December 11

 It's Friday night...6:30 in the evening.  Just got back from my daily walk on the rabbit trail.  I have said it before and I'll say it again, "The huge snowfall we had earlier in November may have been a pain, but for me the snow has been a gift."   The sun had set before I started my walk, but the trail was easy to follow because there was a wonderful warm light along the trail almost like there were street lights along the way.  I believe the light may have been sunlight reflecting off the atmosphere.  Tomorrow, I'll be making my fourth trip this month to Eb's Trails north of Duck Lake.  Haley and/or Haley and Dustin may be joining me.  They purchased skis last week.

The Luv Bug and I spent three enjoyable days together this week.  The routine is: arrive at 8:00 am, supervise breakfast, watch Frozen for the umpteenth time, play house in the basement, pull Bug around in her little car, stuff her in her snowsuit for a sleigh ride to the park, play at the park for an hour, come home, have lunch, nap time time for Luvisa and Grandpa, and then Mary gets home after 4 pm to relieve me of my duties.  Spending time with my little Luv is always a joy.  She is learning new things everyday.  She is very entertaining and she always loves to snuggle.  Who could ask for anything more?

December 4

 In the last blog, I mentioned that I skied Eb's Trails north of Duck Lake.  I am happy to report that I made a second trip to the trails last Saturday and I plan to go again tomorrow.  My plan for the last trip was to only ski for two hours.  So...I made my way on the assumed route until I noticed the only skier who had preceded me turned around because the trail was not groomed.  But the King of Kelvington decided to forge ahead breaking trail in the 20 cm deep snow.  My thinking was:  I will be back on the main, groomed trail in 10 minutes.  Wrong!  I broke trail for two hours before I picked up a groomed trail.  I definitely burnt calories slogging through the snow.  I can't say I was disappointed.  There was a gentle snowfall and I was surrounded by forest.  I was in my glory!  Silence.  Beauty.  And for good measure, I had the good fortune of seeing a marten.  The marten was only 10 meters away from me.  I am sure I wouln't have seen the beast if I had been on the well traveled, groomed trails.  My two hour ski turned into a four hour ski.  I was a little gassed, but totally content.  To add to the special day.  I drove home enjoying a glorious sunset and just as I entered my neighborhood, I witnessed a full moon against a ski that transitioned from dark blue on the horizon to violet around the moon.  

During the last week, I had the privilege of babysitting the Luv Bug three days.  Same routine...snuggle on the couch, breakfast, tobaggan ride to the park, eat snow, return home, eat lunch, nap time time for granddaughter and grandfather, snack, and watch Frozen over and over again.  

Yesterday, we received good news.   Mary's husband, Morgan, accepted a job offer in the power engineering field.  He had completed his course in May.  He had been promised a job with Husky Oil before he completed his training, but the tanking of the oil industry meant all bets were off. Fortunately, his patience paid off.

The girls are looking forward to the Christmas Break.  Covid has ratcheted up the tension for everyone on planet earth, but I am particularly aware of the stress endured by teachers.  Mask compliance, physical distancing, and hygiene protocols on top of the usual stresses of the teaching profession has certainly raised the tension in schools this year.

Over the last two weeks, two former colleagues and one dear friend died.  The loss definitely affected me, but in spite of challenges, disappointments, challenges, and deaths, I tried to remain resilient.  I choose joy and thankfulness.  Life is always messy...always a struggle.  That's just the way it is.  As long as we breathe, there is hope.

November 21

 Yikes, I haven't blogged in a while.  The story of the last four weeks has been laying low because of the high covid numbers.  Deb and I were planning a one week trip to Canmore from November 14-21, but the roads were poor and the covid situation made travel unappealing.  The news in point form is as follows:

1.  I can't remember getting this much snow since I moved to Silverwood Heights back in 1982.  Fortunately, I installed my winter tires with metal studs on the Thursday before the snowstorm and I bought a snowblower on kijiji the Saturday of the snowy weekend.  The snowblower had only been used once and I am pleased to report the snowblower can really chuck the snow.  My dear neighbours have been very kind over the last few years clearing my snow when I travel.  For a change, I had the privilege of clearing their driveway after the huge snowfall.

2.  On Thursday, I baby-sat the Luv Bug.  We had lots of fun building a fort out of cardboard boxes in the basement.  She is a busy little girl.  There is no down time when I am babysitting her.  She moves the kitchen helper stool that I built for her birthday into the pantry and hauls out food items at a rapid rate.  Of course, she has her grandpa wrapped around her little fingers and her grandpa enjoys every minute of the time spent with her.

3.  Today, I drove to Eb's Trails north of Duck Lake to cross country ski.  The last time I had skied the trails was over 30 years ago.  I know the early snow this year has made for a multitude of problems, but the silver lining is the snow has provided me a great recreational opportunity during a winter when it doesn't like I'll be traveling far.

4.  I have been addicted to walking the rabbit trail by the river on days when I have not been skiing.  The trail begins near the end of Adilman Drive and meanders through the bush by the river all the way to the new bridge.  Walking the rabbit trail usually takes me just over one hour.  I am very fortunate to have such a beautiful trail so close to my home.  Walking through the trees is good for my soul.  With the fresh fallen snow, the trail looks like a postcard.  Absolutely beautiful!

5.  The girls are doing well in spite of the challenges posed by the corona virus.  Fortunately, there have not been any positive cases in the schools where they teach.

6.  I have been busy making birdhouses and doing other simple woodworking projects.  During the last week, I built a workbench in the laundry room.  I do all my cutting in garage then I bring the material to the indoor workbench for assembly, painting, and other final touches.  My next project is to try my hand at making handmade wooden spoons.  I have purchased a spokeshave and a gouge chisel.  I am looking forward to making wooden spoons out of various types of wood.  Another project I have on the to do list is making Christmas wreaths out of cedar and pine branches from my front yard.  This will be my way of making use of the unruly branches from the pine tree and the cedar hedge that is infringing upon my back gate.

This Christmas is likely going to be a quiet Christmas for everyone.  I feel incredibly blessed to have my family close by.  They are the people that matter the most to me, of course.  However, I am also thankful for extended family and the good friends who support me in many ways.  Furthermore, I am thankful for Deb.  Although we have not been able to get together often, we usually have a FaceTime morning coffee at 9:00 am each day.  Sometimes, that's the only conversation I have in my day.  I cannot complain.  I have a wonderful home and good health.  Each day, I write three things in my Book of Thankfulness and I never run out of reasons for being thankful.  My life is good.

