Early Bird Minutes – July 28th and August 4th

Settle in. Here are the minutes for July 28th and the August 4th meetings.

First, we acknowledge again the passing of Bill Hoogstraten, this time with a little help from George Roberts and other Birds:

“Sandy and I joined 150, or so, folks who got together to celebrate Bill Hoogstraten’s life, today. A good representative group of Birds were there to say goodbye to an amazing guy. 

Son Rod and his two sisters and Esther and Bill’s BF, gave us a delightfully entertaining stroll through Bill’s colourful past and then, in closing, Rod and a friend sang a heartfelt song to and about ‘Billy’ that left no eye dry.

Too many people never get what they deserve. I’m pleased to report that Bill got the kind of recognition that a good life, lived well, deserves.”

And another celebration of a life well lived, that of Roger Jarvis is coming up on August 30th at Eden Brook Funeral Home from 2 to 5 p.m. There’s more information here: https://www.arbormemorial.ca/edenbrook/obituaries/charles-stanley-roger-jarvis/88567/Events.

Now, back to July 28th for a few choice moments:

Gratitude from Ian Campbell for the Enbridge Tour of Alberta For Cancer taking place in person this year. A lot of fun and empowering.

Andy Lockhart – asking Reid Colbran about a water monitoring system called PHYN which helps to detect leaks and automatically shut down the water in your home whether you’re there or not. It got a friend a 10% annual discount on home insurance. It was $500 installed. Although supply chain woes have hit this company as well, you can get more information here: https://www.phyn.com/plus-smart-water-assistant/.

Andy also mentioned a potential game changer of a book for Canadian politics, Gardeners Vs. Designers by Brian Lee Crowley. More information available here: https://www.amazon.com/Gardeners-vs-Designers-Understanding-Canadian-ebook/dp/B08KWKXPZK/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1LT4M46S7D6NL&keywords=gardeners+vs+designers&qid=1660010398&s=digital-text&sprefix=gardeners+vs+designers%2Cdigital-text%2C116&sr=1-1

One more piece of reading was suggested by Andy – and it’s from the mostly-always-cogent Jordan Peterson, writing in the National Post. The title sorta lays it out for us: The Worst Is Yet To Come From the Trudeau Liberals. The article is available on the Post web site here: https://nationalpost.com/opinion/jordan-peterson-worst-is-yet-to-come-from-trudeau-liberals.

The Birds are bookworms! More reading material – this time via Bob Wiggins and a further recommendation for the Amor Towles novel initially recommended sometime during the pandemic by Dr. Tom: A Gentleman in Moscow. https://www.amazon.ca/Gentleman-Moscow-Novel-Amor-Towles/dp/0670026190. 

Ross Mikkelsen has been away for a few weeks – and it was mostly pleasure although he also attended the Patio Furniture Show in Chicago. 

Ross also nodded his head and added his support to Matt Dart’s book recommendation – Freezing Order by Bill Browder, the same author who exposed the depths of Putin’s corruption in Red Notice. https://www.amazon.ca/Freezing-Order-Laundering-Surviving-Vladimir/dp/1982153288

Further note from Matt was on the ArriveCan app. His father was in town for a week – and he would have missed his flight because of the app – had his next flight not been delayed.

Brad Pachal traveled to Regina in late July to continue to sort through the logistics of moving his dad into a smaller place, emptying his house, and preparing it for sale. They had 4 days to accomplish the move. They distributed goods to Ukrainian families and also a trade school, Value Village and the Salvation Army. His dad was pleased that people who would use his tools were getting them. The Ukrainian families that Brad observed need transportation/furniture movers to get some of the donated goods they were receiving to their new homes. 

Quick tip on gas mileage that many Birds knew but had reaffirmed: pulling a closed trailer will cut your mileage by 50%.

Quick update on lumber prices from Brad – they’re down by 32%. He also reports that inventories are high at certain places as people switch from home renos and projects back to experiences like travel, etc.

Don Davis – noted ex-presidente of Minolta Canada and Tom Baker Cancer Centre volunteer driver mentioned that for the first time he’s noticed that Tom Baker is advertising for drivers.

Don ran into Mike Mikkelson. He reports that Mike is looking great, walking every day, and that he’s joined the Heritage Rotary Club. He’d resigned from a slew of positions he’d been active in up until 2022. Don figures Mike will be running Rotary by November. 

As we endure another wave of heat this week, Don mentioned that he’d been reading about the cost of running non-stop fans (including furnace fans) vs. air conditioning from an expense standpoint. Apparently, they’re pretty close. Don and Pat are loving their AC which was installed by Arpi’s.

Sean Baylis – recovering from the splash of cold water that 2022 to this point has been one of the worst starts for the markets in history. The last time analysts remember a similar time was 1970. The GOOD news there is that in 1970 the market rose by 27% in the second half of the year.

Commodity prices are stabilizing or dropping which is good for inflation.

On to August 4th….

Dan Kennelly opened the meeting with a cautionary tale. His wife was out near Gleichen when she observed a truck towing a trailer with a beautiful ski boat on it. It didn’t stay there for long, sliding off the trailer, hitting the ditch, then sailing across the ditch into a field. It was completely destroyed. 

Garry Friedrichsen was a wedding reporter and photographer the weekend before last as his nephew got married at the Marriott downtown. All went well. It’s a bit strange being empty nesters but still having kids dropping in and out,coming and going all the time.

