Scary Good!

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. We got encouraging news from Regina as Dad has been moved to Wascana for further physiotherapy. We've been taking things fairly easy in our first week back, but then, that's the usual for us. The weather has continued to be very nice, and I have returned to my work on the lower deck. Wendy has been clearing out the weeds, and I have the framework completed and leveled. I think that will be it for this fall, as the weather can be expected to turn with the 'gales of November remembered," as Gordon Lightfoot sang it. I have caught up on assigned blood work for my "Clot Doctor", and we've both received the annual flu vaccine. Wendy fit in a hair appointment, but I didn't get mine cut since our clippers met their demise on the most recent operation!

Old vs New

I have been searching for a good used snowblower since mine quit last winter. This week I located and purchased the replacement. It is much bigger and has metal blades on the snow-thrower, so I'd better keep my fingers out of there! The covid situation has improved somewhat as our cases dropped 15% in the last week. However, while our troubled provinces (Sask, Alta, and BC) have improved, they remain at out-of-control levels. The USA has improved another 6%, but they still have 45 states with out-of-control infection rates. The markets have remained positive, and I managed a double quota in October to leave those sad memories of September behind. In fact, I've now managed to amass a full year's quota after only ten months. Thanks Uncle Joe! I never managed to make quota the last four years; it is a nice change to have sanity in the Whitehouse. Now, if they can just get that infrastructure bill passed, we can expect good returns for the final two months as well. Houston and Atlanta are engaged in the World Series of baseball. It's tight so far, but the Braves put them at the brink with a win tonight to take a 3-1 series lead! In college football, my #4-Sooners looked much sharper this week in their win. The hapless Longhorns gave another game away in the late going, while #15-Cowboys took care of business in the evening. In hockey, the Leafs and Pens have struggled in the early going. With the Pens, it's been injury and covid issues that have kept stars out of the lineup, but with the Leafs it's been poor play. Meanwhile, the Oilers have made a nice start to the season; I hope they can keep it up! The big action of this week is the Olympic Curling pre-trials. They are adding two teams for both men and women to the Olympic Trials coming up in Saskatoon, and there has been heated action all week. Local favourite, Krista McCarville won the first spot. The other three will be decided tomorrow. Riders eked out a hard-fought victory in Montreal tonight, so they're assured of a playoff position. Yay Riders! 

Erica writes, "Liam stayed with us until Wednesday this week. He had an appointment with a specialist who reports that the medication is still not at high enough level to do what it needs to do. He will start taking his medication more frequently and hopefully that will help resolve his issues. Eric and I had a relatively quiet week.

Wonder Woman!

On Friday, I celebrated Halloween early by dressing up as my favourite superhero, Wonder Woman. It was a lot of fun and I got a prize at work. To be fair, everybody who dressed up got a prize at work. Eric went for his flu shot today and as an extra bonus he got a booster shot for his Covid vaccine!"

Erin and Kristian had a quiet week in Regina. Kristian had Spirit Week as school and dressed as a different character each day. He's enjoying school. Erin bought a Christmas Tree, but Kristian would not let her put it up since it wasn't time yet. Then a better one came on sale, so she bought it, too! Now we hope she'll take one back!! 

Joanna returned from Toronto on Tuesday evening. Travis continues to be very busy, and he's glad to have his steady worker back on task! Today, Trav was installing a new TV downstairs at their place. Rhys and Gemma keep busy with work, classes, and life downstairs here. 

And that's about it for this week. 

Home Again!

Another week has passed, and we have returned to the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. The weather has not been conducive to outdoor activities, but we've managed to pack up in Regina, and drive home. We arrived here about 6:30 this evening, and as always, we're glad to be home. The courses closed in Regina, but we're glad to see they're still open here, so I may get in a bit more golf before the season ends. We had a special treat early in the week as we drove over to Moose Jaw to enjoy a meal with Liam.

BP's Gluten-free Brownie!

Then, Richard managed to convince the authorities at the hospital to allow Wendy to visit Dad. She spent a few hours with him on Tuesday, and returned much encouraged by his progress in the last two weeks.

Progress!

It appears he will be transferred to convalescent care early next week, whence he will continue physiotherapy towards a goal of being able to go home. We headed east on Wednesday, driving to Carmen, where we enjoyed a visit with Kim & Glen, a tour of their new home, and a lovely meal—thanks folks! Then, we completed our transition to Winnipeg where we moved in with Tom & Mariette for three nights. As usual, we were hosted graciously and fed sumptuously—thanks a lot! This morning, we took our leave and drove uneventfully to Thunder Bay. While in Winnipeg, we were also able to visit with Mike & Peggy, and with Dean, Kelly and crew.

Addy, Dean, Cassie, Kelly

It is nice to have fully vaccinated friends so we can enjoy such visits. The markets have performing positively this month, and I've already managed to make quota for the month, so I'm trying to recover some of the losses experienced in September. The covid situation remains a concern as the unvaccinated keep it thriving, and evolving. We hear this week of another variant identified in the UK, and tentatively named Delta+. It has also been found in North America. As we learn more, we will find out how dangerous it is, and possibly even give it a name of its own. At this point we have three provinces with out-of-control covid infections: SK, AB and BC. The USA has 48 states currently out of control. Despite that, Canada/USA have announced the resumption of cross-border travel commencing on November 8th. Not too sure about that idea! In MLB, Astros have taken out Boston to advance to the World Series. They will play Atlanta, and I'm picking the Astros as the favourites to win it all. In college football, the unranked Longhorns had the week off to lick their wounds. #3-Sooners did not play a good game, but it was good enough to dispatch an overmatched opponent. #8-Cowboys put up a good fight on the road against Iowa, but it was not enough as they fell by a FG. Riders waged a third straight battle with Calgary tonight, but we still do not have an O-line. However, a big effort by the D including three interceptions gave us the win! Yay Riders! Bombers remain the class of the league, but we only have to beat them once! Go Riders! Curling this week is the Masters event. Koe qualified for the playoffs, but lost to Jacobs, so it'll be Mouat vs Jacobs in the final. On the women's side it's Jones vs Fleury. 

