school this year. 

And that's about it for this week.

News Update

Another beautiful week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. We have enjoyed a great week with Erin and Kristian. We celebrated Erin's birthday on Monday, and just enjoyed having them around all week. It's been a pleasure having Kristian with us most of the summer. The markets have been troubled, and they, in turn, troubled my portfolio! The Riders pulled off another win to improve to 7 and 1, and remain alone in first place. The Jays are just playing out the string in baseball, and aren't even doing that well! The new pool filter pump has performed well, although it's taken most of the week to get caught up with the appropriate chemical balance. We've enjoyed being able to take a break in the pool! Wendy has accepted a job at Liquidation World; she starts on Monday.

Haaken has spent the week on Galiano Island learning about 3D film-making. Eric/A went over there today to pick him up and take in a screening of the movie. Eric had an interview on Thursday for a job in Port Hardy—that would be quite a commute! He has applied on more jobs, and continues to press forward on his own counselling practice as well. Liam is working on football while rollerblading to build up his skating and balance! He and Eric have also enjoyed more games of Settlers of Catan and Risk. Liam is working on his French with a view to making a good start to the school year. Erica received an encouraging visit from an ADM and Superintendent from the Ministry of Education—her friends back in Kenora were shocked that the Ministry would visit; they would never have believed the encouraging part! 

Erin spent a relaxing week here in TBay. She and Kristian will be heading back to Regina early in the morning. 

Trav, Joanna, Gemma and Andrew got over on several occasions. We also spent time over there, including a nice supper with them this evening. I was able to assist Trav in assembling their new BBQ.

And that's about it for this week.

News Update

Another wonderful week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. The weather has been beautiful and we've enjoyed yard, garden and golf! Kristian, Wendy and I were able to golf together yesterday; that already makes it a highlight, then, Kristian added to it by scoring his first par ever! The filter pump for the pool broke down, and we are loath to replace it for how little time is left in the pool season. This afternoon, Wendy found a second-hand filter pump on Kijiji—we're swimming! The TSX was volatile this week, but it was up a little and I was blessed with above quota gains. The US markets turned downward, but they still remain up 16% on the year, while we've only managed 2.4%. I passed my bus driver medical this week, so I guess I'll give that another go. Wendy is applying on several jobs as well as selling off extra stuff that we've been storing around here. The Riders played this afternoon at home and knocked off the Montreal Alouettes on the final play to improve to 6-1 in first place. After BC beat Calgary tonight, we're all alone in first place.

Eric continues to apply for jobs and work on his counselling practice. They've run into some snags, and face some deadlines like the end of EI, so we (and by we, I mean Eric/A!) hope some income begins to be generated soon! Haaken is off to camp this week, looking forward to learning more about 3D animation and Maya. Liam is rollerblading to build up his skating legs in preparation for hockey; he reports sore knees. The family is enjoying family game nights—Liam is becoming an adept Settler of Catan. The boys are beginning the adjustment to school mode by getting dressed before noon! Erica is back to work; she has a new office with a nice view of the fountain and the ocean, and hope it includes an improved outlook!

Erin is beginning a holiday break and is set to fly down here on Monday. We look forward to the week, but not to the imminent departure of Kristian! Her work is going well. She and Kristian now text each other as well as the usual evening FaceTime. 

Trav has spun off several businesses as part of his work. Please check them out: HockeyTees, Stickerz, PuckShots. He and Joanna enjoyed a trip to Toronto last week and took in a Blue Jay game on Monday. Joanna continues to be very busy at work but is enjoying it and learning a great deal about the business. Gemma and Andrew should be completing summer activities and be back home soon. 

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 continued to be very comfortable and we've enjoyed the outdoors. I managed to get out to practise golf a few times, and to golf once. That was an interesting experience as I joined up with a group that turned out to be an Alzheimer's victim and his caddie. The TSX suffered through another mixed week, and ended a bit down, however, I was blessed with a good week of earnings. The garden is beginning to produce. It seems to have grown lots of plant and not much food, but now we're seeing spinach, beets, beans and tomatoes. The radishes are finished, and the rhubarb continues about as usual. Wendy has been considering and even applying for local positions. She and Kristian went to the local exhibition on Thursday—lots of crazy rides and bad food choices there! The Blue Jays continue their uneven performance; they're in a bit of a homestand just now. The Riders lost on Friday evening to drop to 5-1 on the season. They had plenty of offense, but gave up some turnovers and some big, untimely penalties that turned the game in Calgary's favour.

