News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my home town. We began the week in Kansas enjoying their warm weather and even warmer hospitality—thanks a lot! On Tuesday, we flew back to Duluth and drove up to TBay. I was able to pick up my two new golf clubs that had been shipped to the border store, so I'm pretty much ready for Parksville! Meanwhile, back home they had experienced a freezing rain on Sunday, and thus the buses did not run on Monday, so I only missed one day of driving. I picked up a head cold on the flight south last week, and continue to be bothered with that all this week. The markets were a bit strange this week around the US holiday, but I managed another green week, and made quota for the month for the first time in a while, so that was encouraging. As expected, Calgary moved on to the Grey Cup, but my eastern favourite Hamilton will face them, so I'll cheer for Hamilton! McEwen won the National curling event, his first, and it was enough to raise him to #1 world ranking as well. The next slam event is the Canadian Open in Yorkton. We got to watch another Jayhawk win while we were in Lawrence; they won again on Thursday, and they've been doing well in the tournament this weekend—Rock Chalk! 

Erica and Haaken traveled to Vancouver for the open house at Capilano University. Haaken is interested in applying to the animation program there. Due to the snow, they decided not to ride the motorcycle and rented a car instead. They got a Scion which looks like you could fold it up and put it in your pocket, but they found it surprisingly roomy. They plan to complete the weekend with the Bailey clan in Victoria. Three weeks from now, they're looking forward to heading to Prince Albert to rejoin Eric and Liam for Christmas! Eric has been sick this week, even missing two days of work, however one of those days ended up being a snow day—a mixed blessing! Liam continues to enjoy school and is looking forward to Christmas. 

Kristian had another downturn this week as he contracted strep throat! So, he's on another antibiotic, and as of the weekend, he is much improved. Erin has a better week, but is feeling down this weekend! I guess she needs to check her own throat, as she often had strep as a kid! 

Trav & Joanna are very busy with the Puckshots business; they took photos of six teams just today! Gemma was chagrinned to have to go to school on the snow day—Monday. Trav's hockey team played two games this week—a tie and a win! It got above zero today, so, after the rain ended, the crew helped with scraping the old slush off the driveway. Thanks guys! 

And that's about enough for this week! 

News Update

Another week has passed, and once again they're promising to dump some snow on us! We'll have to wait to see how that goes since we've flown down to the salubrious climes of Lawrence KS. We're enjoying the hospitality of Aunt Helen—thank you, and celebrating cousin Marti's sixtieth birthday! We flew down on Friday, and plan to head back next Tuesday. Tonight we enjoyed a special, Zambian-focused gathering to celebrate the birthday. The weather has been cold in TBay, but the snow has stayed away, so, we can shake our heads over the dump of snow they're getting in Buffalo. The markets have remained volatile, but are moving forward and I was able to have another green week, although not up to quota. My Riders fell last Sunday, but I am continuing to follow the remainder of the playoffs which will run another week. I will cheer for Edmonton and Hamilton this weekend in the divisional finals, and then cheer for whoever is playing Calgary in the Grey Cup, sigh! Hockey continues to move along its season; it's a bit too early to take much interest there! Basketball has begun, but my Jayhawks took a vicious beating from Kentucky, and I didn't enjoy that! 

Erica remains with four weeks of work in Parksville, and is looking forward to that being complete. Haaken used his Friday off (Parent-Teacher Conferences) to take the bus into Nanaimo. He went to the mall and was able to complete his Christmas shopping! Good work, Haaken! Liam matched up to that with an orthodontist appointment in Regina—let's see, orthodontist or shopping—a tough choice! Eric headed down after work to visit for the weekend. Eric also helped his brother move in their new house this week and was rewarded with a shelf for the kitchen. He has now unpacked the family china for the first time in over eight years! 

Erin and Kristian are struggling along with winter in Regina. Kristian's eye health continues to receive attention and enjoy improvement. We are looking forward to seeing them in another month. 

Trav, Joanna, Gemma and Andrew are holding down the fort back in TBay. I'm hoping the snow continues to delay so they won't have to deal with that already. They all keep busy with their various activities. Trav's team finally played another game, and that went well. 

And that's about enough for this week. 

News Update

We've had another cool, cloudy week on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. Most days we struggled to get above freezing, so my watering-in of the cedars has been suspended. We continue to expect that snow will arrive soon. We seem to be done renovations for now, so I'm getting a rest from that. I've been hoping to get the fridges relocated before winter, but that plan has not received official approval yet! We're certainly enjoying the newly refurbished bathroom upstairs. The cooler weather has brought renewed appreciation of the new gas fireplaces. The markets have bounced around this week with headlines from Ukraine and China roiling the waters, but overall it was up, and I enjoyed a good week of gains, even above my quota. Football playoffs begin this weekend; the Riders play Edmonton in the western semi-final tomorrow afternoon. Go Riders, Go! Hockey is well underway; we're enjoying catching a few games. The second big event in curling is next week, so I'll be firing up the PVR to record those games for me. 

Liam was home in Parksville for the weekend; he flew back to Saskatchewan to be met, hosted and eventually driven back to school, when he returned to Regina, by Erin & Kristian. Eric is busy with his work. Erica is busily finishing her work in Parksville and anticipating the move to Prince Albert. 