Erica writes, "It was another quiet week at the Bailey house. We had chats with Haaken, Liam and Greg and everyone is doing fine. Liam is heading home for a visit this weekend as he has a specialist appointment on Tuesday next week. Eric and I are heading to Saskatoon on Saturday to see the Experiencing Van Gogh exhibit. We also have appointments with a Naturopathic doctor to see if he can shed light on our aches and pains. I suspect the diagnosis will be, 'You are getting old.'"

Erin and Kristian are back to their normal activities at home, work and school. Sadie and Kristian both got fresh haircuts, so they're looking good. Kristian got his school pictures on Wednesday; we look forward to seeing that. 

Joanna has been spending time with her sister in TO, as she undergoes surgery. Travis is keeping busy with orders. His prior record for October orders was 118; this month he's at 169, and there's still a week to go! Nice to see the return of business. Rhys & Gemma welcomed us home as they have completed their move into the downstairs suite. 

And that's about it for this week. 

Blessings Received!

Another week has passed, and we remain on the shore of Lake Wascana in the middle of the prairies. We got good news on Monday and Tuesday as both Erin and Kristian got their covid test results. We delivered Thanksgiving dinner to their door on Monday, and after the negative readings, we were able to have our Thanksgiving supper together on Tuesday. A recent schedule called for us to leave on Tuesday (12th), but we've been delayed, mainly due to the hospitalization of Dad. Richard has become the point person on that situation. Dad was moved from Emerg up to the ward, but the ward had a covid outbreak, so visitors are not allowed. Richard was designated at the only one with access. Dad has undergone a lot of testing, but without definitive results, so we still don't know what happened last week. His speech has improved, but remains problematic. His physio testing reveals some progress, but he is unable to perform as he could before the incident. The current plan is that he could be released to a convalescent care home next week. Much physical and occupational therapy will be needed to prepare him to return home. In the meantime, Wendy has completed her painting at Erin's. She has also completed the curtain project here. I cleaned up my jobs over at Erin's, and hanged the curtains here.

Nice work!

Wendy has redecorated the guest room, including repairing and painting—looking good in there! The weather has been cool and damp all week, but has turned nice for the weekend, so I was able to get out to the course one more time today, but it was closed and locked—can I take a hint? The markets have gradually turned things around and are back to making records once again. I have started to buy back in, and had a great week of gains. The divisional round of playoffs have concluded, and I managed to pick two of the four winners. Now, I'm picking Astros and Dodgers to advance to the World Series. My guy, Kevin Koe, won the curling event in Swift Current last weekend. This week they're curling in Penticton, but he didn't make the playoffs. The NHL season has begun, and I'm cheering for Oilers, Pens and Leafs once again. All three opened the season with wins! The Riders have the bye this week; I hope they're using the extra time to build an O-Line! In college football, Texas was dropped to #25 after their loss to the #4-Sooners last week. This week, it was #12-OSU who had the comeback victory over the 'Horns. I predict the 'Horns will be dropped from the rankings after going 0 for Oklahoma—C'mon Longhorns! Sooners had a solid win over TCU this week. 

Erica writes, "We enjoyed a relaxing Thanksgiving. Our friend, Tanis, headed home on Sunday and we watched some movies and had a family walk on Monday. Liam headed back to Caronport Tuesday morning. We had planned to have a quick visit to Regina on Monday, but with various health issues with the family, we stayed home. It’s been a quiet week." 

Erin and Kristian were relieved to get negative results on their covid tests. Kristian was able to return to school, and Erin to work. They have hosted us all week to painting and other projects at their place. I reinstalled the baseboard upstairs. I replaced the battery in Kristian's iPhone. I installed a new shower head in the bath upstairs, then, I repaired and reset her fridge door. It was sagging badly on its bottom hinge, so I had to bore new holes and remount the hinge. On Friday night, Erin & Kristian took us out to dinner at Olive Garden—there's some comfort food! Thanks guys! 

Travis & Joanna arranged to pick up my renewal prescriptions from the pharmacy in Thunder Bay and sent them to us here in Regina. Due to our delayed return, I ran out of my pills, so I'm relieved to have my refills—thanks, guys! Their business continues to recover with the arrival of hockey season. It's encouraging. Gemma and Rhys are completing their take-over of the downstairs as Mariana vacates. We are looking forward to getting home this week, and seeing our family there. 

And that's about it for this week. 

Thankfulness!

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Wascana in the middle of the prairies. The weather has continued to be summer-like, and I've enjoyed a couple of more golf games. I had another one scheduled for today, but that fell victim to covid concerns. The project this week has been curtains. I have taken down the old vertical blinds from the three bedrooms, and installed horizontal rods for blackout curtains in each of the rooms. The TV room is fully installed;

TV Room Curtains

Wendy is working on trimming the other curtains to the appropriate length. Nice brushed-nickel rods, and identical patterns of curtains for all three. Looking good! We took the car down to Weyburn on Thursday to get new tires from my old friend, Kerry. We took advantage of the occasion to golf at the familiar course there. We also enjoyed a visit with Kerry and LaVonne—it was a good time! Other news of the week was not so good: On Wednesday morning, Ellis took a turn. We still are not getting any clear diagnosis from the doctors, but he became quite disoriented, lost his ability to output speech or writing, and seemed pretty out-of-touch with reality. The paramedics did the usual check-offs, and determined he should be taken to emergency, from whence he was admitted to hospital, where he remains. Phone calls reveal some improvement, but he still remains far from the effective participant he was earlier in the week. He seems to understand everything said to him, but is unable to find the words to say in reply. Then, this morning, we were informed that Kristian had been exposed to covid at school. He is in three classes with the infected student, and she was there Mon, Tues, Wed before feeling ill. He's fully vaccinated, but will isolate until Sunday, then take a covid test, and we'll play it by ear after that. Anyway, I cancelled my golf today, and our Thanksgiving meal is in limbo as we await results. Otherwise, we seem to be bending the curve a bit on the delta variant, except in Sask and Alberta where their governments were recalcitrant. US and Canada are both down over 10% this week, but the US remains at a level about three times the in-control line. The markets turned around this week as the Republicans reluctantly agreed they should pay for the items they decided to buy! What a strange system they have down there, where they can pass legislation to make certain expenditures, but then, they have to decide later whether they will pay for it! At any rate, the markets took heart and I had a good week. Maybe next week, I can begin to rebuild my portfolio. In sports, the baseball season ended with the Blue Jays one game short of the playoffs. I've picked Brewers, Dodgers, Rays and Astros to advance to the next round. Riders played the return engagement with Calgary this evening, but fared no better—sigh! Stamps kicked a FG as time ran out to win the game. In college football, my #6-Sooners were playing my #21-Longhorns, so one team had to lose. This time it was my Sooners responding to a bad first quarter with a big comeback for the win! Two curling events this weekend; I've enjoyed catching some of that action on line. 

