Luke & Jennifer Coughey

Bumper Stickers

2012-02-09T13:00:00.000-05:00

Over the past year, another one of Canada's great technology companies falls upon hard times in the midst of a tough international market. Research In Motion certainly has had a tough year with many disappointments. That being said, they are a Canadian company with which we should be very proud.

I've been thinking about the bumper stickers we see on cars here in Canada saying, "Out of a job yet? Keep buying foreign." This statement makes perfect sense if you are an American who can take pride in several different American car brands. However, as a Canadian, we don't have our own car brand and all cars are foreign products.

But, when it comes to smart phones, we do have a Canadian product. Perhaps the bumper stickers should be adapted to, "Out of a job yet? Keep buying Apple."

Anyway, my point is that it is about time that we Canadians stop killing our technology companies. A few companies that come to mind that we have lost or have pretty much killed:

- Nortel Networks
- ATI (Video card maker now owned by Germany's AMD)
- Corel (still around, but took a huge blow when Canadian's dumped Word Perfect for the US competitor, MS Word

Do we really need to add RIM to the list?

Magic Jack Experience

2011-01-28T15:42:00.000-05:00

Okay. Now that I've played with the device, I'd like to post a some positive comments. I held off connecting the device and setting it up because I thought I needed a telephone. So, I ventured out and purchased a phone at Value Village for a price of $4.50.

Setup was easy and straight forward. I wasn't fussy about the setup window forcing itself to the front of my screen during the setup process, but it gave me no excuse for pulling the device out before the software download was complete. It prompted me through various screens to setup my phone ID, number and offered me various extras, such as long distance plans.

Once setup, I made a call from my Magic Jack line to my cell phone...it worked great. I returned the call from my cell phone and it was equally good. It is amazing how fast a phone number can get setup and working...yet it can take the major telcos days to setup a new phone line.

After playing with the device software on my Mac OS screen, I discovered that I don't even need a physical phone, as it works as a soft phone.

Without setting up voicemail, it automatically forwards messages to the e-mail address associated with the account. I later called into to change my default password and identification with ease.

I'm also impressed that I can setup my number to automatically forward my calls to any number of my choice (I assume within North America). So, in theory, I could setup Magic Jack phone numbers throughout North America, then forward the calls to my cell phone and not pay any long distance charges. Very cool.

So, when it comes to website and sales support, I give Magic Jack two thumbs down. But, it seems like the product itself deserves two thumbs up.

Magic Jack arrived, finally

2011-01-28T09:25:00.001-05:00

I finally received my Magic Jack in the mail yesterday. I brought it to the office to play with, but I don't have a phone here that will work with it. DOH! Anyway, I went back to the Magic Jack site and could not help but notice the message on the screen. Read the text in the Orange banner. It is amazing that I can get it in one day, but it took two weeks for my RUSH delivery that I paid extra for.

E-Mail Correspondance with Dan Borislow of Magic Jack

2011-01-27T08:14:00.000-05:00

My response to the e-mail I got from Jonathan (on behalf of Dan Borislow)

So, I was told lies when I made the order?

1. I ordered a 30 day trial and was not informed that the trial starts at the time of the order

2. I paid for a rush shipment promising a 2 day delivery, rather than 2 weeks. I was not informed that this was a waste of my money

I'd like to start with a refund of the rush shipment costs that were charged to my credit card. I'm trying to decide on whether I'll even bother opening the box or returning it to sender.

I will continue to post my experience on my blog.

Luke
---
Luke Coughey
CEO
Recovery Force Inc
866-750-3169
http://www.recoveryforce.com/
Sent from my Blackberry

The response I got from Dan Borislow (Jonathan)

From: Dan Borislow
To: Luke Coughey
Sent: Wed Jan 26 18:01:38 2011
Subject: RE: Problem with my 30 day trial.

Dear Luke,

Dan asked me to assist you.

As we have checked your account it shows that your order has been shipped out on 01/17/2011. Unfortunately, Canadian orders do not have tracking numbers at this time. If you received an alphanumeric code such as "LN105042107US", it is a "Customs Declarations Number", not a tracking number. However, you can always check the nearest local post office to verify if the items already arrived.

Item shipments to Canada normally takes 7-10 days and a maximum of 14 days with delays that we do not have control over with.

On the other hand, it is our company protocol that your order date is the starts of your 30 day trial period.

Best Regards,
Jonathan

My initial e-mail to Dan Borislow:

From: Luke Coughey [lcoughey@recoveryforce.com]
Sent: Wednesday, January 26, 2011 4:15 PM
To: Dan Borislow
Subject: Problem with my 30 day trial.

Mr. Borislow,
I regret to say that two weeks into my 30 day trial I have yet to receive my Magic Jack and have been informed that the 30 day trial that was sold to me does not exist. As I started this process, excited with the idea of doing a review and promoting the device to my clients and peers, I started to Blog about the process on my personal Blog.
Is there any reason why I cannot have my 30 day trial start from the time I receive and activate the device (if it ever arrives)?
Anyway, I’d appreciate your response. You can see my blog posting at http://coughey.blogspot.com/2011/01/magic-jack.html
Sincerely,
Luke
Luke Coughey
CEO
Recovery Force Inc
866-750-3169
http://www.recoveryforce.com/

Magic Jack

2011-01-26T16:06:00.001-05:00

I have heard a few of my peers comment on this device and thought it was time for me to give it a test. With a 30 day free trial, I decided to make an order. To speed up the delivery, I agreed to pay $3.95 for the rush delivery.

The initial order was made January 15th, 2011
Comfirmation E-mail was received January 16th, 2011
Shipment was sent January 17th, 2011
Payment for the shipping was billed to my Master Card January 17, 2011

Jump forward to January 26th. Still no Magic Jack. I've had an interesting chat with Magic Jack. It went as follows:

Please wait for a site operator to respond.

You are now chatting with 'Crystal'

Your Issue ID for this chat is LTK43608422469X

Crystal: Hello, how may I help you?

Luke: I've been billed for a Magic Jack...it showed up on my credit card for the express shipping. But, it has been two weeks and I still haven't received it.

Luke: I go to the link to look at the status of my order and I get an error saying that my order is not found.

Luke: ...so far, my 30 day trial is not going so well.

Crystal: Have you tried checking your order at the nearest postal office of your place?

Luke: Nope...the order should be coming to my mailbox at my front door. Why would I look somewhere else?

Crystal: I am transferring you to one of our top 10% agents as rated by our customers. Please hold while I transfer you.

Please wait while I transfer the chat to the best suited site operator.

You are now chatting with 'Paul'

Your Issue ID for this chat is LTK43608422469X

Paul: Hi this is Paul, how are you?

Luke: I ordered and was billed for the delivery of the free trial for a Magic Jack. It has not arrived after two weeks.

Paul: let me assist you

Paul: do you have your order number

Luke: I entered in when I started the chat...I'll try to find it again.

Luke: DT04882901

Luke: USPS Tracking Number (according to the link from my e-mai) is LN105042107US

Luke: According to USPS, that tracking number does not exist.

Paul: Please wait while I check that for you

Luke: I'm assuming that the free trial doesn't start until I actually have activated the device, correct?

Paul: from the day you purcashed it

Paul: purchased

Luke: That is a rip off. It has been 2 weeks and I haven't even received it. Good thing I paid extra for an express shipment with tracking.

Paul: mayI know your complete shipping address?

Luke: 1*** P******, Cambridge, ON, Canada, *** ***

Paul: thank you

Paul: as much as i want to assist you but all Canadian orders takes time to arrive to the specific shipping address. it usually take till 20 days and it depends on the shipping carrier as well

Luke: I paid $3.95 for the rush delivery...to be delivered within two days.

Luke: Now you tell me that I wasted my money and that most of my trial period will be used up by the shipping of the product?

Paul: nothing to worry at all for you would be refunded for the rush shpping as well

Luke: I would be or will be refunded for the rush shipping?

Luke: Again, when does my free trial start?

Paul: from the day of purchase

Luke: So, the 30 day trial is not really a 30 day trial. i suppose that it goes to the day that you receive it back. So, if I get it on day 29 and I mail it back the same method you sent it to me, I will be billed for the next month?