We haven't heard much from Eric/A and crew, but life seems to be continuing about the same out there as Eric is trying to develop his counselling practice and Erica is continuing with work. The boys are relaxing their way through summer. 

Erin calls regularly for FaceTime with Kristian. We look forward to her visit later this month. 

Trav & Joanna get back and forth with us for meals and outings. We had a good hike with them out to the Cascades early in the week. On Thursday, they hosted us for Thai Wraps which have become a favourite of ours. They left for Toronto today where Travis has some business meetings. They plan to take in a Blue Jay game on Monday. 

And that's about enough for this week.

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. The weather has been favourable and I enjoyed getting in some golf. Wendy has pursued the weeds with vigour and the backyard is looking good. The pool is operating well; Kristian and grandma have enjoyed that. The markets have continued to be troubled and the TSX was down again this week, however, I was blessed to complete the month above quota and with a good first week to this new month as well. The Jays have been on an extended road trip and are not doing well. The Riders have the week off; I'm sure they're relishing their 5-0 start, but I hope they don't get over-confident. 

Erica started the week in Washington, meeting up with friends from Twilighting days and touring Forks. A highlight was touring the mill there and seeing a huge forklift pick up an entire semi-load of logs at once. Wow! Another highlight was meeting a lady from England with whom she's been emailing for several years. Eric is setting up his office, and has booked his first client. He has foregone the self-employment program as too time-consuming and tedious. He wants to get at it! For now his earnings will go against his EI. Liam had a lot of stories from his time at camp. He had fun and made some new friends. Haaken is looking forward to his camp later this month. In the meantime, they're practising being teenagers—staying up late and sleeping until noon! 

We get frequent conversations with Erin as she keeps up with Kristian. She's doing well in Regina. It's annual review time, and she received superior ratings and a nice raise—all of us are proud!

Travis, Kristian and I played a game of golf, in honour of my birthday, at the nearby par 3 course. That was a lot of fun. Trav & Joanna joined us for birthday supper on Tuesday. 

It has been a good week!

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. We enjoyed friends, food and fellowship in Dauphin on Sunday, and drove home on Monday. Thanks to Bob & Linda for hosting us. We've been trying to catch up on things here all week. The lawns are trimmed, the rhubarb is picked, cut and packaged, but the weeds continue to fight! I've been to the chiropractor—good progress was noted. I've had the Sorento in for the recall order; it was a brake switch malfunction which interfered with the push-button starting. The TSX was up a bit on Monday, but then descended the rest of the week, ending down, however, I am feeling well-blessed with another good week of gains and am now over my quota for the month. We'll see if I can hold it this time! Sadly, the Jays have continued their poor play. The Riders had a home and home with Hamilton; they demolished them 37-0 on Sunday, and tonight they served up another win behind the back-up quarterback to reach 5-0. Wendy keeps busy with Kristian; there is always an excuse to buy him another toy! 

Eric/A and the boys are settling into summer activities on the Island. Liam is off to film camp, and Haaken looks forward to his camp later in the summer. Eric pursues a position in keeping with his new qualifications, and Erica is back at work at the school board. 

Erin and Sadie continue their adventures in Regina. There have been several more severe storms blowing through there. Kristian is here with us; he maintains a daily schedule of Math and Reading along with lots of play. He was glad to have Andrew and Gemma visit this week prior to their summer trip to Burlington. Tonight, as he brushed his teeth before bed time, he dislodged another of his front lower teeth. He hopes the tooth-fairy can find him here!

Trav and Joanna have been by a couple of times. He had a good offer on the truck, so we hope that sale is soon completed. Gemma and Andrew left this morning for southern Ontario to spend part of the summer with their grandparents. Joanna accompanied them, but she plans to return on Tuesday.

And that's about it for this week.