October 11

 The kayak journey with my buddy was a good one.  The journey came with a story to tell.  I picked Terry up at the canoe club and we travelled to Poplar Bluff Conservation Area to launch the kayaks.  We greeted a young couple at the conservation area and exchanged pleasantries.  Thirty minutes after launching, Terry remembered that he had left his keys in my vehicle.  We needed his vehicle to get back to the launch site so we could retrieve my vehicle.  We were resigning ourselves to the fact we were going to have to paddle up river into a stiff breeze to get the keys.  Just then I noticed the young couple on the river bank enjoying cocktails.  I am not shy about asking for favours because I am the type of guy who likes to do favours so I paddled over and asked them if they would pick me up at the boat launch in an hour and a half, then give me a lift to Poplar Bluff.  They were happy to oblige so we exchanged phone numbers and called them when we finished our paddle.  While traveling back to my vehicle, I discovered that the gentleman spent his childhood in Blind Bay, BC., the place I had just spent the previous two weeks.  A great conversation ensued. 

On October 4, I cooked a turkey with all the fixings because both my girls were going to be elsewhere for the Thanksgiving weekend.  During the last week, I had 8 turkey leftover meals.  I'm about ready for a change.  Yesterday, I joined another friend for a paddle in from the Berry Barn to Saskatoon.  No key foul ups on this journey...nothing but clear sailing.  In fact, we had a strong tail wind so the paddling was easy.

Today, I made four dozen perogies to occupy my time.  I think the plan for tomorrow will be a long bike ride and blowing out sprinklers.  Life is good.

September 24

 Deb and I went on a two week trip to Blind Bay, B.C. We left on September 9 and returned September 22.  We loaded my Rav with two kayaks, two bicycles, two sets of golf clubs, clothes, life jackets, paddles, and two weeks worth of groceries.  Because of covid times, we decided to make the trip in one day and take our own groceries to limit contact with other people.  We made good use of the kayaks.  We paddled on Lake Shuswap, White Lake, Gardom Lake, and Skimikin Lake.  Many of our days were spent hiking the various trails in the area.  Our favourites were Adams River, Upper Floom, Siphon Falls, and Blind Bay Lookout. On two separate occasions, we golfed the Salmon Arm Heritage Course.  The bikes were only used once...neither Deb nor I were fans of pedalling up the steep terrain.  Short story: spending two weeks in the Shuswap area was a nice getaway.  We had great travel weather and had plenty of exercise/healthy food.  There were five days when forest fire smoke from the Oregon fires created poor air quality and limited visibility, but we carried on in spite of the smoke.  As is usually the case with me, I was glad to get home to my girls and my Luv Bug.  I got to spend to two hours with Mary and Luv at the playground yesterday and today, I walked the grand dogs with Haley.  I have already played two games of ball and tomorrow, I have a kayak journey planned with a buddy of mine.  Saturday is the Judy Walk at Cranberry Flats.  Life is good!

September 4

 Highlights of the last two weeks:

1. I went to Tisdale on Tuesday, September 1 to visit Mom.  I wanted to be with her when she received the results of her CAT Scan.  Good news!  The tumours in her lungs and the one tumour on her breast have not grown in the last 6 months.  She doesn't have to go back for imaging until March.  She still feels well other than the usual aches and pains of being 92 years old.  Mom and I had a nice lunch together, then we visited the site of the Humboldt Broncos accident.  I have heard many people say the site is junky, but the there is something poignant about seeing the hockey sticks, sweaters, and other sentimental artifacts at the site.  

2.  Last weekend, my crew was at the lake for one of our last hurrahs.  Morgan and I went for a round of golf on Saturday, then met Haley, Dustin, Mary, and Luvisa at the restaurant for dinner.  Luvisa lit up the restaurant with her piercing two year old voice when she saw her dad and her grandpa walk in...Her response drew a few laughs from the other patrons.

3.  The girls have been back at school for two weeks.  The students arrive on Monday.  Both girls are remaining calm and centered amid the controversy of returning to work during the pandemic.  Their greatest anxiety is "other people's anxiety".

4.  I am still playing ball.  Last week, I played on a team that took on the Saskatoon Traveling Team.  We swept them in a double header.  The bats were hot.  We scored 18 runs in one inning.  I've never been a part of something like that in all my years of playing ball.  Very satisfying!

I will conclude by saying: I loved my career as a teacher/principal, but the beginning of the school year was usually an anxious, exhausting time.  I feel incredibly thankful that I don't have to face the challenges that this school year will bring.  Please be kind to your teachers, bus drivers, EAs, caretakers, Administrators , and everyone else involved in the school system.  In fact, just be kind to everyone.  Be forgiving and be patient with everyone who has a different view on how to cope with the challenges we are facing.  Cheers.

August 17

Luv Bug's stay with Grandpa went very well, but Grandpa was a bit tired after 54 hours of grand parenting.  We played piano, sang, read, went to the parks several times, rode the tricycle, went for walks, and even got in a few hours of sleep.  Actually, Luvisa has long afternoon naps so I had a chance to meditate, contemplate, and snooze on the deck in the afternoon.  Luv doesn't really eat.  She grazes.  She also spreads food throughout the house and much like a squirrel, she finishes food that she has stashed around the house...mostly from her stashes on the floor.  I used a snow shovel then a vacuum cleaner after she left on Wednesday.  On Tuesday, we had a potential disaster.  We had been at the park in the morning and when I put Luv down for her afternoon nap, Pink Bear was missing.  Apparently, Pink Bear had fallen out of the stroller on the way home from the park so I extracted Luv from her play pen, loaded her in the stroller and went on a bear hunt.  We retraced our route home from the park and the prospects were looking bleak.  We were almost back home and...no bear.  Then a miracle.  Luvisa usually prattles on repeating herself multiple times.  I try really hard to listen carefully, but I am guilty of tuning her out from time to time.  Fortunately, I did pay attention when she said, "Grandpa, there's Pink Bear!"  Someone had picked up Pink Bear and placed the bear on a fire hydrant.  Luvisa's sharp eyes spotted the bear that Grandpa's dull eyes had missed.  Crisis averted, bear and kidlet inserted into playpen, and nap time began.  

On Sunday, we celebrated Judy's 65th birthday.  Haley brought shepherd's pie and a pot pie, Mary supplied the salad, and I supplied the dessert and the Pina Coladas.  We had a picture of "Grandma Judy" on the table.  Even at Luv's tender age, we remind her of the precious lady whose name she shares.  We reminisce about the Judy birthdays when Judy was with us in body.  We recall how Queen Eva would arrive with Grampy in the old Dodge Raider.  The Queen would be served her glass of wine and Grampy would take the kids downstairs to play while the adults visited.  Things have come full circle.  Now I am downstairs playing dolls with Luvisa while the adults visit on the deck.  Life is as good as we make it.

August 6

Odometer reading on the E Bike:  1800+

I am sitting on the deck in 33 degree Celcius heat just loving it!  