Paul: nope

Paul: in fact you can make a note "return to sender" so that you would not be charged as well

Luke: But, I want my 30 day free trial.

Paul: it is impossible to have 30 day trial for Canadian orders

Luke: That would have been nice to know when I made the order for the 30 day trial.

Paul: how may I help you now ?

Luke: The funny thing is, I didn't even click on the final order submission button. Oh well.

Luke: So, for the record, the 30 day trial that was sold to me on the 16th of January, 2011 does not exist and was sold to me knowing that it is not possible to offer to Canadians?

Paul: so you mean you do want to have your money back >?

Luke: I want my full 30 day trial.

Paul: yes

Luke: But, it looks like my review is not going to be so hot.

Paul: but you can even visit radio shack , walmart and bestbuy for that

Luke: You have to be kidding me. Does your boss know that this is the response that I'm getting?

Paul: I believe that I have already provided you all the information needed; I would like to ask permission to end this conversation with you. Thank you.

Since we haven't heard from you, we must release this chat. Please click here should you need further assistance: www.magicJack.com/techchat

The next step is for me to contact Dan Borislow, the founder of the company, to see what his response is. I can't imagine that this is the service that he intends his clients to experience.

Poor Rogers Service

2011-01-06T16:31:00.000-05:00

As most of my peers are aware, I've been a huge supporter of Rogers Cable, Home Phone, Internet and Cell Phone services. However, based on an experience that one of my employees is having with Rogers over a simple trackball fix on his blackberry bold, I'm not so happy.

Basically, Jim's trackball stopped scrolling down, which is a common issue for the Blackberry's with the trackball. There are lots of companies out there who will fix it in an hour, while you wait for about $30. Jim wasn't aware of this when he took his phone to the Rogers + store in Guelph (on Silvercreek Parkway) who said that they could send it in for repair. Several weeks later, he finally got a quote of $80 or extend his contract for 1 month to get his phone fixed. He chose the one month extension.

After another week or two, he got an e-mail saying that they are now sending him a blackberry curve (a phone worth half as much as the bold) as a replacement. About a week ago, he received the curve, which he hoped was a mistake.

Since then, he has talked to Rogers corporate who says that if the curve is an upgrade, he should have gotten the old phone back. But, now they are saying that there is nothing he can do but to send a letter to the office of the president (or something like that).

From the way I see it, either the Rogers + store is pulling a fast one and is planning to sell his old phone for a few extra bucks on the side or they lost his original phone and don't want to fess up to their mistake.

So, here I am, posting a blog to tell the world to beware of Rogers. The funny thing is, if they would have simply "upgraded" his phone to a Torch, rather than downgraded to a Curve, he likely wouldn't be the least bit unhappy.

Doug Coughey: Right to Drive or Privilege?

2010-10-07T16:40:00.000-04:00

Doug Coughey: Right to Drive or Privilege?: "The Ontario Ministry of Transportation revoked driver's license primarily on the report of a neurologist who saw me for one hour. I had fain..."

Thanksgiving 2010

2010-10-07T16:24:00.000-04:00

It has been a long time since I last posted anything in my blog and I just thought it was about time that I do so. Since last blogging, a lot has changed for me.

1. We moved our office to a new location in September 2009
2. Jennifer and I changed churches to Harvest Bible Chapel in Cambridge in January 2010
3. Jennifer and I bought a house in March 2010
4. We found out we are expecting a new baby boy this summer...due late January 2011
5. We bought a new car in October 2010

The business is continuing to grow and so is our trust in the Lord. Praise God for all his blessings over the past year, we have so much to be thankful for.

Pro Racquetball

2009-03-04T19:40:00.003-05:00

It may not be a grand slam or a tier 1 event, but I can officially say that I'm playing my first official pro racquetball event this weekend. If you don't believe me, you can check the IRT website (http://www.irt-tour.com/) and see that there is a link to the Leamington tournament. Follow the link and you'll see my name on the list of registered players.

I assume that you can follow the draw online here as soon as they become available. You'll find me in Men's Open and my father in Men's A, as well as the two of us together in the Open Doubles.

Let it be clear, I haven't played a tournament in a couple of years. Even though I'll be trying to win every game, my goal is to get points each game I play.

I imagine that I will not win the doubles, as I'm playing with my dad and we haven't had much success in tournaments together. That being said, we are definitely due for a win and this might be our tournament.

How to Minimize the Effects of a Recession

2009-02-07T20:42:00.003-05:00

I've been observing everything that has been taken place over the past year during the current world wide recession. In doing so, I have a few ideas that I think could help reduce the impact of future recessions. These are ideas that should be forced by government when a recession has been declared:

1. Mass Layoffs
Instead of mass layoffs to save x% of the company's annual expenses, the company must first offer a x% pay cut for all employees at all levels (janitor to CEO). If after an open vote, the pay cut is turned down, all those who reject the pay cut are the first on the list to be layed off. I also suggest that if pay cut is chosen, the company offer to pay back the retroactive money, when things turn around.

2. Bank Foreclosures
Instead of forcing homeowners into bankruptcy and foreclosing on their mortgages, the banks should offer a 1 year interest and payment free period where the home owner can get things back on track. In the event that the home owner can secure some extra funds, they can benefit from getting some extra payments in during the year.

3. Union Strikes
I think that it is ridiculous for people to complain about their pay and work environment when there are so many losing their jobs and would love to switch places. During a recession, strikes should be illegal.

4. No Money Down Mortgages
It seems strange that our national government decided to eliminate the no money down mortgage at a time when it is most needed. In a time when getting a down payment together will be almost impossible for many, let's make it easier for people to buy a house. This does not mean that the criteria for the mortgage should be easier, just that the necessity for a down payment should be waived.

5. 40 Year Mortgages
As with my last point, pushing a mortgage over 40 years can reduce a monthly payment to a point where more could move from being a renter to a home owner. The amount of money lost in interest will always be a lot less than the amount of money lost in rent over 40 years.

I honestly think that these ideas, if they would have been enforced prior to the start of the current recession, the impact would have been a lot less severe. It is possible that the recession could have been completely avoided.

No coalition government!

2008-12-02T13:21:00.000-05:00

Since first hearing about the plot of the Liberals & NDP to form a coalition government with the support of the separatist Bloc party, I've been feeling sick. It is absolutely crazy that two parties who can't even get their own political parties out of debt think they can do a better job with helping Canada through a global financial crisis.

I don't want to waste any more money going back to the polls. However, I think that the money lost on the polls would be less than the money we'll lose if we let the coalition take power under Mr. Dion's leadership.

If the coalition goes through and Bob Rae wins the Liberal leadership, we'll have a first time, truly NDP national government.

2008-11-19T16:24:00.000-05:00

As you can see, I've decided not to abandon this blog. I've found that there are a bunch of modules that we can add to enhance the user experience. So, I shall do just that.

So, stay tuned as you see more comments come in from Jennifer and me.

Luke

New Site

2008-07-05T08:33:00.001-04:00

It is still in the works, but we are moving our blog to a new location. Check us out at http://coughey.recoveryforce.net/

Luke

General Motors and the Union

2008-06-17T19:48:00.000-04:00

I must admit that I've never been a big fan of unions. Don't get me wrong, unions have gone a long way in helping improve working conditions for many people around the world. My concern is that unions have crossed the line from improving working conditions for the employees to putting employers out of business due to unnecessary salary demands.

I know many people blame foreign companies for the fall of the domestic vehicle companies. I believe that the unions are to blame. My predictions are that as Ford, GM & Chrysler start to close factory doors, Honda, Toyota and Volkswagen will open factories to pick up the slack.

It is a shame to see so many people lose their jobs, but I'm sure they can get a job at a competitor plant.

As for GM's announcement to close their truck plant, it makes sense. Sales are down over 30% for the vehicles being built at the plant. With that plant being the most expensive to run in North America, it only makes sense to shut it down.

Save WindowsXP

2008-02-07T11:52:00.000-05:00

There is a petition on Info World's website asking Microsoft to respond by changing the June 30th, 2008 deadline for WindowsXP production to indefinite. I, for one, am on board with this petition as I think that Vista is bloated and needs a rewrite.