Eric finally completed his confinement on Thursday, so he's back in circulation. Erica continues with work from home or the office, and the fence is still standing. This weekend, they enjoyed a visit from their friend from Kenora. 

Erin had a tough week. She was ill with a migraine, and only got in to work on Friday. Then, Friday night she got the news of Kristian's potential exposure to covid, so her Saturday Thanksgiving dinner with Shawn and the children was cancelled. We're still hoping things are clarified and we can have Thanksgiving dinner with them on Monday. 

Travis and Joanna have been very busy with Bucket Decal orders, and the photo sessions for hockey teams are building up as well. It's great to be busy again. 

Another Minnie-stack ready for shipping!

And that's enough for this week! 

Good Fences...

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Wascana in the middle of the prairies.

Inside the Front Fence

Back Gate-no short people!

We completed the fence and an additional gate for Eric/A on the shore of the North Saskatchewan. Erica took us for a few lovely walks in the area. After spending a week there visiting with Erica and not visiting with Eric, we have returned to Regina. The weather remains beautiful. I managed a practice session at the golf course in Prince Albert, and then Kristian and I played a twilight round on Thursday. That was not easy this time of year with the sun facing us on many shots, and the leaves hiding/disguising our golf balls! We plan to try again Sunday afternoon. Wendy is back to her painting project at Erin's condo. She is still fretting over a plan to paint the stairwell, but I'm hoping she leaves it at just the landing for now. I think she needs scaffolding to do the stair well. September lived up to its billing as the worst month for the markets, and I turned in my first red month of the year. The indices were all down for this month: TSX: -2.9%; DOW: -5.0%; S&P: -5.7%; Nasdaq: -6.3%. It's little wonder I had a hard time finding winners! I ended up selling half of my holdings. In college football, my three teams won close games. I'm thinking it should be enough to move Texas into the rankings to join OU#6, and OSU#19. The Jays lost 2 of 3 to the Yankees and lost control of their own fate. Now with one game left, they must win, and hope Boston or New York loses. Riders had a tough road game in Calgary who are better than their record shows. As time ran down, we successfully recovered the short kick three times before they finally awarded it to us! We had a final chance to win! But we gave up an interception inside their five-yard line. Sigh! 

Erica writes, "We said farewell to our migrant workers this week. They have more work in the south, but we will see them again next season. Eric continues to be in his 14-day quarantine. On Friday, he went for his required Covid test only to find out that tests were no longer allowed for asymptomatic people. He had to plead his case and, fortunately, he was allowed to be tested to meet the requirements of his quarantine. Yikes! 

Across the back alley!

Early Saturday morning, we woke to sirens and flashing lights. The house behind us was engulfed in flames. We don’t know what happened, but are praying that everyone is okay."

The aftermath!

Erin and Kristian had a bit of frustration this week due to "issues" Kristian was having at school! Discussions ensued including teachers and mom, and we hope that is all behind him now. Kristian and I got out golfing on Thursday! 

Trav and Joanna are very busy with work as the hockey season begins.

A Good Day's Work Ready for Mailing!

That is good to see. Otherwise, they are enjoying good Fall weather down there as well. Gemma and Rhys continue to manage our place. Andrew and Patricia keep busy with their work and their dog. 

And that's about enough for this week. 

Fence Building

Another week has passed, and we have shifted to the shore of the North Saskatchewan River in the parkland of Saskatchewan. We're visiting with Eric and Erica, but as misfortune would have it, we're really only visiting with Erica. Eric was supposed to be away to Montana for a conference related to his counselling work. However... insanity prevailed! First off, the USA border patrol decided his trip to that conference was not valuable enough to be allowed; his entrance to the USA was refused. So, he reluctantly turned around to head home—but not so fast there young man! You're coming back from the USA, and our rules require that you access our app, and establish your safety plan when you're returning from a foreign country that has high covid levels! Wait, What?! Yes, I kid you not. Eric was found in violation of our entrance requirements for the sin of never leaving! And his penalty—14 day quarantine! So, he's sitting upstairs in his room while we visit and work with Erica. In addition, we're building a front fence across their yard. We pretty much got that built today.

Stopping to reconsider the plan!

Erica and Wendy hard at it!

The markets had another down week, and all indices are down over 1% for the month. I had a better week as Monday was my only red day, but two of my holdings stopped out. Anyway, I'm a long way from quota this month. Covid continues to rampage on the prairies and both Saskatchewan and Alberta have filled their ICUs with covid patients and are unable to use them as intended. All organ transplants have been cancelled, and some triaging is occurring due to the the shortfall of beds. USA passed a grim milestone as they've now lost more to Covid-19 than they did to the Spanish Flu 100 years ago. In the world of college football, all my teams won, although Sooners required a last second FG to accomplish it! Texas had a blow-out win, and Oklahoma State won comfortably. The Blue Jays bats had a cold week, but they're still hanging on and with a series against the Yankees remaining, it seems their fate is in their own hands—but they have to win! The Riders scored two TDs in the final 2 seconds of the game, so it was much closer than the score reflects. First, they ran a QB sneak to score, and the convert made it a one point lead. Then, on the ensuing kick-off, it seem BC was too busy worrying about all their laterals they'd need to make to run it back for a TD, and they forgot to protect the ball, so Riders scooped it up and scored again! 

You've already heard about the perils of Eric. So, while he's sidelined with his own border issues, Erica brought in some undocumented workers to build their front fence! We're making good progress! We're enjoying spending time with them, even if Eric remains quarantined. 

