September 4

 Wow!  Has it ever been a summer.  Actually, summer isn't over.  When you are retired, summer is extended 365 days.  Tomorrow, Linda and I are off on another adventure.  We are taking the motorhome to Cypress Hills and Grasslands National Park.  We will be gone for a week.  Siesta Sam, the motor home has been rolling all summer.  We spent four weeks total at Waskesiu, one week at Emma Lake, one week at Candle Lake, two weekends at Memorial Lake, and I took the motor home to Fishing Lake and Kelvington.  

Other news:

1.  Luvisa starts kindergarten this year.  I had the privilege of being her chaperone at kindergarten orientation because Morgan was at work and Mary was wearing her teacher's hat because Luvisa is attending the school where Mary teaches, Traditions School in Warman.  Luvisa continues to be a nature lover.  She spent another summer collecting bugs, frogs, butterflies, dragon flies, and other critters.  She also took jazz dance lessons throughout the summer.  Her latest fascination is elk hunting with her dad.

2.  Gunnar continues being a healthy, happy little boy.  Listening to him use new words and form sentences brings me no end of entertainment.  I have been teaching him how to bat off of a tee.  He's gonna be a slugger.  He loves trucks and is very curious about all things mechanical.

3.  Haley and Mary are back to school.  Mary at Traditions and Haley at Aberdeen.  Mary continues to be busy with working out, Fireside Singers, and enriching the lives of her children.  Haley is quite excited because Dusting and Haley are building a new infill house on Spadina Crescent along the river north of 33rd Street.  Morgan is beginning a new job with Cenovus Energy as a power engineer near Lloydminister... one week in and one week out.  Haley, Dustin, Mary, Morgan, and the kids spent an enjoyable summer at Memorial Lake.

4.  When Linda has been home, she has been busy beautifying the yard and refinishing furniture.  She really does beautiful work.

5.  I missed a lot of ball this summer because we have been on the road a lot.  The highlight of the ball season for me was playing with the Saskatoon 65 plus traveling team at a tournament in Camrose AB.  Our team went unbeaten and won the whole thing.  Unfortunately, I injured my knee playing pickle ball in early June.  I have had a gimpy knee ever since, but the knee is getting better.

6.  Linda and I have enjoyed two music festivals this summer, the Saskatchewan Jazz Festival and the Waskesiu Music Festival on the beach.

7.  In late Septembers, Linda and I are flying to Toronto.  We will be visiting with family and friends in the area and I will be attending a couple Toronto Blue Jays games.  Hopefully, they will make the post season.  We will also be taking the train to Ottawa to visit Linda's son, Scott.  We will travel to Montreal to spend the Thanksgiving weekend with Scott and his girlfriend, Sara, who is a medical intern.  Then we will return to Saskatoon in mid October.

The last thing I will mention is that Linda and I have purchased a townhouse at Elkridge Resort.  We look forward to sharing the townhouse with friends and family and building memories year round.  We take possession on October 2.  We plan to do some hiking, biking, cross-country skiing, and snow showing throughout this fall and winter.  Next summer, we will be playing more golf and enjoying the opportunity to kayak, hike, swim, and hang at the beach in nearby Waskesiu. 

I know there is a lot of pain and hurt in the world.  There is plenty of bad news and I am aware of the suffering that exists.  I do pray for those who are sick and hurting, but in spite of all the pain, I try to find my bliss.  We are all going to die some day; however, until then, we shall live.