There are rumours that Microsoft is already working on a new operating system called Windows 7. From what I understand, the new OS will be developed on a much lighter kernel which means it will be a lot faster and require a lot less RAM and hard drive capacity. The only downfall is that it isn't expected until 2010. By that time, everyone will be running Ubuntu Linux or Mac OS.

Merry Christmas

2007-12-24T11:01:00.000-05:00

As we celebrate the birth or our Lord & Saviour, Jesus Christ, we would like to wish you all a very merry Christmas and a happy New Year.

Love from Jennifer, Luke, Mercy & Nadja

Flukey or Fabulous?

2007-12-12T08:46:00.001-05:00

My nephew was over here last week and asked Mercy if she wanted to play house. Her immediate response to him was, "on the contrary, I need to play in my closet.". How does a 2 year old know that phrase, let alone how to use it correctly? Plus, we tried a thai-vietnamese restaurant with my family, and Mercy was actually eating with chopsticks. Now her form was far from perfect, but she refused a fork, preferring to manage on her own with the chopsticks.

Also, Luke and Nadja were at a restaurant, and there was a car with words on the side (a toy). She pointed and said, "New", and sure enough, there was the word new on the side of the car! We printed the word out on a paper a week later, and asked her what it was, and she said "car". Did she associate the word with the car from the week before? Lol, we sure had a good laugh over these, and I'm a little worried about homsechooling geniuses!

Jen.

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Christmas is coming!!!!

2007-12-10T08:49:00.001-05:00

I love Christmas. My girls decorated their first Christmas tree this year. We got them ONE gift each, plus some dollar store stocking stuffers. I don't want it to be about what they get. I wanted to take them caroling with a group from our church this year, they went to a long-term-care facility. But when the scheduled night came, we missed it.

Luke and I really need the down time this Christmas. It's been so hectic and so busy lately, it feels like the only time we see each other is when we go to bed at night. Exhaustion is at an all-time high at this point. But, it helps to take time to remember why we celebrate Christmas in the first place. It truly helps slow the rush of things, because most things just seem unimportant by comparison.

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Fam's sick...and tired!

2007-10-16T17:58:00.001-04:00

Well, I think it all started with Luke and Mercy. Luke tried to stay home from work Thursday, but ended up having to go in for a few hours anyway...I swear he's going to kill himself for that company! Mercy spent the entire day lying in my bed. Nadja got sick two days ago, and Mercy hasn't gotten better yet, neither has Luke. Luke is filling some scripts for the girls as the doctor thinks they might have strep. Poor Luke drove all the way out to Fergus, and it would have been a long wait, so he came to Guelph to try his chances at the after hours clinic, only to find there was a line up of 15 or so people before the doors even opened! That's after he tried the day clinic to find a sign on the door that said "closed for today".

Through all of this, I've actually been fine, surprisingly. But tonight I've felt sick to my stomach all evening. I slept soundly last night but woke up feeling like I still needed three days sleep. I guess I'm bound to get it. I just hope they all get better soon. Prayer would be wonderful.

Jen.

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Updates

2007-09-25T11:46:00.000-04:00

It has been a while since I last posted on this blog and thought it was time for an update. Jennifer and I are searching for a house now that we have been pre-approved for a mortgage. Of course, we are in no rush, but it is fun to look at houses.

On another note, someone was rummaging through our vehicles last night. It would appear that they were sorely disappointed as there really wasn't much worth stealing in our cars. The only thing that I lost was my fake Leatherman tool...not a big deal.

On the move again????

2007-08-29T16:25:00.000-04:00

We just heard from our new landlord last night that he has to sell this house due to finances. He has said that he's going to try to sell to someone who's interested in keeping it as a rental property, for our sakes. He's been a great landlord, and I don't blame him, but it would really suck for us to have to move AGAIN! This is our fourth house in three years of marriage! We had really been hoping to settle down and stay for a while. Other than that, Nadja has three stitches in her wee chin. She fell with a "toy" camera in her hand, and the film rewinder was up, and went through her chin. Poor kid, but she really was a trooper about it.

Jen.

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My MacBook Pro Finally Works

2007-08-23T09:17:00.000-04:00

I forgot to post that I finally was able to convince Apple that my MacBook Pro woes were not software related. I took my system to a local Apple service centre and they found that my airport card was only working at 30%, at the best of times. Once the card was replaced, I am now surfing wirelessly without having my connection constantly dropped. Not only did this solve my wireless problems, it also resolved my random lockups and crashes.

It is ironic that I can to Apple data recovery, but do you think I could convince Apple that I was correctly diagnosing my hardware problems? Anyway, I just want everyone to know that now that my system is working like it should have when I bought it, I am very happy with its performance. I can even boot into WindowsXP directly and not have any lock ups too.

Caught by my own words.

2007-08-15T15:10:00.001-04:00

I was driving to pick up Luke the other day when this driver cut me off most annoyingly and impolitely. I said something like "you idiot, where did you get your licence, from a cereal box?", I was not happy with him. I wasn't very polite in my tone in saying that either. Well, from behind my driver's seat, Mercy says, "Mama, what you bein rude about?". I'd been trying to teach her to speak kindly to people, and especially to her sister, who likes to grab and push. Well, I guess I know now that the lessons have sunk in with her!

Jen.

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MacBook Pro

2007-08-06T18:20:00.000-04:00

Okay, I switched from a PC to a Mac. Why? You ask. Well, I needed to free up another computer for a data recovery workstation and thought that I could have the best of both worlds with being able to boot into MacOS and Windows. Well, I was definitely wrong with that choice.
1. Windows won't run for more than 5 minutes without locking up...even with a fresh installation.
2. My wireless barely works, at the best of times and requires a reboot to get it working again, when it stops.
3. I paid over $3000 for something I could have bought for $1400 in the PC world
4. I've already replaced the hard drive due to an impending crash

Bumps & Scratches

2007-08-04T15:31:00.000-04:00

One of the toughest things in being a parent of babies is knowing how to react when your child is sick or hurt. They can't express exactly how they feel and they cry no matter how simple the matter is.
Just a while ago, Mercy pushed Nadja (yet again) causing her to slam into the door frame with her head. She hit so hard, I expected to see blood all over the place. None the less, Nadja has a huge bump that is swelling from about 2 inches above her eye to half way down her cheek. As Jennifer and I don't want to take any chances and Nadja didn't let up on her crying, Jennifer has taken Nadja to the hospital to get her checked out. I suspect it is just a big bump, yet it isn't worth risking.
I'll post an update when I know more.

NB Leads Canada in Job Creation

2007-07-09T09:24:00.000-04:00

According to a news article posted on CBC's website (click here), NB is experiencing a job boom like never before. In fact, the unemployment rate is lower than ever (even better than Alberta) and I'm sure it is a welcome problem that they are having a hard time finding people to fill the work positions.

I've been doing a lot of thinking about my home province and how it can stop the decline in its population and create its own industry. As it seems that the major concerns for the next few decades will be an increased need for green power sources. After hearing that NB Power is considering a second nuclear power plant, I realized that was it. Green power. If they were to build that plant, put up several wind and solar farms, the province could become a 'power house' for Canada, selling power to neighbouring provinces and US states.

With the announcement of UNBSJ starting a med school, the discovery of large natural gas deposits, Irving's desire for a 2nd refinery, LNG and the ability to provide major amounts of green electricity, I think the tide may be turning. If all the Atlantic Provinces were to work together, they could become self sufficient in a matter of a few years.

The only other challenge will be getting people to move there for the work. I think that they should encourage immigration, as well as bite the bullet and make the Fredericton Airport into a real international airport...but, that is another discussion topic.

Happy Anniversary!

2007-06-27T13:27:00.001-04:00

It was our third anniversary yesterday. Three very full years. It's been very busy, but I wouldn't change them for the world. God has put us together like two pieces of a puzzle, and it always amazes me how wonderfullly Luke completes me and balances me out. I could never even have imagined a kinder, gentler, truer gentleman than my husband. I know I don't tell him half often enough, but I am so proud to be the wife of such a wonderful man. He works very hard and he's so bound by honour. The Lord must beam on him because he's so devoted. I thank the Lord every single day for the wonderful person He put me with to walk through this life together.