Since Last Entry

1.  The sailing adventure was memorable.  I got to Elbow Harbour around 3:00 pm.  Captain Dave showed me around the boat, then we sat in the aft seating area and visited until midnight.  Another friend joined us for the evening.  Captain Dave was an excellent host.  He barbecued chicken and veggies on a small grill.  Great conversation.  My speciality...going off the deep end.  After we checked out the Milky Way, the visible planets, and constellations, we went to bed. I slept on the couch in the galley.  The rocking of the water made for a great sleep.

2.  I have been to the lake every weekend since Mid July.  There was a time when I used to enjoy lallygagging on the beach for the afternoon or fishing or partying hardy til midnight.  Now, I gladly volunteer to sit on the deck in a zero gravity chair while my Luv Bug has her afternoon nap or I put her to sleep for the night while Mary enjoys a campfire with Morgan, Dustin, and Haley over at the cabin.  My happy place is sitting on the deck reading or journaling.  I also enjoy having morning coffee with the girls and talking about life.  Luvisa keeps us all entertained.

3.  Slowpitch season is well underway.  The league has gone from 100 players to fewer than 50 because of covid concerns.  The players who do show up have fun and respect the restrictions in place to mitigate the possibility of transmission.  After the game, there is a small group that congregates on their lawn chairs in the shade.  Again, great conversation and connecting.  We all need that.

4.  My mom is soldiering on.  She doesn't appear to be in any noticeable pain related to her breast cancer or lung cancer.  She has a CT scan on August 24 to determine how fast the tumours in her lungs and breasts are growing.  Mom still cleans her own apartment, bakes cookies and cinnamon buns, knits mittens and slippers, and visits with her neighbours on the outdoor patio next to her apartment building.  She has a terrible time finding words at times, but we'll give her a pass on that because she is 92.

5.  This weekend, I am in Saskatoon rather than the lake because I am babysitting my grand dogs.  Pieces and Jaxon have both had surgeries this month to remove tumours/growths...old dog stuff.  Part of my babysitting duties involves administering medications.  Mary, Morgan, and Luv are at the lake so I am going kayaking at Pike Lake for the day.  I love Saskatoon so I must admit spending the weekend in Stoon doesn't break my heart.

6.  From Monday noon to Wednesday noon, I am looking after Luv Bug.  Yes, she is coming to live with Grandpa for two days.  The plan is to play with toys til mid morning, spend time at the park/spray pad til noon, have lunch, enjoy nap time, go back to the park til supper time, play some more, have bath time, read some stories, sing some lullabies, and then hit the hay.  I'm not so foolish as to think we will be sleeping in, but it would be nice.

Life continues to be good.  I don't kill my days; I fill my days...with good things.  There are so many things I could regret or fear, but I try to stay in the "now" and enjoy all the good things I have going on.  I hope you are doing the. same.

July 15

First of all...an update on the E Bike odometer.  I have surpassed 1200 kms.

Other highlights of July.

1.  Deb came up for July Long.  We had a chance to go kayaking on Pike Lake.  I always launch from the north end near the Boy Scouts Camp.  The north end of Pike Lake is quite beautiful.  There are huge areas of lily pads and several varieties of trees along the shore. There were also several species of song birds and we even saw a painted turtle sitting on a log.  I'm sure the turtle was an escapee from someone's aquarium.

2.  Slow Pitch season began yesterday.  There are several modifications to the game in order to maintain social distance and clean surfaces.  For instance, one player on each team has the responsibility of sanitizing the bat after each at bat.  Runners cross a safe line rather than touching the bases.  The game went smoothly and the new measures weren't a big obstacle to exercise and having fun.

3.  Hockey is starting on July 21.  I am sitting out of hockey for the summer.  I am not sure how they will be able to social distance in a hockey game.  I guess I'll have to buy a 2m long stick.

4.  I have been enjoying the usual summer activities ... going to the lake on weekends, golfing, patio lunches with my girls, playing with Bug, back yard barbecues with friends, morning walks, having social distance coffee dates and good conversation with friends, and lotsa biking.  My buddy, Rick, and I have a weekly DQ Blizzard.  It's good to have a  friend with a coupon book.  My yard takes a little work, but with all the rain, the yard looks amazing.

5.  Today, I am traveling to Elbow to spend the next two days sailing on Lake Diefenbaker with my good friend, Dave.  Should be good fun being a salty dog.

Well, it's time to wrap this entry because I hear my E Bike calling me for my morning ride.

Life is good.

Consider this:  It's not who's to blame.  It's who do I blame.

June 22

I am attaching my last two instalments of reflections that I prepared for Resurrection Lutheran Church.  The first one certainly applies to any time in human history, but especially now when people are living in fear.  You can always fear and worry, but the the worrying will do no good.  Choose love over fear.  The second reflection also applies to what we have been going through lately.  If you read my blog, I hope you are not spending too much time on Fox, NBC, or CNN.  I hope you are taking care of your mind and lowering your stress levels.  I hope you are staying informed, but not obsessing over all the bad news that you are bombarded with in the media and from other sources.  I hope you are learning and growing and feeding your mind with nourishing ideas.

Verse:  I Timothy 1:7

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

Reflection:

I read a quote recently that the term peace of mind is an oxymoron because when we are in our mind, we are seldom at peace.  You may argue with this statistic, but over 90 percent of our thoughts are repetitive, negative, and useless.  Being deep in thought is not always useless especially when we are trying to solve a problem or derive inspiration, but the mind has a way of becoming dysfunctional.  We will lay awake at night ruminating on past regrets and worrying about the future.  When we give energy to negative thoughts, our minds can cause us to fear, worry, pity ourselves, and seek revenge.  There are times when we have bad thoughts and we believe they are the truth and we believe we are bad people because we have bad thoughts.  The good news is: we are not our thoughts.  The Spirit of God who is planted in us is always there and always accessible.  The Spirit gives us the power to observe our thoughts and determine whether the thoughts are God’s thoughts.  Everyday and all day, we should hold our thoughts up to the light of God.  If the thoughts cause  undue fear, uncontrollable hate, and depression, they are probably not God’s thoughts.

Verse: Romans 12:2

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Reflection:  There was a time when I viewed my relationship with God as a transaction.  I do this for God.  God does this for me.  In this transactional relationship, I followed laws, recited creeds, and concerned myself with being right and believing the right things.   I have seen people that view christianity as a transaction, but who haven’t been transformed by the gospel of Jesus Christ.  They perform rituals and enforce laws while ignoring the plight of the poor, the sick, the lame, the homeless, the oppressed, and all those who Jesus helped during his earthly ministry.  They exclude and deny love to others thinking all the while they are doing the will of God.  In today’s bible passage, Paul exhorted followers of Christ to be transformed by the renewing of their minds.  A transformed person will prove by the way they live their life what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.  What is the will of God?  “To be just, and to love [and to diligently practice] kindness (compassion), And to walk humbly with your God [setting aside any overblown sense of importance or self-righteousness].”(Micah 6:8 AMP).

