One of Derek's many interests is photography. He takes, then develops and prints his own photographs - in black and white and in colour - in his basement darkroom. A new interest is in stereo-photography. He has several set-ups with cameras paired to take two simultaneous slide pictures. Viewed on a screen using two projectors, and special glasses, the 3D effects are excellent!
Derek enjoys fixing cars
- you should see his collection of FIATs and
Mazdas. He also has a blue Cadillac,
a red two-tone Chev Cavalier that was Mandy's,
a red Chev S10 truck that used to belong to Jake,
and a grey Oldsmobile, that belonged to Nancy and RJ.
He spends a lot of time making sure that these cars are all roadworthy and ready to go at any time.
Derek has a private pilot's licence and loves to fly airplanes. His best flight was on the Concorde where he flew at a speed greater than Mach 2.
Another hobby is HAM radio. Derek has his basic licence VE5 JDP and his Morse Code endorsement. He is a member of the Saskatoon Amateur Radio Club.
Derek has always enjoyed woodwork. One current project is to build a cedar strip canoe. Over twenty years ago, Jake bought Derek a book on how to build a canoe for a Christmas present. For a long time it was just a dream - but now it is coming true. Most of the work was done in the solarium of our house in Saskatoon. Another project was to make a beautiful oak chest for Mandy and Kelly.
Derek signed up for classes at SIAST in plumbing and electrical work. The new knowledge along with the cabinet making skills have been put to good use! Many household projects, including extensive kitchen and bathroom renovations, have been completed as a result.