Erin and Kristian are doing better. Kristian's eye health is improved. Erin got the winter tires installed on her car, and feels much more secure driving in the wintery conditions in Regina. 

Trav & Joanna 'enjoyed' the hockey tournament in Madison, he has posted photos from there under the title SlaughterFest 2014! The competition was fierce and Trav has decided they've built as much character, and learned as much as they could from playing better teams! They've played a league game this week, and enjoyed a tight game that ended as a win! Otherwise they keep very busy with team and individual photos for Puck Shots! Gemma had excellent results on her first term report and parent-teacher interview. Andrew has been flying around on his new scooter. I'm guessing that'll be over when the snow arrives! 

And that's about enough for this week. 

News Update

It's been a cool and rainy week on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. Snow has fallen on areas further away from the lake, so we expect we'll soon get some here. I noticed the covers are on the greens this week, so it looks like I got my round in just in time! Renovations have continued, and we got another vanity installed—it looks great! The updated bathroom upstairs is now fully operational, so that helps. I'm hoping to get the electrical and plumbing moving forward to get the upstairs and downstairs fridges with ice-makers in place before too long. That's next on the agenda anyway. Markets were very volatile this week as politics in the US and Ukraine reared their ugly heads, but good jobs data in the US finally turned things positive and I managed to make a couple more buys and had another week of green. I also took another investment webinar which described an alternative sell strategy. That's the area where I'm always experiencing trouble—when to sell! I'm currently working with a 6% Trailing Stop, but I'm not satisfied with how it's working, so I'll be comparing my recent activity against this new idea. The new hockey season is a month old already, and we're beginning to take note of how the teams are looking this year. The Masters of curling was completed on Sunday with Brad Gushue winning it this year. The regular season in football ended today with a Rider victory! They play Edmonton in the first round of the playoffs next weekend. Go Green! 

The big news in the Bailey family is a trip home by Liam to visit the family in Parksville. Rumour has it he may also spend some quality time at the Robinsons! Erica is making cinnamon buns in honour of his trip home from school. Another special notification is that Eric had an article published. 

We've managed a few FaceTime chats with Erin and Kristian. They are progressing to better health. Kristian's eye is looking much better, but there remains much medical care left before we'll be comfortable with that situation. They have some snow in Regina, so Erin has scheduled the installation of winter tires on her car. 

Trav & Joanna are off with his hockey team to Madison WI this weekend for a top notch tournament; they'll be in tough, but will hopefully learn a lot as well. They've also had two more league games this week. Their work continues to go very well, and they've been very busy with team and individual player photos for teams in this area and bucket decals production for teams even farther afield. 

And that's about enough for this week. 

News Update

We've had a cool, cloudy and wet week on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown, but the clouds have pushed away and we're enjoying a sunny weekend. Last Sunday was also a beautifully sunny day, and I got out for 9 holes of golf. That went well, so maybe practice and regular play are over-rated! The markets were troubled early in the week, but then US GDP came out very strong and their markets took off. The TSX did not keep up, but the US indices have all recovered from the "correction" and are setting new records, so I hope our guys will take note and do more buying. I was able to make some buys and had a very good week overall, so I at least got into the green for the month. I need to do much better in Nov, Dec to catch up! Upstairs renovations continue, but once again, I've run into an issue that is taking some time to overcome. The Riders do not play this week, and will be looking forward to next Saturday when they close out the regular season, and move on to the playoffs. Baseball is over with the Giants taking out my favoured Royals in the seventh game. Curling has entered a new season and this week features the Masters event. My favourite, Kevin Koe, qualified, then lost in the quarter-finals, but I'm enjoying it all the same. 

Erica and Haaken celebrated the Hallowed Eve with a mother and son date night to the movies. Liam dressed up in disguise, looked like the Invisible Man to me, and had a Halloween party in his dorm. Eric celebrated by going to bed early! The big news from the Baileys is that Erica has a job in Saskatchewan. It is as a Financial Analyst at the University of Saskatchewan. She also lined up a carpool from PA to Saskatoon. The job and how it all worked out could only be an answer to prayer—praise God! Otherwise an ordinary week concluding with confection-fueled celebrations. 

Kristian enjoyed Halloween disguised a Jango Fett. This allowed him to score a starship load of goodies! Otherwise they continue to work the medicines and countering with pro-biotics hoping for long-term improvement in Kristian's eye infections. 

Travis & Joanna continue to be very busy with hockey team photos. Gemma and Andrew were busy with school and Halloween this week. Trav's team had an early game this week where they played well, and he couldn't believe they lost. Then, they had a big game against the undefeated Bearcats later in the week. He was very pleased with their effort and the result. 

And that's about enough for this week. 

News Update

We've enjoyed a beautiful week of weather here on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. We have been enjoying the weather, but I did not go golfing. I was planning to go yesterday or today, but didn't take advantage yesterday, and then it was very windy today. The longer range forecast predicts cooler weather next week, sigh! Upstairs renos have continued to make progress and the results are fulfilling. We have purchased hardwood flooring for the living room, and I plan to let it sit and acclimate for quite some time before starting that project! The markets were very good this week except for the one day sell-off after the shooting in Ottawa. I managed to make some buys and increase to over 25% in the market again. The hard drive on my laptop failed, so I ordered a new solid state drive, and installed that yesterday—it's working well! The Riders played on Sunday and again last evening; they lost both games, but did show some promise and improvement. The World Series continued with the fourth game today. KC is doing well, but took a spanking tonight! They're tied 2-2 in games. 