Jen.

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Father's Day

2007-06-17T15:13:00.000-04:00

Today is father's day. A day that didn't have a lot of significance to me most of my life. Other than feeling guilty for not buying my dad a gift or a card.

This year, it is different. Jennifer and I are due to celebrate our third wedding anniversary on the 26th of June and we have been blessed with two beautiful daughters. It has been so rewarding to watch these kids grow up and see how my influence molds their character. I pray that my example is one that is honouring to God and that Mercy and Nadja will grow up to love and serve Him.

Ever buy a lemon?

2007-06-14T13:08:00.000-04:00

The day before Nadja was born a little more than a year ago, Jennifer and I picked up our van that we purchased through the local Ford dealership. It is a used van that the dealer said was well maintained and had only one owner. What they didn't tell us is that we were in for the ride of our lives with repairs.

Okay, let's see if I can list them off:
- Interior Light staying on because the door sensors are defective
- Rear door difficult to open and close
- ABS went within a couple of months
- Power window switch was broken
- Alternator died
- Belt fell off on the 427...lost my power steering at 120km/hour
- Radiator had a hole and was replaced
- Upper and lower rad hoses replaced
- Water pump replaced
- Horn doesn't work
- Cruise control no longer works
- Spark plugs and wires replaced
- Gas line filter was so plugged, we stopped getting gas
- Upper rad hose blew and was replaced again
- Exhaust clamp replaced
- Spare tire is flat and not connected properly
- When switching the rear fan from cool to heat, it sometimes does not switch over...takes several attempts
- Break fluid is going somewhere very slowly
- Steering fluid is not even the right color and looks disgusting

I'm sure I'll have more to report as time goes on. It sucks to think that because I could not get a loan for a better vehicle, I'll end up spending the difference in repairs. I've been tempted to drop the van off at the dealer's doorstep and request that they give me something that works. The worse part is, due to refinancing of our loan, we have another 3 years to go before this van is paid for.

Cool tool!

2007-05-27T08:48:00.000-04:00

Last night, I broke down and bought a OBD2 code reader. It connects to 1996 model cars and newer and reports any error codes that your car may have to report. My van hasn't been performing the best, as of late, and the check engine light has been on. The reader cost about $185 and I'm sure that I'd have to pay at least $100 to have a mechanic use theirs...so, I just need to use it twice to pay for itself.

Anyway, it would appear that I may be firing one cylinder short...which implies that I may need to replace a spark plug or wire. Anyway, I'm sure that this is boring to most of you...but, I love computer technology.

Cheers!

Happy Mother's Day!!!

2007-05-13T15:04:00.000-04:00

Today is mother's day and I thought it would be nice to post a few nice comments about my mother. She is a great woman who has always supported and encouraged me, even when I have been rather selfish. She stands behind my dad and is almost always with a smile. Thanks mom.

I'd also like to say that my children who are too small to say it themselves think they have a great mother too. Thanks for being such a great wife and mom.

Terrible Two's

2007-05-03T19:49:00.000-04:00

Mercy has hit the stage in her life where she cries and screams if she does not get her way. Once a little girl who went to bed without any fusses at 7pm and wouldn't awake until after 8am, she now goes to bed around 8pm and cries and fusses for an hour or two, wakes up several times through the night and comes into our room at 6am.

I can understand that she is at the stage of life where she has to learn that the world does not revolve around her, but it is very tough, as a parent, to listen to the crying and giving into her demands. I'm playing hard ball tonight and she seems to be on her game.

Please keep my family in your prayers. Not only is this a time of training and learning for her, but it is for me too as a parent. I want to raise her up in the ways of the Lord and from time to time, return her to Him.

Illuminati & Facebook?

2007-05-01T09:36:00.000-04:00

It has come to my attention that Facebook.com may be used for the harvesting of personal information for a very powerful organization called the Illuminati. You can follow the link below to watch and hear an online presentation of how Facebook.com is tied to this organization and their intentions.

http://www.albumoftheday.com/facebook/

Even though I just created an account with Facebook.com, I've just "deactivated" my account. Which means it is still there. They don't seem to give an option to delete it and the site informs me that I can reactivate the account just by logging back on.

Power Savings

2007-04-30T09:47:00.000-04:00

Evan as a big Conservative supporter, I must admit that I'm not very happy with the proposed lightbulb ban. It definitely rubs me the wrong way when they state partial truths on how we can save about $50/year in power costs (just so the power company can raise our prices to compensate for lost revenues). Here is a calculation that I did to see how much we really save.

1. Assume that there are 20 lightbulbs in your house
2. Assume that the lifespan of the bulb package holds true
- traditional bulb 1000 hours
- new bulb 8000 hours
3. Average price of a traditional bulb is $.25
4. Lowest price of a new bulb (on sale a Canadian Tire) $5.00 (normally $9.00)

Let's see what the math says:

Traditional Bulb:
# of bulbs * price * 8 replacements to get 8000 hours
20 * $.25 * 8 = $40 / year

New Bulb:
# of bubls * price - suggested power savings
20 * $5 - $50 = $50 (Sale price)
20 * $9 - $50 = $130 (Regular price)

As you can see, the math tells the truth. Unless the new flourescent bulbs are going to have a significant price drop, we will pay for this change. Throw in the fact that the power company will probably raise our power prices accordingly, the $50 in savings will be lost.

I can understand the logic behind the change, but I think that the cost is too high for the average consumer. If the government were to ban new CRT TVs and Monitor sales to be enforced by Jan 1, 2008, I would see no problem with that. There is at least a 50% difference in power consumption there. It would be even better if they'd give me $50 for my old CRT trade in.

I'm all for saving our environment; but, it has to be done in a way that is affordable. The idea that the more power I save, the better chance that my power bill will go up is ridiculous. I'm tempted to go out and stock up on light bulbs.

A nice day with my family

2007-04-21T20:16:00.000-04:00

It was a nice day today. We started the day with Mercy coming into our room to wake us up this morning. Jennifer got Nadja up and brought her in too...and we all snuggled on our bed for a while before we took the kids for a walk for breakfast and a trip to the park.

We had a visit from Jennifer's mother, sister and aunt in the early afternoon. After the girls afternoon nap, we went to my sister's for a BBQ, which was really nice. My nieces played with our girls most of the time we were there and Nadja took the 3 or 4 steps of walking to the next level as she roamed around the main floor of the house...with a few bum breaks along the way.

After a short bath, Nadja is in bed and Jennifer is reading a book with Mercy before we put her to bed for the night.

God has blessed me with such a wonderful family. I pray that I will be able to live up to my duty as a husband and father, that the Lord has given to me.

Mr. Mom

2007-04-07T13:27:00.000-04:00

To allow Jennifer the opportunity to have a nice day without the kids, I'm home with them, while she is off to Toronto for the day with her family. They are catching the annual passion play, while I'm trying to potty train Mercy.

I think I may have taken on more than I am capable of doing. I don't know how women handle it. Between the laundry, dishes, diapers, messes to clean up and such, I'm scared I might lose one of the kids or forget to do something that I'm supposed to. If our kids grow up to be dysfunctional, I'm sure we'll be able to trace it back to this very day.

Anyway, I pray that you are all having a wonderful Easter weekend celebrating the freedom that we have through the death and resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

The flu is still here. Doh!

2007-04-01T11:01:00.000-04:00

It seems as though we can't shake this bug. We've all had it...and it would appear that Nadja still has it. I'm sure people are beginning to wonder if we are really sick or are just making up excuses for not going to church.

We're in.

2007-03-30T12:12:00.000-04:00

We are finished with our move...mostly. There is still some stuff at the old place, but that's just a matter of a vanload. The new place is great! The girls are adjusting alright. Nadja's great, Mercy is having a bit of a harder time with it, keeps asking to go to "Mercy's house", but she'll get there soon enough. Another bonus is that our laundry works fast! And we have water pressure! We're looking forward to using this place to entertain people, and Luke wants to get involved with the college student group at our church in the fall. So this is a real blessing!

Jen.