Still have to cut to height

Erin and Kristian are doing fine. Kristian had a PD day on Friday, and I wish I could have been there to go golfing. We enjoyed a golf outing last Sunday as part of his birthday celebrations. 

16th Birthday-He drove the cart!

Travis enjoyed a trip to the Big Apple for a AEW event.

Central Park

He particularly enjoyed getting to see Central Park, along with some other special sights. His journey home was more than a little eventful, but after sprinting the airport in Toronto, he managed to catch his connecting flight home on Friday night! His luggage will catch up to him later! 

And that's about enough for this week. 

Delta 👍🏼, Markets 👎🏻

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Wascana in the middle of the prairies. The weather has remained temperate until today when we sweltered in 34°! I got out golfing with Dale on Wednesday. It was quite windy, and we struggled for control even more than usual; but, we still had fun! I've really enjoyed having so many golf games this summer with Kristian, Erin, Dale, Tom and Garnet. I have completed my library chair project to the dry-fit stage, and Wendy is painting it now, then I'll do the glue-up. I've done a few projects at 55 Laird for Dad. September is living down to its historic reputation as the worst month for the markets. The surging delta variant is bringing an economic slowdown, and all markets descended into the red for the month. I have three holdings nearing their stops, so I need things to turn around starting on Monday! We need the USA to get that stimulus package passed. As noted last week, the delta variant is running rampant among the unvaccinated. Alberta and Saskatchewan are running above 350 cases/day/million, and have, finally, taken note and imposed restrictions, but that will take some weeks before we see any beneficial effects. Meanwhile, USA is running at almost 400 cases/day/million—four times the "under-control" figure, and some states are over 1000! The Blue Jays have played themselves back into a playoff position, but it'll be close, probably right down to the end of the regular season. The Riders put up a spirited effort last night and beat Toronto. It was great to see an effective running game! In college football, my #3-Sooners won. OSU-Cowboys and UT-Longhorns remain unranked after their season starts, but they won today, the 'Horns in a blowout, so that may get them some consideration. 

Eric & Erica have enjoyed exploring in Germany. They flew back to Canada on Friday. The day was considerably extended as they left in early morning and arrived in the evening in Saskatoon. They'll be some time adjusting to all those time zone changes after a month in Europe. Of course, Erica continues a longer process of healing from her most recent surgeries; that will take some time as well. 

The big feature of the week was Kristian's 16th birthday!

Happy 16th! 

Much planning, organizing and shopping was required to pull it all together. Mom and Grandma ensured that it was a good time, and the party continued today as Astrid and Liam spent the day at their condo. And, since one of his prizes was a golf date with Mom and Grandpa scheduled for tomorrow—the beat goes on! 

Travis & Joanna have cleaned out their production office, and Gemma & Rhys are planning how to make use of it for their studies. Otherwise, life continues as usual for them, and they're getting encouraged about the likelihood of a hockey season this year. Gemma and Rhys have some in-person classes, some on-line ones. Rhys could do without the on-line work! They helped via FaceTime to dismantle the irrigation system to protect it from the potential for early frost. Thanks guys! 

And that's about it for this week! 

Delta Surges!

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Wascana in the middle of the prairies. The weather has moderated, and we're enjoying beautiful Fall weather. We managed to make our votes in the Federal election at the local office, so that's out of the way. There is a lot of advertising and another two debates this week. Our brightest hope is that no one will get a majority, so the parties will have to cooperate. I got out for another round of golf with Dale on Friday. We went to Tor Hill, but the course was not in good shape, and I always disapprove when they've top-dressed the greens without so much as a "by your leave"! I also got some more work done on my latest project, and the schedule is now looking possible for having it completed next week. Just one tough job left on that one which is installing the chair back into slots in the rear legs. Then, it'll be down to the sanding and applying finish. The wood is rough, and Wendy is dubious about its final appearance! Wendy has continued her work on repurposing clothing and equipment that Erin has no further need for. Wendy also has plans for more painting at Erin's. Her main target is the upstairs landing, while we continue to puzzle over how to paint the 16' stairwell! She cut my hair today, so I'm trimmed up once again!

Good for what she had to work with!

The markets were very bad this week. It seems the combination of concerns over how covid's resurgence will affect the economy along with the Democrats self-sabotaging of their own stimulus bill. So, it was a down week for me, and I barely remain in the green for the month so far. To be sure, covid is running rampant over the USA, and most of western Canada. The control level is considered to be 100 cases per million per day. All USA states are above that level with the country running about 450, and Tennessee leading the way at over 1000 cases. Saskatchewan is our worst case at just over 300 cases. Alberta is almost at 300, and BC is also over 100. Canada, as a whole, is right on the control line of 100, and has been increasing so we're not doing well, either. Riders dropped the Labour Day game to the Bombers, and fared no better in the return engagement, Banjo Bowl, today. C'mon Riders! Blue Jays ran off an eight-game winning streak and are right back in the playoff race. In college football, my two Oklahoma teams won (Yay Sooners & Cowboys!), but my Texas team lost—c'mon 'Horns! 

Erica writes, "Eric and I enjoyed a week in Bonn. We did a little bit of sightseeing including a side trip to Cologne to the Cathedral and a farmers market. I’m feeling a bit better and stronger every day and Eric is trying his best to make sure I don’t overdo it. I had a follow up with Dr Busch on Tuesday and again Friday. There is still a lot of swelling, especially in my lower abdomen, but that will continue to go down. On Thursday, we did a small trip to a couple music stores. At the first store, we saw the basic strumming instruments. At the second store there was brass instruments, and ukuleles in the window. We went inside and Eric was looking at a Banjo-Mandolin and asking questions. The owner showed him a ukulele-banjo and played it. Eric bought it and has been enjoying getting better acquainted. On Friday, we checked out of our hotel in Bonn, rented a car and drove to Kassel, including a few fun side roads. After all these trips, it’s so nice to see some of the country and it’s beautiful. We have had a few chats with the boys and they are all doing fine."