Haaken and Liam's school schedules coincided with PD days on Thursday and Friday. Haaken spent them hanging out at home, making and watching videos on his laptop. Liam got to visit with his Dad in Prince Albert for the weekend. This required Eric to round-trip Caronport (4.5 hours each way!) on Wednesday night, so the remainder of his week was a bit fuzzy, but he is enjoying the visit as well. Erica is continuing to wrap things up in Parksville, preparing to leave in December. She is also looking at some employment possibilities in Saskatchewan. 

Erin managed to get a compounding pharmacist to reconstitute the Erythromycin in a liquid form, which Kristian is able to take. As a result his eyes are improving, but there's quite a long path to travel there. He is also taking pro-biotics to rebuild the good bacteria in his system, as the e-mycin kills them off as well! 

Trav & Joanna are very busy with hockey photos these days. It's the start of the season and many teams are organized to get this done quickly. His team has rebounded from the opening loss and put together two solid victories since. Gemma and Andrew are busy with school and friends. Joanna had a particularly busy week at work as they had a big sale on winter clothing. 

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 cool and rainy, and the leaves are changing colours and beginning to fall around town. Renovations are on hold as we have company this week, but the bathroom is at quite a usable stage at least. The only thing we can't do right now is shower there, so we continue to wander downstairs for that. Anyway, it's looking like it will turn out well (much better than I was expecting), but Wendy had bigger dreams than I did, and, somehow, has pushed me to accomplish them! The markets continued their 'correction' in the early part of the week as the TSX lost 12% in the last six weeks, and even the US indices lost about 10% in the fears over Ukraine, Europe, Hong Kong, Iraq, ISIL, and Ebola! They say that fear and greed run the markets, and the American media seems to run almost solely on the fear side of that equation! Finally, the solid data out of the US economy with the fewest jobless claims in 14 years, and the fastest deficit reduction since WWII could no longer be ignored and greed pushed the markets forward Thursday and Friday and gave me a green week. However, I'm reduced to only 14% in the market, so I'll be looking for opportunities to buy back in. Baseball has completed the preliminaries and we're now ready for the World Serious! My two picks managed to come through, and I'll be cheering for KC in the Series. The Riders lost their game badly in Montreal on Monday, and play Edmonton tomorrow. Both teams are in playoff position, but are fighting for home field advantage. Go Riders, Go! Bus driving continues to go well; most mornings, lately, I'm meeting one of these wind turbine blades heading east. 

They're big! 

Haaken and Erica returned to Parksville to enjoy Thanksgiving-II with the Robinsons. They enjoyed a Butterball stuffed, cook-from-frozen turkey—it actually cooked right through! Amazing! Eric and Liam joined Grandpa, Erin and Kristian for the Rider game against Montreal. Unfortunately, the Riders did not join the game, so Eric and Liam left early to take Liam back to school. It's been a quiet week for the Bailey family.

Erin and Kristian have not been enjoying such quiet times. Kristian continues to fight his eye issues and has not been able to accommodate the Erthyromycin pills easily. He does seem to be improving, but this is expected to be a long term battle. Friday was a day off school for Kristian and he enjoyed spending the time with Ashley including a trip to the Science Centre. 

Trav, Joanna, Gemma and Andrew are hosting Grandma Pamela this week, and we're enjoying the visit as well. Gemma had a set of reports describing her excellent progress so far this term. She is also displaying interest in high school football and has attended several games already. The Elks82s completed their preseason undefeated, but have opened the regular season with a loss! 

And that's about it for this week. 

Happy Thanksgiving!

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. We are enjoying the Thanksgiving weekend with our family here in TBay. The turkey is planned for Sunday evening! The weather has been cool and rainy most of the week, but it turned nice for the weekend—must be some mistake! The markets have continued to be awful! TSX has dropped 8% since the summer, and the DOW is now in the red for the year. I've been stopping out of positions, but the remaining holdings continue to lose money, and another one hit the stop this week—sigh! September is historically the worst month for the markets, but October has continued the theme, and I'm not enjoying it. Work continues on the upstairs bathroom and we're getting close. I've been busy mowing lawns the last two days, so I haven't pulled out the old vanity and installed the new one although we're at that stage finally. Baseball has moved into the playoffs and I'm following it a bit more closely, cheering for KC and SF to make it to the final and for KC to win it all. Football continues toward the playoffs. Riders are in good position in the standings but in bad position without their franchise QB. They play in Montreal on Thanksgiving Day. Go Riders, Go! 