MacBook Pro Wireless Problems

2007-03-23T15:52:00.000-04:00

I think I've done quite well to avoid putting technical jargon on our family blog. However, I've had my MacBook Pro Core Two Duo for over a week and I haven't even mentioned that I have it. To most of you who read this blog, you really don't care. But, for me...this is really cool.

Just think, I am running both WindowsXP & MacOS 10 at the same time. It has a built in camera, microphone, speaker, wireless, bluetooth, dual layer DVD and the keyboard lights up automatically when it gets dark. How cool is that?

Anyway, I just want to post a fix that I found with my wireless when trying to connect to my D-Link DI-624 router using the WPA security settings. It would appear that Parallels (the application that allows me to run WindowsXP from within MacOS 10) messes with the wireless network when set for shared networking. So, all I needed to do was change it over to bridged networking and all is well.

Anyway, here is a picture I took of myself with my webcam. I think it might be broken, but it is hard to tell.

Test of Faith

2007-03-16T18:22:00.000-04:00

Ever have one of those days, weeks or months when you fell like you just can't get ahead and it is as if the whole world is against you? Well, Jennifer and I are have one of those months.

It all started with us getting notice that we have to move. Thinking that we could start planning for our future and start saving, we consolidated a few of our debts and started an RRSP. Before we were done with the paper work, we had to add extra money on to our loan to cover the cost of replacing the radiator in the van.

Once the van was fixed, we found out that there was more to be done. In fact, it would appear that the water pump is leaking and requires replacement. The mechanic was kind to tell me that this is a job that will cost over $1000 in labour, alone.

Thinking that we have a car that was being used by our sister, Andrea, I figured I could recall the car to buy us some time to have Jennifer's uncle fix the van. We were supposed to get the car back this weekend, but Andrea announced problems with the car this week. The mechanic told her that it isn't worth fixing and that it isn't safe to leave the shop.

So, here we are, preparing for a move next weekend, trying to figure out how to fix our van and/or car without going bankrupt.

This all being said, we still have to sit back and give God all the praise and glory for all the blessings He has given us. Not only do we have our health and a loving family, I have a job that provides enough money so that Jennifer doesn't need to work and can stay home with the kids.

I don't know what the Lord has planned for us or how He plans to use this incident for His glory, but I trust that He will. In fact, even though it is quite exhausting to have so many things go wrong, I'm excited to see what He has planned for us. He never promised us health, wealth or prosperity on this side of glory. I am just thankful that He will take care of all our needs.

Luke

Happy 2nd Mercy!

2007-03-15T12:50:00.000-04:00

Just 10 days ago, we celebrated Nadja's 1st birthday. Today, we celebrate Mercy's 2nd. We got her a tricycle and I'm excited to give it to her.

In Honour of my Sister

2007-03-12T11:08:00.000-04:00

I wanted to say a few words about my sister, Andrea. She has been working, since last September, for an organization that reaches children in local communities. What's notable about this is how much the Lord has used her in such a short time. She's had responsibility after responsibility added to her shoulders because so many people recognize her passion for God. She leads Bible studies, homework clubs, outings, etc. One of the churches she attends just approached her about taking over the entire leadership of the young girls Bible study!

Andrea made a committment to give her life to the Lord when she was very young, and she has never "cooled" or backed off from that. God has given her some very strong influences, not only on the young people she works with, but with her coworkers as well. God uses her to inspire others to deeper committments and more active service. She makes her family proud. So if you can remember it, please pray for her continued courage, strength and guidance and she untiringly serves her Father in whatever way He asks of her.

Jen.

Food fight? Enjoy some healthy debate
in the Yahoo! Answers Food & Drink Q&A.

Happy 1st Birthday Nadja!

2007-03-04T13:52:00.000-05:00

Well, technically, tomorrow is Nadja's birthday. However, it just seems easier to have people over on a Sunday afternoon to watch her get chocolate cake all over herself. We aren't planning anything special...just cake and open a few gifts and an excuse for the adults to socialize.

Shopping with Mercy

2007-03-03T16:12:00.000-05:00

Mercy tries to be helpful when getting groceries. From time to time, she throws a few items into the cart on her own...some of which I'm not sure we'd know what to do with. Today, while emptying the cart, Mercy tried to assist by passing the eggs to me. Okay, she passed the egg carton to me while dropping all the eggs into the cart. I paid for 12 eggs and only took home 7.

We have a new home.

2007-02-15T09:21:00.000-05:00

We have found a place to live, which I think my hubby mentioned in one of the previous posts comment section. It's only about five minutes from where we are right now, and it's beautiful. Three large bedrooms, lots of space, open concept main floor. The landlord also said he had been planning on having a deck built in the backyard this summer. The Lord always provides our needs. We needed a place to live, and we now have one. We are very thankful.

Jen.

Moving notice

2007-02-01T21:57:00.000-05:00

Please keep us in your prayers as we start the search for a new home once again. We have been given notice and have until the end of April to vacate. Our current home will be demolished for more housing subdivisions...like Guelph needs more.

Sick of telemarketer's? (Sorry Andrew)

2007-01-24T19:25:00.000-05:00

Click here for a funny audio clip.

Sick...again.

2007-01-23T20:07:00.000-05:00

I don't know where it came from, but I found myself up all last night vomiting. It was not fun, to say the least. It has to be some sort of bug that is going around, as Jennifer isn't feeling the best and Nadja was sick last night too; though, the girls seem to be fine today.

I must admit, I'm so blessed to have Jennifer as a wife. Even though I kept her awake most of the night, she still pressed on and took care of the girls today while I slept. She is the best wife ever.

Why not to drive in freezing rain.

2007-01-17T10:29:00.000-05:00

Here is a link to a video that my friend Andrew passed on to me...I'll let it speak for itself.

Click Here

Upgraded

2007-01-16T12:48:00.000-05:00

I finally got the option to upgrade to the new blogger and have done so. The transfer seems to have worked without any problems and I definitely like the new features that I've seen, thus far.

WindowsXP Pro x64

2007-01-11T10:38:00.000-05:00

I bought a laptop last spring for work. I chose the 64 bit processor, as I figured that it would allow for better performance. Boy, was I wrong. It didn't even come with WindowsXP x64 on it...and to make things worse, Compaq doesn't even supply 64 bit drivers for it. So, a year and a half after Microsoft released the 64 bit version of windows, I go and purchase and install it on my laptop. Below is a list of drivers that I needed or still need...just to show why not to bother with the upgrade.

Video - Not provided by Compaq, but downloaded from ATI
Sound - Not provided by Compaq, but found via google
Wireless - Not provided by Compaq, but found via google
Ehternet - Not provided by Compaq, but drivers supplied by the XP install
Modem - Not provided by Compaq and still not found
Samsung Laser Printer - Not provided by Samsung and still not found
Canon i850 Colour Inkjet Printer - Not provided by Canon and still not found
Brother HL 2040 Laser Printer - Driver found on Brother's website
Blackberry - Not supported...very disappointed in this. (I can no longer recommend this product)

So, now you know why not to bother with XP64.

Daddy's Girls

2007-01-04T13:44:00.000-05:00

It is really hard for me not to brag too much about these kids. Mercy is talking up a storm and has begun to teach Jennifer & I new things and Nadja is crawling up and down the stairs and will probably be walking in a month or so.

I've created a new online photo alblum at http://picasaweb.google.com/lcoughey. I plan to keep
it updated as I can.

The Fat Duck Gastro Pub

2006-12-23T21:35:00.000-05:00

I have no idea what 'Gastro' really means, but I do know that this place has good service and great food. It has been open for a week and Simon, the owner, is putting in very long days, yet still has time to stop at our table and chat. So, I suggest checking it out when you can. They are located at the corner of Kortright and Edinburgh in Guelph...where Smitty's Family Restaurant used to be.

Open House

2006-12-18T11:04:00.000-05:00

We had our Christmas open house two days ago, and I think it went pretty well. We didn't have a huge number of people show up, but that seemed to make it that much more cozy. Everyone is also healthy again, albeit a bit easily tired. The girls are over there illnesses and having a grand time playing with each other. Nadja is climbing up all available furniture, and did not sleep during her nap this morning because she discovered she can also stand up against the side of her crib! Thanks to all who came and made our open house so enjoyable, and we hope you enjoyed yourselves as well. God bless!