News Update

Another week has passed and we are in Dauphin. We left Regina on Thursday; I've been golfing here yesterday and today in our annual cross-border event. This year we expanded the border designation and played Canada vs Mexico! I played for the Mexican team, and we won—it was very close at the end, but we won one of the final two games to take the overall title. It was more than a little too much for me, and I was fading in the final round, but we certainly had fun! It was good to reacquaint with old friends. While in Dauphin, we're enjoying staying with Bob & Linda, and catching up with other friends. The markets have been up and down this week, but in the end, I was blessed with an excellent week of above quota earnings. The weather has been beautiful, but it was interspersed with a number of thunderstorms with at least four tornadoes and hail. Several of our friends suffered hail damage to their vehicles and property. The Jays have begun the second half of their season, but are doing no better than before. The Riders are not playing until tomorrow, so they're holding at 3-0 until then.

Eric/A and the boys have returned home, and Erica has returned to work. Among other tasks, she has taken care of a back-log of over 3000 emails. Eric has been applying on positions and looking into the requirements to set up a counselling business—lots of red tape and hoops-to-jump-through there! The boys have been enjoying the lazy, hazy days of summer, but not too much crazy! The weather is beautiful there, and they are enjoying it. 

Erin had a tough time saying good-bye to Kristian as he boarded our vehicle to begin his summer stay with Grandpa & Grandma. She has flights scheduled for the end of the summer to come down and get him. 

We haven't heard much from Trav & Joanna this week, but they seem to be taking care of things just fine. 

And that's about it for this week.

News Update

We've enjoyed a fine week on the shore of Lake Wascana. The weather has been wonderful, and I've been able to get out golfing several times. The company has been wonderful as well. We're at Dad's place in Regina; Bern, Alicia and Logan are here. Eric/A and the boys were here until Friday. Kristian has spent most of the week with us, and we have frequent visitors and chances to visit others while we are in town. Next week we plan to begin the return trip toward Thunder Bay. The markets have been favourable and I enjoyed five straight days of gains—an infrequent experience, I'm afraid! The US markets are hitting record highs with employment gains and a record budgetary surplus in June (I blame Obama)! The TSX even got into positive territory for the year—0.23% (SHarper is not)! Unfortunately, many pundits keep calling for a correction! At a quarter of one per cent, I don't need a correction unless it is to move upward! However, with the DOW up 18% on the year, one must be wary. The Jays have returned to their floundering ways after making the nice winning streak. The Riders continue to win, improving to 3-0 with a convincing victory over the Champs. 

Eric/A and the boys spent most of the week with us in Regina. I enjoyed golfing with Eric & Liam. They should make it most of the way to the coast today. 

Kristian has been sleeping over and spending time with his cousins this week. Erin drops by between each stint of work. We're enjoying some time with her, and are planning to take Kristian with us back to TBay for the rest of the summer. 

Trav & Joanna are taking care of things back at home, and keep in text contact with us. 

And that's about enough for this week.

News Update

Another week has passed; we completed it by driving up to the shore of Lake Wascana today! It's been a good week, and the trip went well with the Sorento performing admirably, and other drivers letting us travel in peace! The weather has been beautiful and we've been enjoying the yard and pool. We've enjoyed frequent company this week, and are now returning the favour by being Dad's company in Regina. I have the garden all set up on drip irrigation, so it should thrive in our absence. Trav & Joanna will watch over the place, and hopefully make use of the pool. Eric/A and the boys were with us most of the week, but they drove up to Kenora on Thursday. We look for them to catch up to us in Regina as they progress through various events on their way home to the Island. We celebrated our anniversary on Wednesday with the family in Thunder Bay. Eric, Travis and I got out for a golf game—very enjoyable! We enjoyed catching up with many relatives and friends when we arrived in Regina this evening—that was a special treat! The markets were struggling to find direction around the holidays this week, but I managed a small gain as I began buying back in. The Jays performed inconsistently as well. The Riders, on the other hand, played impressively and remain the only undefeated team in the early going of this season.

And that's the abbreviated update for this week!

News Update

We've had a nice week on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. We've had a little more rain, including some from thunder storms, but it's been very pleasant all the same. Wendy and I put the pool up, and are looking forward to enjoying it over the summer. I've finished my school bus driving for the year, and for the first time actually have an assigned route to begin in September. We'll see how that goes; I'm also considering other options for my part time employment. (I have to get a part time job, or Wendy will make me get a real job!) I've been keeping company with my chiropractor this week, but I'm feeling much better and have been okayed to get back to golfing. Wendy has continued the spring cleaning right into the summer; our living room and office have been rearranged. The markets were troubled going into the week, but have turned a bit more bullish, so I'm looking forward to buying back in. Chicago completed the comeback to win the Stanley Cup, that made me happy! The Blue Jays are playing better and have put together a nice winning streak, but have found it tougher playing against the AL East lately. Football season has begun. The Riders started in Edmonton with a strong performance. 