Haaken got the part of the coach in Grease. Liam's football team won their game on Wednesday despite his continued absence. He worked on game film from the sidelines. Erica, Haaken and Jenny flew out to Regina on Thursday to meet up with Eric and Liam and spend Thanksgiving weekend together. They plan on Tunnel Tours in Moose Jaw along with impromptu tours of Briercrest and Dog River (Roleau)! They plan turkey supper for Sunday. Erica lost her purse on the trip to Regina, probably on the plane. West Jet indicates they would have found it and returned it by now, however, she flew Air Canada, so she's cancelling her cards and replacing her ID. She had a job interview in Saskatoon on Friday; she expects to hear the results of that in the next couple of weeks. 

Erin continues to recover from her cold, and to battle the landlord over bed bugs! Kristian is not doing well. Even while working through another prescription for his eye problems, Erin finally decided it was too much and took him to emergency. As a result, his diagnosis has been upgraded and so have the medical interventions. They are trying to change the chemistry of his eyes as his own systems seem to be working against him. We pray this will result in improvement and eventual healing. They are celebrating Thanksgiving weekend with the Baileys, enjoying the tours and planning turkey supper at Grandpa's in Regina. 

Trav and Joanna continue to be very busy with their various jobs. Joanna and Gemma are working a large wedding this weekend. Hockey season has begun, so team photos and stickers are hot items. Of course the NHL early season is also attracting Trav's attention and he's enjoying the early season success of the Penguins. 

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 turned cooler, and while there are still lots of golfers on the courses, I haven't been tempted this week! The markets continued to struggle in the early part of the week, as fears over Ukraine, Hong Kong, Iraq Syria and Ebola caused a sell-off, but finally the strong economic news coming out of the US turned things upward and I managed a green week, although not up to quota. Work continued on bathroom renos and we continued to have surprises that slow the progress. Still, we have managed to pick out all the new equipment, flooring and paint, so another week should see that project finished. Afternoon delivery on the bus continues to be a struggle with the one elementary school. Baseball has moved into the playoffs now, and I'm paying a bit of attention. The Riders showed more promise last night against the first place Stamps, but finally succumbed on a last minute touchdown. 

Liam got his first cast this week. They'll recheck after two weeks and determine how to proceed. Otherwise, he continues to enjoy school. Haaken tried out for musical theatre—Grease! He sang Grease Lightning for his tryout. He should hear next week whether he has secured a part. Eric is enjoying his work. This weekend, he is taking the motorcycles to Saskatoon to store them for the winter. Then he's carrying on to Caronport to visit with Liam, and sign the cast. Erica continues to work at the School District in Parksville. This week was spent sorting out the Transportation system. With the closure of about 30% of school capacity and the subsequent reconfiguration of the remaining schools there were more than a few tweaks needed on busing! So, she was able to learn that management is mostly about listening to complaints from customers, and encouraging the people who are actually doing the work!  That's quite a good bit of education for any given week! 

Erin and Kristian call from time to time. Erin got a new iPhone6, and Kristian has inherited the old iPhone4, although it's not enabled for phone, but just a glorified iPod. Erin is recovering from her cold, but Kristian continues to suffer with his eye infection. He got another round of medication this week, and some kind of promise to upgrade him to a specialist after this round. We sure would like the problem to be cleared up. He had his audiology check up this week; it showed no changes, so that's good. 

Trav and Joanna are busy with hockey start up, booking and taking team photos. Trav's team had their first exhibition game today, winning 5-2 and showing encouraging signs. Gemma had some down time this week and missed a day at school. Andrew continues to enjoy learning his multiplication facts! 

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 great; we've been enjoying that. The markets have been horrible, especially up here, and I've not been enjoying that as several of my stocks have stopped out and I'm in the red for the month. Only the DOW is in the green for the month—I blame Obama! Bus driving is going fine, but my difficulties getting all my little kids organized for the trip home is still keeping me running late into the afternoon—there are about 30 kindergarten kids all together! Bathroom renos continue and we now have our new vanity and bathtub, but Wendy is now having second thoughts about the vanity. She is also pondering the flooring, a new toilet, and a medicine cabinet. Progress is slow! The Jays are playing out the string this weekend; they continue to play well, just not well enough to make the play offs. The Riders were shut out last night in Edmonton—we need to get our offence working behind our young quarterbacks. 

Erica has resigned from her position as Secretary-Treasurer of the School District in Parksville, effective December 31st, so the plan moves forward for the family to get back together, but in Prince Albert. Liam fell and broke his wrist, so that also ends his football season. It's his left wrist, so he'll have to learn to use his right. Eric flew out to Vancouver this weekend to meet Erica and get the CRV which he is now driving back to PA. They figured winter driving of a motorcycle would be more doable in Parksville! Haaken has started classes. He has a wide assortment of arts classes, and will be able to complete his graduation credits this semester. He also hopes to pick up some additional academic classes on line, but otherwise he should be done in early February. He is currently considering applying to Capilano or Emily Carr. 

Erin and Kristian have been working through their health issues. Erin is still doing a lot of hacking, but generally feels pretty well. Kristian has worked through his eye antibiotics, but without improvement to his condition, so they'll be consulting further on that. He has just completed another Lego project! 

Travis has completed the preseason assessments and chosen his players for this year's team. They are also finding it quite busy at work. Gemma and Andrew are busy with school work and their friends. 

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 warmed a bit, but it has been rainy. 