More sickness

2006-11-30T08:56:00.000-05:00

I'm still not feeling the greatest, but I'm definitely feeling a lot better than Jennifer and Mercy. Jennifer has a pretty bad chest infection, as does Mercy. Mercy is so limp and hot. It is painful to see her in such a state.

I'm taking the day off work today to give Jennifer a break so that she can get better. Hopefully this bug won't last too long.

As my father was saying last night, it seems as though we are under a satanic attack. This is good, in one sense, as satan generally doesn't attack unless he is scared of something. The bad part is having to work our way through it. Please keep us in your prayers.

Health Scare

2006-11-25T21:20:00.000-05:00

We had a bit of a health scare here. Luke went to the E.R with chest pains. The last I heard from him, they had completed and EKG and he was waiting to give blood and have an x-ray. It doesn't look at the moment like it's something serious with his heart, but of course, they have to rule out that possibility. Luke is trying to keep me posted by email, and I will try to keep updates on here. However, my father-in-law has offered to come after their engagement tonight, and take me to the E.R. to be with Luke. Please pray for him. Thanks.

Jen.

Christmas is Coming!!!!

2006-11-12T20:51:00.000-05:00

Ok, I know that was probably way too cheery....and early....for a lot of you! But I'm actually really excited about it this year. We've decided that we're going to host an Open House for Christmas at our place this year. We did this last year as well, but this time, I'll have a little more time to plan ahead, and it will hopefully include more than our immediate neighbours and family (not that we don't want them!) and we'll have a great time!

We've gotten the girls their Christmas outfits, and we tried to get their photos done the other night, but they were getting tired and wouldn't sit still and smile at the same time. We'll just keep trying. We are doing the photos ourselves again this year, and save some of the outrageous costs that are out there! Stores love Christmas times, "Tis the season to give, so give us all your money!" seems to be their thought.

Another thing we've agreed on is that we'll get our girls one gift each, and then hopefully we'll condition our children to realize that Christmas is not about receiving truckloads of gifts. We would like, as they get older, to start taking them to retirement homes to visit those who have no family or visitors on Christmas day. I've worked in some of these homes, and there is a surprisingly large number of elderly people who's families do not come on Christmas day. It's really heartbreaking that they're forgotten in these homes that are not homes to them, while their families enjoy all the comforts and warmth of Christmas with family. I want our girls to be able to give of themselves, not just give gifts.

Ok, so this is really long, sorry if I've bored you all with these details. Luke and I are going to have to sit down and make a list of things to do before we have all these people over, so we aren't embarrassed by our cluttered house! I hope everyone has a great season, and that we don't get lost in all the details of making things just right. Let's remember that Christ is the center of this season, and as His children, that's who we want to reflect. God bless.

Jen.

Sisterly Love

2006-10-27T16:31:00.000-04:00

Mercy sure loves her little sister! And the feeling is mutual, since the only person who can make Nadja really laugh long is Mercy. This is an older photo, but things haven't changed. Mercy is such a loving person. If one of us says, "I love you", Mercy responds with "a-too!" It's great to watch!

Jen.

Update

2006-10-16T09:42:00.000-04:00

Hello everyone,

As Luke mentioned in a comment added to the last post, it looks as though we'll be able to stay at this house for a while, thankfully. Our road work is moving along nicely, and the road is open again, though nowhere near finished. Nadja is settling down and Mercy is talking up a storm. They both share a room, and they love it. The only downfall to that is when Mercy wakes up at 3:50 (as she did this morning) it wakes Nadja up, and they tend to take over and hour to return to peaceful slumber...but hey, what do you expect with babies, right? I've been looking for some work to do from home, just to give myself a bit of "mad money". Luke's work is going well, and he's hoping to get back into racqetball over the winter. So things are going dandy here, and God has been good to us.

Jen.

Moving, again.

2006-10-01T13:02:00.000-04:00

During a short discussion with our property manager this morning about some leaks in our front entrance way, we were told that this house is coming down in the spring. That being said, it seems that our passive watch for a place to live is to become more agressive.

Please pray that we will seek the Lord's councel in finding a new home where we can raise our family and serve Him. Also pray for Jennifer and the girls, as this will be another major adjustment in such a short period of time.

Nadja files

2006-09-22T09:57:00.000-04:00

Well, now for another chapter in the Nadja files.

The poor kid has been extremely fussy this past week. I had her into see the doctor on Tuesday. He said her ear was inflamed and red, but not infected, and to keep an eye on her. Well, she was running a temperature for a couple days in a row, and stopped eating, so I took her back yesterday, and the poor kid now has a double ear infection. I have a prescription that's in the process of being filled, but in the meantime I've been using a garlic poultice on her ears, and she's already shown immense improvement. Amazing how God provides things for our use from His earth.

Jen.

Wow! Work is busy.

2006-09-21T16:57:00.000-04:00

It seems that the Lord has opened up the flood gates of work, which is not a bad thing. We have had several simultaneous jobs before, but I can't say that I can say that we've ever had all our systems running for several days straight. This is great! Please pray that Jennifer and the girls will be patient with my as I try to manage these jobs and my time.

Disk Recovery Services

I hate construction

2006-09-12T17:28:00.000-04:00

You know the common saying here, Canada has two seasons, winter and construction. Well, we have massive construction on our road at the moment, and it really is making life difficult. I have to keep reminding myself that we'll have a beautifully paved road when it's done. We are constantly running into "challenges" getting into and out of our driveway. Today, I came to the bottom of the driveway, and had to wait about 10 minutes for a grader to come and make a ramp, since the driveway ended in a three-foot drop! The road is supposed to be "officially" closed until the 18th of September, but the construction will continue into November. Mercy loves to look out the window at the "cars" as she calls them. I really thought we were getting a sweet deal with this house, but with the amount of problems we've had since we moved in here, the only sweet deal we'd get would be if we were living here rent free.

Jen.

I have BIG shoes to fill!

2006-09-06T15:29:00.000-04:00

Our kids are growing fast. A couple of weeks ago, Jennifer and I set out to count the number of words that Mercy has in her vocabulary. We were told that by 18 months, a child should have 20 distinguishable words. We counted over 50 and she seems to be adding to her vocabulary every day. If only we could get her to say grammy.

As for Nadja, Jennifer called me at work today to say that she crawled a little bit. She has been all over the place just by creaping and rolling around.

God has defnitely bless Jennifer and I with great children. Please join me in praying that He will use us to be a living example of His love for them and that they will both grow up to love and serve Him.

Flu Bug

2006-08-27T10:20:00.000-04:00

When I got up Friday morning, I wasn't sure I was able to stay awake long enough to get to my racquetball game, let alone play well. It seems that my morning fatigue was quickly followed by flu like symptoms that I was blaming on the lack of sleep. That is, until Jennifer called me at work to say that she and the girls were all sick too.
So, here we are at home on a Sunday morning, skipping church in hopes that we will feel better before Monday.
On a positive note, our water has been fixed and we can now drink it and do our laundry at home again.

Summer's end is nearing

2006-08-22T13:11:00.000-04:00

Hello all!

I can't believe we're nearing the end of August already! However, I love the weather that comes with it. I love the cooler days and almost-cold nights. I think the kids like it much better too, they just seem to come alive with a whole burst of energy (not that they lack energy in the heat and humidity either). I'm already planning a garden for next summer. I want to get the kids involved too, I'm sure Mercy will love "helping" (or digging in the dirt) next summer. Nadja probably won't care much one way or the other, but they'll both love being outside.

I think I'm addicted to curriculum shopping too! Especially in the fall, I get all excited about checking out different curriculum options for when the kids get older, and I go on a catalogue-request-spree. I have only a couple of options that really suit what I'm looking for though. Fall just feels like the time to dig and and really get things going. I don't know why we have New Year's resolutions, I feel much more like making them in the fall. Anyway, enough of my gabbing. I hope everyone's enjoying the slightly cooler weather. God bless.

Jen.