June 19

Today marks the end of a busy week.  Last Friday, I traveled to Regina.  I had not been together with Deb since March 15 when the lockdown began.  We had great plans of golfing and kayaking, but the 60-80 km winds prevented those plans.  We settled for long walks in White City along the older streets in town that have massive trees providing much needed shelter.  Thankfully, Regina finally received some rainfall on Sunday.  I returned home on Monday in time to do my haying.  The yard is looking great after all the rainfall we have been receiving. On Monday night, I got to see my Luv Bug for the usual ritual of playing, bathing, snuggles, singing lullabies, and bedtime stories.  On Tuesday, I traveled to Tisdale to see my mom.  I had made arrangements with Mom's dear friend of 70+ years, Jenny Fritshaw, to meet for lunch.  Both ladies had been cooped up too much over the last three months so they were missing one another badly.  Jenny is also 92 and still living on the family farm north of Tisdale.  Our family has been friends with the Fritshaws for many years.  Visiting Jenny and sitting at the same table where I enjoyed many delicious meals and good conversation since I was knee high to a grasshopper is always a wonderful experience.  Jenny let me help serve the meal and do a bit to the clean up, then I went for a long walk while the two old friends had a visit.  Jenny has a pet squirrel who visits her in her garden.  The squirrel will crawl on top of your head if he thinks there is a peanut to be had.  I declined the opportunity to have the squirrel use my head as a dining room table.  After Tisdale, I drove to Lesley Beach on the south side of Fishing Lake near Foam Lake.  My brother, Vince, and his wife, Loretta, were camping there for the week with another couple.  I took my guitar and song books so we had a sing song until the rain pouring off the tarps soaked my song book and dripped down the neck of my guitar.  We had a great time and had lots of laughs.  My Aunt Shirley and Uncle Gerry were also at the sing song/barbecue.  I left Lesley Beach after 9 pm and traveled to a farm south of Kelvington where I stayed the night with Lorne and Dianne Rennie.  They let me stay in their camper that was situated in their farm yard.  I had a great visit with the Rennies catching up on Kelvington news and people.  Lorne and Dianne live just three miles south of the farm where I grew up.  After leaving the Rennies on Wednesday morning, I stopped by the farm where I lived from the time I was a baby until I was five years old.  Approaching the yard, I came upon a cow moose munching on caragana twigs.  I took pictures of the old buildings and took a piece of the old barn.  Evidently, I took more than a piece of barn.  When I got into Kelvington, I brushed a wood tick off my ear.  Then I brushed another dozen ticks off my arms and legs and head.  I visited old friends who allowed me to use their washroom to do a complete body scan.  I bagged the clothes I was wearing and put on a change of clothes that I had fortunately brought along.  Before leaving Kelvington, I bought some tick repellent and sprayed my whole body.  Driving back to Saskatoon, I combed two more ticks out of my hair.  Sheesh!  The first order of business upon returning home was to wash all my clothes and dry them on the hot cycle.  In other news, I have almost 700 kilometres on my E Bike.  In the absence of playing slow pitch this spring, I have certainly been getting my exercise biking.  There is a rumour that slow pitch may be starting in July.  Tomorrow, Mary and Luv Bug are going to the lake with me.  I will be spending the next two days with my girls for Father's Day.  I've already made rhubarb crisp for tomorrow night.  Until next time, Happy Father's Day to all the fathers out there.

May 29

A few weeks ago, I was approached by my church, Resurrection Lutheran to compose short meditations for bi-weekly distribution to the congregation.  I will attach a sampling of my offerings below.

Bible Reading:  Habukkuk 3:17-18
Though the fig tree does not bud
and there are no grapes on the vines,
though the olive crop fails
and the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the pen
and no cattle in the stalls,
18
yet I will rejoice in the Lord,
I will be joyful in God my Savior.

Reflection
Let's play with this verse a bit. Though there is a pandemic sweeping the land. Though I cannot be in a group of more than 10 people. Though I must stay two meters distant from people in the lumberyard. Though the schools, churches, and restaurant seating areas are closed.
Though there is rampant unemployment and astronomical debt. Yet I will rejoice in the Lord. Rejoice in the Lord always, even when things are tough. How have I rejoiced? Well...I have phoned, emailed, Facetimed, and used other forms of communication to get in contact with friends, family, and people I have been too busy to contact in the past. I have practiced my guitar and ukulele; baked buns, desserts, and cookies; taken online Spanish classes; gone for long walks and bicycle rides; prayed, contemplated, and given more time to my daily devotions; practiced cheerful giving; and have chosen to rejoice in the Lord. In short, I have chosen Joy over despair and opted to do more of the things that make me happy. I have chosen to not read conspiracy theories, listen to catastrophic speculations, and watch negative news stories on 24/7 news channels. No, I don't have my head stuck in the sand. I stay informed and most of all, I rejoice in the Lord. I hope you will do the same.

Psalm 30:5
For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.

I am not a theologian, so I speak only from my own opinion and in my opinion, God is not petulant.  That is to say easily perturbed and childlike.  God is Love.  There are times when we may feel that God is mad at us but it is usually when we are not conscious of his abundant grace and endless mercy.  One definition of sin is: being separated from God. Sin is separation from God.  But the separation takes place in our minds.  God is always there.  His will is to see us whole and living a heavenly life experiencing His peace, joy, and love.  These times of despair when we feel separate last only a moment in the greater scheme of things, but God’s favour lasts a lifetime.  In our lives, we will have time when we weep and go through the dark night of the soul, but rejoicing comes in the morning.  My personal experience is that dark times don’t last forever.  Psalm 30:5 reminds me of a study done by Dr. Martin Seligman, a well renown psychologist and expert in the area of resiliency.  His research has proven that resilient people aren’t positive all the time nor are they always happy.  Resilient people are the ones who have the faith that things will always get better.  Thank God for that!

Bible Verse: James 1:27

27 Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.

Reflections:

Long ago, I heard a sermon based on this verse.  The pastor shortened the verse to “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit.”  In one of my recent blog entries, I exhorted anyone who cared to read my blog to think of people who are shut ins and those who live alone during these pandemic isolation times.  I live alone and I know how lonely a person can become.  Fortunately, my girls call me daily to chat. I also have many dear family and friends who call me on the phone or they contact me via one of the social media formats.  I should add that I go by the adage of “I have a phone too.”  If I want to chat with someone, I don’t sit and wait by the phone for a call and I don’t play the game of “It’s their turn to call me.  Why am I always the one who reaches out?”  I pick up the phone and call for this is religion pure and undefiled: to visit.  