Eric/A and the boys are on an early summer road trip. They are currently in Chicago, and we expect them back here early next week. We're looking forward to the visit, and I'm hoping Eric is ready for some golf! 

Kristian finished the school year strongly, winning the academic award for June. Here he is with a proud mama! We are arranging to have Kristian stay with us for part of the summer. Erin plans to remain in Regina to work, and then take a trip down at the end of the summer to pick him up. 

Gemma and Andrew finished the school year strongly with great results. They were out for a celebratory supper on Friday evening. Trav has had some bites on the truck, but hasn't sold it yet. 

And that's about enough for this week. 

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. The weather has been mixed, but while watching the flooding elsewhere, one feels reluctant to complain! The garden is progressing slowly, and the rhubarb is finally getting into picking range! Wendy and I have been working this week for a friend who has a home care business. I've been doing lawn de-thatching, Wendy has been weeding and reviving flowerbeds. I am in pain this weekend as I hurt my back lifting and carrying some 6x6 beams. The chiropractor has provided some relief, but I'm kept from golf this weekend all the same. This is particularly bothersome since my children gave me golf passes on Father's Day! Thanks all the same, guys; I'll be using that as soon as I can! Bernanke made a statement about the end of monetary easing on Tuesday, so I sold off my remaining holdings and managed to avoid the market sell-off that followed. Now, I am looking for opportunity to buy back in when things settle down. The Blue Jays are enjoying much better play, but they have to face the AL East in the next while and that's a tougher challenge. Hockey playoffs continue; Chicago is struggling to overcome a mugging by the Bruins. At this point they lead Boston 3 games to 2. Basketball playoffs ended with my favourites winning; I don't watch the NBA (much preferring college level basketball), but I do take an interest in the results. Wendy has continued to clean out some of our surplus; she has managed to sell several items on Kijiji. 

Eric is relocated home finally. He's been busy investigating options for the next phase of his career and has taken time for some golf practice as well. Haaken has completed his school year; Liam, much to his chagrin, has not! Haaken bought the long-cherished amp for his guitar—the whole neighbourhood may enjoy this addition! Liam has worked with his tutor to complete all assignments for the year; we look forward to better results on his year end report card. The crew is planning a summer road-trip, scheduled to start next week! 

Kristian is ending his school year on a high note as he receives the academic award in his class for the month of June. We are very proud of him, and look forward to spending much of the summer together. Erin is busily trying to complete summer and vacation arrangements. She got an iPad for Father's day! 

Trav and Joanna joined us for Father's Day brunch, and hosted us for Joanna's birthday on Tuesday. Gemma and Andrew are in the final week of school for this year. We enjoy having them close by. 

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 beautiful, and we are enjoying the lawns and garden. The late Spring delayed hay fever, but it's been wreaking havoc for the last two weeks, and only now seems to be easing. The garden is progressing and the rhubarb is finally looking like we may get to eat it someday! One main stem of one of our cedars seems to have called it quits, and is drying out rapidly. We don't know what happened there. Perhaps it is like the market, and some force somewhere decided it needed a correction! We don't know what happened there either! It has been another difficult week in the markets and further holdings have stopped out; this minimizes losses, but also minimizes potential for gains. I'm looking for opportunities to buy back in, but, for now, I'm holding at 16% in the market. Hockey has moved into the final series; I am picking and cheering for Chicago to win it all. The Jays continue to flounder in the basement of the American league east, but have won a few recently—it's still Spring, so hope continues to flourish! Football season has begun and the Riders won their preseason opener last night—go Riders! Wendy is on a program of cleaning and reorganization. I don't let her take any pictures of me for fear that I will be the next item offered for sale on Kijiji! Just this week she offered herself for sale on Kijiji as she was placed an ad for Kristian's "Tow-Mater Tricycle with working wench"! 