Erin continues her training on "bringing up a teenager"! It is not all fun and games! Once the boy is grown up, she will be ready! Sadie had an incident Friday night. We're not certain what happened, but she was screaming in pain. Erin thought she might have rolled over onto her and squished her poor little body. We're thinking she may have had some kind of seizure or heart event. She seems okay again today, but she's getting quite old for a dog, so we may be into the tough days of pet ownership. Kristian continues to have regular UV treatments, and we're thinking that is helping. Erin scored a box of local apples this week, and we enjoyed receiving many of those, so I was busy making apple crisp—delicious! 

Amazingly good Saskatchewan apples! 

Travis, Joanna, Gemma and Andrew continue to manage well in Thunder Bay. Trav is preparing for a trip to New York for a WWE event—sigh! The Fall colours are glorious in northern Ontario as well. Gemma and Rhys got back from their Labour Day weekend trip, and are now back in class. Andrew and Patricia are putting in lots of hours in personal care. 

And that's about enough for this week. 

All Hail!

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Wascana in the middle of the prairies. The weather turned violent Tuesday evening with a major thunderstorm accompanied by hail! Lots of damage as the garden was flattened, vehicles were pock-marked, and buildings were damaged. Hailstones as big as 35 mm hit the city,  and photographs showed even bigger ones at other locations in Saskatchewan.

Cukes were easier to find!

Wendy holding hailstones

Hail-Stripped Siding

Inevitably, some farmers were hit by the "big white harvester", although much of this year's harvesting had already been completed. Erin's condo and RAV4 received thousands of dollars worth of damage, and some older buildings nearby were pounded severely as the UV-brittle siding shattered under the onslaught. We are all okay, and the weather seems to have settled since the big storm, so we can enjoy the fine fall weather. I got out golfing with Dale on Wednesday and enjoyed that very much, except for getting stung by a wasp! I have completed my planned work at Erin's, while Wendy is still considering some further painting. Still, Erin found some plumbing projects this week and we replaced the showerheads both upstairs and down. The markets ran in the shadow of the USA Jobs data all week. When it was finally released Friday morning, it was a big miss. One might have guessed that it could have been bad enough to be good, but that was not the case, and we lost value on Friday. However, I was able to make quota for the week at least, so September has started off well. The pandemic is surging, and we're not immune to the suffering here. Saskatchewan is showing the worst results in Canada, while Alberta and BC are also showing out of control numbers of infections. All USA states are out of control, but eight of them are doing better than Saskatchewan, sigh! The Riders were off all week preparing for the Labour Day Classic tomorrow against Winnipeg—Go Riders, Go! The Jays are really down to the crunch in the playoff race, and are trailing Boston in the race for the final playoff spot. College Football has begun, and my three teams (Sooners, Longhorns, Cowboys) all won their games. 

We enjoyed a gathering on Thursday

Eric and Erica remain in Germany. Erica continues her recovery after surgery. They get out for short walks each day, although one day they pushed it up to 5 km—that may have been too ambitious! As far as helping with the costs of this surgery, the surgery project through First Baptist Church is now closed, but if you wanted to support Eric and Erica, you can send her an etransfer at: eulrich11@yahoo.ca

Erin suffered a migraine and was off work one day. Kristian has started back to school. He approves of his new classes and being back to in-person classes. Unfortunately, there has been a covid outbreak at his school, so we're apprehensive as we wait to see how widespread it is. All schools have now moved to having a mask requirement; we hope it was not too late! 

Travis and Joanna have cleared out their production office downstairs in our house. Gemma and Rhys are away a trip, so Travis managed our house guests this week—thanks! They report getting some business for Bucket Decals; that's a positive indication of a hockey season this year. 

And that's about enough for this week! 

Kenneth Vern Sorensen

My cousin: Ken Sorensen 

We continue to remember!

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Wascana in the middle of the prairies. On Sunday, we enjoyed a trip down to Ogema, and a visit with relatives there: Uncle Art, Aunt Grace and cousins Joanne and Mac. That featured good food and good visiting. Dale and I got out for a round of golf on Monday, but it's been mostly rainy this week, and my Friday game at Willowbunch was postponed once again. I've spent most of the week working over at Erin's. The markets were tentative all week, worried about what the FED might say on Friday. There were plenty of speakers raising fears, but only on Thursday did we see a sell-off. Friday came, and Powell was not nearly as fearsome as predicted, so we got a nice bit of recovery and I made quota once again. There are two trading days left in August, but I've already achieved the monthly quota. The Delta variant continues to ravage the world, and the infection rate and death toll continues to increase, especially among the unvaccinated. It is becoming clear that the vaccinated can also become infected, but don't tend to suffer severe consequences, however, a recommendation for another booster shot is being prepared. Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia have joined all fifty USA states with out-of-control infection rates. Wendy continues with Kristian's UV program three days each week. We think we're seeing improvement, but don't know how much is from the UV, and how much is from the various medications. Wendy and Kristian enjoyed a trip to the Science Centre on Friday.

Towering Lego Projects

The Riders have the bye this week, and so, remain undefeated and in first place. The Jays continue their uncertain play, but did win this afternoon, for a change! C'mon Blue Jays—Let's Play Ball! 

Today, we joined in a family and congregational memorial for our brother John. There were many thoughtful and humorous recollections, along with the Eulogy composed by Tom. The YouTube version of the Memorial produced much better sound—enjoy! 

Erica writes, "We started our week with a train trip to Bonn. We’ve settled into the accommodations here, purchased groceries and figured out where all the important stuff is. I had my surgery on Friday. So far it is going well though I am sore. Visiting is limited to one person for one hour, so Eric has a lot of time to explore." 

We've been working on projects at Erin's place most of the week. She ordered a dozen pot-lights, and I have installed all of them, mostly in the downstairs family room and laundry room. She also bought a special fixture for her unlit main stairwell. It extends over 4' top to bottom, but I walk several feet below it while descending the stairs. 

Bringing light & beauty!

It's lovely, and really improves that area. At this point, my work there is pretty much done, but Wendy is still considering some more painting. She plans to paint the walls in the upstairs landing, and is also considering the stairwell! The stairwell soars 16' high, and looks like a bridge too far, to me! In any case, we're enjoying being able to spend some time with them. 

Trav & Joanna are seeing some busy added to their business, and that's a pleasant change. Gemma is working her multiple jobs and managing the house, along with Rhys. Thank you!

Echo is the name!