Water woes

2006-08-15T13:07:00.000-04:00

Hello everyone,

I guess getting service in a rental isn't always easier than owning your own home. We've been without clean water in our home for over a week now, and we're still waiting on the repair guy to show up and fix the problem. He was by briefly last week, just long enough to let us know the filters needed changing. We've been taking the girls to my mom's house to bathe, and getting ourselves done whenever and wherever we can. Luke's parents graciously allowed us to stay in there home over the weekend while everyone was away. I just hope this gets done soon. My laundry and dishes are really piling up! Well, I guess the Lord's trying to teach us patience!

Jen.

Mercy speaks pickle.

2006-08-08T11:52:00.000-04:00

My mom has suggested that Mercy speaks pickle. I must agree that it definitely sounds like it. Below is a link to a commercial where she got this from:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5TKoEi7BUH0&search=Pickles%20bicks

Short vacation

2006-08-01T15:33:00.000-04:00

Jennifer and I are heading to visit her brother, Anthony, this weekend. It may not be a long time away, but it will be a nice family trip with the kids.

Africa Bush Pilot

2006-07-10T11:45:00.000-04:00

You are a South African bush pilot.

You fly in some critical medical supplies, enjoy a quick lunch at the hospital.

It's a stifling 100 degrees in the shade and you're eager to get back up to the cool, high blue yonder.

On the way back to your plane, you discover that the only bit of shade, within 10 miles, has become very popular . .

You start calculating the distance to the plane door . and wonder . . .

"Do I feel lucky today?"

Evangelism

2006-07-01T23:16:00.000-04:00

Ever feel like you are in a rut? Do you have those times when you feel like you should be doing more for the Lord, yet you never seem to have the time to do so? Well, I really have a burden on my heart to get out and share the Gospel on the streets of Guelph this summer. Yet, because I can’t motivate myself to get into regular devotions and prayer time, I feel so far from the Lord. I feel inadequate and apathetic. It is time for me to stop talking about it and to finally stand up, step forward and start spreading the Good News of Jesus Christ. Please pray that I will not only get off my butt, but that I step forward and allow the Lord to work through me.

14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?

World Cup Soccer

2006-06-26T16:52:00.000-04:00

For those of us who are cheering on winning teams like Germany, England, Argentina, Portugal and Italy…this is a great tournament! If you are cheering for the Netherlands…I think that there is a tennis tournament playing on TSN.

My Prediction for the finals – Germany vs Brazil. I would like to see Germany take it, but I suspect it will be 2-1 for Brazil in the final.

Here are some pics of a new neighbour.

2006-06-24T12:41:00.000-04:00

...hopefully, not for long. Jennifer took these pictures last evening. He is definitely a cute little guy, though I really don't want to meet his mom.

Maritimers

2006-06-15T17:01:00.000-04:00

I’ve seen this several times in the past and thought it might be nice to share with you:

1. Your idea of a traffic jam is ten cars waiting to pass a tractor on the highway.

2."Vacation" means going to Moncton for the weekend.

3. You measure distance in hours.

4. You know several people who have hit a deer.

5. You often switch from "Heat" to "A/C" in the same day.

6. You use a down filled comforter in the summer.

7. You can drive 100 km through 13 feet of snow during a raging blizzard without flinching.

8. You see people wearing hunting clothes at social events.

9. You install security lights on both your house and garage and go and leave both unlocked.

10. You think of the major food groups as: Meat, Fish and Tim Hortons.

11. You carry jumper cables in your car and your wife knows how to use them.

12. There are seven empty cars running in the parking lot of the Canadian Tire store at any given time.

13. You design your kid's Halloween costume to fit over a snowsuit.

14. Driving is better in the winter because the potholes are filled with snow.

15. Your lingerie consists of tube socks and flannel pajamas.

16. You know all 4 seasons: Almost Winter, Winter, Still Winter and Construction.

17. It takes three hours to go to the store for one item, even when you're in a hurry because you have to stop and talk to everybody in town.

And Finally: You know you live in the Maritimes when...

18. You actually understand these jokes and forward them to all your friends from the Maritimes.

First steps

2006-06-13T08:53:00.000-04:00

Over the few months, Mercy has been walking along furniture, but has shown no interest to walk on her own…until Sunday evening when she just started walking around the house. Last night she kept refusing any help as she walked the hallways of the mall. She is growing up so fast.

Jennifer & I made the decision last week to put Nadja on formula. It is amazing how happy she has become. She has gone from crying all day to sleeping and smiling all day. Even though this will cost us more, it is worth it in the long run.

How's that for affection?

2006-05-30T16:47:00.000-04:00

Ok, so I came down today and told Luke that Nadja was happily playing on the floor. Of course, one of his employees said, "Playing?" implying that she just lays there. So Luke says, "Yeah, she's playing. She's being a potato, no a tomato. Oh, a turd! She does a really good impression of a turd!" When remonstrated on the appropriateness of calling his infant daughter a turd, he defended himself by saying she smelled! How's that for affection? Can you imagine if the nickname ever stuck? How would you explain that one later in life? All I can say is, Poor kids!

Jen.

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Happy Birthday

2006-05-22T08:18:00.000-04:00

I would like to wish Allison Yates a happy 24^th (May 21) and Thomas Widmer a happy 32^nd (May 22).

Hey hey

2006-05-19T16:09:00.000-04:00

Hello everyone!

Well, the weather was getting warmer for a while, but it's been rather cool and rainy this past week. No matter, we need the rain. Luke and I are going to take the girls swimming tomorrow, and I'm excited. I used to go very regularly before Nadja came along, and Mercy loved it. Now that Luke has a Saturday where neither of us has committed to doing anything, he can come and give me a hand with the two little ones. Should be a nice family time. Something we definitely need more of. Seems life is so hectic right now, we barely have time to breathe before we're putting the girls to bed and trying to get some sleep ourselves!

Jen.

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Early Resolution Process

2006-05-15T07:59:00.000-04:00

This is just a quick note to say that I’m heading down to the Ontario Court of Justice to see if I can get a my charge of careless driving knocked down. As it stands, I’m on the hook for $320 plus, from what I understand, 6 points for my accident where the car ahead of me came to a sudden stop on the highway. Anyway, please pray that the Lord will give me the right words to say and that the prosecutor that I’m meeting with will have compassion on me. Also pray that I will be a good ambassador for our Lord, no matter what the result.

Luke

Nadja's hospital visit

2006-05-08T15:25:00.000-04:00

After a long weekend, Jennifer called to let me know that Nadja is being released today. The reason that Nadja was in the hospital in the first place was because of a slight case of pneumonia. She was checked in very early Sunday morning and will be released this afternoon. It is a very humbling experience when I can see Nadja having a hard time breathing and my not being able to do anything to help. Once again, the Lord has been merciful and has shown us His wonderful blessings. Praise the Lord for His healing hands.

Days of colic

2006-04-28T21:47:00.000-04:00

Well, we've discovered that colic is not fun. Of course, we knew that before, but now we're living it. However, God is good to see us through, and the days are starting to get better. Nadja also did much better through the night last night. I'm so thankful that Mercy is such a happy little girl. It makes it easier to handle Nadja's crying. I just hope Nadja follows in her sisters' footsteps and becomes a happy little girl too.

On another note, I'd like to let everyone know (you too Thomas) that I'm more than happy to let Luke take to the courts again! He keeps informing people that it's my fault he's not playing anymore, and so I want to squash that now! But Thomas, to show you how forgiving I am, I will still be willing to have you and your lovely family move to Canada so Luke can have his doubles partner back! God bless you all!

Jen.

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Nadja Pictures

2006-04-21T10:24:00.000-04:00

Mercy Pictures

2006-04-21T09:56:00.000-04:00

Back in court!

2006-04-18T08:11:00.000-04:00

It has been almost two months since my father and I played racquetball. He was off because of his knee surgery and I was off because he was off. However, yesterday, we drove to Kitchener to play and I think we both did very well. I had the opportunity to play a couple of games against #34 in Canada and only lost 15-6, 16-14. I’m hoping to get myself back into shape over the summer and come out strong in the fall.

Nadja's progress

2006-04-13T22:30:00.000-04:00

Hello everyone!