Eric (and, as it turns out, Erica!) are on their way driving home to Parksville, last we heard they were on the 9:30 ferry from Horseshoe Bay. They are glad this year of coursework is behind them, and anticipate the future hopefully. The boys are closing off another successful school year, although it has not been without its struggles either. Sports, music and drama have enhanced the experience. 

Kristian is closing his first school year in Regina. He has made good progress academically and socially. Erin continues to enjoy her work, and is getting to know her little community in the apartment building and at church. We miss them a great deal! 

Trav, Joanna, Gemma and Andrew help fill the family gap. We welcome the opportunities to watch their lives develop and to spend time with them. Trav's work is going well, but he hasn't been able to sell the truck yet. His new car has electrical problems and is back in the shop just now. 

And that's about enough for this week! 

News Update

With our Marriage Counsellor! 

Another week has passed and we have journeyed from the shore of Lake Superior, up to Winnipeg to take in the convocation of Eric who graduated with a Masters in Marriage & Family Counselling from the University of Winnipeg. Congratulations Eric! Congratulations Erica! We drove up on Thursday and enjoyed the evening and overnight with Tom—thanks, brother! On Friday we took in the ceremony and spent some time with Eric/A. Then we moved in with Mike & Peggy—thanks folks! We're enjoying the weekend here, including a golf game with Mike today: 45-45=90. We plan to drive back to TBay tomorrow with a stop in Kenora to visit and go to church with Eric/A. The markets have continued their dastardly ways. The US markets continued to bloom (I blame Obama!), while the TSX has decided to correct! I did not need no stinkin' correction! The DOW pushed forwards to +16.5% YTD, while the TSX has returned to negative territory (-0.5%) YTD (I blame SHarper!) Five of my positions stopped out during the sell-off so I had a down week, sigh! Wendy has continued to be busy with yard work, and forging ahead with the shredding-of-documents as well (must be taking a hint from the government!). Anyway the weather has been nice and we're enjoying puttering around in the yard and puttering around a bit at golf as well! Hockey playoffs have not been going according to my desired plot—the Bruins swept away the Penguins in four straight. At least Chicago has prevailed on the other side—let's go Hawks! The Jays continue to under-perform, but they pick up a win here and there to encourage us with the possibilities! 

Erica flew out on to Winnipeg on Thursday evening to celebrate with Eric. On Friday afternoon they headed down to Kenora. She is scheduled to fly home on Sunday, while Eric will complete his obligations at The Pas, and then drive the CRV home. The boys are enjoying the weekend in Victoria. 

Erin and Kristian enjoyed a celebration with Taylor Motors. It was punctuated by watching the medi-vac helicopter take-off and land, much to Kristian's delight. 

Trav, Joanna and crew are holding things down in TBay. Joanna continues to enjoy her new work. Gemma and Andrew are completing a successful year at school.

And that's about enough for this week. 

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. The weather has been pleasant and variable; we've had beautifully sunshiny days, rain showers and thunder storms. I've been driving bus all week, but I've also managed to get out to the golf course a couple of times. The markets have been inconsistent, but I managed to close off a good month with a good week of gains. Analysts everywhere are predicting a correction, and my experience is when they get persistent in these predictions, they can also make it happen! I don't need a correction! US markets are up over 15% this year, so I can understand why they expect some pull back; but our TSX is up less than 2%, so leave us alone and let us make some progress. The NHL conference finals have begun; I am predicting (also cheering for) the Penguins and the Hawks to move forward to the Stanley Cup final series. Wendy has been busy with programming by and for church ladies. She's off at a full-day session today. 

Eric is back in The Pas where he is engaged in a battle for accreditation of his counselling hours. He looks forward to graduation next weekend, and the completion of his time away from family. The rest of the crew continues with life, work, music and sports activities in Parksville. Erica is planning to fly east for Eric's graduation ceremony. 

Erin, Kristian and Sadie carry on in Regina. Kristian removed another tooth this week. We've enjoyed several conversations with them on FaceTime. 

Trav, Joanna and crew also keep on with mostly same ol', same ol'. Trav is moving into a new office area with more room for more stuff! He's had some leads on the truck sale, but nothing has been completed yet. We've enjoyed a couple of suppers with them, but did not enjoy the Pens loss tonight! 

And that's about enough for this week. 