Andrew & Patricia welcomed an addition to their family—a pooch of uncertain lineage! 

And that's enough for this week! 

Over Quota!

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Wascana in the middle of the prairies. We've finally had a break in the hot weather, and even had a few showers, so the lawns are showing some green. I was out golfing with Dale and Kristian on Monday—fun, even though I'm not playing well. I was supposed to travel to Willowbunch on Friday to golf, but that one got rained out. Wendy has continued taking Kristian to his UV appointments. We enjoyed a cool visit with Bern & Alicia after the Wednesday UV appointment. We spent most of the week working on renovations at Erin's condo. That is now pretty much complete, and is looking good. Wendy repainted the bedroom and then I completed the flooring. Today, we replaced the ceiling fixture, and returned the furniture to its place. 

New Ceiling Light-Pretty!

Flooring in Place

The markets have been running red on covid fears. TSX suffered six red days in succession before turning green on Friday. This allowed some nice recovery, and I almost made quota for the week. What is running over quota is the pandemic—infection rates are increasing! All USA states are now over the 100 per capita threshold; three are ten times that level! Three provinces are over the threshold, led by Saskatchewan as the worst performing jurisdiction. It seems the delta variant is causing infections and infectiousness even among the vaccinated, so a third jab is now being considered. Despite their win today, the Blue Jays are slumping and playoff hopes are dimming. The Riders, on the other hand, are performing above expectations and extended their season opening success with a third win as they beat Ottawa today. Now, they have the bye next week, and then host Winnipeg for the Labour Day Classic. 

Erica writes, "After some Air Canada delays we managed to get to Germany on Tuesday 6 pm local time (10 am at home). We have spent the week sightseeing and putting extra kms on our running shoes. We’ve seen three different segments of the remaining wall and several locations with evidence it was once there. We’ve also gone to the DDR museum and did a bunker tour. We’ve walked or ridden by many memorable sites. On Sunday, we head to Bonn to settle in. I have some pre-appointments tests to do early in the week; my surgery is scheduled for the 27th. Nothing much to report from the boys this week."

Kristian practiced and golfed with me on Monday. It was a breezy day, but the heat wave had broken, and we found it quite comfortable. Erin is back to work, but still supervising the renovations. She seems satisfied with our work!! Finally, she can move back to her bedroom. 

Happy Birthday, Erin!

We celebrated her birthday with a special menu (her choice) on Wednesday! It was also good to see Shawn again; he keeps very busy at Ranch Ehrlo, but he brought the cake for her birthday! 

Trav & Joanna remain in Thunder Bay. One of their rats died this week, so that was a sad loss for them. Gemma is managing our place and several jobs. She remains in contact each week. We've heard nothing new from Andrew, so expect he's managing fine in his new work. 

And that's about enough for this week. 

Still spreading!

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Wascana in the middle of the prairies. We've had a break in weather in the early part of the week and even had a nice shower of 12mm (1/2") which really brightened up the lawns. We may even have to cut them again... I took advantage of the comfortable weather to get out for two rounds of golf. The first went quite well, but then something changed/reverted and I started hitting inconsistently once again, sigh! We're into another hot spell, 35° or so, and I'm keeping within air conditioned locales. They're predicting a break in that by the middle of next week. I have begun work on Erin's flooring. I joined on to Kristian's floor and completed the upstairs landing. I managed the transition through Erin's doorway and have installed a few rows in her room, but then I laid the carpet back, so Wendy can proceed with painting that room. Erin also bought three new light fixtures, so I've begun installing those—two down, one to go! She's still shopping for a glamorous pendant set for her stairwell; that will be quite an effort to install due to the height involved. Wendy keeps busy with care of Dad, shopping, and meal preparation, and now she has begun painting. The pandemic is raging back to life with the delta variant becoming dominant. USA has retaken the lead world-wide in infections as so many states have relaxed health restrictions. All states are now above the threshold for a managed situation (100 cases per million per day). Alberta has regained the ignominy as our worst province, but at least it remains below the threshold (94.8). The markets have been choppy, but overall have achieved new record highs, and I had another good week and have reached my quota for the month. The Blue Jays are stumbling a bit, but remain within reach of a playoff spot. They had an excellent home stand, but are on the road now, and finding it tougher going. The Riders began the season with a win last week, and beat Hamilton tonight to improve to 2-0! Go Riders, Go! 

Eric and Erica have completed their preparations in readiness for their trip to Germany. We pray all goes well for their trip and the surgery. She writes, "This week has been a week of making lists of things we need to do, planning time to do the things, and then ignoring the plan and procrastinating until the last minute. So, Saturday was full of packing, last minute mending and deciding what is critical and what doesn’t matter! We leave on Monday at 7:24 AM or whenever Air Canada actually takes off. We are reassured many times over that we have the appropriate proof of vaccination and that it should be sufficient. We will see when we get to German immigration. We discovered an interesting phenomena with our medication. Since we are away for more than a month we wanted to get a 2-month prescription. That took several phone calls to the pharmacy, the doctor's office and more than one trip to Shoppers. Apparently it is highly unusual to get more than one month at a time. But after some persistence we got our way. Haaken stared a new job this week as a customer service call centre person for a transportation company. He’s been training all week and so far he says it is 'fine'. He can do the work from home and it’s full time so that should give him more income. I imagine he will rely on the advice his Grandpa gave him and treat this like an acting role, and if he does, he should do okay. Liam is in Caronport and Greg in Kenora and both are doing well."

Erin had the week off work and enjoyed the relaxing, the renovations and the golf. She and Kristian joined us for supper several evenings, so that was a treat for us. Today, they took off for their first golfing venture without grandpa—somehow, they still managed to have fun! They celebrated both managing to get their tee shots over the river! Kristian continues with his UV treatments, and his medicated lotion for his eczema. Obvious improvements are noted when he keeps up with the directed treatment program. 

Joanna scored a new keto bread recipe, it looks great, so I will look forward to trying it out as well. 

Joanna's Keto Buns

This week, they have been working on setting up their office in their lower level. Gemma is taking care of our place, although this week she had an issue with an LED bulb that wouldn't light up when the dimmer was turned right down!! The old wizard is always available to help! 

And that's about it for this week! 