May 25

Mom's appointment went well.  She has to go in for blood work this week then we should hear some results from the oncologist on June 1.  Mom is still feeling well and our daily conversations are filled with warm memories, updates on the family, and tales of my Luv Bug.  I had a great time at the lake on the long weekend.  I took up a pot of chilli and some rice.  I also took up some cinnamon buns.  Luvisa is starting to associate me with cinnamon buns.  I took cinnamon buns to the lake again this past weekend.  The little stinker ate two of them!  I played my first round of golf on Saturday and spent most of yesterday painting the shed at the lake.  Another great weekend.  I continue to rack up major mileage on my E Bike.  I am already over 250 km.  Last week, I potted all my annuals and they're looking great already.  Haley tasked me with arranging all her plant pots.  I love helping the kids by being Suzy Homemaker.  At present, I am sitting on my new deck in the backyard admiring all the flowers I planted.  The fruit trees are in flower.  The birds are singing to me.  Life is good!

May 10

Wasn't that a lovely weekend.  Don't put the ski jacket away yet.  Fortunately, the weather was good last weekend.  My carpenter friend completed the new deck.  Morgan and I also finished the platform deck at Mary and Morgan's place last Thursday on the hot day.  A friend was building a new deck so he donated enough deck tiles to cover Mary and Morgan's deck.  Another stroke of good fortune occurred when my neighbour, Gary,  invited me to load up all the junk lumber I had left over onto his trailer so he can take the lumber out to his nephew's acreage.  Now the yard is all ship shape with a new deck.  The lawn is fertilized and I am ready to start annuals in my plant pots next week.  Yesterday, I went to Regina for something to do.  I had lunch with my brother, Vince,  and his wife, then I met Deb for a walk and a thermos of coffee.  I was back in Saskatoon by 7 pm.  Another highlight of my last week was purchasing my very own E Bike.  Man, I am loving it!  I bike at least 20 km a day with my new wheels.  Haley and Dustin often join me.  The plan for the next week is to drive out to Tisdale on Tuesday.  I need to deliver Mom to a medical appointment on Wednesday morning, then I will drive her back out to Tisdale on Wednesday afternoon.  It's a lot of driving, but I will have a chance to get in a good visit with Mom and Mom will have a break from being cooped up in her apartment.  I will be heading to the lake next weekend to spend time with my kids.  The forecast looks good.  Should be fun.

April 26

Today is a windy, rainy day suitable for blogging and snoozing.  Maybe I will bake a few muffins later.  The warmer weather over the last few days has certainly given everyone a boost.  Last Sunday, I had my kids over for a Weiner roast.  We celebrated the last barbecue on the old deck.  On Monday, I started to dismantle the old deck.  By Tuesday evening, I had most of the deck apart.  I believe my carpenter friend will begin the new deck next weekend.  The decking boards are still in pretty good shape so I am taking them to Mary and Morgan's to make a platform deck.  We will only have to buy new joists.  Wednesday, April 22 was my mom's birthday.  She has been quarantined in her apartment  for two months so I decided to pay her a visit.  I left Saskatoon early in the day, picked up subway sandwiches and long John donuts from Wakaw, and we had a little picnic on the sunny side lawn beside her high-rise.  Mom was waiting at the door with her walker and her teapot wrapped in a Terry towel.  She also had home made cookies for me.  Oh yeah, I also brought two lawn chairs and a little table.  We sat outside her apartment for more than two hours.  Of course, we had to visit with all the other residents coming and going from the high-rise.  Mom had a great birthday.  I bought her several bags of yarn to keep her busy for a while.  I read her all the Facebook birthday messages on my home page.  We also Facetimed a few people.  Mom received several phone calls from family and friends during the day.  It was nice to see her get so much love from everyone.  She was very happy and grateful.  Wednesday was a wonderful day for traveling.  I loved to see the spring run off.  There was more snow as I headed north.  The ditches were still full of snow.  Yes, it was a perfect week to rake the lawn and tidy the yard.  I also built a large compost bin for the backyard.  A highlight of the week was having Dustin's electric bike in my garage.  I am not sure whether I can go back to a regular bike after having electric assist.  I put several miles on his bike in the past week.  Haley and Dustin are keeping their bikes in my garage because I am close to the Meewasin Trail.  They have been her for three bike rides in the last week.  Fortunately, I have been able to ride bike for exercise because my walking has been limited due to a shin splint on my right leg.  I had been averaging over 11 000 steps a day during quarantine.  Apparently excessive walking was too much for my 64 year old body.  Another highlight has been seeing Luv Bug.  Morgan has been at his parents farm since Thursday so Mary and Luvisa came to my place for supper on Thursday and I went to their place on Friday for supper.  Luv is enjoying reading "potty books".  She reads them several times, but she hasn't been applying the message.  Oh well...when she's ready.  Yes, life is good.  I can handle the new normal as long as I can see my family and know my family and friends are doing well.  Keep on loving one another and making the world a better place.

April 13

Yesterday was Luv Bug's second birthday.  Mary had called me 2 weeks ago asking me whether I could make a kitchen helper stool for Luv's birthday.  I found a pattern on Pinterest, then made a trip to Rona's drive through lumber mart for materials.  Last Thursday was construction and last Friday was sanding and varnishing.  I delivered the stool to Mary and Morgan's house yesterday.   Of course, Bug loved the stool.  Mary has a picture of Luv on her stool helping to rip the lettuce for last night's dinner.  Haley and Dustin gave Luv a new life jacket and a tea set.  Grandpa and Grandma Battersby delivered a new tricycle for her complete with a light and a bell.  Mary and Morgan gave her a little table and chairs, some Easter treats, and a stuffed toy or two.  She was one happy little girl.  Thankfully, she is oblivious to all the quarantine business going on.  Haley, Dustin, and I stood by the door at a social distance and watched her enjoy all her presents, then we sang Happy Birthday to her. Of course, Luvisa asked for an encore.  "Again".  So we sang Happy Birthday again.  Since my last entry, I have continued to stay busy.  It really is the best way to not just survive, but thrive during the self isolation times.  I have baked Easter cookies, coloured a couple pictures, practiced my Spanish, played guitar/ukulele, journaled, meditated, read, and enjoyed some delicious afternoon snoozes.  It does get lonely at times, but my girls call me every day.  I often join Haley to walk the grand dogs.  Seeing my crew is the highlight of my life.  I also have faithful friends who give me a call.  And when no one calls, I follow the adage that "I have a phone too".  If I feel like calling someone, I just call them rather than wishing they would call me or pout because it is their turn to call me.  Mom continues to do well.  She suffers a few head aches and days when she is "off", but lately she has had a few good days.  Her wonderful friends in the Tisdale high-rise know that she loves to knit so mom is the recipient of their unwanted yarn.  Last week, an anonymous angel just hung a bag of yarn on Mom's doorknob.  Their are some wonderfully kind people who take care of my mom.  In closing, I want to encourage everyone to think of the people you know who live alone.  Widows, widowers, the elderly, and those with pre-existing mental health issues are having a particularly tough time in these days of social isolation.  Give them a call.