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my home town. We started the week in Kansas, and drove up into Minnesota on Sunday afternoon, dodging tornadoes along the way. There were devastating tornadoes behind us, and one passed by in front of us on the way up Iowa. Maybe our weather is not so bad up here after all! We completed the drive home on Victoria Day. It's been nice this week and I've finally started my golf season. On my best year, I had 20 rounds in before the end of May! Anyway, it was a great trip and I thank our gracious hosts: Viggo & Nancy in Rowlett, and Helen & Marti in Lawrence. The Sorento performed admirably, handling well, and drinking fuel sparingly, about identical to what the car consumed—an average of 33.5 mpg, with a high of 36.6 on one highway-only leg. I even ran it up to 110 on the drive from Lawrence down to Dallas and it didn't suffer much: 35.0 mpg. Now I'd like to get everybody used to the idea of km/L. I don't accept the reasoning behind L/100km according to which the Sorento is using 8.4L/100km. It is achieving 11.9 km/L, and I don't see why that kind of number wouldn't be easier for drivers to relate to. It seems clear that, as efficiencies continue to improve, we will get bigger numbers which make more sense to me as being better! My best leg using that descriptor was 13.0 km/L. The world hockey championship went to Sweden, but NHL playoffs continue. The Penguins have completed a win over Ottawa and advance to the Eastern final against Boston. The Western conference is still in the semi-finals, but my favourite, Detroit, is hanging on. The markets were closed here on Monday, but the way they performed the rest of the week, it's just as well! A down week leaves me looking for some gains to re-reach my quota! Wendy has been working on the flower beds and plant pots; I've been working on my small garden.

Eric has been home to Parksville again. He has interviewed for some postings there, and hopes for a favourable decision. He is heading back to The Pas today to complete his practicum. He is set to convocate on June 7th in Winnipeg. The rest of the Island crew are carrying on with usual activities. We were able to chat with Erica on FaceTime a couple of times.

Erin and Kristian have been ill with coughs and sore throats. Kristian is ready to start riding his bike; they enjoy the small community of their housing complex. School and work continues as per usual. FaceTime gives us a chance to see them once in a while.

Trav & Joanna are doing well with work. Trav's business has improved to the point where he's had to end a long-time service contract to concentrate on his new assignments. He's enjoying his new car, and ruing the birds who seem to enjoy painting it! We enjoyed Tuesday night out at the new Star Trek movie, and then the crew was over for supper on Thursday evening.

And that's about it for this week.

News Update

It has been quite a week for us, far from the shore of Lake Superior and my hometown. We have enjoyed warm weather and a few dramatic storms in Dallas, and we close the week under 30+ degree temperatures and a thunder storm in Lawrence, KS. Viggo and I enjoyed a lot of golf this week; we took in all the pre-tournament days for the Byron Nelson, and I came away with a lot of coveted autographs. We also got out for my first round of golf for the year; it went well: 85 strokes and no lost golf balls. I hope it is something I can build on! This weekend, we're able to watch guys we've actually met compete for the tournament championship. The markets have been a bit up and down, but I've had a great week and am currently above quota for the month, so I'm able to make up for some lost time earlier! Wendy has been doing a bit of visiting, a lot of relaxing, and even got a massage—thanks, Nancy! She visited Owana, an old friend from Western and Zambia. We also caught up with Mike & Debbie for supper one evening; it was great to see that they are doing well. Hockey playoffs are moving on to the next round. The Leafs lost a heart-breaker, so I will dedicate my cheering to the Penguins on that side. I've decided to cheer for the underdog Red Wings on the other side. In Lawrence, we're enjoying the celebration of Marti's doctoral award —lots of friends, food, fun, fanfare, and a few too many ceremonies! And, everywhere we travelled, I heard the comments, sometimes spoken directly to me, "Oh, you've lost so much..., oh, you're so much thinner..." It seems to me that in an earlier, more gracious and polite era, one would not have heard such pointed comments about one's hair!

with Dr. Martha Denton Elford

Eric has returned home to Parksville. He has some job interviews arranged, so we pray that goes well. Erica is glad to have him home and has assigned him all household worrying for the week! 

We've been able to FaceTime with Erin and Kristian a couple of times. Things seem to be progressing normally for them, although I haven't heard about any golfing! C'mon mom, you can do this! 