Explosive Gains!

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Wascana in the middle of the prairies. The weather continues to be very hot, and most days are accented by the gloom of smoke from the forest fires burning across western Canada. Eric, Erin, Kristian and I got out for a golf game on Monday—that was great! On Thursday, I got out with Dale for another round of golf; that was great as well. That's now three games this season, and all in just ten days! Kristian and I were out for a practice day at the driving range on Wednesday. It was great to have my girls and their families with us to begin the week and to celebrate my 71st birthday. Travis, Joanna, Gemma and Andrew fêted us before we left Thunder Bay, so I'm feeling royally blessed! A generous provision of green fees adds to the enjoyment! The delta variant is producing explosive gains in Covid infections world wide, and even more so here in North America. USA is up 35% this week, and now all states are doing worse than our worst province. But there's no joy here either as infections are up 56%, and even though we're at a much better level than the USA, it's a great concern to see an increase in infections while nearly all provinces are relaxing their vigilance. A case in point, at the Rider home opener, there was zero effort to prevent the attendance of infected individuals into a full stadium, while the Bombers required double vaccination to attend their game in Winnipeg—sigh! The Riders won, but I wouldn't have attended with that crowd on a bet! The markets have returned to explosive gains as well despite a lot of fears over whether the delta variant infections might impact the economy. I have now managed a full-year's quota since the election, with almost three months to go—thanks Uncle Joe! September is historically the worst month in the markets, so vigilance continues to be the watchword. The Jays have returned to Toronto, and have been playing well there to 30% crowds. They are in playoff contention for sure. The Riders opened the season against BC, and blasted out to a 31-0 lead in the first half before they squandered most of it in the second to escape with a 4-point win. 

Erica writes, "We started out the week fellowshipping with family. It was a really wonderful weekend and so good to see family again. Eric and I returned to work on Tuesday. Eric reports that the move back to cotton sheets has been good and he is feeling and sleeping much better. He still has some rash but it’s not red and angry like it was. I’m feeling good about getting most of my projects wrapped up this week. I have a few more things to do next week before we leave for Germany. Please pray for our trip—that travel and border crossings all go smoothly, and especially that surgery goes smoothly. I have ordered my cash to pay for surgery and the exchange rates are not favourable, but still less expensive than going to the US! I’m happy to get this done and pleased with the improvement it has provided so far. We are looking at getting a local company, Ashly Cabinets, to come in and help design our kitchen. They will do it at no cost and are very okay about the possibility that it may be years before we renovate. Liam is experiencing allergies. Haaken is looking at job options and has applied to the new Disney studio that is opening in Vancouver. Greg keeps on trucking." 

Erin has been back to work since Tuesday, but now is taking the next week off to help with renovations at her condo. We're looking to replace the rest of the carpet upstairs with hardwood, and also planning to repaint her bedroom. Oh, and I may have forgot to mention—we're also planning another round of golf! Wendy has taken over getting Kristian to his UV treatments three times each week, which also relieves Erin to a smoother work day. She even took him to a "Cat Cafe" where they celebrate rescue cats, and hope to find a home for them. 

Trav & Joanna are relocating their office equipment from our basement to their basement. This will open up another room downstairs for us, and we'll be able to add it to the accommodations for Rhys and Gemma. 

That's about it for this week. 

Pandemic of the Unvaccinated!

Another week has passed and we have navigated our way to the shore of Lake Wascana in the middle of the prairies. We left behind the relatively moderate temperatures in Thunder Bay, and now swelter under the heat dome of the prairies with daily thermometer readings in the 30s. We packed up and drove up to Winnipeg on Monday, where we moved in with Tom & Mariette. We enjoyed a good bed, great food, and I played my first golf game of the year, with Tom, on Tuesday! Great fun, for sure—thanks folks! On Wednesday, we continued our westward relocation onto Regina, where we moved in with Dad and Dave at 55 Laird. Erin picked us up as she was taking Kristian to his UV treatment. When that was over, we were able to stop by Bern & Alicia's condo where we hung out down on the lawn and chatted with them while they remained safe up on their balcony. Otherwise, we settled in, rested from the trip, and got ready for the celebrations of this weekend. Eric/A and Liam arrived on Friday, my actual birthday, and prepared a musical treat for a small gathering on Saturday night in recognition of Dave and my birthdays.

Kristian ran the lyrics on screen!

That was a good time—thanks, Dave, for thinking of this idea! Wendy took care of a lot of shopping and setting up our residence here, so we're set for a while. The coronavirus is surging among the unvaccinated; world-wide, infections are up 11%, USA up 51%, Canada up 56%! For much of the world, that's an issue of the first world not providing access to the vaccine. For us in North America, it's an issue of the right wing of the political spectrum foolishly making a health issue into a political one. So, in the USA, many states are seeing an exponential increase in cases. Only two states are showing lower infection rates than our worst province; all states are showing an increase in infection rates, with Florida showing their highest infection rates ever. The next few weeks will be important in the fight against the pandemic, and many jurisdictions are not putting up much of a fight! The markets have struggled all month, but all at least showed some green. I was able to make quota this week, and remain on quota year to date. Olympics are central on television these days, and I follow some of that. The Blue Jays have finally been cleared to play their home games in Toronto, and have opened a series with two wins. The Riders have completed training camp and are ready to play their home opener in the coming week. Surprisingly, they're allowing a full house to attend, and the game is sold out. I hope they're not making a mistake! 

Trav, Joanna and crew remain back in Thunder Bay. Gemma has moved into our house and is taking care of things there. We're comforted to have her in charge.

Joanna's new blue car!

Joanna has made a vehicle decision, and put a down payment on her chosen blue Chevy. We miss them all while we're away! 

And that's about enough for this week. 

Delta Plus!