We continue to work on the upstairs bathroom. I've got some of the plumbing redone for the bath tub, but the new controls are on back order, so I'm stymied. Wendy and Joanna picked out the new tub today, and have semi-final determination on the toilet and vanity—progress! We're planning to replace the ceiling and repair the walls. The markets have been mixed with US indices making progress and TSX dropping sharply—I dropped along with the TSX! Bus driving is gradually improving and I can keep my schedule in the morning, but tend to get a bit behind in the afternoon. Wendy and I have both started our teeth cleaning program at the college. The Jays picked a bad time for a slump, dropping six in a row before winning this afternoon, so they're out of it. The Riders took a bad beating on Sunday in their first game with the back up quarterback; they'll try again tomorrow at home to Ottawa. C'mon Riders! 

Eric continues to enjoy his work. He has started doing yoga in the mornings as well, which provides him time for FaceTime with Erica and is providing relief for his shoulder. He has obtained tickets for Comic Con for this weekend as Liam is visiting. Liam is enjoying his new school. He has joined the football team and is playing corner on defence. They lost their game this week, but still had fun. Haaken is glad to hear that he is finally going back to school as the teacher strike has ended and classes will start on Wednesday. He's been working on an animation program—Maya. Erica and Haaken continue to live with the Robinsons, and it must be going okay because they haven't been kicked out yet. This is not the first time Erica has run away from home to live with the Robinsons! 

Kristian's ninth birthday was the joyous feature of this week! He and Erin celebrated by enjoying poor health! Erin continues to be sick right into the weekend. Kristian is feeling better, but he's been prescribed new antibiotics for his chronic eye infections, and he doesn't enjoying the stinging treatments three times each day! At least Sadie seems to be doing well. 

Trav and Joanna are busy with work and a lot of sticker contracts for the start up of hockey season. Trav has also been scouting all the prospective midget-age hockey players and preparing draft lists for the upcoming season. Joanna had another late night last evening working on wedding decorations; she took Gemma along with her. I think Andrew spent the late night practicing his multiplication tables–sorry, but joke there! 

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

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. The weather has turned cool and rainy, so we've been focused on indoor projects. We started on the upstairs bathroom this week. We have the tub pulled out and disposed of, and we've picked out the new shower controls, but not the new tub. The room was clad in knotty pine, and as we removed it, we started to understand why it was there! The walls and ceiling are a mess; there will be a lot of work refinishing. Bus driving is going okay, but I've had six stops added to my route, including many kindergarten children, so I'm struggling to stay on schedule. We've started into another series of teeth cleaning sessions with the college—it provides training for them and cheap cleaning for us! The markets continued to be troubled; the North American indices are in the red for the month, and I didn't make much money this week. The Riders won the return engagement in Winnipeg on Sunday, and are set to play tomorrow in Hamilton. QB Darian Durant was injured in the Winnipeg game, and is gone for the season. It will be a big challenge to see how well the Riders can do without him. The Jays have continued to play very successfully, but they have a big deficit to make up, and it's not looking likely yet! 

Erica is off to a Twilight event this weekend. Eric is enjoying getting down to his work in Prince Albert. Liam is settling into school at Caronport, and is playing football this Fall. Haaken continues to wait for school to start in Parksville. 

Erin and Kristian are thriving in Regina. The weather has been cool there as well, but they're doing fine. Preparations are underway for Kristian's 9th birthday next week. 

Travis has begun another hockey season as training camp is underway for the midget-level players. Work is going well for all concerned. Joanna and Gemma picked up some more wedding work this weekend. Gemma and Andrew are well-engaged in school work by now. 

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 beautiful and we've enjoyed some yard work. We got the pool emptied and Wendy is working on cleaning it up and preparing it to be put away for another year. I've been catching up on the lawns and weeds—some overlap there! I got the roto-tilling done today. Bus driving has started for another year, and I have the same route; there are some changes of course, but most of the students are the same, so they're used to my expectations. The markets have remained troubled by world affairs, but all the US indices are up for the month, and the TSX is only down a little. I had another good week, so I'm feeling well blessed. The Riders won the Labour Day classic and are now preparing for the return engagement set for Winnipeg tomorrow. The Jays have been playing well lately, but so have the folks in front of them, so they're having difficulty making up ground. They lost a bad one last night in Boston, and also lost this evening to punctuate their six-game winning streak! 

Eric/A spent some time together last weekend in Prince Albert and Regina. Erica and Haaken headed west on Monday, enjoying a visit with Bonnie Baxter in the Hat, and making it to Golden. They completed the trip 'home' to Parksville on Tuesday. Home is now a nicely appointed RV in the yard of their friends the Robinsons. Uncle Dave, Eric and Liam went over to Briercrest on Tuesday to register. Liam moved in and began classes on Wednesday. He seems to be doing well. He has joined the football team and played his first game as a corner on defence. They lost 26-22. Haaken has  not started school yet, because school has not started. He has been drawing and settling in to the new place. They are trying to work out some options so he can continue learning even in the interim. They have made contact with an animator from EA games who has offered some good advice and direction. It's been a full week. 

Kristian is back at school and enjoying it. Erin continues to investigate and consider the possibilities of home ownership in Regina. We are glad to be able to have video chats with them from time to time. 