Trav & Joanna are taking care of things on the home front. Joanna is very busy with work, and is enjoying it. Now it's Mai Long, and they're enjoying the break. We commiserate with Gemma who lost a friend recently. Trav & Joanna are doing some running, but the whole crew is also looking at getting back into cycling.

And that's about enough for this week.

News Update

Another week has passed and we have travelled far from the shore of Lake Superior and my home town. Today we arrived in Dallas where we are comfortably ensconced in the home of my brother Viggo and his wife, Nancy. Thanks guys for taking care of us so graciously. The weather has turned nice at home and the golf courses reopened, but I did not get out to play before we left on Thursday to drive south. We drove as far as Story City, Iowa the first day, and continued to Lawrence, Kansas the second. There we began celebrations with Marti of her doctorate—I am so proud of what she has accomplished! Her specialty of helping pre-service and in-service teachers improve is near to my heart. Aunt Helen led in the care-giving there, and provided another of her special apple pies. An extra treat was to find Rachel and Eden there—we did not know where she was in the process of moving from Alaska to Atlanta and were glad to catch up with her. The markets have been up and down this week for me; I did manage some gains, but not up to my quota. NHL playoffs are progressing. I lament the elimination of the Canucks, I don't know who I'll cheer for on that side now. The Penguins have advanced to the second round. The Leafs are on the brink, but still hanging on. My new Sorrento performed admirably on the way down, averaging 35mpg and better, and handling nicely.

Eric has completed his necessary clinical hours in The Pas, and now looks to improve his qualifications, and try to land a job. Erica and Liam have been ill, but seem to be on the mend. Liam continues with football, drums and school. Haaken works his guitar and school. Liam wanted Haaken to "rock out" with him, but Haaken demurred! Sigh! They have a renter lined up for the Kenora house beginning in June—that will ease the cash flow situation. It is a puzzle why the house hasn't sold yet, so they have some decisions to make on the financing there. 

Erin and Kristian are enjoying Spring on the prairies. They have been unable to find a suitable fit to get Kristian into soccer, although he would like to give it a try. Maybe he should try baseball; he seems to like that as well. 

Trav and Joanna are holding things down back in TBay. Joanna is getting lots of hours at her new job and even recruited Trav to help out with the Mothers' Day rush. Trav has his car back, running well. He is trying to sell the truck. Gemma and Andrew carry on with their regular activities centred around schooling. 

And that's about enough for this week.

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. The weather has continued to be a problem, but the forecast is for better times (How often are those guys right?)! The golf courses opened, then closed this week—sigh! I was hoping to get a game in before we head south next week. Good economic news out of the US pushed the markets forward, and the DOW is now up over 14% YTD—I blame Obama! Unfortunately, we're not even coming close to keeping up; the TSX did manage to push into positive territory YTD, but it's only up 0.03%. I had to get down to the hundredths of a per cent to even find green—I blame SHarper! (SHarper he is not!) At least I managed another good week over my quota; that's encouraging. Wendy has continued with cleanup of our files—the shredder is getting plenty of business! Hockey playoffs are fully engaged; Toronto is struggling with the Bruins, but has managed to win one in Boston. A few surprises are worth noting as the Canucks are down two games, and the Penguins are not up two games!

Eric has returned to The Pas where it appears he will finish his counselling hours in the next few days. He has been confirmed for convocation in early June—congratulations! Erica has been ill this week, but not before completing the budget and income taxes! That was not problem free either as she was unable to install the new tax software on her laptop! Liam is continuing with football, but has decided he likes hockey better. Haaken keeps working on his guitar. While Erica was ailing, the boys were able to enjoy several suppers' worth of pizzas! It appears a new renter has been located for the Kenora property—too bad it's not a buyer. Weather in Parksville is enjoyable at least! 

Erin and Kristian are enjoying the improvement in the weather in Regina, although, truth-be-told, it didn't take much to qualify as an improvement. It does seem that spring might finally be in full force. Now, what outdoor activities can begin? 

Trav had an interesting problem with his new car—it wouldn't stop running! We finally had to pull the fuel pump fuse to get it to stop. Now it will be up to Hyundai to fix the problem. Joanna is getting in lots of hours in her new job, so that's good. Gemma and Andrew have begun a paper route; I wish them well in that venture.

