After Commerce I took a year off and travelled to Sydney, Australia where I lived with Brian Jackson and Ken Swanson for about 6 months. I worked for an insurance company and most of our free time centered around beer, beaches, and parties. (Wonderful times!) I then travelled overland on my own through Asia and Europe.
Upon my return home I went into the Chartered Accountancy program with a large CA firm, graduating in 1976. Then I worked for an insurance company and another large CA firm until I started my own practice in 1981. I have more or less maintained my practice to this day. My current services are now mainly computer accounting, including online accounting, and tax returns.
In my younger years I was active in the community, as Board Member and Treasurer of the Manitoba Marathon from 1981 to 1986, the Winnipeg Folk Festival from 1989 to 1992, and Villa Rosa, a home for single new mothers, from 1993 to 1999.
I also taught computers at our Church from 2006 to 2016, mainly to new immigrants. We stopped in 2016 as no one had a desktop computer anymore.
I was very active in sports in my 20’s to 40’s, running 15 marathons, active in a serious running club, and playing a lot of squash and golf, and practising yoga. I always belonged to a gym. However, recently, I have been very inactive, especially during COVID. This, hopefully, will change.
I got married late in life (55) to Gina McKees who is from Zambia. She had 4 children of her own so now I am active with grandkids, nieces, and nephews.
Over the years I’ve travelled to Europe, Mexico, Florida, Hawaii, and Zambia. From 1990 to 2004 I enjoyed regular vacations on Salt Spring Island, on the West Coast. I still have fond memories of that beautiful island. Before Covid, Gina and I enjoyed many short trips to Fargo and Detroit Lakes.
As for the future, I hope to slowly wind down my practice but I still want to remain active in some way, just to keep my brain going. I would also like to get more involved in web development, which I am doing in a small way. Hopefully I will stay relatively healthy. We are still living in Winnipeg.
I’m looking forward to seeing you in September.