Travis & Joanna keep busy with work, hockey and more work. Gemma and Andrew have started school and report that it's going okay. We continue to work through the issues of operating as one big happy family, and so far, so good! 

And that's about it for this week. 

News Update

Another week has passed as we have journeyed across the middle of the prairie and down to our home on the shore of Lake Superior where the women are strong, the men are handsome and all of the children are above average! Our summer-long trip across western Canada has been completed; we have enjoyed gracious treatment throughout our journey. Recently we spent a night at Gary & Barb's Hilltop Ranch, and enjoyed catching up with them, thanks. We continued to Regina and spent a few more days at Dad's, thanks. Then we drove to Winnipeg and spent a couple of nights with Mike & Peggy, thanks. A special feature this week was a golf game at the beautiful Falcon Lake course. Tom, Mike and I enjoyed fine weather and the beautiful setting, so while the golf was not stellar it was a great day all the same! On Wednesday, we completed the trip, and enjoyed the comfort of home and family with Trav, Joanna, Gemma, Andrew and a small zoo that has also taken up residence in our house! I was able to do some of the preparations for bus driving, but other things will have to be completed over the weekend. I have also picked up some lawn mowing work for one of my friends here, so it's been a busy few days since we got back. The markets continue to be troubled by news from Ukraine, but I was blessed with a great week to complete a very good month. The Riders have been preparing for the traditional Labour Day classic set for tomorrow in Regina, and received a welcome addition as Weston Dressler has returned to Rider Nation. Blue Jays continue to struggle and thus are not improving their chances of getting back into the playoff race. 

Liam and Erica completed the move out of the townhouse this week. While they planned to move into a smaller place, it was determined that such a move was unsuitable, so they are thankful to have received lodgings with one of their friends out there. Life is full of surprises! On Thursday they set off on a road trip to Saskatchewan. They left Parksville at 3:30, stopped overnight in Kamloops and completed the trip to Prince Albert on Friday, arriving at 2AM Saturday morning—quite the trip! Eric and Haaken had a great weekend in Fort Qu'Appelle at the family reunion, but got drenched on the return trip. This week has been spent working, unpacking boxes, and setting up the new place. Over the weekend the family will split up again. Eric will be getting Liam settled at Briercrest while Erica and Haaken head back to Parksville to start grade 12 whenever the teachers and the BC government settle their differences. 

Kristian has been at the YMCA summer camp all week. He has demonstrated cheerful cooperation in getting back to an early morning schedule after a relaxing summer with Grandma & Grandpa! There was also a dental appointment for another filling for Kristian. Erin had a great week of work, finding out about a raise in salary. She has initiated discussions on the viability of purchasing her own place. We wish her well.

Trav, Joanna and crew have been enjoying a fine summer in Thunder Bay. Regular work keeps them busy and school preparations for Gemma and Andrew added to the agenda this week. They seem to have settled well into the suite even though some renovations remain to be completed.

And that's about it for this week! 

News Update

Another week has passed; it has seen us pass from the shore of the Pacific to the shore of the Wascana in the middle of the prairie! We have returned to Dad's place and are enjoying his hospitality and company once again. We plan to head home next week—it's a promise! We enjoyed Sunday in Victoria where we caught up with Rich & Sue and enjoyed their presentation on Zambia. We also enjoyed catching up with many friends in Victoria, and the special hospitality of Steve & Joan—thanks a lot! On Monday, we headed east across the ocean via ferry and up to Lake Okanagan where we enjoyed a couple of days courtesy of John & Marion—thanks so much for a great time! It seems we are receiving a lot of gracious treatment and we truly appreciate it. The markets have had their ups and downs with the turmoil in Ukraine causing some nervousness. However, I have enjoyed a good week of above quota gains—more graciousness! The Riders have been preparing all week for their game tomorrow at BC. Go Riders, Go! The Jays have floundered their way out of the playoffs, and will need a big turnaround to get back into the race—c'mon guys! 

Erica supervised the departure of stuff, this week was the departure of people as we headed east on Monday. Liam and Erica are camping in the living room now that the carpets have been cleaned. They've made the best of it with wrestling, pillow fights, ghost stories, movies... Erica suggested they go for pedicures, but Liam demurred. Now, Liam is gone for the weekend with the Robinsons to Vancouver for the PNE. Erica got some good news that the new apartment will be ready on Monday, so they can move in and be established before they have to move out of their current place. She had visions of driving back after the long weekend to an empty apartment and sleeping on the floor—already tried that! Eric started his new job and is really enjoying it. He and Haaken are making do with the motorcycle for now, but riding season isn't quite as long in PA as it is in Parksville! The two of them rode down to Fort Qu'Appelle for a Bailey reunion this weekend.

With our return to Regina, Kristian enjoyed his reunion with his mom and his dog!

It has been wonderful to have him travel with us since he travels so well, and provides good companionship. However, now we need to go home, and he needs to get ready for school. Erin celebrated her birthday on Monday with the discovery of a bed bug—not the kind of surprise one wants any day! 

Trav and Joanna keep us updated on things in TBay. It is a great relief for us to have them taking care of things while we gallivant. We look forward to seeing them all again in the coming week. 