Garry’s son (Jack) who works for the Axiom Exploration Group (https://axiomex.com) is off doing some very interesting research for rare earth minerals – first among the islands off the west coast, including Vancouver Island, and also Northern Quebec on the Canadian Shield for Glencore one of the world’s largest mining companies.

Dwayne Vinck – in for a bit of an emotional roller coaster ride in Brandan this week between his mother’s funeral and weddings too. 

Dwayne is co-authoring the eulogy and having to dance on the tightrope of expressing love for his mom and the truth about her alcoholism and its effects on her life, and her family’s. He’s thankful for many of the AA people who will be there. Credit where credit is due, AA saved the relationship between her and Dwayne’s son after Dwayne had limited their contact for the first two years of his son’s life. Not to mention between her and Dwayne to some extent.

On the business front, Dwayne commented again on Braveheart Resources. He reiterated that they’re “pre-revenue” as a company and currently expending $60-70,000 a month to keep the doors open hoping for approval for all or part o their application to move forward with the mine. He's seeing some hopeful signs with Indigenous Nations appealing to the Feds to let the project go ahead. August 11th will be a key hearing date for them. More to come.

Rob Beasant – had forgotten what just being sick with a non-COVID flu could do you. After the recent family turmoil, the flu flattened him.

His daughter is much better, but everyone knows it’s a marathon not a sprint. Plans are coming together (hopefully for skiing competitively in Italy later this year) and counseling is having at least some of the desired effects. The family is very pleased with the medical resources, their attention to the detail including being vigilant about medications that could complicate her journey with Alpine Canada as she moves forward with plans to complete in the Special Olympics.

Rob’s boys are moving to opposite ends of the country – at the same time – and of course, both of them want Dad’s help settling in. Rob is working on Omnipotence.

On real estate in Calgary, Rob’s observations include that the market is still pretty steady and overall, more balanced. Properties under $550k are still hot, partly due to low supply. Above that – still hot – but more supply means more competitive.

One thing that’s taken many in his profession off-guard is what’s happening with price adjustments. Buyers are being forced to reapply for mortgages. As a result of reapplying for mortgages with fluctuating interest rates, etc., some buyers are finding that they’re no longer qualified.

Other notes: Row and semi-detached housing are balanced in the market and moving. Condo sales are up. There is still high demand in every category from out-of-province.

Ross Mikkelsen – mentioned an event happening in Greenview with cars, beer…not sure about dancers. Anyway, it’s called the Tango 2 Echo Fest. It’s all ages with a bit of something for everyone happening at Greenview Industrial at 4001 Edmonton Trail. More information is available here: https://www.todocanada.ca/city/calgary/event/tango-2-echo-fest/.

Andy Lockhart – reporting from the bleeding-edge frontier of AI (artificial intelligence) reports that a giant robotic ball collector and groomer that looks like a giant turtle on steroids is currently being tested at the Priddis golf course.

He also mentioned his continuing involvement in attempting to dissuade the powers that be from allowing a safe injection site anywhere the Drop In Center. He’s meeting with a couple of MLA’s this month among other things.

Matt Dart – took Andy and other Birds up on sights to see while his dad was up here visiting. They went to the Nanton Bomber Command Museum and were duly impressed. They have a video walk through here: https://www.bombercommandmuseum.ca/hours-admission/, but it doesn’t do Andy Lockhart’s handiwork justice. Andy had a hand in designing replicas of two of the biggest if not THE biggest non-atomic bombs dropped by bombers in the war. Recommended.

On the work front, some of the Johnson Controls reps are twiddling their thumbs, although there are some good things on the horizon beyond the strip malls they’re currently addressing. The South Edmonton Hospital is apparently on the board again and going to tender in about a year. Canadian Gypsum and their plant near Carseland could also bring good news to J.C.

Brad Pachal – DAD’s 3rd Act (Cont’d). Brad and family helped to finalize the sale of his father’s house in Regina, where the market is NOT the same as Calgary’s. Brad’s father’s bungalow is a 1959 bungalow in terrific shape. Comparable properties in the area were on the market for $265K. They eventually closed the sale after an offer of $246K.

Jim Bladon – back at Birds after an insane July. Between being out with farmers with work and his work with Stampede charities, AND completing a basement reno with the city’s seal of approval.

Shout out to the folks who organize the Strathmore Stampede. They do an OUTSTANDING job, among other things running full chuckwagon races (4 wagons instead of 3 – and perhaps a rumoured TWO at the Calgary Stampede next year). They also still present a number of “heritage” events you won’t see anywhere else.

As for OUR Stampede, Jim had some interesting stats. The parade was attended by 300,000 people. The Stampede itself boasted the 4th best attendance in its 100-year history: 1.1 million people. The spectators and guests were 70% local and 30% from abroad, on par with pre-pandemic times. It was really important and economically significant for the city.

Lotteries and the charities did really well, finishing ahead of last year. They’ll distribute close to $300,000 throughout the community. The majority of prize winners were local. 50/50 also boasted a local winner. Chase the Ace – the newest of the games ended up having a 1.2 million dollar prize that wasn’t won until the LAST day of Stampede.

Don Davis – signaled Roger Jarvis’ celebration of life mentioned in the opening paragraphs of this short novel.

Then moved on to try to describe the contrast in examples among professional golfers between those you might want to hold up as examples for your kids, and…..John Daly. He sorta looked like a smoking-cessation and AA program Santa Claus refugee out on the golf course. But hey – he drew more people out to the Shaw Classic for a good cause than might have been there, so what can you do?