And that's about it for this week.

News Update

A beautifully sunny week has phased the fluffy rain into its proper format! The golf courses are open, although not ready for play yet; the greens and tee boxes remain covered. At least I am able to practise outside. The markets ran well all week, and I gained more than my quota, recovering from last week's bad results as the US showed improving employment data and growing GDP. I blame Obama! Bus driving continues to go well although Spring has brought us into pothole season! Wendy had more sessions with the chiropractor and reports improvement. We've been able to get out for some walks in the neighbourhood. We took our new vehicle for a run today down to Grand Marais to Sven & Ole's Pizza! That was fun and tasty! I have started yard work; Wendy is doing a sewing project—another new outfit! We are in the planning stages of our trip to Texas next month. We haven't decided what to do with the old car. The baseball season has begun; the Blue Jays are seriously under-performing. The hockey season is ending; playoffs begin next week. I will be cheering for the Leafs to take it as far as they can, but my head is with the Penguins. In the other conference, I'll be cheering for the Canucks.

Eric is back home with news that he may be able to graduate in June. He is looking forward to proceeding from professional student to professional, but is finding there is a lot of competition for available counseling positions. Erica has spent part of the week in Kelowna at a trustees conference. While there she enjoyed a visit with John & Marion. She returned to Victoria today. Haaken is pricing out guitar amps—pricey! He continues to enjoy school and guitar, but not church or youth group, sigh—the challenges of youth! Liam is continuing with football, playing the defensive line and appalled that he was expected to "sack" the quarterback—further explanation was needed there! Eric is able to help with this education. The housing situation remains complicated and stressful. The lease is ending for their renters in Kenora, and their rented place in Parksville is up for sale! Yikes! Erica has been suffering with neck and back pain, but is finding massage therapy helps—but costs! 

Erin is back in the internet world, so we were able to Facetime with them. They are not enjoying good health with hacking and congestion that may be related to allergies. Kristian showed us his growing new teeth and another lose tooth. The tooth fairy is counting the costs! Looks like Grandpa will have to plan another trip to Regina so we can get that tooth out. 

Trav got some scratches on his new car—oh, the pain of the first defilement! Joanna is enjoying her new job. Gemma and Andrew got cell phones this week—I got my first at age 53; times have changed. Trav is ready to sell the truck; we hope that goes quickly and well.

And that's about it for this week.

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my home town. Golf courses were supposed to open on Monday. They've pushed it back until the coming Monday; however, that's just a cruel joke at this point as we had a big dump of fluffy white rain on Friday! I've been working on my swing, but haven't got any practise time in yet. The markets have continued to be very bad this week, and I lost all my profits from last week and then some, so I have some catch-up to accomplish. We rejoiced with Adam Scott's win in the Masters on Sunday. This week the big event has been curling as it's the Players Championship, the final slam of the season. Several of my favourites are in the playoffs today leading to the final tomorrow, but Kevin Martin lost out this morning. Wendy is gradually improving; she was to the chiropractor on Friday. She completed her series of teeth cleaning appointments this week as well. 

Our new vehicle had a wheel alignment, but we're still waiting on the hitch application. We expect it may be ready on Monday. 

Eric is in Regina this weekend, and heads home next week. Erica is making headway with her board on the new budget and got some positive comments on the latest draft—progress! Haaken is picking out classes for his next semester—grade 11 classes—time flies! He's still enjoying guitar lessons. Liam is really liking tackle football, and showing good rhythm and lots of volume with his drums. The car is operational again—new thermostat and heat sensor—no aliens found! 

Erin continues to struggle along without internet—poor child, don't know how she manages! Kristian is having a better week health-wise and seems to be in another growth spurt. Unfortunately, he appears to just be gaining length! Otherwise they are also continuing to suffer through the record snows in Regina and wait for Spring to arrive and the Jays to start a winning streak! 

Trav is enjoying his new car. Joanna is enjoying her new work. We enjoyed spending time with them to celebrate Gemma's birthday this week, and again this evening to watch the Penguin game! Unfortunately, the schedule changed due to the tragic events in Boston, so we didn't get to watch the game at all. However, we did watch the Leafs clinch a playoff spot; that has to be newsworthy! 

And that's about it for this week.