And that's about it for this week.

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of the Pacific Ocean far from the middle of the prairie. The weather has been favourable, and we've been enjoying our time here. I've been able to get out for golf practice and play—very enjoyable indeed! This seems like a good place to live! The markets have been troubled and the TSX remains down for the month, but I was blessed with a very good gain this week. Wendy has been busy with repairing and painting walls in the condo. She and Erica have also been engaged in a full-scale cleaning of the place. However, we plan to start our return trip tomorrow, so we'll have to say good-bye to the Pacific. The Riders hosted Montreal this evening and we enjoyed the win, although the performance was not that impressive. The Jays have continued to flounder, but are getting some players back from the injury list, so we remain hopeful that they can turn things around. Wendy and I drove down to Victoria on Friday where we met Dave and enjoyed a lunch with aunt Connie and cousin Bill. 

On Monday a crew assembled at Eric/A's to pack the 26' UHaul. The day started slowly as the UHaul agent failed to show up, and they had to get it from a different depot. By noon, the day had warmed up to an uncomfortable level and the mammoth truck was in place. It took until 8pm to get it loaded, and then we all headed to Boston Pizza for a well-deserved meal and celebration! Uncle Andrew and Uncle Dave were the main sources of outside assistance; they were supported by Eric/A, Haaken, Liam, Aiden, Kristian, Wendy and me. Eric and Haaken headed east Tuesday morning. We were able to track their progress via Find you Friends app, a bit stalkerish and creepy, but Erica dismissed all such complaints and labelled it endearing! They arrived in Prince Albert on Friday and got everything moved into their new place. Back in Parksville we passed the week with excerpts from The Girl Who Saved the King of Sweden, various excursions for shopping and garbage disposal, and a trip to Cathedral Grove to see the monstrous Douglas Firs, approximately 800 years old and 75m (250') high! Kristian was terrified that we were going to be devoured by some forest monster at any moment! Liam, Kristian and Erica went to the movies on Friday: Guardians of the Galaxy; the review by Kristian, "It was awesome!" Liam has received notice of acceptance to Briercrest High School in Caronport, so that's a good thing checked off. On the down side, they're still having issues with their septic field at the Kenora house—a large concern! 

We have been able to keep in contact with Erin via text and FaceTime. She is holding down the roost in Regina, and planning to spend the weekend over at Grandpa's. We plan to get back that far in the next week. 

Trav and Joanna also keep in contact regularly. They're struggling with pool chemicals to keep algae at bay, but generally enjoying life and work in TBay. We look forward to getting back there in another week or so! 

And that's about it for this week.

News Update

Another week has passed and we are situated on the shore of the Pacific Ocean, far from the prairies in so many ways! The weather is beautiful here, and we're enjoying our time on the Island. One day we explored the International Sandcastle competition being held here. As you can see they produce amazing works! 

10 tons of sand a lot of work! 

I enjoyed a golf game with Erin and Kristian on Monday, then we packed up and headed west on Tuesday. The trip went well; we reached Golden on Tuesday night, and Parksville on Wednesday night. We are being hosted by Eric/A, Haaken and Liam—thanks! The markets were troubled over the shortened week, but things settled for Friday and I was able to salvage a green week. The Riders beat Winnipeg on Thursday; that was a big win for us over the first place Bombers. Jays continue their uninspiring play, and have fallen out of a play-off spot. Tonight, we closed off the week with a fireworks display over the beach—it was very good! 

It has been a week of packing, sorting, tossing and donating for the Baileys of Parksville. This is in preparation for Eric's departure/return to the Far Saskatchewan. They took a trip to Tofino one day for a break and to do some exploring. We arrived on Wednesday, and are trying to help with the packing. There have been interruptions for showing the house, and getting it cleaned, but we're remaining on schedule. Those Temporary Foreign Workers from Ontario can get a lot done—they know nothing about hours of work, or minimum wage! Several potential living spots for Erica and Haaken have been considered, and while some fell through, they have now claimed one, so we hope that sticks! 

Kristian is travelling with us, so Erin and Sadie are holding things down in Regina. The weather has been hot with several storms causing damage, dumping rain and hail, and even threatening tornados! 

Travis, Joanna, Gemma, Andrew and a menagerie of creatures have taken over the house in TBay. All seems to be going well, and they're enjoying nice weather sans storms! They have begun hockey photo shoots already (Did they ever quit?), and Trav is itching for hockey to start up for real. Joanna, Gemma and Andrew have picked up jobs setting up and dismantling for a wedding celebration today, so it'll be a short night for them. 

And that's about it for this week! 

News Update

We've enjoyed another hot week on the shore of Lake Wascana in the middle of the prairie. We've been experiencing sunny days of 30 degrees, and that's a bit hot for me. I did get out golfing with Kristian on Wednesday, so that was pretty special. The markets have been very volatile and troubled. All US indices ended red for the month, and the DOW is red for the year, but we still have analysts saying we're in a bubble and due for a "correction". Sigh! It was a red month for me, so I need a correction, but not in the direction they're talking about! Today was Kresten and Starlet's wedding in Weyburn; we enjoyed a drive down there and all the activities of the day. It was particularly nice to catch up with so many people. The Jays have been doing quite well, although they lost the last two, but they're in the playoffs as things stand now. The Riders blasted Ottawa this afternoon, but have a short week coming up before the Winnipeg game. 