April 3

I've noticed over the last few days that my conversations with people on the phone and FaceTime are less and less about the virus.  That's refreshing! I may have mentioned in an earlier post how I have weaned myself off U.S. news and the glut of bad news speculation/horror stories/dark humor/ warnings/voodoos so prevalent on news channels, talkshows, and social media.  I follow the Sask Health updates daily, follow the rules, and have faith things will get better in time.  One of my volleyball buddies opined : "There are three possibilities.  A vaccine will be developed and we won't have to worry about the virus.  You will get the virus and survive so don't have to worry about it.  Or, you will die and then you really won't have to worry."  On the lighter side, I have been keeping busy.  On Wednesday I made 6 dozen pirogies.  I have continued to keep in touch with family and friends, many of whom I haven't chatted with in years.  I have my daily calls with my mom.  She is doing well, but the hormone suppressant medication she is taking to limit cancer growth is causing some nausea and headaches.  On Tuesday I sent a message to all of mom's grandchildren letting them know that I am cancelling the Mother's Day Family Reunion that I was going to host at my home.  I encouraged all the grandchildren to give mom a phone call to let mom know what is going on in their lives and to tell mom she is loved and appreciated for the strong lady she is.  Mom's Birthday is on April 22.  She will be 92.  She is still knitting up a storm.  She ran out of yarn last week, but neighbours in her senior's high rise have been giving her yarn that they would have never used.  One lady gave her ten balls of yarn.  Two days ago, there was a bag of yarn hanging on her door.  Anonymous.  She continues to make cinammon buns and cookies.  Although she gets one meal a day delivered, she makes most of her meals and does her own cleaning.  I wish I could see her, but I will have to be satisfied with our daily phone call.

March 29

Yahoo!  I finished self isolating yesterday.  Oops, wait a minute.  I still shouldn't really go anywhere.  No worries.  It's virtual coffee with friends and family for the next months, I guess.  "I guess". Those two words apply to all of us these days.  No one really knows what is going to happen.  Experts, health officials, politicians, economists, conspiracy theorists, naysayers, optimists..they are all guessing.  I remind myself of this fact every time I read the news.  My opinion is: we live each day by faith.  We don't know what tomorrow will bring.  We hope for the best and prepare for the worst. One thing we can control is the here and now.  In every decision, we make the decision to choose love over fear and hate.  We either make the world a brighter, more hopeful place or we make the world a darker, hopeless place.  No one is positive all the time and no one is happy all the time.  That's just not possible, but we can believe that, no matter how tough our situation appears to be, we are more resilient when we remind ourselves that nothing lasts forever, and things will get better.

March 20

Just finished Day 6 of self isolation.  On Monday, I baked buns.  On Tuesday, I baked cookies.  On Wednesday, I finished my income tax return.  On Thursday, I culled through my filing cabinet and pitched out a lot of paper recycling.  Today, I made a big batch of chicken noodle soup and I cleaned the oven.  Throughout the week, I have been spring cleaning, meditating, reading, watching movies and getting lots of sleep.  I try not to watch too much Covid 19 news for my own mental health.  I discontinued my cable TV several months ago so I only have Youtube and Netflix.  My latest ambition has been to travel the world on Youtube.  Today, I was in Venezuela, Iran, Iraq, North Korea, Philippines, Afghanistan, Ukraine, Russia, and Somaliland.  My plan for next week is to start Spanish lessons and practice guitar. Self isolating does not come easy for me because I like to socialize; however, I am making the best of the situation.  I have had to settle on FaceTime conversations with my Luv Bug.  I spend a lot of time checking in with friends and relatives via telephone and FaceTime.  I phone my mother every day to check up on her.  I think I mentioned in a previous blog that she had breast cancer last summer.  She had a lumpectomy in August.  Last Thursday, she received the results of her recent CT scan.  Unfortunately, she found out that the breast cancer returned and now she has lung cancer as well.  She is in no pain and putting on a brave face, but I fear she is in for some tough times.  Obviously, her apartment high rise is under quarantine.  She spends her day baking, cleaning, and knitting.  My girls are doing well.  Haley is doing my grocery shopping.  The girls have been getting together for walks and doing like everyone else, making the best of these surreal times.  All in all, I am grateful that I don't have to go to work or go anywhere really.  The main takeaway I have at this moment is: it's best to overreact rather than under react.  I applaud the efforts of our politicians at every level.  They are doing their best.  Of course, I applaud the efforts of everyone who are frontline workers from doctors and nurses to grocery store clerks and utilities workers.  We are all in this together.  Let's be kind, considerate, and supportive.

March 17

Happy St. Patrick's Day.  I am in my 3rd day of self isolation. Haley had stocked my fridge on Sunday morning just before I got home. The plan for today is to bake a batch of cookies.  Yesterday, I baked buns.  It's good to be home even if I can't get out to see family and friends.  Just knowing my loved ones are a few minutes away is comforting.  Last Wednesday, I was wondering whether we would be able to fly out of Phoenix, but all went well on the flight back home.  The Phoenix getaway with Deb was excellent.  Our Airbnb was well situated for the activities we enjoyed.  Having a whole house with a well-equipped kitchen and a backyard complete with patio furniture/barbecue made for an even more enjoyable stay.  We only had one restaurant meal in the two weeks we spent in the Phoenix area and that meal was a buffet that went with a show at the Silver Star Theatre in Mesa.  The highlights of the vacation were as follows:
1.  We hiked 10 of the 14 days in Phoenix area.  The recent rainfall meant the desert was green and vibrant.  Although the cacti were not flowering yet, there was an abundance of desert flowers.  Mexican poppy, brittle bush, lupines, mallow, turpentine, daisies, etc.  Some of the trails we hiked were Desert Vista, Pinnacle Peak, Wave Cave, Apache Wash, North Mountain Park, Buffalo Ridge, and Tom's Thumb.  The desert scenery never gets old.  Every detail, rock formation, and vista is a masterpiece of nature. Of all the activities we enjoyed, hiking is the least expensive and the most enjoyable.
2. We took western two step and cha cha dance lessons at the Buffalo Chip Saloon in Cave Creek on two occasions.
3.  On March 3, we saw The Toronto Raptors defeat the Phoenix Suns at the Talking Stick Arena.
3.  On March 7, we went to The Yacht Rock Revue at The Van Buren.  Yacht Rock is easy listening songs of the 70s and 80s.  Hall and Oates, Loggins and Massina,  Gerry Rafferty... People were dressed in captain's hats, blue blazers, and Navy Blazers.  Most of the audience knew the words to every song and sang along with gusto.
4. We watched the Texas Rangers beat the Los Angeles Dodgers at Surprise Stadium on March 8.
5. One night we attended the Scottsdale Rodeo.  Amazing to watch the Americans displaying patriotism.  The Star Spangled Banner went on for 20 minutes.  Maga hats and Vote Trumps signs were evident.
Now, my traveling days are over for a long while, it seems.  And it feels great to be home.  I am thankful I don't have to be out in all the craziness going on these days.  My heart goes out to all the people who are facing the challenges of Covid19 outbreak especially the people who do not have the supports of friends and family.  Stay safe, my friends.