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. The weather has been very nice with the heat wave ending and more comfortable weather until today when we surpassed 30°. Heat and wildfires continue to torment most of western Canada, including northern Ontario. We have had some very smoky days here. Wendy has been taking care of her friend's yard while they're away, and she also managed to get our yard all trimmed up; it seems a shame to leave it behind! I finished cleaning up the existing deck lumber, and prepared an order for the new joists that I'll use in the rebuild. I will wait for the fall, and hope for lower prices by then! I had an appointment with my oncologist this week, but things did not go as expected—not entirely surprising! He has been away teaching a class at Northern Ontario School of Medicine, Sudbury Campus, and it seems his directions did not transmit. So, I had no ultrasound, since it had not been booked! He checked things over as carefully as possible by hand (and by finger), and has promised to book an ultrasound for after we get back from Saskatchewan. In the meantime, he feels (literally) that my prostate has not increased in size, and assured me that it feels normal! He was heartened by my report of father and siblings who experienced enlarged prostate, and he agreed there was likely a genetic component to the enlargement. In any case, the PSA had actually declined a bit: 14.1, even though that's considered quite a bit higher than normal! He further opined that I did not have a hernia, but did agree that the lymph node on the right was clearly larger than the one on the left, and that it warranted further investigation, and thus the ultrasound, to come! In the meantime, we plan to take advantage of the fully vaccinated status of ourselves and our family, and do some travelling! Covid-19, however, has been travelling as well, so we remain vigilant, and wish all others did as well. World-wide cases are up 6% in the last week. USA cases have increased 59%, as they gained the most cases of any jurisdiction in the world. With opening up across the country, we have also seen an increase in cases by 14% this week. Delta variant and inflation fears carried over into this week's market action. We had a deep red day on Monday, but then we recovered the rest of the week, and I'm back in the green again, although not up to quota for this month. I still remain on quota since the election—thanks Uncle Joe! Baseball is about all we had going early in the week, but the Summer Olympics have begun, so there's lots to watch there. The Blue Jays have not come flying out of the All-Star break, sigh! Football training camps are making their final cuts, and getting ready to open the season the first weekend in August. Go Riders, Go! 

Erica spent the week working from home and getting over her cold. Eric has been suffering with a bad rash all over his body. He’s met with his doctor who has referred him to a dermatologist. In the mean time he has a lot of ointment to help ease his suffering. However, some thought and a bit of Google searching may have pointed in a helpful direction. Back in June, they got some really nice bamboo sheets that are extra breathable and supposedly good for allergies and asthma. However, it seems that bamboo is also a part of the grass family. Eric is allergic to grass! So, today, they are going to pick up some cotton sheets to see if that helps. Liam is heading home this weekend to be part of worship team and to visit. A brief chat with Haaken and Greg indicated that everyone seems well.

We have been texting, emailing and calling Erin and Kristian as we look forward to seeing them next week. We are making plans for some renovations and painting at their condo, and I hope Kristian will take me golfing! Maybe Erin will, too! 

Trav & Joanna hosted us for a lovely birthday party today, and a generous contribution toward my green fees! Thanks guys!

Blackberry Cheesecake, Yum!

I'll look forward to another birthday party with the Saskatchewan family next week. Fun times. Gemma is house-sitting for us while we're away, a prelude to her relocation to our basement suite in the Fall. I was glad to get my rebuilt battery back for the lawnmower (40V battery-powered) today, so she won't have to bother with the long extension cord. 

And that's about enough for this week!

Delta!

Another week has passed on the shore of Lake Superior in my hometown. The weather has been uncomfortably warm, but we're not suffering like the folks in western Canada where they're being hit with a range from crops being burnt to crops being hailed out. In addition, the thunderstorms have lit many forest and brush fires all across the west and here in northern Ontario. We're experiencing smokey days and blood-red sunsets.

Lower Deck sans Decking!

I've been working on the lower deck, and now have it stripped of planks. I have discovered that they used ten deck planks to make five of the deck joists! I plan to take those apart and replace them with proper lumber.

Up the Ladder, Again!

Wendy has returned to painting, and to climbing the ladder. She has the ceiling finished in the side entry, so I've been able to reinstall the light fixture. Now, she's working on the walls. It is hard to know which is the bigger story lately, the pandemic, or climate change. Both are taking lives at an alarming pace. Heat waves, massive rainstorms, devastating droughts, heat-induced firestorms—all things we've been warned about, are all coming at us, and we're unable to deal effectively with them. The delta variant of Covid-19 is striking hard world-wide among the unvaccinated. All USA states have experienced a rise in infections and deaths. The world has experienced a 16% increase in cases this past week. USA is up 67%, while we have been able to see a decrease of 27% thanks to massive efforts at vaccination. But, we are also seeing some reluctance among the ignorant to get the jabs, so we find many people still at risk, and all provinces are opening up which gives the variant more opportunities. C'mon man! The markets were victimized by uncertainty and fear all week with only two green days. Friday was the worst as data showed inflation increasing, and investors decided they would no longer accept the central bankers' assurances that it is only transitory! So, I had a red week—I do not enjoy red weeks! Baseball was mostly off this week as it was time for the All-star festival. The Blue Jays are playing a bit better, and we look forward to their second half with some optimism. The football training camps are underway, so we look forward to the season, albeit with an abbreviated schedule, to begin early in August. 

Erica writes, "This week I decided, or rather my body decided to take the week off. I woke up Tuesday with a sore throat and cough and it just got worse as the day progressed. I did get Covid tested just to be sure, and the test came back negative. But, I spent three days in bed sleeping, coughing and drinking tea. Eric had a quieter week. He didn’t have as many supervision clients outside of regular work. And, he fit in a card-hockey game. We are making plans for our Germany trip. We now have flights and accommodations booked for most of the time. We are planning to spend some time in Berlin before surgery so we can have a short holiday. The boys are all doing fine—not much to report."

Kristian enjoyed a quiet week, mostly indoors out of the heat in Regina. Erin had a regular week of work, along with Kristian's trip for UV treatments. Kristian has now been fully vaccinated, so in a couple of weeks he should achieve maximum protection. That's a  relief. He experienced no side effects other than pain at the injection site. They also did a big clean up, so our room is available, but our plan would be that Erin would move down there so we can renovate her room. They have a visitor: cousin/nephew Liam. 

Trav and Joanna have taken off for southern Ontario along with Daisy to deliver the dog to Joanna's newly widowed step-mom. The trip is going well, and Mavis and Daisy seem to be hitting it off just fine. We're taking care of Minnie while they're gone. Gemma is taking care of the rats and birds! 

And that's about it for this week.