Nadja is now 10 lbs, 3 oz. Her weight gain has been phenomenal. She is in all points very healthy. She does, however, suffer from gastric reflux. We have begun a round of medication for that with her, and it should clear itself up within a month or two. We have so far only given her 3 doses, and it's made a huge difference already. She's no longer a kid who screams all day! It's helped us keep our sanity! Mercy is still not sure what to make of her little sister. I think she thinks Nadja is just a doll that moves and makes noise. But she has shown no signs of jealousy, thank goodness. We'll keep you all posted periodically, and would appreciate your prayers! Have a great Easter weekend!

Jen and Luke.

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Sunrise on the Coughey Ranch

2006-03-31T11:04:00.000-05:00

This is the view from my back door. What an awesome display of God's beautiful creation!

I think my car is toast.

2006-03-17T14:39:00.000-05:00

On my way to work this morning, the car ahead of me on the highway decided to stop without warning. Needless to say, I almost made the stop without hitting her, but failed to do so. This has resulted in me now driving a rental car while my insurance company decides the fate of my car. I suspect that it is going to be written of.

I would like to give the Lord praise for His protection over both of us. Neither the driver of the other car nor I was hurt. Of course, thanks to our weird laws, I get slapped with a reckless driving charge and a huge fine. Anotehr good thing is that I was advised by the police officer to protest the charge…which I will do right away. If all goes well, the charges will be reduced and I will have a much smaller fine.

Mercy's 1st Birthday!

2006-03-16T09:31:00.000-05:00

I like gifts...

But, I must admit, I like cake a lot more!!!

Nadja's 1st week with her big sister, Mercy.

2006-03-16T09:25:00.000-05:00

Happy Birthday Mercy!

2006-03-15T21:43:00.000-05:00

Mercy had her first birthday today! We didn't plan anything elaborate, since a one-year-old wouldn't really remember or care! But we had fun watching her with her cake! She eventually gave up trying to eat with her hands and just went face-down in her piece of cake! Hopefully one of these days, Luke will get some of the photos posted here! Hard to believe a year has already passed since she came into our lives! She is certainly a joy and a blessing to us! We are so thankful that God saw fit to make us her parents!

Jen.

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Doh!

2006-03-14T17:00:00.000-05:00

It would appear that with all the blessings we have been given by the Lord, we have also been given a few hurdles to remind us that we still need Him to lean on. Since Jennifer came home with Nadja, Mercy has taken ill and has been diagnosed with Scarlett Fever, Nadja has been feeding non-stop, giving Jennifer little rest and our landlord informed us last night that they sold the house to a developer. This means that we will have to move again. I’m not sure when. It could be in 6 months or it could be in 10 years. All I know for sure is that the Lord has something planned for our lives and that we will go where He leads.

Nadja Pictures

2006-03-07T10:08:00.000-05:00

It's a girl!

2006-03-05T12:06:00.000-05:00

I am pleased to announce the latest addition to our family, Nadja Praise Coughey. She was born at 5:30 am on Sunday March 5, 2006 and weighs in at 7lbs15oz and is around 19” long. Both Nadja and Jennifer are doing well as they enjoy their stay at the Guelph General Hospital (& resort).

I’ll do my best to keep our Blog (http://coughey.blogspot.com/) updated as things come in. Praise the Lord for His wonderful blessings.

Luke, Jennifer, Mercy & Nadja

Never underestimate a child.

2006-03-03T08:59:00.000-05:00

Well, you will never believe what happened yesterday. We live in a house, upper level, that has a basement apartment in it as well. We share laundry with the tenant downstairs, and the laundry room is in the basement. Usually, when I do laundry, I put Mercy in her exersaucer. Yesterday, I was just going to drop a basket off and come right back up, so I closed the basement door, left Mercy on the floor, and ran down. Well, when I came back up, I discovered Mercy had locked the bolt (from the door into the floor) and I was locked in the basement! At first I figured it was no problem, I'd go out the basement entrance, and run around to our door. But then I remembered that Luke had left that door locked when he left that morning! I was stuck! I was so worried about her being up there by herself. Our house is relatively baby-proof, but she likes to climb the stairs and so on. So I had to find the phone downstairs and call Luke, who ran a couple of red lights and sped to get home as soon as possible! Well, never again will I assume that she wouldn't do something I don't expect her too!

On a much more exciting note, we got a van!!!!! We went to the Ford dealership here in town, and we were extremely impressed with the service. We were originally looking at an '03, but couldn't swing it. The dealership tried for four days to make it work for us, but couldn't. So they went out and found a '98, one owner, originally bought at their dealership, turned in last week on a trade in. The price was right, and Ford even knocked $2000 off the price for us! We were absolutely amazed at their service and help! So we get to pick up our new vehicle tomorrow, and that will mean I can actually drive again! If anyone needs a new vehicle, I definitely recommend Ford.

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God is good to us!

2006-03-02T17:03:00.000-05:00

Many would complain if they couldn’t get a loan to buy a specific vehicle that they liked. I have to admit, I was beginning to doubt. However, despite my lack of faith, the Lord has provided. Jennifer & I will be picking up a van on Saturday morning. Of course, it may not be the exact van we wanted, but it is what the Lord had in store for us. It is our desire to use it, along with all the at we have, to serve the awesome God that knows our every need.

Update

2006-02-23T16:11:00.000-05:00

It has been a while since I last posted a message. I’m going to try my best to focus my blogs more on the positive things in my life.

The first thing to mention is that my dad’s knee replacement went very well. He is still in hospital until Sunday; however, he is already on the path to a full recovery. He is already talking about getting back on the racquetball court.

We should have a new baby in our family very soon. If all goes well, I’ll find the time to recreate our home page to be ready for more pictures. I think we’ll keep the same site location…I’ll just add a new look and more content. Perhaps I’ll figure out how to tie this blog into the site while I’m at it. In the mean time, our website address is http://www.recoveryforce.net/coughey/ Feel free to check it out. I suspect that the pictures on Rogers will no longer be available, as we are no longer using Rogers to access our internet. Better yet, maybe I should register my own personal domain. Stay tuned.

Great Long Distance Rates

2006-02-09T15:57:00.000-05:00

I’ve been pushing Execulink for their internet services. Now I’m going to push their long distance plans. I’ve signed onto a plan that has no base fee and only charges me 4.9 cents/minute anywhere in North America at any time. If you want to sign up, just call Matt @ 866-696-5455, that is his direct line. As I just signed up, I can’t comment on the actual billing process. I’ll be sure to post a comment after my first bill.

More Bell woes.

2006-02-08T12:50:00.000-05:00

Even though my company internet service is provided via Execulink, Bell has disconnected my company’s service. Apparently, even though I did not want their service, their sales rep signed us on to their Business High Speed service. When I said that I didn’t want it and returned the modem that they sent, they put in an order to disable the DSL service to the line...which, in turn, broke our existing service. It has been more than 24 hours and I’ve been told that it could be 48 hours or more before they will undo this mistake. So, I guess the next step is to determine what kind of compensation I should seek to cover my company’s down time.

Let's go again!

2006-02-08T12:41:00.000-05:00

Even though I’ve only played a few times since the last tournament, I’ve entered myself into another racquetball tournament in Kitchener this weekend. Hopefully my body won’t fail me and allow me to regain some respect that I lost in Burlington.

The Countdown is On!

2006-02-06T09:26:00.000-05:00

Well, we're mostly settled in now! We've had an incredible amount of help from my family getting all the boxes unpacked and things sorted out. My sister has been a huge help! She stayed with us all weekend after the move, and has come back several times since. She's done the most work by far! A huge thank you to her! My mom and the kids have also come over a number of days to help as well. We certainly wouldn't have done this all so quickly without them all!

Now the countdown is on to the new little bundle of joy joining our little family! I have 5 weeks until my due date! However, things seem to be moving along, and there's a good possibility we'll have an early visit from the stork! I've been in high gear trying to get last-minute things done. Of course, I could find them all completed, and then a few weeks to wait! But I'd rather get them done now! We appreciate so much all the help that people have given us, as well as the prayers and encouragements. God has been good to us! I hope we can use what He's given us to pour that back out on others.

Jen.

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