March 6

I am sitting on a patio in Phoenix AZ as I type this entry. I was only home from Wednesday afternoon til Friday afternoon before I drove to Regina to begin the next adventure. Deb and I flew to Phoenix on February 29,  but more on that later.
The Kauai family vacation was everything we hoped it would be. I flew out out of Saskatoon on the morning of February 16. I arrived in Vancouver around 7:30 am, took the sky train downtown, met my nephew, Justin, and spent the day with him walking around False Creek/Granville Island. I was back to the airport by 4:00 pm where I met up with the rest of my crew. They connected through Calgary. The Love Bug was all geared up for vacation so it took a while to settle her down for the 6 hour flight to Kauai. She slept the last two hours of the flight after I sang lullabies in her ear for half an hour. After landing in Lihue, we collected our rental van and loaded the 17 suitcases,  car seat, stroller, playpen, golf clubs, and 6 souls into the faithful minivan. We arrived at our Airbnb well after 1pm local time. On our first day, we left Mary and Bug at the condo while we made a Costco run.  Of course, we stocked up on seafood.  Morgan and Dustin barbecued large shrimp and scallops for the evening meal.  We also stocked up on bevies.  Kauai is a thirsty island, my friends.  The usual daily routine was to wake for coffee around 7-8.  Luvisa would start out with her fruit, yogurt, cheerios, and song.  Yes, for 10 days we were imitating her words and songs.  She was an amazing traveler.  Morgan and Mary kept her busy during the day taking her to the pool.  She was the main highlight of the trip for all of us, but I shall mention a few other highlights.
1.  Hideaway Beach - This beach was only a 5 minute drive from our condo.  Parking is at the top, then we had to repel down a cliff face to the beach area below.  My first act was to trip on a root, then fall on my face literally.  The root took off a good chunk of my big toe.  Class act.  Hideaway Beach has grainy coral sand and a coral reef with excellent snorkelling.  We paid two visits to Hideaway Beach on our vacation.  The second time we went was easier because we didn't try to haul as much stuff down the cliff.
2. Island Helicopter Tour - A helicopter tour of Kauai was on the bucket list for Haley, Dustin, Mary, and me.  Morgan stayed on the ground with Luvisa having a father/daughter day.  The tour was amazing.  We cruised over the south shore first.  The helicopter goes down into the canyons for close ups of some of the many waterfalls.   On the southwest quadrant of the island is the Waimea Canyon referred to as "The Grand Canyon of the Pacific".  Very impressive.  Red rock canyon walls and dizzying heights even when you are looking down from a helicopter.  There is iron rich, red soil throughout the island.  As a side note, most of the interior land tracts are national parks and land owned by the Robinson family.  The Robinson family intends to keep the land in its natural state.  After Waimea Canyon, the pilot took us over the northwest coast called the Napoli Coast.  There are no roads on this part of the island...only hiking trails.  Absolutely beautiful, rugged landscape with vertical cliffs reaching down to the ocean shore.  The tour concluded with a tour down the eastern shore.  Our airbnb was at Princeville on the northern shore.  Kauai is called "The Garden Island"and the most garden like area of the island is the north shore where they get mega rain.  Everything grows well on this island.  Warm and rainy.
3. Poipu Beach - We spent one day at Poipu Beach on the south shore.  There is a large shallow area making Poipu a great place for small children to swim.  I spent most of the afternoon at the playground with Bug while the rest of the crew worked on their sunburn.  Before leaving, we witnessed a large sea turtle coming on shore in the swimming area.
4.  Hanalei Bay -  Yes, home to Puff, The Magic Dragon.  Hanalei Bay was only a 20 minute drive from Princeville.  This is where we spent most of our time.  The beach is over 5 km long...at least.  There are ideal surfing waves on the bay.  Hanalei has numerous restaurants, touristy shops, and food trucks.  Our first meal there was a box of doughnuts made with taro.  You can rent all sorts of Watersport equipment in Hanalei, but the crew stuck to boogie boarding with the boogie boards made available at the condo.  Bug and I made lots of sand castles on the bay.
5.  Tunnels - one of our excursions was to an area further down the north shore called "The Tunnels". Another beautiful beach.  I collected some beautiful coral and drift wood to make a mobile when I returned home.  Morgan found a rope swing along a river leading into the bay.  Watching Morgan was prime entertainment.
6.  Napoli Coast Boat Tour - I took a boat tour on the Napoli Coast.  Don't ask me how much that one cost, but rest assured I thought the tour was worth the expense.  There aren't many boat charters leaving from the north coast because of the turbulent wave action in the winter; however, I had the good fortune of going on a calmer day.  We were able to boat right into some of the sea caves.  We also saw a large pod of spinner dolphins and a humpback whale.  The absolute highlight for me was snorkelling on a barrier reef.  If you are familiar with the story of Bethany Hamilton, a girl who lost her arm in a shark attack well...I was snorkelling in the area where the attack occurred.  The main stars were two sea turtles who were friendly and curious.  We were told to keep a 4 foot distance from the turtles.  On the reef, there were at least 30 different species of tropical fish.  Just when I thought I had spotted every species, a new variety would appear.  Wow!
7.  On the last day, we had to check out at 10 am, so we had nearly 14 hours to fill before our return flight departed at 11:40 pm.  We loaded the van and did a milk run down the north, east, and south coasts.  We stopped at Kilauea Light House, Donkey Beach, Kapaa Food Trucks (Dustin and Morgan both bought solar powered hula girls for the dash of their vehicles), Wailua Falls, and the south coast.  Our ultimate destination was Waimea Canyon.  We drove the old minivan to the top and wow, again.  The Canyon is breathtaking.  From the lookout point, we could also see Niihau to the southwest.  For our last meal and sunset, we stopped at Port Allen for seafood at a restaurant on the harbour.  Then it was back to Lihue Costco for some splurging on macadamia nuts and other treats.  We still had 2 hours until we needed to be at the airport.  The crew thought they may be able to have a shower at Nukolii Beach Park in the dark.  Not quite, but the kids rearranged their luggage on the pavement in the parking lot...in the dark.  After some strategizing, the big suitcases all came in at 50 pounds.  This always drives the kids crazy, but the Old Man travels with one carryon.  Granted, I don't have to pack for the needs of an almost 2 year old.
The return flight was good.  Bug slept most of the flight.  The rest of us sort of slept. Arrived back in Saskatoon at 3:30 pm.
Wonderful holiday or forced family fun as the girls say.