Eric continues to wrap things up for his job in BC, and prepare for the move to Prince Albert. We plan to head out there next week to see if we can assist and possibly take his mind off it with a golf game! Haaken is completing his summer course at Emily Carr University. 

We've been staying at Erin's place in Regina—thanks for the excellent hosting! Wendy has continued to sort Lego from Kristian's massive collection. She is nearing completion! Kristian and I have enjoyed golf and baseball activities. Sadie is enjoying all the attention. 

Trav, Joanna, Gemma and Andrew are working through summer in TBay. All seems to be progressing well. At the end of the week my driver's licence arrived, and they received that and sent it on to us. Thanks guys! We've been catching up with them from time to time via text and FaceTime. 

And that's about enough for this week. 

News Update

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Wascana in the middle of the prairie. The weather has been favourable, albeit a bit hot for me most of the week. It has moderated this weekend and I'm enjoying that. Wendy has been helping reorganize Kristian's Lego, and many other aspects of Erin's apartment. There remains more to do. We've also run some errands for Dad, and enjoyed having supper over there a couple of times as well courtesy Bern & Alicia—thank you! I've been busy with computer issues and hope I have that cleared up for now. The markets have remained troubled, but a good day Friday eased the pain a fair bit. The Riders were back into the fray with a game this evening against Toronto. It was a much better effort and we certainly enjoyed getting back into the win column. The Jays have continued to struggle, but they're still in the play off chase, and won their game in New York today. 

The big news from the coast was from Liam as he announced that he has a girlfriend, Jenny. However, she is off for three weeks of sea cadets as of today, so they set up a double date to see Malificent last evening. Haaken is learning modelling with computer animation at Emily Carr. He is enjoying his course—just one week left! Uncle Dave stopped in for a visit, but he's off for Karaoke now. Eric has been weeding their stuff and packing for the move. He has one more week of work before he's done in Parksville. 

Erin and Kristian have been hosting us during our time in Regina. Thanks guys! Kristian had golf camp on Tuesday. That was six hours of golf practice, and he was still hard at it by the end of the time. Impressive! He had a milk carton full of balls and managed to hit out most of them! 

Trav & Joanna are taking care of things in TBay. Now that Gemma and Andrew have returned from TO, things are busier around the house. 

And that's about it for this week. 

News Update

Another week has passed as we have moved from the shore of Lake Superior to the shore of Lake Wascana. But, oh, what a week it was in between!  We celebrated our family reunion on the shore of the Red River! It was designed to focus on Tom's 70th birthday, but Tom & Mariette organized and executed such a plan that we felt we were the honourees ourselves! Thanks, guys! We drove up on Monday and enjoyed the week in Winnipeg. The big event was the birthday party at Fort Gibraltar on Wednesday evening, but there were special events every day, including two golf games for me, and long-running karaoke sessions two evenings. It was great! My golf was not great as I was very ragged off the tee. I mostly got away with it on Tuesday, shooting 87, but Thursday's course was not so forgiving and I shot 96. On Friday, we drove over to Regina where we enjoyed reuniting with Dad and Dave. Erin, Kristian and I got out for some more golf today! The markets have been very troubled with the downing of the Malaysian jet causing further turmoil, and I experienced a down week. Baseball was off for the All-star break, but now they're back at and we're hoping the Jays can build some favourable results. The Riders have the week off.

At the Reunion!

Haaken completed another week at Emily Carr University. A misunderstanding caused a scare on Thursday; the University called to report that Haaken had not shown up for class. However, Haaken soon texted to report that he was on a field trip with his class. He is doing a good job navigating the transportation system in Vancouver, and even made his way home to Nanaimo on his own yesterday. Liam returned from his Student Leadership Conference trip to California. On Monday, he and his team presented a report on their trip, described what they had done and what they had learned. He has had to get some repairs to a big toe nail. Eric is working two days per week for his current employer while preparing for his move to Prince Albert. He has arranged accommodations there, placing a deposit on a townhouse. His plan is to be there by August 15th and is looking for people who can help him unload when he arrives with this stuff. Erica is considering housing options in Parksville, wondering whether she should stay put, or save money by moving to a smaller place during the transition. Work considers to be stressful. Picketing has ended for now, but the past month of job action has people stressed and work expectations behind schedule. Even though personnel levels are down by 50%, there is still about as much work to be done and the results are ROE's get delayed, payroll questions are not answered so promptly and expense claims drop in priority. Unfortunately, folks are not as understanding about all this as they should be! The whole crew is in Victoria this weekend for Aura's 50th birthday celebration. 

Erin and Kristian drove over to Winnipeg on Monday to spend the week at the family reunion. They also had a great time with attendance at many special outings. They drove back on Friday, and took Grandpa for a golf practice today! They are hosting us at their apartment. Thanks guys! 

Travis and Joanna completed the move into the downstairs apartment, along with the dog, bird and lizard! Gemma and Andrew arrived home from TO today, and are making themselves at home in their new digs. 

And that's about enough for this week.