Achievements

See some pictures of flying trips, growing kids and Laura's wedding:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/barbcollishaw/sets/

Laura is now a fully qualified Commercial Pilot, who can fly one- or two-engined planes with instruments and land on water (with floats, not like that guy in the Hudson River).Also, she finally learned to skate backwards, and began playing shinny with some other women at the neighbourhood rink.

She doesn't have an aviation job yet, but she's READY! She does have a job, though: she recently started working 4 days a week at the World of Maps, and is enjoying it. That leaves her some time for flying practice, too.

Rachel was chosen for the Teacher's Institute, a program for history and civics teachers, put on by the Library of Parliament. It was supposed to be in November 2008, but circumstances pushed it into February 2009, so she just finished it. It was a wonderful week, and she came back full of energy and ideas, as well as knowledge. During Ottawa's bus strike, she walked to school and back every day, except when she skied!

I am proud to say that I had one of the world's finest scuba diving instructors in January 2009, when I took my Advanced Open Water course. Kevin, of course! I learned lots of great skills, and I did pass the course; I have a new PADI card to prove it. Neil tagged along on my lessons and improved his diving skills and confidence, too. We spent a week with Kevin and Kat in Jamaica, where they are currently working. In fact, we enjoyed it so much that we will be going back again in April.