February 5

We are down to 11 more sleeps before my crew heads to Kauai for our yearly "forced family fun time" as my girls refer to the holiday.  I have had two weeks of getting caught up with all my homies. Last Saturday, I got together with my Prairie River landlord, John Waskowic.  John and two of his sons met me for breakfast.  I always love hearing his stories of Moose Hunting, travel, and Prairie River life.  John is in the city for three months this winter.  He needed to get a prescription so he went to his son's doctor.  The doctor asked him about his health habits because he's a going concern at 82 years of age.  John says, "I drink home brew, chew snuff, eat perogies, and drink 20 cups of coffee each day."  Hilarious!  Besides having good genes, I think another secret to John's health is: he enjoys life, laughs a lot, and doesn't worry about much.  Sunday was World Ukulele Day.  My ukulele group, Four Strings Attached, performed with a mass ukulele ensemble at Market Mall.  We played and sang about a half dozen songs.  Lotsa fun...and we were given free coffee and cookies.  Banner day.  This weekend, I am off to Regina to see Deb.  I am also taking my guitar because I am leading a sing song for an anniversary celebration at my brother's home.  His friends, Jerry and Sharon, have been married 50 years.  Other than that, I have been playing lots of hockey and volleyball.  Last week, I took two hard shots off the top of my foot so I decided to splurge and purchase a good pair of skates.  I plan to play hockey for another 20 some years, God willing, so the skates will be put to good use.  I also bought a new helmet to protect my perfectly formed, highly functioning brain.  So far, the equipment upgrade has netted me one goal and 3 assists.  Until next entry...

January 26

I just got back Wednesday from my Panama trip.  To say the trip was great would be an understatement.  Deb and I arrived in Panama City on New Year's Eve.  Uber from the airport to downtown was only 10 dollars USD.  Uber is definitely. the way to go especially when you are in a Spanish speaking country.  The uber app let's the driver know where to pick you up and where you want to go.  You know what you are paying and there are no surprises.  Back to Near Year's Eve.  The city was still decorated for Christmas.  We walked to the water front to watch the fireworks.  The explosions from the fireworks echoed constantly between the skyscrapers on the water front.  Panama City has hundreds of high-rises.  On New Year's Day, we lounged by the pool and got some last minute supplies before flying to Bocas.  The flight to Bocas on January 2 went smoothly.  Air Panama uses old twin props...so old there were ashtrays on the arm rests.  First stop in Bocas was the grocery store for supplies.  Bocas Town is quite third world.  Not too many fancy places.  There are many grocery stores, all run by Chinese people.  Food was reasonably priced, but buying meat was a challenge.  We only had a tiny fridge.  We bought chicken on the first day.  It rotted quickly even though we had the chicken in the fridge.  Packaged bacon, frozen shrimp, beans, and eggs were our go to proteins.  After getting groceries, the next challenge was finding a taxi.  You have to be aggressive in order to score a taxi.  The taxis are all yellow 4x4 trucks.  Our new best friend, Miguel, finally gave us a ride to our Airbnb 15 minutes up the coast from Bocas.  The cabin we rented was well into the jungle.  A little stream flowed below our balcony.  There were cayman, turtles, and frogs in the stream.  All compost material went into the stream for their dining pleasure.  The cabin had wifi, running water, a gas stove, fridge, dishes/cutlery for two people, a paring knife, a chopping knife, a pot, a pan, frying pan, and two glorious Adirondack chairs.  There were no glass windows, just screens.  The daily routine was to enjoy two cups of coffee/Bailleys, walk down to the surfers beach to watch the surfers.  The Paunch Beach is a popular surfing spot for surfers from the whole world.  During our last week in Bocas, there were record waves so surfers were flying in from the US, Australia, and Europe.  Amazing waves.  Of course, the same waves pounded out the coastal road.  Water was lapping over the road and leaving logs, coral, rocks, and other obstructions on the road, but the taxis rolled on.  After watching the surfers, we would have brunch.  The afternoons were spent going for long walks up and down the coast or going on excursions.  Our first excursion was an all day event.  We went by boat to see dolphins, starfish, and three toed sloths.  One destination was Zapatilla Island 15 km off shore.  Zapatilla is part of a national park...beautiful beaches and decent snorkelling.  We had lunch at a restaurant only accessible by boat way out in the boonies.  Our last stop was to snorkel a coral reef.  The whole day excursion was 35 USD which included the beer.  A highlight for me was hanging with the boat owner's son, Mario.  He taught me a few words of Spanish.  Wonderful kid.  Our second excursion was almost a carbon copy of the first except we went to a beach on the northwest shore of the main island, Isla Colon.  Again, there were seaside restaurants where we could order seafood and beer.  Our third excursion was to Red Frog Beach.  The boat dropped us off on the west side of Bastmiamentos Island, then we hiked to Red Frog Beach on the eastern open water side of the island.  We rented two loungers under a cabana on a beautiful beach.  Red Frog Beach was perfect for swimming, body surfing, and boogie boarding.  And yes, we saw the famed red frogs!  On one of our first days in Bocas, we went up to Bluff Beach for boogie boarding.  The waves were incredibly high and the drop off was steep.  I was pounded back to shore.  On two occasions, I did lip stands because I was too far forward on the board.  On a few occasions, we treated ourselves to dinner at some of the ocean side restaurants.  Paki Point, Skully's, and The View.  We met some wonderful people on our travels.  The people were friendly and fun loving.  I think Deb and I were among the oldest tourists in Bocas.  Most were younger people who stayed in low rents and hostels.  The beer was great, in my opinion.  Not just because it was cheap...local beer was 2$ on average.  Bottled water was 3$.  My favourite brand was Panama.  Balboa beer was also popular.  Panama uses USD.  When you get change, you get Balboas.  One Balboa equals 1 USD. We actually left Bocas two days early because there was 100% chance of rain in Bocas whereas the forecast for Panama City was sunny and 33 degrees Celsius.  We stayed at a hotel beside the Panama Canal.  It was nice having dry clothes and bedding for a change.  Bocas had rain everyday; however, rains would never last all day.  Even when rains did come, the temperature was still warm.  Bocas temperature ranges from 25-30 everyday.  The cabin always cooled off nicely for sleeping, but there was always dampness.  After two days in Panama City, we flew to Atlanta on January 20.  The next day, we were supposed to have a stress free flight to Regina via Toronto.  As it turned out, the plane had an issue with a cargo door so we sat on the runway in Atlanta for 2 hours.  When we landed in Toronto, we beat all the odds and sprinted from the international side to the domestic side in about 25 minutes through customs, screening, moving sidewalks, escalators, stairs, and miles of corridors.  We boarded the plane to Regina with about 7.5 seconds to spare.  Thankfully, Deb's son came to pick us up in the wee morning hours.  On Wednesday morning, I drove back to Saskatoon.  Seeing my Luv Bug was tops on my agenda.  As always, it was great to see my girls and their hubbies.  I had a great holiday, but I love home too.